Why You Can Trust CNET Get a Canon EOS Rebel T6 dSLR kit for $344
Your phone's camera may be good, but it's nowhere near this good. This top-rated model would normally run you at least $100 more. Plus: a speaker that fits in your pocket and plays FM radio.
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Today's deal is a rerun, but the very best kind: same product, even cheaper than last time. Plus a totally new bonus deal, of course -- skip down if you want to check that out immediately.
I'm not really a camera guy. Actually, I totally dig cameras, I've just never been very good at photography. Maybe that's because I've never really had the right tools.
Starting with, duh, a good camera. Sure, my phone does passable work, but certain situations -- starting with anything that requires a zoom lens -- demand a digital-SLR.
Like this one: Today only, and while supplies last, Meh has the Canon EOS Rebel T6 18-55mm dSLR kit for $344, plus $5 for shipping. The last time I shared this deal, it was $394. Meanwhile, the camera lists for $549 and would cost you $449 at Amazon.
Let me start by saying there's some difference of opinion when it comes to the T6 (also known as the 1300D), which has been on the market for about a year. CNET's Lori Grunin rated it 6.8 (out of 10), knocking its fairly minimal feature set and somewhat slow performance -- while also praising its photo and video quality.
Over at Amazon, however, more than 200 buyers collectively rated it 4.7 stars out of 5. And that's the same average score from over 130 Best Buy customers. This is not to say Lori's review is somehow inaccurate, merely that the average dSLR buyer might have different priorities and expectations than a professional reviewer. And for those buyers, the T6 rocks.
The camera comes with an 18-55mm lens, which can be swapped for any number of other lenses should you so desire -- but the included one gets the job done.
With it you can also shoot 1080p video, and with a lot more shooting options than you get from most phones.
Perhaps best of all, unlike last time, there's no ambiguity regarding the warranty: It's a straight-up one year from Canon.
Your thoughts?
This pocket-friendly speaker does it all: Bluetooth, line-in, microSD card and FM radio.
Bonus deal: As I've said before, Bluetooth speakers come in many shapes and sizes -- but most of those shapes are roughly brick-like, and most of the sizes are "too big to fit in a pocket."
So here's an interesting one: For a limited time, and while supplies last, you can get the Archeer Pocket Portable Slim Bluetooth Speaker with FM Radio for $19.53. That's after applying promo code 9ZBCCG2A at checkout.
Not much larger than the average mobile phone, the Slim really can slip into a pocket. A few things I especially like about it, at least on paper: It has a built-in kickstand, one that double as a stand for your phone, and color-changing LEDs that add a nice little disco vibe when ambient lighting is low.
There's a line-in port for connecting non-Bluetooth sources and a TF (microSD) slot -- the latter is great for using this as a standalone jukebox, no external source required. I don't know, however, if there's any kind of shuffle-play option, which is kind of crucial if you're listening to a card-based music library.
Finally, there's the aforementioned FM radio. It's a great thing to have, but there's one bummer: You have to tune by ear, as there's no way to see the frequency. You just seek from one station to the next.
User reviews: 4.1 stars out of 5, and they're all valid ratings, according to FakeSpot. For 20 bucks out the door, I'm seriously liking this.