The EOS Rebel T3, or 1100D, is Canon's latest entry-level DSLR. Announced in February 2011, it comes no less than two and a half years after its predecessor, the EOS Rebel XS / 1000D; indeed it's such a long time in the digital camera industry, especially for Canon, that many wondered if the company...

Good image quality that's similar to modern 14 Mpixel rivals; Quick and easy access to many settings; Live View and HD video recording (albeit at 720p only); Supplied with decent RAW and remote control software

Plasticky body with no rubber surfaces - feels cheap, Continuous shooting buffer small; Slows down for RAW, Relatively small 2.7in screen, Weaker popup flash than many rivals

(1 items) Canon's entry-level EOS Rebel T3 is a step up from Canon's popular XS DSLR, adding a bump up to a 12 megapixel sensor, a DIGIC 4 processor, longer battery life, higher ISO capabilities, improved autofocus and metering systems and the now ubiquitous video capture-a feature missing from the

Beginner friendly Feature Guide; Superior image quality; Superior low light/high ISO performance; Solid but basic feature set

Video limited to 720p (no 1080; no VGA; Video mode must be set via mode dial; No spot metering; No dust removal system

But Grunin at CNET calls the T3's features "uninspiring," and recommends stepping up to Canon's next level. For example, the EOS Rebel T2i (*Est. $650 with kit lens) offers spot metering, a tool that helps the camera correctly photograph high-contrast scenes like the moon on a dark night.

Impressive image quality; Compact and lightweight; Easy for beginners to use; Exposure bracketing

"Claustrophobic" optical viewfinder; Shoots only 720p HD video

The EOS 1100D is Canon's budget model and it shows in the comparatively simple specification and cheapish look and feel of the camera body. However, the camera gets all the important stuff, such as metering and focus, right most of the time, and the targeted user group should be perfectly happy with...

Decent resolution and detail at base ISO; Consistently reliable metering and good AF accuracy; Useful highlight tone priority mode; Intuitive user interface; Beginner-friendly 'Basic+' control Screens; On-screen Q-Menu offers good access to shooting settings; Good battery life; Comprehensive

Plastic body has a cheap feel to it; no rubberized grips; Very simple video mode (no manual controls; only one resolution setting; no external mic; Very slow contrast detect AF in live view and movie mode; Comparatively small viewfinder; Combined battery/card compartment can make tripod use a little

Although it occupies the entry-level position in Canon's SLR lineup, the Rebel T3 has a fairly rich feature set, and offers a significant step forwards from the earlier Rebel XS. Handling is good, with a comfortable grip, although those with larger hands may find the handgrip just slightly shallow...

Good ergonomics; varied button-shapes make it easy to operate by feel, Solid build for a plastic-bodied camera, Generally good image quality for its class, Reasonably wide sensitivity range for an entry-level model, Excellent detail from RAW files, Accurate color, Creative Auto mode replaces photo

Control dial is very stiff; and not ideally angled for comfort; Flash button is easy to miss; since it lacks a screen-printed label; New viewfinder has slightly less magnification; much narrower diopter adjustment range; Very warm auto white balance when shooting indoors; Burst speeds lower than

The 1100D can also shoot at a handy 3fps useful for capturing everyone looking and smiling in a big group of family members or for capturing a fast moment without  the possibility of potentially missing the shot.

There are very few things that let the Canon EOS 1100D (Rebel T3) down. Although we're not overly keen on some design elements, the body's smooth plastic finish or the live view mode's sluggish focusing, that's pretty much where the moaning stops.

Updated 8/6/13 Even though this camera was released back in early 2011, it still is a wonderful and simple camera to use which delivers excellent image quality under any shooting conditions.

I like the ease of use of this camera. The only thing I would like to have added to the camera is simpler set of instructions for some of the more unconventional functions.

good battery life; quiet; Nice features/settings; Quick Start-up time; excellent image quality; Superior build quality; Bright LCD; Solid Operation; Lightweight/Portable; easy to use

Complicated controls/menu

First DSLR purchase. Love it! My girls are in competitive dance and this camera catches everything. Took it on a trip to AZ and CA and had a blast with it. Disney Fireworks pics turned out great. Still need to experiment and learn the settings a little better, but even on auto it gets great shots.

Easy To Use; Fast / Accurate Auto-Focus; Fast Shutter Speed; Good Image Quality; Good Image Stabilization; High ISO Performance

Small LCD Screen