Canon EOS Rebel SL3: 24MP, 4K video, Dual Pixel AF, and more

Canon on Wednesday took the wraps off the EOS Rebel SL3, a pint-sized DSLR that weighs just 15.84 ounces and will be available at the end of April for $599 (body only). The camera will also be available with a kit lens (EF-S 18-55 f/4-5.6 IS STM) for $749.

Canon has billed the Rebel SL3 has "light in weight, heavy in features," with a 24.1MP APS-C CMOS sensor and support for features such as Dual Pixel autofocus, Eye Detection autofocus, 4K video recording, and a 3-inch 1.04 million dot vary-angle LCD touchscreen.

Kazuto Ogawa, president and chief operating officer of Canon USA Inc., talked about what separates the company's EOS Rebel line:

Since its inception, the EOS Rebel product line has aimed to provide imaging excellence for entry-level visual storytellers. Therefore, it was imperative that the next step in the EOS Rebel journey include innovative features such as 4K video and DIGIC 8 Image Processor to meet the needs of emerging photographers, while living up to the high-image quality and compact size EOS Rebel DSLRs are known for.

With a camera of this size, there are some drawbacks. The SL3 has a 2.64x crop, relative to full frame, so when using the kit lens wide open (18mm), it's about the equivalent of a 47mm. You also don't get Dual Pixel autofocus in movie mode.

Even with those restrictions, the SL3 is a nice entry-level camera for consumers who want to start their journey of shooting photos and video. To help beginners, the SL3 supports features such as a Smooth Skin setting, Creative Assist, and Digital Lens Optimizer. In addition to a version in black, you can also find the EOS Rebel SL3 in white.