I agree with Russell about just about everything except the focusing motor. Having the motor in the lens guarantees a good fit between motor and lens. Camera body motors tend to be overly large and powerful (battery eating) because they need to be able to handle the biggest possible lens. I also don't believe you can put an ultrasonic motor in a camera body. A slow motor has ruined many a good shot. Do some research on this online and decide for yourself. I have been a Canon man for decades and own three digital models. I gave my Digital Rebel XT to my daughter after I got a 60D. The smaller sensor is a consideration but unless you have a lot of money to spend it is a good feature. Cameras with full size (35mm film size) sensors tend to only be available in high end professional models. The smaller sensor in the Canon line means there is a very large assortment of lenses available as the body will accept both normal and short mount lenses. One other thing to consider is the memory card type. Most now use SD cards which are readily available and cheap. Many professional cameras still use CF cards. You probably can't run down to the local store and get another CF card. The new high end Canons take both. Marc probably gave the best advice. Find some and handle them. The best camera in the world is no asset if you are not comfortable using it. Allen > -----Original Message----- > From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu [mailto:piclist- > bounces@mit.edu] On Behalf Of RussellMc > Sent: Saturday, May 11, 2013 6:29 AM > To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. > Subject: Re: [OT] Advise on camera >=20 > Some of my prior comments on Canon focusing motors > were less informed > than they could have been :-) >=20 > Some low end Nikon cameras have no focus motor in the > body. High end > ones do have. > All Nikon DSLR bodies can focus motor-in-lens lenses. > That much I got right. >=20 > NO Canon DSLR bodies have focus motors. > ALL Canon 'digital' lenses have in--lens focus motors. > So focus motor location is a non-issue for Canon. Nobody > has them :-). >=20 > STM is a Stepper Motor style of in lens focus motor as > opposed to the > more usual "USM" (ultrasonic motor.) > USM works on a ring warping piezo electric drive principle. > STM is newish. in some lenses only and targeted especially > at video > use. It tends to be slower to focus than USM but quieter > and smoother. >=20 > __________________ >=20 > Re lenses. > Read reviews of all. > Lean towards a single better lens, BUT decide if los of eg > 135-250 > range is a major loss for you. >=20 > ___________ >=20 > The Canon T5i =3D =3D=3D 700D. > This is identical to a 650D except in a few extremely minor > and almost > unimportant changes. See at end >=20 > R >=20 > ______________________________________________ > _ >=20 >=20 > Good brief comment on STM + 650D here >=20 > 650D was semi revolutionary in that it has SOME phase > detect focus > capability in its main sensor. While most phase detect points > are on a > seperate sensor block which is accessible only when the > mirror is > down, the limited phase detect on-sensor + std contrast > detetct from > the sensor leads to a superior mirror up focusing result. >=20 > One day sometime all DSLRs will have no mirror at all (not > even > Pellicle) so will become DSL or EVIL cameras instead and will > supply > viewfinder + phase detect focus from the maon sensor. > That day is not > yet.:-) >=20 > 650D review here which covers 750D =3D T5i >=20 > http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canon-eos-650d- > rebel-t4i >=20 > except for aspects covered here in T5i preview >=20 > http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canon-eos-700d- > rebel-t5i >=20 > ______________________________ >=20 > http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canon-eos-700d- > rebel-t5i >=20 >=20 > With the EOS 700D/Rebel T5i, Canon's made an early move > to replace > last year's 650D/Rebel T4i, though one with only very minor > refinements. Indeed the changes over the 650D are so > subtle that it's > the older T3i/600Dthat stays on alongside the 700D - while > the > too-similar 650D fades into the sunset. >=20 > The only real changes are that the 700D offers real-time > preview of > Creative Filters in Live View mode, includes a redesigned > new mode > dial that turns 360 degrees, and has a new 'upmarket' body > finish. >=20 > .. the 700D is essentially identical to the 650D, ... carried > over > include the 18MP CMOS sensor, a 9-point cross-type AF > sensor, 3-inch, > a 1.04m-dot vari-angle LCD screen, and Full HD video mode. > Its Hybrid > AF system was also brought over from the 650D, and while > the > simultaneously announced 100D/Rebel SL1's Hybrid AF II > covers a wider > area than the one here, neither is said to be any faster than > the > rather slow implementation on the 650D. >=20 > The only other significant change made over and above the > 650D is the > ability to preview and apply Canon's 'Creative Filter' > processing > effects at the point of shooting, rather than adding them as > a > post-shot process. This ability to preview the effect (as now > offered > on the majority of cameras), makes it easier to pre-visualize > how the > final result will look - helping to inspire the capture of images > that > only work well in conjunction with the processing effect. > -- > http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list > archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist --=20 http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .