Canon EOS Rebel T7i / 800D

The Rebel T7i, sold as the 800D in some markets, is an APS-C DSLR from 2017. A 24MP sensor sits behind Canon's EF/EF-S mount, so the camera takes EF and EF-S lenses as your kit grows.

The body weighs 532g. You can frame through the optical viewfinder or compose on the 3-inch touchscreen in live view, and the screen flips out for angles the viewfinder cannot reach.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are both built in, so the camera carries wireless connectivity as standard. Those connections sit alongside GPS tagging, which the features section covers in detail.

The 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor supplies plenty of resolution for cropping or large prints. Files pass through the Digic 7 processor, and sensitivity settings run from ISO 100 up to 25600, giving a broad span of settings across changing light.

The autofocus system offers 45 points, though their coverage and speed are not specified. The camera can shoot at up to 6fps, a maximum rate rather than a promise of sustained speed.

The shutter reaches 1/4000s, fast enough to freeze everyday motion, though that ceiling can restrict wide apertures in bright light. There is no in-body stabilisation, so any shake reduction comes from the lens, a support or your own technique.

Framing through the optical pentamirror viewfinder gives an instant, natural view of the scene, which is what many photographers enjoy about a DSLR.

Video recording tops out at Full HD rather than 4K, and files record in the MPEG-4 or MOV formats. The maximum frame rate is a separate limit, covered below.

The fastest frame rate offered is 60fps, which keeps motion fluid when subjects cross the frame. That rate is well suited to family clips, holiday films and straightforward web video.

A built-in timelapse function handles interval shooting without external timers or remote apps. It is a simple way to turn a sunset or drifting clouds into a short moving sequence.

For a stills-first owner who films occasionally, Full HD recording covers the essentials. The resolution ceiling matters most for anyone who specifically needs 4K output.

The 3-inch screen carries just over a million dots, so playback and menus look sharp, and touch input makes settings quick to change. It also flips out, which helps with low, high and turned-round angles, and live view works alongside it for composing on the screen itself.

Lighting options are flexible. The built-in flash gives instant fill light indoors, and the external flash connection lets you move up to a more powerful unit when you need it.

Wireless features round out daily use. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are built in, and GPS tagging can record where each photo was taken, which is useful when reviewing travel shoots later.

There is no weather sealing, so keep the body out of rain, spray and heavy dust. In ordinary conditions this changes little, but coastal and dusty work needs more care.

A single SD slot handles SD, SDHC and SDXC cards, including UHS-I types. With only one slot, you cannot record to two cards at once, so plan your capacity before a shoot and carry a spare card.

The LP-E17 battery is rated at 600 shots per charge. The measurement conditions behind that rating are not specified, so treat it as a guide rather than a guarantee, and a second battery is sensible for busy days.

Charging over USB is not supported, so you cannot top the battery up through a USB connection while out and about. Budgeting for a charged spare is the practical answer.