T2i Surprise

About 2 months ago, I was in need of more serious video than my Nikon D90 could deliver. I wanted 1080HD and the ability to plug in an external mic, and the D90 doesn't offer either of these.

After much research, I picked up a Canon Rebel T2i and a few lenses from my local camera shop. Reviews had been good, so I was hoping the T2i would serve my video needs well.

I was in for a BIG surprise.

The T2i is a VERY capable video camera. Basically, it does everything its big brother, the Canon 7D, does. Even the 5D MkII doesn't have all the video goodness of the Rebel T2i.

The video out of the T2i is just soooo nice. There is simply no comparison between it and my Canon HF200 HD video camcorder. And while many have said the sound quality isn't great, I'm finding it to be more than adequate for most things.

I’ve added a Rode Shotgun Mic and a set of Sony Lavalier Mics to my arsenal, and I’m very impressed with the sound quality I’m getting out of the T2i. A lot of VSLR users are buying a portable digital recorder like the Zoom H4N 4 Track Recorder, and I was prepared to go this route myself. So far though, I haven’t seen the need for it. I may end up getting an H4N or something similar once I move forward with some up-coming video projects, but for now, the T2i is doing all I need.

So far I’m using the Rode Shotgun Mic almost 100% of the time. It works great with the T2i, and the sound quality is excellent. I will be using the lavaliers more as my upcoming video projects require, but I am very impressed with the Rode.

Overall, the T2i is a fantastic VSLR. The video quality is first rate, simply unbelievable when you consider how cheap the T2i is to purchase. With the T2i and a few fast primes, you can have a Hollywood quality set-up for less than $2,000.00… simply unheard of even a year ago.

The other pleasant surprise with the T2i is how much I’m enjoying it as a stills camera. I wasn’t planning on using it for stills at all, as my Nikon D700 and Nikon D90 are my main cameras for stills. Funnily enough though, I find I pick up the T2i for photos quite a bit. It’s just so light and compact and a real pleasure to shoot with.

The T2i image quality is excellent. Combined with Lightroom 3, the files out of my T2i are stunning. My favourite combo is the T2i and the Canon 50mm f1.8. Together, these two make for a KILLER combination.

All in all, the T2i has been a VERY nice surprise. I’m more than happy with my T2i for video, and I’ve been surprised at how much I like it for stills. I would have to say that the T2i is one of the best cameras Canon has ever made, and certainly the best value Canon has ever had when it comes to DSLR’s.

Stay tuned for more on my T2i adventures…