In summary
Like its predecessor, the EOS 750D will suit buyers who want a reliable, price-competitive, high-resolution DSLR camera with easy-to-use automated shooting modes and user-adjustable controls for both still pictures and Full HD video clips.
Full review
Announced in early February 2015, the EOS 750D is the more basic of two models with almost identical specifications that have been designed for photographers stepping up from digicams. Slotting in alongside the EOS 700D (which we reviewed in May 2013), the new cameras up the ante with 24.2-megapixel sensors, DIGIC 6 processors and advanced autofocusing systems. They’re also the first in their class with integrated Wi-Fi and NFC.
Front view of the EOS 750D fitted with the 18-55mm STM kit lens, with its pop-up flash raised. (Source: Canon.)
The main difference between the EOS 750D we are reviewing and its more sophisticated sibling, the EOS 760D, lies in the control layout and functionality. The 760D has a backlit data LCD and a Quick Control dial; the 750D doesn’t. The illustration below shows the differences between the two models.
Comparison views of the top panels of the EOS 750D (upper) and EOS 760D (lower). (Source: Canon.)
In addition, the 760D supports Servo AF in Live View mode for shooting stills and movie clips, providing better continuous autofocusing for movies and in burst mode. Its mode dial has a locking button, an electronic level display is available and it has one more Custom function than the 750D.
The 760D also includes a new HDR movie function that enables the camera to record a wider range of tones in movie mode, by capturing alternating frames at different exposures. This setting is limited to 720p resolution video clips but it can be handy in contrasty lighting as it helps to minimise blown-out highlights.
New features introduced in both cameras include:
- 22.3 x 14.9 mm CMOS sensor with 24.2 megapixels effective;
- DIGIC 6 image processor;
- Hybrid CMOS AF III autofocusing system with 19 points, all cross-type;
- Built-in Wi-Fi with NFC (Near Field Communication);
- Updated scene analysis system that detects the main light source in a scene and adjusts the exposure, focus and colour settings accordingly.
The review camera was supplied with the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens, which we reviewed in May 2013. It is also being offered with the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens and as a twin lens kit with the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM and EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM lenses.
Who’s it For?
Like its predecessor, the EOS 750D will suit buyers who want a high-resolution DSLR camera with easy-to-use automated shooting modes and user-adjustable controls. They will also be looking for a model that is capable and price-competitive. Many will also want to record both still pictures and Full HD video clips.
The higher resolution could attract upgraders from the EOS 700D or EOS 1200D, although moving from 18 to 24 megapixels is such a small increment that most users will be unable to see any difference between shots taken with the 750D and either of these two cameras. Stepping up from an older model like the EOS 1100D, which offers 12.2 megapixel resolution and only 720p video, is more rational. Upgraders also gain faster continuous shooting speeds and a larger buffer memory.
Shifting to the DIGIC 6 processor enables the 750D to support a wider ISO range, which extends to ISO 25600, a full stop higher than the maximum previously available. The new camera is also marginally smaller and lighter than the 700D.
Build and Ergonomics
Physically, there’s not much difference between the 750D and the 700D when it comes to build quality and the layout of the main controls. However, the 700D’s stainless steel chassis has been replaced by one made from lighter aluminium alloy and polycarbonate resin.
The textured faux-leather cladding is unchanged. Also unchanged is the grip moulding, which will suit small-to-medium-sized hands better than users with large hands and muscular fingers.
Front view of the EOS 750D with no lens fitted. (Source: Canon.)
The front panel carries the normal lens release button and AF-assist/self-timer LED. An IR receiver for the optional remote control is embedded in the grip moulding. Dual microphone grilles are located astride the flash housing on either side of the lens mount. The flash pop-up button sits above the lens release button on the side of the lens mount.
Top view of the EOS 750D with no lens fitted. (Source: Canon.)
Most of the controls are clustered on the left hand side of the top panel. They include a standard entry-level mode dial, which sits atop a lever switch that control power on/off and movie mode engagement. Forward of the mode dial are buttons for accessing the Display, ISO and AF area selection buttons. A single control dial is positioned between these buttons and the shutter button.
