CANON U.S.A. INTRODUCES THE EOS REBEL T1i DIGITAL SLR CAMERA
THE FIRST REBEL DSLR TO FEATURE HD VIDEO CAPTURE

Canon Breaks the $1,000 Mark Again with the First EOS Rebel Camera to Feature
HD Movie Recording Capabilities, DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor and 15.1 Megapixel Resolution

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., March 25, 2009 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today introduced a new addition to its Rebel lineup, the EOS Rebel T1i Digital SLR camera, the first in the Rebel line to feature Full HD video capture. The new Canon 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, along with the DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor, the Rebel T1i gives aspiring photographers plenty of reason to step-up to the latest and greatest model in the Rebel lineup.

The new Canon EOS Rebel T1i raises the entry-level bar with a host of enhanced Canon technologies now available in an entry-level DSLR. Along with the boost in megapixels and Canon’s most advanced imaging processor to-date, this latest Rebel camera has also been enhanced with HD video capture, a 3.0-inch Clear View LCD (920,000 dots/VGA) monitor and user-friendly functions such as Auto Lighting Optimizer, Creative Auto Mode and Canon’s Live View modes, all the right tools to open new doors for imaging enthusiasts. From high-resolution to high-definition, the new EOS Rebel T1i Digital SLR camera helps to give creative consumers a jumpstart on the next evolution in digital imaging.

“We are witnessing the emergence of a new phase in digital imaging history, as high-resolution still images and HD video can now both be produced in a hand-held device, for under $1,000. This is truly a great time to be involved in digital imaging as the advent of online communities are helping usher in this next great era in imaging,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A.

The muscle behind Canon’s new EOS Rebel T1i camera is the DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor with 14-bit analog-to-digital conversion and the ability to process full HD video. The Canon EOS Rebel T1i Digital SLR offers continuous shooting at 3.4 fps for up to 170 large/fine JPEG images or up to nine RAW images in a single burst when using a class 6 or higher SD or SDHC memory card. Whether capturing wildlife on the run or a child mid-stride on the soccer field, users will appreciate the fast shooting capabilities of the Rebel T1i Digital SLR camera.

With the combination of its 15.1-megapixel APS-C size CMOS image sensor and the powerful new DIGIC 4 image processor, the Canon EOS Rebel T1i camera provides ISO speeds from ISO 100 up to ISO 3200 in whole stop increments, along with two additional high-speed ISO settings – H1: 6400 and H2: 12800.

The EOS Rebel T1i Digital SLR utilizes a precise nine-point Autofocus (AF) system and AF sensor for enhanced subject detection. The new EOS Rebel T1i DSLR provides a cross-type AF measurement at the center that is effective with all EF and EF-S lenses, while providing enhanced precision with lenses having maximum apertures of f/2.8 or faster. The cross-type AF measurement reads a wider variety of subject matter than conventional single-axis AF sensors and thus increases the new camera’s ability to autofocus quickly and accurately when shooting still images.

The EOS Rebel T1i camera is compatible with Canon’s complete line of over 60 Canon EF and EF-S lenses, to help provide an incredible variety of visual effects to both still and video imaging capture, including ultra-wide-angle and fish-eye to macro and super-telephoto. This includes all of Canon’s large-aperture EF L-series professional lenses.

HD and SD Video Capture
After the introduction of the EOS 5D Mark II in September 2008, the Company’s first HD video DSLR, Canon has integrated this must-have feature into the new entry-level flagship EOS Rebel T1i camera. 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. The video capture mode is part of the camera’s Live View function, using the Picture Style that has been set for Live View still image shooting. The camera allows skilled photographers and enthusiasts to adjust image sharpness, contrast, color saturation and white balance, and have those settings apply to the movie image as well. When recording video, the camera’s rear LCD screen is letter-boxed by a semi-transparent border to match the aspect ratio of the movie recording size.

