Canon Announces Rebel T3 and Rebel T3i cameras
Canon T3i replaces the Canon T2i, one of the more popular dSLRs for underwater photography
Canon has recently announced several new cameras. Four new Powershot cameras, two new telephoto lenses and 2 new speedlights. But what may be of particular interest to underwater photographers is the announcement of 2 new SLR’s in their Rebel lineup.
Canon's Two New dSLRs
First is the EOS Rebel T3, an entry level dSLR with 12 megapixel resolution and HD video capture. Perhaps more likely to be a consideration for the underwater shooter is the new EOS Rebel T3i, which offers an 18 megapixel CMOS sensor, a 3” Vari-Angle LCD screen, and full HD video capture at 1920x1080 resolution. Video can be taken with any of three selectable frame rates, 24p, 25p or 30p. Full details can be obtained in the press release below.
How Does the Rebel T3i Compare to the Older Rebel T2i/550D?
The Rebel T3i replaces the T2i/550D. So what improvements are readily seen between the two? Unfortunately not much.
Both have the following:
-18 megapixel CMOS sensors
-3” LCD monitor
-9 point auto focusing
-63 zone metering
-3.7fps continuous shooting speed
-ISO 100-6400
-Full HD video at 1920x1080 resolution at the same 3 variable frame rates
So What is New?
The Canon Rebel T3i still does not have continuous auto focus in video mode, a much needed upgrade. The only main difference seems to be an enhanced Auto mode and the Vari-Angle LCD screen, which allows shooting low angle or overhead shots by adjusting the screen angle. However, this does not have much use with the camera in a housing. So does the new T3i warrant an upgrade from the older version? Unless actual field-testing shows any marked improvements in image quality, it hardly seems so.
Canon Press Release-
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., February 7, 2011 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today announced the EOS Rebel T3i and EOS Rebel T3 Digital SLR Cameras, providing numerous intelligent high-end features at attractive price points. Complementing the award-winning EOS Rebel T2i DSLR, the EOS Rebel T3i, Canon's new flagship Rebel, offers fun and easy-to-use features for beginning photographers, and the EOS Rebel T3 provides a more attractively priced option for those looking to experience the pleasure of shooting with a DSLR camera. For the young enthusiast learning photography or the adult looking to learn more, Canon's new Feature Guide instruction will walk Rebel T3i users through functions and provide recommendations for various settings, a great hands-on learning tool. Point-and-Shoot users looking to step-up to a DSLR will enjoy the T3i camera's Scene Intelligent Auto mode, the most intuitive automatic camera mode available in a Canon Rebel camera to date, providing complete scene analysis and optimized settings. One of the most sought-after and requested features for a DSLR camera is now part of the new EOS Rebel T3i, Canon's three-inch Vari-Angle Clear View LCD screen, ideal for properly composing those difficult overhead shots. Comfortable, lightweight and affordable, Canon's new EOS Rebel T3 is a great camera to welcome users to the world of DSLR photography.
"Everyone today is a photographer, and for those looking to capture stunning images and do more with photography, Canon has introduced the EOS Rebel T3i and T3, offering the right balance of high-end features and easy-to-use guidance at a great price. So regardless of experience level or budget, there is a Canon Rebel camera suited to a user's needs and lifestyle," stated Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies and Communications Group, Canon U.S.A.
Boasting Canon's EOS HD video capture, 18-megapixel resolution, a three-inch Vari-Angle Clear View LCD screen, new Scene Intelligent Auto, new Video Snapshot technology and new Feature Guide instruction, the EOS Rebel T3i DSLR has plenty of reasons for Mom and Dad to step up to a DSLR. Canon's new EOS Rebel T3 DSLR camera offers users a small, lightweight interchangeable lens camera with fun options. The Rebel T3 features HD movie capture, 12-megapixel resolution and Canon's new informative Feature Guide, to help educate and instruct users as they capture great images, along with the inherent speed and low-light image quality of a Canon DSLR camera. Both new Rebel models are compatible with Canon's complete line of more than 60 Canon EF and EF-S lenses.
