By Bill
For a good while, I have been interested in acquiring a DSLR that also does video. So far, my choices have boiled down to two or three options: The Canon 5D Mark II, The Nikon D90, and the forth-coming Red Scarlet system.
Now Canon has just introduced the EOS Rebel T1i, aka the Canon 500D. Offering two video modes, and priced at $799 (body only), the new camera is tempting to entry level DSLR buyers as well as to guys like me who want to explore doing HD video.
As Canon says: “The Rebel T1i SLR incorporates some of the best technologies from the EOS 50D and EOS 5D Mark II models into an entry-level juggernaut. With a 15.1 megapixel CMOS sensor and HD video capture.”
“The camera features 16:9 720p HD video capture at 30 fps as well as a Full HD 1080p video capture at 20 fps, and a third option to record 4:3 standard TV quality (SD) video capture at 640 x 480 pixels and 30 fps.”
Course, I am a little disappointed in the 20 fps HD capture, I would have preferred the 30 fps offered by the 5D Mark II, but, wow, what a difference in price, $2,700 for the 5D Mark II, and $799 for the new Rebel. There are other differences as well. The 5D Mark II at 21MP certainly will produce far better images than the 15.1-megapixel APS-C size CMOS image sensor in the Rebel.
Yet, one has to be impressed with the video output of the new Rebel. See some sample videos at Gizmodo here.
One thing that I do love about the new T1i is the sensor cleaning system, which Canon says is “equipped with the highly acclaimed EOS Integrated Cleaning System. The Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit for the Canon EOS Rebel T1i has been upgraded with a fluorine coating on the low-pass filter for better dust resistance.” If you are like me, dust is something that takes away from your workflow time and has always been my biggest complaint about DSLRs.
Course the bottom line here is that Canon will soon provide guys like me with another option to consider. And my desire to get into HD video may just make me take the plunge in the months ahead. Although, I must admit, I am very tempted to move in a new direction offered by Scarlet Red, a component system that would allow me to grow over time without replacing the entire camera body. That is a concept I can love. If you aren’t familiar with the Scarlet Red, go have a look here.
In the meantime, I hope to get my hands on the Canon T1i and find out for myself whether this new camera can satisfy my creative urge to produce high quality videos.
You can read the technical stuff here at Canon’s official site.
Rob Galbraith has a great review here along with some sample videos.
And the guys over at DPReview have some still shots posted here.