The housing for the built-in flash sits above the pentamirror housing. A standard hot-shoe is located on top of it. The left side of the panel carries a tiny LED that acts as a Wi-Fi indicator.
The rear panel of the EOS 750D. (Source: Canon.)
As expected, the rear panel of the 750D is dominated by the 3-inch, vari-angle touch-screen monitor, which is the same as on the EOS 700D and fully articulated. Above it is the pentamirror viewfinder, which has a magnification of 0.82x (marginally less than the 700D) but the same 95% coverage.
To the right of the monitor is the arrow pad, which has directional buttons for accessing the white balance, AF mode, Picture Style and Drive mode settings. Below it lie the Play and Delete buttons, while above it are the Quick Control and exposure compensation buttons.
The Menu and Info buttons sit just above the monitor left of the viewfinder eyepiece, with the Live View/movie button to the right. The AE/FE lock and AF point selection/magnify buttons are positioned on the top right corner of the rear panel.
A single SD card slot is located beneath a slide-out hard plastic cover on the right hand side panel. The left side panels has two compartments with tethered, soft rubber covers. One contains the microphone jack plus a connector for an optional wired remote control; the other holds the A/V Digital out (USB 2.0) and HDMI ports.
The battery is different from the 700D’s but has the same capacity. The LP-E17 rechargeable lithium-ion pack is CIPA rated for approximately 440 shots/charge when the viewfinder is used for shot composition. This drops to 180 shots/charge with Live View.
A metal-lined tripod socket is located on the optical axis of the lens, in the middle of the camera body. The N-mark for connecting the camera to similarly-equipped smart devices is located near the left hand end of the base plate.
New Features
TheHybrid CMOS AF III is the third generation of Canon’s Hybrid CMOS AF system, which combines phase-difference detection for faster focusing with contrast detection for higher accuracy. This technology was first introduced in the EOS 650D, which we reviewed in June 2012.
Phase-detection pixels are embedded in the surface of the image sensor to produce separate signals that can be used for both imaging and the phase-difference AF. The phase-difference AF signals are used to locate the subject and provide initial focusing, while the contrast detection signals fine-tune the focus.
Together they reduce focus hunting and provide faster, more accurate focusing, particularly in Live View mode, which is used when shooting movies. They also underpin the AI Focus/AI Servo modes, which include predictive autofocusing.
The AF system in the 750D has 19 sensor points, all of them cross-type and all individually selectable. Three focusing area selection modes are provided:
- Single point AF lets users select any one point for precise focusing.
- Zone AF splits the frame into five zones, any of which is selectable. Focus is locked within that area.
- Automatic selection AF enables the camera to detect the subject automatically based on movement within the frame and subject type evaluation.
Wi-Fi plus NFC are new additions to EOS cameras, although Canon has provided them in its digicams for some time. Like the digicams’ system, connected devices must have the Canon Camera Connect App pre-installed before they can communicate with the camera. (It’s a free download and available for Android and iOS devices.
NFC makes it easy to link the camera with similarly-equipped Android smart-phones and tablets as well as the Canon Connect Station CS100. Once linked, images and videos can be transferred by simply bringing the camera and Android device together.
Wireless capabilities include the standard remote camera control functions, which allow the camera to be operated from the smart device’s touch screen. Users can select different shooting modes, and AF frame modes (single-point/face detection) and activate continuous shooting. Touch AF is also supported, along with printing to compatible printers supporting PictBridge (Wireless LAN).
The 750D uses a different battery from the 700D but its shooting capacity is unchanged. Both cameras are CIPA rated for approximately 440 shots/charge with the viewfinder or 180 shots/charge with Live View shooting. This is relatively low for a DSLR camera.
Unchanged Features
The LCD monitor is essentially the same as the screen on the EOS 700D, with the same resolution, same adjustability and same touch controls supported. The only change to the viewfinder is a slight reduction in magnification; probably not enough to be noticeable.
