In any competition, if you stand still your rivals are likely to overtake you, so if you want to stay ahead you've got to keep moving. This is why Canon has released the Canon EOS 600D just a year after it announced the EOS 550D.

I bought my very first DSLR, the Canon EOS Rebel T3i a little less than a month ago and I absolutely adore it! It is easy to use. I took it home and did everything myself! I love it! Now I just need for the rain to go away so that I can go out and take more pictures! I love my Canon Rebel T3i!!

Easy to learn; brilliant pictures for an affordable price

Cannot think of one single weakness

The 600D is Canon's follow-up to the best-selling 550D, which is likely to bow out of the market in the coming months. However, with the exception of the LCD swivel screen, the updates brought to this new model...

Good picture quality; High-quality swivel LCD screen; Fully functional Live View viewfinder (image preview and settings; Good 18-55 mm IS II kit lens supplied; Good software package included / Excellent battery life

Optical viewfinder a bit narrow; Autofocus in Live View and video too slow for use out and about; Noisy shutter release; No video mode button / No presence detection to switch off the LCD; More custom controls would be nice

April 5th. The Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6G IS telephoto zoom is designed to be the ideal complement to the standard EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II wide-angle zoom lens, the same lens that is sold in a kit with Canon SLR camera's like the new Rebel T3 and Rebel T3i.

Updates to Canon's popular range of consumer-level digital SLRs always make waves, and the new EOS 600D is no exception. Slotting in at the top end of Canon's entry-level line-up, it ‘makes capturing exciting, fun and creative images easier than ever', the company brags.

This 18 megapixel camera is Canon's "upper entry level" DSLR, sharing some of the features of the "enthusiast" 60D. It has a swivelling high resolution LCD, full high definition video and a useful external microphone socket.

Canon are putting emphasis on the ease with which a compact camera user can adapt to the DSLR, so we put this to the test; We selected the "Scene Intelligent Auto" and let the camera do the work; Generally the results were good, but with the usual caveats.

Auto focus in live view is frustratingly lethargic

Joshua Waller puts the latest Canon DSLR, the EOS 600D through a series of tests with real world photographs.

Gorgeous 3" 1040k dot screen; Excellent image quality; Brilliant colour reproduction; Solid body with great rubber grips; Low noise upto ISO3200; Better than expected battery life

Mono mic; Little battery warning; Slow live view focusing

While the T3i doesn't come across as a major upgrade to the T2i, it's a thoughtful addition to the line and keeps Canon competitive with the likes of the long-in-the-tooth Nikon D5000. Though due for an upgrade, that Nikon now has no major advantage over Canon at this level of camera body.

The EOS 600D is also beginner friendly but sits above the EOS 1100D in the Canon DSLR range, where it's arguably more of a direct threat to Nikon's equally new D5100. The asking price is £779 with 18-55mm IS zoom or £679 for body only.

Compact, lightweight, easier to use than ever; angle-adjustable LCD and large resolution are a boon for those who want more from their photography

Occasional clipped highlights; integral mic picks up adjustment noise

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.