Hands-On With the New Canon Rebel T5i Announced Today

The T5i is Canon's newest addition to their entry-level EOS lineup.

"Seriously," you say. "The T4i is less than one year old."

Right you are! And that was my initial reaction too. Let's take this one step further, the T5i has an almost identical spec sheet as the T4i. There are only 5 things that separate this model from the previous one:

• The T5i has a redesigned hybrid CMOS AF system in order to accommodate the new STM lenses that are being released. Taking advantage of the stepping motor (STM) technology, these lenses eliminate autofocusing sounds by silently tracking the subject.
• The T5i has an improved mode dial and scene modes in live view.
• The T5i has "real time" viewing of creative filters. All adjustments can be made at the time of exposure instead of post processing after the image has been taken.
• The T5i now has digital zoom in movie mode.
• The T5i has a new texture/finish. Also, the allergy issues, which were originally present with the T4i's rubberized grip, have also been eliminated.

 As with the previous model, the T5i has an 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor and uses the Digic 5 image processor. It has a native ISO range of 100-12,800 which can be expandable up to 25,600. The camera can shoot up to 5 frames per second.

Full HD video is available with options for various recording sizes and frame rates. Audio is recorded with its built-in stereo microphone. A manual adjustment of the audio levels is available.

I was invited to New York for a screening of the Canon T5i. Basically identical to the T4i, the newest model performs with the same ease. It has quick, reliable autofocus that handled well while being tested. Attached to the camera was Canon's 18-135mm IS STM lens. The lens is, as advertised, silent and continuous while attaining focus.

The grip on the camera is pretty much perfect. It is sizeable enough to handle the bigger 18-135 lens, but not too large that I couldn't hold it firmly. As a right handed user, I like the placement of the on/off switch and the mode dial. I actually prefer it over the on/off switch placement on the 6D. It just seems more logical and easier to use. In fact, almost all of the physical buttons were easy to navigate. The T4i's 3-inch vari-angle touch screen was crisp, clear and uncomplicated. Shown below, you can maneuver the screen in a multitude of ways. The menu on the T5i seems identical to it's successor.

Image quality from the T5i seemed to be consistent with what we have come to expect out of this EOS lineup. Although I was not able to walk away with any of my images, close up inspection of the images in-camera rendered good color quality. They also seemed relatively sharp.

So, the big question remains...should you upgrade to the T5i? Well, that depends. If you want to utilize the stepping motor technology seen in some of Canon's newest lenses for video, then yes. But, that also means you will need to upgrade your lenses if you don't already own some STMs. If you don't care about the new hybrid sensor or have no desire to shoot video with this camera I would suggest waiting until Canon updates their sensor to 22 MP or more, comes out with a faster image processor or has a wider range of STM lenses.

The EOS Rebel T5i Digital SLR camera will be available in April for $750 for the body alone; $900 bundled with the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens kit, or $1,100 with the18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens kit. Purchase of the 18-55mm lens can be made separately for $250, also available in April.