Design - Excellent

The Canon Eos 500D (A.K.A Rebel T1i) looks like an additional unassuming DSLR in the exterior, but we discovered a couple of treasures on the interior that will be uncovered later on in this evaluation. But for now, we'll concentrate on the Eos 500D's chassis, which felt lighter than anticipated, given the camera's dimension. Excess weight was by no means an issue for us, and we had been shocked at how light it felt within our fingers in contrast to neighboring DSLRs. Consequently, the Eos 500D's all-plastic chassis felt a tad inexpensive, as though the built-in flash hinge was going to snap off at any given moment. We're not dealing with a prodigious camera physique right here, but the Eos 500D will certainly require a good dimension digital camera bag.

If little is your bag, the Olympus E-450 is simply what the doctor ordered, as it's the "World's Smallest DSLR." Nevertheless, the E-450 does not have the opportunity to shoot 1920x1080 Full High definition video such as the Canon Eos 500D. After a long quest all through the boondocks of Alabama and muggy Houston countryside, the Eos 500D was a comfy digital camera to shoot with, especially due to its textured grip within the front and rear and ergonomically chiseled shutter button groove.

As part with the offer, Canon threw in an 18 - 55mm wide-angle lens complete with Auto Focus and Image Stabilization so we had been able to snap away correct out of the box. We such as the undeniable fact that Canon offers the Eos 500D as a kit instead than just a physique, but the Pentax K2000 ships with two separate lenses, (an 18 - 55mm wide-angle along with a 50 - 200mm telephoto) and retails for $200 much less. The K2000 does not record Hd video clip, nevertheless, so we'll call it a draw. Needless to say, the Eos 500D's package lens was not the burliest of builds with its plastic flange mount and lightweight style, however it got the job done as lengthy we did not hammer on it. We liked the AF/MF and Stabilizer switches located conveniently on the side of the lens, but since they had been positioned so closely collectively, we seldom inadvertently engaged one or the other.

The Canon Eos 500D's optical viewfinder showcased a removable rubberized eyecup, but we could have used a bit more protruding rubber to be able to adequately shield our eye from the relentless rays of a vengeful Alabama sun. The camera also had a proprietary hot shoe to fit Canon flashes along with other equipment, and we especially dug the three-inch LCD. The Canon Eos 500D delivered having a substantial quality neck strap with a rubberized liner, so tourists will be on cloud 9 once they dangle this factor about their necks en route to the Statue of Liberty's freshly exposed crown. Port enclosures resided around the flimsy side of lifestyle, and also the SD/SDHC card slot exhibited a substantial amount of flex when bent back again by way of a minuscule amount of pressure. We nearly ripped the plastic HDMI/AV/Remote port cover right out of the Eos 500D's chassis, so go easy on that sucker. All in all, the Canon Eos 500D is definitely an architecturally sound digital camera.

Interface - Very good

Exterior controls were impressive, and the Canon Eos 500D was chock filled with helpful dials and buttons that came to our help in multiple shooting environments. We liked the On/Off change embedded within the fully stocked Mode dial because we could just seize the camera and flick it on in an immediate. The ISO button was a nice touch as well, permitting us to access speed without having to delve into the menu system. The Canon Eos 500D had an unconventional Control dial, which was mounted vertically rather of horizontally, and we really preferred this orientation. Thumb-mounted dials are prone to an accidental flicking every now after which, since they're located right under the busiest digit on 1 hand. We liked the ability to leap off the saddle and toil using the vertical Manage dial when necessary. We weren't as well jazzed concerning the Zoom buttons and would have liked a dial in its place.

The Canon Eos 500D's regular four-way directional pad functioned just like every other steering wheel of its caliber and the smattering of extra buttons and controls provided the majority of the manage we required. We like how Canon isolated the Menu and Display button along the very best of the three-inch LCD, so that they did not pollute the realm with the sophisticated image controls. Speaking of the three-inch LCD, we cherished the big show, particularly when Live View was engaged. Even though Reside View sucked up a significant amount of battery juice, using the Eos 500D's Manual Concentrate was an amazing experience since the screen's 920,000-pixel resolution was crisp and brilliant. What an excellent LCD by Canon! Now if only they could allow it to be a swivel style, the Eos 500D's monitor would be the cat's meow. We liked the light meter, which was accessible in Guide mode in the optical viewfinder panel and located within the command display.