Like the EOS 5D Mark II model, the EOS Rebel T1i camera will record video up to 4GB per clip equaling approximately 12 minutes of Full HD video, 18 minutes of 720p HD video, or 24 minutes of SD video depending on the level of detail in the scene.[i] Video clips are recorded in .MOV format using an MPEG-4 video compression and sound is recorded using linear PCM[ii] without compression. The camera features a built-in monaural microphone to record sound. To help show off those fantastic movies as well as still photos, the EOS Rebel T1i camera includes an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) output to display crisp, clear images on a High-Definition TV.

Live View Shooting
Much like the EOS 5D Mark II, the Canon EOS Rebel T1i camera features Live View for both still images as well as video. The Rebel T1i features the Company’s three Live View AF modes – Quick, Live and Face Detection Live mode – which can be used to capture still photos or video images. Quick mode automatically sets One-Shot AF using the camera’s phase detection AF system. It also allows users to select the AF point, even while the Live View image is displayed. Although the camera’s reflex mirror must be lowered briefly to take an AF measurement in Quick mode, it is the fastest way to set focus automatically when the Rebel T1i camera is set for Live View.

Live mode uses contrast-detection AF with the image sensor and here, as with Quick mode, users can change the location of the active AF point using the Multi-controller. Face Detection Live mode uses contrast AF to recognize human faces. When multiple faces are detected, the largest face closest to the center of the frame is targeted as the AF point. While Live View is engaged, users can still change settings including the AF mode (Quick, Live, Face Detection Live mode), drive mode, ISO speed, Picture style, White Balance and more.

Auto Lighting Optimizer
Canon’s Auto Lighting Optimizer technology helps ensure that the subject of each picture is clearly visible by analyzing image brightness and automatically adjusting dark areas in images so they appear brighter. This is ideal when shooting high-contrast situations that include harsh shadow areas, such as landscape images where the foreground is brightly lit and the background detail blanketed in dark shadow. In a scene such as this, the EOS Rebel T1i camera’s Auto Lighting Optimizer technology maintains exposure of the highlight areas while lightening shadow areas for a more enjoyable and evenly illuminated image. The EOS Rebel T1i also supports Peripheral Illumination Correction for up to 40 Canon EF and EF-S lenses.

Canon’s Creative Auto Mode
Canon’s “CA” Creative Full Auto setting available on the EOS Rebel T1i, EOS 50D and EOS 5D Mark II cameras allows users to make image adjustments such as exposure compensation, aperture or shutter speed through a simple navigation screen on the camera’s LCD screen, allowing them to “blur the background” or “lighten or darken the image” with ease. These easy-to-understand image options allow learning-photographers to experiment with image options while still shooting in an automatic mode.

EOS Integrated Cleaning System
With the introduction of the EOS Rebel T1i camera, the entire Canon EOS system is now 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.

Pricing and Availability
The Canon EOS Rebel T1i Digital SLR Camera is scheduled for delivery by early May and will be sold in a body-only configuration which includes a rechargeable battery pack and charger, USB and video cables, a neckstrap, an EOS Solutions Disk CD and a 1-year Canon U.S.A., Inc. limited warranty at an estimated retail price of $799.99[iii]. It will additionally be offered in a kit version with Canon’s EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens at an estimated retail price of $899.99[iv].

Canon Speedlite 270EX
The new Canon Speedlite 270EX, the successor to the 220EX Speedlite model, is a compact, lightweight external flash option for Canon cameras including select Canon PowerShot models. Ideal for use with the new EOS Rebel T1i, the new Speedlite 270EX uses only two AA batteries and enables bounce flash shooting with four position steps from 0 degrees to 90 degrees. Like Canon’s high-end Speedlite flash models, the 270EX allows users to control flash functions and input settings using the camera’s LCD monitor[v]. The flash also features a quick-lock mechanism and a metal mounting foot for secure and easy attachment and reliable contact.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), a top patent holder of technology, ranked third overall in the U.S. in 2008†, with global revenues of US $45 billion, is listed as number seven in the computer industry on Fortune Magazine's World’s Most Admired Companies 2008 list, and is on the 2008 BusinessWeek list of "Top 100 Brands." At Canon, we care because caring is essential to living together in harmony. Founded upon a corporate philosophy of Kyosei - - “all people, regardless of race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future” - - Canon U.S.A. supports a number of social, youth, educational and other programs, including environmental and recycling initiatives. Additional information about these programs can be found at About Canon: Corporate Philosophy (http://www.usa.canon.com/kyosei).

