The Best Canon DSLR Cameras for Beginners in 2022

Canon currently sells a wide range of DSLR cameras, ranging from $400 and all the way up to $6,000.

You can check all Canon DSLR models here, but today, we’re going to stick to models that are affordable and perfect for beginner photographers.

The 3 Best Canon DSLRs for Beginners:

• Canon T6
• Canon T6i
• Canon T6s

These are our top picks, from cheapest to most expensive. There are some newer models out there but these are great options because you can get them for less than the newest ones and they are really great cameras with all the technology you need to get started.

A DSLR camera is the ultimate tool for photography, whether you’re looking for something to use for traveling, parties etc., or for serious professional work.

They all allow you to manually change all of the settings so you can get the exact shot you envisioned. Alternatively, you can also set the camera to full Auto mode and let it do everything, and you’ll still be amazed at the technology and image quality delivered by the big sensor.

However, in order to get the most out of DSLRs, we advise you to switch to semi-manual or fully manual modes quite soon after buying your first camera. With plenty of tutorials online, and having the ability to actually experiment with your camera (you can’t mess anything up, they were made for that), you can literally learn the most important things in a few days.

Which DSLR To Buy?

Your budget plays an important factor, and the more you pay, the more you get.

Here’s what you can expect from every Canon DSLR:

• Image quality is great
• The ability to use over 60 different lenses
• Great colors, contrast, dynamic range
• Friendly to both newcomers and professional shooters
• Auto focus good for slow and fast paced photography
• Full HD video at 30fps

So even if you buy the Canon T6, the cheapest of them all, you’ll be happy to know that image quality blows all phones and smartphones out of the water.

Why are some Canon DSLRs more expensive than others?

• ISO sensitivity. When shooting in low light you more often than not have to raise the default ISO speed, but that introduces more visible noise on your images. More expensive cameras show less noise and therefore have better quality.
• Bigger, better built bodies. Some people use their DSLRs in “safe” areas, while others travel in more serious locations (freezing temperatures, rain forests etc.). A little bit of rain or snow won’t damage your camera though.
• More expensive cameras offer more auto focus points and are usually faster, but even the cheapest ones perform very well here

There are many more factors of course, but generally speaking the increase of price is usually because of bigger bodies, better noise performance, more AF points, a top LCD screen and so on.

Canon T6 – The Most Affordable

Besides costing the least, the Canon T6 is also the lightest and smallest on this list. It’s perfect if you want to travel super light, even with the kit 18-55mm lens mounted.

Well, the price is obviously a big factor here. For under $500, you get an 18 megapixel CMOS sensor which is more than enough for most photographers. Anything over 15MP is brilliant for large prints or cropping your shots, while for sharing your shots online, you’re more than covered. The quality of shots (colors, sharpness, contrast), these are all great.

If you want to quickly share your photographs, you’ll love the built-in WiFi and NFC capabilities. Download the app on your phone, connect it to your camera and you can manually select which photo/video you want to transfer, or all at the same time.

Canon Rebel T6 Features:

• 18MP APS-C Sensor
• 9 AF Points
• ISO 100-6,400 (12,800)
• 3 frames per second
• Full HD Video at 30fps
• 3.0″ Fixed LCD
• See all features here

The ISO range goes up to 12,800, while the camera is usable at 3,200. For the best clarity, we recommend you to stick to max. 1,600, especially if you plan on printing big.

Speed wise, it’s got 9 auto focus points (1 is cross-type for more accurate focusing) and can capture 3 frames per second. In this age, that’s a little bit slow compared to other similarly priced models such as the Nikon D3400. The Canon T6 also has the ability to record videos in Full HD at 30fps

But what if we told you there’s an almost identical DSLR, released in 2014.

Same sensor, same ISO, same AF system, but $60 less.

