Canon T5i Review

by Mike Tomkins, Dan Havlik and Roger Slavens
Preview posted 03/21/2013
Review posted 09/03/2013

The 18-megapixel Canon Rebel T5i is essentially almost the same DSLR camera as its predecessor -- the Rebel T4i that was launched early last summer -- but with a few key changes.

There's a new kit lens, real-time viewing of creative filter effects, an improved Mode dial and a revamped rubber grip. All of which might not sound like enough to warrant a brand new model name -- especially the rubber grip part -- but it's evident that Canon wanted to deal with an issue that plagued the T4i and effectively replace it with a new flagship Rebel model.

You might remember that the T4i had a strange issue where the handgrips on both sides of the camera could become discolored even after brief use and could potentially even cause an allergic reaction in very sensitive individuals.

Evidently, zinc deposits left by an overuse of a rubber accelerator during production of the DSLR caused its grips to turn white. Canon issued a repair recall for T4i cameras that experienced the problem. Canon assures us that the new grip of the T5i does not have the same issue.

Design and build. Seen from any angle, the Canon T5i is a dead ringer for the T4i. From in front, the only noticeable difference is the new model name badge. The new T5i grip looks and feels just the same as that on the previous model: ergonomic, reasonably comfy, and surprisingly robust for a consumer camera.

In addition to the slightly-tuned grip material, Canon has also upgraded the overall texture of the T5i's camera body with a coarser, almost gritty feel that makes it a little easier to grip. It's somewhat reminiscent of the finish on Canon's professional DSLRs.

The most apparent change in the design is to be found on the top deck. The new, improved Mode dial rotates 360 degrees and adds a new Scene mode option in place of the T4i's Night Portrait, Handheld Night Scene, and HDR Backlight Control modes. Switch to the Scene mode and you find just three options: the same three modes that have been demoted from the dial.

With fewer positions and no gaps between them, the dial looks nicer, and the icons larger and easier to read. They're also embossed, standing proud of the dial's surface just slightly, and the Program, Priority, and Manual modes are surrounded by a thin border line that helps call attention to them.

From the rear and sides, there is really nothing to tell you that you're not looking at the T4i. You'd be hard-put to tell them apart in-hand, either. Both cameras have precisely the same dimensions: 5.2 x 3.9 x 3.1 inches (133 x 100 x 79mm).

Canon lists the T5i as a scant 0.2 ounces (5g; 1%) heavier body-only than that of the T4i, and we wouldn't be surprised if much of the difference is simply down to rounding off the numbers.

Add the new EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens, and the difference is still barely noticeable. The T5i with its STM lens tips the scales at 27.9 ounces (791g), up 0.6 ounces (17g; 2%) from that of the T4i with its EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II kit lens.

Sensor and performance. The new camera functions almost precisely the same as the older model, boasting an 18-megapixel, APS-C CMOS sensor with a DIGIC 5 image processor and the ability to fire off a lab-measured 4.9 frames per second in continuous shooting mode.

The Canon T5i's sensitivity ranges from ISO 100 to 12,800 (and even higher, to 25,600 in H mode). Its fast-focusing dedicated phase-detect AF system uses nine all-cross-type points.

Movies. In addition to still images, the T5i offers Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixel) video recording at up to 30 frames per second. A faster 60 fps rate is possible at a reduced 1280 x 720 resolution.

Display. The 3-inch, LCD touchscreen monitor is the same as the one on the T4i, offering 720 x 480 pixel resolution (1,040,000 dots) and the ability to flip out, side swivel, and tilt into different positions to help compose shots from difficult angles.

Real-time viewing of creative filter effects. A nice, new touch on the Canon T5i is the ability to preview in real time what your image will look like if you chose to apply one of Canon's seven creative filters in live view mode. The ability to do this before you take the shot makes it much easier to get the look you're after. Most of the filters do reduce the live view frame rate noticeably, but none does so enough to make framing difficult.

The Canon T5i's creative filters include Grainy B/W, Soft Focus, Fish-Eye Effect, Art Bold Effect, Water Painting Effect, Toy Camera Effect, and Miniature Effect. All are available only for JPEG shooting. Enable raw or raw+JPEG capture, and the creative filters are locked out in the menu system.

The Scene position. Other advanced shooting modes introduced in the T4i include Handheld Night Scene, HDR Backlight Control and Multi-Shot Noise Reduction. Curiously, all three are grouped under the Scene position on the Mode dial, although they're not the typical scene modes found on most cameras: These take multiple images and merge them in-camera to help create shots with the correct exposure or dynamic range. Understandably, these modes cannot be previewed.

New kit lens. The new EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens is compact and lightweight, although slightly heavier than the non-STM version.

