a rented T6s is arriving here tomorrow...

my SL1 isn't quite doing it for me, so i rented a T6s due to arrive tomorrow. i didn't rent any lenses - i have 55-250 STM, which i use a lot, a 50mm, the kit lens, and i can borrow the sigma 17-70 from a family member.

other than my regular subjects - BIF, birds on the ground, plants, stuff like rusty locks, sort of medium shot architechturals and low light semi closeup object photography - what would you recommend that i might not think of to evaluate the camera? i don't have the steadiest hands, but i do have a benro monopod with a single foot at a 3-foot thingy plus a pretty nice tripod with a smooth video head.

thanks!

for one thing, i want two dials/wheels when i shoot raw, but the SL1 only has one, as does the T6i. i want faster autofocus, and my son - who's used my SL1 and his new T6i says the T6i focuses faster and more reliably. it's not an 80D, but due to wrist problems, that's not an option for me.

i'd like an articulated screen, not only for video but sometimes for photos, and honestly a top screen would be very useful sometimes if it's easy enough to read. if the T6s had better low light performance, that wouldn't hurt, but i didn't expect much improvement in that area.

and as small as my hands are (i'm 5'3") i find that the grip on the SL1 isn't a good fit for me, and as a result i have trouble hand-holding shots at 1/50th or lower that i easily got when i had a sony a6000.

I had a T6S for over a year and found it to be an excellent overall camera. I used it for BIF, landscape, portraits, and just about anything else. It always performed well. I did eventually change over to an 80D, mainly for the better viewfinder, improved low light focus, and much longer battery life. For me, I also found the larger body more comfortable.

I have nothing bad to say about the T6S but, at this point, wonder if the 77D might be a better choice for you. It does have a more effective AF system, as well as an arguably better processor. It's also been out long enough now to be available as a Canon refurb, which makes it very affordable.

Stan in NH wrote:

I had a T6S for over a year and found it to be an excellent overall camera. I used it for BIF, landscape, portraits, and just about anything else. It always performed well. I did eventually change over to an 80D, mainly for the better viewfinder, improved low light focus, and much longer battery life. For me, I also found the larger body more comfortable.

I have nothing bad to say about the T6S but, at this point, wonder if the 77D might be a better choice for you. It does have a more effective AF system, as well as an arguably better processor. It's also been out long enough now to be available as a Canon refurb, which makes it very affordable.

very helpful info - thanks!   i'll rent the 77D next.

i was thinking of trying to shoot using a wrist brace because actually even though i have small hands, the 80D is very comfortable in the hand.  guess i'll rent one after the T6s and the 77D

I have a T6s and here are a few issues you might want to consider:

1.  Since you are interested in BIF, you might need to turn the camera on quickly to grab a shot.  If you quickly push on the lever to turn the camera on, do you end of in video instead?  The switch on my camera is stiff and that frequently happens to me.

2.  Do you need or want the touch screen?  If so, do you also carry the camera by the neck strap?  You will likely find that with the touch screen and carrying the camera against your chest, the camera will not automatically turn off and the battery will quickly run down.

3.  If you do night photography, decide how you will track the exposure time.  With my previous T3i, the counter was illuminated.  With the t6s, the counter cannot be seen in the dark.

4.  Decide if you want to totally rely on the auto exposure settings or do you frequently evaluate the scene and use eV to adjust the exposure?  If so, you will have a big problem.  With my T3i, I could look thru the viewfinder and easily adjust eV.  With the T6s, the adjustment is a nightmare.  (Unlock the Dial. Push the shutter button halfway. That permits a few seconds to make the adjustment.  Push very gently down on the wheel to gain traction and then turn the wheel to adjust.  Relock the wheel so it does not accidently change.)  See if you have the same problem I do in using the wheel.  Trying to turn the wheel requires downward pressure which instead activates the rocker switches build into the wheel.

As you might gather from the above issues, I think the camera was designed by a committee of Dilberts who had no idea about the needs of a photographer.

Sorry, I forgot you mentioned low light, close up photography.  You will likely find very poor AF capability for either situation.  For macro photography I do a lot of rock and shoot focusing.  I want the camera to work on AF so I have an approximate focus, then I set the AF by pushing the shutter halfway, then rock gently back and forth to obtain perfect focus before shooting.  Unfortunately the AF on my T6s rarely works at anything close to 1:1 macro.  It typically just stops working and hunts at anything closer than about 1:3.  This is a big issue for me because for macro work I typically hold a flash in one hand and only have one hand for the camera.  Without AF, my shooting technique is screwed.

Let me know if you have any other concerns in advance.

patticake wrote:

my SL1 isn't quite doing it for me, so i rented a T6s due to arrive tomorrow. i didn't rent any lenses - i have 55-250 STM, which i use a lot, a 50mm, the kit lens, and i can borrow the sigma 17-70 from a family member.

other than my regular subjects - BIF, birds on the ground, plants, stuff like rusty locks, sort of medium shot architechturals and low light semi closeup object photography - what would you recommend that i might not think of to evaluate the camera? i don't have the steadiest hands, but i do have a benro monopod with a single foot at a 3-foot thingy plus a pretty nice tripod with a smooth video head.

thanks!

If there is any way you can afford the extra $100, then the 77D has some VERY significant improvements over the T6s, esp for birding, low light, and video.

T6i vs 77D specs

Of note is the more capable AF. Not only do you get 45 points (all cross-type), but the Zone AF is more flexible too. You also get f/8 AF points (9 are cross-type), and the low-light AF sensitivity is increased from -.5 EV to -3 EV.