It’s called the Canon T5. It doesn’t have built-in WiFi and its 3.0″ LCD screen isn’t as detailed as the T6’s ones (only 460,000 compared to 920,000 dots resolution). Depending on how much you need the WiFi, $60 can be a big difference.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

Canon T6i – Best Bang for the Buck

The Canon Rebel T6i was also released in 2016, but is years ahead of the T6 above.

24.2 megapixels with maximum ISO of 25,600 and less noise, as well as improved dynamic range, it’s the got the best sensor in all Canon entry-level models.

Auto focus technology is also much faster and more accurate. It’s got 19 AF points, with all of them being cross-type! These are much more accurate and will lock onto your subject quicker,, but you’ll mostly notice this in places where the light is tricky. Furthermore, having 10 more points compared to the T6 means you can be more precise with framing your subject.

Canon Rebel T6i Features:

• 24.2MP APS-C Sensor
• 19 AF Points (all cross-type)
• ISO 100-12,800 (25,600)
• 5 frames per second
• Full HD Video at 30fps
• 3.0″ Articulating touch-screen LCD
• See all features here

The Rebel T6i can shoot 5 frames per second, 2 more than the T6. This makes it a much more ideal choice for sports and wildlife, and there’s no other entry-level DSLR from Canon or Nikon that shoots faster.

While it does feature Full HD video, it unfortunately doesn’t offer a 60fps mode. Like the T6 and all Rebel models right now, the maximum is 30fps. However, if you don’t plan on recording slow motion videos or don’t care bout 60fps, it won’t make a big difference , especially if you want that film look where 24-30fps is more common.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

Canon T6s – Like the T6i but better body

The Canon T6s is the most expensive Rebel available right now.

Specification wise, it’s identical to the Canon T6i and you won’t see a difference between images or videos taken with each camera.

So why is the T6s more expensive? 

It’s got a top LCD screen, a Quick Dial Dial and a proximity sensor that temporarily shuts turns off the LCD screen when you’re looking through the viewfinder.

All of these features are found on more expensive cameras, and this is the first time Canon decided to put them into a more compact, small Rebel body. Why would you need them?

First, having a top LCD screen saves you a lot of time and is something you won’t be able to live without once you try it. Instead of having to preview all of your settings such as shutter speed, ISO, aperture, battery life, shots left etc., you can see all of that on the top LCD. It’s also got a handy button to brighten up the screen in low light.

The Quick Dial allows you to quickly change the aperture, scroll through the images or change any other setting. With all other Rebels, you need to hold a button while rotating the top dial to change the aperture. Here, you just rotate the quick dial like on more advanced DSLRs.

Canon Rebel T6s Features:

• 24.2MP APS-C Sensor
• 19 AF Points (all cross-type)
• ISO 100-12,800 (25,600)
• 5 frames per second
• Full HD Video at 30fps
• 3.0″ Articulating touch-screen LCD
• See all features here

Remember, you don’t need to get the T6s if your main priority is image quality. The only reason why the T6s costs more is because of the more advanced body. As we said above, it does make manual photography way easier, but it’s up to you decide whether that’s worth paying more. You can check the current prices in any of our links.

You can buy it at Amazon or see more reviews here.

Which Canon Lens to Get?

All Canon Rebel models come with either the kit Canon 18-55mm lens or Canon 18-135mm.

For starting out, we recommend you to get a DSLR with the kit zoom as the range is great for everyday situations, from events, animals, people etc. The 18-135mm has a lot more zoom, slightly better colors and quality, but is also bigger and heavier. Nothing anyone couldn’t manage, but it helps to pay attention to size and weight if you prefer traveling super light.

Alternatively, you can buy the body only and then pick any lens of your own choice, whether that’s a zoom or a prime. You have over 60 lenses to choose from Canon, and then there’s other excellent third-party brands like Sigma  and Tamron that offer a variety of lenses as well.

Read more: Best Canon Lenses

At Best Photography Gear, we have pages dedicated to best lenses for every specific DSLR, as well as lenses perfect for different types of photography. After buying your first camera (or even better, before) we recommend you to read as much as possible.