Canontst 2
Canon EOS 750D
The Canon EOS 750D (also sold as the Rebel T6i in North America and Kiss X8i in Japan) is a 24.2 MP APS-C DSLR released in February 2015. It is available at the makerspace as a shared resource — great for product shots, documentation, macro work and experimenting with photography fundamentals.
The Mode Dial
The big dial on top controls how much the camera thinks for you versus how much you control manually.
| Symbol | Name | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUTO / 🟢 | Scene Intelligent Auto | Camera decides everything | Absolute beginners, snapshots |
| CA | Creative Auto | Auto, but you can nudge blur and brightness | Getting comfy with creative choices |
| P | Program AE | Camera sets exposure, you control ISO + flash | General use once you know a little |
| Tv | Shutter Priority | You set shutter speed, camera sets aperture | Moving subjects, light trails, freezing motion |
| Av | Aperture Priority | You set aperture, camera sets shutter speed | Portraits, product shots, controlling depth of field |
| M | Manual | You control everything | Studio work, full creative control |
| ☼ / 🌕 | Scene modes | Presets for Portrait, Landscape, Sports, etc. | Quick situational shooting |
| ▶ | Movie | Video recording mode | Video, obviously |
The Exposure Triangle
Every photo is determined by three settings working together. Change one, and the others are affected.
| △ The Exposure Triangle | ||
|---|---|---|
| ◎ Aperture | ⏱ Shutter Speed | ☉ ISO |
| Controls how much light enters through the lens and depth of field | Controls how long the sensor is exposed to light | Controls the sensor's sensitivity to light |
Aperture ◎ (f-stop)
Written as f/2.8, f/5.6, f/16, etc. Counter-intuitively: smaller number = bigger opening = more light + blurrier background.
| f-stop | Aperture size | Depth of field | Light | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| f/1.8 – f/2.8 | ● Large | Very shallow (blurry BG) | ⭐⭐⭐ Lots | Portrait, low light |
| f/4 – f/5.6 | ◕ Medium | Moderate | ⭐⭐ Some | General, kit lens sweet spot |
| f/8 – f/11 | ○ Small | Deep (most things sharp) | ⭐ Less | Landscapes, product shots |
| f/16 – f/22 | ◌ Tiny | Very deep | Minimal | Macro stacking, architecture |
Shutter Speed ⏱
Written as 1/500, 1/60, 2" etc. Faster = freezes motion. Slower = motion blur + camera shake.
| Speed | Effect | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1/1000 and faster | Freezes fast motion | Sports, machines in motion |
| 1/250 – 1/500 | Freezes normal motion | Walking people, everyday use |
| 1/60 – 1/125 | Slight blur possible | Handheld safe zone with IS lens |
| 1/30 and slower | Motion blur / light trails | Use a tripod. Anything below 1/focal length = shake risk. |
| Bulb (B) | Open as long as you hold | Star trails, lightning, long exposures |
ISO ☉
Higher ISO = brighter image + more grain (noise). Use the lowest ISO that gives a properly exposed shot.
| ISO | Noise | Use when… |
|---|---|---|
| 100 – 400 | ✓ Clean | Outdoors, good light, studio |
| 800 – 1600 | Slight grain | Indoors, cloudy, dim makerspace |
| 3200 – 6400 | Visible grain | Low light, concerts, candid |
| 12800 – H25600 | Heavy grain | Emergency only — noticeably soft |
Field of View & Crop Factor
The 750D has an APS-C sensor (22.3 × 14.9 mm), which is smaller than a full-frame (35mm) sensor. This means lenses appear 1.6× more zoomed in than they would on a full-frame camera.
| Lens focal length | Effective focal length on 750D | Effective angle of view |
|---|---|---|
| 18mm | ~29mm | Wide — fits in a room |
| 35mm | ~56mm | Close to natural human vision |
| 50mm | ~80mm | Short portrait length |
| 85mm | ~136mm | Classic portrait |
| 200mm | ~320mm | Strong telephoto |
This is useful for makerspace documentation: an 18–55mm kit lens at 18mm gives you a workbench-width shot in the big room.
