White
balance and colors
I have been always impressed by Canon
DSLR’s live colors and EOS 650D’s JPEG didn’t disappoint me. It could the
camera in auto white balance as well as picture style in most cases, with good
result. Other picture-style options include neutral and real modes, quite
interesting, but there’s no vivid-style. Auto-picture effect looks nice though
for user desiring a more vibrant outcome, manual adjustment for saturation must
be added. 3 custom picture-styles can be save for quick setup and I felt it was
handy to make a custom vivid-style, along with 2 monochrome settings by using
different filters.
For cases (containing inaccurate color
effects) which is mostly due to the effect of one strongest color, the camera
could wrongly consider it for a single-color case, or in wolfram lighting where
colors may be neutralized a little more than washed warm hues, there’re 6
presets for auto or manual white balance.
Ratings:
9/10
Light metering
Similar to its every EOS duplicates, 650D
uses 63-zone evaluative system featuring auto notifications. Once accustomed to
the camera, you can achieve good and quick exposure through your day shooting. You
didn’t say that the meter was always right – for bright scenes, it showed 0.5EV,
thus for whom need to print pictures, additional exposure adjustment is
necessary. However, the bright of this issue is highlight seldom got exploded
and EV button is placed in the most convenient place.
Light meter includes common options like
center spot and center weighted, along with evaluative ones which can support
AF points. This kind of setting provide especially evaluative light metering when
touch-AF is in use because the meter can enter any place touched on screen.
People who often use evaluative metering will find that evaluative
configuration and touchscreen are quite satisfying. Though, the technic may
vary in accordance with those who regularly use center AF and, therefore, rebuilding
background given light metering still lies on the initial AF point.
Ratings:
8/10
Touch features
Using wisely, I must be a fan of
touchscreen for camera – Panasonic Lumix G CSC, for example. The most important
thing for a camera featuring replaceable lens and manual EV adjustment is touch
sensitivity would enhance its process, not affect the control. Like Panasonic
models, EOS 650D succeeds in doing this.
650D’s touch abilities come with benefits:
touch capture and touch AF. Based on auto focus connected to light metering, it
also brings touch metering. The fact that I never got disappointed proves that the
sensor is fast and accurate.
Zooming images by pinching the screen is an
upside, as well as quick scrolling through images for navigation. To view some images
fast, I found enlarging and scrolling through images more interesting, which
was possible. In conclusion, navigating photos on this camera is very visual
and fast, with the help of touch screen and buttons.
Dynamic range
Dynamic
range belongs to performance section where EOS 600D couldn’t compete with
rivals.
Dynamic range belongs to performance
section where EOS 600D couldn’t compete with rivals, thus similar things were
likely to happen to EOS 650D. However, thanks to new processor, the new model
has some cheerful progresses. While 650D’s dynamic range is still, by 1EV, less
than that of Sony Alpha 57 or Pentax K-30, a HDR capture mode has been included
in digital wheel. Based on lack of some details in high-contrast scene, I found
myself likely to get along with this mode as a rescue for single-frame and
exposure bracketing shooting.
Ratings:
8/10
Noise, resolution and sensitivity
All Canon DSLRs that are above basic level
or designed for professionals have 18MP CMOS sensor thus there’s no wonder why
650D showed a mass of detail in basic ISO 100 setting. In this setting plus RAW
format, the camera reached 28 score for resolution while in JPEG capture, the
score was 26. However, the figure couldn’t be on par with that of 24MP CMOS
sensor which starts appearing in the market. Practically, 5184x3456pixel output
maximally creates a 17.3x11.5in printout when the file features 300ppi
resolution, quite enough for most photographers.
At higher ISO level, 650D really proves its
strength over 600D. It is not only higher, by 1 stop, at ISO 12,800 but also
able to control noise effectively in similar settings at ISO 800. Both camera are
able to deliver good details at ISO 6400 but 650D is slightly superior.
In real-life images, details look clean and
clear, even at ISO 1600. Aside from this setting, noise becomes less clear and
details are affected. Chroma noise in RAW is visible at ISO 3200 and above.
This has been fixed in JPEG (like the effect of inaccurate color created by
using 85mm f/1.8 lens). Applying noise reduction after shooting makes image
look sharper and more detailed rather than using control for JPEG.
Ratings:
27/30
LCD, viewfinder and video
LCD screen features 1.04MP resolution and
anti-scratch surface. It can stand again dust impressively those sweat (from
hand) sometimes cause little difficulty. Users who avoid tapping too much onto
the screen would appreciate how clear and bright it appears. I found hard to see
the screen properly in difficult conditions, such as bright lighting, while
putting the camera over the head and the display is tilted for better viewing,
quite fine!
EOS 650D owns optical viewfinder
(penta-mirror type) like 600D used to. This type of viewfinder usually appears
on budget DSLRs while Canon’s pricier models, since 60D model, feature pentaprism
style. Additionally, the mentioned penta-mirror delivered a little dimmed
display plus 100% field of view is impossible. Indeed, 650D only has 95% field
of view and 0.85x magnification, which means that this is smaller than the eye
in comparison with 60D’s pricier pentaprism viewfinder, plus less bright. Like
most viewfinders, info about AF points is always available.
Amateur video-recording user would be
satisfied with 650D as they are also the camera’s target customers. User is
able to record video in 1080p full HD resolution at 30/25/24fps with full-time
AF. Stereo audio recording is possible those two microphones lie very close inside
flash unit. A separate microphone can be added thus in general the camera is
suitable for video-recording users.
Ratings:
9/10
