While we are primarily a computer hardware website, occasionally a piece of consumer electronic news catches our eye; given that photography and computers often go hand in hand here is some official news from Canon about their latest creation.
The company has officially announced its latest prosumer DSLR, the EOS Rebel T2i (EOS 550D outside of North America). The camera is said to take mixture of ideas from the original T1i along with Canon’s professional offerings, the EOS 7D. It uses a similar 18MP APS-C CMOS sensor and the 7D’s 63-point iFCL metering system, it also boasts Canon’s DIGIC 4 image processor with ISO 100-6400 (expandable to 12,800). Unlike the 7D, it is only able to pull off 3.7FPS during continuous shooting.
Another notable improvement is the update to filming in full 1080p at a 30FPS (or selectable 25/24fps) compared the T1i’s simple 20FPS and also allows for 720P at 60FPS (50fps selectable). More improvements on the movie front include a zooming “Movie Crop” function handled by the CMOS sensor that provides roughly 7x effective magnification without losing quality in SD.
“There is no question that HD video is the biggest trend in DSLR technology and because of this we are seeing the creativity of still photographers transferring to the moving image. Still photographers are using the various lenses and accessories they are already familiar with to create amazing video footage,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. “Taking that HD video quality and putting it in the hands of entry-level photographers with cameras like our new EOS Rebel T2i, we are seeing a new generation of creative digital artists emerge.”
Externally, the T2i has a widescreen 3.0″ display, auto pop-up flash, self-cleaning sensor unit, and an SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card slot. It also is said to improve the button layout over the old T1i.
The camera is available with a EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens kit and will hit store shelves sometime in March for roughly $800 for the body and $900 as a kit.
February 8, 2010 11:28 AM
I just picked up a T1i yesterday, and a used XSi a few days ago. Hard to keep up! FWIW, the video features on DSLRs is not impressive (yet).
February 8, 2010 11:30 AM
uh ohhhh. 1080P support now. I think this very well be my next camera purchase. Time to finally get rid of the Rebel XT
February 8, 2010 11:38 AM
YouTube - Canon EOS 7D ISO 6400 test video clips at night
YouTube - Canon Eos 500D/ T1i Test Video
February 8, 2010 11:44 AM
Thought the megapixel war has ended, but Canon continues...
IMO, I don't think the regular user will ever need more than 6-8mpx. You only need 18mpx if you're printing billboards or if your work depends on it. But then again, professionals won't use a Rebel camera... So what's the point really? I'd rather if Canon keeps it smaller so the image will have less noise.
I thought Canon took a good step in the G series. The G11 has less megapixels than the G10. But now they're going the same direction again with SLRs. Why is it? Cause they got nothing else to compete with other than megapixels?
February 8, 2010 11:44 AM
Personally, I have little interest in video features on a camera, one of the biggest reasons being the limitations such as zoom, frames, and adjustments etc etc. However I think improvements to this like things included with the new T2i are an enormous step in the right direction and definitely have me re-considering.
Only problem is that its Canon - love the camera's, hate the feel :( Just isn't comfortable in my hands.
I can't remember where I found it, but there is this one fellow who does commercials, trailers and promo videos (saw one from Australia) purely on camera and it was astounding. Truly amazing work and you would never know its from a DSLR.
February 8, 2010 12:35 PM
You can give any monkey a monkey wrench but that's not going to make him a plumber. Real pros can do amazing stuff with poor equipment because the know how to make the best of it. I bet ninety percent of Canon's DSLRs are woefully under utilized.
18 mega pixels seems a bit silly but this camera seems to be able to do just about anything. It's nice to see an option for students, enthusiasts, and up-and-comers that does not fall in the categoy of 'laughably poor quality' or 'hideously expensive'.
If nothing else it will drive used prices down.
February 8, 2010 12:40 PM
One thing regarding the MP level. This is still a prosumer camera which markets to a majority of people who still don't realize that MP isn't everything. As jack stated above you have students , up and comers etc. where the mentality amongst many is still "More MP = better picture".
