Press Release: Canon Rebel T2i Digital SLR
The Family Camera is Back, Introducing the EOS Rebel T2i Featuring a Large 18-Megapixel
CMOS Sensor and Full HD Video Recording with Selectable Frame Rates up to 30 fps
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., February 8, 2010 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today introduced the new flagship model for the Company’s highly popular Rebel DSLR line: the Canon EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR camera. Today’s photo enthusiast is looking for a camera that will grow with them as they learn, and that is a perfect description of the new EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR camera. Retaining all of the traditional characteristics that have made the EOS Rebel series beloved by entry-level photographers and an industry best-seller, the new Rebel T2i succeeds in bridging the gap between an entry-level camera and a true pro-sumer camera.
The Rebel T2i Digital SLR camera includes a variety of new features for photographic assignments as varied as grabbing that action shot from the sidelines or creating memorable family portraits, including: 3.7 fps shooting, an ISO range of 100-6400 (expandable to 12,800), a 63-zone Dual Layer Metering System, and Canon’s DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor. There are some moments in our lives where video helps capture the moment better than a still image, and the Rebel T2i offers the best of both worlds with Full HD 1080p video as well as 18-megapixel still images. The Rebel T2i DSLR continues Canon’s industry-leading trend in Full HD DSLR video capture with manual exposure control, selectable frame rates and a new external microphone input. There is also a new feature for standard definition recording, Movie Crop, which provides an approximate 7x additional zoom with no loss of image quality when shooting SD quality video.
“There is no question that HD video is the biggest trend in DSLR technology and because of this we are seeing the creativity of still photographers transferring to the moving image. Still photographers are using the various lenses and accessories they are already familiar with to create amazing video footage,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. “Taking that HD video quality and putting it in the hands of entry-level photographers with cameras like our new EOS Rebel T2i, we are seeing a new generation of creative digital artists emerge.”
Lights, Rebel, Action – EOS HD Video
Canon’s EOS HD video capture has helped spark a major movement in digital imaging, empowering still photographers with the ability to experiment, learn and capture stunning high-definition video through a variety of creative lenses. Continuing this imaging revolution, the new EOS Rebel T2i puts entry-level photographers on the frontline equipped with all the latest EOS HD video features including full HD video at 1920×1080 resolution, selectable frame rates, full manual exposure control and the visual options of interchangeable lenses. Manual video exposure control provides novice filmmakers with the image control they are accustomed to in a still camera, all while shooting professional-level cinematic video. Professional photographers utilize creative lighting, adjustable depth-of-field and a variety of lenses to create powerful still images and video footage, and these are exactly the tools that the new Rebel T2i gives to budding photo and video enthusiasts. Adding a new professional-level feature for EOS cameras, the Rebel T2i includes an Auto ISO function that works in all Creative Zone exposure modes including Manual where users can set a limit to the highest ISO the camera will use, enabling them to retain the lighting and look they desire for a scene. By setting an Auto ISO range, videographers can retain dark shadow areas and avoid blowing out highlight areas in a scene while still retaining the benefit of automatic ISO adjustments. The Rebel T2i DSLR captures video in both NTSC (National Television System Committee) and PAL (Phase Altering Line) standards at selectable frame rates including Full HD 1920 x 1080 at 30 (29.97), 25 or 24 (23.976) fps, and HD 1280 x 720 or Standard Definition 640 x 480 quality video, at 60 (59.94) or 50 fps.
For easier video recording operation and familiar functionality for beginners, the Rebel T2i’s autofocus can be operated before or during video recording by pressing the shutter button half-way down in video mode. Another feature debuting in the Rebel T2i is Canon’s new Movie Crop mode, where the user can achieve 7x magnification when shooting SD video for a significantly increased “telephoto” effect. Unlike the digital zoom feature found in many compact digital cameras, Canon’s new Movie Crop mode actually crops the image directly from the CMOS sensor at full SD resolution to preserve maximum image quality and provide additional zoom power. The new Movie Crop feature is especially helpful for achieving extra full resolution zoom power when filming youth sports, such as a child running to the furthest end of a field. For better sound quality when shooting video, the Rebel T2i DSLR includes an external stereo microphone jack, a first for an EOS Rebel model, in addition to its built-in monaural microphone. These audio and video features supplement a tremendous range of additional must-have video features in an entry-level Digital SLR camera.
For enhanced viewing pleasure and easy video sharing at home, the HDMI video-out capability of the Rebel T2i DSLR includes a new Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) compatibility which allows users to play back still or video files on a CEC-compliant HDTV, using the TV remote to control the camera when connected via HDMI interface.
