Canon EOS 650D - Big Improvements (Part 3)

There’re a competition in over-basic-DSLR market ruled by Pentax K-30, Nikon D5100 and Sony Alpha 57. All of them use the same version of Sony’s 16MP CMOS sensor bringing an approximately 16.1x10.7in printout. This figure has been surpassed by 650D’s 17.3x11.5in printout. However, 650D owns shorted dynamic range than Pentax and Nikon K-30 that use expensive viewfinder featuring 100% field of view plus 0.92x magnification, while Alpha 57 uses EVF with 100% field of view. There’re many benefits from EVF, such as exposure.

For video users, Sony and Canon are best choices, each of which provides full-time AF during recording and an option of external microphone.

Rivals

Verdict

Canon maintains its success by using 18MP sensor and light meter similar to that of EOS 7D or 60D, thus 650D came up with expectation. An integration of touchscreen is an upside. Accompanied by buttons on the camera’s body, it’s a visual way to control. Navigating menus, viewing photos, deploying touch AF and shooting are 650D’s bright sides.

With full-time AF, 1080p full HD video recording, stereo audio and custom external microphone, the camera’s specs suits most video users. An inclusion of hybrid AF means that 9-point cross-type AF system is fast, ensuring phase-detection in live view tile. However, contrast-detection may be slow and defeated by well-known systems applied inside Panasonic Lumix G series.

For those who pay few attentions to these features, 600D is always a good choice thanks to considerably low price. Indeed, 650D breathes a new life into EOS series.

Navigating menus, viewing photos, deploying touch AF and shooting are 650D’s bright sides.

Comment: Very good

·         84%

·         Features: 7/10

·         Design + process: 8/10

·         Noise + resolution: 27/30

·         Dynamic range: 8/10

·         AWB + colors: 9/10

·         Light meter: 8/10

·         AF: 8/10

·         LCD + viewfinder: 9/10

Details

Video recording

Live-view button also functions as record button when on/off is switched to video setting

Microphone port

This is an impression for a camera at such price, an external microphone can be plugged into the camera via 3.5mm jack slot.

Quick menu

Despite the appearance of many control buttons on the camera’s body, quick menu gives access to main controls, such as light metering, visual quality, brightness and flash.

Memory card

There’s only one slot for SD, SDHC or SDXC card. It is quite shallow yet fit perfectly.

Image ranking

Though there’s no direct button on the case to rate images. This kind of feature can be reached via main playback menu to rate the image from one to five stars. It’s such handy tool for a quick reference for images when they are loaded into PC.

Contiguous self-timer

10 continuous frames can be captured by using self-timer plus a click. This is very wonderful when the camera is attached to a tripod for shooting a group when you don’t need to come back to the camera and do things over again.

Lens adjustment

Aberration correction is possible with the fact that the camera is capable of detecting which type of lens has been connected then making necessary adjustments. The camera can recognize all Canon EF lens.

Lens adjustment

Flash control

Canon DSLR often provides good control with flash as well as some complicated features. Installed flash is used as a wire-free button featuring auto or manual control, plus +/-2EV.

General info ·         18MP CMOS sensor ·         Hybrid AF system ·         1080p full HD recording with full-time AF ·         3inch swiveling LCD screen ·         ISO 100-12,800 (extendable up to ISO 25,600) ·         RRP: $1,048 (for the body only) Specs ·         RRP: $1,125 (including 18-55mm kit lens) ·         Sensor: 18MP CMOS sensor ·         Output size: 5,184x3,456 pixels ·         Focal length magnification: 1.6x ·         Lens mount: Canon EF-S (EF compatibility) ·         File format: Raw, JPEG, raw + JPEG simultaneously ·         Compression: JPEG 2-stage ·         Color space: Adobe RGB, sRGB ·         Shutter: Electronically controlled focal-plane shutter ·         Shooting speed: 30-1/4000sec in 1/3EV with flash ·         Maximum flash sync speed: 1/200sec ·         ISO: 100 – 12,800 (extendable up to ISO 25,600) ·         Exposure modes: Auto, program, aperture priority, shutter priority, shutter priority, manual, 6 scene modes and creative auto. ·         Light meter: 63-zone evaluative system (connected to all AF points), center-weighted, local (9%) and spot (4%). ·         Exposure compensation: +/-5EV in 1/3EV or 1/2EV step ·         White balance: Auto, 6 presets, custom presets ·         White balance bracket: Yes, over 3 shots ·         Drive mode: 5fps for 22 large/fine JPEG files or 6 raw images ·         Viewfinder: Pentamirror with 0.85x magnification ·         Field of view: Approx. 95% ·         Dioptre Adjustment: -3 to +1 dioptre, 19mm eye point ·         Focusing Modes: Manual, single-shot AF, automatic AF, continuous AF ·         AF Points: 9 cross-type individually selectable points, auto or manual selection possible ·         DoF preview: Yes ·         Built-in flash: Yes, GN 13m at ISO 100 ·         Video: 1920 x 1080 pixels (at 30fps, 25fps or 24fps), 1280 x 720 pixels (at 60fps or 50fps), 640 x 480 pixels (at 30fps or 25fps), MOV files with MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 compression ·         External microphone: Yes ·         Memory card: SD, SDHC or SDXC (UHS-I) ·         Battery: Rechargeable Li-Ion LP-E8 battery ·         Connectivity: USB 2.0 Hi-Speed ·         Weight: 575g including battery and card ·         Size: 133.1x99.8x78.8mm