Rating

Having been a devoted user of my Rebel Xti for nearly 5 years I had no real reason to upgrade for the photography. But on family trips I carry around both an HD video camera and the Rebel and I was intrigued that maybe I could get away with just using the HD video capabilities of the T2I as well as make use of my wider angle lenses than is available on either my Sony HDR-HC3 or my Canon HFS100.

Now I’m a huge night shooting/no flash kinda guy so my first tests out of the box were of a statue I have across my lowly lit living room with my EFS 17-55IS lens using the no flash mode. Right off the bat there was a distinct difference. The T2i takes a much brighter picture than the Xti. Normally where I’d have a dimly lit statue with some shadow detail and some graininess (at ISO1600), I had a warmly lit statue showing fantastic detail and no grain at ISO3200. Now part of this may be attributable to the Auto Lighting Optimizer but switching to manual mode and turning it off made small difference at the same ISO. I reckon the sensor is just that much better.

I just returned from a trip where I shot about 500 pics plus video and here’s my thoughts:

Normal/bright light photography is fantastic and very sharp. My only qualm here is that autofocus seemed to fight me more than my Xti. Whereas I would place the center focus dot on the object I wanted focused, the camera would inevitably seem to focus on something closer but nearer the edges of the frame. (Although it just occurred to me that I never tried changing the focusing settings… I believe it was set to AI Focus).

Low light photography is fantastic. White balance is still off but better than the Xti. With my Xti I had adopted the habit of using the no-flash mode to determine the right Av setting and then would switch to Aperture priority mode to get a RAW picture that I could then light properly in photoshop. Now that RAW is available in all the automatic modes I could just set no-flash mode and, for the most part, the camera would take the picture I wanted. Although occasionally the auto mode will adjust the settings to make a dark picture overly bright. (IE I took a picture of a neon sign on a store front and the camera adjusted the scene so that the store front became “normally” lit even though the neon sign took up 80% of the scene and the neon sign just bloomed over everything. This looked excellent on the Camera’s LED show but was all incorrect once I viewed it on the computer monitor. Also, brightly lit objects tend to get overblown and lose detail if shooting something darker in general. But, again, this might be related to the auto-lighting optimizer.

HD Video is fantastic but also comes with caveats. You can’t treat this like a camcorder where you turn the camera on, point, shoot and zoom away. The camera will allow you to autofocus while videoing but, depending on the lens, there may be some searching of the lens or some “knocking” as the AF finely adjusts before it locks. While this is occurring the microphone will pick up the lens motion (with a USM lens this isn’t that terrible but it is noticeable), but worse is that in a low light situation, the picture will be brightened *on the video as its recorded* to help the autofocus. Also note there’s no image stabilizer so every foot step shows up. For that reason you have to reckon a small bit about the shot ahead of time (IE autofocus or manually set the lighting ahead of time before beginning recording). Zooming is about as smooth as you can turn your wrist (and suddenly the 17-55′s infamous zoom dead space becomes a huge issue!). Note also that you’re limited to 12 minutes of recording at a time. Microphone quality is brilliant for what it is.

My issues aside, this is a fantastic camera and I don’t hesitate to recommend it. Can I get away without carrying the camcorder around? Maybe. The camcorder and the T2i merge/blur functionality but each has distinct strengths and weaknesses (image stabilization/seamless auto focusing vs convenience and better, wider lenses.) If you’re going to be moving around and chasing camera subjects, the camcorder is a better tool, if you’ve got mostly umoving objects where you can better control the shot from a fixed position, the T2i will come out ahead.

Rating

Whether you’re new to the world of DSLRs, or are a seasoned photographer who wants to try your luck at video, the Canon Rebel T2i is perfect. I’ve had nothing but fantastic experiences with it so far, and highly recommend to everyone.

Other than the T2i, I own (and primarily shoot with) the Rebel XS (1000D), and also have extensive experience with the Canon 50D. While my XS still serves me very well, I wanted to get an SLR with video capabilities since the release of the T1i. After finally saving up enough for the T1i, I really lucked out that Canon announced the T2i, which has even better features! I am lucky enough to finally have it, and want to share my experiences, and how they compare to my expectations

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OVERALL IMPRESSIONS

The camera is very small and light. It is not weather-sealed or as durable as some of the more expensive SLRs, but it doesn’t “feel cheap” in my opinion. It features a 3-inch LCD (compared to the Rebel XS’s 2.5 inch screen), which also has a very high resolution. It looks lovely! Auto-focus is quick, and I’ve been very pleased with the quality of the pictures and videos I’ve taken so far.

