Full review
When it's released at the end of this month, Canon's EOS 650D, which has just been announced, will replace the popular EOS 550D and be positioned at the top of the company's entry-level DSLR line-up just above the EOS 600D. Many features from the 550D continue in the new model and, like its predecessor, the EOS 650D has been developed as a high-performing camera newcomers to DSLR photography can ‘grow into’.
Front view of the EOS 650D with the pop-up flash raised and the new EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens fitted. (Source: Canon.)
However, it also introduces some 'firsts' for its category, which could interest potential upgraders. Photo Review attended a pre-release briefing in Sydney, where we had hands-on experience with the new camera, enabling us to produce this 'first look'. We hope to receive a review camera soon.
The table below compares key features of the EOS 650D and EOS 550D.
| EOS 650D | EOS 550D | |
| Sensor | 22.3x 14.9 mm CMOS sensor with approximately 19 million photosites (18 megapixels effective ) | |
| Image processor | DIGIC 5 | DIGIC 4 |
| ISO range (Auto mode) | ISO 100-6400 | ISO 100-3200 |
| ISO expansion (max.) | ISO 25600 | 12800 |
| Max. burst speed | 5 fps | 3.7 fps |
| Buffer capacity | 22 Large/Fine JPEG; 6 CR2.RAW | 34 Large/Fine JPEG; 6 CR2.RAW |
| Monitor | Vari-angle 3-inch 3:2 aspect TFT colour LCD with approx. 1.04 million dots | Fixed 3.0-inch Clear View II TFT colour LCD with approx. 1.04 million dots |
| Touch screen controls | Yes | No |
| Shooting modes on mode dial | Scene Intelligent Auto, Flash off, Creative Auto,Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports, Night Portrait, Handheld Night Scene, HDR Backlight Control, Program AE (P), Shutter priority AE (Tv), Aperture priority AE (Av), Manual (M) | Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports, Night Portrait, Flash off, Movie, Program AE (P), Shutter priority AE (Tv), Aperture priority AE (Av), Manual (M), Auto depth-of-field (A-DEP) |
| AF system | TTL-SIR, phase detection system with 9selectable AF points; all cross-type | TTL-CT-SIR phase detection AF with 9 selectable AF points (central cross point) |
| Live View AF | Hybrid CMOS AF System (Face+Tracking, FlexiZone-Multi, FlexiZone-Single), Phase-difference detection (Quick mode) | Quick, Live & Live face detection AF Modes |
| Exposure metering | 63-zone TTL full-aperture metering with Evaluative (linked to all AF points), Partial (approx. 9% of viewfinder at centre), Spot (approx. 4% of viewfinder at centre) and Centre-weighted average metering | 63-segment TTL full-aperture metering via Dual-Layer SPC; Evaluative, centre-weighted average, partial (approx. 9.4% of viewfinder at centre) and spot (approx. 2.3% of viewfinder at centre) modes |
| Self-timer | 2 or 10 seconds delay selectable | 10 sec. delay (2 sec with mirror lock-up) |
| In-camera image processing | Ambience-based shots, Light/scene based shots (Basic+ mode), Highlight Tone Priority, Auto Lighting Optimiser,Peripheral Illumination Correction, chromatic aberration correction | Highlight Tone Priority, Auto Lighting Optimiser (Basic & Creative modes), Long exposure & High ISO noise reduction, Peripheral Illumination Correction |
| Creative Art Filters | Fish Eye, Soft Focus, Toy Camera, Grainy B&W, Miniature, Art Bold, Water Painting | None |
| Built-in Flash | Retractable, E-TTL II pop-up autoflash, GN approx. 13 (ISO 100), coverage to approx 17mm lens; approx. 3 sec. cycle time; Wireless master function provided | Auto pop-up, E-TTL II flash, GN approx. 13 (ISO 100), coverage to approx 17mm lens |
| Picture Style Settings | Auto, Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, User (x3) | Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, User (x3) |
| Aspect ratios | 3:2, 4:3, 16:9, 1:1 | 3:2 |
| Supports UHS-1 SDHC/SDXC cards | Yes | No |
| World time support | Yes | No |
| Photo Book designation | Yes | No |
| GPS compatible | Yes | No |
| Body dimensions (wxhxd) | 132.1 x 97.5 x 80.7 mm | 128.8 x 97.5 x 75.3 mm |
| Weight - body only | Approx. 520 grams | Approx. 475 grams |
New features include full HD video with AF, touch-screen selection of camera settings, an improved image sensor and AF system and additional Creative Filters. New multi-shot recording modes make it easier to achieve good results in low light levels and backlit situations and improvements have been made to the camera's movie recording functions.
