The Revenge of No More Excuses
Monday, February 8, 2010 at 11:25AM 
Canon today announced the Rebel T2i, AKA the 550D. It’s an 18 megapixel entry-level DSLR for $800. It features all of the video modes of the Canon 7D and 1D Mark IV: 29.97, 23.976, and 25 fps at 1080p, along with 50 and 60 fps at 720p.
I haven’t seen any samples of the video yet, although I’m sure we’ll soon be buried by them. [UPDATE: Did I say soon? Here you go (also embedded below)—thanks Jay]
I’m sure we’ll also be treated to many loving comparisons of how image quality, noise, compression, etc., stand up to Canon’s other offerings.
I would not expect the Rebel to represent any progress on the HDSLR shortcomings of rolling shutter and aliasing/moiré.
Two years ago I called the Canon HV20 the no-more-excuses DV Rebel camera. It was an HD camcorder the size of a soda can that recorded 24p with limited manual control, for under $1,000. Filmmaker Ayz Waraich made a beautiful short film with it called White Red Panic.
Folks can spend a lot of energy writing about cameras and filmmaking, about how this or that forthcoming tool will be a “game changer” or revolutionize the blah blah blah. Ayz’s film reminded us (and I include myself in that “us”) that filmmaking beats bellyaching every time.
Then along came the HDSLRs, and speaking only for myself, I thought there was some important stuff to bellyache about. Some potential that could be realized if only a few niggling details were addressed. The year that followed the introduction of the 5D Mark II was equal parts frustration and reward, as Canon and others took pot-shots at the target, always missing, but sometimes in ways that produced useable cameras.
I marked the Canon 7D as the real arrival of HDSLR cinema. The price, the frame rates, and sensor size all made great sense, and video finally earned it’s own button, more or less. There are still big problems with it of course, but they can be worked around. I’d hate to be working around them with a paying client over my shoulder, but for my personal work, I don’t mind. And if I get really stuck, I do have an actual video camera lying around here somewhere.
It seemed to me that no sooner had the HV20 come out that it was rendered obsolete by subsequent models, and its priced dropped from affordable to ridiculous. We went from “no more excuses” to “seriously, what more do you want” in a matter of months.
With the Rebel, HDSLRs just hit that point. If you have any interest in what they can do, there’s now a camera that you can buy for less than the cost of a decent tripod.
In fact, depending on how it performs, the Rebel may just be the new sweet spot. In the same way that the 1D Mark IV’s $5,000 price tag accounts for a bunch of pro stills features that don’t net much for the filmmaker, the shortcomings that put the Rebel at half the 7D’s price are most likely all in the stills department as well. If video is your primry interest in a DSLR, the Rebel could well represent the most bang for the buck.
Although the MSRP for the body is $799, Amazon seems to want to cash in on early enthusiasm for this rig—their pre-order price is currently listed at $899.
UPDATE: Less than six hours later, Amazon has amended the pre-order price to $799.
I’ve created a Rebel Starter Kit page on the ProLost store for those looking to take the plunge on the cheap.
Reader Comments (117)
Me wants one...
but my T1i is too young to be replaced... will convince myself that waiting for 60D is the right option (the T1i body is too small, the bigger ones look more confortable to hold)
from the press release, as seen on dpreview, it seems like it does allow full manual control for video
and it also has a very nice "crop" video recording mode, which kills bokeh but should be virtually free of aliasing and moire... and is available only at 640x480 :(
http://www.dpreview.com/news/1002/10020806canoneos550d.asp
EOS Movies: Full HD video with creative control
As the ability to record Full HD video becomes increasingly important, Canon continues to deliver DSLR technology that sets the industry benchmark for multimedia functionality. The EOS 550D records video in full 1920x1080p HD resolution, allowing photographers to select the frame rate preferred from 30, 25 and 24fps, as well as offering 720p video at 60 and 50fps. The EOS 550D also includes a 3.5mm stereo microphone socket, enabling the use of an external microphone when capturing video.