The 18-55mm STM lens offers four stops of image stabilization. It focuses extremely quietly and smoothly, thanks to its silent Stepping Motor. The stealthy AF is great for shooting 1080p HD video with the T5i without the distracting background noise of a focusing motor.

If you just want the lens, but not to upgrade your EOS camera body, it's also available separately for an estimated retail price of US$250.

 

Canon T5i Review -- Shooter's Report

by Mike Tomkins

Dissecting the controversy. As should be clear by now, the Canon T5i is very similar to its predecessor, the T4i. I didn't get to spend much time with that camera, though, so in that respect the T5i is actually new to me. (Our reviewer at the time liked the T4i though, and that gelled with my own limited experience with the model.)

Since the T5i was announced, I've heard more than a few complaints about the fact that it's a very minimal upgrade over its predecessor. I've also seen it slammed in reviews elsewhere around the web, for much the same reason. While I can understand the frustration from those who hoped for a big step forward, I think it's a bit of a storm in a teacup, and it does the T5i -- and readers -- a disservice to say it's not good simply because it's not a major update.

Yes, very little has changed in the new camera, but there's a reason for that: the T5i seems to have been created largely as a way to dissociate the model from the well-documented handgrip problems faced by the T4i. It's understandable that Canon would wish to distance itself from the problem, and important to note that the company moved quickly to fix the problem for T4i owners, for which it deserves kudos. At the same time the company had an opportunity to bundle a lens more appropriate to its target market, which it happily took.

New doesn't have to mean different. Seen in that light, the T5i makes more sense. It is, in essence, more of a new name for an existing model, rather than a new camera. To me, the angst over the minimal upgrade isn't well-founded: T4i owners lost little of significance in the process, and the T5i is no better or worse for potential Canon customers than would the T4i have been, had it remained in the lineup for longer. What it's called is of little importance, and I see no reason to slate the camera just because it's not radically changed.

Canon typically retains SLR cameras in its lineup for longer than a year anyway, simply moving them down towards entry-level pricing as they get older. The company has effectively done that with the T5i, shipping it at US$100 below pricing for the T4i at launch. (And here, I'd note that it's not really fair to compare the T5i's street price against the closeout pricing for the T4i. The earlier camera's price was simply dropped by retailers looking to clear their shelves for the newer model.)

What changes there are between the T4i and the newer T5i exist either in firmware, or in the product bundle, and they're very minor. I would like to see Canon provide the firmware changes -- which simply provide the ability to preview the effect of filters on the live view stream -- to T4i owners as well, though, as a small gesture that would make up for the early retirement of their model.

T5i impressions. But enough of my thoughts on the reasoning behind the T5i's existence, how did it handle?

The answer, not surprisingly, is very much like our T4i. The ergonomics are much as I've come to expect from Canon's Rebel series. The camera body is fairly comfortable in-hand, although the grip is a little shallower than I'd like. It's clearly of plastic construction, but doesn't feel flimsy. There's not even a hint of panel flex or creak to be found, and the result is that it feels like a high-quality device, plastic or not.

Controls. Of course, I'd prefer a twin-dial control system, but a single-dial system is more typical at this price point. (Only Pentax bucks the trend with twin dials in a similarly-priced SLR.) Controls are well-placed, and have a firm-enough detent to prevent accidental changes. The Movie mode being accessed from the Power lever is a nice touch that makes it very painless to quickly shoot a movie.

Articulated LCD. Perhaps my favorite feature of the design is the side-swiveling LCD monitor. It's great for shooting from difficult angles, such as overhead to clear a crowd, from the waist so as not to tip off your subject, or low to the ground for an interesting macro shot. These tricky angles are a much more satisfying experience than with a fixed-screen SLR, and it's a lot easier to get accurate framing. (With my own camera, shooting overhead especially is a matter of point-and-pray.)

And honestly, the articulation mechanism feels just as solid as the T5i body. It doesn't feel like a weak point, which would be my main concern, and the only reason I'd favor a fixed panel.

If anything, the T5i feels more rugged than does a fixed LCD, because you can rotate it to face inwards, preventing the screen from being scratched or smudged when not in use.

Touch interface. I'm a big fan of the touch-screen interface on the Canon T5i. For one thing, it makes it very quick and easy to select a specific subject for focus when in live view mode. It's also great for menu control -- and not just in the Quick menu. I often found it quicker to make settings adjustments in the main menu system by touch than with the camera controls, as well. (It's surprisingly accurate -- I seldom hit the wrong menu item.)

The menus are fairly well thought-out, and intelligent hints are shown that explain the main Quick menu functions, or tell you why certain features are greyed-out (and what must be done to access the feature.) It makes for a very approachable camera, and one that's well-suited to beginners.

