First Impressions: Now we’re really getting serious
The Canon EOS 760D is part of the 2015 line of entry-level Canon DSLRs that includes the cheaper EOS 750D. It uses an APS-C sensor and forgoes some of the flashier elements that cause cameras like the Canon EOS 5DS to cost thousands rather than hundreds.
However, the way the EOS 760D is designed to be handled is anything but entry-level. By mimicking the control style of near-pro-grade cameras, this will get you ready for the Canon EOS 5D MK4, even if today your budget is fairly limited.
That’s not to say the Canon EOS 760D is a bargain basement model in wider camera terms. It costs £650 without a lens and seems a great way for ambitious photographers to get used to leaving Auto shooting in the past.
Canon EOS 760D: Features
The Canon EOS 760D’s brains are almost identical to the EOS 750D's, to the extent that to start with you might wonder why Canon bothered making two cameras. They have the same 24.2-megapixel APS-C sensor, the same DIGIC 6 processor and the same AF system that provides hybrid focusing whether you’re using live view or the viewfinder.
Since 2013’s Canon EOS 700D, a few important improvements have been made across the board. Focus points have been upped form 9 to 19 and we get the DIGIC 6 processor rather than DIGIC 5 for faster shooting and processing.
Wi-Fi and NFC are included too, where in the old 700D didn’t have either. There’s no need to buy a pricey Wi-Fi adapter or wireless memory card anymore.
Perhaps the most important change in terms of impact on your shooting, though, is in-body stabilisation. Older Canon cameras rely on lenses for stabilisation, but the Canon EOS 760D and 750D have it built into the body. This can radically improve handheld results, especially when you’re using non-stabilised, perhaps old, lenses.
Canon 760D vs 650D: Design and Handling
All of these internal features are consistent between the 760D and 750D, though. So why do we think some of you should definitely make the £50 upgrade to the 760D?
Spend a few minutes looking closely at the photos of these cameras and it becomes pretty obvious.
Their control layouts are completely different, something that can potentially affect the shooting experience far more than most fancy camera hardware upgrades. So, what is going on here, exactly?
Where the Canon EOS 750D has a very accessible control scheme designed for those likely to flit between Auto shooting and the PASM manual modes, the 760D has a more involved layout.
First the mode dial has been moved from the right side of the top plate to the left, and has gained a locking mechanism to avoid accidental changes. This becomes more important because of its positioning — your eyes just don’t naturally stray to the left much as it’s not where the main controls are.
The dial’s contents are much the same, but the positioning allows the 760D to fit in an LCD display on the right part of the top plate, something normally only seen in more expensive DSLRs. It lets you read off exposure settings without activating the rear screen or looking through the viewfinder. It’s also handy for quickly checking battery level before taking the camera out for a shoot.
While real top-end cameras take a different approach to mode switching, this is the load-out of a higher-end model. Manual control is also much better here than the 750D. Rather than just having the one manual control dial by the shutter button, there’s a second rotary dial on the back too.
This comes in extremely handy when shooting in full Manual mode (as opposed to one of the priority modes) as it gives you handy and intuitive control over shutter speed and aperture without having to move your hand. The extra control dial and LCD display make the Canon EOS 760D the lower-cost model to pick in Canon’s 2015 line-up if you want to take your photography seriously.
First Impressions
The Canon EOS 760D’s £50 premium over the 750D is incredibly easy to justify for those who want to get involved with the nitty gritty of photography. The extra manual control it provides matched with the convenience of the secondary LCD screen is a great upgrade for all but the most casual photographers.