# # #

†Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.

All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks of their respective owners.

Prices are estimated retail prices. Actual selling prices are set by dealers and may vary.

HDMI, the HDMI logo and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC.

Prices, specifications and availability are subject to change without notice.

[i]According to Canon’s standard test methods.
[ii]A method of converting audio and other analog signals into digital data. It is recorded without any compression.
[iii] Prices are estimated retail prices and subject to change at any time. Actual prices are determined by individual dealers and may vary.
[iv] Prices are estimated retail prices and subject to change at any time. Actual prices are determined by individual dealers and may vary.
[v] When using the EOS-1Ds Mark III, EOS-1D Mark III, EOS 40D, EOS Rebel XSi, EOS Rebel XS, EOS Rebel T1i, PowerShot G9, PowerShot G10, PowerShot SX1 IS, PowerShot SX10 IS, PowerShot SX200 IS or PowerShot S5 IS.

According to the specs:

1080P at 20 frames per second.

I just don't understand???? What use is a non standard like that? Might serve to confuse consumers more ... at least make it 29.97 or 30fps ...

I had a feeling they were going to announce this around midnight and I was right.

According to the specs:

1080P at 20 frames per second.

I’m sure they meant to say either 24 or 30.

Nope, it's definitely 20. Straight from Canon itself:

Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i (http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=139&modelid=18385#ModelFeaturesAct)

I understand not offering a mic input and such as this is their lower line, but making a non-standard framerate for their video may just confuse their intended market.

It's not a typo. They really do mean 20fps. It's a photo camera designed by the photo division... either they did not consult with their video side, or they didn't have the horsepower for 24p (or 25p or 30p), or they felt it had to be less than the 5D Mk. II. Or maybe it's all of the above... I doubt anyone outside of Canon Inc. knows the real reason.

It's hard to believe Canon did that. Panasonic will be having a party if that’s really true. Anyway, the SX1 does 1920x1080 30p.

...making a non-standard framerate for their video may just confuse their intended market.I disagree. I don't think we're their intended market. Their intended market doesn't give a hoot about video frame rates... for years these folks have been happy with 15fps VGA video out of their little PowerShots. Seriously, this Rebel is going to sell very well with 1080 at 20fps... but very few people *here* will be buying it for that reason though.

Suicide? Really?

Canon Rebel T1i Hands-On: 50D's Sensor, 1080p Vids, $899 (!!) (http://i.gizmodo.com/5182772/canon-rebel-t1i-hands+on-50ds-sensor-1080p-vids-899-)

It does 720p at 30fps and it's $200 cheaper than the D90. Given it's based on 5dMkII tech, I'd presume the video has far less skew than the D90 as well. It would seem the camera just doesn't have the bandwidth to do 24fps in 1080, but I'm pretty sure most people buying a sub-$1k DSLR will be happy with 720p. Dunno why they can't add 720p/24p mode, though...

Still, the last thing I would call it is "suicide." At the very least it gives us hope that the 5d MkII can be firmware upgraded to 24p -- the encoding chip, etc. doesn't seem to be hardwired to 30p.

R

I disagree. I don't think we're their intended market. Their intended market doesn't give a hoot about video frame rates... for years these folks have been happy with 15fps VGA video out of their little PowerShots.

Sorry if my comment was confusing, but I was saying that it would be confusing for their intended market (which isn't us, but rather people who probably have no idea what framerates for video are aka the everyman). I would've thought doing 15fps or 30fps would make more sense for this market.

Fully agree with Ryan (and thanks for posting the Gizmodo hands-on link, you beat me to it).

There's gonna be an uproar among the filmmaker crowd over this, but it'll barely be a whimper relative to the size of this camera's customer base. Everybody out there will be overjoyed that it has an HD mode, and 99.97% of those folks aren't going to care about the 20fps frame rate. They'll be thrilled just to have the video mode.