Build and Ergonomics
Like its predecessor, the EOS 650D body is built to match its market position with a polycarbonate resin and glass fibre cladding over a stainless steel chassis. Together these materials provide strength and durability. The grip is large enough to suit most users and the control layout is similar to the 550D's.
The front panel of the 650D is a little more rounded-off than its predecessor and the textured areas are a little larger and more closely integrated into the overall design. Otherwise nothing much has changed and the key components are in the same places on both cameras.
Like its predecessor, the EOS 650D body is built to match its market position with a polycarbonate resin and glass fibre cladding over a stainless steel chassis. Together these materials provide strength and durability. The grip is large enough to suit most users and the control layout is similar to the 550D's.
The front panel of the 650D is a little more rounded-off than its predecessor and the textured areas are a little larger and more closely integrated into the overall design. Otherwise nothing much has changed and the key components are in the same places on both cameras.
Front view of the EOS 650D with the vari-angle monitor extended. (Source: Canon.)
Rear view of the EOS 650D with the vari-angle monitor reversed against the camera body. (Source: Canon.)
The adjustable monitor is the most noticeable change to the rear panel, which has also undergone some largely cosmetic design changes. The monitor has a capacitative touch screen that supplements the standard EOS controls and supports familiar gestures such as 'pinch-to-zoom' and 'swiping' to scroll between pictures.
Touch control is engaged via the page 3 in the set-up menu. (Source: Canon.)
The Quick Control screen. (Source: Canon.)
Users can select and set up menu items, select items directly from the Quick Control screen and adjust certain function settings after selecting them via buttons. For Live View shooting, the touch screen provides access to AF point selection, face selection, shutter speed, aperture value and exposure compensation adjustments and there's a touch shutter facility that focuses on the touch point and fires the camera's shutter. These settings are supported in movie mode, with the exception of the touch shutter.
Live View Quick Control functions that can be accessed by touch. (Source: Canon.)
The thumb pad is larger and, although most button controls are in the same places, some have been shifted slightly to make them easier to reach, particularly by touch. The Display button on the 550D has been replaced with an Info button on the 650D but the basic function of this control has changed little.
The viewfinder is essentially unchanged from the EOS 550D and provides a field of view that covers 95% of the sensor’s imaging area. Its focusing screen is non-interchangeable. The sensor for switching off the LCD screen when your eye is near the viewfinder has been moved from below the viewfinder eyepiece to above it.
Top view of the EOS 650D. (Source: Canon.)
The main change to the top panel is the re-configured mode dial, which sports several new shooting modes. The Auto mode has become 'Intelligent' and now includes scene detection, based on faces, colours, brightness, movement and contrast.
Selecting the Scene Intelligent Auto mode, which includes scene detection. (Source: Canon.)
In this mode, exposures are chosen to match the detected scene type. When a face is detected, the lens aperture is opened to blur the background and make the subject stand out. When moving subjects are detected, a fast shutter speed is set to minimise blurring. Close-ups and night scenes can also be detected automatically.
A new Handheld Night Scene mode allows shots to be taken at night with reduced noise and camera shake. In this mode, the camera will record four frames in rapid succession and then combine them into a single shot. Flash can be used with this mode, the flash exposure being the first in the sequence.
The Handheld Night Scene mode used with flash for a night portrait. (Source: Canon.)
HDR Backlight Control is another new mode, designed to minimiseblown-out highlights and blocked-up shadows in shots taken in contrasty lighting. This, too is a multi-shot mode but this time only three frames are recorded; one under-exposed, one normally exposed and the final one over-exposed. In-camera processing produces a single image with a natural-looking balance.
HDR Backlight Control combines three shots to produce a single image with correctly-exposed highlights and shadows. (Source: Canon.)
The other obvious changes on the top panel are the addition of a movie setting to the on/off slider switch and a pair of stereo microphones to the top of the flash housing. The latter enables movie soundtracks to be recorded in stereo and the camera provides a 64-step level adjustment in manual mode, along with a selectable wind filter.
The memory card compartment, which is located on the right side panel, accepts SD, SDHC and SDXC cards and the camera is compatible with the new UHS-1 and Eye-Fi cards. The EOS 650D uses the same LP-E8battery as its predecessor and is rated the same at 440 shots/charge.
The right hand side panel of the EOS 650D with the new EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens fitted. (Source: Canon.)
Two lift-up covers (rubber) on the left side of the camera body protects the interface ports. The jack for an external microphone is under one, while the other covers the A/V out/USB port and HDMI port. Like the EOS 550D, the 650D can be fitted with a battery grip to extend the photographer’s shooting range and provide a vertical control interface for shooting portraits.
