I played with a Canon Rebel T1i last night. I did a little collection of clips with some Apple loops and called it "Creatures of the Night."

Video is here: Night creatures: Canon EOS Rebel T1i low light test on Vimeo (http://www.vimeo.com/4455603)

The camera is extraordinarily difficult to shoot video with, is unusable handheld, and has terrible audio. But the footage is nice.

This was shot with a 20mm/2.8 and a 100mm/2.0 in 720p30 mode, output from Final Cut in h.264 compression. No tripod; I used whatever was handy to brace against while shooting.

There's no way you can consistently get what you want on video with the T1i, but it's a poor man's alternative to the 5dMkii.

I have only shot a few frames of still pictures, but it looks terrrific so far as a still camera.

Have you worked with the 5D at all before. I'm wondering if you're able to get the same locked settings that the 5D does. Basically when using a manual lens you get the shutter set to 1/40th and then lock the exposure. Now the exposure compensation wheel only adjust ISO. Or you can get the camera at ISO100 and lock it and then the exposure compensation wheel will only adjust shutter. This makes getting kind of manual control possible out of the 5D. I was wondering how or if this worked at all on the Rebel T1i (500D)

Thanks

From what I can figure out, the Rebel won't lock settings at all in the video mode. You can plus or minus the exposure correction but that's about it.

It will lock if you press the ISO button. Then dial in a better exposure using the AV and jog wheel.

how does this camera t1i compare to the d90 by nikon? are you happy with this camera?

Have you worked with the 5D at all before. I'm wondering if you're able to get the same locked settings that the 5D does. Basically when using a manual lens you get the shutter set to 1/40th and then lock the exposure. Now the exposure compensation wheel only adjust ISO. Or you can get the camera at ISO100 and lock it and then the exposure compensation wheel will only adjust shutter. This makes getting kind of manual control possible out of the 5D. I was wondering how or if this worked at all on the Rebel T1i (500D)

Thanks
The exact same but the wheel adjusts both the shutter and ISO together. Once the shutter is locked it will adjust the ISO first than adjust the shutter as need be. If it is to bright it will adjust the shutter than the ISO as the ISO will probably be at 100 anyways.

how does this camera t1i compare to the d90 by nikon? are you happy with this camera?
I can not answer how it compares to the D90 but I do know the codec is much better. Also it is quite a camera for it's price. I was shocked at how nice the footage is compared to sub 3K camcorders. Definitely sharper as you use nice glass and the feel of the video is so different. Keep in mind I'm shooting 720P with it. My purpose in using the cam is for b-roll video only. Definitely not a cam to replace anything. Only one to add to the value to a production.

Monday

I can not answer how it compares to the D90 but I do know the codec is much better. Also it is quite a camera for it's price. I was shocked at how nice the footage is compared to sub 3K camcorders. Definitely sharper as you use nice glass and the feel of the video is so different. Keep in mind I'm shooting 720P with it. My purpose in using the cam is for b-roll video only. Definitely not a cam to replace anything. Only one to add to the value to a production.


TBH i'm just looking for a camera that can shoot video to hold me over until scarlets release. I've been wanting to invest in a good still cam and now seems like a great time to buy one.

TBH i'm just looking for a camera that can shoot video to hold me over until scarlets release. I've been wanting to invest in a good still cam and now seems like a great time to buy one.

Well depending on the type of video and understanding the limitations this can be a really sweet deal for you to hold off till scarlet.

It will lock if you press the ISO button. Then dial in a better exposure using the AV and jog wheel.


Hi Monday. My wife's 500D doesn't work like that. This is just an exposure compensation, you can't really control shutter, aperture or ISO by doing this. You just make the image darker or brighter but the camera decides what gets changed.

And the exposure lock doesn't hold if you adjust the zoom setting on the lens.

Richard

Hi Monday. My wife's 500D doesn't work like that. This is just an exposure compensation, you can't really control shutter, aperture or ISO by doing this. You just make the image darker or brighter but the camera decides what gets changed.

And the exposure lock doesn't hold if you adjust the zoom setting on the lens.

