How Good is the Canon Rebel T4i compared to the new Nikon D5200?
by Jeremy Bayston
With Canon and Nikon both struggling for dominance in the the entry-level market, they have both announced video friendly DSLRs to tempt enthusiast and professional videographers. Despite the two DSLRs coming from different manufacturers, they have a lot in common. They are both useful upgrades to current DSLRs (the D5100 and the Canon T3i), and are designed to consolidate their markets by extending into movie producing, which both Canon and Nikon see as potential areas for expansion. It is clear that Nikon and Canon are considering the beginner level market as a major battleground, particularly in the United States.
The Canon T4i doesn't feel quite so robust as the D5200, but it is solid enough for everyday use. It is a bit bigger than the D5200 though, and so easier for anyone with average sized hands to grip. The scroll-wheel clicks reassuringly as it turns and the rear buttons are tactile. The design at the back of the Canon T4i is well set out and has more buttons, making moving into the menu settings a lot quicker and easier. Some are multioption buttons, which can need a little thought. For example, the same button that begins recording video in movie mode also enables Live View in still shooting mode. The slight downside of this is that some of the buttons are very close together. However, the Canon T4i has a dedicated ISO function, and immediate access to white balance, drive mode, and AF settings (the D5200 doesn't have any of these). There is an IR sensor on the front of the camera, but no Fn button as there isn't really a need for it.
Both cameras have an articulated LCD view screen. The Canon T4i has a recognizable higher resolution than that of the D5200. The Canon's LCD view screen has 1040 thousand pixels, while the D5200 has 921 thousand. One of the the Canon T4i's best selling points is that the liquid crystal display view screen is a touchscreen. This makes it much easier to program settings and, more importantly, it lets you choose a focus point through Live View. You can also shoot your photograph by tapping on the point where you want the digital SLR to focus. These are very progressive and useful features, taken from the Compact System Camera (CSC) categories that are out now. It is great to see this technology being utilized by the Canon T4i as it makes it far more useable than any other camera in its bracket.
The Canon's phase detect AutoFocus system is exceptionally fast. Whilst it has only 9-point Auto Focus system, as opposed to the 39-points of the D5200, it is both responsive and accurate for every day shooting. The Canon T4i lacks a dedicated AF assist light, but it is able to use its built-in flash in these instances. The T4i offers full-time AutoFocus in video mode, which rivals the D5200 and, with Canon's STM lenses, the focussing is quiet enough for shooting video. It also has an external Mic socket. It is reasonable to say that the Canon Rebel T4i is likely to be the better digital camera for shooting video. The liquid crystal display view screen, full-time AutoFocus, and external Mic make it appropriate for your everyday video needs.
The Nikon D5200 is a solidly built camera and smaller than it's fore runner, the D5100. This could introduce issues for those of us with large (average!) hands. It doesn't always have the feel of a regular DSLR, especially when carrying a large lens. Although it cannot match the build specifications of the magnesium alloy D7000, the tough plastic casing feels pretty solid and sturdy. The design at the back is easy to navigate with a good choice of buttons to make access to the multiple functions simple to follow. Live view is easily accessible and movie recording can be initiated with a press of a single button. It has just a single control dial which is snappy and responsive. There is an IR spot on the front of the camera and also a dedicated AF assist light, which the Canon T4i lacks. On the right side there is a customizable Fn button which can be used to control image quality, ISO, active-D lighting, or white balance (there are no dedicated single buttons for these options). The pop-up flash automatic in green mode, meaning that the flash will open on its own if the camera thinks it is needed.
The LCD screen is inherited from the D5100, where it was hugely popular. As with with the Canon T4i, it is very handy for shooting at strange angles and is exceptionally useful when shooting video. The help features are superb and make the Nikon D5200 quite beginner friendly. The display rotates with the camera, meaning that text on the status screen won't show sideways when you're photographing portraits. The playback mode is quick and efficient you won't need to wait for photos to load. And there is a wide-ranging info screen which lets you manage just about every shooting parameter that it has t choose from. However the four way selector is not as simple to use as the one on the Canon. The Nikon D5200 doesn't have as many external buttons as the Canon T4i, making a few of the menu options hard to get to. The new(ish) Expeed 3 processor makes the Nikon quick and decisive in phase detect AF and extremely fast in Live View. The D5200's articulating screen comes in handy for shooting video, and Nikon have raised the choices of frame rate options, introducing 60i and 50i. Like the Canon T4i, it will accept an external microphone and has full-time video AutoFocus.
At low very ISO, the Canon T4i matches the Nikon, though the D5200 is slightly better at the top (non-expanded) ISO. Overall, the Nikon delivers slightly better image quality than the Canon. Remember, the Canon T4i also has a physically smaller sensor than the D5200. It may not seem like much, but 1.6x rather than 1.5x, along with the increased resolution, puts the Nikon D5200 on top. For more information on the sensors, take a look at the sensor scores published by DxO labs.
In short, the Canon Rebel T4i has superb AutoFocus, a splendid articulating touchscreen and is a truly superb video camera. The Nikon D5200 has astonishing, fast AutoFocus, a good articulating screen, a great buffer/processor and very useful in-camera guides.
I believe if you had no camera loyalty either way, the Canon T4i would be the better camera to buy. The difference in image quality is not really noticeable under average conditions and the Canon certainly matches the D5200 on the video front. Whilst both DSLRs are superb in their own ways, the Nikon D5200 is more expensive than the small improvements over the Canon T4i would warrant.
Jeremy Bayston has worked in the photography industry for twenty years. He has a particular interest in digital imagery. Learn more about the new Nikon D5200 on his website <a href="http://www.d5200.org">www.d5200.org</a> and read the free 25 page guide to the new camera. Discover more about the Canon rebel T4i on his website <a href="http://www.rebel-T4i.com">www.rebel-T4i.com</a>. Both sites offer expert advice and reviews of Nikon and Canon products.
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New Unique Article!
Title: How Good is the Canon Rebel T4i compared to the new Nikon D5200?
Author: Jeremy Bayston
Email: jbayston@tiscali.co.uk
Keywords: Nikon,Canon,Cameras,Photography,technology,hobbies,lifestyle,comparison
Word Count: 1160
Category: Hobbies
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