Canon Rebel SL3
24MP APS-C, 5 FPS, 4K, ISO 51,200
a.k.a. Kiss X10 & EOS 250D
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specs Performance Compared Recommendations
Canon EOS Rebel SL3 (also called the Kiss X10 in Japan and EOS 250D in the rest of the world, 15.7 oz./445g with battery and SD card, $649) and EF-S 18-55mm IS II (which just happened to be handy; the kit version comes with the newest 18-55mm IS STM. bigger.
Body only: $649 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Body w/18-55mm IS STM: $749 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Body w/18-55mm IS STM and 55-250mm IS STM: $1,049 at Amazon and at B&H.
White body w/silver 18-55mm IS STM: $749 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Also available used if you know How to Win at eBay.
This 100% all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally approved sources I've used myself for way over 100 combined years when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live — but I receive nothing for my efforts if you take the chance of getting it elsewhere. Canon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, dropped, incomplete, gray-market, store demo or used camera — and my personally approved sources allow for 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new camera. I've used many of these sources since the 1970s because I can try it in my own hands and return it if I don't love it, and because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new camera before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I've used myself for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.
January 2023 Better Pictures Canon Reviews Canon Lenses Canon Flash All Reviews
Canon EOS Rebel SL3. bigger.
Canon EOS Rebel SL3. bigger.
Sample Images top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specs Performance Compared Recommendations
(more at High ISOs)
These are just snapshots; my real work is in my Gallery.
These are all shot hand-held as NORMAL (stairstep icon) JPGs; no tripods, FINE (quarter circle) JPGs or RAW CR3 files were used or needed.
All it did was rain while I wrote this review, so my SL3 sample images were boring. Therefore I'm showing images shot with the Canon Rebel T100 instead, which is a far worse camera with similarly inconsistent autofocus, far inferior high ISO performance and no lens corrections. It I can get these sharp, colorful snaps from the T100 which costs about half of what the SL3 does with the T100's inferior unstabilized kit lens in every kind of light, I certainly can do even better with the SL3:
House, 9:34 AM, 04 December 2022. Canon Rebel T100, EF-s 18-55mm III at 39mm at f/11 at 1/320 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 15.4), as shot. bigger or camera-original 18 MP © 4 MB JPG file.
Spanish Flag, 11:07 AM, 04 December 2022. Canon T100, EF-s 18-55mm III at 44mm at f/14 at 1/400 at Auto ISO 100, -0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 16¼), Radiant Photo Software, perspective correction in Photoshop CS6 (from 2012). bigger or camera-original 18 MP © 7 MB JPG file.
Fruits, 11:10 AM, 04 December 2022. Canon T100, EF-s 18-55mm III at 47mm at f/10 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 100, 0.3 stops exposure compensation (LV 14.6), as shot. bigger or camera-original 18 MP © 3.7 MB JPG file.
Leaves, 11:36 AM, 04 December 2022. Canon T100, EF-s 18-55mm III at 55mm at f/8 at 1/200 at Auto ISO 100, -0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 13.6). bigger or camera-original 18 MP © 5 MB JPG file.
Gull at Sunset, 4:32 PM, 05 December 2022. Cropped from Canon T100, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II at 400mm at f/9 handheld at 1/200 at Auto ISO 800, -0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 11.0), Radiant Photo Software. bigger or camera-original 18 MP © 3.3 MB JPG file.
For this shot I popped-up the built-in flash, which helps the gull pop-out from the background and added the catchlight in the gull's eye. Fill flash is important.
The Moon, 4:32 PM, 05 December 2022. Cropped from Canon T100, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II at 400mm wide-open at f/5.6 hand-held at 1/640 of a second at Auto ISO 320, -0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 12.7), Radiant Photo Software. bigger or camera-original 18 MP © 1.9 MB JPG file.
18MP is plenty of resolution to crop sharp images. Here's the uncropped image:
Uncropped image. bigger or camera-original 18 MP © 1.9 MB JPG file.
Beach Sunset Afterglow, 5:06 PM, December 2022. Canon T100, EF-s 18-55mm III at 18mm at f/3.5 at 1/30 at Auto ISO 400 (LV 6.6, Radiant Photo Software, distortion correction in Photoshop CS6 (from 2012). bigger or camera-original 18 MP © 3.5 MB JPG file.
Brixton by Moonlight, 5:11 PM, 05 December 2022. Canon T100, EF-s 18-55mm III at 23mm at f/3.5 at 1/30 at Auto ISO 3,200 (LV 3.6), Radiant Photo Software, perspective and distortion correction in Photoshop CS6 (from 2012). bigger or camera-original 18 MP © 3.4 MB JPG file.
Denny's, 5:21 PM, 05 December 2022. Canon T100, EF-s 18-55mm III at 18mm wide-open at f/3.5 at 1/30 at Auto ISO 2,000 (LV 4.3), Radiant Photo Software, perspective and distortion correction in Photoshop CS6 (from 2012). bigger or camera-original 18 MP © 3.7 MB JPG file.
Shell Station, 5:23 PM, December 2022. Canon T100, EF-s 18-55mm III at 21mm at f/3.5 at 1/30 at Auto ISO 250 (LV 7.3), Radiant Photo Software, perspective and distortion correction in Photoshop CS6 (from 2012). bigger or camera-original 18 MP © 2.4 MB JPG file.
Introduction top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specs Performance Compared Recommendations
I buy only from these approved sources. I can't vouch for ads below. |
The EOS Rebel SL3 is an ultralight and inexpensive camera with great image processing, lens corrections and marvelous high ISO performance — but has crappy autofocus performance that can result in soft images. It has the same superb color rendition and ergonomics as other Canon cameras so it's fun and easy to shoot and the pictures that are in-focus look great — but they're not always in perfect focus.
The SL3 has a flipping touch-screen LCD and basic 9-point AF through the viewfinder, as well as lots of Live View options and most of what we expect from a modern DSLR.
The EOS Rebel SL3is called the Kiss X10 in Japan and EOS 250D in the rest of the world.
The less expensive Rebel T7 and Rebel T100 lack the processing power for modern lens corrections, which can lead to distortion, color fringes and horrible high ISO performance, while the SL3 has the power to correct all this.
The worst thing about this inexpensive DSLR is that its autofocus system doesn't always get perfect focus. Every so often, and more often than I'd like, it simply misses and gives a softer image. This was common in early DSLRs, but is gone today in iPhones and mirrorless cameras which almost always get every image in perfect focus — so long as you use them correctly. Even used correctly, the SL3 will get the occasional out-of-focus image. This isn't much of a problem with the common EF-S 18-55mm IS STM kit lens and the basic lenses most people use with these cameras, but use a professional EF 50mm f/1.2L at f/1.2 and the results aren't always pretty.
The mirrorless EOS R10 has faster, smarter and more consistently accurate autofocus than this SL3, and doesn't cost that much more. Get the R10 if you can.
While the SL3's autofocus doesn't win any prizes, otherwise its images have the same great color I get from all my other exotic Canon cameras. So long as you're in focus, images from the SL3 look the same as from every other more expensive Canon camera. In fact, the SL3's high ISO performance is slightly better than the EOS R10's.
The SL3 also comes in white:
Canon EOS Rebel SL3 and EF-S 18-55mm IS STM, both in white. bigger.
Body only: $649 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Body w/18-55mm IS STM: $749 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Body w/18-55mm IS STM and 55-250mm IS STM: $1,049 at Amazon and at B&H.
White body w/silver 18-55mm IS STM: $749 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Also available used if you know How to Win at eBay.
New since the SL2
Double the battery life, rated 1,630 regular shots versus only 840 shots for the older SL2.
4K video, first in any Rebel camera.
Canon's first DSLR with Dual Pixel Eye Detection AF in Live View.
