Canon Unveils the EOS Rebel T4i/650D With Continuous “Movie Servo AF”

After weeks of speculation and a big picture and spec leak yesterday, the wait is finally over — the Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D has finally arrived. Since the T3i release last year wasn’t anything to write home about, Canon have really tried to make the new rebel worth an upgrade, and they’ve done this mainly by introducing an upgraded AF system, capacitive touchscreen LCD and Movie Servo AF that works with the new STM lenses, which also debuted today.

The spec sheet offers no surprises: redesigned 18-megapixel APS-C sensor, DIGIC 5 processor, 3-inch articulating touchscreen LCD, 5fps continous shooting, 9 cross-point AF (same as 60D), 100-12800 ISO expandable to 25600 in H mode, and the same video modes available in the previous Rebel models (1080 at 30p, 25p and 24p, 1080/60i and 50i, and VGA at 30 and 25fps).

It’s the Movie Servo AF and capacitive touchscreen, however, that the press release just can’t seem to mention enough. When using one of Canon’s new STM lenses — the 18-135 IS STM and 40mm f/2.8 STM pancake lenses — the camera’s redesigned sensor employs both phase and contrast auto focus to achieve continuous, silent focus when shooting video. And the 3-inch, 1.04 million dot touchscreen offers users “tap focus” and “tap shutter” capabilities, as well as “pinch to zoom” and other multi-touch gestures that you can use if you get sick of pressing buttons.

The new Rebel will be hitting store shelves at the end of June for $849.99 (body only), $949.99 (body plus EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II kit lens), or $1199.00 (body plus the new EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens). For more information and a whole lot of detail, be sure to check out the press release in its entirety available here.

Discussion