Substituting the button controls for touch screen proved to be surprisingly snappy as Canon's implementation of touch screen makes the simplest tasks much faster, even if you never realised you needed it. Instead of pressing buttons to reach to a particular tab, you can just touch it now.

The Canon EOS 650D is the successor to the 600D, a camera that has earned the love and affection of many photography enthusiasts across the world. However, though the 650D doesn't look or feel a whole lot different from its predecessor, the insides tell a different story.

Hybrid AF coupled up with STM lenses yield amazing speed and accuracy; Live AF during video shooting is very good; New Digic V processor allows burst mode of 5fps

Low light performance is average at best; Compact build of the camera might not work for everyone; Lack of any kind of weather sealing

The EOS 650D/Rebel T4i provides an interesting window into Canon's thinking with regard to the entry-level DSLR market. The Rebel series of cameras is one with long-standing success that predates the digital revolution. And they remain very popular today.

Comprehensive touchscreen interface that is intuitive and efficient; High image quality with good balance between detail and noise reduction in JPEG output; Good subject tracking AF in viewfinder shooting mode (compared to mirrorless competition; 5 fps with ample buffering in JPEG-only mode; Very

Slow 'hybrid AF' performance in live view and video modes (compared to mirrorless competition; Slightly higher noise levels than its peers; Default dynamic range lags a bit behind its peers; Using flash with Auto ISO enabled results in ISO 400 even in bright light conditions; Cannot configure common

The Canon EOS Rebel T4i ($849 list, body only) is the successor to the Rebel T3i , a camera that suffered from very slow autofocus in Live View mode. The T4i does a much better job, especially when used with Canon's latest STM lenses.

Fast to start and shoot; Sharp, articulated touch-screen LCD; Compact; Nearly silent video autofocus when used with STM lenses; 5fps shooting; Good image detail at high ISOs; Fast autofocus

Tiny viewfinder; Very limited burst shooting in Raw mode; Video autofocus is choppy with non-STM lenses

The EOS 650D is a very capable camera in the areas that matter the most - it ­produces great image quality even at higher ISO ­settings and the positionable LCD and ­external microphone input make it suitable for video shooters as well.

Nice size; solid build; very good high ISO performance; positionable and touch-sensitive LCD is very useful; Multi Shot NR is useful for producing low noise at high ISO settings

Requires very fast SHDC/SDXC cards for uninterrupted video recording

This is not a camera that inspires strong feelings, yet it's mostly very reliable (sometimes, vanilla is the flavor you want). On the handling front, Canon's Rebel-series cameras have always been notoriously easy for beginners to pick up and use, and the T4i is no exception.

Canon and Nikon are still the top choices when selecting a digital SLR for poster-sized professional results, as they maintain the widest range of lenses and accessories. Following on from the 550D and 600D, the 18-megapixel APS-C sensor 650D is described by Canon as ideal for beginners, though the...

High quality rugged feel; tilting touch screen LCD; high stills and video resolution; razor sharp images with image stabilised 18-135mm lens; good jack of all trades DSLR

Pricey for the beginners this is aimed at if going for the body and lens combo we had on test; no anti shake built into the camera body itself

The EOS 650D sits between the 600D and the 60D in Canon's digital SLR range, and is classed as an entry-level model. There's nothing entry-level about its capabilities, though: it's fast, has an 18-megapixel CMOS sensor, is well built and has a touchscreen.

Fast performance; good usability; accurate focusing

Optical viewfinder leaves out some edge details

While the EOS 650D offers little significant advantage in image quality over the 600D, the viewfinder AF and overall performance are better, and the clever touch-screen control system works extremely well, allowing you to really make the most of an excellent camera.

Touch-screen controls; Performance; Handling; Image quality

Slow live view AF; High-ISO noise

The Canon EOS 650D - otherwise known as the Rebel T4i or Kiss X6i to our worldwide readers - is the first DSLR to include a touchscreen LCD. It was only a matter of time. With the introduction of HD movie capture in stills cameras and the compact system camera market making headway with hands-on...

Responsive autofocus; touchscreen can be useful; JPEG burst mode can be sustained (picture dependent); LCD screen is detailed and vari-angle useful for framing; live view autofocus improvements benefit movie mode

Plasticky build quality; raw & JPEG continuous shooting is still poor (limited buffer); live view autofocus still lags behind SLT and compact system cameras; pre-flash in low light just isn't subtle; higher ISO images have more noise than the previous generation sensor; movie mode autofocus still...