Good
Touch screen.
Ultra-high image quality with a Digital Lens Optimizer.
Excellent High ISO performance.
Ultra-long battery life, rated 1,620 shots regular shooting.
Square, 4:3 and 16:9 crop modes, but they're only available in Live View.
Ultra light.
Inexpensive.
Built-in flash.
Pretty quiet to begin with, and has a quieter "silent" mode (that's not really silent) in addition.
Programmable My Menu menu.
Flippy screen (although I prefer fixed screens).
100% U.S.A.-based high-quality technical support at (800) OK-CANON.
Wi-Fi.
Bluetooth LE v4.1.
Bad
Inconsistent autofocus. A percentage of images will simply be out-of-focus.
Missing
Auto ISO is completely basic. You can adjust the maximum ISO permitted, but can't adjust the minimum shutter speed. The SL3 picks a minimum shutter speed based on focal length and that's it.
Square, 4:3 and 16:9 crop modes are only available in Live View.
No second card slot.
No electronic level.
ISO only sets in full stops, which I prefer (Auto ISO sets in third stops).
No pulled ISO 50.
No USB charging - so don't forget your external charger.
No battery percentage meter, just a 4-level icon.
No automatic brightness control for rear LCD.
No NFC.
No GPS.
Specifications top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specs Performance Compared Recommendations
Body only: $649 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Body w/18-55mm IS STM: $749 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Body w/18-55mm IS STM and 55-250mm IS STM: $1,049 at Amazon and at B&H.
White body w/silver 18-55mm IS STM: $749 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Also available used if you know How to Win at eBay.
Lens Compatibility
Canon EOS Rebel SL3. bigger.
It works flawlessly with all Canon EF and EF-S lenses made since 1987.
It won't work with EF-M lenses, which are for Canon's mirrorless APS-C cameras, and it won't work with Canon's RF lenses, which are for Canon's full-frame mirrorless cameras.
Oddly while the Camera > Lens aberration correction > Digital Lens Optimizer menu reads "Cannot correct - no data" for every lens I tried, it corrects them just fine, and if you turn it off, stops correcting. Obviously there is a camera firmware flaw (mine is version 1.0.5.) wherein it claims it has no data, while indeed it does and works great. Weird.
Image Sensor
24 MP (4,000 × 6,000 pixels native).
14.9 × 22.3 mm CMOS.
3.72 µm pixel pitch.
3:2 aspect ratio.
1.61 × crop factor.
Ultrasonic cleaner.
ISO
ISO 100 ～ 25,600; to ISO 51,200 if you enable it in a menu.
Manually sets in full stops only.
Auto ISO
Auto ISO only provides for setting the maximum ISO in full stops from ISO 400 to ISO 25,600 (default highest ISO in Auto ISO is ISO 6,400).
Auto ISO uses a minimum shutter speed determined by the lens' focal length. There is no way to change the slowest shutter speed in Auto ISO.
Image Sizes
6,000 × 4,000 pixels native RAW and JPG LARGE (24 MP).
3,984 x 2,656 Medium (10.6 MP).
2,976 x 1,984 Small 1(5.9 MP).
2,400 x 1,600 Small 2 (3.8 MP).
Cropped Aspect Ratios
4:3, 16:9 and 1:1 square crops from the above sizes — but only in Live View.
Set this at MENU > Camera > page 1 > "Still img aspect ratio."
In regular viewfinder shooting, the "Still img aspect ratio" option disappears from MENU > Camera > page 1!
Still Formats
JPG and/or raw.
sRGB and Adobe RGB.
Video
File Format
.MP4
Frame Sizes and Rates
4K at 23.976 FPS IPB.
1,080 at 59.94 and 29.97 FPS IPB; 29.976 also at IPB Light.
720 at 59.95 FPS.
Time Lapse
4K at 29.97 FPS All-I (playback).
1,080 at 29.976 FPS All-I (playback).