The built-in pop-up flash has slightly less punch than the 700D’s but, again, the difference is marginal and probably not significant to most potential purchasers.
Continuous shooting speed is unchanged since the 700D but the new camera has more buffer depth, with the claimed ability to store around 40 Large/Fine JPEGs, 8 RAW files or 7 RAW+JPEG pairs, compared with 12 JPEGs, 6 RAW files or 3 RAW+JPEG pairs in the 700D. The data transfer speed of the memory card can influence the actual number of frames captured in a burst.
Sensor and Image Processing
The 22.3 x 14.9 mm CMOS sensor in the EOS 750D has 24.7 million photosites and delivers an effective resolution of 24.2 megapixels. It’s a traditional chip with a fixed low-pass filter and partnered with Canon’s latest DIGIC 6 image processor (single chip).
Together they cover a native sensitivity range of ISO 100″“12800, with expansion to ISO H: 25600 available via a Custom function setting. The default aspect ratio is 3:2 (which is the only option when shooting with the viewfinder) but the Live View mode allows users to crop the frame to produce 4:3, 1:1 and 16:9 aspect ratios.
Three JPEG sizes and two compression levels are provided for higher resolutions plus two lower resolution options. Only one raw file option (recording at 6000 x 4000pixels) is available and Large/Fine is the only JPEG option for RAW+JPEG capture. The table below provides a guide to typical file sizes for 3:2 aspect ratio images.
|
Quality |
Pixels |
File size |
|
|
JPEG |
Large/Fine |
6000 x 4000 |
8.6MB |
|
Large/Normal |
4.4MB |
||
|
Medium/Fine |
3984 x 2656 |
4.5MB |
|
|
Medium/Normal |
2.3MB |
||
|
Small 1/Fine |
2976 x 1984 |
2.8MB |
|
|
Small 1/Normal |
1.5MB |
||
|
Small 2 |
1920 x 1280 |
1.5MB |
|
|
Small 3 |
720 x 480 |
0.4MB |
|
|
RAW |
RAW |
6000 x 4000 |
32.8MB |
|
RAW+JPEG |
RAW/Large |
6000 x 4000+ 6000 x 4000 |
41.7MB |
Movies are recorded in MPEG-4 format, using AVC.H.264 compression and a variable bit rate. The Basic Zone, Creative Zone and manual exposure modes are supported in movie mode. The table below shows the options available, along with typical recording times and file sizes.
|
Movie resolution |
Frame rates |
Quality |
File size |
|
1920 x 1080 |
30/25/24 fps |
Standard |
216 MB/minute |
|
30/25 fps |
Light |
87 MB/minute |
|
|
1280 x 720 |
60/50 fps |
Standard |
187 MB/minute |
|
30/25 fps |
Light |
30 MB/minute |
|
|
640 x 480 |
30/25 fps |
Standard |
66 MB/minute |
|
Light |
23 MB/minute |
By default, Movie Servo AF is set as the focusing mode for shooting movies but photographers can also select the FlexiZone-Multi, FlexiZone-Single and Face+Tracking AF modes. ISO sensitivity is set automatically within a range of 100-6400, although it can be expanded to ISO12800, if required. The 750D supports the same Video Snapshots options as previous EOS cameras.
Playback and Software
Playback options are similar to the previous models and provide the option of using the touch screen as well as the button controls. The screen supports the standard tap, drag, pinch and spread gestures. Swiping with one finger moves the playback one image at a time; swiping with two fingers jumps through images at the intervals set in the menu. Two fingers are needed to respectively reduce and magnify images.
The software bundle contains the latest versions of the standard ‘Utilities’: Digital Photo Professional, EOS Utility (uploader) and Picture Style Editor for Windows and Macintosh PCs. Two printed guides are also included, covering macro photography and flash photography. A separate disk contains copies of the instructions manual (which is also provided in printed form) and the Wi-Fi/NFC instruction guide.