Photographers can also take manual control over exposure settings, changing the depth of field and degree of motion blur to shoot more creatively. To provide the best possible video quality, highlight tone priority (HTP) can be set independently for movie capture, without changing any still image capture settings. In situations where the subject is further away, the EOS 550D Movie Crop function records with the central 640x480 pixel area of the sensor, creating an effective magnification of approximately seven times. The EOS 550D is the first in the EOS range to feature Movie Crop and gives consumers more flexibility to capture important moments which would otherwise be too far away.
is it just me or is the official canon japan demo video for the T2i/550D/kiss x4 creepy as all hell and more awkward than a high school play?
http://cweb.canon.jp/camera/eosd/eosmovie/index.html
[click though to kiss x4]
they really should have let you and vince create another nocturne-esque lowlight showcase, because it looks like that's what they were trying to achieve here, but with sparklers and creepy effing clowns.
also, considering it was made in japan, there are suspiciously few japanese people in the 'movie' .
all criticism aside, as a simple camera test, image/jello characteristics seem on par with the 7D. there is a small moment of hand held footage under the credits which shows a little wobble.
Wow.
I know it's awfully early, but my sense is that the video capability is not an exact clone of what the 7D has to offer. Not that it cannot make great video, but there just seems to be something in the imaging that is... different from the 7D.
But overall, yes — there really, REALLY are no more excuses.
@ John Thanks! Very good find, shared via twitter. impressive low light performance.
Good to know that this comes out in early March, right AFTER the Olympics-- I live in Vancouver and just realized a camera would be a very useful thing to have over the next couple of weeks :D
This is great news, especially if the camera's video mode is identical noisewise to the 7D, but the total cost of ownership isn't really half of the 7D's because you need a good collection of prime lenses (or at the very least some f/2.8 zooms) to get the nice shallow DOF and the light sensitivity out of it. I ended up spending around 1300 on lenses for my 7D (buying used lenses off of ebay) and I still want more. So while its a substantial price drop, your going to still need to spend around 2000 to make this camera sing. (Unless of course you already have a nice collection of canon primes laying around)
To Eugenia:
Actually, I think I agree with everything you said. (seeing as you made an exception for the 2 stand out vimeo videos)
To elaborate, it is true that the Rebel is the better camera to choose. It is right side up, it is much better in lowlight, it is compacter/sexier (better for steadicaming), it is native 35 and will have the qualities that go along with that, it has easy to conform slo mo, it can do 'cinemode' picture style -and- allows shutter control, and will have richer color/ image rendering. No attachment here, promise.
But as you noted (concerning certain videos), if the adapter is tops, the hv20 will crush the 7d/t1i in resolution accuracy. I would have upgraded in a heartbeat to the 7d if resolution had come close to the hv20. But its really just too soft. With the softness and artifacts, especially in slo mo, its just not good with resolution. And I really scrutinized the differences, I swear it.
If the adapter is poor quality, as in most cases it is (was with me for a long time), the t1i wins hands down, and will allow a lot more free and imaginative film making.
>if the adapter is tops, the hv20 will crush the 7d/t1i in resolution accuracy
No, it won't. That highly publicized article that Barry wrote about moire offering fake detail is not exactly right. Search for my reply at Stu's blog, at the article where he mentions Barry's conclusions.
Also, buying a $2k adapter in order to get that "top notch" image on an HV20, is way more expensive than buying a T2i and a good lens.
Stu,
I know a DOP (a Red user) who tells me that you could never shoot a feature on one of these cameras (7D, 1Dmk4 and 5Dmk2 included) because the footage wouldn't hold up on the big screen. Having worked on a number of big name features yourself, is this something you would agree with? Surely if all steps were taken to maintain a high quality image such as avoiding aliased shots, keeping the rolling shutter under control, using noise reduction, 10bit codecs and all the rest, a decent looking feature could still be shot on one of these?