Recording time: 1 second to 1 hour.
Recording frames: 2 to 3,600.
Exposure: fixed or automatic for each frame.
LCD can be turned on or off.
Annoying beep for each frame can be turned on or off.
Audio
Recorded only along with video.
Stereo microphones built in.
Mic-in jack with plug-in power overrides built-in mic.
Autofocus
Viewfinder
9 AF points.
All AF points focus on both horizontal and vertical lines with lenses as slow as f/5.6.
The center point additionally offers extra precision focusing on vertical lines with lenses as fast as f/2.8.
Light Meters
Viewfinder
63 zone evaluative, center-weighted averaging, 9% partial and 4% spot.
LV 1~20 at 23ºC, evaluative.
Live View
315 zone evaluative, center-weighted average, 6% partial and 2.6% spot.
Metering range LV -2 ~ +20.
Finder
95% coverage.
0.87× magnification with 50mm lens.
24.5º apparent angle.
19 mm eyepoint.
-3 ～ +1 diopters.
Shutter
Vertical metal focal plane.1/200 flash sync speed.
1/4,000 ～ 30 seconds, Bulb.
About 75mS shutter lag.
Remote Release
Via Wi-Fi phone app.
Frame Rates
To 5 FPS, viewfinder shooting with tracking autofocus.
To 2.5 FPS, silent Live View shooting.
Flash
E-TTL II control system.
FE Lock.
1/200 sync speed.
Built-in Flash!
Canon EOS Rebel SL3 built-in flash. bigger.
Yes, pops up.
External Flash
Dedicated hot shoe.
No Prontor-Compur (PC) terminal; use the built-in flash to trigger your slaves or just use a hot-shoe adapter for corded sync.
Live View
Yes, both for video and for still shots.
LCD Monitor
Canon EOS Rebel SL3 flipping LCD. bigger.
2.95" (75 mm) diagonal.
1,040,000 dots.
3:2 aspect ratio.
No anti-smudge coating.
No anti-reflection coating.
Manual brightness control only.
Connectors
Left Side
2.5mm remote-in jack for RS-60E3 and similar.
3.5mm stereo mic input.
Right Side
Full-sized HDMI Type C video out.
Micro USB 2.
Wi-Fi
IEEE 802.11b/g/n
DS-SS modulation (IEEE 802.11b)
OFDM modulation (IEEE 802.11g/n)
2.412 ~ 2.462 GHz.
Channels 1 ~ 11.
NFC
None.
Bluetooth
v4.1 Low Energy.
GFSK.
GPS
None; use the phone app.
Storage
One slot for:
SD (up to 2GB), SDHC (up to 32GB) or SDXC (up to 512GB) cards.
UHS-I and Eye-Fi compatible.
Power & Battery
Wake time: 200ms.
Battery
LP-E17 rechargeable Li-Ion battery included.
Rated 1,630 shots regular shooting (1,520 at 0º C/32º F).
Rated 350 shots Live View shooting (320 shots at 0º C/32º F).
7.2V, 1,040 mAh.
1.30 x 0.55 x 1.94."
33 x 14 x 49.4mm.
1.59 oz./45g.
4-level icon for charge state.
Charger
Battery Charger LC-E17. bigger.
Back, Battery Charger LC-E17. bigger.
LC-E17 folding plug 100-240V 50-60 cps charger included in USA.
In other areas you may get the LC-E17E charger with a detachable cord.
2.65 x 1.09 x 3.63."
67.3 x 27.7 x 92.2 mm.
3 oz./85g.
Rated 2 hour charge time.
AC Adapter
Optional AC Adapter AC-E6N and DC Coupler DR-E18.
Clock Battery
Rechargeable internal clock battery runs the clock for 3 months after you've pulled-out the main battery, so long as the main battery was in for at least 8 hours to charge the clock battery.
Size
3.65 × 4.82 × 2.75 inches HWD.
92.6 × 122.4 × 69.8 millimeters HWD.
