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Canon T1i or T2i?

E

EliteF50

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 28, 2009
197
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Okay, this is my last thread about cameras, promise. :) So I plan on buying the T2i (550D) tonight, but I just saw that the T1i is one sale for $598, while the T2i is $799. Is it worth getting the T2i? All I'm using the camera for is filming, photography isn't really too important to me for now.

Thanks!
 
EliteF50 said:
Okay, this is my last thread about cameras, promise. :) So I plan on buying the T2i (550D) tonight, but I just saw that the T1i is one sale for $598, while the T2i is $799. Is it worth getting the T2i? All I'm using the camera for is filming, photography isn't really too important to me for now.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Get a T2i. It's got better video modes, and the plus of 1080p at 30/24fps, and 720p at 60fps. Plus, it's got full manual controls, which the T1i lacks. The T1i at 1080p is only at 20fps I believe, and 720p at 30fps.

And I'd also look into the 60D, as it has an articulating screen, which is very useful for video.
 
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T2i would be worth it, even more so for what you'll be using it for.
 
Fiercetiger is correct, the T2i records 1080p HD at 30fps while the T1i only records 1080p HD at 20fps. On the T2i, recording 720p video at 60fps is absolutely stunning, and allows you a lot more flexibility in altering video playback speed while maintaining a usable frame rate (e.g. you can slow down video 2x and still be at 30fps). It also offers Movie Crop mode which uses the center-most 640x480 pixels of the image sensor for video, which trades video quality for 7.7x magnification. If you are going to be doing primarily video, I definitely recommend the T2i over the T1i.
 
For video definitely the t2i.

If you don't know much about DLSRs for video, I would strongly recommend reading up on the pros/cons before buying. What kind of budget will you have left for lenses, audio, viewfinder, support, etc.? If you can afford it, I'd recommend the 60D over the t2i simply for the articulating screen. Or are you tied to Canon for any particular reason? The Panasonic GH2 looks to be a solid choice too.

As for the earlier mention of the 720p 60fps mode, I'd recommend staying away from it as much as possible. The aliasing, moire, etc. are all much worse in that shooting mode. Unless you absolutely need slo-mo, I would avoid it.
 
To piggyback on this thread, is the 60D or the T2i a better camera for the money? I'm trying to get into the amateur photography and videography thing :p Is there any reason to spend more on the 60D? I'm inclined to buy the 60D, to get ahead of the curve a bit...
 
jotade11 said:
To piggyback on this thread, is the 60D or the T2i a better camera for the money? I'm trying to get into the amateur photography and videography thing :p Is there any reason to spend more on the 60D? I'm inclined to buy the 60D, to get ahead of the curve a bit...
Click to expand...

It really depends on what you want to do with the camera. I haven't used a t2i or 60D, but I own a 7D which is similar although geared more towards professional use. From what I've read, the 60D is marginally better than the t2i. It's up to you to decide whether those differences are worth it.

Here's a decent writeup I found comparing the 3:

http://thephoblographer.com/2010/08/27/which-one-should-i-buy-canon-60d-t2i-or-7d/


The best bet would probably be to steer more of your budget towards lenses. You can always upgrade your body down the line.
 
I've got a T1i and love it, but if video is important to you, get the T2i. If you are planning on mostly just stills, the T1i and the extra $200 towards some better glass may make more sense for you.
 
Thanks for all of the advice guys. You've been a tremendous help.

I just came back with the T2i actually, very happy with my purchase. :)
 
I own a 2Ti. I actually bought a T1I and refunded it after I found out that 2Ti has the same video recording capabilities as EOS 5 Mark2!

The quality is absolutely amazing, the frame rate is so high you can edit videos in slow-mo for an added effect.

Below is a video I filmed using T2i (sorry it's kinda boring) but put it full HD to see the quality you can expect (also on youtube you have many other examples). One downside is the weight, it's gets really heavy on the back if you travel with it :(


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT6AEb2UK34
 
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