Canon EOS Rebel T1i 15.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD (Body Only): Customer Reviews & Product Details

This camera is WONDERFUL. It has amazing quality in both the still pictures and the HD video. My favorite feature is the low-light pictures. Most of my best pictures were taken when there was very little light - the camera picks up even the littlest of light!

Recommended! A lot of people recommend this type of DSLR for the beginner.
I think it is good.

I bought this camera as a replacement for my old XTi.
I am no professional but I shoot a lot, especially family, sports and children events. I usually do not rework the pictures much beyond sorting out the bad ones and some reframing and exposure correction, simply due to a lack of time. The XTi essentially satisfied my needs though access to some advanced features was not practical or just not available. I had a happy 40,000 pictures from it and it is still fully functional, to the point I am passing it on to my father whose one was stolen from him. The picture quality of the XTi was enough for my needs.
I also wanted to do stop motion which is not easy with the XTi for lack of a video feed.
So I bought a new T1i two months ago. After some playing around and testing as well as about 1000 pictures in real conditions, here are my thoughts:
* Access to the so called "advanced" features is much more intuitive than with the XTi, allowing for very easy usage of for instajnce first or second curtain sync on the flash, or complex exposure modes. I thought these were difficult to use with the XTi to the point I did not.
* Exposition metering is really excellent, thanks in good part to the capability to shoot with auto ISO and a very low noise in very high ISO (3200).
* The 15+ Mp sensor gives very nice picture details as long as you shoot with a boosted sharpness for the picture mode - this to correct IMHO overly soft pictures in the default settings. The results are visibly improved using my L 70/200 IS USM f4.0 which I must admit was a little overkill for the XTi.
* Capability to have a video feed and to take good 780p movies (@1080p the motion does tend to be jerky). Although this is a nice side capability that can come in handy in some cases, I would not buy this camera just for the capability especially considering the price of HD camcorders these days. For me it mostly means that I can use the camera for the video feed and shoot full resolution stop motion movies.
* The LCD is gorgeous - not a necessity buit a pretty nice icing on the cake.

A quick note on full resolution stop motion movies: It is worth trying with just the 1080p resolution if you want to play them on a decently powered compute for full frame movies @24fps will not play well. In practice I just capture the video feed and avoid using the shutter to spare the camera, but it is nice to know you can if you want to.

I am overall extremely satisfied with this camera as a main camera for what I do most; I tend to shoot a lot of pictures in kids parties and my rejection ratio has dropped significantly compared with my previous camera, using the same lens and external flash.
On my particular concern with stop motion, the T1i appears not necessarily best suited for the level of quality I am aiming for: it delivers way more that what is necessary for a hobbyist and would be best suited for professional work. It delivers, mind you, but it is clearly overkill.

The Canon EOS Rebel T1i/500D/Kiss X3 is the third EOS to offer HD video capture, and utilizes the DIGIC 4 processor. One of the advantages of the camera is if one uses a 600mm or less lens with a maximum aperture of f4 or less, there is no vignetting like previous ASP-C imaging devices.

The camera is suited to photographers eager to enter dSLR photography, but the T1i will be rather disappointing for videographers eager to break into dSLR HD capture; the T1i is not an affordable 7D alternative, but it could be if Canon releases a firmware update that allows for full aperture and shutter speed control and a 1080p/24fps mode. Also, if using the T1i for digital filmmaking, use a flash recorder like the Marantz PMD 661 to capture audio (which uses the same sd/sdhc cards as the T1i) as the camera does not have a mic input like other EOS dSLRs. Marantz PMD661 Portable SD Recorder

Image stabilization is a good feature to have, but it is best suited on a better lens due to the chromatic aberration and low light noise inherent to the 18-55mm 3.5-5.6 kit lens.

Pros: - great pictures, even on AUTO
- kit lens is great for starting out!
- not as big or heavy as prosumer cameras
- awesome camera for those new to photography
- can be used to practice with auto mode/creative auto mode if you are new to SLRs and are more used to point-and-shoots
- VERY affordable! i got the kit for 724 with the 55-250mm lens (from another retailer of course) and for the money, this camera CANNOT be beat (sorry D5000)
- same image sensor as the one in the more expensive prosumer Canon 50D

Cons: - ef-s lens may rack up in your collection and can only be used by aps- cameras such as the rebel series, 50D, etc. (may not be a con, newer models probably will be backward compatible)
- rebel t1i logo looks a little cheesy on the camera
- the kit lens is rather limited once you get more into photography (average in low light settings, low shutter speed, cheap plasticy feel, etc.)
- can only use fast SDHC cards to record movies

As you can see, these cons are not even REALLY cons if you don't care for things like ergonomics, aesthetics, and video-recording (I don't really care either, but this is a CONS section, had to find something lol)

This is an AMAZING camera! It is my second DSLR ever owned and I have not regretted anything. It has changed my perspective on picture-taking and catapulted me into the ever expansive world of photography and I can never go back to using point-and-shoot cameras (canon sd1000 and canon sx200 were my loves...).

The first cameras I have used is a Nikon D40 and Nikon D3000 from photography classes and they were great starters, but the T1i still outperforms either of them. My first camera is a used Rebel XTi that I also love, but the color body, scratches, and just overall feel have become just too dated for me. I had rented a Canon 50D from a local shop and while it may or may not be slightly better than the T1i, the size of the thing is too big and bulky compared. Plus, the difference in price can buy another zoom or prime lens with your T1i!

Speaking of which, after playing with the 18-55 kit lets and familiarizing yourself, try out a prime lens. I highly recommend the 50mm 1.8 (~$90) or the 50mm 1.4 (~$300). You will be shocked to see what this camera can do with such lightning-fast lenses! I have a 50mm 1.4 mounted and have not put the 18-55 back on ever since my purchase back in early November