720p30 definitely has some promise for our crowd, though!

I guess Panasonic will need to postpone the party since it’ll take away some of the momentum the G1 was starting to get. Competition is good and 20p may be awkward but at least it may cause Panasonic to price the GH1 a little bit better then they planned.

Anyone see what the bit rate is for 720 30p?

Well at least it has 720/30p but I'm alittle disappointed with the lack of articulating lcd and crippled 1080 . I guess this will keep the gh1 interest high . I bet Canon didn't decide these factors until the last few weeks . The lcd is a marketing mistake . And how much exposure control does video have ? That's the unanswered question ? This is possibly another area where the gh1 will shine . Another 5dmkll videoworkarounds will turn alot of people away.

No D-SLR, Canon or otherwise, has ever had an articulating LCD.

The lack of one on the Rebel T1i is not a "mistake" but a fully expected continuation of the established D-SLR design.

Meanwhile: http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/samples/eos500d/

No D-SLR, Canon or otherwise, has ever had an articulating LCD.

The lack of one on the Rebel T1i is not a "mistake" but a fully expected continuation of the established D-SLR design.

Actually, the Panasonic GH1 and Olympus E30 both have articulating LCD screens, and they're DSLRs, or in the GH1's case, an ILC (according to Panasonic, due to no mirror).

No D-SLR, Canon or otherwise, has ever had an articulating LCD.

The lack of one on the Rebel T1i is not a "mistake" but a fully expected continuation of the established D-SLR design.

Meanwhile: Canon EOS 500D - Sample Images & Movies (http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/samples/eos500d/)

Sony A300 & A350 both have an articulating LCD... now if Sony just put an EXMOR "R" and video capability in, we'd have us a horserace!

The 5D MkII gives us 1080p30. The Rebel T1i gives us 1080p20. I guess Europe needs to wait for the intermediate model to get 25 fps. (Would that be the T2.5Di Mk 1.5?) ;)

Chris was right when he said the 1080/20p mode is not made for people like us but I'm sure when those people who are not like us get to see their HD videos shot with this new camera, they would at least be wondering why all the hypes with this new technology called high definition videography.

In short, what kind of people would enjoy watching movies at 20 fps? Canon will know about this soon enogh.

Wacharapong

I guess Panasonic will need to postpone the party since it’ll take away some of the momentum the G1 was starting to get. Competition is good and 20p may be awkward but at least it may cause Panasonic to price the GH1 a little bit better then they planned.

I'd say the reverse -- it could give Pana a $1000 floor which allows them to go much higher given the GH1 offers 1080p24, 720p30, 720p60, plus a stereo mic jack, and an articulated LCD.

Of course, as Chris says "we" ain't the type who will buy the vast majority of DSLRs. The current Rebel is at Costco. The majority of Rebel buyers are looking for a cheap "real" DSLR. This is a sweet upgrade for these customers.

I doubt the GH1 is aimed at Costco and Ritz customers. So a new Rebel is most likely to have no effect on GH1 pricing.

PS: the Canon LiveView offers a simulation of dialed in EXPOSURE which I assume is ISO, Shutter-speed, and Aperture. If this can be enabled when shooting video, there is exposure control. Plus there is AF/AE lock. So were Costco to offer this at $750 it might be an OK camera -- a step above the SX1 and Sony.

Does the Rebel have a Power zoom?

I can't understand what Canon is doing with the video posibilities in the digital SLR cameras... They could win everybody else, but they keep crippling the cameras and totally ignoring the PAL/SECAM market.

Where are the european brand when we need them?? Philips?? AEG?? Siemens?? Telefunken?? Thomson?? Mullard???? ;-DD

Look how many pal/secam countries are in the world:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/PAL-NTSC-SECAM.svg

Does the Rebel have a Power zoom?Nope -- the Rebel uses only EF or EF-S lenses, and none of them have a motorized zoom.

when those people... get to see their HD videos shot with this new camera, they would at least be wondering why all the hype...I don't think that's a fair statement to make until we get a chance to look at some sample "1080p20" clips. The ones I've seen so far (at Gizmodo and Canon Inc.) are 720p30 and they look fine to me motion-wise. In the past I've had "480p15" video from a PowerShot and have been pleased just to have that video as opposed to not having any video at all.

