The only noticeable differences between the SL2 and SL3 are on the top: a simplified mode dial, no Wi-Fi button and some aesthetic changes to the buttons and switches.
Canon
Just in time for Mother’s Day gifting, Canon rolls out a refresh of its compact DSLR for newbies. The EOS Rebel SL3 follows the two-year-old SL2, aka the EOS 200D in the UK and Australia, bringing some of the perks bestowed by the latest version of Canon’s imaging processor, Digic 8. At the top of the list: 4K video, which is making its debut in the entry-level Canon DSLRs.
The SL3 will ship by the end of April, at $600 for the body or $750 for the kit with the 18-55mm f4-5.6 IS STM lens. We don’t have pricing or availability for other regions, but the US prices directly convert to about £460/£575 and AU$840AU$1,050. It still comes in black or silver variants.
Given that it’s very much like its predecessor, the SL2 is looking like an attractive alternative to the new model. The comparable kit currently goes for $600 (£580, AU$900), and it will likely be one of Canon’s traditionally aggressive holiday sale offerings at the end of the year.
In addition to 24p 4K video, the SL3 gains eye-detection autofocus, though only when you’re shooting via the back LCD, not the optical viewfinder; since the sharpest spot in the photo of a person should be their eyes (unless you get artsy), eye AF improves the quality of portraits over simple face-detection AF.
The SL3 also offers a smooth-skin mode so your people photos can look like they were shot on a phone.
The AF system in Live View mode now covers a larger percentage of the frame. Unfortunately, when you use the optical viewfinder you’re stuck with the ancient, slow, please-kill-it-already 9-point phase-detection AF system.
The body is pretty much the same as before. There are just a few design tweaks on the top: a simplified mode dial, no Wi-Fi button and some aesthetic changes to the buttons and switches. Canon did make it easier to connect to Wi-Fi and added automatic file transfers, so it’s possible we won’t miss the dedicated button.
Comparative specifications
| Canon EOS Rebel SL2 EOS 200D | Canon EOS Rebel SL3 EOS 250D | Nikon D5600 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sensor effective resolution | 24.2MP Dual Pixel CMOS | 24.1MP Dual Pixel CMOS | 24.2MP CMOS |
| Sensor size | 22.3 x 14.9mm | 22.3 x 14.9mm | 23.5 x 15.6 mm |
| Focal-length multiplier | 1.6x | 1.6x | 1.5x |
| OLPF | Yes | Yes | No |
| Sensitivity range | ISO 100 – ISO 25600/ISO 51200 (exp) | ISO 100 – ISO 25600/ISO 51200 (exp) | ISO 100 – ISO 25600 |
| Burst shooting | 5fps 6 raw/ unlimited JPEG | 5fps 10 raw/ unlimited JPEG | 5fps 100 JPEG/raw n/a |
| Viewfinder (mag/effective mag) | Optical 95% coverage 0.87x/0.54x | Optical 95% coverage 0.87x/0.54x | Optical 95% coverage 0.82x/0.55x |
| Hot Shoe | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Autofocus | 9-pt AF center cross-type (Dual Pixel AF in Live View only) | 9-pt AF center cross-type (Dual Pixel AF in Live View only) | 39-pt AF 9 cross- type |
| AF sensitivity | -0.5 to 18 EV | -0.5 to 18 EV | -1 to 19 EV |
| Shutter speed | 1/4,000 to 30 secs; bulb; 1/200 x-sync | 1/4,000 to 30 secs; bulb; 1/200 x-sync | 1/4,000 to 30 secs; bulb; 1/200 sec x-sync |
| Metering | 63-zone iFCL | 63-zone iFCL | 2,016-pixel 3D color matrix metering II |
| Metering sensitivity | 1 – 20 EV | 1 – 20 EV | -1 – 19 EV |
| Best video | H.264 QuickTime MOV 1080/60p | H.264 MP4 4K UHD/24p, 1080/60p | H.264 QuickTime MOV 1080/60p, 25p, 24p |
| Audio | Mono; mic input | Mono; mic input | Stereo, mic input |
| Manual aperture and shutter in video | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum best-quality recording time | 29m59s | 29m59s | 20 minutes/29m59s |
| Clean HDMI out | No | Yes | Yes |
| IS | Optical | Dual Sensing IS (Optical with gyro data sent to body) | Optical |
| LCD | 3 in/7.5 cm Articulated touchscreen 1.04m dots | 3 in/7.5 cm Articulated touchscreen 1.04m dots | 3.2 in/8.2 cm Articulated touch screen 1.04m dots |
| Memory slots | 1 x SDXC | 1 x SDXC | 1 x SDXC |
| Wireless connection | Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 4), Bluetooth 4.1, NFC | Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 4), Bluetooth 4.1 | Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth |
| Flash | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless flash | Yes | Yes | No |
| Battery life (CIPA rating) | 650 shots (VF); 260shots (LV) | 1,630 shots (VF); 350 shots (LV) (1,040 mAh) | 820 shots (1,230 mAh) |
| Size (WHD) | 4.8 x 3.7 x 2.8 in 122 x 93 x 70 mm | 4.8 x 3.7 x 2.8 in 122 x 93 x 70 mm | 4.9 x 3.9 x 2.8 in 124 x 97 x 70 mm |
| Body operating weight | 16 oz (est.) 453 g (est.) | 15.8 oz (est.) 449 g (est.) | 16.8 oz 476 g |
| Mfr. price (body only) | £489.99 | $599.99 | $599.95 £579 AU$1,199 |
| Primary kit | $599.99 £579.99 AU$899 (with 18-55mm f4-5.6 IS STM lens) | $749.99 (with 18-55mm f4-5.6 IS STM lens) | $699.95 £679 AU$1,299 (with AF-P 18-55mm VR lens) |
| Release date | July 2017 | April 2019 | January 2017 |