Canon Announce New 650D And Lenses

Canon has unveiled their new EOS 650D DSLR as well as two new lenses with silent autofocus motors for shooting movies.

---

Update: Pricing information and availability

The new 650D and lenses are up for pre-order on Orms Direct, and are expected to be in stock by the end of July.

Canon EOS 650D DSLR Camera Body – R8,195
Canon EOS 650D DSLR with EF-S 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens Kit – R9,495
Canon EOS 650D DSLR with EF-S EF-S 18-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens Kit – R12,195
Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Pancake Lens – R2,495
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens – R5,395

All prices are correct at time of update, and are subject to change without notice.

---

650D

The 650D features a new 18 megapixel Hybrid CMOS sensor, which includes dedicated phase-type AF detectors in order to speed up autofocus during live-view and movies. The camera also inherits the xxD series’ 9 cross-type autofocus sensors for increased speed and precision during normal shooting. And for the first time ever, a DSLR also includes a touch screen – the 650D’s flip out LCD features capacitive multi-touch technology.

Key specifications:

• 18MP APS-C ‘Hybrid CMOS’ sensor
• Phase detection AF from imaging sensor for Live View and Video
• Continuous autofocus in movie mode with subject tracking
• 5 fps continuous shooting
• 9 point AF system, all sensors cross type, central sensor extra sensitive at f/2.8 (from 60D)
• 14-bit DIGIC 5 processor
• ISO 100-12800, expandable to 25600
• 63 zone iFCL metering
• Full HD 1080p30 video recording, stereo sound with internal or external mics
• ClearView II LCD with capacitative type multi-touch support
• Built-in Speedlite Transmitter

For more info, read DPReview’s hands on report or view the press release at the end of the post. We’re still awaiting local pricing and availability information, but will share those details as soon as we have them! Details have been added above!

EF 40mm f/2.8 STM

This is a very exciting lens! The new 40mm f/2.8 is an extremely compact pancake lens – half the size of the already compact 50mm f/1.8 II. It also includes Canon’s new STM, or Stepper Motor autofocus technology, specifically designed for fast, completely silent AF during video capture, while maintaining full time manual focus override.

EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM

Canon has also added their new silent STM autofocus to the very versatile 18-135mm, which combined with the 4-stop Image Stabiliser makes it ideal for capturing movies in any situation.

More Images

Press Releases

650D

London, UK, 8 June 2012 – Canon today launches the EOS 650D – a new, easy-to-use Digital SLR (DSLR) that offers high image quality and simple touch-screen operation, allowing anyone to capture beautiful images and Full HD movies. Ideal for photography beginners, the EOS 650D combines intelligent automatic shooting modes with a range of advanced features – making it easy-to-use today, with a full range of manual modes to explore tomorrow.

The EOS 650D is the first-ever EOS to feature a dual AF system, which ensures exceptional detail in stills and continuous autofocus tracking when shooting movies. At the camera’s heart is an 18 megapixel (MP) Hybrid CMOS sensor and powerful DIGIC 5 processing, enabling the capture of sharp, full resolution images at up to 5 frames per second (fps). A Vari-angle capacitive touch-screen also makes camera operation quick and easy, providing instant access to an extensive range of settings and scene modes.

Outstanding quality in all conditions

The EOS 650D offers outstanding image quality and performance. Its newly-developed 18MP APS-C Hybrid CMOS sensor provides super-fine resolution, capturing poster-sized images that are rich in colour and detail. Ideal for shooting in low light without flash, the camera features a native 100-12,800 ISO range, allowing the capture of naturallooking shots with minimal noise, while an expanded ISO 25,600 range also offers the ability to shoot in more extreme low-light conditions.

The EOS 650D is the first entry-level EOS to be powered by Canon DIGIC 5 processing, offering greater speed, responsiveness and advanced colour rendition. DIGIC 5’s 14-bit image processing provides beautiful and subtle transitions between colour tones, such as those of an evening sky, and its vastly-increased power also makes the camera ideal for capturing fast-moving action such as football or other sports.

The new dual AF system makes it easy to capture sharply-focused shots of all subjects, whether capturing stills or movies. A superior 9-point all cross-type AF system provides exceptional performance during stills shooting, offering precision accuracy when capturing sports, action and wildlife. Additionally, a new Hybrid AF System offers continuous autofocusing during movie recording, and when shooting in Live View1 mode.

Touch control and Vari-angle flexibility

Getting the perfect shot has never been easier thanks to the new 7.7cm (3.0″) Vari-angle Clear View LCD II Touch screen. Featuring capacitive technology, the screen is highly responsive and supports a variety of multi-touch gestures, such as pinching and swiping – making it easy to access shooting modes, alter settings and even capture a shot using the screen alone.

Touch control adds a different dimension to Live View shooting. You can select AF points, track faces and objects, and fine-tune image settings via the camera’s Quick Control screen. Navigation is instant and intuitive, while pinch-zooming in playback provides a great way to check the finer details of a shot. The Vari-angle hinge allows the screen to be angled and tilted to suit virtually any situation, while a super-sharp 1,040k-dot resolution ensures every detail is clearly displayed.

EOS Movie: Enhanced with Continuous AF

The EOS 650D makes it easy for anyone to shoot Full HD (1920x1080p) videos. Thanks to Hybrid AF, users can focus exclusively on story-telling while the camera continuously tracks the subject. New EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM and EF 40mm f/2.8 STM lenses are also ideal for shooting videos, utilising a virtually-silent stepper motor to ensure movies are smoother and clearer than ever.