Screen visibility. The screen is fairly visible outdoors with the brightness set to its maximum, although color and contrast suffer somewhat. (But better that, than a monitor you can't see.) It's fairly glossy, though, and that meant I sometimes had to shield it with my hand to be able to make out what was on the screen. On the plus side, it is amazingly resistant to fingerprints. In fact, it's one of the best I've seen in this respect. Even when intentionally trying to smudge it, there was reasonably little ill effect. It matches up to the best smartphones I own, in this respect. (And any smudges I did make were removed very easily with a wipe of a lens cloth.)

Preview your filters. As I mentioned, the main firmware change in the Canon T5i is the ability to preview Creative Filters in live view mode. I must admit, I'm not typically the kind of photographer who uses in-camera filter effects very much. I prefer to shoot the scene as-is, then fiddle around in Lightroom, Photoshop, or some other app to tune the effects to my heart's content, safe in the knowledge that I can always roll back to the original.

With that said, I certainly understand the attraction of being able to tweak your image immediately that it's captured, if you're planning on printing or sharing straight away. Hence, I did give the pre-capture Creative Filters a spin, and I definitely appreciated the ability to preview their effect. Frankly, without that ability, I'd see little point in using pre-capture filters; I could always apply them later, after all. But if you can see it at capture time, you can take the filter into account when adjusting your composition. That's valuable, and it's a very positive change if you are the type to use in-camera filtering.

Underused live-view. However, much as I liked the ability to adjust the monitor for viewing from any angle, and the opportunity to play with filters in live view mode, honestly I found myself using live view rather less than I expected. I'm a bit of a traditionalist who still loves his optical viewfinder, but with many mirrorless cameras crossing my desk -- all of which use live view, be it through a viewfinder or on the LCD -- I've rather grown accustomed to shooting at arm's length, in spite of myself.

But that's in part because many recent mirrorless cameras have leveled the playing field in terms of autofocus speed versus affordable SLRs. That's not true of the Canon T5i, sadly. Live View autofocus -- despite Canon's Hybrid CMOS AF system -- is still much slower than is focusing using the dedicated phase detection sensor. How much slower? Well, our lab testing says it all, really: It's actually faster for the Canon T5i to drop its mirror (interrupting the live view feed in the process), focus with the dedicated sensor, then raise the mirror again and resume the live view feed before capturing your shot than it is to use Hybrid CMOS AF.

Hybrid isn't always better. In the field, I found that Hybrid CMOS AF simply wasn't useful unless my subject was relatively static. It invariably drove the lens well past the point of focus, then racked it back again, passed focus for a second time, and then finally did a quick "bobble" before settling -- and that's even for subjects at the center of the frame. More than a few times, it repeatedly locked focus in completely the wrong position, with my subject visibly and heavily blurred on the LCD monitor, even without any zoom.

And it's not that it locked on the wrong subject -- although it sometimes did this too -- more than once it indicated a focus lock when nothing in the entire frame was anywhere near to being focused. And this wasn't limited to terribly dark conditions, either: I noticed it happening in the daytime, too. Near sunset, sure, but still with a reasonable amount of light.

The issues with contrast detection autofocus speed -- and the fact that dropping the mirror to use phase-detect autofocus makes it tricky to retain framing -- meant that I used live view when I had to, rather than when I wanted to. If there wasn't another option, I'd use live view. If I could work around it for a given shot, I'd stand on tippy-tow or contort myself, and shoot through the viewfinder instead.

I probably wouldn't have had so much concern about it, were it not branded as Hybrid CMOS AF, and listed as a selling point. My concern is more that I didn't see a significant improvement in speed or accuracy over the older contrast-detect system of the T3i. Were it a contrast-detect only system, I wouldn't be surprised by the performance and accuracy issues I found. It surprises me, though, that a camera with on-sensor phase-detect pixels will routinely run well past the point of focus before returning.

Shoot through the viewfinder. It's only really an issue for live view shooting, though. Restrain yourself to standard shooting, let the camera choose the focus point, and phase-detect autofocus is very fast for a consumer-level camera. I also found it reliable.

Pleasing performance. And likewise, burst shooting performance isn't bad for a consumer camera. Certainly enough for the typical casual photographer or enthusiastic amateur. If you're shooting sports, you'll probably want to look elsewhere due to the limited burst depth, but for typical family-and-pets shooting it'll be plenty, especially if you routinely shoot JPEG-only.

I don't; I've become a raw-only shooter, and when reviewing a camera will always shoot raw+JPEG. With that combination, the burst depth is very shallow indeed, unfortunately. Further increasing the challenge for the camera, I also shoot with bracketed exposures for our galleries. On the plus side, buffer clearing times were good, and so although I did hit the buffer depth limit occasionally -- a single set of bracketed exposures in raw+JPEG being enough to fill the buffer -- the camera was always ready for another burst of shots within a few seconds. I didn't feel like I was having to wait an unreasonable length of time, by any means, even if I'd liked to have seen a larger buffer.