New EOS Feature Guide
Canon has also included a new EOS Feature Guide on both new Rebel cameras with an enhanced Quick Settings Screen that now includes detailed descriptions of camera settings. The EOS Feature Guide is designed to help first-time users and beginning enthusiasts better understand each camera setting with descriptions and guided recommendations for when to utilize certain settings. Along with an explanation of camera settings and modes, the Feature Guide includes easy-to-understand directions of how to use particular settings such as aperture adjustment in Canon's Creative Auto mode:
Screenshot of EOS Feature Guide for aperture adjustment in Creative Auto Mode.
Screenshot of EOS Feature Guide for aperture adjustment in Creative Auto Mode.
Basic + Function
Canon helps beginners get more creative with photography by letting even the most entry-level novice make camera adjustments with easy to understand setting options. In automatic shooting modes such as Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Action and Night Scene, Canon users can access a quick menu screen to make adjustments as per the scene's ambience. When shooting in one of Canon's "Basic Zones" users can make adjustments as per the scene's lighting or scene type. An easy-to-read menu lets you select an ambience setting from Vivid, Soft, Warm, Intense, Cool, Brighter, Darker to Monochrome, while a Lighting setting allows users to select from Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten light, Fluorescent light or Sunset.
Screenshot example of Canon's ambience setting adjustment while shooting in the Portrait mode.
Screenshot example of Canon's ambience setting adjustment while shooting in the Portrait mode.
Rebel T3i Digital SLR Camera
An A+ for Automatic Mode Automatic
Canon aims to make everyone a better photographer and has enhanced the capabilities of the Rebel T3i's automatic mode with new Scene Intelligent Auto technology, re-branding the green mode dial setting with a boxed "A+" design. This new camera setting now takes Picture Style into account as part of the camera's "Auto" setting. By analyzing faces, colors, brightness, movement, and contrast, the camera will dynamically adjust picture-style parameters to match the subject and control vividness. Previously, the automatic setting on a Rebel DSLR adjusted exposure, focus, white balance, and Auto Lighting Optimizer, however on the new Rebel T3i, Picture Style Auto is also taken into account as part of the new Scene Intelligent Auto technology. By incorporating this fifth parameter the camera more intelligently analyzes scenes and adjusts settings based on the subject matter being shot. So when the camera is photographing a face it will reproduce more natural skin tones or blue skies for more vivid landscapes, a flashy red car for more saturated color and evening sunsets for more expressive images.
Fun Rebel Features
For the first time in a Rebel DSLR, the new Rebel T3i features a large Vari-Angle three-inch Clear View LCD screen with 1,040,000 dot/VGA resolution plus anti-reflective and smudge-resistant coatings for bright clear viewing from any angle. The large Vari-Angle screen helps compose low-angle or overhead shots whether capturing still images or Full HD video clips. Photographers will enjoy the convenience of capturing an overhead shot of a parade or low-angle shots of their children on the Vari-Angle screen.
Canon's new EOS Rebel T3i DSLR gives creative photographers some fun in-camera tools that enable users to apply Creative Filters to images after they have been shot without altering the original file. Canon's new Creative Image Filters, familiar to Canon PowerShot and EOS 60D users, help make a great image more dynamic by creating an altered copy of the image through any of Canon's four artistic filter options:
* The Soft Focus effect filter helps dramatize an image and smooth over shiny reflections.
* The Grainy Black and White filter can give a different nostalgic perspective to any shot.
* Canon's "Toy Camera" filter deliberately adds vignetting and color shift for a creative option when shooting a colorful scene.
* Users can also make a scene appear like a small-scale model, simulating the look from a tilt-shift lens, with Canon's Miniature Effect filter, great when shooting any scene from a high vantage point.
Each of these filters can be applied to a captured still image in-camera to create a second "filtered" JPEG version, leaving the original JPEG file unaffected.
Another addition to the camera's Live View function is Canon's new Aspect Ratio feature whereby the Live View screen can display cropping lines for 1:1, 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratios in addition to the standard 3:2 ratio. These cropping lines make it easier to compose images in Live View, and they can help to expedite printing when using Canon's supplied Digital Photo Professional software. Custom aspect ratios are also applied to JPEG images captured directly in-camera.