Although I do remember seeing a movie called Gabriel in a cinema which was shot on a JVC HD100, and it looked horrible.
There was a popular movie last year, Crank 2, shot with the XH-A1, that also had about 5% of footage shot with the HF-10 AVCHD camcorders, so I don't see why you wouldn't be able to do the same with these dSLRs. The movie looked fine IMHO.
For a DoP's eyes might not be good enough, but for the general public I think it's the story that matters more.
Stu,
Is there a side by side comparison online somewhere of the T2 and it's bigger, more expensive Canon brothers?
Was that a cinema release? I can only find mention of the BluRay and DVD. He was specifically referring to how it will look on the big screen in a cinema.
>Glenn Thomas
Is 40 feet big enough for your Red using DOP friend? If so:
http://philipbloom.co.uk/2009/12/12/the-tale-of-lucasfilm-skywalker-ranch-red-tails-star-wars-and-canon-dslrs/
i've shot on feature on the d90, the lowest video quality camera of them all, and it actually looks spectacular blown up to 35mm on the big screen. not as sharp as real 35mm or high end hd but about as sharp as 16mm and without obvious artifacts. even though it's low quality it has less aliasing than the new canons, maybe that's his concern?
@James Wicks
Hi James!
Maybe this is useful:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=canon_eos7d%2Ccanon_eos550d%2Ccanon_eos5dmkii%2Ccanon_eos1dmkiv&show=all
btw i shot my feature in gran canaria, same as this test footage, same locations even but then again going to gc and not featuring the dunes of maspalomas is a crime. :-)
Best video so far:
http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/samples/eos550d/player_book_of_days/movie.html?high
Good find, Bob. That one's gonna seal some deals and sell some cameras.
Really nice to see the lens use at the end, too. I'm finding it harder and harder to justify the cost of the 7D (assuming you don't need its specific features) in lieu of getting the T2i and spending the extra money on good glass. I mean, why wouldn't you get the T2i, make some money with it, and then pick up a 7D after a few jobs?
Alicemagic, nice link, thanks. I'll pass that onto him.
Mattias, to be honest, apart from the more extreme rolling shutter and stair stepping, I've always preferred the look of D90 footage over most of the better work shot on the 7D, and even a lot of the 5d mk2 stuff.
Re data rates, I just found this on Photo Review (Australia) :
Resolution ¦ Frame rates ¦ Recording time* ¦ File size1920 x 1080 ¦ 30/25/24 fps ¦ 12 minutes ¦ 330MB/minute
1280 x 720 ¦ 60/50 fps ¦ 12 minutes ¦ 330MB/minute
640 x 480 ¦ 60/50 fps ¦ 24 minutes ¦ 165MB/minute
640 x 480 (crop) ¦ 60/50 fps ¦ 24 minutes ¦ 165MB/minute
*(on a 4GB card)
http://www.photoreview.com.au/Canon/reviews/digitalslr/first-look-canon-eos-550d.aspx
oh, and:
it certainly was the deal-maker for me.
Was planning on getting a 7d this weekend but my funds have been redirected to a 550d. The difference will go towards a Zoom H4n, a Glidetrack, a set of redheads...
Now if you'll excuse me, I have a shoot to plan!
To Eugenia - agreed. I built mine for 400, but that was a long time in learning, and the t1i is just so much better in about every way.
Second, I just noticed that it has 34 jpg per second capability. If this is the case, then you could do a cinema style shoot with that feature easy. (will you be able to choose the interval of jpg capture, 1/24 to be exact? anyone with a 7d on hand?) In any case, this will allow decent slow mo at higher resolution than 1080 24p.
Wow, this is great. Now, I can safely enter the video world with a camera that won't break the bank and get 18M pix AND use all my canon lenses. I started with the my first Canon Rebel xt a few years ago. I love video compared with hdslrs, but this just makes experimentation cheap and worthwhile. Now, I'll have to build a matte-box and rails for it. Cool! My clients won't know the difference and I can charge more for video services all in one compact package. Awesome again. I think that's worth the $800 right there.
its this kind of bang for buck that forces other manufacturers to get thier sh*t together.