Weight
Black
15.705 oz. (445.2g) with battery and card, actual measured weight.
Rated 15.84 oz. (449g) with battery and card.
Rated 14.18 oz. (402g) stripped.
White
15.91 oz. (451g) with battery and card.
14.25 oz. (404g) stripped.
Operating Environment
0º ～ 40º C (32º ～ 104º F).
0 to 85% RH.
Quality
Canon EOS Rebel SL3. bigger.
Made in Taiwan.
Included
EOS Rebel SL3 Body in black or in white.
EF-S 18-55mm IS STM lens, if you get it as part of a kit.
LP-E17 rechargeable Li-Ion battery.
Wide Strap EW-400D.
Eyecup Ef.
Announced
12:04 AM, 10 April 2019, NYC time.
Promised for
End of April 2019.
Price, U. S. A. specifications top
January 2023
Body only: $649 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Body w/18-55mm IS STM: $749 at Adorama, at Amazon and at B&H.
Body w/18-55mm IS STM: $749 at Adorama, at Amazon and at B&H.
White body w/silver 18-55mm IS STM: $749 at Adorama, at Amazon and at B&H.
About $500 used with 18-55mm if you know How to Win at eBay.
20 April 2019
Body only: $549 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H or at Crutchfield.
Body w/18-55mm: $649 at Adorama, at Amazon, or at B&H.
White body w/18-55mm: $649 at Adorama, at Amazon, or at B&H.
10 April 2019 Introduction
Body only: $549 at Adorama and at B&H.
Body w/18-55mm: $649 at Adorama and at B&H.
White body w/18-55mm: $649 at Adorama and at B&H.
Performance top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specs Performance Compared Recommendations
Overall Autofocus Auto ISO Auto White Balance
Color Rendition Crop Modes Ergonomics
Exposure Finder Flash High ISOs
Lens Corrections Mechanics Rear LCD
Body only: $649 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Body w/18-55mm IS STM: $749 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Body w/18-55mm IS STM and 55-250mm IS STM: $1,049 at Amazon and at B&H.
White body w/silver 18-55mm IS STM: $749 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Also available used if you know How to Win at eBay.
Overall performance top
The SL3 is an ultralight and inexpensive camera with great image processing, lens corrections and great high ISO performance — but last-generation autofocus performance can result in some soft images. It has the same superb color rendition and ergonomics as other Canon cameras so it's fun and easy to shoot and the pictures that are in-focus look great — but they're not always in perfect focus.
Autofocus performance top
Autofocus is crappy because too large a percentage of the shots, even shot properly, are simply not in focus. The even less expensive T7 and T100 have the same problem, while the more expensive Canons like the superb R10 don't have this problem.
Auto ISO performance top
Auto ISO is swell, but basic. You can adjust the maximum ISO allowed, but can't adjust the minimum shutter speed. The SL3 picks a minimum shutter speed based on focal length, and that's it.
Auto White Balance performance top
Auto White Balance is great, no surprises here.
Color & Tonal Rendition performance top
Colors look great. Set the Picture Style the same as another Canon camera and the images match. Bravo!
I shoot my nature and landscape images with Picture Style (set at MENU > Shooting > page 4 > Picture Style) set to Standard with 7,1,1 sharpening and +4 Saturation.
Color rendition is how pictures look in the real world. Real-world color rendition has nothing to do with color accuracy measured in a lab. Color rendition is dependant on how a maker programs all the color matrices, curves, and look-up tables to generate color from the data read from the sensor, and varies widely between makers once you set a camera away from its defaults. I never shoot at defaults.
If you shoot raw then your colors and tones aren't created until you process the raw data later in software, and your choice of software will have as much effect on your images as the camera itself.
