Hands-on Preview (Summary): "The headline specifications - 18MP CMOS sensor, 9-point AF sensor, 3:2 flip-out 1.04m dot screen are all familiar from the 600D. But each of these has been significantly improved and it's the fine detail that makes the 650D interesting - both as a product in itself and in what it says about Canon's view of the future. ...
The EOS 650D has a new 'Hybrid CMOS' sensor that now includes pixels dedicated to phase detection autofocus (in a similar fashion to Nikon's 1 J1 and 1 V1 mirrorless cameras). The Hybrid AF system uses these to set the lens quickly to roughly the correct distance, then uses contrast detection AF to fine-tune focus. In principle, this should provide faster and more certain focusing for live view and video shooting compared to previous cameras that relied on CDAF alone. ..."
