Canon updates its Rebel series with a more video-friendly model

-The Canon EOS Rebel T4i introduces a few enhancements over its predecessor the T3i including a touchscreen and the incorporation of a Hybrid CMOS that makes the camera better at auto-focusing and live viewing video provided to use it with one of the new STM line of Canon lenses. The body remains very similar to the T3i, it??s lightweight and the [unk] plastic you feeling but it has a couple of major exceptions on the design. First, Canon moved the video mode from dial to the power switch. Since you used to have to rotate the dial all the way around to get from one mode to the other, this makes a huge difference of you frequently jump between still and video shooting. Second, the addition of the touch screen makes performing operations like rack focusing and video much easier if in fact, you use the auto-focus. But it also makes it faster to change settings like ISO sensitivity because you can choose them directly rather than cycling around the options. The camera??s performance has also improved a bit putting it on par with recent competing models. It??s fast burst drop significantly when you??re shooting moving subject though with the Servo auto-focus with one of the STM kit lenses, the live view auto-focus actually becomes usable but with a cheaper 18 to 55 mm kit lens it??s still pretty bad in live view. I do like the tonality of low light video despite the appearance of some color noise on blacks. The [unk] to disappoint on the features front however, it??s got the basic huge expect from $900 body but lacks a lot of modern options like GPS or Wireless as well as interesting traditional features like time laps, multiple exposures and intervalometer. If you??re considering the camera an opt for the more expensive kit with the 18 to 135 mm lens, the lens is pretty good for a kit faster than the cheaper 18 to 55 mm lens but still sharp and it??s a nice flexible focal range. The T4i??s overall good option but it??s not a no-brainer. If you just want a decent still cam and DSLR, the T3i still feels the bill and it??s cheaper if a bit slower. For video, the T4i is a great Canon pick but there are comparable alternatives available if you??re willing to sacrifice and optical view finder. I??m Lori Grunin and this is the Canon EOS Rebel T4i.