I'm not saying 20fps is acceptable for us under any circumstance -- it isn't -- I'm proposing that the majority of folks out there who buy this thing will be happy to have 1080 video at any frame rate. For a significant percentage of them, this will be their first way to record 1080 video. A big chunk of the Rebel's market probably does not own an HD camcorder and has no plans to buy one.

Meanwhile, check out http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/T1I/T1IA.HTM

Now y'all know why I was so quick to put up a Panasonic GH1 forum: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/panasonic-lumix-gh1/

I wonder if the 1080-20fps mode is because 240-30fps would be too much of a beast to edit on the average users' PC?

That was the first thing I thought when I read the announcement "how's John Public going to cut this footage?" 720p will be less hardware intensive at least.


Anyway, somewhere.... the consumer camcorder market is crying softly in a corner with a bottle of pills in one hand and a razor in the other.

More video clips, hands-on evaluation, etc. from Rob Galbraith... Rob Galbraith DPI: HD video capture, 15MP sensor in Canon EOS Rebel T1i (http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=7-9973-9976)

chris said >>>No D-SLR, Canon or otherwise, has ever had an articulating LCD.<<<

excuse me but not correct so I stand by my "mistake" claim - actually I'll amplify and say it was stupid of canon to not help lead the market but posture as usual as a follower only giving what they can get away with w/o loosing their "market share" . The articulating lcd was fundamental for me to buy another canon so they probably won't get my money even though I own alot of c glass and would have preferred buying another canon camera . It's looking more like the gh1 is the camera to have in this class . We won't even talk about the lame 20p in 1080 mode . And you can't rationalize this as just another consumer compromise . All people buying this camera to use it in 1080 mode will obviously see its' faults at 20fps .Even consumers like smooth video ! And how more has canon crippled the cameras' exposure ?

dslrs' with articulating lcds' - and I'm willing to bet hard money we'll see an articulating lcd from nikon this year , and then , lagging behind as usual , canon will reluctantly add the art.lcd . And don't forget sonys' replacements for the a300 and 350 which will probably have video as well.

sony a300 , a350

olympus e-30 , e-620 , e-3 , e-300

Okay, strike that "or otherwise" claim... I'll settle for saying that no Canon or Nikon D-SLR has ever had an articulating LCD. That the Rebel T1i is no different in this regard is not a "mistake," it's an expectation.

Has anyone actually downloaded and looked at Rob Galbriath's 42nd St. 1080 clip? It's smooth enough for consumers, in my opinion. I don't think anyone here will ever consider it for professional applications, but I seriously doubt any consumer / soccer mom / first-time D-SLR buyer is going to complain about this video "not being smooth enough" for the casual home - vacation type of use for which this camera is obviously intended.

The point is why ? Why didn't they just make it 24p ? I don't buy a "horsepower" reason . The camera has digic4 . It's another Canon Marketing decision which limits the potentials . And further I predict that the coming 5dmkll firmware upgrade will be as likely as the second coming ! Not going to happen . Why ? Canons' marketing mentality . This camera(500d) is not for "soccer moms" . The Rebel has never been for them , it's for photographers who are budget conscious . Soccer moms buy p&s' . And budget conscious photographers still want real features not marketing ploys.

I really don't care about 1080 video if the camera is only $800.

Frankly %90 of consumers don't have a HDTV that can resolve the minute
differences between 720 and 1080 anyways.

I have a decent Sharp 32 and it's just too small to discern much difference.

Now the newest generation of HDTV coming out and raising the bar. I just saw
the new Samsung LED Luxia line and it's jaw dropping good and it's $3800 for
a 55".

in the end it's all just a bunch of numbers. What really matters is what your analog
eyes pull in.