Just how fast is the Canon T5i? Find out by clicking here to see our full battery
of rigorous, objective speed and operation tests conducted in the IR Lab.

Bye bye, bracketing. One minor frustration to be aware of, although for a consumer-oriented camera it does somewhat make sense: Every time the Canon T5i is powered off, it will disable exposure bracketing. If you routinely bracket shots as I do, that means you'll need to reenable the function every time you power the camera on, and you'll likely find yourself just leaving the camera powered on at all times. Of course, the behavior might be desirable from a consumer point of view, avoiding accidentally over- or under-exposed shots. My problem is that there's no way to override it, if you know what you're doing.

Not the full picture. Another thing that I found slightly unusual is that the in-camera HDR and Handheld Night Scene modes both induce a focal-length crop, as you can see with the HDR sample in the gallery. I can only presume that this is to give some leeway for correcting camera motion caused by shooting handheld. If so, though, I'd rather Canon handle this in the manner taken by some competitors, simply retaining the original image size, and allowing a lesser dynamic range or higher noise levels in areas not covered by all shots in the burst.

The reason I prefer this approach is that I find my HDR shots in particularly are typically taken at wide angle, and so I dislike the function encroaching on my wide angle possibilities. Of course, there's nothing to stop me manually shooting and merging my own HDR shot, so it's only a minor quibble.

Attractive images. And it's pretty easy to overlook, given the Canon T5i's solid build, affordable price tag, and most of all its image quality. Images were attractive, with good color and great sharpness. While noise levels and dynamic range weren't the best I've seen, they were certainly reasonable for a consumer camera. And I found exposure metering to be fairly accurate, for the most part. The shots where I needed to use exposure compensation were typically those where I'd expect to do so with almost any camera.

You can view the IR Lab's in-depth Canon T5i image quality test results by clicking here,
but be sure to read further on for side-by-side comparisons against the T5i's top competitors.

Good kit lens. The new 18-55mm STM kit lens is also pretty good, by kit lens standards. It's very quiet, focuses smoothly, and yields pretty good image quality. And the lens-based image stabilization does a good job of helping get the shot in low-light conditions. It does show some barrel distortion at wide angle, but it's pretty easily fixed in apps like Lightroom, Photoshop, or DxO Optics Pro once you're back in the digital darkroom.

Want to learn more about the Canon T5i's EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens?
Click here to see our optical test results.

Good video, but focus manually. Video quality, too, was pretty good in my opinion, and the feature set is pretty generous for a camera aimed at consumer use, with options like a selection of frame rates, manual exposure control, external microphone connectivity, and fine-grained audio levels control. Just as for live view mode, though, autofocus is a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, it's good that it's available, and the new kit lens makes it essentially silent. On the other, it's rather slow and has a tendency to hunt, and in that respect doesn't match up to what's available from many other compact system cameras and SLRs these days. And at the highest resolution, you don't have access to the highest 50/60p frame rates available for 720p video. (You do have a film-like 24p option, however.)

Better than you've been led to believe. All things considered, though, I don't believe the Canon T5i deserves the bad rap it's gotten due to its minimal upgrade. Are there some quibbles? Yes, predominantly to do with its live view autofocus performance. At the end of the day, though, it's a pretty decent consumer-grade SLR at an attractive price, and one I rather enjoyed shooting with.

 

