Digital Camera World

Camera Raw sharpening tools: how to restore fine detail and keep noise at bay

jmeyer — Tue, 21 May 2013 10:00:40 +0000

In our latest Raw Tuesday series post on editing raw format images we explain a simple technique for using the Adobe Camera Raw sharpening tools. Find out how to preserve fine detail in your raw files while banishing noise.

By shooting in your camera’s raw quality format you have much more tonal and colour information to work with, which enables you to produce better-looking results in your final image.

In our raw start image there are some very delicate midtone details such as the incense sticks and ash that we’d like to subtly sharpen, but this runs the risk of adding more noise to the shot’s soft bokeh. Fortunately, Adobe Camera Raw has some handy additional sliders that will help you to reveal midtone texture and detail while masking out the unwanted noise.

Here, we’ll also show you ways to preview which areas are being sharpened, so that you can get a balance between revealing detail and losing noise.

How to use the Adobe Camera Raw sharpening tools

Zoom in
Go to File>Open and go to your start image. It will open in the Adobe Camera Raw editor. To sharpen, grab the Zoom tool and right click. Choose 100%. Much of the shot is deliberately soft due to a shallow depth of field. Use the Hand tool to view the foreground incense stick.

Adjust Amount
Click on the Detail tab. Drop the sliders to 0 and drag Amount to 91 to increase the contrast around the edges. Increase the spread of the edge contrast change by setting Radius to 2.0. Click the Preview box to compare the before-and-after versions.

Restore detail
The change is very subtle. To reveal more of the delicate texture on the ash and incense sticks, drag Detail to 45. If you Alt-click as you drag this slider you’ll see a greyscale preview. The darker areas will become sharper and the grey areas will remain unsharpened.

Mask out noise
To prevent the soft background bokeh (and its picture noise) from being sharpened, Alt-click as you drag the Masking slider. Now only the lighter areas in the preview will become sharpened, leading to less noise. A value of 65 produces a good compromise.

24 camera features every beginner photographer must memorize

jmeyer — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:01:28 +0000

No matter how long you’ve had your digital camera, there’s always something to learn. And if you’ve just bought your first camera body, the learning curve can seem impossibly steep. But it needn’t be a painful slog. In this tutorial we’ll help you get the most from your DSLR by explaining some of the key camera features found on almost every camera body. Learning these camera features early on in your development will ensure you avoid some of the common camera mistakes and get much better shots as a result.

Camera features on the front of your camera body

01 Red-eye reduction
To stop the flash bouncing off the subject’s retinas and causing glowing red eyes this lamp will emit a burst of light to make the subject’s pupils shrink before the flash is triggered. The lamp also acts as a handy self-timer countdown indicator.

02 Focusing ring
In Auto Focus mode this ring rotates until the camera has focussed on the subject. In Manual Focus mode you can rotate the focus ring with your hand to focus on a specific subject.

03 Zoom ring
Rotate this ring clockwise to zoom out for a wide-angle view. Rotate it anti-clockwise (counter-clockwise) to zoom in for a close-up on your subject.

04 Flash button
When shooting using the Creative Zone or manual modes you can tell the built-in flash to pop up by pressing here.

05 Focus mode switch
Leave this set on AF (Auto Focus) if you want the camera to control the focusing. Flip the switch to MF (Manual Focus) when you want to control the focus yourself. In MF mode you can still use the AF points in the viewfinder to tell you when the subject is in sharp focus.

06 Image Stabilizer switch
The lens’s IS (Image Stabilizer) is designed to stop blur caused by camera shake (which is especially noticeable when you’re zoomed in on a distant subject. Nikon IS lenses have a similar VR (Vibration Reduction) switch.

07 Built-in microphone
Most cameras such as the Canon 500D (pictured above) can now record video. Sound to go with it is recorded through a microphone like this (though it will also record camera handling noises like the zoom ring being rotated!).

08 Depth of Field preview button
By pressing here, you can get the camera to stop down to the lens’s current aperture setting. You can then preview how much of the shot  will be in focus by looking through the viewfinder or by checking the Live View display.

PAGE 1: Camera features on the front of your camera body
PAGE 2: Camera features on the back of your camera body
PAGE 3: Camera features on the top of your camera body

Banish Bad Pictures: 9 quick fixes for common camera complaints

jmeyer — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:57:45 +0000

Tired of taking bad pictures? Find out how to fix photos in-camera with our simple advice for curing your exposure problems and focusing headaches. We offer solutions for some of the most common photography problems photographers face. So read on to soothe your burning photo composition and colour complaints!

