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Canon EOS Rebel SL3

 & Jim Fisher Principal Writer, Cameras

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - Front

The Canon EOS Rebel SL3 is a small SLR with a 24MP APS-C image sensor.

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - Flash

The pop-up flash must be raised or lowered by hand.

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - Angle

The SL3 can be bought as a body only or with the EF-S 18-55mm lens, pictured here.

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - Profile

The SL3 is smaller than other SLRs, but it's still an SLR—if you're buying on size alone, think about a mirrorless camera.

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - Profile

The camera includes a microphone input, a plus for vloggers.

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - Rear

The LCD can face in for protection, or for photographers who don't want to be distracted from the optical viewfinder.

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - Vari-Angle LCD

The LCD swings out to the side and can face all the way forward for selfies and vlogs.

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - Top

The expected controls are on the top plate, along with a hot shoe so you can mount a flash or microphone.

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 100 (Crop)

The following crops from our ISO test scene show noise and detail at each full-stop ISO setting.

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 200 (Crop)

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 400 (Crop)

When shooting JPGs the SL3 shows very little loss of image quality through ISO 400.

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 800 (Crop)

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 1600 (Crop)

Small details slow slight signs of smudging through ISO 1600.

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 3200 (Crop)

Noise cuts into image quality starting at ISO 3200. There's some blur visible, but it's not severe enough to be called blurry.

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 6400 (Crop)

ISO 6400 is the highest setting the SL3 will use automatically. Higher settings must be engaged manually.

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 12800 (Crop)


Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 25600 (Crop)

The SL3 shows noticeable blur at its highest sensitivities.

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 51200 (Crop)

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 100 (Raw Crop)

Raw capture is also an option. Our Raw studio images were converted using Adobe Lightroom Classic with default develop settings applied.

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 200 (Raw Crop)


Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 400 (Raw Crop)

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 800 (Raw Crop)

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 1600 (Raw Crop)

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 3200 (Raw Crop)

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 6400 (Raw Crop)

The SL3 snaps crisp Raw shots through ISO 6400. There's some grain, but it's not overwhelming.

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 12800 (Raw Crop)

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 25600 (Raw Crop)

There's a lot of visible noise at ISO 25600.

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 - ISO 51200 (Raw Crop)


About Our Expert

Jim Fisher

Jim Fisher

Principal Writer, Cameras

My Experience

Images, and the devices that capture them, are my focus. I've covered cameras at PCMag for the past 14 years, which has given me a front row seat for the changeover from DSLRs to mirrorless cameras, the smartphone camera revolution, and the emergence of drones for aerial imaging. I have extensive experience with every major mirrorless and SLR system, and am also comfortable using point-and-shoot and action cameras. As a Part 107 Certified drone pilot, I’m licensed to fly unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for commercial and editorial purposes, and am knowledgeable about federal rules and regulations regarding drones.

The Technology I Use

I use all of the major camera systems on a regular basis, swapping between Canon, Fujifilm, L-Mount, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon, and Sony systems. I still find time to use Leica M rangefinders and Pentax SLRs on occasion, too. I keep an iPhone 13 in my pocket for the rare occasions I'm not carrying a camera.

I'm not a brand-specific photographer. For product review photos, I swap between a Canon EOS R5 and a Sony a7R IV. I use Flashpoint and Godox TTL lights and Peak Design tripods, and I most often reach for a Think Tank or Peak Design backpack to carry equipment.

When it comes to computers, I'm an unapologetic Mac person and have been for the past 20 years. I write in Pages and use Numbers for spreadsheets. I currently swap between an Intel i9 MacBook Pro and an Apple Silicon Mac Studio for writing and use a calibrated BenQ 32.5-inch with the Studio for photo and video editing. I rely on a LaCie 6big RAID for media storage. I also keep a PC around for gaming, but please don't tell my Macs about it; they'll get jealous.

I split time between several different software apps depending on the type of editing I'm doing. For Raw image processing, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic is my standard. I pair it with a LoupeDeck CT console to supplement my keyboard and trackpad, and I lean on RNI All Films 5 presets when I want to give an image a film look. I use Apple Final Cut Pro for video editing.

My first digital camera was the Canon PowerShot Elph S200, and my first DSLR was the Pentax *ist DL. I have a soft spot for antique film gear. I still use a 1950 vintage Rolleiflex Automat TLR and love trying mid-century Leica lenses on film and digital alike. I mainly use whatever's in front of me for review for digital snaps, but I pick up either my Leica M Typ 240 or Pentax K-3 III Monochrome when I want to step away from review work. In my downtime, I enjoy bird watching, reading, video games, and both good and bad movies, especially in the sci-fi and horror genres.

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