Performance
With an updated processor chip and higher-resolution sensor, we expected the results of our Imatest tests to be better than those obtained with the EOS 700D. However, the review camera failed to meet expectations for a 24-megapixel camera with either JPEGs or CR2.RAW files, although it came close with the latter at ISO 100 with the optimal lens settings.
Raw files maintained their resolution advantage across the camera’s sensitivity range and, as expected, the difference between the results from JPEG and raw files increased as sensitivity was increased. The graph below shows the results of our tests.
Image noise at high ISO settings in both long exposures and with flash shots was less visible than in the test shots we took with the EOS 700D. We found little apparent noise in long exposures taken at up to ISO 3200, and not much more at ISO 6400. By ISO 12800 and ISO 25600, both noise and softening were visible, although not as obvious as we expected, and colour saturation remained relatively high.
Flash exposures were almost noise-free up to ISO 6400, although exposure levels weren’t consistent across this range. Shots taken at ISO 100 were slightly under-exposed while those taken at ISO 6400 were about a stop brighter than the ISO 100 shots. The two higher sensitivity settings showed progressive over-exposure. Softening became evident at ISO 12800 and flash exposures taken at ISO 25600 were soft-looking and lacking in contrast and more than a stop over-exposed.
Auto white balance performance was similar to other Canon DSLRs we’ve reviewed with shots taken under incandescent lighting remaining partly corrected, while shots taken with fluorescent lighting and with the camera’s built-in flash being almost cast-free. The pre-sets for incandescent and fluorescent lighting types slightly over-corrected but manual measurement delivered a neutral colour balance. Plenty of in-camera adjustments are provided for tweaking images as you shoot and white balance bracketing of +/- three levels in one-step increments is available.
Autofocusing was fast, although not blindingly so and we noticed some slowing in lock-on time in low light levels. Focusing was also acceptably fast in the Live View mode, although the video quality setting played a role in how quickly the camera was able to lock on to moving subject, particularly in low-contrast lighting and with fast subject movements.
Video quality was similar to the clips we obtained from the EOS 700D, which isn’t surprising as this feature has barely changed. There were noticeable differences between Standard and Light settings, which were largely related to their different bit rates. Movies shot with the Light setting were also slightly slower to re-focus and more prone to glitches as well as appearing a little less sharp than those recorded with the Standard setting.
Aside from that, any differences between the HD 1080p and 720p video clips were largely related to the frame resolution. Clips shot at VGA resolution were acceptable for their frame sizes. Audio quality was similar to that of the EOS 700D we tested. We didn’t detect any pick-up of operational noises when zooming and re-focusing while shooting movie clips.
As we found with the EOS 700D, while autofocusing was relatively fast when the viewfinder was used for shot composition, in live view mode it slowed noticeably and blurring was common in movie clips as focus was re-set. Lags of up to half a second were common in movie clips during panning and when the lens was zoomed in or out.
Our timing tests were carried out with a 16GB SanDisk Ultra SDHC UHS-1 memory card, which claims write transfer speeds of 40MB/second. The review camera powered up ready for shooting in just under one second, which is about average for an entry-level DSLR.
When the viewfinder was used for framing, we measured an average capture lag of 0.1 seconds, but this was eliminated by with pre-focusing. In Live View mode, the capture lag averaged 0.2 seconds, reducing to a consistent 0.1 seconds with pre-focusing.
Shot-to-shot times averaged 0.4 seconds without flash and 3.5 seconds with, regardless of file format. It took 0.8 seconds to process each high-resolution JPEG image, 1.7 seconds for a raw file and 2.0 seconds for each RAW+JPEG pair.
In the normal continuous shooting mode, the camera recorded 33 Large/fine JPEG frames in 6.7 seconds before beginning to slow down. Processing of this burst was completed within two seconds of the last frame recorded.
On swapping to shooting raw files, the camera slowed down after recording six frames in one second. It took 7.4 seconds to complete the processing of this burst. The same frame rate was retained with RAW+JPEG pairs and the buffer capacity was also limited to six pairs of shots. Processing this burst took 9.7 seconds.