Whether you’re an experienced enthusiast or you’ve just bought your first digital SLR, everybody has problems with their pictures now and then. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.

In fact, if you’re less than perfectly happy with your shots, it only goes to prove that you’re eager to improve your DSLR shooting skills. And, as the saying goes, you can always learn from your camera mistakes!

However, working out how to solve your dilemmas on your own can prove to be a real headache. Which menu option or control do you need to use to make your pictures look better? Well, you can rest easy, because our team of D-SLR doctors are here to cure all of your camera complaints.

Whether your highlights are looking blown out and over-exposed, or your photos are suffering from camera shake, we’ve got the solutions to your problems.

If you’re finding it impossible to capture photos with a sense of impact, or your images’ colours look out of whack, we’ll help you resolve your issues. Read on to learn the quick and easy way to restore your shots back to health.

Fixing Bad Pictures: Why are all my photos blown out?

Were you shooting in bright daylight?
Photographing landscapes under midday sun can prove problematic. For the best colours and problem-free exposures, try to shoot your scenes with your back to the sun. If that’s not an option, here are two other possible solutions…

YES

Did you try using Exposure Compensation?
Left to its own devices, your digital DSLR can sometimes produce pictures that look lighter or darker than you would like them to. Switch to Av (Aperture Priority) mode and use Exposure Compensation to tweak the overall brightness.

Did you use an ND Grad filter? 
In landscapes, a standard exposure will either result in overly bright skies lacking detail, colour and impact, or striking skies and excessively dark foregrounds.

Using ND Grad filters 
By using a Neutral Density (ND) Gradient filter when photographing landscapes, you make the brightness of the scene more even. You’ll be able to capture the foreground detail as well as the beautiful colour and texture of clouds in the sky.

Try using histograms
When reviewing your shots on your camera’s LCD, get into the habit of checking histograms as well to see if your shots are too bright or dark. You can also check histograms in Levels in Photoshop.

1 Under-exposed 
This shot of a stag is too dark. The majority of the tones are stacked on the left of the histogram.

2 Over-exposed 
This shot is too bright. The majority of the tones are now bunched up on the right of the histogram.

3 Correctly exposed 
This shot is bang on. There’s an even spread of shadows, midtones and highlights on the histogram.

Win a trip to Nepal! Go on assignment with sight-saving charity ORBIS

jmeyer — Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:36 +0000

There are lots of photography competitions out there, but few are as special as the opportunity we’re offering Digital Camera World readers.

We’ve partnered with the international sight-saving charity ORBIS to offer one lucky Digital Camera World reader the opportunity to put everything you’ve learned in our popular Shoot Like A Pro series to the test and do something truly meaningful with your photography.

For more details on the prize and how to enter this exclusive photo competition, see below.

THE PRIZE

The international blindness prevention charity ORBIS is offering Digital Camera World readers the opportunity of a lifetime to give something back with their photography.

The winning photographer from this photo competition will travel with a delegation from ORBIS to Geta Eye Hospital, in Dhangadhi, Nepal, where the photographer will be on assignment with the charity, tasked with documenting ORBIS’ work. From Dhangadhi, the winner will then travel with ORBIS for an additional two days documenting its work at Pokhara Hospital, Kathmandu.

The resulting images will then be used by the charity to increase awareness of issues relating to blindness and deliver help to those who need it most.

HOW TO ENTER

To win this fantastic opportunity, photographers are asked to submit a small portfolio of three images along the theme of Outdoor Portraits. This can be done via the entry form on the competition page at the link below.

Images must be 72dpi and no bigger than 800 pixels along their longest edge. Entries will be accepted until 12 July 2013, after which our judges will select a shortlist of five photographers.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Our judges will conduct a short interview with each shortlisted photographer about his or her portfolio, and a winner will be announced in August 2013.
The winning photographer will leave London with ORBIS for the assignment, which will take place from 22 to 27 October 2013.
Your flight, accommodation and transfers will be covered, but all other in-country expenses such as food and drink will be your responsibility.
This competition is open to UK residents only.
Entrants will be informed of the winner following judging via ORBIS’s newsletter
Full terms and conditions from ORBIS and Digital Camera World can be found on the competition entry page at the link below.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER YOUR IMAGES

Sony A58 review

jmeyer — Sun, 19 May 2013 12:00:31 +0000

Sony A58 review: Sony’s new 20-megapixel entry-level SLT camera promises a lot of specs for its price. But is it capable? Find out in our hands-on Sony Alpha 58 review video.