It's like pianos: anyone can talk forever about how pianos are made, but to most ordinary players the subtle variations between different samples of a Steinway Model D are eclipsed by their own limitations in playing, but when you're a virtuoso even subtle differences become obvious to the seasoned master. That's why when you buy, or choose a Steinway for your tour as a Steinway Artist, you go to Steinway's Astoria factory and pick from among several samples of the same model which suits your style best. To a master, the subtle details are everything, just like subtle differences in color rendition between different brands of camera. Art is not the duplication of reality; art is the expression of imagination.
I'm a working artist, not some online tweaker, YouTuber or tech blogger. Color is my life. I'm pickier about color than almost anyone; I see things most people don't.
This is just me; your preferences and results will vary. I LOVE what comes out of my Canon cameras.
Crop Modes performance top
The Square, 4:3 and 16:9 crop modes are only available in Live View.
You're stuck with 3:2 with viewfinder shooting.
Ergonomics performance top
Ergonomics are generally excellent, as they usually are with Canon. The SL3 has no surprises.
The SL3 defaults to a "Guided" basic menu layout, which is slightly different from most other Canons. As an advanced user I prefer to reset mine to the standard menus with which I'm familiar at MENU > Display Level (the fifth cartagory along the top options between SET UP and MY MENU) and set all the DISPLAY LEVEL options to Standard.
The MENU and INFO buttons are on the wrong (left) side, demanding a second hand to hit them.
The power switch isn't quite as good as on most Canons, but still much better than anything on Sony or Nikon. By "better," a power switch should be easy to see and hit while you're looking at the camera in your hands, but difficult to hit by accident while you're shooting or when the camera is put away in a bag or around your neck.
Exposure performance top
No surprises; exposure does the same things it does on other Canon cameras.
Finder performance top
The finder image is small, while the green data display below it is big and legible.
Active AF areas are indicated with red LED dots, which are great because they don't hide anything as dark LCD boxes do.
Flash performance top
The built in flash exposes well.
High ISO Performance performance top
High ISO performance is great; the SL3's high ISO performance is slightly better than the new EOS R10 and EOS R7!
Complete Images details dark detail performance top
As seen at normal image sizes below, the SL3 pretty much makes the same images from ISO 100 to ISO 12,800.
ISO 25,600 gets a little grainier or noisy, and still looks fine if I need it for normal-sized images.
ISO 51,200 (H) gets blotchier and fuzzy, and still quite usable if I really need it for normal-sized images.
This is magnificent performance.
There's no mystery to comparing cameras; I shoot this same test at all the ISOs of every other camera I review so you can compare for yourself.
Click any for the camera-original © 24 MP FINE JPG files:
Click any for the camera-original © 24 MP JPG FINE files (about 12 MB each).
Fine Details: 600 × 450 Pixel Crops (10× magnification) High ISOs details dark detail performance top
Here are crops from the same images as above, showing the clock on the right.
What we see at the high magnifications below is that fine details go away as the ISO increases. This happens with all cameras (and our own eyes) and is an artifact of the noise reduction working harder as the ISO increases.
In the SL3, the most detail is at ISO 100, and becomes softer at every higher ISO. This is normal and how noise reduction works in every camera.
By ISO 6,400 most of the detailed scrollwork between the clock numbers is gone.
By ISO 25,600 the minute marks are mostly gone.
By ISO 51,200 (H) all the detail is gone from the clock face, and even the big numbers are starting to disappear.
It's normal for details to go away at higher ISOs in all digital cameras.
These are 600 × 450 pixel crops that vary in size to fit your browser window.
If these are about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 20 × 30" (50 × 75 cm) at this same high magnification.
If these are about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 40 × 60" (1 × 1.5 meters) at this same extreme magnification.
If these are about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 80 × 120" (2 × 3 meters) at this same insanely high magnification.
Click any for the camera-original © 24 MP FINE JPG files:
Click any for the camera-original © 24 MP JPG FINE files (about 12 MB each).
Dark-Area 600 × 450 Pixel Crops (10× magnification) High ISOs details dark detail performance top
Here are different crops from the same images as above, now showing the dark grillwork of the fireplace.
