EOS Rebel SL1/100Dby Canon

It misses out on our top award as I honestly think most people buying an entry-level DSLR would be better-served by a mirror-less camera the…

It misses out on our top award as I honestly think most people buying an entry-level DSLR would be better-served by a mirror-less camera these days. But for those who understand the differences and would genuinely prefer a traditional DSLR, the EOS SL1/ 100D represents a compelling option and a decent upgrade over the company's previous entry-level model, the EOS T3 / 1100D.

Perhaps our biggest bug with this camera is the hyperbole which is associated with being the world's smallest and lightest DSLR. Does that r…

Perhaps our biggest bug with this camera is the hyperbole which is associated with being the world's smallest and lightest DSLR. Does that really mean anything when lenses are still big and heavy?

Add in the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens -- which is relatively sharp and very smooth and silent when recording movies -- and some …

Add in the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens -- which is relatively sharp and very smooth and silent when recording movies -- and some serious video recording skills, and the Canon SL1 is much more than a cute, tiny Rebel. It's a camera that needs to be taken seriously, and should appeal to a wide range of photographers, beginners and enthusiasts, who want a small body but the benefits of a DSLR.

There aren't a lot of bells and whistles. Wi-Fi, which is becoming more common in interchangeable lens cameras, is absent here.

There aren't a lot of bells and whistles. Wi-Fi, which is becoming more common in interchangeable lens cameras, is absent here.

Movies we shot were also quite good. Color was accurate and rolling shutter was barely noticeable; however, there were occasional exposure s…

Movies we shot were also quite good. Color was accurate and rolling shutter was barely noticeable; however, there were occasional exposure shifts and the video wasn’t nearly as sharp as the stills.

The result is a mature camera for the family photographer that's not a burden to bring along, but which can also serve as a reliable, lightw…

The result is a mature camera for the family photographer that's not a burden to bring along, but which can also serve as a reliable, lightweight backup for a more knowledgeable photographer.

You can also get the same performance from a mid-range mirrorless camera that will be even smaller. But the Rebel SL1 is a compelling choice…

You can also get the same performance from a mid-range mirrorless camera that will be even smaller. But the Rebel SL1 is a compelling choice for its mix of size, performance, optical viewfinder, and dead simple ease-of-use.

Like the rest of the Rebels, though, the viewfinder has tiny little focus points that are almost impossible to center over your subject whil…

Like the rest of the Rebels, though, the viewfinder has tiny little focus points that are almost impossible to center over your subject while shooting burst. You pretty much have to rely on happy accidents to get sharp, correctly framed action shots.

The Canon EOS Rebel SL1 / 100D delivers pro-grade image quality from a tiny and light package that looks as great as it performs. If impress…

The Canon EOS Rebel SL1 / 100D delivers pro-grade image quality from a tiny and light package that looks as great as it performs. If impressive image quality in an extreme light weight & small size but still fully-capable, full-featured DSLR camera appeals to you, the Canon EOS Rebel SL1 / 100D has your name on it.

The performance of this camera at ISO 6400 is exceptionally clean. In the grand scheme of sensors with a similar or close number of megapixe…

The performance of this camera at ISO 6400 is exceptionally clean. In the grand scheme of sensors with a similar or close number of megapixels and that are APS-C sized, the SL1’s sensor delivers images that are a little better than all the rest with the exception of those from Fujifilm.

The camera’s grip is so small that we’d challenge any adult (or even a big kid) to keep a pinky on the thing while shooting. Most of the tim…

The camera’s grip is so small that we’d challenge any adult (or even a big kid) to keep a pinky on the thing while shooting. Most of the time, we had both pinky and fourth finger tucked up underneath the body.

The only things of value missing in the SL1 are advanced controls that save advanced shooters time to set — but there simply wasn't enough r…

The only things of value missing in the SL1 are advanced controls that save advanced shooters time to set — but there simply wasn't enough room to fit these on the outside of the SL1! You can make all the same settings, but it usually takes a few more menu clicks.