Regardless of what shooting mode we occurred to become in, the Eos 500D's command display looked the same, given a couple of tweaks based on the individual mode settings. For example, in Program AE mode we had been able to see and adjust ISO, Publicity Compensation, Color, White Balance, Metering, High quality and a few other manage parameters. The Eos 500D's menu program showcased superior graphics and fast performance. It's easy to get bogged down from the plethora of choices on any DSLR, but Canon organizes them inside a way that tends to make them easy to locate and engage. We couldn't think how fast we had been able to rifle via menu options. It was like lighting on espresso. In Playback mode, images were accompanied by extremely in-depth information, including ISO, colour area and an intricate histogram. We had been in a position to use the vertical Control dial to swiftly cycle in between images and it was like viewing a stop motion animation film, due to the hasty speed with the operation. We're not surprised though, for Canon always excels when it comes to the interface.

Features - Very good

All the hubbub and hoopla surrounding the Canon Eos 500D is funneled right down to its capability to document 1080p high-definition video, in addition to 720p. While nearly all customer camcorders document 1080i High definition video clip, the Eos 500D rolls with true progressive High definition seize, although it's only limited to twenty frames per 2nd. The 720p recording mode shoots at a maximum thirty frames per 2nd, that is more of a regular for internet playback. Progressive is superior to interlaced video simply because each body is recorded as an entire picture, rather than a series of staggered lines that morph together every other frame. The Eos 500D's low frame price gilded many of our check clips with a nostalgic cinematic quality, though movement sometimes was choppy. We also skilled a substantial wavy effect during playback, and by the finish of our screening it had been obvious that Canon had just a little work to complete on their next Eos 500D incarnation. The kicker was the low light efficiency, which fell flat on its face. Video looked adequately illuminated by way of Live See, but when we watched clips on our High definition monitor, it was like viewing a sea of nauseating darkness fighting for lifestyle.

The camera's 1080p video mode performed optimally in vibrant light with minimum movement, and we'll give that to Canon. Outdoors, the Eos 500D's static video clips looked beautiful, so if Canon poured a bit more love into the development of the subsequent era sensor and processing, the land of consumer High definition camcorders will probably be shaken with fury. We had been surprised in the Eos 500D's lack of image control in video clip mode, as it functioned much more like an Auto mode at all times. We could manually shift the Auto Focus box, which was a great feature once we desired to hone in on a particular portion of the frame, but we would choose a camcorder such as the Canon Vixia HF S100 or Sony HDR-XR520V to the Eos 500D any day. Imagine attempting to shoot video having a DLSR, or head to B&H for a check drive and you'll see what we mean.

Around the other side with the fence, the Canon Eos 500D never sold us short on still image features, as we basked in the luxury of the full manual suite such as Plan AE, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Manual mode. But Canon tossed a little more gasoline into the fire using the addition of CA (Creative Automobile) mode and A-DEP (Automatic Depth-of-field AE). Creative Automobile mode bridged the gap between Automobile mode and Plan AE mode, providing a simplified command screen that consisted two sliders that specialized in Focus and Exposure. We could also swap colour modes and flash settings, all controlled via the vertical Manage dial. For beginners looking for the next step up from Automobile mode, CA mode is a great option. Automatic Depth-of-field AE was a great mode to shoot in when we needed the Eos 500D to call the shots within the aperture department. The digital camera actually set the aperture automatically based on the depth of field, focusing subjects within the foreground and background evenly.

The Canon Eos 500D's Auto White Stability was spot on in most shooting environments, but we struggled in low light. There had been a bunch of presets and a considerably accurate Guide White Balance mode. We had been in a position to adjust the White Stability based on a particular picture in Playback mode, which was a plus. The Eos 500D's ISO range was an extraordinary 100 to 3200, which provided a lot of ground in reduced light. Canon implemented a set of Picture Style modes that altered the sharpness, contrast and saturation of our images, though the Eos 500D did not offer any picture effects or filters such as the Pentax K2000. Regardless, we were impressed with the level of control delivered from the Canon Eos 500D.