When you first look at the specs for the Canon EOS Rebel T2i / 550D
You know it's a serious camera when Digital Photography Review says in their exhaustive report on the T2i/550D, "The unavoidable fact is that to get the most out of the 550D's sensor you really need to pair it with Canon's better lenses, which is a considerable investment." Then go on to say, "That said, the bottom line here is that the EOS 550D offers excellent image quality in a range of different conditions, including exceptionally low light, thanks to its usable ISO 12800 setting. Image quality is equal or better than its predecessor the EOS 500D, and not noticeably inferior to the considerably more expensive EOS 7D. The 550D's video capability is excellent too."
Yes, so the upshot is for enthusiasts photographers with good glass, or pros looking for an affordable back-up camera that delivers high quality results, the new Canon EOS Rebel T2i
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I agree. I traded my T1i for the T2i and I believe it performs noticeably better than the T1i. I was seriously looking at the 7D, but at more than twice the price it didn't make sense for an amateur photographer. I decided to forgo the kit lens and bought the Tamron 18-50mm F2.8 which I really like so far.
Hi Thomas,
So it sounds like you would recommend an upgrade even for T1i users?
Thanks,
-Derrick
Derrick,
I was a little disappointed with the high ISO noise of the T1i. In my mind the T2i is improved. I now find myself shooting at 1600 and 3100 frequently and not being disappointed. Of course at the same time I replaced the kit lens with the Tamron 18-50 F2.8 so there's at least two variables involved in my overall opinion. I got around half my money back on the T1i from my camera dealer so its kind of a costly upgrade. I wanted to make the trade before the T1i value dropped even more. I also have to wait for Aperture RAW support so I'm shooting RAW+JPEG which is about 30MB per image total.
The video upgrade is nice. I'm still experimenting on how DSLR video can replace my HDV camcorder video. Its not there yet for me. Most of my video is of live events (my kids) and the camcorder is easier to adapt to quick changing conditions like changing focus.
Derrick,
One thing I forgot to mention. A small feature the T2i has that I really like is a maximum ISO setting for Auto ISO. I was really missing this with T1i. I found myself not using Auto ISO on the T1i much because it would frequently choose 1600 and 3200 and I didn't like the look of the images when it did.
Hi Thomas,
Your follow up information is very helpful. I'm considering moving up to the T2i from a T1i myself. In part because I want to write about it on The Digital Story. Thanks for your insights!
-Derrick
Derrick seems to throw kisses and rose petals at anything named Canon or Olympus. The only downsides he wrote about for the T1i were the lack of waterproofness and audio output jack. Really? That was it? And now this is pro gear at low, low prices. Buy, buy, buy. (And let's forget that the considerably older Nikon D90 spanked the T2i in multiple categories recently in a direct comparison over at digitalreview.ca )
Speaking of Olympus, why is it that only Oly gear is featured while the compatible-mount systems from Panasonic are ignored? Panny AF is distinctively better than Oly, something a pro would supposedly find useful to know -- but you won't learn about that here. Squaretrade recently announced that Panasonic (of all camera brands) was tops in a reliability study -- something else people might be interested in knowing about.
But I guess for some reason we'll only hear about Aperture and Canon and Red River paper and Olympus and Lowepro. Some reason....
Derrick,
Thanks for the review. Would you consider this camera for wedding photography? I would but using it as a back up but what about using it as a primary camera for the shoot? You thoughts sir?
~ Jarrod