Higher ISOs greatly reduce the details in the shadows, as we expect.
The most detail is at ISO 100. Look at the texture in the curly broad iron strokes and the fine screen.
These fine details are mostly gone by ISO 1,600.
The bricks behind the grill go away by ISO 3,200.
Almost everything is gone by ISO 25,600, and at ISO 51,200 (H) there is more noise than image.
Again, it's normal in all digital cameras for details to go away at higher ISOs.
These are 600 × 450 pixel crops that vary in size to fit your browser window.
If these are about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 20 × 30" (50 × 75 cm) at this same high magnification.
If these are about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 40 × 60" (1 × 1.5 meters) at this same extreme magnification.
If these are about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 80 × 120" (2 × 3 meters) at this same insanely high magnification.
Click any for the camera-original © 24 MP FINE JPG files:
Click any for the camera-original © 24 MP JPG FINE files (about 12 MB each).
Lens Corrections performance top
The SL3 corrects for falloff (Peripheral Illumination Correction), Distortion and has a Digital Lens Optimizer which corrects for a suite of other aberrations like lateral color and diffraction.
If you turn off the Digital Lens Optimizer, you are then offered à la carte ON/OFF options for Chromatic Aberration Correction and Diffraction Correction.
A firmware flaw in my SL3 (firmware version 1.0.5) is that while MENU > Camera > page 1 > Lens aberration correction > Digital Lens Optimizer reads "Cannot correct - no data" for every lens I tried, it corrects them just fine, and if you turn it off, stops correcting. Obviously there is a camera firmware flaw where it claims it has no data, while it clearly does have data and works great. Weird.
Mechanical Quality performance top
It's what we expect for a small, inexpensive, high quality camera: lots of plastic, with metal where we need it.
Metal
Strap lugs, hot shoe, lens mount, tripod socket.
Plastic
Everything else.
Rubberized
Right side grip, eyecup, left and right side connector cover flaps.
Serial Number
Canon EOS Rebel SL3. bigger.
Printed on a sticker glued into a recess in the bottom.
Date Code
None found.
Made in
Made in Taiwan.
Rear LCD Monitor performance top
Canon EOS Rebel SL3 flipping LCD. bigger.
The little flippy touch screen is what we expect: accurate color, it looks the same from every angle and it's sharp.
Playback performance top
It's what we expect from Canon, no surprises here.
Zoomed images are always sharp, even as scrolled or swapped.
Data performance top
Cards are titled as "EOS_DIGITAL."
24 MP FINE JPGs (quarter-circle icon) are about 12 MB, varying with the level of image detail and complexity.
24 MP NORMAL JPGs (stairstep icon) have a median file size of about about 5.5 MB, varying from about 2.5 MB to 13 MB with the level of image detail and complexity.
Clock Accuracy performance top
Every sample is different, but mine gains about 13 seconds per month (42ms/day), which is about average.
This matters when you shoot multiple cameras (or this camera and an iPhone) and then sort all the images based on capture time to compare the similar views of each scene. The more accurate a camera's internal clock, the less often you need to reset it.
Compared top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specs Performance Compared Recommendations
The oldest and cheapest Rebel T100 and Rebel T7 lack the processing power for modern lens corrections, which can lead to distortion, color fringes and horrible high ISO performance.
The newer and more expensive Rebel SL3 has the processing power for lens corrections and excellent high ISO performance - but all three of these cheapest models have equally crappy autofocus performance.