Canon T5i Technical Info

by Mike Tomkins

At the heart of the Canon T5i is an APS-C CMOS image sensor, identical to that in the T4i. Resolution is 18 megapixels, with a native 3:2 aspect ratio. Maximum image dimensions are 5,184 x 3,456 pixels. As in the T4i, the sensor includes on-chip phase detection autofocus, or Hybrid CMOS AF in Canon parlance.	The system, available during both live view and movie capture, uses a combination of phase detection and contrast detection when the subject is in the center of the frame, and contrast detection alone when the subject strays nearer the edge of the frame. (That's the blue area, in the image above.) The use of on-sensor phase-detect enables smoother autofocus, with less hunting.
The on-chip PDAF capability isn't used for still imaging when shooting through the viewfinder, though. In this case, the T5i uses the same dedicated sensor seen previously in the EOS 60D.	Although there are still nine points as in the T1i, T2i, and T3i, like the T4i they're now all f/5.6 cross-types, with the center point being an f/2.8 high precision dual cross. Autofocus working range is EV -0.5 to 18 at 23°C, ISO 100 equivalent.
Output from the image sensor is handled by a Canon DIGIC 5 image processor. That's now a generation behind the DIGIC 5+ used in some of Canon's more expensive SLRs. As in the T4i, DIGIC 5 allows burst shooting performance to a manufacturer-rated five frames per second.	Like the T4i before it, the Canon Rebel T5i boasts an expanded sensitivity range compared to earlier Rebel models. From a base of ISO 100 equivalent, the T5i offers up to ISO 12,800 equivalent ordinarily, and can be expanded to a maximum of ISO 25,600 equivalent. Movie capture is limited to ISO 6,400 or below.
As you'd expect in a Rebel-series camera, there's a Canon EF lens mount that's also compatible with EF-S lenses. 35mm lenses have a 1.6x focal length crop when mounted on the T5i. Two kit lens choices are available; either the new 18-55mm IS STM lens, or an equivalent of the T4i's 18-135mm IS STM lens kit.	The T5i's viewfinder is the same type used since the T3i. It's a pentamirror design with fixed focusing screen, rather than the brighter pentaprism type with interchangeable screen that's found in more expensive cameras. Coverage is 95% with a 0.85x magnification, and a somewhat tight 19mm eyepoint. Diopter correction is -3 to +1m-1.
On the rear panel is a three-inch, 3:2 aspect LCD panel with 720 x 480 pixel resolution (~1,040,000 dots), the same size and resolution used since the T2i. The T5i shares the same Clear View II panel introduced in the T4i, which removes the air gap between LCD and cover glass, reducing glare compared to the earlier Clear View design found on the T3i.	Like the T3i and T4i before it, the T5i's display is articulated on a side-mounted tilt/swivel mechanism. This allows viewing from a wide variety of angles, including in front of the camera. It also allows a degree of protection for the display when not in use, since it can be closed facing inwards towards the camera body.
Like that of the T4i, the Canon T5i's monitor is overlaid with a touch panel. It uses a multitouch glass capacitive design like most smartphones, rather than the less accurate plastic resistive type used in older or less-expensive cameras.	Canon's GUI--shown here in live view mode--is designed to make it easy to control using the touch screen. You can select a focus point, swipe between photos use pinch zoom in playback, and optionally control the shutter, but the touch screen can't be disabled or locked.
The T5i's built-in, popup flash strobe has a guide number of 13 meters (~43 feet) at ISO 100. Coverage is approximately 28mm (35mm-equivalent), and the recycle time is about three seconds. X-sync is at 1/200 second.	As well as the built-in flash, there's an intelligent hot shoe compatible with EX-series Speedlites and Canon's E-TTL II metering system. Both Canon's IR and radio-controlled wireless flash systems are supported, with the appropriate hardware.

The Canon T5i's healthy selection of exposure modes includes Scene Intelligent Auto (aka 'Green' mode), Program AE , Shutter priority AE, Aperture priority AE, Manual, No Flash, Creative Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports, and Scene. The latter position replaces the earlier dedicated Night Portrait, Handheld Night Scene, and HDR Backlight Control positions from the T4i, and all three functions are now accessed through the single Scene position.

Scene Intelligent Auto mode was introduced on the T3i, and differs from the typical Auto mode in that it uses scene recognition technology to determine an appropriate scene type, and then not only controls exposure, white balance, and focus automatically, but also tweaks the picture style and tone curve appropriately for your subject.

Metering modes in the Canon T5i include 63-zone AF-linked evaluative, 9% partial, 4% center spot, and center-weighted average. The metering system has a working range of EV 1-20 (23°C with 50mm f/1.4 lens, at ISO100). Shutter speeds range from 1/4,000 to 30 seconds, plus bulb. White balance modes include Auto, six presets, and custom, along with a +/- nine step white balance adjustment on blue/amber and magenta/green axes.

The Handheld Night Scene mode automatically captures four high sensitivity shots, which are then microaligned and merged in-camera. The result: a single image with reduced noise levels, but with reduced likelihood of blurring from a slow shutter speed.	The HDR Backlight Control mode, again, captures three shots and microaligns them. However, this time the exposure is varied between frames so as to hold onto more dynamic range than is possible with a single exposure.
Another multi-shot function dubbed Multi Shot Noise Reduction is found via the High ISO Speed NR mode. This is similar to Handheld Night Scene mode, in that it is used to reduce noise by averaging across exposures, but doesn't require the high initial ISO sensitivity.	The T5i includes a variety of post-capture Creative Filter functions, as seen on the T3i and T4i. In Live View mode, you can also apply various creative filters, and you can now preview their effect before capture.
As you can tell from the Hybrid CMOS AF function discussed previously, Canon is courting consumer videographers with the T5i. This is reinforced by the fact that the Movie mode sits not on the Mode dial, but on the Power switch instead, making for much quicker access.	Video can be captured at up to Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 pixel) resolution at 30 frames per second, using H.264 compression. By default, audio is captured with a built-in stereo microphone. Both an external mic jack and manual audio levels control capability are also provided.
As well as the mic jack and hot shoe we've already mentioned, other connectivity options include a wired remote port, an infrared remote receiver in the hand grip, and both a combined USB data / standard-def video output. There's also a high-def Mini HDMI video port.	The Canon T5i can accept Secure Digital flash memory cards. It's also compatible with the higher-capacity SDHC and SDXC cards, as well as the higher-speed UHS-I cards. Wireless transfer is possible using Eye-Fi's Wi-Fi capable SD cards.
Shooting with the T2i or T3i and considering an upgrade? You'll be pleased to note that the T5i still uses the same LP-E8 battery pack, and is still CIPA rated for 440 shots on a charge.	It also still accepts the same BG-E8 battery grip which holds up to two LP-E8 battery packs to double battery life, or six AA batteries.

