In line with the best of the Canon DSLR's! Highly recommended!

--The Good--
The newer of the Canon DSLR's, the Canon 600D/Rebel T3i is an excellent addition to this line of fabulous cameras! It's very light but has a great build in comparison the the older T2i yet slightly less beefy than the similar 60D. Picture and video quality between this, the T2i and the 60D are almost exactly the same. This camera is a great value vs. the 7D if you are thinking about shooting video. Speaking of that, this camera is excellent for video! The sensor allows it to be great in low-light (with a high-aperture lens). The rotating screen makes your life much easier by letting you get low and high shots that wouldn't have worked otherwise. The menu system is easy to navigate when you've got your bearings. Everything is a touch away though the menus are said to be a little more seamless on the 60D. This isn't a crutch at all though if you know what you're looking for. This is a terrific camera!
--The Slightly Bad--
My only complaint thus far is that it is a crop sensor camera. Keep in mind this is a problem almost all of the affordable DSLR's. You will see this with the T3i and 60D as well so this isn't specific to this camera. It's is easily worked around with a super wide-angle lens but those can be a little trickier to find. Necessary, they are not but if you are shooting landscape or want nice eye-wide scenes, a 10/12mm would be suggested.

This camera makes me want to take more pictures all the time.

I have had many decent point and shoot cameras, and I have used my phone to take pics for many years. They were ok, but I get tired of taking pics only to see the mood altered because the light was too low or the flash overpowered the ambient setting. Seeing people post pictures all the time that are blurry or fuzzy because of the cameras they used is somewhat irritating too. I started looking for a nicer camera to capture clearer pics of my girls and our animals. I also love to look at beautiful nature and capture those brief moments in a picture. As I started looking for a nicer camera, I compared name brands and prices and features. This Canon EOS T3i got great reviews. It had so many great features, and it seemed have some really good sale prices at the time I purchased it. This is my first nice camera. It is a little overwhelming at first with all the buttons and adjusters. You can't just slide it in your pocket and go. I love the flexibility to go from extreme amateur to more advanced photographer with this single unit. The auto focus modes help in times of uncertainty, but it also allows for complete manual operations as well. There is also the ability for the auto and manual to work together in some instances. Another thing that is great is the ability to take pictures in very low light without flash and get wonderfully soft and yet vivid pictures. I find myself taking this camera with me more just hoping to capture that picture that shows the the beauty of our world to family, friends, and neighbors. The speed at which pictures can be taken also allows you to go back later and keep the best shot so you don't get the mouth open, the eyes closed, or the head turned wrong. The battery seems to last for a long time as well. The great zoom qualities also allow you to capture children and animals without disrupting their actions that often make pictures look posed or fake. You can capture wildlife at a distance where they don't feel threatened.

a great high end amateur camera

This camera is great for those who are not ready or able to get a "pro" camera or are still learning. I like that I can hand it to my family to use on the auto settings and yet have the other setting that I use to become a better photographer. The pictures are so crisp and clear

I have used cheaper canon cameras and they do ok but I was limited on what I could do with it so with me the extra money spent was well worth it it might not be for everyone. I do have a point and shoot for everyday family things also a canon.

Best of the old meets best of the new

I have owned several Digital Cameras over time. Back in the day when I was shooting Kodachrome film, I had several SLR camera bodies and an array of lenses to suit every need. The digital "point and shoots" were handy but complex to use creatively and never measured up, quality wise, to carefully exposed Kodachrome. I finally bit the bullet after playing with a neighbor's Canon T3i. This one had the articulated LCD screen, big, bright and sharp that makes difficult shooting positions possible when used in "Live Mode".
When using the "normal" through the lens SLR prism/ground-glass, the focusing speed and accuracy is more than adequate for most shots; that is to say, fast. What comes to mind is some dialog from the movie, Pulp Fiction: "When you shoot this one, you KNOW where the extra money went". That being said, be prepared to spend a lot of time with the instruction manual. This machine does some neat stuff and you really need to become confident in selecting and putting all the features to work. The Canon I-S lenses with built in Image Stabilization are a HUGE benefit. Don't skimp here. The Canon 18-55 MM I-S zoom is a good general purpose lens, and is often bundled with these bodies. It is reasonably sharp and bright enough for outdoor work (indoors with flash) and covers a wide range of photo opportunities. Using the Canon 55-250 I-S Zoom without a tripod shows the power. Remember to multiply these focal lengths by 1.6 to get the 35-MM equivalent. You get some spy camera power here that you can quickly use. With 18 megapixels you can; to borrow a fantasy from Hawaii Five-0, "Zoom in on that Dan-O" and find some real detail. Use it wisely and legally. Accessorize liberally and you are using this DSLR for what it was born to do. External flash, multiple flash, go for it. Macro lens, "see in the dark" lens? have at it. Spectacular long telephoto shots? Sure. Take "Instamatic" snap shots? Use your cell phone. This is too big and heavy for that, meaning overkill. This is serious machinery at a reasonable price, for people that pine for their old Kodachrome (before momma took it away) and their trusty SLR camera system. This does everything you miss and so much more, coupled with instant gratification a'la digital imaging. Oh. I read it shoots HD Video TOO. If you have a big HD TV, get a HDMI cable to interface the camera to it. Bam! Instant family slide-show with FX right out of the camera or home movies. Try THAT with your old 35-MM film SLR. Just buy it, have fun, and relegate your old stuff to a museum.

Great addition to the Canon lineup!

This replaced my earlier model Rebel and is a big step up! Much better picture quality with the 18 MP...able to blow up smaller sections and keep detail. Screen looks much better in reviewing photos; haven't quite mastered live view(especially in bright sun). Tend not to use it. Another great Canon product! Super value! Could only hope for a future model giving space to more features at the expense of video(which I never use)and a little more rugged construction.