After researching and reviewing about a dozen cameras, I settled on the Canon EOS 80D as my shooter of choice.
This DSLR delivers, what I believe, is the best mix at an affordable price. Sure, it’s not for everyone — a cheaper entry level DSLR camera may do the job well for you.
But this is a great camera that grows with you, and delivers solid results for both beginners and pros. It is multipurpose, has excellent autofocus, more than decent battery life, and works well no matter the situation and scenario.
It’s all in the lens
They say the best camera is the one you have with you. And if you run an online business, you need to have one with you pretty much always to pop that perfect picture whenever the moment arises.
You can count good camera makers on one hand, and may still end up with a finger to spare.
There’s Canon and Nikon, and then come Sony and Olympus, followed by a stream of smaller brands. But I settled on the Canon.
What distinguishes this company from competitors is the value it offers — Canon has some really affordable glass, and you get a lot of options to choose from at all price points.
There are fantastic cheap lenses, and fantastic expensive lenses. Whereas with most other brands you pretty much have to pay a premium if you want similar quality.
As I like to tell people, the camera doesn’t make the images, it only records them. The real image quality comes from the lenses.
A capable package
All that said, let’s get down to what sets this camera apart. For starters, it has a lot more features than what the specs sheet implies. You get a DSLR that is weather shielded, has an 8-way directional pad, autofocus micro adjustment, a large battery, and very fast shutter speeds.
The flip out touchscreen, and touch to focus, only make this an even more impressive deal.
Which brings me to what I think is the most important feature of the Canon EOS 80D. It’s excellent video shooting ability. Although it only shoots Full HD video at 1080p, the video quality is top notch, and face tracking works pretty well.
I am able to quickly pull focus using the touchscreen while recording, and the dual pixel autofocus really does a remarkable job when capturing the video clips.
Canon has even included a headphone jack on the side, and this allows me to monitor audio when recording video for YouTube or my websites.
Rounding up the technical specifications, we have 24.2 MP sensor that delivers impress, high-resolution results that I find perfect for both print and web use.
The battery takes about 2 hours to juice up, and I can snap close to 2,000 pictures per charge. I opted for the Video Creator Kit version that comes with an 18-135mm lens, though if you want a simpler solution for photos, then the standard 18-55mm lens is the way to go.
Verdict
This is not a camera for the faint hearted in wallet, it’s almost $1600. While there is no shortage of cheaper options, the Canon EOS 80D offers absolutely fantastic value, thanks to its neatly rounded feature set and image quality.
This is the camera that I use in the office, the one I use at home, and the one I take with me to conferences. I wholeheartedly recommend this kick ass camera.
You can get it on Amazon using the link below.