Canon EOS 650D Hands on Review, Specifications and Price in India

Canon EOS 650D

After the phenomenal Canon EOS 600D, Canon has launched the next-in-line EOS 650D which is
expected to soon become the love of photography aficionados all over the world. This entry-level DSLR is constructed in polycarbonate resin and glass fiber in a stainless steel frame. The choice of materials
for the camera imparts it a sturdy and lightweight structure which is well suited for adventure and nature photography.

External features of Canon EOS 650D

The 650D looks very much like the antecedent 600D except the plastic grills provided on top of its flash. The skewed-rectangle-shaped 'info' and 'menu' buttons of 600D have been redesigned to a more convenient circular button and the display button has been removed leaving ISO button unaccompanied in the area. The on-off switch has been changed slightly to accommodate a dedicated mode for the video function. Apart from admirable ergonomics of the camera, the photographers are also excited about its expedient innards.

Specifications of Canon EOS 650D

APS-C Sensor and AF system

The hybrid AF system of Nikon's V1 and J1 has been brought to the dominion of entry-level DSLRs by Canon in EOS 650D. The Canon 650D features an 18MP sensor which at first look seems identical to the 600D sensor but is a newly designed hybrid APS-C sensor. The APS-C sensor captures and retains detail to provide an unmatched image quality and ability to obtain high-resolution photographs.
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The 650D is very good at achieving both contrast and phase AF due to its high-end imaging sensor which is crammed with phase detection pixels. This attribute is very much similar to Nikon's mirrorless cameras. The AF attainment by Canon EOS 650D is extremely quick and in function resembles an L lens. This feature of Canon 650D is derived from the large number of AF dedicated pixels in the centre of its frame.

Canon EOS 650D features 9 AF points which is similar to 600D. The central AF point has been upgraded to obtain sensitivity for lenses with up to f/2.8 apertures. The AF system of Canon in conjugation with its Stepping Motors (STM) achieves focus much faster than most conventional lenses. Apart from enhancing the speed STM also reduces noise in the camera.

Video Recording of Canon EOS 650D

EOS 650D has also been provided with the ability to maintain AF while recording which eliminates the hassles of manual focusing and appearance of bad patches in the video. The live AF feature is
compatible with most lenses offering AF but works best with lenses incorporating STMs which give a quick and quiet auto-focus. While in shooting mode the EOS 650D allows recording decent audio through the stereo mics present on top of the hot-shoe flash. However, for better quality audio recording it is always advisable to use external mics.

Other recording features of the camera are quite conventional including the ability to record full HD videos at 30, 25 and 24 fps.

DigicV Processor

The replacement of DigicIV chip with the more recent DigicV chip has enabled Canon to improve the processing speed of EOS 650D and has also upgraded the burst mode from 3.4 frames per second(fps) to
5 frames per second (fps).

Touchscreen functionality

The 3.2-inch LCD with multi-touch functionality on Canon 650D is comparable to most high-end smartphones in speed, responsiveness and accuracy. The touch functionality allows users to browse through photos, change settings, shuffle between modes and also set off the shutter. However, there is an additional 'Q' button on the back of the camera which must be pressed each time a setting needs to
be changed. Although this seems a bit of a hassle at first it avoids accidental change of settings. The camera also includes the standard pinch-to-zoom feature to zoom in and out of the images.

Drawbacks of Canon EOS 650D

The Canon EOS 650D has outdone itself for the entry-level DSLR segment but the camera does come with some expected flaws. A minor con or drawback in the EOS 650D was barrel distortion in the images while shooting at a small focal length of 18mm. The photographers are recommended to avoid shooting up close at 18mm side of the lens to avoid distorted images. The external build of EOS 650D lacks any proper weather sealing, also the sensor begins to make noise at levels as low as ISO 1600.

Price and Availability of Canon EOS 650D

At a price of 55,995 INR the Canon EOS 650D does seem a nice bet if one is ready to shoot below ISO 800. However, the live AF feature and good video processing attributes of the camera is alone enough to justify its price.