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PROS

IMAGE QUALITY: I feared that cramming so many megapixels onto this sensor, there would be a lot of image ‘noise’ (the megapixel myth). This thankfully hasn’t been an issue, and I’ve been very pleased with the pictures taken with this camera! Aside from White Balance issues (see below, Cons), image quality is pretty excellent!

VIDEO: Some people have disparagingly said that Video on DSLRs is just a gimmick. I disagree. Based on sample clips I’d seen on YouTube, I was excited about getting an HDSLR, and while videos are sometimes shaky if you don’t have very steady hands, a tripod eliminates those concerns. Audio quality on the T1i was criticized by many, but the T2i has a microphone input jack, which allows you to connect a mic. I don’t yet own one so can’t comment on that feature, but will update this review if and when I save enough to try this feature out. Additionally, this offers improved recording options, including higher fps (frames per second) than the T1i, which technically offered “right HD” recording of 1080, but only at a choppy 20 fps.

LOW-LIGHT PERFORMANCE: I am much more impressed than I expected. My Rebel XS could go up to ISO 1600, but would perform pretty poorly there. This not only can go up to a significantly higher ISO level, but performs much better. Less image noise means you have to waste less time editing your pics, and many more keepers!

SDXC SUPPORT: Only own SDHC cards up until now, but it’s fantastic to know that this supports the next generation of flash storage, which means you’ll in the future be able to hold many more pictures than currently available.

CONS

NOT A FULL-FRAME SLR: This is not a full-frame SLR like the Canon 5D Mark II, and the APS-C sized sensor results in a crop factor (1.6x), and doesn’t necessarily provide the same image quality as the larger, full-frame sensor does. Still, at less than half the cost of the Mark II, I reckon this is a trade-off that’s well worth it for most users.

Crop factor means that this camera, like other Canon DSLRs that have the APS-C size image sensor, will not be right to the lens’s designation. A 50mm lens will produce an image more in line with 50mm x 1.6, or 80mm on a full-frame. This not only makes a difference for those who want to do landscape photography (which usually benefits from wide-angle views), but for those with unsteady hands. The general logic is that to ensure a steady shot, you need to shoot at the reciprocal of your focal length. So for a 50mm focal length, you should be shooting at a speed quicker than 1/50 second for a steady shot. Keeping the crop factor in mind, you really should be shooting at a speed quicker than 1/80 a second.

Crop factors are common for most digital SLRs, as full-frame sensors jack up the cost of production, which are then passed on to the consumer in the form of very expensive cameras. So it’s not so much a shortcoming of the Rebel T2i, but just a note to keep in the back of your mind.

DIFFERENT BATTERY: This is more of a hassle for those who owned spare batteries than for those whose first SLR would be the T2i, but Canon changed the battery. Again, not such a huge deal, but might be a hassle for some who find out that their ancient batteries can’t be used on this model.

WHITE BALANCE: I found that the ‘Auto’ White-Balance setting was wildly inaccurate on my Rebel XS (often giving indoor shots a yellow tint unless I changed the WB to the ‘Incandescent Light’ mode), and I feel that the WB settings on this model still aren’t as accurate as they should be. If you want truly accurate WB, you can use a gray card, or an alternative would be to simply try digitally editing the photos on your computer after shooting.

NO ARTICULATING SCREEN: No articulating screen, but this is a rare feature in DSLR’s in general, so it’s not a shortcoming of the T2i. Since most of your shots will probably be composed using the viewfinder, not a huge deal, although it would have been convenient! If you absolutely must have an articulating screen on an HDSLR, look into the Nikon D5000.

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A NOTE ABOUT THE KIT LENS

The lens that comes with this is the standard 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 that comes with the other Rebels. It’s a very excellent all-around lens, but you more likely than not will want to at some point upgrade your lens for either (a) better image quality, or (b) better performance in low-light conditions.

This lens is very excellent, but for pros or those who pay incredibly close attention to detail, the optical quality of Canon’s higher-end lenses is superior than to the kit lens. For most users, I don’t reckon image quality will be a huge issue.

More likely, the aperture size will be the reason people want to upgrade their lens over time. A lens with a wider aperture allows more light to reach the sensor in less time than a lens with a narrower aperture. That means you can use a quicker shutter speed, which allows you to snap the shot quicker, reducing the likelihood of a blurry picture. Outdoors on a sunny day, this aperture range of this lens won’t be a limiting factor; inside a poorly-lit gym, but, you’ll notice some blurry shots (see below for a recommended alternative for low-light shooting).

Still, this is a pretty excellent all-around lens that can result in some fantastic shots!

