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Pros
- Excellent value.
- Stellar image quality.
- Fast performance.
- HD (720p30) video capture.
- Big, 3-inch high-res (VGA) screen.
- HDMI-out.
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Cons
- Cannot continuously focus during video recording (user must hold down a button to refocus if subjects change their distance from the camera).
- Autofocus mechanism is audible in video recordings.
- Full HD 1080 video capture looks sluggish due to its low frame rate.
- No microphone input.Watch the Canon EOS Rebel T1i in action!
Canon EOS Rebel T1i EF-S 18-55mm IS Kit Specs
35-mm Equivalent (Telephoto): | 55 mm |
35-mm Equivalent (Wide): | 18 mm |
Battery Type Supported: | Lithium Ion |
Boot time: | 0.68 seconds |
LCD dots: | 920000 |
LCD size: | 3 inches |
Lines Per Picture Height: | 2102 |
Media Format: | Secure Digital |
Media Format: | Secure Digital High Capacity |
Megapixels: | 15.1 MP |
Optical Zoom: | 3 x |
Type: | D-SLR |
Video Resolution: | Yes |
Offering image quality and a robust feature set typically found in pricier prosumer-level D-SLRs, the Canon EOS Rebel T1i is a definite game-changer. For less than $1,000 ($899.99 list with an EF-S 18-to-55mm IS lens), you get a 15.1-megapixel CMOS sensor that takes fantastic pictures and a big, high-res VGA screen, along with high-definition video capture, which until now you couldn't get in a sub-$1K D-SLR. A perfect balance of features, performance, and affordability makes The T1i our latest Editors' Choice D-SLR shooter.
Using the same image sensor as the larger and pricier ($1,099, body only)
It's simple to navigate the T1i's menu system given its button setup, which is reminiscent of those on many point-and-shoot cameras. To the right of the screen, the Select button is flanked by Up, Down, Left, and Right buttons. The prosumer 50D uses the same UI, but there's a joystick and a scroll wheel that let you whiz through menus even more quickly. Still, I had no problem maneuvering, and the menus are straightforward, clean, and easy to understand.
The show stealer, though, is the stunning (and sprawling) 3-inch LCD, packing 920,000 pixels (VGA resolution), which results in razor-sharp images, menu text, and icons. The Nikon D5000's smaller 2.7-inch screen has only 230,00 pixels, and the difference is clearly visible when you compare the two. The D5000's screen, however, is mounted on a rotating arm—I wish Canon had added this functionality. But the T1i offers Live View; a dedicated button that turns the LCD screen into a viewfinder.
The speedy T1i can power up and snap off a picture in an average of 0.68 second, while the D5000 took a comparably lengthy 1.37 seconds on average. Once it's up and running, the T1i can shoot 3.4 frames per second at its maximum 15.1MP resolution. The D5000 shoots a little faster, at 4 fps (thought its resolution is only 12.3MP). The higher-end
Outside the lab, the T1i was equally impressive. I spent an afternoon shooting my newborn cousin and his parents in the hospital. Given the sensitive eyes of newborns, the pediatric area maintains lighting that's somewhat dimmer than the norm, so most of shots were taken at ISO 1600. I was able to use the fast shutter speeds and face detection to capture split-second close-up expressions. The resulting photos were beautiful, and being able to switch back and forth between still and video modes quickly and easily in a single device was a pleasure. My only gripe was the limited zoom of the included lens. The 18-to-55mm lens provides roughly 3.7X optical zoom, another lens with a larger focal range would have provided the same close-ups without my having to get so close to my subjects. For those who want a lens with a greater zoom range, Canon sells a $799.99 body-only version of the T1i, which, like all Canon D-SLRs, uses the "Canon EF" lens mount compatible with all Canon EF and EF-S lenses.
The other problem: Canon's claim that the T1i captures "Full HD 1080" video is misleading. The T1i can capture video at 1080p, but that's at 20 frames per second, rather than at 24, 30, or 60 fps—which is what's required for the video to look truly fluid. 720p30 video captured on the T1i is more natural-looking than 1080p20 video.
Overall, the Canon EOS Rebel T1i is a big step up from entry-level D-SLRs like the $700 Rebel XSi or the $600
Benchmark Test Results
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