Monday, December 31, 2012

Canon Rebel T4i/ 650D



Summary: It's a very light weight camera with very fast CMOS sensor, DIGIC5. Its a good camera for beginner introduction to DSLR. A good bridge between the pro line or even as a back up. It also allow you to take HD stereo movie

Pros: light weight, cheap, 9 point AF focus, capacitive vari angle touch screen, HD video recording

Cons: short battery live span, slow video focus and live view, poor high ISO performance.


Before everything, a disclosure. I have been using Canon camera for a long time. I upgraded from my first digital, A80 Powershot to S5 IS. Since then, I also use a Sony TX5 and a Canon 5D Mark II.
I dont call myself a photographer but I love photography and I used the Mark II for my scientific work. However, the Mark II is so heavy and sometimes its near impossible to carry that for my field work. Imagine carrying a 10kg backpack (with all the accessories and lenses) while hiking into remote places.


Here is where I think the Canon Rebel 650D/ T4i comes in. It doesn't have the full frame like the Mark II; its only 3/4 frame sensor but its much faster. So, what you see in your frame, is not what you will capture. I have been using the Mark II for sometimes, and this is something which I have to re-get use to now.

The 650D is snappier too with moving object. I can capture moving object very fast, and this is definitely a plus point for me since I work with human subject in my studies. Children won't sit still for you to work or capture their iris pictures, so you need to work fast and have faster more responsive machine. This is where I think the 650D outperform the Mark II.

Did I mentioned the weight again? Though its only about 500g different (1039g including kit lens and battery for 650D vs 1588g for Mark II), but its so significant different that I can immediately feel on my neck. It's also smaller camera compared to the Mark II and I can hold better using just one hand.

Canon 650D is a great camera with 18 megapixels and 9 cross type AF multi focus. Combine that with capacitative touch screen, it allows you to chose your focus point very fast. I love how I can just touch on my screen and it focused to the place I want it to be.

I don't have a STM lens on my kit but read that the STM allows you to seeks focus continuously more quietly to avoid introducing noise in capture video. However, I tried using video mode on my standard basic kit lens, the video are often times out of focus from the object of shot. It take a while to focus. Does this cause by the lens I use, I doubt that.

The vari angle screen helps when you have to do self portrait on tripod. I don't think you can self capture using the 650D like how you do with the compact camera. It's too heavy and the button is on the wrong side to feel comfortable. However, the vari angle screen helps a lot of you want to shot something on low ground without lying down or from high up if you are blocked, like when you are in a concert! I always love the vari angle lens with live view, that allows me the possibility to shoot at different angels that otherwise will be odd or hard to do.

The Canon T4i/ 650D turn on very quickly too. It start up in about 0.7 second and record or store your image in a SD card. I know a lot of pro photographers still prefer the more stable CF card, but SD card is more readily available and it's great the 650D is using this. This help if you are upgrading from other compact camera and you can use your old SD card too.

I find the camera lithium ion battery is weak. I only manage to capture about 400 shots without flash when I have to recharge again. If I use live view or flash, that will bring me to about 150 shots only. So, if I am out in the field, I have to get ready more battery and that will cost me extra money and weight too.

The ISO performance is weak too. At higher ISO, you will see that the pictures become grainy.

You can go here for a full review from the Canon website. You will also read more about this camera review in the future when I test it more in the field.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Christmas and Christmas carols!

I was looking for Christmas carols on YouTube and I came across this.



I can't help but to draw a parellel to Christmas in Malaysia. It's scorching sun and without snow, of course! However, in our little world, shaped by Hollywood, Christmas = snow, reindeers pulling sledge carrying big fat man with white beard and overgrown belly which can be shrunk to climb down the chimney!

Living in the States since 2010, I have never celebrated the so called "White Christmas"! Cold Christmas, yes! Snow during Christmas, no. But another thing which wasn't told is that, people here don't great each other with Merry Christmas, but happy holiday! They want to be politically correct! Bah Hambug!

On another experience celebrating Christmas here, we went Christmas caroling last Saturday!
We went knocking door to door at the neighborhood, singing Christmas carols and giving out cookies to people who open their door. It was cold, rainy but FUN! Some great us with joy but there are also a few who shut their door on us and few try to hide too! Maybe, pictures soon!

Anyway, I miss the old jolly Christmas celebration back home, where, the malls are decorated and people are out celebrating and countdown!