Canon Eos 800d Review

One of a pair of Canon DSLRs launched in early 2017 is the Canon EOS 800D (also sold as the similar EOS Rebel T7i). There is also the more enthusiast-oriented EOS 77D, as well as the Rebel T7i/EOS 800D. Both use Canon’s 24MP APS-C Dual Pixel CMOS AF sensor and offer the same continuous shooting rate and ISO range.

Where the EOS 77D gives serious enthusiasts more hands-on power, the 800D cuts down on the difficulty to cater more to novices.

When they were introduced, both cameras seemed very costly, and even at today’s prices, they don’t look much better.

To make it on to our list of the best Canon cameras, they will still have to be cheaper, and the simple truth is that the newer Canon EOS Rebel SL3/EOS 250D is a more comfortable camera (and shoots 4K video) at a lower price.

The EOS 800D is a decent camera for beginners who want a little bit more power and potential than the cheapest cameras can deliver, but you may want to look elsewhere if you’re looking for the best DSLR. And even if you’re just looking for the right camera for beginners, there’s a lot of fierce competition here as well.

Canon has provided the EOS 800D with a decent autofocus system, ranging from a 19-point AF system in cheaper, older models to a 45-point EOS 80D/90D autofocus. The 800D can be designed for beginners, but it packs some of Canon’s latest imaging technology.

This includes a Digic 7 processor, a higher ISO range (up to ISO 25,600 without expansion), 6fps continuous shooting and a resonant buffer capacity of 27 raw files – or as many JPEGs as your memory card can hold.

The EOS 800D is getting a faster, quieter, smaller kit lens, the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM. This impressed us a lot when we tried it at the Canon press launch event – although it was not available for this review, which was carried out with the existing EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II lens instead.

The EOS 800D offers some convincing improvements over its predecessor, but the competition from other brands is tough. The Nikon D5600 offers similar user-friendliness at a lower price, the brilliant Fujifilm X-T20 is barely more expensive, especially now that it is being discounted after the launch of the X-T30, and you can get the Sony Alpha 6000 at great knock-down prices.

Specifications

Build and Handling

Technically, the 800D is very impressive, but, given its price, it is slightly disappointing in the flesh. In the classic EOS style, the body is nicely contoured and easy to grip, with few sharp corners, but the plastic finish feels a bit cheap.

Corners have also been cut with the viewfinder, which uses a cheaper ‘pentamirror’ design rather than a classic pentaprism.

One of the key features of the 800D is the new Canon Guided User Interface, which uses easy-to-understand graphics and information to explain the effects of different camera settings.

The vari-angle touchscreen display works very well. It gives you the flexibility to shoot at all kinds of awkward angles – and the 800D’s responsive Live View performance with Dual Pixel CMOS AF makes it something you could use all the time and not just for emergency situations. Touch control on camera screens is not always good, but the 800D is light, reliable and responsive.

Performance

The 800D autofocus is fast and reliable, both in regular viewfinder shooting using the 45-point AF phase detection sensor and in Live View using the Dual Pixel CMOS AF system. This proved to be crisp and mostly positive, even with the older non-STM lens.

The image quality at the maximum ISO 25,600 setting is significantly reduced, as you would expect, but if you need to capture an image at all costs, the results are quite acceptable. In fact, in such dark conditions, the camera’s autofocus struggles to find anything to lock on.

Resolution

In this comparative study, the Nikon D5600 comes out on top, no doubt helped by the lack of a low-pass sensor over the device. Even with a slightly lower figure, the Canon EOS 800D and the Fujifilm X-T20 are just ahead of the EOS 250D.

Range

The Fujifilm X-T20 is a narrow dynamic range victor, but both the EOS 800D and the EOS 250D are very good, leaving the Nikon D5600 slightly in fourth place.

Verdict

The versatility of the EOS 800D provides nothing to complain about. It is responsive and versatile, and the quality of the image is good. Physically, this is less impressive. It’s small and light, but it also feels plastic. 

The price puts it in a tricky spot – if you want a beginner’s camera, you don’t have to pay that much, and if you have to spend that much, there are better cameras around.