Conclusion
Although perfectly serviceable and pleasant to shoot with, the EOS 750D isn’t a particularly exciting camera to use; nor does it introduce any interesting technological innovations. What it does offer is acceptable performance and decent value for money for an entry-level DSLR camera plus kit lens. If that’s what you want, it’s a good choice.
When this review was published, Canon had the EOS 750D 18-55mm IS STM kit listed on its website at AU$1149.01 with a ‘sale’ price reduction to AU$959. But shopping around online showed us many re-sellers are discounting it further (although some are charging higher prices than Canon’s online store).
The lowest kit price we found was AU$854, with several re-sellers close to that price point. Interestingly, we found one re-seller asking more for the camera body alone than for the body plus kit lens so it seems local pricing could be fluid.
It’s certainly not worth shopping off-shore as the leading (and most reliable) US re-sellers have the body plus kit lens listed at around US$850. The exchange rate and shipping costs would push the overall cost well above local re-sellers’ prices.
SPECS
Image sensor: 22.3 x 14.9 mm CMOS sensor with 24.7 million photosites (24.2 megapixels effective) with fixed low-pass filter
Image processor: DIGIC 6
Lens mount: Canon EF and EF-S
Focal length crop factor: 1.6x
Image formats: Stills ““ JPEG (Exif 2.30), CR2.RAW, RAW+JPEG; Movies ““ MPEG-4 AVC / H.264 with AAC audio
Image Sizes: Stills ““ 3:2 aspect: 6000 x 4000, 3984 x 2656, 2976 x 1984, 1920 x 1280, 720 x 480; 4:3, 16:9 and 1:1 aspect ratios also available; Movies: [Full HD] 1920 x 1080 (30 fps/25 fps/24 fps); [HD] 1280 x 720 (60 /50 fps or 30 /25 fps), [VGA] 640 x 480 (30 /25 fps)
Image Stabilisation: Lens-based
Dust removal: Self Cleaning Sensor Unit with Dust Delete Data acquisition and appending
Shutter (speed range): Vertical-travel, mechanical, focal-plane shutter with all speeds electronically-controlled (1/4000 to 30 seconds plus Bulb; X-sync at 1/200 sec.)
Exposure Compensation: +/- 5EV in 1/3 or 1/2 EV steps (+/-EV for movies)
Exposure bracketing: +/- 2EV in 1/3 or 1/2 EV steps
Other bracketing options: White Balance, Flash exposures
Self-timer: 2 or 10 seconds delay
Focus system: Hybrid CMOS AF III TTL secondary image-forming, phase-difference detection AF with 19 points (all cross-type at f/5.6), auto/manual AF point selection
Focus modes: One-Shot AF, Predictive AI Servo AF, AI Focus AF
Exposure metering: 7560-pixel RGB+IR metering sensor with Evaluative (linked to all AF points), Partial (approx. 6.0% of viewfinder in centre), Centre-weighted and Spot ( approx. 3.5% of viewfinder in centre) metering patterns
Shooting modes: Program AE (shiftable), Shutter-priority AE, Aperture-priority AE, Manual exposure (including bulb), Scene Intelligent Auto (Program AE / non-shiftable), Flash Off, Creative Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports
Special Scene pre-sets: Kids, Food, Candlelight, Night Portrait, Handheld Night Scene, HDR Backlight Control mode
Picture Style Modes: Auto, Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, User Defined 1-3
Colour space options: sRGB and Adobe RGB
Custom Functions: 13 Custom Functions with 41 settings
ISO range: Auto, ISO 100-12800, expansion to IS 25600 supported
White balance: Auto, Preset (Daylight; Shade; Cloudy, Twilight, Sunset; Tungsten light; White Fluorescent Light; Flash), Custom (Approx. 2,000 ° – 10,000 °K), White Balance Correction
Flash: Built-in pop-up flash (GN 12 m/ISO 100)
Flash modes: Auto, flash on, flash off, 1st /2nd curtain synch, red-eye reduction is available
Flash exposure adjustment: +/- 2EV in 1/3EV steps
Sequence shooting: Max. 5 frames/sec.