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RECOMMENDED ACCESSORIES

1. An external flash: This will come in very handy. With the built-in flash, your photos often come out harshly lit. Bouncing an external flash off the wall makes a huge difference in image quality. I personally use the Speedlite 580EX II, but there are cheaper alternatives that are very excellent. Some higher-end cameras (i.e. Canon 5D Mark II) don’t even have a built-in flash, which goes to show something about how high-level photographers view the lighting provided by internal flashes.

2. 50mm f/1.8 II lens – At around one hundred dollars, this lens is relatively cheap when compared to others on the market. Despite its low price, it offers fantastic image quality. While it lacks IS (image stabilization) like some other Canon lenses (including the kit lens), with a wide aperture of f/1.8, enough light usually comes in to ensure a quick shutter speed, which in turn minimizes camera shake. Keep in mind that as a ‘prime’ lens, your feet will have to do the zooming in and out. This is not as convenient as an everyday walk-around lens like the 18-55 kit lens which gives a excellent zoom range, but is a fantastic lens for portraits. Also would ideally be a excellent option for poorly-lit places where the aperture of the kit-lens isn’t wide enough to ensure a steady shot.

CONCLUSIONS

From my list of 4 pros and 4 cons, you might wonder why I’m giving this product 5 stars?… It’s because considering the fantastic performance – and low price – of the T2i, the ‘cons’ I list really aren’t that huge of a deal. Just because some cameras offer the aforementioned features the T2i lacks, it doesn’t mean the T2i isn’t a solid performer. On the contrary, I have been completely satisfied with this camera’s image and video quality, performance, features, AND PRICE, and would recommend the T2i to anyone looking for an affordable way to capture memories!

Rating

Many excellent things have been said about this camera. It is superlative in most ways that count for most users. See the other reviews for details of just how brilliant a camera this is. I’ll instead offer a few summary opinions and observations:

1) Upgrading from an XTi or higher will be very simple for you — same lenses, many similar controls

2) Don’t expect wonders from the kit lens. It is noisy, cheap-feeling, has a primitive and slow USM, uses a plastic (not metal) bayonet, and hunts hopelessly when autofocusing in anything but ideal light. It is altogether not worth the $100. Getting the camera now, is.

3) ISO response really is incredible. ISO 800 with my XTi is like ISO 3200 with the T2i. ISO 12800 is entirely usable in a pinch. It is not the horror tale you might expect. You can also push it two stops further to the equivalent of 51,200, though I can say the results are hideous. They are the same kind of hideous that an XTi pushed two stops results in, with its ISO6400 equivalent push. These comparisons are based on visual comparison between non-noise reduced images. When you apply even mild NR using the DPP software, ISO12,800 quickly becomes a viable tool, rather than the butt of jokes.

4) Auto-ISO is finally here! Canon implemented it right, where you the user can limit the auto-selectable range.

5) Adobe has not caught up to the latest .CR2 RAW file format as of this writing (3/17). The latest ACR is 5.6, and we really really need a 5.7 patch for CS4. Until that is released, you’ll need to scrape by with other plugins or programs.

6) Video capabilities meet high expectations. Do but follow the booklet instructions and use at least a SD class 6 card (class 10 preferable). I’m using a class 6 and get some jerkiness at 720p. It just can’t keep up. So don’t blame the camera until you give it a huge pipe to write to.

7) Remote control? Impressively, yes. If you have a long USB cable, you can make some use of the EOS Utility software’s remote control functionality, which includes controlling not only the normal features of the camera, but as well, you can schedule photos to be taken periodically (reckon time-lapse). You also use this software to register your name and copyright statement, if you wish, as imprints on every photo’s EXIF.

Overall a fantastic buy, well worth its price for ISO response and 18 megapixels, but it offers quite a bit more. I’m very pleased.

Rating

This camera is as fantastic as the other 5-star reviewers have indicated. I was a young amateur SLR leisure activity-photographer 20 years ago; I mostly stopped buying film but never bought anything more than a compact digital point’n'shoot for mediocre memory-shots. This DSLR was worth the wait. I buy a lot at Amazon but don’t review much; this is an exception. I’ll try not to reiterate too much, but I’ll endorse some of the points in other reviews, and then offer some of my own thoughts.

Endorsements:

* Indeed, image quality is fantastic; 18MP is not “too much” for the APS-C-size sensor. Low-light performance is also fantastic. But rather than listening to my broad statements (or those of other reviewers), Just read through the many pages of http://www.amazon removed the website name – but it’s the same review site that they feature near the top of this camera’s page, or if you just google for “digital photography reviews” it should be the first hit].com review, including the comparisons with “competitor” cameras. The bottom line: is the T2i light-years better than all competitors at a similar price: no; but is it very excellent, often equaling its own master-at-twice-the-price EOS 7D: YES!