EOS HD Video Specs
The EOS Rebel T3i with Full HD video capture at 1920 x 1080 resolution in selectable frame rates of 24p, 25p or 30p will grab the attention of film students and independent filmmakers alike. The Rebel T3i incorporates two Canon proprietary technologies for rendering amazing HD video, a DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor and a large APS-C-sized CMOS sensor capturing fine detail and color with an amazing cinematic depth of field. The Rebel T3i DSLR allows for three video recording modes - Full HD and HD in a 16:9 aspect ratio and Standard Definition (SD) in a 4:3 aspect ratio, all at selectable frame rates.
EOS HD Video: Ready For A Close-Up
When shooting Full HD video, the Rebel T3i digitally provides additional zoom power without sacrificing quality. The new Movie Digital Zoom feature, a first for Canon DSLRs, allows users to achieve 3x to 10x magnification while shooting Full HD video. Unlike standard digital zoom for still images, Movie Digital Zoom crops the video image directly from the CMOS sensor at Full HD resolution to preserve video quality and still provide amazing additional telephoto power beyond just the lens. The Movie Digital Zoom feature is great for those times when the lens isn't enough to get you in close, but this feature provides the extra boost without a loss in video quality so a child's smile on stage is just as clear and bright.
EOS Video Snapshot
Canon's new EOS Video Snapshot feature borrows some innovation from Canon's VIXIA line of camcorders for capturing, assembling and playing fun-to-watch video clips. EOS Video Snapshot enables users to capture the video highlights of family vacations, parties or milestone events, with the same ease as taking photos. Consumers can now record a series of two-, four- or eight-second video clips automatically. The scenes are assembled by the camera into continuous Video Snapshot Album files for easy playback and can even be further edited in camera or through Canon's Video Snapshot Task software on a compatible personal computer for added flexibility and fun.
Valuable Additional Features
Along with the adjustable LCD screen, the new EOS Rebel T3i DSLR features a class-leading 18-megapixel Canon CMOS sensor, a proprietary DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor, a 9-point Autofocus system and a 63-zone dual-layer metering system. Capable of capturing kids at play or wildlife on the move, the Rebel T3i can shoot up to 34 consecutive full resolution JPEG still images or up to 11 consecutive RAW images at speeds up to 3.7-frames-per-second to either SD, SDHC or new extended capacity SDXC memory cards.
The Rebel T3i includes an ISO range from 100-6400, allowing it to capture beautiful images without the need for a flash during milestone events such as birthday celebrations, yet it still includes a built-in pop-up flash for those times requiring a little extra light. For the first time on a Rebel camera, the T3i features a built-in Integrated Speedlite Transmitter making it even easier to do multi-flash shoots and provide images with greater ambience. The new Integrated Speedlite settings are now even easier for beginners shooting with multiple flashes.
Pricing and Availability
The Canon EOS T3i Digital SLR camera is scheduled to be delivered to U.S. dealers in the beginning of March, and will be sold in a body-only configuration at an estimated retail price of $799.99. It will also be offered in a kit version with Canon's new EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II zoom lens at an estimated retail price of $899.99. It will also be available in a second kit version with Canon's EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens at an estimated retail price of $1099.00.
Rebel T3 Digital SLR Camera
Canon is happy to introduce a chic camera for beginners to ease into the exciting world of DSLR photography and videography; the new EOS Rebel T3 Digital SLR camera. The Rebel T3 is designed to be the camera that can be expertly handled by anyone and allows great-looking photos to be taken with ease and style. The Rebel T3 is excellent in low-light shooting situations and simple to handle and operate.
