Operation and controls
Top of camera controls
The EOS 700D has much the same set of controls as previous cameras in its family, but with a few detail differences. Immediately behind the shutter button is the main control dial that's used directly to change the primary exposure setting (program shift, shutter speed, or aperture), or other settings in concert with the various buttons. Next there's the ISO button, which is extremely well-placed for operation with the camera to your eye; you simply press it then spin the dial to change the value, which is displayed in the optical viewfinder.
The main power switch surrounds the mode dial; flicking it beyond the ON position to the movie camera icon sets the camera into movie mode. Recording is activated by small button beside the viewfinder with a red dot above it; when shooting stills, pressing this switches the camera into Live View mode for composition using the rear screen. The mode dial is the standout change on the T5i, now able to rotate fully in either direction. New raised icons are larger, and Scene modes are cut down to just Portrait, Landscape, Macro, and Sports modes, with other modes accessible beneath the SCN setting.
Rear Controls
The back of the camera follows the familiar Canon layout, with most of the buttons clustered together for operation by your right hand. The two buttons on the shoulder of the camera are used for auto exposure lock and to reposition the active focus point; in playback mode they zoom in and out of the image. The button beside the viewfinder enters live view, or initiates recording in movie mode. On the other side of the finder we have the main menu button, and 'Info' that's used to cycle between different screen views.
Alongside the LCD we have the small triangular exposure compensation button and, below it, the 'Q' button which activates the Quick Control screen, and now makes it touch sensitive (here you can see the Live View touch buttons displayed on the screen). Below is the 4-way controller that offers direct access to drive mode, white balance, autofocus mode and Picture Style, with a button used for confirming settings in its center. Underneath are the playback and delete keys.
Front Controls
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The front of the camera has just two controls, both on the left side of the lens throat. The flash button is used purely to pop-up the built-in unit, and below it is the depth of field preview button that stops down the lens to show the effect of the aperture on the final image. This works particularly well in Live View, which gives a bright clear image.
This being a consumer-level SLR, there's precious little in the way of customization available - the buttons control the functions printed on them, and can't be reassigned to anything else. The exception to this is in live view, when the four-way controller is re-dedicated to moving the autofocus point, and its usual functions are in turn moved into the Quick Control menu. As on previous Rebels, this inconsistency can be confusing, especially when you first start using the camera. But overall, it's a fairly straightforward and intuitive interface.
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