Frames per second goes from 5 to 6 for your BIFs (also good if you use "Poor Man's Image Stabilization" ie: shoot bursts in low light and cherry-pick the best). You get Digic 7 and better Dynamic Range from this sensor.

Speaking of sensors, the 77D incorporates the new DPAF sensor which literally transforms Live View shooting, and Video AF simply has to be seen to be believed.

Exposure Bracketing gets more options, as does White Balance. Also the flash is a little stronger, the shutter lag a little less, and the RAW buffer much increased (think BIFs!).

And if this isn't enough, the 77D is a wee bit smaller in all dimensions, and even lighter than the T6s.

Have we got ya convinced yet?

Happy shopping!

R2

R2D2 wrote:

If there is any way you can afford the extra $100, then the 77D has some VERY significant improvements over the T6s, esp for birding, low light, and video.

T6i vs 77D specs

Of note is the more capable AF. Not only do you get 45 points (all cross-type), but the Zone AF is more flexible too. You also get f/8 AF points (9 are cross-type), and the low-light AF sensitivity is increased from -.5 EV to -3 EV.

Frames per second goes from 5 to 6 for your BIFs (also good if you use "Poor Man's Image Stabilization" ie: shoot bursts in low light and cherry-pick the best). You get Digic 7 and better Dynamic Range from this sensor.

Speaking of sensors, the 77D incorporates the new DPAF sensor which literally transforms Live View shooting, and Video AF simply has to be seen to be believed.

Exposure Bracketing gets more options, as does White Balance. Also the flash is a little stronger, the shutter lag a little less, and the RAW buffer much increased (think BIFs!).

And if this isn't enough, the 77D is a wee bit smaller in all dimensions, and even lighter than the T6s.

Have we got ya convinced yet?

Happy shopping!

R2

sounds pretty convincing!  well, i'm going to enjoy 3 days with the T6s, then for my next rental, i'll try the 77D.  thank goodness i have lens rentals primeHD

patticake wrote:

R2D2 wrote:

If there is any way you can afford the extra $100, then the 77D has some VERY significant improvements over the T6s, esp for birding, low light, and video.

T6i vs 77D specs

Of note is the more capable AF. Not only do you get 45 points (all cross-type), but the Zone AF is more flexible too. You also get f/8 AF points (9 are cross-type), and the low-light AF sensitivity is increased from -.5 EV to -3 EV.

Frames per second goes from 5 to 6 for your BIFs (also good if you use "Poor Man's Image Stabilization" ie: shoot bursts in low light and cherry-pick the best). You get Digic 7 and better Dynamic Range from this sensor.

Speaking of sensors, the 77D incorporates the new DPAF sensor which literally transforms Live View shooting, and Video AF simply has to be seen to be believed.

Exposure Bracketing gets more options, as does White Balance. Also the flash is a little stronger, the shutter lag a little less, and the RAW buffer much increased (think BIFs!).

And if this isn't enough, the 77D is a wee bit smaller in all dimensions, and even lighter than the T6s.

Have we got ya convinced yet?

Happy shopping!

R2

sounds pretty convincing! well, i'm going to enjoy 3 days with the T6s, then for my next rental, i'll try the 77D. thank goodness i have lens rentals primeHD

Being able to rent is a huge advantage, and one I don't have where I live. I think you'll find the T6S is a very likable camera, the 77D an upgrade to that, and the 80D a feature rich body with a beautiful viewfinder and superb battery life. All are available in the Canon refurb Store as well, so prices will be reasonable. The feel of the cameras will be different, so your own take on the ergonomics should be a significant factor in the purchase decision.

Putting all arguments about dynamic range, AF pluses and minuses, and/or high ISO noise etc. aside, all these cameras are capable of producing beautiful quality images in both RAW and JPEG formats. Their menu systems are very similar, and they all take the same lenses. I'll be very curious to see what your reactions are to these cameras after you have a chance to use them. My own very biased opinion is that while the differences are real, they are not nearly as dramatic in the field as they are on paper.

Have you considered a hand strap?

https://www.amazon.com/Movo-HSG-2-DualStrap-Padded-Cameras/dp/B00HTWF9ZI/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1515825038&sr=8-10&keywords=dslr+hand+grip

Might help with the wrist strain regardless of what body you choose. I am not condoning the product since I've never used it but I thought about it while reading your post.

well, so far i like the T6s but don't love it.  the grip isn't ideal for me but i had fun with it last night on a monopod with 3 feet putting the camera through its paces and doing some low light stuff.

tomorrow we hit the marina to do some bird shooting

my husband, who needs a lighter camera, rented a sony a6300 (i had recommended an a6000 but they didn't have one), so we'll both be trying new cameras!

rmexpress22 wrote:

Have you considered a hand strap?

https://www.amazon.com/Movo-HSG-2-DualStrap-Padded-Cameras/dp/B00HTWF9ZI/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1515825038&sr=8-10&keywords=dslr+hand+grip

Might help with the wrist strain regardless of what body you choose. I am not condoning the product since I've never used it but I thought about it while reading your post.

the one i have made things worse, but i'm going to give it a try.  for this weekend, i'm going to use an ace wrist brace with some boning for extra support.

so after spending 3 days with the T6s, it surely does focus faster and more reliably than the SL1 -  almost ridiculously so.

next rental is definitely going to be the 77d!