So this is very exciting. I recently posted a blog article about shooting video on a canon 5D markII vs a sony EX1, and was comparing the two in what I do which is mainly documentary and corporate videos. The two cameras are two completely different machins and sometimes i wished i had another body like a markII or even a 7D next to my EX1... But my use would not justify such an expense. And that's when the T2i comes in (called 550D outside the US).
If you were putting money aside to buy a 7D for its video capilities you may want to wait a little more.
The new canon T2i will get all the 7D video capabilities for half the price, around $799 (body only).
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Externally, the Canon T2i looks very much like its predecessor, being almost identical in overall size but with softer, more gently rounded shoulders. Under the skin, the Canon T2i brings a few features from Canon's prosumer EOS 7D model into a Rebel-class body, creating a baby brother to the 7D. Sporting an 18-megapixel sensor similar to the 7D, the Canon Rebel T2i doesn't shoot quite as fast as its big brother, but its frame rate is slightly increased over the T1i, from 3.4 to 3.7 frames per second despite the resolution increase. A new 3:2 ratio LCD also changes the dimensions of the new camera, which now has 1.04 million dots of resolution. Card compatibility on the Canon T2i includes SD, SDHD, and SDXC, and a new Eye-fi status screen improves user awareness of these special wireless SD cards. The Canon T2i's ISO ranges from 100 to 6,400, with a special high ISO option of 12,800. Movie mode also has expanded ability, covering 1080p recording at 24, 25, and 30 fps, rather than the T1i's more limited 20 fps. Manual video exposure is also available, as is an external mic input jack.
Headline features
18 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
DIGIC 4 processor with ISO 100-6400 (Expansion to 12800)
Continuous shooting at 3.7fps
Full HD movie recording with manual control and selectable frame rates
7.7cm (3.0”) 3:2 Clear View LCD with 1,040k dots
iFCL metering System with 63-zone Dual-layer Metering Sensor
Quick Control screen to change shooting settings
Exposure compensation +/-5 stops (although viewfinder scale is still +/-2 stops)
Hi Albert, No idea when the camera will be released, they said end of 2010 but they are usually delays... I would also consider what the other brands are baking ;-) Cheers
Thanks for information!
Any idea on when will this be officially released? I'm now having the hots for this new Panasonic camcorder. I hope this will be available on some camcorder rentals. Idaho Falls is where I usually rent camcorders and stuff and I'm looking forward to see this on their shelves once it gets released so I can try it out. It seems to be a great camcorder for independent filmmakers.