The Canon EOS Rebel T8i is a simple APS-C DSLR camera. It offers good image quality, even in poorly lit environments, and has an autofocus system that does an exceptional job of tracking faces and objects during still photography. It's also quite comfortable to use and has a bright, fully articulated screen that's easy to see, even in direct sunlight. Unfortunately, it's quite bulky, and its video recording quality in both 4k and FHD isn't particularly impressive.
The Canon T8i is good for travel photography. Images are low in noise and graininess even at high ISO levels, and its autofocus system is quick, reliable, and consistent when it comes to accurately tracking moving objects and faces. The camera's minimum shutter speed also drops low enough for long exposure photography. Unfortunately, it's quite bulky and doesn't feel especially sturdy, though it is comfortable to operate.
The Canon T8i is a good option for landscape photography. Even when shooting at high ISO levels to compensate for poor lighting conditions, images should still be quite low in graininess. Its touchscreen interface is bright enough to be seen clearly even under direct sunlight and is quite sharp. Unfortunately, while the camera itself is comfortable to operate, it isn't especially easy to carry around for long periods, and the body isn't weather-sealed.
The Canon T8i is decent for sports and wildlife photography. Its maximum continuous shooting speed isn't particularly high, which can make it difficult to capture distinct images of fast-moving subjects. Thankfully, the image quality itself is good, and you should be able to capture clear images that are mostly free of graininess even at high ISO levels. The camera's autofocus system does an exceptional job of tracking moving subjects. Unfortunately, the camera's kit lens doesn't zoom sufficiently far enough to let you take pictures of far-away objects.
The Canon T8i is passable for vlogging. It's quite bulky, which can make carrying it around a bit of a nuisance. Videos recorded in FHD and 4k also look somewhat noisy and grainy, and handheld footage can look somewhat shaky due to the camera's poor video stabilization performance. However, the camera's autofocus system does a fantastic job of tracking faces in FHD video, and the fully-articulated screen can be fully rotated to let you see yourself when the camera is pointed at you.
The Canon T8i is alright for studio video. Video quality in FHD and 4k is sub-par, but the camera features a wide variety of inputs and outputs to let you attach a variety of accessories, from headphones and a mic to an external recorder. The camera's menu system is also quite easy to use. While autofocus performance in 4k is poor, it performs far better while recording FHD video.
The Canon EOS Rebel T8i isn't designed for action video. It's too big to be mounted on a helmet or chest rig and doesn't support any high-speed frame rate options in 4k or FHD for smooth slow-motion video. Video stabilization performance is also middling overall.
The Canon Rebel T8i is only available in one color variant: 'Black', and you can see its label here. We tested it in conjunction with the Canon EF-S 18–55mm f/4–5.6 IS STM lens, but other EF and EF-S-mount lenses can be purchased with this camera. However, we haven't tested it in any other configuration. It can also be purchased without a lens at all.
Let us know if you come across a different variant, so we can update our review.
The Canon EOS Rebel T8i is better than the Canon EOS Rebel T7 / EOS 2000D. Though both use 24 MP sensors, the T8i is newer, with a better processor, resulting in better overall image quality. It also has a more advanced and effective autofocus system, along with extra features like a vari-angle touchscreen and 4k video capability.
The Canon EOS Rebel T8i is better overall than the Nikon D3500. It has a slightly more capable sensor, a faster max burst rate, and a more advanced autofocus system, along with extra features like 4k video capability and a fully articulated touchscreen. That said, the D3500 has a unique 'Guide Mode' to help new users grasp the basics of photography, meaning it may be preferable for absolute beginners.