Canon T6i Image Quality

The Canon T6i brings a new, higher-res 24-megapixel APS-C sensor to the 'Rebel' series over the 18-megapixel sensor in the T5i. At base ISO, both cameras display a lot of fine, crisp detail, but minute details such as in the mosaic tile and fabrics are more apparent from the T6i due to the increase in resolution.

While both cameras here feature 24-megapixel APS-C sensors, the Nikon D5500's sensor lacks an optical low-pass filter, unlike the T6i which includes one. This, along with different approaches to default sharpening, allows the D5500 to resolve crisper fine detail than the T6i here in this base ISO comparison.

Overall, both cameras do well here at base ISO. Details look a bit cleaner and more natural from the T6i. The 16-megapixel Micro Four Thirds E-PL7 on the other hand displays some minor noise reduction artifacts upon close inspection in shadow areas (such as in the bottle crop), but keep in mind its higher base ISO.

The 28-megapixel APS-C Samsung NX500 edges out the Canon T6i in resolution here at base ISO. Details are crisp, shadow areas are clean and oft-difficult areas like the fabric swatches look pretty good from both cameras, though NX500 gets the nod here for crisper, more natural detail overall. The Samsung does however show more noticeable moiré patterns in the red-leaf fabric, thanks to its lack of an optical low-pass filter, as well as less saturated colors

Here we have another 24-megapixel APS-C sensor head-to-head match up. Again, both cameras do very well at base ISO with resolving lots of detail, though the Sony A6000 produces much sharper images here at its default parameters for in-camera JPEG processing, while at the same time producing less haloing along high-contrast edges.

Apart from the relatively minor resolution difference, both Canons here display very similar image quality at ISO 1600. Detail is slightly better from the T6i, particularly in the fabric swatches, though both cameras still struggle with resolving the actual leaf pattern in the red fabric at this sensitivity.

While the Nikon struggles more with the red-leaf fabric at ISO 1600, its shadow noise is more pleasing and finely-grained compared to the Canon's. Fine detail in the mosaic crop is slightly more natural-looking from the Nikon as well.

Higher contrast detail certainly does well from both cameras at this higher ISO, and the E-PL7's noise reduction works well to smooth out and remove shadow noise more so than the T6i's, however the Canon continues to resolve more fine detail. Both cameras have a tough time with the fabric swatches, but the edge goes to the Canon.

Upon close inspection, the NR processing appears a bit more heavy-handed from the NX500, especially in the red-leaf fabric swatch, but otherwise, the Samsung has the edge over the Canon here at ISO 1600 with more detail and less noise. Colors from the Samsung continue to be less saturated, though.

The NR processing from the Sony is a bit more aggressive than Canon's -- it removes more noise from the shadows, but its area-specific algorithm can produce more artifacts, such as in the pink fabric. Noise from the Canon T6i, while more visible, is more uniform and natural-looking. Fine detail overall, however, is quite good from both cameras.

Apart from the resolution difference, the image quality from these two cameras at ISO 3200 is very similar. Noise and NR processing is certainly impacting detail, especially in the fabric swatches, but higher contrast detail in the mosaic looks quite good. Noise in the shadows of the bottle crop is visible, but not overly objectionable.

Fine detail in the mosaic crop looks very similar between these two cameras here, but up in the bottle crop, the D5500 has better noise control than the T6i. The fabric swatches cause trouble for both cameras. The Canon shows some semblance of the red-leaf pattern, while the Nikon manages to show more subtle, noisy detail, but overall, both camera have a tough time here.

The noise reduction processing from the E-PL7 does really well at removing a lot of noise, while the T6i displays more, however keep in mind we are dealing with a 24-megapixel APS-C chip in the Canon and a 16-megapixel Four Thirds one in the Olympus. Despite the significant resolution difference, image quality is good from both cameras, though the Canon looks a bit more detailed and natural in the mosaic crop. Both cameras struggle with the fabrics.

At ISO 3200, the NX500 has the edge with better noise control than the T6i, and fine details in the mosaic crop appear more natural from the Samsung as well. Both cameras have trouble with the fabric swatches, but the NX500 fares a bit better with detail in the pink fabric, though it appears quite faded.

The Sony A6000's NR processing does well to remove more noise than the Canon's, but it appears more aggressive and less natural, and is particularly noticeable in flatter areas such as in the bottle crop. Very fine detail in the mosaic crop looks slightly better from the Canon, though both cameras are quite close in performance here. Our infamous fabric swatches prove troublesome for both cameras with NR impacting detail in different ways from each camera.