Buffer capacity (as tested): Max. 33 Large/Fine JPEGs, 6 RAW files or 6 RAW+JPEG pairs
Storage Media: SD, SDHC, SDXC cards (Compatible with UHS-I standard SDHC / SDXC Memory Cards)
Viewfinder: Eye-level pentamirror with approx. 95% frame coverage, 0.82x magnification, 19 mm eyepoint, -3.0 to +1.0 dioptre adjustment, fixed focusing screen
LCD monitor: 3-inch TFT Touch Panel LCD (capacitive type) with anti-smudge coating; approx. 1,040,000 dots; 100% coverage, 7 levels of brightness adjustment
Playback functions: Single image with basic information, detailed information, histogram display; index display with 4/9/36/100 images, Jump display by 1/10/100 images, shooting date, by folder, movies only, stills only, rating; image protect, image rotate, rating, Creative Filters, resize, cropping
Interface terminals: Hi-Speed USB, Video Out Type C, 3.5mm diameter stereo mini-jack
Wi-Fi function: IEEE 802.11b/g/n with NFC
Power supply: LP-E17 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery Pack; CIPA rated for up to 440 shots/charge with viewfinder, 180 shots/charge with Live View shooting
Dimensions (wxhxd): Approx. 131.9 x 100.7 x 77.8 mm
Weight: Approx. 510 grams (body only); 555 grams with battery and card
TESTS
Based on JPEG files.
Based on CR2.RAW converted into 16-bit TIFF format with Adobe Camera Raw.
SAMPLES
Auto white balance with incandescent lighting.
Auto white balance with fluorescent lighting.
Auto white balance with the camera’s pop-up flash.
30-second exposure at ISO 100; 30mm focal length, f/4.
10-second exposure at ISO 1600; 30mm focal length, f/8.
4-second exposure at ISO 6400; 30mm focal length, f/11.
2.5-second exposure at ISO 12800; 30mm focal length, f/13.
2-second exposure at ISO 25600; 30mm focal length, f/16.
Flash exposure at ISO 100;1/60 second at f/5.6, 55mm focal length.
Flash exposure at ISO 1600; 1/60 second at f/5.6, 55mm focal length.
Flash exposure at ISO 6400; 1/60 second at f/5.6, 55mm focal length.
Flash exposure at ISO 12800; 1/80 second at f/5.6, 55mm focal length.
Flash exposure at ISO 25600; 1/160 second at f/5.6, 55mm focal length.
18mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/50 second at f/9.
55mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/100 second at f/9.
Close-up; 55mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/80 second at f/5.6.
55mm focal length, ISO 125, 1/100 second at f/7.1.
27mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/50 second at f/6.3.
18mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/50 second at f/9.
31mm focal length, ISO 3200, 1/50 second at f/4.
55mm focal length, ISO 2500, 1/80 second at f/5.6.
18mm focal length, ISO 400, 1/40 second at f/5.
55mm focal length, ISO 400, 1/80 second at f/5.6.
55mm focal length, ISO 1250, 1/80 second at f/5.
55mm focal length, ISO 400, 1/100 second at f/5.6.
Still frame from video clip taken with Full HD 1080 / 30p, Standard quality.
Still frame from video clip taken with Full HD 1080 / 30p, Light quality.
Still frame from video clip taken with Full HD 1080 / 24p, Standard quality.
Still frame from video clip taken with HD 720 /50p, Standard quality.
Still frame from video clip taken with HD 720 /25p, Light quality.
Still frame from VGA video clip at 30p, Standard quality.
Still frame from VGA video clip at 30p, Light quality.
Rating
RRP: n/a MSRP: AU$1149; US$900 (as reviewed with EF-S 18-55mm IS STM kit lens); AU$1029, US$750 for body only
- Build: 8.6
- Ease of use: 8.8
- Autofocusing: 8.8
- Still image quality JPEG: 8.5
- Still image quality RAW: 8.6
- Video quality: 8.5