Putting big imaging power in a small body, the new EOS Rebel T3 DSLR features a 12.2-megapixel Canon CMOS image sensor, a proprietary DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor, a 9-point Autofocus system and a 63-zone dual-layer metering system. With individual pixels measuring roughly 10x larger than a pixel from a point-and-shoot camera sensor, the Rebel T3 is able to absorb more light with less noise, making it ideal for capturing high-quality images in dimly lit situations. The increased efficiencies in gathering light also make the camera better suited to freeze fast-moving objects such as capturing images of children at play at speeds up to 3-frames per second. Compatible with SD, SDHC or new extended capacity SDXC memory cards, the Rebel T3 also shoots 1280x720 HD movies for amazing image quality for both stills and video. The Canon Rebel T3 features an ISO range from 100-6400 for capturing beautiful images in various light settings while also including a built-in pop-up flash. Designed for easy operation through the camera's mode dial, users can go from taking great still images to great video quickly and easily, with simple to understand icons and buttons.
Pricing and Availability
The Canon EOS Rebel T3 Digital SLR camera is scheduled to be delivered to U.S. dealers at the end of March, and will be offered in a kit with Canon's new EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II zoom lens at an estimated retail price of $599.99.
New Kit Lenses
Along with these DSLR cameras, Canon is also introducing a new kit lens, the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II zoom lens, the standard kit lens for both the Rebel T3i kit configuration and the Rebel T3 kit configuration.
The new EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II zoom lens features the wide-angle to mid-range zoom flexibility with the advantage of Canon's optical lens-shift image stabilization system that yields up to a full four stops of image-shake correction. The version II of this lens includes new IS algorithms to distinguish between normal photographing and when the camera is panning to automatically provide the optimal level of image-shake correction.
New Canon Speedlite 320EX and Canon Speedlite 270EX II
The new Canon Speedlite 320EX is designed to provide DSLR users with a lightweight and versatile external flash solution. Along with the new Speedlite 320EX regular flash functions, it includes a built-in LED continuous light option that is capable of providing full-time illumination for short distances when shooting video on a DSLR or PowerShot digital camera. Ideally paired with the new EOS Rebel T3i, the new Speedlite 320EX enables bounce flash shooting with six positions including ceiling bounce for vertical shooting, and rear-wall bounce. The Speedlite 320EX also includes a new remote firing function and can remote fire any EOS DSLR camera that has a built-in wireless remote control function or Integrated Speedlite Transmitter such as the new Rebel T3i, EOS 60D, or EOS 7D DSLRs. The new Speedlite 320EX provides photographers with all the great lighting options Speedlites are known for with the added capability to shoot HD video with a full-time LED light option.
The new Canon Speedlite 270EX II, the successor to the popular 270EX Speedlite model, is a compact, lightweight external flash option for Canon cameras including select Canon PowerShot models. Ideal for use with the new EOS Rebel T3, the new Speedlite 270EX II uses only two AA batteries and enables bounce flash shooting with four position steps from 0 degrees to 90 degrees. Like Canon's high-end Speedlite flash models, the 270EX II allows users to control flash functions and input settings using the camera's LCD monitor. The flash also features a quick-lock mechanism and a metal mounting foot for secure and easy attachment and reliable contact. In addition to the features of 270EX model, the Speedlite 270EX II adds a remote firing function similar to that of the Speedlite 320EX. Both new Speedlites can also be used as slave flash units in E-TTL wireless autoflash configurations with other E-TTL compatible EOS and PowerShot cameras. Canon's Speedlite 270EX II is the new compact and versatile lighting tool for photographers empowering them with multiple light options, compact-size and portability.
Pricing and Availability
The Canon Speedlite 320EX is scheduled to be delivered to U.S. dealers in April for an estimated retail price of $249.99. The Canon Speedlite 270EX II is scheduled to be delivered to U.S. dealers in the beginning of April for an estimated retail price of $169.99.
Maybe most exciting is the debut of Thunderbolt, a revolutionary I/O technology that supports high-resolution displays and high-performance data devices, accessible from the computers display port. Thunderbolt technology is a huge step forward in faster data transfer to and from your laptop. Thunderbolt allows you to move data to and from peripherals up to 20 times faster than with USB 2.0 and more than 12 times faster than with FireWire 800. This means faster transfer of photo and video files. Thunderbolt also supports high resolution displays. Two 10-Gbps channels on the same connector mean you can daisy-chain multiple high-speed devices and a display, without using a hub — and without reducing performance.
