Canon Rebel T5i Review

The T5i may lag behind in image quality, but its user-friendly features and plentiful lens options make it an attractive option for beginners.

Canon has been a prominent player in the beginner DSLR market for quite some time. Over the years, it has introduced a wide variety of accessories and lenses, as well as some of the best entry-level DLSRs available. One of Canon’s top of the best DSLRs is the Rebel T5i. With good image quality and a strong set of beginner-friendly features, this camera is a great choice and a solid introduction to Canon’s vibrant DSLR ecosystem.

The T5i uses an APS-C sensor that’s similar in size to its competitors. It is, however, a little older and therefore lags behind in dynamic range, color depth and low-light performance. The T5i is capable of producing great-looking photographs, but it’s not going to perform quite as well in adverse lighting conditions.

The best strength of the T5i is its user interface. Rather than relying on clunky menus or a host of physical buttons alone, this DSLR features a user-friendly touchscreen. Using the touchscreen, you can easily and intuitively switch between focus points, browse images and adjust exposure settings.

When you adjust exposure settings, the image preview is updated in real-time. This makes it easy to understand the effects of changing aperture, shutter speed and ISO. It may seem insignificant to some, but these helpful features facilitate learning and make this camera one of the best DSLRs for beginners.

The T5i is well designed for shooting video and feels more natural in this role than some of its competitors. Switching to video mode is quick and once there, the T5i’s articulating screen makes it easy to shoot and adjust settings from any angle.

However, some video shooting options are lacking in the T5i that are found in similarly priced DSLRs. Most notably, this camera can only shoot in 1080p at 30 frames per second. Competing cameras offer the same resolution and double the frame rate. While 30 frames per second are fairly standard, the ability to shoot at 60 gives you more creative freedom.

Perhaps its greatest strength in video mode is its high-quality kit lens. Unlike competitors’ lenses, Canons lenses are smooth and silent when autofocusing. This means you can continuously autofocus in video mode, without your onboard microphone picking up distracting sounds from the lens.

As one of the top manufacturers in the industry, Canon backs up its products well. Canon’s website is home to downloadable brochures, manuals, and support software. If you have questions, you can consult its comprehensive FAQs section or contact Canon directly via phone or email. The Rebel T5i itself is covered under a one-year warranty against manufacturer defects.

Summary
When compared to the best entry-level DSLRs, the Canon Rebel T5i has some weaknesses in image quality. Aside from this flaw, however, the T5i is a very good camera. It offers a well-designed video mode and silent lens for filming, as well as unique beginner-friendly features, like intuitive touchscreen controls that facilitate learning. These features make the Canon Rebel T5i an excellent choice for budding videographers and photographers.

 

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