bull drink water Loc: pontiac mi.

check out used cameras first, there are plenty that will serve him as learns. anyone will last him until he needs to upgrade.

LarryN Loc: Portland OR & Carbondale, CO

I started with a t5i before going to a full frame. I think the t5i is a great camera & still use it for street photography because the display swivels out so I can shoot from the waist. I noticed the CanonUSA has a refurbished t5i with a 18-135mm lens on sale for the mid $500's, which I think is a really good deal.

jlsphoto Loc: Chcago SubBurbs

First of all lets remember the best camera is the one you own! Second Photographers create photographs not cameras. I would stick with camera he has for another year. To be a great photographer you need to see(understand) light. Learn what F stops give you the depth of field, shutter speeds for stopping action , when to use what for the image your after. How ISO , shutter speed, and F stop = a triangle to exposer. Learn to use the camera on manuel and get the photo you envisioned. His current camera can do all of this. Once he has this down you can upgrade his gear. See if he sticks with photography. If he does then look at the better glass and 70 80d bodies. I would stay away from the kit lenses. I hear this Canon vs Nikon crap all the time. Talk is cheap show me your work then lets talk.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

The T6 is a very entry level model and really not very much of a step up from the original Digital Rebel he's already got... Yes, the T6 has triple the megapixels (6MP to 18MP)... and 14 bit versus 12 bit RAW files... and it uses modern CR2 RAW files instead of the old CRW version (no longer supported by Canon, but okay in other softwares). But other aspects of the camera are little improved... in particular the focus system has a couple more AF points, but really isn't any better performing and the frame rate, buffer capacity, etc. are all about the same. Probably less shots per battery charge too (requiring more backup batteries), since the T6 uses the newer, smaller batteries, while the old original Digital Rebel uses BP511s. (NOTE: T5 and SL1 are similar, very entry level models.)

But my biggest concern would be the lenses typically bundled with a T6... which often are the most entry-level, too EF-S 18-55mm III (micro motor focus drive) and the EF 75-300mm III. Those lenses are simply NOT Canon's best efforts. Both are slow focusing, noisy and pretty plasticky. The 18-55mm is okay optically and probably has Image Stabilization... The 75-300mm is one the worst of it's type optically and where IS is even more important, it doesn't have it!

I would highly recommend going up a step further in the camera selection... to a T6i or T6s, or a T5i for that matter... or to a 50D, 60D or 70D... (assuming a current 80D or 77D or T7i is too expensive).

In kit lenses, the EF-S 18-55mm IS "STM" is a step up.... faster and quieter focusing. The EF-S 18-135mm IS STM would be even better for it's greater versatility. The EF-S 18-135mm IS "USM" is the latest-and-greatest, 2X to 4X faster focusing than any of those other "standard" zooms. The EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS USM and EF-S 15-85mm IS USM are even higher quality and performance, but probably outside your price range and not normally offered in kit.

In the tele-zoom, look for the EF-S 55-250mm IS "STM"... usually just a little more expensive than the EF 75-300mm, but a whole lot better lens in all respects. Alternatively, any of the EF 70-300mm with IS and USM is an even further step up, especially in autofocus speed and performance. The Canon 70-200s (four models) are all premium quality and top performers, but probably outside your price range.

One trick to make your $ go farther is to buy refurbished directly from Canon USA website. Often the refurbished cameras are little different from new, maybe were demo models or overstock and saw little actual use. And they have the same factory warranty as new. The only problem is that items come and go there quickly, so you may need to wait for availability and then strike quickly to get a specific model. But, for example, the Rebel T5i with EF-S 18-135mm IS STM is in stock right now for $550. The Rebel T6i is being offered as body only ($580) or available with both EF-S 18-55mm IS STM and EF-S 55-250mm IS STM lenses for about $750.

https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/cameras/refurbished-eos-digital-slr-cameras#facet:&productBeginIndex:0&orderBy:11&pageView:grid&pageSize:36&

Lenses and flashes are also available separately as refurbished on the Canon USA website, for some savings. But I always recommend that you check the big retailers current offer on brand new, too... since there are sometimes Instant Rebate or other offers on brand new that might be competitive with the prices of the refurbished (which don't participate in factory rebate programs).

I believe Canon USA offers free shipping for orders over $100... But they do charge sales tax (probably around 8% or 9%, since they're located in Calif.)