Richard

Hi Richard,

If you use a nikon lens you can control the aperture. Then the camera only controls the ISO and shutter. Then the dial will lower the ISO then shutter or vice versa if your outside. It is a exposure compensation as you state. If your lens is not the same F-stop it will reset the exposure lock upon zooming with the lens. For instance if your wife has the kit lens which is 3.5-5.6 the aperture changes when zooming in. The camera reads this and will compensate the exposure. It's the same thing with the 5D till you get the firmware update. If you use a 2.8 lens or a 4.0 lens through, then there is no aperture change and the exposure lock does not change. I use primes Nikon primes with the cam so the camera only controls the ISO and shutter. It's much easier controlling it that way. Another trick you can use is cover the front of the lens and watch the aperture open up as much as it can. Lock the exposure then turn the lens just a bit so the connectors disconnect. Then the lens is locked in aperture you have selected. Then the camera will only control the ISO and shutter and you have the desired aperture you prefer. Hope this helps. I basically have used the exact techniques the 5D crew has used and it works the same. The benefit for them is now they get manual controls first week in June. We just get a nice camera for under $800 for the body and get to live their nightmare for now.

Monday

Hi Monday, thanks for the clarification. Nikon lenses, OK I get it. :)

Richard

Hi Monday, thanks for the clarification. Nikon lenses, OK I get it. :)

Richard
No problem. I see how I can definitely confuse people with what I wrote. :/ You can also use canon lens you just have to disengage the the connectors slightly to maintain the aperture settings with the Canon lens.

I just got the T1i yesterday. I can "lock" SOMETHING (not quite sure what is really locked) with the ISO button and then with the AV and jog wheel adjust exposure compensation over a -2 stop to +2 stop range.

That helps some. But when I try turning the lens enough to disengage contacts I can' t tell if it leaves the aperture where it was last. I'm using an old 50mm f1.8 lens left over from the original EOS 650.

I guess I haven't had enough time to really play with it.

I have an EOS mount to Nikon lens adapter coming and am eying used 50mm f1.4 Nikkor S lenses from the Nikon F era. Has anyone tried this one on a T1i and can confirm the size of the lens barrel fits under the flip up flash?

Hey Bruce,
I'm using a Nikon 50mm 1.8 and the lens in small that it does not interfere with the pop up flash. When using a Canon lens the ISO locks the aperture, shutter, and ISO. If you can't control the aperture the camera is going to get frustrating to use. I was using a 135L 2.0 and it was not fun using that and auto settings. I would open up the lens by covering the fron with my hand. Once the aperture is at 2.0 I pressed the ISO button to lock everything. I disengaged the lens from the initial contact of the body you can hear when it disengages. Then your good to go. What ever aperture your working with prior to the disengage it will stay there I believe. I was renting the lens and always tried to keep it at 2.0 so I can not comment on the other values. Once the lens is disengage your only worrying about the shutter and ISO which I believe the camera does a better job selecting those values then selecting all three. Hope this helps.

Monday

Oh yes, Monday. It helps to know those things. I have a Nikon lens to EOS adapter on the way and a few minutes ago I found a Nikon 50mm f1.8 in the older series that looks very clean and it just got ordered. Less flare and distortion than the 1.4 and still has pretty selective DOF at 1.8.

I'm really hoping that Canon gives us a similar firmware update to what they did with the 5D MkII before too much longer. It will really be to their advantage to do so as competitors will jump in with more flexibility if they don't and will take this market away from them. They will also benefit more from lens sales if they give this to us.

Thanks for the information you put out here.

Stay in just enough trouble to have a little bit of fun.

'Nother question.

Has anybody tried one of these HD video DSLR's on something like the Spiderbrace? Does it get the LCD (with Hoodman Hoodloupe 3.0 or something similar) up to eye level?

Hey Bruce,
I haven't used it on a spiderbrace or any stabilizer yet. Just been shooting handheld. I have a question for you in regards to quality. I've used the camera on 3 events and 1 music video. I'm really satisfied with the cam quality when I can control lighting and things are paced. Did a music video where I was just amazed at the quality of video this camera puts out. But when using it on the events I'm not to happy partly due to not having time to setup the camera and shoot how I'd like. It's just me on my jobs. Have you had enough time with the cam to get a feel on quality? I'm not liking the plastic look to much when putting it up against the XHA1. It's very sharp depending on lens used but I'm really liking the look of the XHA1 the more and more i use the T1i. Thanks

Monday

No, I haven't had much time to do more than some real casual stuff in the living room or a couple of test shots outdoors. Initial impressions are very favorable but my current reference is only a pair of Canon HF100's which I use mostly in cine mode for the muted look and dyanamic range (cine does look "flat" so I set the cameras to "tweak" contrast, brightness, and sharpness giving me that somewhat muted look but with a bit of "snap" to it.

