Opinions on Rebel t6i? Looking for entry level camera purely for photography on a tight-ish budget.

[taden]

I have a school grant for $500 that I earned to use to start teaching myself photography. I hope to use around $200-300 of that on a decent condition used canon camera, and I think the t6i/t6s might be the right one however there are others such as the SL2 and M50 I also see mentioned a lot along side them, and I’m really struggling to choose.

I know the m50 is supposed to preform better, but the lenses will be pricier and I’m worried about issues I’ve heard about its life expectancy and viewfinder lagg, I think going apart-c and dslr might be my best bet for my budget. Even then though, mirrorless is very tempting. The sl2 looks nice too, but it less AF points and I heard it’s more focused on being a hybrid than purely photography. Can anyone verify any of these concerns? Both of these also generally cost $50-100 more used I believe.

Size and weight are less important to me, as well as battery life. Having a non fixed screen would be nice, and I generally am looking for 24mp with nice colors and decent iso/low light performance, nothing extravagant just hoping to get the best image quality and versatility for learning purposes for my budget. Any opinions on this camera or any potential contenders for me to consider? I hope to take portraits, do street photography, travel photography, and landscapes mostly while also trying out some other things, as well as a bit of nighttime photography (heck, maybe even Astro if I get far enough away from the city).

[glider4]

I’ve owned and used the Rebel t4i, t6i, 70d, 80d, sl1 and M50. The best of those is the 80d. I did really like the sl1 for travel photography though. You can find reasonably good 80d on eBay for $350 or so from reputable sellers.

if you want a great “does everything” lens for the camera body I loved the EF-s 18-135mm Nano USM lens. 

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

I would not buy any camera gear from eBay, or a non authorized canon dealer.  If you are going to buy used, consider Canon Refurbished, or at the very least buy from KEH, B&H used or Adorama used camera departments.

Why?  Because you get a warranty.  Do not buy or consider any M series body.  This is a dead end.  Investing in DSLRs at this point is barely better, but there is a larger used market available. 

Between the T6i and T6s, the T6s is a better body.

However, I'd rather see you invest in a Refurb R50 at your price point. $479 

Refurbished EOS R50 RF-S18-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM Lens Kit (canon.com)

Take your time, ask questions.  We're here to help. 😀