The left hand side panel of the EOS 650D with the new EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens fitted, showing the interface ports. (Source: Canon.)
Autofocusing
The AF system has been dramatically improved for the EOS 650D. Although it's still a nine-point system (as in the 550D), each AF point is a cross-type sensor, instead of just the central point. This is a 'first' for Canon in an entry-level DSLR and should deliver fast and accurate autofocusing, regardless of how shots are composed or the patterns in the subjects.
In addition, the centre point has been optimised with dual cross sensors to provide more precise focusing with f/2.8 and faster lenses, whereas earlier systems were optimised for f/5.6. In addition, the AI Servo AF mode has been improved with new algorithms to deliver better performance with moving subjects.
The new AF sensor configuration for improved focusing with f/2.8 and faster lenses. (Source: Canon.)
A new Hybrid CMOS AF system has been developed for Live View shooting and is usable for shooting both stills and movies. As well as enabling faster focusing, it also supports the AI Focus/AI Servo modes, which include predictive autofocusing.
Phase detection sensors are embedded in the surface of the CMOS sensor in the Hybrid CMOS AF area (shown in the diagram below) to assist with predicting the location of moving subjects when the centre AF point is used. The new system overcomes weaknesses found with previous contrast-detection AF systems. However, contrast-detection AF is used to fine-tune focusing and also when large focusing adjustments are required.
The diagram above shows the various areas in the Hybrid CMOS AF system. (Source: Canon.)
Touch AF is supported in Live View mode, regardless of the focus mode selected and users can touch the subject they wish to track with subject tracking AF. Canon's new Movie Servo AF function further improves tracking AF in movie mode
This mode is enabled by default when movie clips are recorded and can be used with any lens. To avoid picking up the sounds of the lens being focused or zoomed, Canon has released two new EF and EF-S STM (Stepping Motor) lenses concurrently with the 650D (details below). With these lenses, the camera can provide smooth and quiet continuous AF while recording movies.
Other Features
The EOS 650D features a built-in stereo microphone (another 'first' for its class) that includes an attenuator function to reduce audio distortion in extra loud situations plus a wind filter for outdoor shooting. The camera is equipped with a 3.5 mm diameter stereo microphone jack for external microphones plus a terminal for the RS-60E3 remote controller. Wireless remote control is also supported.
Audio control for movie soundtracks. (Source: Canon.)
Movies are recorded in MPEG-4 format, using AVC.H.264 compression and a variable bit rate. Program AE and manual shooting modes are supported in movie mode and photographers can choose between Full HD 1080p at 30/25/24 fps, HD 720p at 60/50 fps and VGA at 30/25 fps.
The Movie Crop setting on the 550D is no longer available. The table below shows the options available, along with typical recording times and file sizes.
| Movie resolution | Frame rates | File size |
| 1920 x 1080 | 30/25/24 fps | 330MB/minute |
| 1280 x 720 | 60/50 fps | 330MB/minute |
| 640 x 480 | 30/250 fps | 82.5MB/minute |
Photographers can choose from three AF modes when shooting movies: FlexiZone-Multi, FlexiZone-Single and Face+Tracking. Manual focusing is also available and the centre of the frame can be magnified for focus checking by 5x or 10x.
ISO sensitivity is set automatically within a range of 100-6400, although it can be expanded to ISO12800, if required.The Video Snapshots options have been extended with two, four or eight second clips selectable.
Options available for Video Snapshot albums. (Source: Canon.)
Clip length options for Video Snapshots. (Source: Canon.)
In-camera editing of clips is also supported, enabling users to re-order or delete clips in their video snapshot albums. Individual movie clips can also be edited using Video Snapshot Task.
Augmenting the standard Disable, Low, Standard and Strong settings, a new Multi Shot Noise Reduction setting has been added to the High ISO Noise Reduction options. This setting causes the camera to capture four frames in quick succession and combine them to reduce image noise with minimal loss of subject definition.
The new Multi-Shot noise reduction setting in the High ISO speed NR sub-menu. (Source: Canon.)
When the camera is hand-held the image processor will automatically align the frames when superimposing them, provided their positions are close enough. This mode reduces image noise more effectively than regular processing because it preserves subject definition better. But it's only available for JPEG files.
Photographers who like in-camera effects will be happy to see the addition of two new Creative Filters to the EOS 650D's palette. The Art Bold filter boosts contrast and saturation, while the Water Painting effect lightens and de-saturates the image and emphasises outlines.Examples are shown below.
The Art Bold filter boosts contrast and saturation. (Source: Canon.)
The Water Painting filter lightens and de-saturates the image and emphasises outlines. (Source: Canon.)