 

Canon T5i Review -- Image Quality Comparison

The crops below compare the Canon T5i to the Canon T4i, Canon SL1, Nikon D3200, Pentax K-50 and Sony A58.

Note that these images are best quality JPEGs straight out of the camera, at default settings including noise reduction. Each camera was shot with one of our very sharp reference prime lenses.

Canon T5i versus Canon T4i at ISO 100

Canon T5i at ISO 100	Canon T4i at ISO 100
Not much changed from the T4i to the T5i in terms of image quality, as the crops here attest. Other than very minor differences due to simply being shot on different days, output from the two cameras looks virtually identical at base ISO.

Canon T5i versus Canon SL1 at ISO 100

Canon T5i at ISO 100	Canon SL1 at ISO 100
As with the above comparison with its predecessor, these two first cousins with similar (though not identical) sensors produce virtually identical image quality.

Canon T5i versus Nikon D3200 at ISO 100

Canon T5i at ISO 100	Nikon D3200 at ISO 100
The D3200 does an incredible job with our tricky red fabric swatch here, but the T5i produces a crisper overall image in most other areas, including fine detail in the mosaic and the pink fabric swatch.

Canon T5i versus Pentax K-50 at ISO 100

Canon T5i at ISO 100	Pentax K-50 at ISO 100
The K-50 produces a nice, crisp mosaic image, but as we have mentioned in other reviews, Pentax cameras have an unfortunate tendency to artificially pump the yellow of the tile border and to render the pink fabric swatch magenta.

Canon T5i versus Sony A58 at ISO 100

Canon T5i at ISO 100	Sony A58 at ISO 100
The A58 has roughly two more megapixels of resolution than the T5i, and the crisp detail can easily be seen here in the mosaic crop, the pink fabric swatch, etc. The A58 simply yields superior image quality than the T5i does at base ISO, across the board.

 

Moving onto ISO 1600 now, where noise processing starts to show its character.

Canon T5i versus Canon T4i at ISO 1,600

Canon T5i at ISO 1,600	Canon T4i at ISO 1,600
As we would expect, the above crops are virtually identical in terms of image quality. There's no noticeable difference between the T5i and its predecessor, the T4i.

Canon T5i versus Canon SL1 at ISO 1,600

Canon T5i at ISO 1,600	Canon SL1 at ISO 1,600
As with the above comparison, once again very similar results, much as we'd expect.

Canon T5i versus Nikon D3200 at ISO 1,600

Canon T5i at ISO 1,600	Nikon D3200 at ISO 1,600
The T5i is noticeably superior to the D3200 here at ISO 1600, yielding crisper detail in all but the red fabric swatch.

Canon T5i versus Pentax K-50 at ISO 1,600

Canon T5i at ISO 1,600	Pentax K-50 at ISO 1,600
Again, the K50 looks quite sharp in the mosaic image for this ISO, but shows more noise in the bottle crops, has artificially pumped colors in some areas, and loses all detail in the red fabric swatch. The T5i remains nice and consistent throughout.

Canon T5i versus Sony A58 at ISO 1,600

Canon T5i at ISO 1,600	Sony A58 at ISO 1,600
The A58 really shows off its amazing image quality for the price here, producing superior image quality across almost all areas of the crops.

And below at ISO 3200, the stakes really start to show in today's cameras.

Canon T5i versus Canon T4i at ISO 3,200

Canon T5i at ISO 3,200	Canon T4i at ISO 3,200
As with ISO 100 and 1600, there is virtually no difference between these two almost identical cameras.

Canon T5i versus Canon SL1 at ISO 3,200

Canon T5i at ISO 3,200	Canon SL1 at ISO 3,200
And once again, no noticeable difference between these two cousins either.

Canon T5i versus Nikon D3200 at ISO 3,200

Canon T5i at ISO 3,200	Nikon D3200 at ISO 3,200
Luminance noise becomes noticeable in the first D3200 crop above, and softness in the mosaic crop. There is more definition still remaining in the red fabric swatch, but the overall image quality nod here goes to the T5i.