The Sony A58 joins the SLT Alpha range as the Sony A57 replacement and sits just above the entry level 37. New to the Sony A58 are a host of features that should appeal to photographers who are starting to get more serious about their photography and want to take more control over their pictures.

Along with the Sony A58′s newly designed 201-megapixel Exmor APS-C HD CMOS sensor and Sony’s translucent mirror technology, the A58 adds an increased ISO range from 100 to 16,000, full HD video recording, an improved EVF and an enhanced Bionz image processing engine.

It’s an impressive spec list indeed. Here Amy Davies takes a look at what this new Sony Alpha camera has to offer in her Sony A58 review video.

Sony A58 Review Video Transcript

Sony has introduced a new camera at the bottom of its SLT line-up, the a58. It replaces not one,but two cameras – the a37 and a57, in an attempt to simplify the beginner range of Alpha cameras.

The a58 is a DSLT – the T standing for Translucent and referring to the fixed mirror inside the camera. Unlike normal DSLRs, light travels directly through the mirror, rather than it flipping out of the way. This means that the camera can offer faster frame rates and quicker autofocus speeds in live view – which the camera is effectively always shooting in – and video mode.

The a58 has a fairly hefty body, with this large grip and rubberised coating helping when shooting one handed.

On the top of the camera is a mode dial for switching between the various shooting modes on offer, including fully automatic, fully manual and semi-automatic options, such as aperture and shutter priority. There are quite a few other options also found here, including scene mode, sweep panorama and picture effects.

The buttons on the back of the camera are well laid out, with easy access to almost everything with your right thumb. Only the main menu button is more inaccessible, but with the quick function menu accessed with this button, you should find that you don’t need to delve into the full menu very often.

You can access all the most commonly used settings, including white balance, Drive Mode and Picture Effects, via this function button. It’s also here that you’ll find Auto Object Framing, a new feature for the Alpha series which automatically crops your images for what the camera considers to be a better composition.

We’d previously seen Auto Portrait Framing, but with the addition of Auto Object Framing, any kind of photo can be cropped, rather than just people shots.

At the top of the camera is a zoom button, this is used to activate Sony’s Clear Zoom function, which uses By Pixel Resolution Technology and doubles the effective focal length of whichever lens is attached. We’ve been impressed by how well this performs compared with other forms of digital zoom before, and a similar performance is put in by the a58.

Unfortunately, a lot of the most interesting features of the a58 can’t be used when shooting in raw format. These include Picture Styles, Clear Zoom and Auto Object/Portrait framing.

Annoyingly, this means that you need to delve into the full menu, switch off raw format shooting, then go back to whatever you’re trying to use. This can be a bit of a tedious process and we had hoped Sony would have come up with a better solution for this by now.

As there’s not a traditional mirror in the camera, the a58 uses an electronic, rather than optical, viewfinder. Sony has used an OLED in the a58, compared with the LCD in the a57. It’s a noticeable improvement, offering a clearer and brighter view. Some don’t like electronic viewfinders, but there are a couple of distinct advantages.

The ability to see any changes you make in live time via the viewfinder is useful, as is the captured image popping up to help you know whether you’ve nailed the shot or not. This sensor here automatically switches to the viewfinder, and switches off the LCD screen, when the camera is lifted to the eye.

The 460,000 dot screen isn’t fully articulated, but it does tilt up and down to make it easier when shooting from some awkward positions in landscape format. It’s not as much help when shooting in portrait format though.

It’s quite a low resolution screen, but it doesn’t suffer too badly from glare or reflection, with the ability to tilt the screen helping if the sun is very strong. Once again, Sony has chosen not to incorporate a touchscreen on its entry-level model.

One of the problems with a translucent mirror is that less light is able to get to the sensor, sometimes meaning that the lens hunts around to attain focus, especially in lower light conditions. The A58 kit lens has quite a noisy focus mechanism, so this can be a little distracting in certain situations.

Sony Alpha cameras have impressed us before with their excellent image quality, and the a58 is no different. Generally, it produces very detailed shots with good colour rendition and exposure.

It’s worth experimenting with different Picture Effects and Styles, as well as the Sweep Panorama when you want to get more creative, too.

Photo Anatomy: shooting underwater photography in a freezing Alpine lake

jmeyer — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:00:15 +0000

In our Photo Anatomy series on Digital Camera World we select pictures by famous photographers and explain point by point what makes them work.