The Rebel T8i and R10 have the processing power power for lens corrections and excellent high ISO performance, and also have excellent autofocus performance.
| Announced | 2018 February 26 |
2018 February 26 |
2019 April 10 |
2020 February 13 |
2022 May 24 |
| Resolution | 18 MP APS‑C |
24 MP APS‑C |
24 MP APS‑C |
24 MP APS‑C |
24 MP APS‑C |
| ISO Max | 12,800 (H) |
12,800 (H) |
51,200 (H) |
51,200 (H) |
51,200 (H) |
| Sensor Cleaner | NO |
NO |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Lens Corrections | NO |
NO |
YES |
YES |
YES |
| Lens Mount | Plastic |
Metal |
Metal |
Metal |
Metal |
| Built-in Flash | YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
| Diopter Adjustment? | NO |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Dedicated Power Switch | No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Rear LCD | Small and crappy |
Good |
Good |
Good |
Good |
| Autofocus Sensors | 9 |
9 |
9 |
45 |
651 |
| Autofocus Performance | Crappy |
Crappy |
Crappy |
EXCELLENT |
EXCELLENT |
| Included lens | None |
None |
None |
||
| Price w/included lens 1/2023 |
Recommendations top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specs Performance Compared Recommendations
Body only: $649 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Body w/18-55mm IS STM: $749 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Body w/18-55mm IS STM and 55-250mm IS STM: $1,049 at Amazon and at B&H.
White body w/silver 18-55mm IS STM: $749 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Also available used if you know How to Win at eBay.
This is a cute little camera which usually takes the same pictures as much larger cameras, unless it's not in focus. Its inconsistent autofocus performance is inferior to mirrorless cameras like the EOS R10 which will give superior results more consistently if you're picky.
The less expensive Rebel T7 and T100 lack modern lens corrections, which can lead to distortion, color fringes and sloppy high ISO performance, while this SL3 corrects all this — but all three of these share the same poor autofocus system.
I'd avoid this camera, as well as the the Rebel T7 and T100, and opt for the far superior EOS R10 instead.
Lens Suggestions
The 18-55mm IS STM included as part of the kit is an excellent lens. The next step up would be to get the body-only and the superb 18-135mm USM separately instead of a kit with 18-55mm.
For a telephoto, the basic EF-S 55-250mm STM lens is perfect for this camera because it's ultralight and inexpensive, and you can get it as part of this kit. The newest, bigger and more expensive EF 70-300mm IS II is among the world's fastest focusing lenses for sports. I use the fully professional EF 100-400mm IS L II, but it's so heavy that it sort of defeats the purpose of the tiny camera — and all of these lenses take great pictures.
If you need an ultra-ultrawide lens (few people do; it's very difficult to use ultrawide lenses well), the EF-S 10-18mm is inexpensive, lightweight and a superb performer.
Body only: $649 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Body w/18-55mm IS STM: $749 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Body w/18-55mm IS STM and 55-250mm IS STM: $1,049 at Amazon and at B&H.
White body w/silver 18-55mm IS STM: $749 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
Also available used if you know How to Win at eBay.
This 100% all-content website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Canon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, non-USA, store demo or used camera. I use the stores I do because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new camera before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I use myself for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.
Thanks for helping me help you!
Ken Rockwell.
© Ken Rockwell. All rights reserved. Tous droits réservés. Alle Rechte vorbehalten. Alla rättigheter förbehållna. Toate drepturile rezervate. Ken Rockwell® is a registered trademark.
Help Me Help You
I support my growing family through this website, as crazy as it might seem.
The biggest help is when you use any of these links when you get anything. It costs you nothing, and is this site's, and thus my family's, biggest source of support. These places always have the best prices and service, which is why I've used them since before this website existed. I recommend them all personally.
If you find this page as helpful as a book you might have had to buy or a workshop you may have had to take, feel free to help me continue helping everyone.
If you've gotten your gear through one of my links or helped otherwise, you're family. It's great people like you who allow me to keep adding to this site full-time. Thanks!
If you haven't helped yet, please do, and consider helping me with a gift of $5.00.
As this page is copyrighted and formally registered, it is unlawful to make copies, especially in the form of printouts for personal use. If you wish to make a printout for personal use, you are granted one-time permission only if you PayPal me $5.00 per printout or part thereof. Thank you!
Thanks for reading!
Ken Rockwell.