It goes like this: the new Canon EOS 500D/Rebel T1i looks like the Canon Digital Rebel XSi, shoots much like the 50D.
It’s not exactly an entry-level camera - take a look at the Canon Rebel XS if you’re budget-conscious.

So, what’s different from the Canon Digital Rebel XSi? - some key differences:

15MP sensor - similar, but not the same as the 50D (slower readout for one thing)
Video - 1080p, but only at 20 FPS
Anti reflection coated display
Digic IV - menu layout similar to 50D/5D2
Auto lighting optimiser - now adjustable
Quick control setting mode
ISO to 12800
Variable high ISO noise setting adjustment
Face detect in Liveview
Peripheral Illumination Correction - brighten the corners of images to correct for lens vignetting
Sensors under viewfinder to blank screen when the camera is raised to the eye.

The Canon EOS 500D/Rebel T1i becomes the third (as of writing) camera to be able to shoot full HD video and, right now the very first in its not-so-entry-level class.

What’s inside? What comes from 50D/5D MkII?

Fast processing, fast focusing, and the Digic 4 Processor.
Canon’s DIGIC 4 processor drives continuous shooting speeds of up to 3.4 fps in bursts of up to 170 JPEGs . Using Canon’s wide area AF system – which features 9 individual sensors, including a central cross type point with a high precision sensor for f/2.8 or faster lenses– makes capturing split-second action sequences possible.

DIGIC 4 works in conjunction with the CMOS sensor to deliver exceptional noise reduction and 14-bit image processing for smooth gradation of tones and natural-looking colours. In addition, DIGIC 4 enables the ultra-fast start-up times and near-instant image review after shooting that photographers demand.

Why we like it?
The Canon EOS 500D/Rebel T1i it’s as compact and lightweight as the previous Canon Digital Rebel XSi but has far more features - not only megapixel-addiction, take a look at the VGA display - and grabs parts from higher-level Canon cameras.
It’s a serious (and price-aware) competitor to the widely-acclaimed Nikon D90 and to many of the new crop of over-12-mp-with-full-hd-video 2009 DSLR cameras.

Along with the Canon EOS 500D/Rebel T1i comes the Speedlite 270EX, the successor to the 220EX Speedlite model: a new compact flash gun with a maximum guide number of 27 m and silent recycling that becomes a lightweight external flash option for Canon cameras including select Canon PowerShot models.

The new Speedlite 270EX uses only two AA batteries and enables bounce flash shooting with four position steps from 0 degrees to 90 degrees.
Like Canon’s high-end Speedlite flash models, the 270EX allows users to control flash functions and input settings using the camera’s LCD monitor.

This entry was posted on Saturday, April 11th, 2009 at 12:59 pm and is filed under Digital Photography, DSLRs, Digital Video, HD video, Canon, Digital Camera, Full HD. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.