Creative Filters can be applied to both JPEG and CR2.RAW files, which means users can produce a number of variations using different effects from a single image. Adjusted images are saved as JPEGs.
Canon has also provided some basic editing functions that enable snapshooters to change the look of images they have taken with Basic Zone settings inside the camera. Three options are provided: 'Soft and kind', 'Dark and quiet' and 'Vivid and clear'. The strength of each setting can also be adjusted.
The EOS 650D also allows images to be rated on a scale of one to five for easy searchingfor playback and management. Images can also be resized, rotated, protected and deleted and slideshow playback is available with intervals of one, two, three, five, 10 or 20 seconds plus five selectable transition effects.
Copyright data embedding carries over from the EOS 550D. The new camera uses the same LP-E8 battery pack as its predecessor and provides the same battery life, being CIPA rated for approximately 440 shots/charge when the viewfinder is used or 180 shots/charge with Live View shooting. Movies can be recorded for approximately one hour and 40 minutes per charge.
Sensor and Image Processing
The sensor in the EOS 650D has the same 18-megapixel resolution as the EOS 550D's chip but boasts a fast, 4 channel read-out and is partnered with the new DIGIC 5 image processor. Continuous shooting speeds are the same as the 550D at five frames per second (fps) but the maximum sensitivity has been boosted to ISO 25600 in H mode.
Sensor and Image Processing
The sensor in the EOS 650D has the same 18-megapixel resolution as the EOS 550D's chip but boasts a fast, 4 channel read-out and is partnered with the new DIGIC 5 image processor. Continuous shooting speeds are the same as the 550D at five frames per second (fps) but the maximum sensitivity has been boosted to ISO 25600 in H mode.
Like its predecessor, the 650D supports both JPEG and CR2.RAW file capture, with three JPEG sizes and two compression levels available. When shooting with the viewfinder, multiple aspect ratio settings aren't provided; the camera is locked at 3:2.
Interestingly, Live View mode allows users to crop the frame to produce different aspect ratios. Available settings are: 4:3, 1:1 and 16:9.
Unlike higher-specified models, there is only one raw file option (recording at 5184 x 3456 pixels) and Large/Fine is the only JPEG size available for RAW+JPEG capture. The table below provides a guide to typical file sizes.
| Quality | Pixels | File size | |
| JPEG | Large/Fine | 5184 x 3456 | 6.6MB |
| Large/Normal | 3.3MB | ||
| Medium/Fine | 3456 x 2304 | 3.5MB | |
| Medium/Normal | 1.8MB | ||
| Small/Fine | 2592 x 1728 | 2.2MB | |
| Small/Normal | 1.1MB | ||
| RAW | RAW | 5184 x 3456 | 25.1MB |
| RAW+JPEG | RAW/Large | 5184 x 3456 + 5184 x 3456 | 31.7MB |
The buffer capacity for the 650D is 22 Large/Fine JPEGs, six CR2.RAW files or three RAW+JPEG with normal SD cards. Using a UHS-1 compatible card extends the buffer capacity for JPEGs to approximately 30 shots.
Availability and Pricing
When it goes on sale at the end of the month, the EOS 650D will be supplied with a rechargeable battery , LC-E8 battery charger and power cable and EW-100DBIV wide strap. A rubber eyecup is fitted to the viewfinder eyepiece and USB and Stereo AV cables (AVCDC400ST) are also provided. The software comes on two disks, one the standard EOS DIGITAL Solution Disk and the other containing an instruction manual for using this software.
When it goes on sale at the end of the month, the EOS 650D will be supplied with a rechargeable battery , LC-E8 battery charger and power cable and EW-100DBIV wide strap. A rubber eyecup is fitted to the viewfinder eyepiece and USB and Stereo AV cables (AVCDC400ST) are also provided. The software comes on two disks, one the standard EOS DIGITAL Solution Disk and the other containing an instruction manual for using this software.
The basic kit supplied with the EOS 650D body. (Source: Canon.)
The EOS 650D will be offered as a body only kit, single-lens kit with the EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II lens, a Super Kit, which pairs the 650D body with the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens and twin-lens kit with the EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II and EF-S55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS lenses.
A wide range of accessories is available for the new camera. As well as being compatible with all EF and EF-S lenses it can also be used with Canon's 600EXRT, 430EXII, 320EX, 270EXII and ST-E2 Speedlite flashguns and macro ring lights; the GP-E2 GPS receiver; the RS-60E3 and RC-6 remote controllers and BG-E8, BGM-E8L and BGM-E8A battery grips and magazines. Eyepiece extender and dioptric adjustments lenses are available along with interface and HDMI cables.
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