With Video Snapshot mode, anyone can create fun, fast-paced videos with a professionally-edited feel. Snapshots can be recorded in two, four, or eight second segments, and then combined or reordered in-camera ahead of playback. An integrated mini-HDMI port also makes it easy to share the results on any HDTV.

Explore with EOS

Two brand new shooting modes located on the mode dial help beginners to shoot confidently in difficult lighting conditions. HDR Backlight Control tackles tricky, brightly-backlit scenes by capturing three different exposures – under, correctly, and over-exposed – and combining them into one HDR image displaying both highlight and shadow detail. Handheld Night Scene, meanwhile, makes it easier to capture beautiful low-light evening shots with no tripod, rapidly shooting four different images before combining them into one detailed, blur-free picture.

The camera’s range of shooting modes also allows you to explore the boundaries of your creativity. Basic+ allows you to go beyond basic automatic settings, with a range of presets you can use to dramatically and instantly alter the mood of a shot. Canon’s fun range of Creative Filters can now be applied to images using the Touch-screen, with new ‘Art Bold Effect’ and ‘Water Painting Effect’ offering more ways to apply a creative twist to a shot. If you simply want to point and shoot, Scene Intelligent Auto mode does the work for you – analysing the scene and automatically selecting the best settings, so you can take great shots out of the box.

The EOS system – freedom to explore

As part of Canon’s EOS system, the EOS 650D is compatible with the world’s most comprehensive selection of lenses and accessories. Over 60 EF lenses cover everything from wide-angle and macro to extreme telephoto, and countless accessories provide the tools to meet virtually any creative challenge.

EOS 650D – key features

18 MP APS-C Hybrid CMOS sensor
Full-HD movies with manual controls and continuous AF
5 fps continuous shooting
Vari-angle Clear View LCD II Touch screen
ISO 100-12,800 sensitivity, extendable to ISO 25,600
9-point wide-area AF
Integrated Speedlite Transmitter
1 AF in Live View and Movies subject to use with Canon stepping motor (STM) lenses

Lenses

London, UK, 8 June 2012 – Canon today unveils two new compact, lightweight lenses – the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM and EF 40mm f/2.8 STM. Showcasing a number of new features, including continuous autofocus in Movie mode, both models offer superior image quality and enhanced flexibility to enable photographers of all skill levels to capture both stills and movies of practically any subject.

Fast, accurate autofocus for film-makers and photographers

As well as offering full-time manual focus controls when shooting stills, the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM and EF 40mm f/2.8 STM are both also ideal for aspiring movie makers, allowing them to focus more accurately during shooting. The perfect companion lenses to the new EOS 650D, both models feature new stepper motor technology (STM), enabling fast, continuous focus when recording moving subjects – ensuring movies will be smoother and clearer than ever before.

Offering enhanced AF performance with high-speed, high-precision focusing, the two new lenses make it easy for photographers to capture more spontaneous shots, with exceptional detail and clarity. This is particularly useful for documentary, action or travel photography. With a minimum focusing distance of 0.39m and 0.3m respectively, the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM and EF 40mm f/2.8 STM allow you to get even closer to the action whilst keeping the subject in perfect focus.

EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM – versatile, high-performance zoom

Offering a focal range of 18–135mm, the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM has been created to offer photographers a compact, versatile zoom lens which can be used to capture a variety of subjects, from portraits to landscapes and action shots. Ensuring high-quality stills at slow shutter speeds, the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM features an intelligent optical Image Stabilizer which offers a 4-stop advantage over non-IS models. The lens will also sense whether the photographer is shooting normally or panning, engaging the most appropriate IS mode to capture the best possible image. When shooting movies, Dynamic IS automatically engages, countering any shake caused by the videographer’s movement to produce smooth, stable footage.

For subtle background blur when exploring shallow depths of field in stills and movies, the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM features a circular aperture with an Electro Magnetic Diaphragm (EMD) which permits highly-accurate control over aperture settings. High image quality is also assured throughout the zoom range thanks to four groups of lens elements including one Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) and one Precision Molded Optics (PMo) element to counter chromatic aberration. Canon’s optimised Super spectra coatings on each lens element also reduce ghosting and flare, ensuring images require minimal post-processing.

EF 40mm f/2.8 STM – super-slim, high image quality

The EF 40mm f/2.8 STM is Canon’s first EF pancake lens with a fixed focal length of 40mm and wide f/2.8 aperture, making it ideal for photographers who want a versatile, compact and lightweight lens for portrait, reportage, travel or landscape situations. Precision control over the circular, seven-blade aperture is enabled by the EMD, producing a beautiful bokeh effect and an aspheric lens with Super spectra coatings ensures optimal image quality from the centre of the lens to the periphery for stunning shots of practically any subject.

EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM – key features

Versatile 18-135mm zoom range – perfect for travel
Smooth, quiet STM focusing when shooting movies on compatible cameras
Dynamic Image Stabilizer for smooth movie footage
Fast autofocus with full-time manual override
Minimum focusing distance of 0.39m
EF 40mm f/2.8 STM – key features

Portable pancake design
Smooth, quiet STM focusing when shooting movies on compatible cameras
Fast f/2.8 maximum aperture for low-light shooting
Close focus to 0.3m
Fast, quiet AF for pin-sharp results
Great image quality right across the frame