I love you Canon ^_^
Oh no, looks like its only 3.9 fps jpg, up to 39 in a row :(
The spec sheet was written up poorly.
Amazing quality video, though moire is still visible in a few (arguably well-planned) shots even though the video is softened by compression and is at half the original resolution.
It would be so cool if Canon added an video-tuned OLPF that would slide in place over the sensor when the video mode is engaged and retract when you switch to shooting stills! Something that would work like those built-in ND filters most camcorders have. This would solve the poor video on a still-optimized camera problem, without requiring you to buy a different caprock filter for each lens you use.
Here is hoping that the next generation DSLRs will get it perfect! We're so close now!
For a good laugh, check out how closely the 480p video matches the detail of the 1080p video on the youtube clip.
Except for low bitrate on the motion, they are practically the same! (resolution wise)
yes, all the video samples I've seen so far either are low res or look like upscaled low res (lack of definition, bigger aliasing than 7D)
we'll have to wait for someone who knows what he/she is doing to upload some clips with proper handling, resolution and compression
The battery, is the same of T1i?
No, it uses a new Canon Li-Ion LP-E8 battery.
I think I would have enjoyed the film more if the concept had been "FUSE". Then all it would need would be a new ending.
So, I just bought a 7d and have one week to return it. I bought it for video, primarily. I'm wondering what the key differences are between the 7d and this new Rebel. If the max bitrate on the 7d is actually higher, then there's the big diff. If not, I can't see why I shouldn't save 1,000 bucks! Any thoughts?
Lenny
The data rates for T2i and 7D and 5D are the same.
330MB/min for 1920 × 1080
330MB/min for 1280 × 720
http://cweb.canon.jp/camera/eosd/eosmovie/comparison/index.html
Stu, don't take this the wrong way, but lately all your posts are a little bit focused on your Pro Lost Store, don't you think?
Oh c'mon.. This isn't a behind-a-paywall subscription site, but a blog and forum that runs off Stu's steam alone, and I'm yet to see a post of his that wasn't useful, helpful, funny and/or all three. If he chucks a link at the end of some posts I doubt he'll be retiring to Lake Como with the proceeds.
As for VDSLR images holding up on a big screen, I recently saw a test footage of a fairly high profile project shot with 5DmkII on a big screen and I couldn't believe how great it looked. I ordered 550D before I saw it, but it surely made me happier about DSLR videos.
Eugenia, your post on RED and your post here on adapters are really not very well informed. I've looked at your compression recommendations for Vimeo, and realised you simply lack professional expertise. Premiere Pro for H264!? Really? With single pass encoding? Did you even go to film school? I sound sharp, but people listen to you. They shoudl be aware that much of what you say is simply not good information.
We've done charts, we've done real world tests. We really wanted the DSLRs to do the job. So light! So cheap! No more insane insurance bills! But... The resolution of these DSLRs is really quite poor, only barely above 480p. Sometimes it doesn't show, but often it does, and the moire is a really serious problem, as is all the other forms of aliasing some of which are truly weird, like beard thickening. . Are these cams great film school and demo tools? Yes. Awesome. They are great for making that demo student film. I wish they existed when I was in film school. Are they professional tools? No, unless your output is SD-only, and even then, a stretch. Do DSLRS meet the standards of Discovery HD and the like? No. Do SOME pro camcorder + adapter combos? Yes. Will say an Ex1 + a very good adapter give you fully resolved 1080p? If well adjusted, yes, or very near that, with no moire whatsoever.
This is not personal opinion. This is fact.