Camera Feature Set
The EOS Rebel T2i DSLR features a newly developed 18-million-pixel Canon CMOS imaging sensor providing outstanding resolution and light sensitivity for amazing poster-sized prints with fine detail and stunning color. The camera exhibits exceptional low-noise performance incorporating many of the same technologies used to reduce noise in professional cameras such as the EOS 7D. The Rebel T2i camera’s basic ISO range is an amazing 100~6400, and via a Custom Function, it can be extended to ISO 12,800. The outstanding ISO range combined with its noise reduction technology allows the Rebel T2i to capture outstanding low-light pictures at events such as candlelit birthday celebrations or recitals where flash photography may be prohibited.
The camera provides 3.7 fps continuous shooting for still photos, making it the fastest shooting Rebel model to date and enabling users to capture that great image of a little leaguer’s first swing. The camera features Canon’s proprietary iFCL 63-zone dual-layer metering system offering intelligent Evaluative metering with much finer segmentation than any previous EOS Rebel model. The new Rebel T2i also has an expanded ± 5 EV exposure compensation range allowing for much more versatility when shooting in extremely bright or dark environments; or when shooting HDR (high dynamic range) images.
The Rebel T2i DSLR includes a number of professional-level user-selectable Canon image processing features to enhance the image quality of in-camera JPEG files, and to tag RAW images for processing later through Canon’s Digital Photo Professional software (included with the camera). These features include Canon’s Auto Lighting Optimizer to enhance shadow detail and add contrast to “flat” scenes, Highlight Tone Priority adding up to one stop of detail in bright highlight areas, Peripheral Illumination Correction for automatic correction of vignetting, High ISO Noise Reduction with four user-selectable settings, and Long Exposure Noise Reduction applied to exposures one second or longer. These Canon image enhancements provide new photographers with professional quality automatic image correction on JPEG files right out of the camera.
The EOS Rebel T2i digital camera includes a new enhanced 3-inch LCD monitor featuring 1.04 million dots with a wide 3:2 aspect ratio, wider than previous EOS models. The Rebel T2i camera’s LCD monitor can display a full-screen video image utilizing the entire screen during playback. For maximum storage capacity the new EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR camera is the first EOS model to support SDXC memory cards. With all the new and exciting features of the EOS Rebel T2i, the Rebel series continues to provide great Canon features such as Live View, a built-in pop-up flash, and the EOS integrated cleaning system, as well as compatibility with Canon EX-series Speedlites and Canon EF and EF-S lenses allowing users to fully explore multiple creative photographic possibilities. The new EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR camera is also compatible with Canon’s new BG-E8 battery grip and new RC-6 wireless remote control for both still images and video capture.
Pricing and Availability
The Canon EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR camera is scheduled to be delivered to U.S. dealers in early March, and will be sold in a body-only configuration at an estimated retail price of $799.99. It will also be offered in a kit version with Canon’s EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens at an estimated retail price of $899.99.
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 fourth overall in the U.S. in 2009†, with global revenues of US $35 billion, is listed as number four in the computer industry on Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies 2009 list, and is on the 2009 BusinessWeek list of “100 Best Global Brands.” Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. 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 www.usa.canon.com/kyosei.
Welcome to Rebel Filmmaker
Howdy from Texas and welcome to Rebel Filmmaker. This is a sister site to DV Info Net and its purpose is to provide an online technical and creative resource for all subjects relating to the Canon EOS REbel T2i (or the EOS 550D, as it’s known in Europe). It has a strong emphasis on affordable and inexpensive solutions to recording HD video with the EOS Rebel T2i / EOS 550D, but also offers extensive information about video editing, encoding video for web delivery, and other similar topics.
Thanks for checking us out!
Canon VIXIA HF11 Comparison Video
Tuesday August 5th, the day we went to shoot some HF11 and HV30 video at Auditorium Shores on Riverside Drive in Austin, Texas, was the day that Hurricane Edouard made landfall on the Texas coastline and rapidly moved inward through the state. Needless to say, we were doomed with thoroughly overcast skies, and a light rain started to fall just before we wrapped. We came away with some usable video which served our purposes, but it’s definitely *not* what you would call beautiful footage. It was the middle of the day with a white and gray sky; hardly any color anywhere… the exact opposite of Golden Hour, if there can be such a thing.
