canon’s triple-digit range of advanced entry-level digital SLRs has come a long way since the 6.3-megapixel 300D exploded onto the market in 2003, ushering in the era of the sub-£1000 consumer DSLR. Since then, every new model introduced to the range has seen an increase in overall resolution, along with ever more advanced processing engines.
In many ways, the 600D is the first model in the series to buck this trend. While the latest model does undoubtedly add to the strengths of its predecessor with a number of hardware upgrades, new features and design tweaks, the core specification remains largely unchanged from that of the 550D it supersedes, but not altogether replaces
Indeed, Canon has already confirmed that the 550D will remain in the line-up for the time being, essentially offering consumers the option of a stripped-down 600D for less money.
Looking more closely at those aforementioned specs, the 600D is built around an 18-megapixel, APS-C sized CMOS sensor and the same Canon DIGIC 4 processor as the 550D. Sensitivity remains pegged at a useful, if not class-leading, ISO 100-6400 with ISO 12,800 available in expanded mode.
The similarities between it and the 550D don’t end there, either. The 600D’s nine-point autofocus module and 63-zone metering system also remain unchanged from the 550D, as does the maximum continuous shooting rate of 3.7fps