Real pros working in the business for money on paid shoots are not stupid Eugenia. You have not discovered some awesome secret. There is a reason why far more expensive tools are still bought and rented by serious pros, and it's not that we are set in our ways - I mean Red is barely 3 years old and it is becoming an industry standard for many types of work. I loved it from day 1, despite many caveats early builds had, if it devalued my Arris film cams, so be it. Adapters are also quite new. When new tech is solid, we do adopt it very quickly. This goes for digital post, new lighting instruments, all of it. HDSLRs are simply not there yet. If/when they ever are, we WILL change our tune.
Robert,
I find your post to be rather arrogant to say the least. I don't know a thing about Eugenia, but I read her post on this blog where she compares a Canon HV20 combined with an adapter (likely to be in that price bracket) to a DSLR and I can follow her reasoning.
The combinations you suggest cost what ??? then times as much? Do you realize, being such a pro, that a HV20 is NOT an EX1? You refer to DSLRs being a good tool for a film school student and in my reading that is exactly her line.
I'm looking forward to your next Hollywood Blockbuster where I'm sure you're going to show us the ropes.
Regards,
Nick
I think I understand Robert's point to some extend. Sticking to the strict technical specification measured via resolution chart DSLRs are far from adequate. Moire is only a visible manifestation of lack of subsampling that is always present. I believe HV20's sensor has more resolving power to the point even a 35m adapter(a very good one) cannot make it worse than 7D or whatever.
However, I have to wonder sometimes, that if that matters that much. Despite what the spec says, the picture quality of DSLR videos shows me that it is possible to create professional work with it. It doesn't necessarily qualifies as professional tool, but I firmly believe that the resolving power alone wouldn't disqualifies it from anything either. I'm not saying the traditional evaluation method of camera gear is useless now, but I think we are seeing a new breed of cameras that cannot be validly judged by what we used to know and therefore the definition of 'professional' something should be constantly changing with the technology.
And besides, as I mentioned above, that I'm witnessing a major production is testing out DSLR in place of traditional film /video gears and they do know their charts and proper encoding methods.
Yes this is exciting...I love my Rebel T1i, it's so lightweight and I use it for set design and other things it never weighs you down. Things to consider...
It's all plastic and that may freak some out. I'm sure the T2i will be too although heavier. It does have metal lens mounts...I have heard the lenses can get stuck when trying to remove them, I haven't had that problem so far. The 50mm 1.8 lens is also all plastic. Buy a Hoodman eyepiece with bands for about $100 and you are ready to shoot...
Probably by summer, I will have traded my Ti in for the T2i.
So Stu, when are we going to see an SLR rebel's guide in stores?
No more books for me in the foreseeable future Shaun.
The T2i/550D manual is now on the Canon website:
http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/9/0300003169/01/eosrt2i-eos550d-im-en.pdf
more stuff here:
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=139&modelid=19943#DownloadDetailAct
Jason Reitman just noted in his interview over at Roger Ebert's site that he shot some scenes for UP IN THE AIR with a Canon DSLR. I'm now seeing some music videos and promos down here in Oz going that route too. These all might not "meet the standards of Discovery HD" (I guess this means Discovery HD will never rescreen any of those old David Attenborough shows from the 70's, as I doubt they match Red stanards either) but I suspect the filmmakers who happily use DSLR's regardless will still manage to sleep at night.
Thanks for that Tim, it seems that you set manual exposure in the menu. I believe you can do that with a button push on the 7D? Also, they suggest to use the eyepiece cup cover that comes attached to the strap when you are shooting photos and possibly movies through the LCD because the uncovered viewer can throw off the exposure.
Stu,
Let me guess. Principle remains largely the same, gears and technology change ever so fast for books to keep up anyway, so you supplement it with the blog. Is this the case? I hope so and not because you are not able to write another book, which would be very cool.
Or, perhaps an iPad app you are thinking? ;-)
WHOA! I was all set to order this puppy, but wait what's this about frame rates? According to BH specs this DOES not include all the frame rates of the 7D! you only get 1920x1080 @ 20fps, 1280 x 720 @ 30fps, 640x480 @ 30fps!