PS: the Canon LiveView offers a simulation of dialed in EXPOSURE which I assume is ISO, Shutter-speed, and Aperture. If this can be enabled when shooting video, there is exposure control. Plus there is AF/AE lock.

well, on the 5DmkII in this mode there is technically 'exposure control' - meaning you can dial in a visual exposure level in exposure simulation mode and then lock it. The camera doesn't respect your actual settings though once you start recording - it adjusts the various settings using it's own algorithm in order to achieve the exposure look you set. The problem with this is it still may select inappropriate or inconsistent shutter & aperture settings even though the exposure looks right.

This is just the beginning of something that is probably much bigger than what the Sony VX-1000 created. This new Rebel may not be perfect, but the price is pretty outstanding. A couple years ago in the videography world 720P was the big thing because 1080 was only 60i. 24P worshipers will hail the GH1 (and Panasonic fan boys of the DVX/HVX line). But I'm waiting to see what happens with the firmware update on the 5DMKII, what Nikon has coming, when Sony decides to jump in and ultimately who is going to be the one to bite the bullet and put all of this stuff inside a camcorder form-factor and sell it to the videography/indie film-side.

Video innovation has been far too stagnant over the last five years - with ever so incremental innovations and very careful protection of product lines.

I hail Canon's photo division for blowing the whole thing up and I'm sure Canon's video division is really really pissed about it.

The perfect product has not yet emerged, but it's nice to have a lot of options. It's only going to get better.

Why ? Canons' marketing mentality . This camera(500d) is not for "soccer moms" . The Rebel has never been for them , it's for photographers who are budget conscious . Soccer moms buy p&s' . And budget conscious photographers still want real features not marketing ploys.

I'm afraid you are wrong, and I have proof... Canon actually has a magazine advertising campaign for the Rebel series of people shooting their kids playing soccer. This is EXACTLY the market for the Rebel. People who want a better camera and can afford it, but don't want "pro" features.

Canon's budget conscious line is the 10-20-30-40-50d series.

The decision making at Canon is odd.

I can understand them making this a 720p camera. They consider 24p (like the D90), but they've already snubbed 24p on the 5D MkII, so they choose 30p. They realize that they've hosed the PAL market again, so they technically snub the NTSC market too by using 30.0 fps, rather than 29.97 fps. Finally, they realize that "1080p" can gain sales, but don't want to step on the 5D MkII, so they choose 20p.

So again, they've dissed the PAL market, ignored the demand for 24p, and given their customers a reason to buy more Nikon lenses and adapters (due to auto mode).

There's one thing they did get right though - the codec. It will beat the pants off of the codec in the D90 at 720p. It might just be editable, and if not, Cineform is likely to provide a solution before long. However, if the GH1 codec and processing are good, that camera threatens to be the budget HDSL(r) of choice.

Dylan's right, of course... the Rebel series has always been targeted at consumers, even back in the Rebel G and Rebel X days, long before it ever went digital. The "soccer mom" is exactly who they're reaching out to in their marketing, see attached pic from the Winter 2007 EOS catalog...

These are the folks who will see nothing at all wrong with the T1i video clips on Rob Galbraith's site, linked above.

...if the GH1 codec and processing are good, that camera threatens to be the budget HDSL(r) of choice.That's why DV Info Net already has a LUMIX GH1 forum, but probably won't have a Rebel T1i forum.

The decision making at Canon is odd.

Jon, I wish to had as good manners as you. I will put it with more "coarse" words... ;-DDDDD

"Coarse words" would never fly on DV Info Net, and Jon knows that.

The typical internet experience is all about being personally insulted and flaunting your righteous indignation over perceived injustices such as this consumer D-SLR. However, this site is definitely *not* the typical internet experience. Hopefully that's why Jon and so many others choose to post here.

