EOS 650d + 18 - 135 STM

[Grecian]

An excellent DSLR incorporating HD video function. I no longer have to carry both a DSLR and a camcorder. I have had this camera for 2 months and have now used it in 10 different countries.
I am very pleased with my purchase because:

Excellent stills IQ (I use mainly RAW but JPEG results are fine)
Wide range of functions and modes
18 - 135 lens excellent range, able to cover most photographic requirements
Battery life good
Low light performance good.
Video fine in most situations, including hand held and of moving subjects. (Occasionally it has taken 2 or 3 seconds to lock focus, but you can see in the viewfinder what is happening and extend the time of your clip, so this has not been a significant problem for me)
Video sound good

Problems:

You definitely need to get familiar with this camera before tackling important subjects. It has a richness of options, it easy to change settings inadvertently via touchscreen or mode dial and then not realise what you have done.
STM image stabilisation generally satisfactory but I tend to notice more signs of camera shake when panning hand -held than from my former top of the range camcorder (I am a perfectionist; possibly expecting too much and maybe panning is not a good technique anyway?)

 

[minircc]

Grecian wrote:

An excellent DSLR incorporating HD video function. I no longer have to carry both a DSLR and a camcorder. I have had this camera for 2 months and have now used it in 10 different countries.
I am very pleased with my purchase because:

Excellent stills IQ (I use mainly RAW but JPEG results are fine)
Wide range of functions and modes
18 - 135 lens excellent range, able to cover most photographic requirements
Battery life good
Low light performance good.
Video fine in most situations, including hand held and of moving subjects. (Occasionally it has taken 2 or 3 seconds to lock focus, but you can see in the viewfinder what is happening and extend the time of your clip, so this has not been a significant problem for me)
Video sound good

Problems:

You definitely need to get familiar with this camera before tackling important subjects. It has a richness of options, it easy to change settings inadvertently via touchscreen or mode dial and then not realise what you have done.
STM image stabilisation generally satisfactory but I tend to notice more signs of camera shake when panning hand -held than from my former top of the range camcorder (I am a perfectionist; possibly expecting too much and maybe panning is not a good technique anyway?)

Hey there, agree! Just got this camera and it is fantastic.

Not sure how you inadvertently change settings via the touchscreen though. With mine, i have to click the Q icon on the bottom left hand corner of the screen or the Q button on the body in order to activate the touchscreen. I think this is a brilliant feature which prevents my nose from changing settings when i use the viewfinder.. haha

I don't use the camera for videos so cannot comment on your 2nd point. Although i would have thought if you are a perfectionist, you could try using a tripod for smooth panning?

 

[Silverwind]

minircc wrote:

Grecian wrote:

An excellent DSLR incorporating HD video function. I no longer have to carry both a DSLR and a camcorder. I have had this camera for 2 months and have now used it in 10 different countries.
I am very pleased with my purchase because:

Excellent stills IQ (I use mainly RAW but JPEG results are fine)
Wide range of functions and modes
18 - 135 lens excellent range, able to cover most photographic requirements
Battery life good
Low light performance good.
Video fine in most situations, including hand held and of moving subjects. (Occasionally it has taken 2 or 3 seconds to lock focus, but you can see in the viewfinder what is happening and extend the time of your clip, so this has not been a significant problem for me)
Video sound good

Problems:

You definitely need to get familiar with this camera before tackling important subjects. It has a richness of options, it easy to change settings inadvertently via touchscreen or mode dial and then not realise what you have done.
STM image stabilisation generally satisfactory but I tend to notice more signs of camera shake when panning hand -held than from my former top of the range camcorder (I am a perfectionist; possibly expecting too much and maybe panning is not a good technique anyway?)

Hey there, agree! Just got this camera and it is fantastic.

Not sure how you inadvertently change settings via the touchscreen though. With mine, i have to click the Q icon on the bottom left hand corner of the screen or the Q button on the body in order to activate the touchscreen. I think this is a brilliant feature which prevents my nose from changing settings when i use the viewfinder.. haha

I don't use the camera for videos so cannot comment on your 2nd point. Although i would have thought if you are a perfectionist, you could try using a tripod for smooth panning?

It is a great camera!

I didn't trade mine for the touch screen and keep that feature off most of the time. Only if I use the video features and a tripod do I ever use it.

 

[j2l3m7]

Thank you for your review.