Review Canon EOS 100D - Last year Canon made its long-anticipated entry into the mirrorless camera market with the EOS M, taking aim at compact-camera upgraders who desire better image quality but don't want the bulk or intimidating controls of a DSLR. Yet the company has long hinted that another path to competing with mirrorless entries from Nikon, Sony, Olympus and Panasonic lay in the miniaturization of its familiar SLR design. With the announcement of the EOS 100D / Rebel SL1.
The EOS 100D introduces version two of Canon's Hybrid CMOS AF system, originally seen in the EOS 650D. While Canon is making no claims about focus speed improvements of its hybrid phase/contrast detect system, the new version covers a significantly greater portion of the live view area (80% of the area). This should make it a significantly more useful option than the version found on the EOS M and 650D.
Canon EOS 100D / Rebel SL1 key specifications
- Small form factor DSLR weighing 400g/14oz.
- 18MP APS-C sensor with 14-bit DIGIC 5 processor
- 'Hybrid CMOS AF II' system with 80% frame coverage
- Continuous autofocus in movie mode with subject tracking
- ISO 100-12800 (expandable to ISO 25600)
- 4 fps continuous shooting
- 1080p30 video recording, monaural microphone (stereo input jack)
- 3-inch fixed capacitive touch-screen (same as EOS M)
- 9 point AF (central sensor is cross-type)
- 'Creative Filters' image-processing controls, previewed live on-screen
Introduced alongside the EOS 100D is the EF-S 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 IS STM lens. This is the standard kit zoom for the 100D and brings the total number of EF-S STM lenses to three, with a 40mm pancake and 18-135mm (both shown below) also on offer. Canon's STM lenses are designed to take full advantage of the Hybrid AF system found in the EOS 650D, 700D and 100D. They offer quiet autofocus, helpful when shooting video, and full time manual focus. The 18-55mm lens has a close focusing distance of 0.25m and a circular seven-bladed aperture. An internal focusing motor means the lens does not extend while turning the focus ring.
The STM focus motor is extremely quiet and, when using the optical viewfinder, impressively fast, offering a noticeable improvement over its predecessor. But switch the camera to live view and, just like the 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM, it slows down significantly. This is a unfortunate - Canon's live view AF system still distinctly lags behind the competition. - Source : DpReview
The STM focus motor is extremely quiet and, when using the optical viewfinder, impressively fast, offering a noticeable improvement over its predecessor. But switch the camera to live view and, just like the 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM, it slows down significantly. This is a unfortunate - Canon's live view AF system still distinctly lags behind the competition. - Source : DpReview