Austin Meyers shot the sequences with the HF11 and HV30 camcorders sharing a tripod, which greatly facilitated the ease and speed with which he worked, with the constant threat of an impending torrential downpour hanging over our heads. With the camcorders in close proximity to each other mounted on the same tripod, Austin was able to match camera settings and change frame rates and data rates very quickly.
The sequence involved shooting identical clips with the HV30 recording HDV format video at 60i, 30p and 24p frame rates, with corresponding frame rates on the HF11, which recorded AVCHD format video. Also, the HF11 recorded the same scenes in the new MXP mode at 24 megabits per second, as well as the previously established FXP mode at 17 megabits per second. Both of these bit rates record Full HD video at 1920 x 1080. We also shot a little bit using the HF11’s lesser bit rates, which record anamorphic HD at 1440 x 1080 (as does the HV30 in the HDV format), at twelve, seven and five megabits per second.
The real question at stake is: what difference does the increase in bit rate make, not only between 24Mbps and 17Mbps at Full HD, but the lesser bit rates in 1440 anamorphic as well. The idea here is for you to make your own judgement, by downloading and examining these video clips for yourself. Is the difference dramatic, or is it negligible? Can you detect any visual difference between the MXP and FXP recording modes, or the difference between 1920 square pixels and 1440 anamorphic? You can make a much better analysis by viewing them in full motion on an HDTV instead of a computer monitor.
Video: Fountain Fun at Auditorium Shores in Austin
We’ll start with a great codec test: water. Here’s a public fountain near Auditorium Shores in Austin, Texas. We sampled all bit rates of the HF11 as well as 25Mbps HDV from the HV30, at each of the three frame rates (60i, 30p and 24p). Right now we’re still in the process of uploading individual QuickTime .MOV files for each setup, but in the meantime we have a disc image of the entire video sequence from both camcorders available for download now. All of these clips were shot in Tv (shutter priority) mode with a shutter value of 1/100th sec. Exposure and focus were automatic, and the Cloudy setting was used for white balance, as the sky was completely overcast.
Download the HF11 disc image: http://www.dvinfo.net/media/canon/hf11/
Notes on downloading the HF11 disc image: Included in the HF11_DMG folderis a split .dmg disc image file with par2 recovery files. Here’s what to do. First, download all files that end in .00x.
Next, download some or all of the .par2 files (if all the above files download correctly you will only need to download one par2 file to verify) or if you’re feeling lucky, you can bypass the par process entirely.
For Mac OS X folks, make sure you have these programs (they’re free):
MacPAR Deluxe, at http://www.xs4all.nl/~gp/MacPAR_deLuxe/
http://www.xs4all.nl/~loekjehe/Split&Concat/
Then simply open .par2 file with MacPAR Deluxe and it will check and recover all the files and then automatically pass them into Split and Concat, which spit out a .DMG disc image file that you can mount.
For PC folks, similar apps are required that can handle Par2 files as well as an application that can handle split files using .00x extensions (if the par2 app doesn’t). We’ll get some community feedback on this and will revise these notes as soon as possible.
Video: Bit Rate Comparisons, Zooming Sprinkler
Since we’ve just shot a fountain, why not maintain a semi-aquarian vibe. For this motion study, we used an ordinary lawn sprinkler to get the motion of the water spray within the frame, and zooming in to get motion of the frame. Each clip goes from roughly just past the focal length midpoint on into full telephoto. The zoom lever was triggered manually, with the zoom speed preset on position number two. The goal is to test the quality of the video compression at each bit rate with movement in the frame and movement of the frame.
These sprinkler zooms were shot in Tv mode at 1/100th sec. with auto exposure settling at or around f/4.8. Instant auto focus was used. These are 60i clips, recorded in all five bit rates: MXP, FXP, XP+, SP and LP.
1. Sprinkler Zoom in 60i at MXP (24Mbps)
2. Sprinkler Zoom in 60i at FXP (17Mbps)
3. Sprinkler Zoom in 60i at XP+ (12Mbps)
Note the strange file extension of “.m2tx” on each clip. This is a purposefully bogus file extension designed to prevent attempts to open it and play it directly from our server. To view these clips, you’ll need to download them first to your computer. Be sure to re-name the file extension from .m2tx to .m2ts or .mts and open them in any media player that supports these extensions. These video clips are best viewed on an HDTV.