* No, no stereo mic and silent lens operation like the Panasonic GH1, but the standard stereo mic jack resolves this for me. If I want fantastic sound, then I want two mics on a stereo mic bar out on a boom anyway. In fact, I prefer this mic-input over the high-quality built-in stereo mic of the GH1 (and the few other new-comers that boast built-in stereo mics).

* I will side with those who appreciate the video qualities of the camera. No, it’s probably not the right camera for taping the kids’ full basketball games (in 1080p HD!?), where you may want electronic zoom and silent auto-focus (though a better lens would help with the auto-focus problem a small). But if you wonder what kind of masterpiece videos can be taken with this gem, google around for T2i videos and prepare to be awed. The community of artistic videographers is having a hay-day with the T2i, Panasonic GH1/GF1, and a (very) few others. These stand out in a class of their own. And the T2i, with 60fps 720p stands on its own, really, enabling some incredible slow-motion effects. Indeed, as has been mentioned, you can’t get an interchangeable-lens video camera with a large sensor like this for anywhere near the price of this camera. Oh, and yes, make sure you have at least a Class-6 SD card, preferably Class-10, apparently (though I only have a Class-6 card and it’s done ok so far), before you blame the camera for choppiness, and make sure you have a quick computer with a quick video-card before you blame the camera for taking unwatchable video.

* Indeed, indoor auto-white-balance doesn’t seem perfect. But the auto-ISO works pretty well; thank you Canon for the ability to limit the ceiling on it – that makes it worth using.

My additional thoughts:

* Yes, the body is light. It’s not a professional all-magnesium brick that you can leave out in the snow and rain every night as one reviewer elsewhere likes to do with his professional Canons. But it’s also not entirely “plastic”, as some reviewers suggest. It’s a stainless steel chassis (though who knows what gauge) with a polycarbonate resin / glass fiber shell (ok, yeah, plastic). It does “feel” light enough to be all plastic. I wouldn’t treat it like a professional brick, but I also appreciate the advantages of its light weight. In my opinion: it feels light without feeling cheap. Of course, compared to a solid Magnesium, I might be inclined to say it feels cheap. To hold, that is. The function of the controls does _not_ feel cheap. Also worth noting: I have medium-small hands and have no distress operating all of the controls _with_ thin gloves on; the profile and controls may not be acceptable to the largest-handed pro photographers, but I wouldn’t read too much into those negative comments. And, finally, I, too, can’t wait for camera-armor to produce a mold for the T2i (with the cutout for the new video button) so that I don’t have to worry as much that the body isn’t brick solid.

* The kit lens may be relatively slow at f3.5 and may be plastic, but it really is a fantastic start lens its price. You’ll find a quicker (f1.8) plastic lens for the same price, but it won’t have image-stabilization (though the argument that you won’t need it at f1.8 has some merit). It really is quite sharp, for the money. It does hunt a small for (auto-)focus in imperfect conditions, but it’s not clear to me (yet) that this is all the fault of the lens. The hunting _noise_ (audible noise, that is), on the other hand, clearly marks it as an inexpensive lens.

* Battery: I don’t have enough experience with it yet to comment much on its performance, other than to refer to the stats according to CIPA standards. But I did notice that you can choose your background color for the LCD, where settings are showed. I changed mine from the default white background to a dark background. If my hypothesis is right, this will save a small power. You can also reduce the amount of time a shot is showed on the LCD after it’s taken. Or you can turn the LCD off altogether, which is likely to save a healthy bit of juice.

Like I said: I’ll leave a fantastic deal unsaid because other reviewers have already said it. I did a lot of research over the last 5 monhttp://www.amazon.com/review/edit-reviewths and finally concluded that this newcomer was “the one” for me. Still, I watched developments for a few more weeks before making my buy. Bottom line: this is a 5-star buy.

UPDATE: I emailed camera-armor, and they reported: “We currently do not have any plans on releasing Camera Armor for the Canon T2i. We apologize for the disappointment.” But they say to stay tuned for new products. Perhaps the plans are around the corner even if the product is not as near as hoped. I’d be interested in knowing how well the Xsi/T1i’s armor (MADE Products CA-1135-BLK Camera Armor for Canon XSI Digital SLR Cameras (Black)) would work — it looks to me like the movie-record button might be covered, but otherwise the fit might be right. I haven’t found any comments on this anywhere.