Well , Dylan but I beg to differ ! And I don't care what Canons own advertising campaign does as a market scheme . I live in a town where I see about 100 to 150 photographers a day , on the street taking photos . Men have dslrs' and woman have p&s' , period . About 10% of women taking photos have dslrs' . Now maybe Canon would like to grab that female soccermom market but my experience of seeing thousands of photographers a year taking photos , is that soccermoms buy p&s' and their husbands buy rebels , or d40s' or a300s' etc. Of course I'm making a generalization . I also see alot of women photographers who have real cameras and take real photos , but on the average that's the way I see it , on the street , in a tourist town. I also know alot of mexican photographers making a living shooting and on the most part they use rebels or d40/60s . Remember the world is a big place , and not everyone in every country can afford a 5dmkll .
And as an addition , cruising the video forums , it seems everyone , i.e. everyone is unhappy with this rebel upgrade .

cruising the video forums , it seems everyone , i.e. everyone is unhappy with this rebel upgrade .And yet, Canon will sell every last one it makes. The profuse outpouring of unbridled rage from the filmmaker crowd on the video forums isn't going to put the slightest dent in their camera sales. It hasn't affected the 5D Mk. II and it's not about to hamper the Rebel T1i. Apparently I'm not alone in this prediction, either. Check out Ron Risman's assessment of the T1i, I think he nails it perfectly:

http://www.cameratown.com/news/news.cfm?id=7406

No offense to GH1 fans but I'm not sure that the GH1 is the clear guaranteed winner here with the micro 4/3rds format and the $2000 price tag. It's got 24P and it's using a codec familiar to the video world but the 5DMII is also H.264 at a much higher bit-rate.

The Rebel T1 is competing with the D90 and is clearly for consumers who aren't going to care about auto exposure and lack of manual controls. Please also try to remember the $800 list price - pretty cheap for HD video and 15MP pictures. We'll have to see what kind of video mode goes into the more budget friendly professional photography line that is the 10-20-30-40-50D and more importantly what happens with the 5DMkII and the upcoming firmware update because the 5D has the FF sensor with amazing low-light ability and a great codec.

To me the sleeper pick is Nikon who has no video line to try and protect. It's probably why Nikon was so quick and happy to run out 24P at $1000 right out of the gate. They didn't realize what a marketing gimmick 24P has turned out to be.

In the end I'm just happy to get stunning 1080P footage with film-like DOF when I want it without dragging around a 12lb 4ft long film adapterred camcorder!

So Canon hear our complaints, but I for one will also remember to say thank you for what you've helped to start. And you can't forget to thank Red as well. The fanboys tried to tear Red apart but everything they create really shakes up the market and it's really good for everybody. Yeah for real innovation!

One thing this announcement has done is humble the filmmaker community.

What I mean by that is we, the filmmaking and video production community, believe we are the measuring stick, the milestone by which all products are measured. And we've been beating up Canon pretty badly since September. We've been DEMANDING changes to firmware and DEMANDING that design changes in future products acquiesce to our needs.

So Canon had a chance to humbly drink from our trough and present us with the solution to our demands.

And what did they say as we stood there, arms crossed, playing coy?

They said **** YOU! You are not our core business! You are not the driver of our products! You are a small fraction of our customers and we will not kowtow to your forum rants and wishes! We will support and defend our video products until no one buys them anymore. And then... maybe... we'll give you what you want.

Men have dslrs' and woman have p&s' , period . About 10% of women taking photos have dslrs'I guess all the moms with both low- and high-end DSLRs scurrying around our daughter's dance place, youth symphony, and the kid's or beer league sporting events around here didn't get that memo. San Miguel Allende is just one place in this big world, but Canon goes everywhere and I believe it is fair to say based on their longstanding success in the SLR market that Canon is pretty good at producing products that people will buy.

I just watched the sample videos. IF this is a fairly honest representation of what is coming out of the camera, I am amazed. I know of no consumer grade device that outputs such a lovely rendition of skin tones, and even prosumer camcorders frequently fail.

Robert, whereas I totally share your frustration, I am not certain we can blame Canon so strongly. The canibalizing power of these devices on their prosumer and low end pro-gear is immense for certain applications, as the 5d has shown. Cineform helps to overcome the codec issue, so after ingestion you are looking at pro-grade footage.

Canon decided to avoid canibalization. I can understand that. They have to earn for the millions of dollars spent on development over the years, both in video and photo departments.