I think Canon has a practical purpose for doing this, using a 7D "like" sensor which allows for better quality photo's and still keeps the MP high to attract a wide audience. If they are just knocking off the 7D's sensor then why spend time chopping the mps down. It likely wouldn't save on costs anyways?
February 8, 2010 12:46 PM
With a wide angle lens FiXT could take some pretty high resolution pictures of my mom with this thing, I'd bet.....
February 8, 2010 12:50 PM
Likely need a good panoramic stitching option for that.
February 8, 2010 01:03 PM
YouTube - Canon EOS 7D ISO 6400 test video clips at night
YouTube - Canon Eos 500D/ T1i Test Video
Edit : here is a short video of the wobble that video DSLR can do. If you move a little fast then everything is screw. If you can't move using a video camera then...she is useless.
Nikon D90 Wobble Test video by jamesmel9 - Photobucket
February 8, 2010 01:25 PM
The key to make DSLR videos is to use a tripod, and do the least panning and zooming as possible. This will minimize problems in DSLR movies (banding, rolling shutters, etc).
February 8, 2010 02:35 PM
Awesome, the only thing stopping me from picking up the T1i is the slow 20fps full 1080HD limitation and the lack of a full frame sensor. One of these things is addressed. Just have to wait for the full frame sensor or man up and buy the more expensive 7d or 5d.
February 8, 2010 02:47 PM
The "rebel" moniker has always turned me off - sounds cheap- I know it s a minor point and has nothing to do with the quality of the camera, but I wish they'd ditch it.
February 8, 2010 02:55 PM
The T1i actually has 3 names in different parts of the world:
- EOS Rebel T1i (North America)
- EOS Kiss X3 (Japan)
- Canon EOS 500D (rest of the world)
Even the compact cameras have different names SD/A-series and IXUS.
February 8, 2010 03:45 PM
Weird. We all (well, most of us probably) own super-uber fast chips oc'ed until they scream, barely use our rigs to their full potential and yet we (yes, I do to) have a concern about the rising number of pixels...
I agree though. 6Mp is enough for daily pics. 10Mp for the odd-ball 11"x17" print. But since # of Mps is the biggest selling point of ANY DSLR, why bother stop? Especially with the ever-better technology being design and produced.
But no thanks, I'll pass on the Rebel. Canons don't sit well in my hands. I'll stick to my D2X.
February 8, 2010 04:12 PM
MPixel is not just use for Print Size but help A LOT in Cropping a picture and still be able to make 11x17 print out of them. with 6mpixel you have little play over you're exposition. If you take portrait you can play a lot with it with 18mpixel.
I owned one of the first Rebel, sold it because of money problem and i will return to it when i can. Nothing can touch a DSLR in photoquality and speed...
February 8, 2010 05:44 PM
More MP is actually bad IMO - unless you increase the sensor size, you get more noise. I went to a D40 to a D40X (I did want a bit more MP - 6 wasn't enough for PS work) but it has a lot more noise at ISO1600. I think anything past 10 is useless.
February 8, 2010 06:01 PM
I'm guessing that's why Nikon sticks to 12mpx for most of their high end DSLRs (except the D3x).
February 8, 2010 07:18 PM
February 8, 2010 07:43 PM
Fail.
PS: What's your gear like?
February 9, 2010 09:29 AM
I wasn't knocking the technology- I think it's a great leap. But, as others mentioned, the hardware isn't designed for video so it needs to mature some more. Also not mentioned is the fact that the sensor gets very hot during video shooting, so it is limited to 5 minutes or so at a time. Great to capture something brief if you don't have a camcorder, but still almost a novelty. I suppose it's the same trade-off as shooting stills with a video recorder, and it all depends on the end user's needs.
