Camera Review: Canon EOS Rebel T1i

I’ve always been a believer that it’s the photographer, not the camera, that makes a great photo. But I knew one day I would want to trade in my point and shoot, a dependable Canon Powershot SD1000 Digital Elph, for a digital SLR. There are plenty of positives and negatives to traveling with a DSLR, but I’ll tell you why I picked this model, as well as the pros and cons of traveling with it.

Pros

• • Lightweight: Compared to my mom’s Nikon D80 that I’ve borrowed many times, the Canon Rebel is as light as a feather. Since it doesn’t have a motor for the lens, it’s not as heavy as other models, which is important while traveling. The body alone only weighs 1 pound.

• • HD Video: I’ve had video features on previous cameras, but none as clear as on my Canon. All you do is press the focus button on the subject before recording.

• • Photo quality: You can’t argue with the results. On the no-flash setting it can get a bit blurry, but otherwise the photos are crystal clear.

• • Easy to use interface: As with all Canon cameras, the interface is user-friendly. And for an entry-level DSLR, this makes for a great starter camera if you’re just getting into photography.

• • Great for low lighting: This is one aspect I love about this camera. I can take photos in low lighting, in a restaurant for example, and they don’t come out blurry or too dark.

• • Add on lenses: I also purchased a 18-55 mm lens with image stabilizer for my camera, since most companies only sell the body, but if you want to purchase additional lenses for higher quality zoom and macro settings.

• • HDMI port: You can plug your camera straight into the television to watch a slideshow of your images or even that HD video you captured.

• • JPEG or RAW: If you want larger images, as most magazines do, the Rebel has the option of saving in RAW format.

• • Manual or auto focus: If you’re not quite ready for manual settings, you can use the camera’s autofocus and treat it like a point-and-shoot.

• Battery life: I hardly ever have to charge my camera, unless I’m continuously shooting for hours on end for multiple days. There’s nothing worse than having a dead camera battery while traveling!

Cons

• • No auto-focus for video: I knew this before I purchased the camera, but it was a trade-off for the light weight aspect. I didn’t think it would bother me, but once I started testing the video features, I found it to be difficult to manually focus after pressing record.

• • Size: As with any DSLR, it takes up significantly more room than a simple point-and-shoot. It takes up most of the space in my purse and I occasionally use a camera bag with enough room for chargers, cords and extra lenses.

• • No Live View: Many DSLRs have live view, like the digital point and shoots, where you can view the subject on the screen instead of through the viewfinder. The Canon Rebel does not have this feature. It gets annoying when I ask people to take a picture for me and I have to explain where to look.

• Price: The body alone is about $500, not to mention all the things you need to purchase for it, like lenses, filters and a nice case. This is why it took me so long to get one.

If you’re thinking about buying a DSLR, go to an electronics store and play around with one. You may find features that you like better than in other brands. Overall, I would still choose my Canon Rebel T1i DSLR for traveling for its great photos, HD video and light weight.

Where to Buy

Amazon sells both the camera and the lens, which you can sometimes get a bargain on if going for used or refurbished. I bought mine from B&H Photo. My top tip is to shop around in order to find the best possible price.

Photo of camera taken by christianulf.