(coming soon: sprinkler zooms in 30p at MXP, FXP, XP+, SP, LP)
(coming soon: sprinkler zooms in 24p at MXP, FXP, XP+, SP, LP)
Video: Bit Rate Comparisons, Panning Sprinkler
Next, we continue on with our watery theme. This is the obviously same sprinkler setup as above, with about the same amount of water pressure going through it, and the HF11 camcorder at approximately the same distance. This time we’re panning from side to side. It’s not intended to give you motion sickness; it’s just another way of testing the robustness of the compression used at each bit rate. If you’re watching these on a large HDTV (and hopefully you are), then you’re advised to sit down, lest you might reach for the Dramamine tablets.
These sprinkler pans were shot in Tv mode at 1/500th sec. with auto exposure hovering around f/4.0. Normal auto focus was used. These are 60i clips, recorded in all five bit rates: MXP, FXP, XP+, SP and LP.
1. Sprinkler Pan in 60i at MXP (24Mbps)
2. Sprinkler Pan in 60i at FXP (17Mbps)
3. Sprinkler Pan in 60i at XP+ (12Mbps)
And once again, note that every clip has the strange file extension of “.m2tx” and this is intentional. This is a purposefully bogus file extension designed to prevent attempts to open it and play it directly from our server. To view these clips, you’ll need to download them first to your computer. Be sure to re-name the file extension from .m2tx to .m2ts or .mts and open them in any media player that supports these extensions. These video clips are best viewed on an HDTV.
(coming soon: sprinkler pans in 30p at MXP, FXP, XP+, SP, LP)
(coming soon: sprinkler pans in 24p at MXP, FXP, XP+, SP, LP)
Stills: HF11 and the DSC Labs ChromaDuMonde Chart
I have the 24Mbps video versions of these images, but they’re about twentyfive megabytes apiece and each one is only a few seconds long. However, these still frames should work fine for analyzing color accuracy with a vectorscope, because they were processed in the video colorspace. In other words, these aren’t photographs that were taken in photo camera mode, which are processed differently than video — these really are frame grabs from video, acquired using the Still Image Recording function in the camera’s video recording mode. Click the link to open a full-size 1920 x 1080 image. They were shot in the “P” Program Autoexposure mode, which the camera established at f/4.0 and 1/150th sec. The white balance settings used were Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy and Manual. The images are about one megabyte each.
1. DSC Labs ChromaDuMonde, Auto WB
2. DSC Labs ChromaDuMonde, Daylight WB
3. DSC Labs ChromaDuMonde, Shade WB
Canon VIXIA HF11 Overview
On July 22nd 2008, Canon Inc. announced two new consumer HD camcorders for the Japanese market. One of these — the VIXIA HG21 — was an expected move. It’s a timely update of Canon’s HG10, originally released about a year ago. However, the other new camcorder, the VIXIA HF11, comes as a bit of a surprise to some people. After all, its predecessor, the VIXIA HF10, has been on the market for only a few short months. An examination of the history of Canon’s camcorder lineage reveals that their product revs for consumer HD camcorders happen at a much lower frequency… usually about every 18 months or so. Their standard definition DV price leaders, known as the ZR Series camcorders, are renewed like clockwork at the same time of year, every year: when CES, the Consumer Electronics Show rolls around each January, the Canon ZR camcorder line is changed up slightly. It’s a predictable yearly occurrence that’s so regular you could mark the press release date on a calendar months in advance.
So it’s a kind of rare, and maybe a little odd, when a top-of-the-line, premium electronics product such as Canon’s HF10 suddenly gets updated only three months out of the gate. The HF10 began shipping late in April, and news of the HF11 now arrives barely 90 days later. When the HF11 becomes available in September, only five months will have passed between the two. What’s going on? The answer is pretty simple… the HF11 is an *addition* to the VIXIA HD product line. It doesn’t actually replace the HF10. It balances out Canon’s flash memory camcorder family:
| Standard Definition | High Definition | |||||
| FS100 | SDHC card only | $400 | HF100 | SDHC card only | $900 | |
| FS10 | SDHC card + 8GB | $500 | HF10 | SDHC card + 16GB | $1100 | |
| FS11 | SDHC card + 16GB | $600 | HF11 | SDHC card + 32GB | $1200 | |
Like the HF10, the HF11 is a dual-memory camcorder. It can record High Definition video, as well as still photos, to your choice of two types of recording media in the camera. One choice is a removeable memory card, and the other choice is internal flash memory permanently built into the camcorder (16 gigabytes in the HF10 and 32 gigabytes in the HF11). The internal flash memory enables you to start shooting right out of the box; you won’t need to insert a memory card. The internal flash memory is ample enough to give you a couple of hours of recording time at the best video quality settings, and even more recording time if you’re willing to trade away a little image quality to get it. Utilize both recording options by adding an SDHC memory card, and you won’t have to trade away anything. When the internal flash memory fills up, you can bypass it and go on recording to a removeable flash memory card.