As for the megapixels war, I shoot my best with my 'old' Nikon D50 @ 6.4
February 9, 2010 10:41 AM
I could care less about the megapixels but the video support and the improved sensor will probrably make me get this over the T1i. And in my opinion the video support while not beyond belief, it lacks the required autofocus for while filming but the quality is way way up there
February 9, 2010 10:43 AM
Yeah 18mp... another silly marketing decision that unfortunately works. I'll stick to 12mp Nikon with better high ISO performance. Haven't yet wished my pictures were bigger, if anything they're too big most of the time. Looks like they're yet again trying to take a poke at the over year old D90
cause the t1i failed pretty hard, only thing it's got over the d90 is video mode... and I only speak for myself on this one but I haven't even used it yet other than for playing with. It's a picture camera FFS! 
February 9, 2010 12:05 PM
Fail.
PS: What's your gear like?
I meant the camera when I said gear. My other stuff are the cheapest I can get like Induro tripod and ball head, sb400 and some ND filters.
February 26, 2010 08:19 PM
the big problem with this unit (and all canon dslrs) is that the limit your video recording to 30 minutes and for HD it is something like 12 minutes per take!!!
this is the reason why i will not buy this camera.
getting the panasonic gh1 which is superior and no fukin time limit
February 27, 2010 12:58 PM
If canon could make a sensor that equals a 35mm and keep it fairly low priced where an amature or student could afford it, they would be selling like water in hell. But until then we're stuck trying to get more megapixals to composate which sucks.
February 27, 2010 03:36 PM
I'm buying this camera for sure. For me, its the perfect camera.
I am often called upon to take photos at work for web and print use, up to poster size, and I like being able to crop the images, so for me the 18MP sensor is welcome. I also have 2 2 year olds who run around like crazy so the speed of a DSLR will be very welcome. And if I'm taking pictures of the kids, and they break into a song, I want to be able to start shooting video as quickly as possible. This camera has that nice instant button to record video, which I will make lots of use of. I have no use for 1080p because my tv is only 720, and I find 1080p files huge and hard to deal with, they would take forever to upload, copy, move, share, etc. So I'll be shooting in 720p, which this camera does in 60fps, which will be great to keep track of the kids as they run around and get into sports!
I just can't wait! I'm using a silly canonA570is, its not terrible, but definitely not great. It's no better than the wallet cameras but its too big to fit in a pocket, its going to be given to the kids lol.
February 27, 2010 03:44 PM
But once again we all forget that unless you get into the 1D or 5D of Canon your STILL shooting with a 1.6 crop sensor.
So you can increase the megapixel all you want but you still won't get the proper picture unless you REALLY spend the money.
People who base a decision to buy a camera off of megapixels first is really silly and uneducated.
February 28, 2010 11:39 PM
can you educate me just exactly what it means to crop 1.6x .
Is this common on the comparable Nikons, and will it matter a whole lot to me as an amateur photographer?
March 1, 2010 02:37 AM
Is this common on the comparable Nikons, and will it matter a whole lot to me as an amateur photographer?
For Nikon it's 1.5, since their non 35mm sensor is bigger by about a millimeter in each direction.
For amateurs no it doesn't really matter, the lenses are adjusted to give the same effect, some non full frame lenses don't work with full frames, and vice versa.
However the larger sensor size has it's advantages, such as much improved high ISO performance, among other things.
The common misconception is that the range is larger with non full frame sensors, this isn't true, only the field of view is different, meaning with the same focal length, the full frame will capture much more landscape. The argument is that non full frames are good for telephotography, since the crop factor added in with the resolution of the photo helps. (Can't really explain myself but some might understand what I mean)
But yeah, for starting off, don't even worry about full frames, the smaller sensors work great. And cost a lot less.
March 1, 2010 07:51 AM
Crop Factor
March 2, 2010 12:11 AM
yeah, I have looked at full frame bodies and they just cost a hell of a lot, I am nowhere near that. Thanks for the info, while it does look like a significant difference it cannot be helped on my budget.