In our latest instalment underwater photographer Franco Banfi reveals how he captured this stunning image in the freezing waters of a Swiss alpine lake.

Hidden depths
Banfi’s image shows an unusual, fish-shaped iceberg. It’s located under the surface of a small, freshwater mountain lake: Lake Sassolo, located in the south of Switzerland.

Sense of proportion
By including his partner Sabrina holding a torch in the image, Banfi created a crucial extra point of interest and enabled the viewer to appreciate the scale of the iceberg.

Challenging conditions
“It was very cold in the lake, so having the right diving equipment was essential,” says Banfi. “That included a good dry suit and a pressure regulator that worked well in low temperatures.”

Tried-and-tested kit
Banfi shot close to the iceberg using a Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II with a 15mm f/2.8 fisheye lens, contained in a Seacam underwater housing. Settings were 1/100sec at f/5, ISO 100.

Insider Knowledge
“In spring this lake is still covered with ice,” says Banfi, “but the temperature rises and the ice melts quickly. Usually there are only 2-3 weeks in which to shoot the ice.”

We Say
As water absorbs colours at the red end of the spectrum, underwater photographers often like to shoot with strobe or flash for a more balanced range of colours. However, shooting with ambient light, as Banfi has done here, uses the resulting blue hue to create a much more subtle and atmospheric image.”
Chris Rutter, technique editor

Focus Stacking: how to extend depth of field when shooting close up

jmeyer — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:00:59 +0000

Shooting anything up close requires incredible patience and extreme precision. If your close-up photography isn’t sharp then you’re not only wasting pictures, but you’ve wasted hours of your time. In this in-depth tutorial we’ll show you how to use one of the most amazing Photoshop effects macro and close-up photographers can use: focus stacking.

Below we’ll show you step-by-step how to extend depth of field when shooting close-up by shifting your point of focus in multiple images, which you’ll later stitch together so you can produce images that are sharp throughout the frame.

One of the best things about close-up photography is the wonderful softness that results from working with such a shallow depth of field.

Even at the smallest apertures the plane of focus will stretch to a couple of centimetres at most, and anything outside this range will fall off into beautiful bokeh.

At times, however, this can be a problem –especially if you’d like a completely sharp subject. Stopping down the aperture will increase depth of field, but sometimes this simply isn’t enough to achieve sharpness across the subject from front to back.

The solution: fix the camera to a tripod and shoot several frames, each with a small shift in focus, then use Photoshop to combine the sharp areas to create a single pin-sharp image.

We’ll begin with a series of shots of a flower, captured with tiny incremental shifts in focus. We’ll make global adjustments to all the images at once in Camera Raw, then combine the sharp parts using the Auto-Blend command in Photoshop CS.

Macro subjects usually look best against clean uncluttered backgrounds, but this isn’t always easy to achieve when searching for the best angle.

We’ll neaten up our finished flower by creating a new colour co-ordinated background, then use the Clone tool to remove a few messy areas. Finally, we’ll utilise the High Pass filter for a great sharpening technique that works wonders on edges.

How to create a focus stacking effect: steps 1-2

01 Open in Camera Raw
Copy your start files into a folder on your hard drive, then open Adobe Bridge and go to the folder. Highlight the first image, then hold Shift and click the last one to select them all. Right-click over them and choose Open in Adobe Camera Raw to open the whole batch.

02 Remove the sensor mark
Click Select All at the top left. Now any changes will affect all the images. First let’s deal with the sensor mark on the left. Grab the Spot Removal tool from the Tools palette, set Type to Heal and Opacity to 100%, then drag a small circle over the mark to remove it.

READ MORE

Canon EOS 100D review: does the Rebel SL1 / EOS 100D offer more than its size?

jmeyer — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:06:08 +0000

The Canon Rebel SL1 / EOS 100D is the world’s smallest and lightest DSLR. But is its image quality up to scratch? Find out in our Canon EOS 100D review.

Canon finally introduced its own CSC last year with the Canon EOS M, but now it has also released the Canon EOS 100D – also known as the Canon EOS Rebel SL1 in the United States – which is the world’s smallest and lightest DSLR.

The Canon EOS 100D / Rebel SL1 is an all new DSLR that joins the EOS camera line-up, sitting between the EOS 1100D and EOS 600D. But what else does it offer apart from its size?

Here Amy Davies of our testing team takes a look at what this camera has to offer in her Canon EOS 100D review video.

Canon SL1 / Canon EOS 100D Review Video Transcript

This is the Canon EOS 100D, which at the time of launch is the world’s smallest and lightest DSLR.

