If you’ve just got your Canon EOS Rebel T3 (also known as the EOS 1100D) and thought…
“Now then, how do I connect my microphone to my Canon Rebel T3?”
Then you’re in for some bad news…
To be able to use an external mic on your Canon Rebel T3, it needs a 3.5mm microphone jack.
It does have a 2.5mm jack which you might mistake for a mic input, but this 2.5mm jack on the Canon Rebel T3 is actually just for remote triggering.
Table of Contents
Can You Connect An External Mic To Canon Rebel T3
The Canon Rebel T3 does not have a 3.5mm microphone jack, so you cannot just plug in and connect an external mic.
Since the Canon Rebel T3 does not have an external mic input, you might want to use an alternative camera that does have a mic input.
The Canon Rebel T3 should not be confused with the Canon Rebel T3i which does have an external mic input.
Even though the Rebel T3i does have an external mic input there are other alternatives to the Rebel T3 that are better.
In the next section, you can see why we recommend the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 as the best alternative.
There is also a way to use external audio without physically attaching a mic to the Rebel T3, which we describe later in the post.
Alternative To The Canon EOS Rebel T3 That Has A Mic Input
If you need a similar camera to the T3 (1100D) with an external mic input, then try the Canon EOS Rebel SL3.
Best Alternative To Rebel T3
If you need a camera like the Canon EOS Rebel T3, but with a microphone input, then the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 is the best alternative.
Why We Recommend the Canon EOS Rebel SL3
The main reasons I recommend the Canon Rebel SL3 (also known as the 250D), are as follows:
Way Better Battery Life
The Rebel SL3 has a 1070 shot battery life vs a 500 shot battery life on the Rebel T3.
This means I can go much longer without replacing the battery on the SL3.
SL3 Has A Fully Articulated Touch Screen
I’ve found the fully articulated touch screen very useful when recording.
If the camera is pointed at you, you can flip the screen around so you can still see what is being recorded.
This way you can adjust your framing or settings straight away if something looks wrong.
It is much better than filming for ages without realising, only to find you have unusable footage!
The Canon Rebel T3 has a fixed screen and it is not a touch screen.
Higher Resolution
The SL3 can record 4K video at 24fps or 25fps, and 1080p at 60fps, but the T3 can only do up to 720p at 30fps (29.97).
Having the ability to record 1080p at 60fps means I can actually have some decent slow-motion footage at 1080p.
Some other reasons I like the SL3 better than the T3:
- Better DIGIC 8 processor makes it faster and better.
- Higher ISO limit make it better in low light situations.
- The SL3 has 5 fps for continuous shooting of images, compared to 3fps on the Rebel T3. This is useful for taking pictures of fast moving subjects (like sports or wildlife).
- SL3 has a better autofocus system overall.
Of course the main reason is that there is an external mic input on the Rebel SL3, while there isn’t one on the Rebel T3.
This means you don’t need separate audio and video tracks and you don’t need to do any extra steps in post-production to synchronize them (we describe this later in the post).
Also, all lenses that work on the Canon EOS Rebel T3 will also work on the Canon EOS Rebel SL3.
This makes switching cameras a pain free process.
Best Alternative To Rebel T3
If you need a camera like the Canon EOS Rebel T3, but with a microphone input, then the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 is the best alternative.
How To Use External Audio With Rebel T3
If you are desperate to use external audio for your Canon Rebel T3, there is still a way to get this done without attaching a mic to the Rebel T3.
Since you cannot use an external mic attached to the Rebel T3, you have to be a bit more creative.
One way to use an external audio device is to just record separately using a microphone that isn’t attached to the T3.
You can then synchronize the audio and video in your post-production process.
Basically, you would:
- Record your video with your Canon Rebel T3.
- Record audio separately with a microphone.
- Join the two audio and video tracks together in your editing software.
The video below shows you one way of doing this with a sony a6000, but the same concept applies to the Rebel T3.
Conclusion
You should now know that you cannot attach an external microphone to the Canon Rebel T3 (EOS 1100D) as it does not have a 3.5mm microphone jack.