I need to do a short project where I put footage from both the HF100 and the T1i on the same timeline, render to an HD file and watch it on my TV.

Your partial dissatisfaction with the T1i at events may stem more from the lack of control you have over what you have to work with. The overall lighting you have to deal with will likely be different at each venue and you may have to settle for what you "get". You are probably the only one who even notices the things you are dissatisfied with, clients are likely very pleased.

I don't see the T1i as a primary video production camera yet, although if we eventually get the same kind of firmware upgrade the 5D MkII folks did that may be a lot different. I got mine for two purposes: One, to be able to do the occasional shallow DOF selective focus sequence in short narrative pieces done mainly with the HF100's and two, those occasions where I want to travel "light" but still be able to do either still or video without a bag full of gear.

So far indoor and outdoor footage with the kit lens and with the 50mm f1.8 Canon EF lens left over from film EOS's pleases me. The 50mm f1.8 Nikkor ordered is here but I'm still waiting on the adapter.

What lenses have you been using at the events?

I'll try to do some more extensive testing tomorrow and over the weekend so maybe I can have a more defined opinion on this camera to share. I'd do some tonight but I have a Defensive Handgun class for two ladies to finish teaching tonight.

Well, Monday:

I got both the Nikon lens (50mm f1.8 AI-s Nikkor) and an inexpensive adapter, problem is the Nikon lens fits so doggoned tight to the adapter (the groove on the Nikon end of the adapter is not deep enough to allow the AI "lugs" to move) that the aperture cannot be adjusted.

Looks like I have to order another. I pulled a dumb one and ordered a $7 and change Kawa, looks like I may have to go with something like the Bower at $39 or so.

Which adapter did you order?

Still haven't been able to do much more testing with the T1i yet. Got some important family stuff happening and it will be after the weekend before "affairs" clear up and I can do some semi serious "playing".

Rack focus in low light with the kit lens and the 50mm f1.8 Canon EF looks real good and I'm still getting the hang of attaching the Hoodloupe 3.0 (from Hoodman USA) with a 12" rubber band so I can focus and view during outdoor daylight. Looks like a ZoomH2 with Windcutter will get a serious workout also.

Bruce I got to run out the house but I have a spare adapter that fits. I'll let you have it for $8. I won't be back till 8pm to comment further but wanted to save you money.

Monday

Monday,

When convenient, let me know what I need to do to take you up on the generous offer. We also need to cover your mailing costs. I'll send you my regular main email and contact info by P.M.

I'm flexible, don't have a plane to catch.

Bruce Foreman

I don't see the T1i as a primary video production camera yet, although if we eventually get the same kind of firmware upgrade the 5D MkII folks did that may be a lot different. I got mine for two purposes: One, to be able to do the occasional shallow DOF selective focus sequence in short narrative pieces done mainly with the HF100's and two, those occasions where I want to travel "light" but still be able to do either still or video without a bag full of gear.

So far indoor and outdoor footage with the kit lens and with the 50mm f1.8 Canon EF lens left over from film EOS's pleases me. The 50mm f1.8 Nikkor ordered is here but I'm still waiting on the adapter.

What lenses have you been using at the events?

I'll try to do some more extensive testing tomorrow and over the weekend so maybe I can have a more defined opinion on this camera to share. I'd do some tonight but I have a Defensive Handgun class for two ladies to finish teaching tonight.
For the events when I using the camera I had a nikon 50mm 1.8 and a rented canon 135L 2.0 When I didn't feel in rush mode I was able to get footage that looked great. It was when I was just in rush mode where I was incapable of filming properly. Lots of user errors when I felt rushed. Like you I also purchased the T1i for b-roll footage which it works really well for. Over all a lot of bang for the buck out of the little cam. I'm impressed for the most part.

I can see what you are saying about "rush".

Same thing happens to me, but with consumer grade cameras like the HF100's I've been using, the automation often "saves" me when I screw up while being rushed. With the T1i even something as simple as focus which often gets taken for granted with the cams I've been used to using (manual focus on the HF 100 is by joystick on the end of the LCD panel and is a bear to hit the right point) requires more close and less rushed attention on the adjustment by focusing ring on the lens.

