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What Makes the Canon 700D Stand Out
The Canon 700D (known as the Rebel T5i in North America) is an 18-megapixel APS-C DSLR with one feature that set it apart when it launched in 2013: a capacitive touchscreen. Unlike the resistive touch panels on earlier cameras, the 700D’s screen responds to taps and swipes the way a phone does. You can tap to focus, tap to shoot, swipe through photos, and pinch to zoom during playback. Combined with the articulating screen that flips and rotates, it’s one of the most user-friendly DSLRs Canon ever made.
If you’re looking at a newer alternative with a similar feel, check out our guide on the Canon 200D.
Touchscreen Features and How to Use Them
The 700D’s touchscreen works in three main areas: shooting, menu navigation, and playback.
Touch AF and Touch Shutter
In Live View mode, tap anywhere on the screen and the camera focuses on that spot. This is Touch AF. If you also enable Touch Shutter (the small icon in the lower-left corner of the Live View screen), tapping the screen will focus and take the photo in one action. Touch Shutter is surprisingly useful for street photography and casual shooting. Tap your subject, and the camera does the rest.
You can resize the AF point by pinching in or out on the screen. A smaller AF point gives you more precise focus placement. A larger AF point is more forgiving and works better for moving subjects.
Every menu screen on the 700D is touch-enabled. You can tap menu tabs, scroll through options, and select values by tapping. This is faster than using the directional pad for many settings. To change a value, tap the setting, tap the option you want, and tap SET to confirm. You can also swipe left and right to move between menu tabs.
Playback
During image review, swipe left or right to move between photos. Pinch to zoom in on a shot (useful for checking focus), and use two fingers to zoom back out. Double-tap to quickly zoom in on the center of an image. This makes checking sharpness in the field quick and natural.
Shooting Modes on the 700D
The mode dial offers the same options found on most Canon Rebels, but the 700D adds Creative Auto and Scene Intelligent Auto.
Scene Intelligent Auto (A+ on the dial) analyzes the scene and picks the best settings automatically. It does a good job outdoors and in well-lit conditions. It struggles with mixed lighting and complex scenes, but for beginners it’s a solid starting point.
Creative Auto (CA) gives you sliders on screen to control background blur, drive mode, and flash. Think of it as Auto mode with training wheels removed halfway. It’s a good bridge between full Auto and the semi-manual modes.
P (Program) sets aperture and shutter speed together but lets you change ISO, white balance, and other settings. Spin the main dial to shift the aperture/shutter combination while maintaining the same exposure.
Av (Aperture Priority) lets you pick the f-number while the camera handles shutter speed. The most popular mode for everyday shooting.
Tv (Shutter Priority) lets you pick the shutter speed while the camera adjusts the aperture. Good for freezing action or creating intentional motion blur.
M (Manual) gives you full control over both aperture and shutter speed. Watch the exposure meter in the viewfinder and adjust until it sits near the center.
The Quick Control Screen
Press the Q button on the back of the camera to bring up the Quick Control screen. This is the fastest way to change settings without digging through menus. The Q screen shows the current values for drive mode, white balance, picture style, image quality, ISO, exposure compensation, metering mode, and AF mode.
With the touchscreen, you can tap any setting on the Q screen and then tap or scroll to change its value. This is much faster than navigating through the full menu system, and it’s where you’ll make most of your adjustments during a shoot.
Video Recording on the 700D
The 700D records 1080p video at 24, 25, or 30 fps, and 720p at 50 or 60 fps. It uses the H.264 codec and saves to MOV files on the SD card.
To start recording, flip the power switch past ON to the video camera icon, then press the dedicated video record button near the shutter. In video mode, you get manual control over aperture, shutter speed, and ISO if you’re in M mode.
Autofocus in video uses contrast detection, which is slower and louder than the phase-detection AF used in the viewfinder. The 700D does have continuous AF in video, but it hunts noticeably. For cleaner results, pre-focus manually and lock it before recording.
Touch AF in video is actually one of the 700D’s better tricks. Tap the screen while recording to smoothly shift focus to a new subject. It’s not instant, but the transition looks natural and cinematic. This works best with STM lenses (like the EF-S 18 to 55mm STM kit lens), which are designed for quiet, smooth autofocus during video.
Audio: the 700D has a built-in mono microphone and a 3.5mm external mic input. Always use an external mic for serious video work. The built-in mic picks up handling noise, lens motor sounds, and ambient rumble.
Autofocus Modes and the 9-Point System
The 700D has 9 autofocus points arranged in a diamond pattern, with the center point being cross-type. In the viewfinder (not Live View), these 9 points are your only options.
One-Shot AF locks focus when you half-press the shutter. Best for portraits and still subjects.
AI Servo AF tracks moving subjects continuously. Use it for sports, animals, and active kids.
AI Focus AF starts in One-Shot and switches to Servo if the subject moves. It’s a hybrid that works in unpredictable situations.
To manually select a focus point, press the AF point selection button (top right on the rear panel), then use the directional pad to pick one of the 9 points. The center point is the most accurate and fastest, but for off-center compositions, selecting a side point is better than focusing and recomposing (which can introduce focus errors at wide apertures).
Custom Settings and Useful Tweaks
The 700D has a handful of custom functions and settings worth adjusting once you’re comfortable with the basics.
Back-button focus: Go to Custom Functions (C.Fn) and reassign the AE lock button (*) to activate autofocus. This separates focus from the shutter button, giving you more control over when the camera focuses.
Image quality: Shoot in RAW or RAW+JPEG if you plan to edit your photos. RAW files from the 700D are about 24MB each and give you full flexibility in post-processing, including the ability to change white balance, recover highlights, and push shadows without degrading the image.
Auto ISO range: In the shooting menu, you can set the maximum Auto ISO value. For the 700D, keeping the ceiling at ISO 3200 or 6400 prevents the camera from pushing into the noisy higher values. ISO 100 to 1600 produces the cleanest results.
Grid overlay: In Live View settings, turn on the grid display. It overlays a rule-of-thirds grid on the screen, which helps with composition. Three options are available: 3×3, 6×4, and 3×3 with diagonals.
Highlight alert (blinkies): Enable this in the playback menu. When you review a photo, any overexposed areas will flash black and white. It’s a quick way to spot blown-out skies or highlights so you can adjust exposure before the moment is gone.