Canon has managed to shrink down all of the major components of this camera, but still retain an APS-C sized, 18 million pixel sensor at its heart.

This grip, although not as pronounced as on other DSLRs, still allows for good purchase, even when shooting with the camera one-handed. This dial here just next to the grip is used for altering aperture or shutter speed, depending on the mode you’re in.

Despite the camera’s small size, Canon has managed to keep a good button layout, with the majority being easily reached by the thumb on the right hand side. There’s also a mode dial, which is used to access fully automatic modes, semi-automatic modes, and full manual modes.

You’ll also notice here that the on/off switch can be pushed one step further to activate the movie mode on the camera. This makes it quicker to reach than having to spin the mode dial all the way around, and should make capturing those spur of the moment movies much easier.

We’ve seen “Creative Auto” mode before, and it helps new photographers get the shots they want, without using complicated photographic terms. So for instance, using this setting to make the background more or less blurred is actually altering the aperture.

Creative Auto Mode also makes accessing the digital filters, such as Toy Camera effect easy. Although you can’t shoot in raw format with digital filters, you can access a Extra Effect Shot mode which shoots one standard JPEG, and one with the effect added – useful if you decide you don’t like the filter further down the line.

Bizarrely, although digital filters can be accessed when shooting in other modes, such as aperture priority, you can only reach them when shooting in Live View mode, and the option to use Extra Effect Shot is not available.

For better control, you could choose to use Picture Styles. A number of presets are already included, such as Landscape and Portrait, while there’s also space for up to three of your own, useful if you want to create a custom setting, such as high contrast monochrome. You can also shoot in raw format too, for added flexibility.

On the back of the camera is a 3-inch touch sensitive LCD panel. This can be used for a range of things, including quickly accessing the Quick Menu. Simply tap this Q button here, then touch the setting you want to change. You can then use the scroll dial at the front of the camera to quickly move through the different options.

One of the good things about the touchscreen is that if you don’t want to use it, you don’t have to. Exactly the same operation can be achieved by using this button in the centre of the four-way control pad and the arrow keys here.

There are a lot of similarities between the button layout on this camera and other Canon DSLRs. So for instance, here we have a button to control exposure compensation, and another here to play back images.

The autofocus point can be changed in one of two ways, depending on whether you’re shooting in Live View or not. Press this button here to choose from one of the nine AF points available. You can use the touchscreen, which is especially useful in Live View mode – in fact you can also touch the screen to fire the shutter. Tap the screen at the point you want to use and the camera will focus and take the picture. This is useful in a few different scenarios, such as when using a tripod.

Unlike the majority of compact system cameras on the market, the 100D has a traditional optical viewfinder. This sensor here automatically switches off the screen when the camera is lifted to the eye. It’s worth bearing in mind however that the viewfinder doesn’t offer a 100% field of view, something to consider when composing your images.

We had high hopes for the Canon EOS 100D at its launch, with its promise of similar image quality to other cameras we’ve been impressed by in the past. In reality, the 100D delivers excellent images which are bright, punchy and detailed from a range of different shooting conditions.

However, we can’t help but feel that having the world’s smallest and lightest DSLR doesn’t mean too much when the rest of the system remains comparatively large and heavy. It’ll be interesting to see how the sales figures of this camera compare with its CSC rivals.

PAGE 1: Canon Rebel SL1 / Canon EOS 100D Review
PAGE 2: Our original Canon Rebel SL1 / Canon EOS 100D announcement story

Motorsport photography tips from start to finish line

jmeyer — Thu, 16 May 2013 23:01:34 +0000

In our latest Professional Photographer to the Rescue post our professional photographer takes our apprentice into the rough and tumble world of motorsport photography to shoot a leg of the British Rally Championship.

Meet our professional photographer

Jakob Ebrey runs Silverstone-based Jakob Ebrey Photography, the UK’s leading national motorsports photography agency. He’s the official British Rally Championship photographer and also shoots many other high-profile motorsports events. See more of his work at www.jakobebrey.com

Meet our apprentice

Trucker Dave King hails from Essex. He’s been taking photos since he was 15, and used to help out pro photographers at Arena Essex Raceway shooting all sorts of motorsport photography in the ’80s. Now using a DSLR, he asked for our help to improve his sports action shots.

Technique Assessment

Set Shutter Priority Mode
“Taking control of your shutter speed is critical when shooting motorsport photography,” advises Jakob, “so I got Dave to use Tv (Shutter Priority) mode, so he could set his shutter speed while his camera takes care of the aperture. I generally want a shutter speed of 1/250-1/500 sec to freeze the action in my motorsport photography, unless I’m panning for motion blur.”