The initial testing I've done shows that even with the "kit" lens it takes a lot of attention to hit and maintain the right focus point. Another thing I've noticed is that in low light levels it is very easy to see "grain". Now, this would "harelip" some but doesn't bother me that much if I know I couldn't do anything about getting more light in there, the f1.8 will help a lot in some cases. But I can see where if you can take the time and setup to get that light where you need it, you'll be a lot happier with the image quality.

I think we do get a lot of "bang" for the buck in this little camera and I guess it is a little too much to hope that Canon might be working on OUR firmware upgrade.

The 50mm f1.8 EF lens I have left over from the original EOS 650's I had does a super job of getting great low light footage, but the lack of manual control in video mode is an awful handicap in other areas.

Like trying for shallow DOF for selective focus in well lit situations. Soft daylight, sunset scenes, in the shade, or in any situation where the 50mm (equivalent 80mm) would be perfect for a portrait perspective and if we could just use shallow DOF for selective focus this camera would be an excellent tool to supplement the high quality in video cameras we’ve become used to. But this camera in outdoor daylight will select medium to small apertures regardless of what we do. Exposure in video is entirely automatic in the T1i.

Until you use something like older Nikon lenses with an adapter. I finally got to run some tests using a 50mm f1.8 Nikkor AI-s mounted on the Canon T1i with a Nikon lens to Canon EOS mount adapter and WOW!

Manual control of aperture…The Canon cannot communicate with the lens and therefore cannot control aperture. So setting f1.8 on the lens (wide open) in outdoor shade got me just the kind of selective focus we’ve been wanting shallow DOF for.

Focus is also manual. I think a lot of folks are going to have to learn to focus all over again, felt good to me.

Using this camera in video mode outdoors is going to require some kind of “loupe” to exclude light from falling on the camera LCD screen. I used the Hoodloupe 3.0 from Hoodman USA fastened to the camera with a 12” heavy duty rubber band purchased in a pack at Office Depot. The Hoodloupe optical system is close to 1:1 giving no magnification but the playback magnification button on the camera gives 5x and then another press even more magnification, so for me magnification is not problematic.

Thought I’d pass this on. I’m going to find this camera very useful in two areas, selective focus as above in close up portrait style clips and for low light shooting with the Canon f1.8 50mm lens especially. The one weak point will remain audio; I used a ZoomH2 for stereo audio recording on first tests and had no trouble synching it with the mono audio track recorded by the camera (muting the original mono audio after synch with it was achieved by aligning waveform peaks in Pinnacle Studio 12).

'Nother question.

Has anybody tried one of these HD video DSLR's on something like the Spiderbrace? Does it get the LCD (with Hoodman Hoodloupe 3.0 or something similar) up to eye level?

We've tested my brother's T1i with my Cavision shoulder brace (Cavision Dual Handgrip Remote Control Shoulder Pad System for Sony Camcorders (http://www.cavision.com/rods/RC1580DSPE.htm)). I normally use it with my Sony FX1000. Worked perfectly for stabilizing the shots but of course the camera was too low compering to eye level. I just visited the website again and found their new kits for dSLR's: Cavision DSLR / 5D Mark II Packages (http://www.cavision.com/rods/dslrsets/dslrsets.htm).

Lukas,

I wound up ordering CAVISION's viewfinder with 6X eyepiece and the mounting kit for the 5D MkII and an extra "riser" to get the viewfinder up higher than the 5D MkII requires. They also advised that with the T1i I would be happier with the "swing away" adaptation.

They were correct, the viewfinder sits a tad high (the cam needs to come up a bit and they are working on either a shim or higher "riser") and the very bottom of the LCD with the data like battery indicator, shutter and f stop, etc. are mostly obscured. So it is fairly simple to loosen a comfortably sized wingnut thing and swing the viewfinder to the right then you can see the whole screen.

Function: WOW. Like looking in a huge, bright, viewfinder; T1i's LCD is detailed enough that the 6X magnification is great; most of the time there's no need to use the camera's 5x and 10x magnifcation. On the Spiderbrace II the eyepiece comes close enough to eye level I am able to use it with no strain.

It's not quick to put on or take off the viewfinder (takes me about 2 minutes) so when I carry the T1i for probable still work to keep things simple, portable, and easy to carry/handle I take the Hoodloupe 3.0 with the neck strap with me (great for checking stills) and if I have to I can work video with that. The Spiderbrace II is workable with the T1i with either the Hoodloupe 3.0 (held on with 12" rubber band) or with the CAVISION viewfinder kit, but it looks like your CAVISION shoulder brace has some adjustments, the Spiderbrace has none.