In the SLR market it's pro features not only image quality that drives decisions, because the quality level is already so high. In filmic video it's a lot more complex. RED was used by pros even when it only had record start, stop, exposure and shutter control. People even film with the Canon 5D 2 and all it's limitations just to get DOF and stunning image-tonality.

Thomas

And as an addition , cruising the video forums , it seems everyone , i.e. everyone is unhappy with this rebel upgrade .

I'm not unhappy with it... I think it's pretty amazing that consumers will be able to get HD video of this level of quality out of their cameras for a price this low.

oh Pete , everyone knows that nothing normal happens in Houston , or at least every Texan knows this ! But seriously SMA is a great judge for these types of phenomenon because people come from everywhere , even Houston . Have you visited ? Actually SMA is "fished out " in terms of photography . We still have the santa fe workshops but most people visiting don't even scratch the surface of Mexico .

And I'm sure the video from the 500d will be acceptable to most , but those who want to set their own f-stops will be turned off , and will continue to wait for "the camera" , whether it comes from canon , nikon or sony .

The point is why ? Why didn't they just make it 24p ? I don't buy a "horsepower" reason . The camera has digic4 .

Interestingly, Canon's press release says:

Like the EOS 5D Mark II model, the EOS Rebel T1i camera will record video up to 4GB per clip equaling approximately 12 minutes of Full HD video

Which is odd, because that's almost exactly what they quote for the 5D Mark II (12 minutes for 4GB.) Assuming the numbers are correct, it suggests that the compression on the Rebel is at a higher bit rate than the 5D Mark II. Why do that? Why not use the same bit rate and let people record longer movies?

I have no idea...I'll leave that to the conspiracy theorists.

Well Dylan , visit prolost or dvx and see what they're saying . I'm sure the video will be nice but it will still be uncontrollable and that's what makes the difference . I'll wait for any dslr or evf camera that gives me the control I have on my camcorder regardless of the brand . We all know what the problem is . The technology is available and it's cheap . We see one piece of the technology on one camera , and we see another part of the puzzle on another , and so on . The problem is that the boys in their conference rooms plotting marketing strategies want to milk the buyers for as many generations as possible . Because the infinite advancement of the technology isn't going to continue advancing at the present rate , they strategically plot how many sales can they enhance with the slow trickle philosophy . We're all just hoping someone bucks the trend.

We've been DEMANDING changes to firmware and DEMANDING that design changes in future products acquiesce to our needs.It's unfortunate that the filmmaker crowd doesn't have the pull with Canon that the astronomer crowd does:

Canon EOS 20Da for the rest of us: Digital Photography Review (http://www.dpreview.com/news/0506/05060101canon20da.asp)

You'd think that if they'd cater to the astrophotography market, they'd be willing to bend a little for filmmakers? Just sayin'.

Well Dylan , visit prolost or dvx and see what they're saying .

LOL, no... why would i care what people on those sites think?

This isn't a pro filmmaking camera for cinematography, its a consumer still camera with a movie mode. To expect or demand manual controls or professional features from a camera at this level is unrealistic.

You'd think that if they'd cater to the astrophotography market, they'd be willing to bend a little for filmmakers? Just sayin'.Then again, Canon doesn't have a pro astronomy division to protect. ;)

LOL, no... why would i care what people on those sites think?

This isn't a pro filmmaking camera for cinematography, its a consumer still camera with a movie mode. To expect or demand manual controls or professional features from a camera at this level is unrealistic.

What frustrates me (and I think most others arguing that way) is that on the face of it some basic & useful extras seem entirely possible and voluntarily left out. Why not just 4 frames/sec more and even PAL land would be happy. Why not have exposure and shutter being locked to a setting if desired (costs nothing, because the setting is there it just gets overridden). Seems so little to ask for.

It looks like a deliberate choice to cripple the functionality.

I'm a huge Canon fan. Have been for a while now. But I find myself looking at the EX3, the HPX300, and the Scarlet a lot lately. The era of the XL is clearly over.
For all we know, Canon may show something at NAB or at least within the next few months.