So, why bother with dual-memory at all? Isn’t the card-only camcorder just as good? The VIXIA HF100 is indeed the same camcorder, without the internal flash memory — it has only an SDHC card slot. It costs less than the HF10 or HF11, and the difference in price can buy several high-capacity SDHC cards, providing plenty of recording time. So where is the advantage in the dual-memory concept? It’s in the ability to share images. If your family and friends have digital still cameras that use SD or SDHC memory cards, you can copy photos back and forth between the internal flash memory and the removeable card, while HD video clips can be copied from a card to the internal memory. This is handy if you happen to be naturally gregarious; it’s a great way to immediately swap images between friends, instead of having to remember to do it by email later on. And while it’s easy enough just to carry a few extra cards, some folks prefer not to have to keep track of where those cards are or what’s on them or which ones are already filled. With a dual-memory camcorder, just one SDHC card plus the internal flash can be more than enough recording time (see table below). At least there’s a choice here; either a dual-memory camcorder for those who feel they need it, or a card-only camcorder for those who are happy just to change out cards.
| Canon VIXIA HF Series Recording Times | ||||||
| Model | Capacity | MXP 24Mbps 1920 |
FXP 17Mbps 1920 |
XP+ 12Mbps 1440 |
SP 7Mbps 1440 |
LP 5Mbps 1440 |
| HF100 | 4GB SDHC card only | - | 0:30 | 0:45 | 1:10 | 1:30 |
| 8GB SDHC card only | - | 1:00 | 1:25 | 2:20 | 3:00 | |
| 16GB SDHC card only | - | 2:05 | 2:50 | 4:45 | 6:05 | |
| 32GB SDHC card only | - | 4:10 | 5:45 | 9:35 | 12:15 | |
| MXP | FXP | XP+ | SP | LP | ||
| HF10 | no SDHC +16GB | - | 2:05 | 2:50 | 4:45 | 6:05 |
| 8GB SDHC +16GB | - | 3:05 | 4:15 | 7:05 | 9:05 | |
| 16GB SDHC +16GB | - | 4:10 | 5:45 | 9:35 | 12:15 | |
| 32GB SDHC +16GB | - | 6:15 | 8:35 | 14:20 | 18:20 | |
| MXP | FXP | XP+ | SP | LP | ||
| HF11 | no SDHC +32GB | 2:55 | 4:10 | 5:45 | 9:35 | 12:15 |
| 8GB SDHC +32GB | 3:35 | 4:50 | 6:25 | 10:15 | 12:55 | |
| 16GB SDHC +32GB | 4:20 | 6:15 | 8:35 | 14:20 | 18:20 | |
| 32GB SDHC +32GB | 5:50 | 8:20 | 11:30 | 19:10 | 24:30 | |
| Recording time format is hours : minutes. | ||||||
Except for the HF100, the times presented in the table above are the sum total recording times of both recording media added together. When available time runs out on one memory format, it does not automatically begin recording to the other. There’s a Memory Manager menu in the camcorder to control how the memory types are used.
There’s a broader range of available SDHC cards now compared to earlier this year when the HF100 and HF10 were first announced, and card prices have dropped dramatically. Regular SD cards aren’t fast enough to write High Definition video in these camcorders; the card type must be SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity). Be sure to choose a Class 4 or Class 6 card. Class 6 cards are faster, but Class 4 is sufficient for HD recording at all quality / data rates. The video format recorded by these camcorders is AVCHD (Advanced Video Codec, High Definition), and we’ll get into its details here shortly.
Up to this point I haven’t really mentioned anything in particular about the new HF11. It’s pretty much identical to the HF10, with two important exceptions. First, the amount of internal flash memory is 32 gigabytes (compared to 16 gigabytes built into the HF10). Second, and much more interesting, is that unlike the HF10 and HF100 that came before it, the HF11 has the capability of shooting video at the maximum data rate called for in the AVCHD format specification, which is 24 megabits per second (the HF10 and HF100 max out at 17 megabits per second). The big question is: how does AVCHD video shot at 24mbps compare to AVCHD video shot at 17mbps, and to HDV at 25mbps. We’ll examine that now, since we just spent the last couple of days test-driving the new HF11 in and around Austin, Texas.