Manage your ISO
“To make sure Dave’s DSLR is letting him set a good and fast shutter speed I got him to manually increase his ISO,” says Jakob. “It was a dull day, so we were shooting at ISO400 and 800 for most of the day. If you don’t increase your ISO, even shooting on your lenses widest aperture (such as f/2.8 or f/5.6) won’t achieve a resulting fast enough shutter speed.”

PAGE 1: Meet our professional photographer and apprentice
PAGE 2: Motorsport photography tips for during the shoot
PAGE 3: Final tips from our professional photographer
PAGE 4: Our professional photographer’s recommended gear
PAGE 5: Shot of the Day

Canon T5i review: is the EOS 700D / Rebel T5i a worthy upgrade?

jmeyer — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:00:12 +0000

The Canon T5i / EOS 700D promises to be Canon’s most advanced EOS camera to date, but is the 18-megapixel newcomer enough of an upgrade over the Canon T4i / EOS 650D? Find out in our Canon T5i review video.

The Canon EOS 700D (Canon Rebel T5i) is the replacement for the Canon EOS 650D. It will sit alongside the Canon EOS 600D at the very top of Canon’s “consumer” lineup, just below the Canon EOS 60D that starts its “enthusiast” range.

Along with its 18-megapixel APS-C Hybrid CMOS sensor and DIGIC 5 image processor, the Canon T5i / EOS 700D also boasts 5fps shooting and a native ISO range from ISO 100 to 12,800.

Find out in our testing team’s Canon T5i review video whether this new Canon camera is a worthy addition to your camera bag.

Canon T5i Review Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Angela Nicholson head of testing for Future Publishing’s photography portfolio and in this video I’m going to take a look at the Canon EOS Rebel T5i / EOS 700D

Anyone who owns a T4i/650D will spot that this camera looks very similar, in fact it’s almost identical and has the same 18-million-pixel APS-C format sensor, Digic 5 processor and 9-point autofocusing system.

As before, this camera has a touchscreen which is backed up by the usual array of button and dials so it’s up to you how you adjust the camera settings.

The screen is very responsive and once you start using it you start to rely on it more and more. It provides a really quick way of changing settings, scrolling through images and zooming in to check details.

The downside to this is that the screen quickly gets covered in fingerprints and these obscure the image in bright light, so it’s essential that you carry a cloth to wipe the screen regularly.

On the top of the camera we can see that the mode dial has been changed a little with the introduction of raised icons and a finer textured edge. It also rotates through 360 degrees making a little quicker to find the option that you want.

As in the camera it replaces the T5i, or 700D, has pixels on its imaging sensor that are used for the phase detection part of the hybrid focusing system that is available when using live view mode or shooting videos.

However, Canon has improved the live view focusing performance of the new camera and it focuses quicker with one of the STM lenses mounted.

I still wouldn’t use live view when shooting a moving subject though, you’re much better off composing the image in the viewfinder and using the faster phase detection AF system.

The STM lenses have stepper motor autofocus drive and this is designed to move subjects more smoothly into focus when shooting video.

It works well and is almost silent so you get very high-quality footage with the subject moving slowly, but smoothly into focus.

One of the biggest changes brought with this camera is that the impact of the JPEG-only Creative Filters can be previewed on the screen when shooting in live view mode.

Alternatively, you can apply these filters using the camera’s image processing controls.

The menu system will be familiar to Canon SLR users and as usual it’s divided into tabbed screens that allow quick navigation.

The My menu option is especially useful as you can register up to 6 features that you want to access from it. I find it useful to use it to reach features like mirror lock-up and the flash control options.

There’s also a Quick menu that can be reached by pressing this button or touching this icon on the screen. It gives a quick route to the most commonly used features and adjustments can be made using the physical buttons or the on-screen controls.

The T5i/700D produces high quality images with bags of detail, rich, pleasant colours and a good range of tones.

However, as we have found before with Canon’s iFCL Evaluative metering system, the exposure can vary significantly in high contrast situations depending upon the brightness of the subject under the active AF point. It responds more like a centreweighted metering system than you might want.

PAGE 1: Canon T5i review / Canon EOS 700D review
PAGE 2: Our original Canon T5i / Canon EOS 700D announcement story
PAGE 3: Our original Hands-on Canon Rebel T5i / Canon EOS 700D review