Does The Canon EOS Rebel T6 Have An External Mic Input?

If you’ve just got your Canon EOS Rebel T6 (also known as the EOS 1300D) and thought…

“Now then, how do I connect my microphone to my Canon Rebel T6?”, then you’re in for some bad news…

To be able to use an external mic on your Canon Rebel T6, 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 T6 is actually just for remote triggering. 

So the Canon EOS Rebel T6 does not have an external mic input. 

However, it has an internal mic that records in ‘mono’, so of course, you can still record videos with sound. 

But the sound quality will not be anywhere near as good as using an external microphone. 

Can You Connect An External Mic To Canon Rebel T6?

The Canon Rebel T6 does not have a 3.5mm microphone jack, so you cannot just plug in and connect an external mic. 

There is no way to connect an external mic to the Canon EOS Rebel T6.

Since the Canon Rebel T6 does not have an external mic input, you might want to use an alternative camera that does have a microphone input.

In the next section, you can see why we recommend the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 as the best alternative to the T6.

There is also a way to use external audio without physically attaching a mic to the Rebel T6, which we describe later in the post.

Best Alternative To The Canon EOS Rebel T6 That Has A Mic Input

If you need a similar camera to the T6 with an external mic input, then try the Canon EOS Rebel SL3.

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 SL3 has a 1070 shot battery life vs a 500 shot battery life on the T6.

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 realizing it, only to find you have unusable footage!

The T6 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 T6 can only do up to 1080p at 30fps.

Having the ability to record 1080p at 60fps means I can actually have some slow-motion footage at 1080p.

Some other reasons I like the SL3 better than the T6:

• Better DIGIC 8 processor makes it faster and better.
• Higher ISO limit makes it better in low-light situations.
• The SL3 has 5 fps for continuous shooting of images, compared to 3fps on the Rebel T6. It 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 T6.

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 T6 will also work on the Canon EOS Rebel SL3.

This makes switching cameras a pain-free process.

Can’t I Convert The 2.5mm To A 3.5mm To Use A Mic On The T6?

No.

In some cases, you are able to convert a 2.5mm jack to a 3.5mm microphone jack using an adapter. 

For this specific 2.5mm jack on the Canon Rebel T6, it is only possible to use it as a remote trigger. An adapter won’t help you here. 

In the video below the person tries to use an adapter, but finds that this doesn’t actually work. I have also tested this with 2 different adapters and it does not work.

The camera still uses the internal mic rather than the external mic which is connected through the adapter.

How To Use External Audio With Rebel T6

If you are desperate to use external audio for your Canon Rebel T6, there is still a way to get this done without attaching a mic to the Rebel T6.

Since you cannot use an external mic attached to the Rebel T6, 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 T6. 

You can then synchronize the audio and video in your post-production process. 

Basically, you would:

• Record your video with your Canon Rebel T6.
• Record audio separately with a microphone.
• Join the two audio and video tracks together in your editing software. 

Video Guides on Syncing Audio and Video

I’ve included 3 videos here that use different editing softwares and processes to sync the audio and video together.

Sync using Premiere Pro

Sync using PowerDirector 18 and Audacity

The video below uses a Sony a6000, but the same concept applies to the Rebel T6.

Sync Using VideoPad

Conclusion

You should now know that you cannot attach an external microphone to the Canon Rebel T6, as it does not have a 3.5mm microphone jack.

However, there are alternative cameras that do have an external mic input like the Canon EOS Rebel SL3.

You can also use external audio and then sync the audio and video together for the Canon EOS Rebel T6.

Related Reading:

• Can I Use My Canon EOS Rebel T6 As A Webcam?
• Can You Charge A Canon EOS Rebel T6 Through USB?
• Does the Canon Rebel T6 Have a Recording Time Limit?