You also might consider used from some of the major retailers who back their items with a reasonable warranty (usually 90 days): B&H, Adorama and KEH are three of the biggest.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Canon USA is in New York.

sirlensalot Loc: Arizona

Would consider a new lens first. Opens up more opportunities than a new camera in many cases.
That said, the newer Rebel line w/2 kit lens are an awesome choice.

ballsafire Loc: Lafayette, Louisiana

Does he have a good computer to work with? This, to me would be very useful; if he has an up to date computer - fine! I would suggest he gets a camcorder that's about 4 yrs. old - like a Sony HDRCX240/B -- I just couldn't resist buying this model now selling for less than $75 brand new. There is a lot to learn with this medium. The lens permits the use of this camera indoors as well. I'll bet you could spend less and get one that is practically new -- it uses a micro chip about as big as your fingernail and has a 64 GB capacity. The camcorder is the size of a Coke can. Anyway, his older crop canon is a fine camera and is one of the BEST! Don't be in too big a hurry to lay it aside - advice on this forum agrees that a couple of new or used lenses would do much better than rushing to get your nephew a new camera. At least get him a 50mm Canon F/1.8 lens for less than $100….I like used ones! I don't give advice very often but in this case -- yes-- i'm a retired school teacher.

ejones0310 Loc: Tulsa, OK

I would suggest he stick with the Rebel. It will force him to focus on the craft rather than the new gear. But if he must have something higher tech, I suggest either used or refurb. You can pick up an 80D from Canon USA Refurb for about $800. With used you take the chance it might not have been treated right or have a hidden problem. With Refurb you get a warranty and the comfort that it has been cleaned and checked by Canon.

Tet68survivor Loc: Pomfret Center CT

OK but our local Community Colleges, (3), offer really good photography courses and mandate CANON! The doesn't mean you cannot take the course, but if you as a beginner, and do not understand cameras and verbage, you will not learn much! I am surprised they do not offer the course with other cameras too. Just an observation, not really a complaint.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

A good point, but I can understand offering a course that is camera brand specific, it makes it much easier to teach the key principles and relate them to practical experience. They may not have the staff, equipment, or even the audience to offer multiple brand support. I'm not convinced that an easy answer exists.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Well, if they aspire to be professionals ...

DeanS Loc: Capital City area of North Carolina

Someone mentioned the Canon SL2- I second that, but would also consider a refurb 5D Mk II or III. The 5Ds would req new ef lens however.

Szalajj Loc: Salem, NH

My last Community College class 2 years ago was a Digital Photography Class. My instructor didn't mandate what camera students used or purchased but did advise that students would get more out of the class with a DSLR, vs. a pocket digital camera. We had a laundry list of models and brands in our class. But she wouldn't help any student with their camera settings, she kept referring all of the students to their users manuals.

If your local colleges mandate Canon brand cameras, it might be because their instructors are Canon users, and not familiar enough with other brands to assist students with their camera settings, or they're simply unwilling to learn.

My cousin is a professional photographer who is deeply invested in the Canon brand. She teaches college photography classes, and has her students sit in groups by camera brand. And she has taken the time to educate herself on the basics of other brands.

The instructors who are teaching at your local Community Colleges aren't doing their students at those colleges any favors by limiting their student's camera choices. You might find that those colleges might actually have overlapping instructors, who teach at multiple colleges which is the reason for the Canon brand mandate.

alfeng Loc: Out where the West commences ...

HMmmm ...

Too bad your reading comprehension isn 't better ...

To quote myself:

Just what can your nephew NOT do with his current camera & lenses that he thinks that he wants to do which a different camera & lenses will allow him to do?

AFTER he figures that out, then he can add the appropriate accessory/-ies ...

If you weren't apparently so hellbent on EITHER using my post as a springboard for your blathering echo OR if you weren't simply trolling then you would realize that my post was asking the question "What kinds of photographs does the nephew like to shoot? The answer to that question would then help with model suggestions for a body upgrade."

In other words, due to your apparently poor reading comprehension, you apparently did-or-do not realize that you simply re-stated what I had written!

While there is absolutely NOTHING WRONG with acquiring different-and/or-better equipment, the odds are that the OP's nephew will benefit by waiting a year-or-two AFTER he thinks he wants a new camera body before actually dipping into his own savings OR having someone else pony up for whatever he may eventually acquire ...

Again, if the OP's nephew understands the limitations (if there are any) of his current camera equipment for the TYPE of pictures he wants to capture-or-create and NOT what you-or-I-or-anyone-else may want a camera body or lens(es) to be capable of doing-or-not-doing, then he will know if there are actually any components (body, lens, etc.) which will allow him to produce the images which he wants more economically than by purchasing a new camera body and/or lenses.

BTW. I am clueless as to how my suggesting that the OP's nephew and/or his instructor not acquire new equipment is being "selfish" OTHER THAN for a potential retailer for whom the potential sale would be delayed ...

UNLESS temporary deprivation of new equipment for the OP's nephew is somehow a selfish act akin to MY EATING THE-LAST-PIECE-OF-PIZZA WHEN HE HADN'T HAD ANY, YET!?!

IF the OP's nephew waits, THEN he may be able to better appreciate the benefits of acquiring a Nikon (e.g., the OP might offer to lend him a lens for a shoot-or-two!) ...

Ted Evans Loc: Jasper, AL

Not knowing the lad it is harder to know.
I taught middle and high school for 37 yrs
and know that a kid with real single-minded intent can learn very quickly. I have owned and sold and bought Canons
for several years. Start with something
good like a 7D or 5D. I have owned both
and now a 7Dii and 5Diii. Get an L Canon
zoom lens. Buy it and let him pay you for
it with small but REGULAR payments
(important in the long term for him b/c if
his interest cools and payments stop he
forfeits to you the equip and payments.)
Ted Evans