Canon T5i versus Pentax K-50 at ISO 3,200

Canon T5i at ISO 3,200	Pentax K-50 at ISO 3,200
Wow, does that artificial magenta ever start to show itself here in the 3rd K-50 crop. Also notice the total loss of contrast in the red fabric swatch. And the K-50 shows more noticeable noise in the bottle crop, as compared to the T5i.

Canon T5i versus Sony A58 at ISO 3,200

Canon T5i at ISO 3,200	Sony A58 at ISO 3,200
Not quite as staggering a difference here as before, but the A58 clearly still outshines the T5i in image quality terms, producing more crisp detail even at this ISO.

 

Detail: Canon T5i vs. Canon T4i, Canon SL1, Nikon D3200, Pentax K-50 and Sony A58.

Canon T5i ISO 100 ISO 3,200 ISO 6,400	Canon T4i ISO 100 ISO 3,200 ISO 6,400	Canon SL1 ISO 100 ISO 3,200 ISO 6,400	Nikon D3200 ISO 100 ISO 3,200 ISO 6,400	Pentax K-50 ISO 100 ISO 3,200 ISO 6,400	Sony A58 ISO 100 ISO 3,200 ISO 6,400
Detail comparison. All three Canon cameras, the Pentax, and the Sony produce good images at base ISO above, while the D3200 comes in a bit soft even though it has higher resolution than all the others. The A58 is the clear winner in fine detail as sensitivity rises, doing a very good job at ISO 6400 -- even though it is the least expensive camera in the group. The three Canon models turn in similar performances, while the D3200 doesn't really stand up well in these comparisons.

 

Canon T5i Review -- Print Quality Analysis

Good 24 x 36 inch prints at ISO 100/200; makes a good 16 x 20 inch print at ISO 800 and a usable 4 x 6 at ISO 12,800.

ISO 100 and 200 produce great 24 x 36-inch prints if you look at them from a typical viewing distance, while a 20 x 30-inch print looks wonderful. At 30 x 40 inches, prints start to show a hint of pixelation, but the viewer would have to be extremely close, thus making this size suitable for wall display. At 36 x 48 inches, pixelation is more apparent up close, as this size is pushing the resolution of the 18MP APS-C sensor, but you could probably get away with wall-mounted prints. However, we're more comfortable calling it acceptable at 30 x 40 inches.

ISO 400 allows for great prints up to 20 x 30 inches, while 24 x 36-inch prints are suitable for wall display.

ISO 800 images look good at 16 x 20 inches. There is some noise, but you only really see it in the shadow areas. 20 x 30-inch prints would be suitable for wall display.

ISO 1600 makes a good 13 x 19-inch print with a nice level of fine detail. Colors also look accurate and pleasing. At 16 x 20 inches, the image is a bit too soft in finely detailed areas for us to make the call at that size. Noise starts to appear in the shadows if you look closely, but noise in the highlights and midrange areas are very low.

ISO 3200 prints start to show a bit more noise in the shadows, and the T5i starts to have noticeable issues with red colors, particularly in our red fabric area of our test scene. Still, it produces a nice 8 x 10-inch print, and 5 x 7-inch prints look even better. As before, shadow noise is apparent, but otherwise the image looks great and fine details are still noticeable.

ISO 6400 makes a decent 5 x 7-inch print, but colors start to look less vibrant and fine detail is reduced due to higher noise, preventing us from calling anything larger acceptable.

ISO 12,800 images are fairly heavy on noise and lack fine detail at larger sizes, but still produce a decent 4 x 6-inch print. Colors still look okay, if a little on the dull side. Fine detail, such as in the red fabric or mosaic area, is drastically reduced.

ISO 25,600 images were too mushy on fine detail and high ISO noise was very apparent, and therefore we would recommend avoiding this sensitivity if you want to make prints.

The Canon Rebel T5i produces excellent results for large prints at low sensitivity levels, all the way up to wall-mountable 30 x 40-inch prints at ISO 100 and 200. Additionally, the T5i does surprisingly well at controlling noise at higher ISO levels. It wasn't until we got to ISO 6400 and looked very closely at the shadow areas that we began to see noise, as well as noticeable degradation in fine detail. At extreme levels like ISO 12,800 and 25,600, colors and fine detail took a big hit, but the camera still managed to produce an acceptable 4 x 6-inch print at ISO 12,800. Overall, this consumer-level DSLR does very nicely with printed images, much like its predecessor, the Canon Rebel T4i. It produces great low-ISO prints at large sizes, while still doing a nice job with prints at high ISO levels.