Autofocus
AF Modes
| Symbol | Mode | Use it for… |
|---|---|---|
| ONE SHOT | Single autofocus — locks when you half-press ◉ | Still subjects, product photography |
| AI FOCUS | Auto-switches between One Shot and Servo | Mixed shooting, safe default |
| AI SERVO | Continuous AF — keeps tracking a moving subject | Moving people, action |
AF Point Selection
The 750D has 19 cross-type AF points. By default it uses all of them (camera picks). For product shots or portraits, manually select a single point:
- Press the AF point button (top-right of viewfinder area, ▦ icon)
- Use the d-pad or touchscreen to move the point
- Half-press shutter to lock focus, then recompose if needed
Metering Modes
Controls which part of the frame the camera uses to calculate exposure.
| Symbol | Mode | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ⊙ | Evaluative | Analyses the whole scene — default, works 90% of the time |
| ◔ | Partial | Reads ~9% at centre — useful for backlit subjects |
| ◎ | Spot | Reads ~3.8% at centre — pin-precise, for tricky lighting |
| ⊕ | Centre-weighted | Biases the centre but reads the whole frame |
Live View & Video
Press the ▶■ switch beside the viewfinder to enter Live View. The screen flips out and rotates — useful for overhead shots on a copy stand.
- Touch the screen to focus on a spot
- Pinch to zoom for manual focus check
- Movie mode: turn the mode dial to ▶, press the red ● button to record
Video specs:
| Resolution | Frame rates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | 24p / 25p / 30p | Best for general video |
| 720p (HD) | 50p / 60p | Smooth slow-motion at 50% |
| 480p (SD) | 25p / 30p | Small file sizes only |
White Balance
White balance tells the camera what true white looks like in your lighting. Wrong WB = orange/blue cast.
| Symbol | Setting | Use when… |
|---|---|---|
| AWB | Auto White Balance | Default — usually fine |
| ☀ | Daylight | Outdoors in sun |
| ☁ | Cloudy | Overcast sky |
| 💡 | Tungsten / Incandescent | Old warm bulbs (goes very blue — correct for orange cast) |
| 💡□ | White fluorescent | Strip lighting (common in makerspace rooms) |
| ⚡ | Flash | When using the popup flash |
| K | Kelvin | Manual colour temperature — for nerds and studios |
| □ | Custom | Set from a grey card — most accurate |
Shooting RAW vs JPEG
| RAW (.CR2) | JPEG | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | ~25–30 MB per shot | ~5–10 MB per shot |
| Editing flexibility | Maximum — recover blown highlights, fix WB, etc. | Limited |
| Straight out of camera | Flat, needs processing | Ready to use |
| Use for | Product shots, portraits, anything you'll edit | Quick documentation, web use |
Set via MENU → ▦ (camera icon) → Image Quality
Flash
The built-in popup flash (GN 9.4 at ISO 100) is adequate for fill flash or emergency indoor use. It is not flattering for portraits.
For makerspace use (3D scanning, product photography):
- Turn flash OFF — use diffused ambient light or a desk lamp
- Use the ⚡ Flash Off mode on the dial if you want the camera to still auto-expose without ever firing flash
External flash hotshoe is standard Canon E-TTL II compatible.
