Is the Canon t5i worth buying

The t4i has been replaced by the Canon t5i. Big Upgrade! Well, maybe with a little sarcasm.

Don't get me wrong, the Canon t5i was a really good camera at the time of its release in 2013, It was adequately priced and a great performer. But what about now? This post takes a look at the value of getting a Canon t5i now.

Canon is known for constantly adding new cameras within a line of cameras as upgrades and at least moderate changes when it advances its offers in the marketplace.  

The "G" series of G1 through G15 and G1x.The xxD series of 10D, 20D, 30D through the Canon EOS 60D. The PowerShots S series which also branched into the Elph series. The 1Dx series and the 5D to 5d Mark III series (I've got two of these).

Back of Rebel T5i

Many of the top digital camera makers have been accused of not making enough changes between models.  The Canon T4i and it's newer follower could be one of the most glaring examples of not enough change. Essentially it's the same camera with a different label.

They are almost the same camera.  There are a few firmware upgrades.  The T5i has a live preview of some of the special effects and the mode dial goes a full 360 degrees.

Skeptics say that it was just a cover-up to quickly move away from the now-discontinued T4i.  Others will tell you that they just automatically add a new camera about once each year and there were no significant technology breakthroughs to foster a change in the camera's design from one to the next.

Regarding the Canon T4i, some had to be recalled in the summer of 2012 because of possible zinc bis in some of the front camera grips.  That brought about another one of the small changes, a change in the grip.

What does the Canon T4i vs. Canon T5i discussion mean for you? 

Okay so enough of that. What does it mean for you?  The Canon t4i is cheaper by about $200, depending on where you buy it.

Both the Canon t4i and it's follow-up have the same 18.0 megapixel sensor, cross-type 9-point focusing, 3 inch-1 million pixel LCD screen and 1080P video. A burst rate of 5 frames per second is plenty fast enough for most sports enthusiasts.

When a new model comes out in the series, you automatically get an accompanying price drop in its predecessor  The grip issue was solved so if you are worried about that one, you can relax.  

More significant is the new 18-55mm STM lens that comes in the kit with the new camera.  It comes with a whopping 4 stops of image stabilization. That's the same amount as the professional Canon EF 100-400.  STM lenses are great for smooth focusing during video recording and that's important in today's video-driven World.

Canon t5i video

The question comes up nowadays if the Rebel t5i is a professional camera and can it shoot 4k video. The answer is no to both of those questions.

The t5i is a consumer grade DSLR. Could you use it to make money with? Absolutely! I still have a Canon 20D as a backup to my backup when I'm photographing sports leagues and it would give you sufficient image quality to sell the resulting photographs.

Concerning the video quality, the t5i can shoot good 1080 resolution video, but does not have the horsepower to process 4k video. That capability has been added to the newer Canon APS-C cameras, but was not available at the time the Rebel t5i was introduced.

alternative to the Canon t5i

I still recommend you consider the Canon Rebel t3i and even the t3 if you are really on a budget. They are solid considerations for beginning photographers. The t3i costs a little more, but gives you a whole lot of camera for the money.  Canon introduced these two cameras at the same time which was a bit unusual.

I hope you found this post on the t5i helpful. You can use the search box below to find other articles on this website.  Have a blast......shoot your Canon.

Bruce Lovelace is the publisher of Canon Camera Geek. Read more about him on the About Page. He also publishes how to articles and camera gear reviews at the Photography Tips website.

View some of Bruce's photos on Instagram  and Flickr.   Join the tribe of followers on YouTube. Bruce also runs photo workshops and provides 1 on 1 digital photography coaching.

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The 18-135mm lens is a
good match with the t5i

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