 

In the Box

The Canon T5i retail box ships with the following items:

• Canon T5i body
• Body cap
• Eyecup
• 18-55mm or 18-135mm IS STM lens (depending on bundle and market)
• Front and rear lens caps
• LP-E8 battery pack
• LC-E8 or LC-E8E battery charger (depending on market)
• USB connection cable
• EW-100DB IV Shoulder strap
• EOS Digital Solution Disk CD-ROM
• Software Instruction Manual CD-ROM
• Camera Instruction Manual booklet

 

Recommended Accessories

• Extra LP-E8 battery pack for extended outings
• BG-E8 battery grip (and optionally, six long-life AA lithium disposable batteries if you want a backup when you're away from your charger, although it will also accept a second LP-E8 battery pack)
• ACK-E8 AC adapter kit or DR-E8 DC coupler if you already have a suitable AC adapter (for studio shooting)
• Large capacity SDHC/SDXC memory card. These days, 16GB is a good tradeoff between cost and capacity for a consumer DSLR, but if you plan to capture HD movie clips or shoot in RAW format, look for larger cards with Class 6 or faster ratings.
• Additional lenses
• External Speedlite flash, or other shoe-mount accessory flash
• Dioptric lenses for viewfinder (if built-in diopter adjustment is insufficient for your prescription)
• EP-EX15 II eyepiece extender (if you want to shoot while wearing your glasses)
• External monaural or stereo microphone
• HTC-100 or other Mini-HDMI cable
• EH-19L or EH-24L semi-hard case
• Medium size camera bag

 

Canon T5i Conclusion

Pro:

Con:

Less expensive than the camera it replaces 18-55mm STM lens is very quiet, and above average image quality for a kit lens Solid body with no panel flex or creak Good ergonomics, as we've come to expect from the Rebel line Touch screen is great for settings changes and selecting a focus subject LCD monitor is bright and resistant to fingerprint smudges Tilt/swivel for monitor is great for shooting from unusual angles Image quality very similar to T4i, as expected -- which is to say excellent Very good color with excellent hue accuracy Good cycle times Decent burst speeds (~4.8fps), but see Con about shallow buffers Now lets you preview pre-capture Creative Filter effects Built-in chromatic aberration and vignetting correction Handheld Night Scene, Multi-shot NR and HDR multi-shot modes work well

Only one control dial LCD monitor is a bit glossy for our liking Dynamic range not as good as competing models, though HTP helps Auto and Incandescent white balance very warm in tungsten lighting Higher than average distortion from the 18-55mm STM lens Moderately high to high levels of chromatic aberration from 18-55mm lens at wide angle, though camera can correct for it Shallow buffers with raw files Hybrid CMOS AF is slower than rivals, hunts like regular contrast detect AF, and sometimes indicates lock when nowhere near focused Below average battery life Flash did not perform to spec No dedicated AF illuminator (must use flash) Handheld Night Scene and HDR modes induce a crop Forgets exposure bracketing setting every time you power the camera off

The Canon Rebel T5i was always going to be a controversial camera. With so little changed, you can understand why photographers would react with some confusion. Seen in light of the handgrip issues Canon faced with its earlier T4i -- which the company was quick to fix, we might add -- the followup makes sense as a relatively straightforward rebranding, however. That Canon also took the opportunity to swap the 18-55mm kit lens for a newer STM variant is good news.

Being in essence a rebadged Canon T4i, released at a slightly lower list price less than a year after the model it replaces, it's not surprising that our thoughts on the Canon T5i are quite similar to its predecessor. We found much to like, and a few things to quibble with.

For the latter, perhaps our main concern was with its Hybrid CMOS AF, which simply doesn't live up to its billing. It's not much better than the contrast-detection system it replaced, but it's no worse either. The shame, though, is that rivals have been able to do significantly better with their live view / movie autofocusing, whether they're hybrid or based only on contrast detection.

But that's of little importance unless you're the kind of photographer who does most of your shooting at arm's length, or for whom video is key. (And if so, then this clearly isn't the camera for you -- you'd do better to look at a mirrorless model.) For the rest of us, the live view / movie autofocus really isn't a huge concern.

Image quality and how it shoots through the viewfinder is much more important, and here the Canon T5i turns in a pretty decent result. Sure, it doesn't match up with the best in terms of dynamic range, noise levels, or burst shooting depth, but for a consumer camera it's not bad. In other respects it's very much on its game, with pleasing color, lots of detail, and fairly swift performance. The new 18-55mm STM lens is above average, for a kit lens. (And if you want extra range, the 18-135mm kit lens is a good choice, too.)

And all this comes to you for around US$100 less than the list price of its predecessor at launch, moving the Canon T5i just a little closer to the entry level in the process. Is it essentially just a Canon T4i by another name? Yes, but that's no bad thing. The T4i took home a Dave's Pick on merit, and the Canon T5i is just as deserving. Ignore the naysayers: There's a lot to like about the Canon T5i, and if you're in the market for an affordable SLR, it's definitely worthy of a place on your shortlist.

 

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