Technical Specifications
| 📷 Sensor | |
|---|---|
| Sensor type | APS-C CMOS |
| Sensor size | 22.3 × 14.9 mm |
| Crop factor | 1.6× |
| Effective pixels | 24.2 megapixels |
| Max resolution | 6000 × 4000 px (3.71 µm pixel pitch) |
| Aspect ratios | 3:2, 4:3, 16:9, 1:1 |
| ⏱ Shutter | |
| Type | Electronic focal-plane |
| Speed range | 1/4000 s — 30 s + Bulb |
| Flash sync | 1/200 s (X-sync) |
| Continuous shooting | 5.0 fps (180 JPEG / 7 RAW) |
| 🔍 Autofocus | |
| AF system | 19 cross-type points (Hybrid CMOS AF III) |
| Centre point | High-precision double cross-type at f/2.8 |
| Live view AF | FlexiZone-Multi / Single, Face Detection, Movie Servo |
| ☉ Sensitivity | |
| Native ISO range | ISO 100 – 12800 |
| Extended ISO | H: 25600 |
| 📹 Video | |
| Max resolution | 1920 × 1080 (Full HD) at 24/25/30p |
| 720p | 50p / 60p |
| Codec | H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC (.MOV) |
| External mic | 3.5 mm mini-jack ✓ |
| 🖵 Display | |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle Clear View II TFT touchscreen, 1,040,000 dots |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentamirror, 95% coverage, 0.82× magnification |
| 🔌 Power & Body | |
| Battery | LP-E17 Li-Ion (1040 mAh), ~440 shots per charge (CIPA) |
| Storage | SD / SDHC / SDXC (UHS-I) |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, NFC |
| Lens mount | Canon EF-S (EF lenses compatible with 1.6× crop) |
| Body dimensions | 132 × 101 × 78 mm |
| Weight (body only) | 510 g |
| Processor | DIGIC 6 (14-bit processing) |
| Metering | 63-zone iFCL + 7560-px RGB+IR sensor |
Sensor Size Comparison
| Sensor format | Dimensions | Area | Crop factor | Example cameras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Frame (35mm) | 36 × 24 mm | 864 mm² | 1× | Canon 5D, Sony A7 |
| APS-H | 28.7 × 19.1 mm | 548 mm² | 1.26× | Canon 1D (old) |
| APS-C (Canon) | 22.3 × 14.9 mm | 332 mm² | 1.6× | EOS 750D ← you are here |
| APS-C (Nikon/Sony) | 23.5 × 15.6 mm | 367 mm² | 1.5× | Nikon D3500, Sony A6400 |
| Micro Four Thirds | 17.3 × 13 mm | 225 mm² | 2× | Olympus OM-D, Panasonic GH5 |
| 1" | 13.2 × 8.8 mm | 116 mm² | 2.7× | Sony RX100 series |
| 1/2.3" | 6.17 × 4.55 mm | 28 mm² | 5.6× | Most compact cameras / smartphones |
Common Makerspace Use Cases
Product / Object Documentation
- Use Av mode at f/8 – f/11 for maximum sharpness and depth
- ISO 100–400 if you have decent light
- Use the flip screen for overhead copy-stand shots
- White balance: Custom from a grey card, or shoot RAW
- For EinScan objects: shoot at f/8 before and after scanning — useful reference
Macro / Close-up Work
- Kit lens works down to ~25cm — for tighter work, use extension tubes (check lens bag)
- Manual focus + live view magnification (🔍 button)
- Use AI Servo + continuous burst if subject might move
- Aperture: f/8–f/16 for more depth (very shallow at close range)
3D Scanning Support
- Shoot reference photos of subject before placing on EinScan SE turntable
- Use consistent lighting — turn off overhead flickering strips if possible (Anti-flicker mode: MENU → ▦ → Anti-flicker shooting)
Workshop / Event Documentation
- AI Focus auto mode, ISO Auto (max 3200), Av at f/4–f/5.6
- Use the articulating screen to get interesting low angles
- Wi-Fi + Canon Camera Connect app lets you use your phone as remote shutter
Infrared / Modified Photography
Known Issues
- Sensor banding in astrophotography: Horizontal banding artefacts visible under aggressive post-processing — inherent to Hybrid CMOS AF III phase-detect pixels. Not a defect, just a limitation.
- Dark circles (early units): Canon issued a recall/repair for a small batch of early 750D/760D units with circular dark patterns. Check serial number against Canon's list if shooting at small apertures in bright light.
Lens Compatibility
| Mount | Compatible? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| EF-S | ✓ Full native | Designed for APS-C — widest angle options |
| EF | ✓ Full native | Full-frame lenses work fine, with 1.6× crop |
| EF-M | ✗ No | Mirrorless mount — incompatible |
| RF | ✗ No | New Canon mirrorless — incompatible without adapter |
| Third-party EF | ⚠ Usually | Sigma/Tamron Art series generally fine; older manual primes need adapter |
See Also
- Camera Techniques — Depth of Field
- Macro Photography Setup
- Product Photography Lighting
- EinScan SE — 3D Scanner
- Copy Stand Usage
External Resources
- Official Canon EOS 750D / Rebel T6i Support Page
- dpreview full review
- Canon EOS 750D Manuals (ManualsLib)
- Aperture depth of field animation
- Sensor crop factor field of view comparison
