It's hard to sum up this camera in a short review, but overall: I liked it! The T2i gives you a huge amount of bang for the buck. The 18 megapixel sensor is relatively as good as the 7D's in my opinion, and I'm saying this as a current owner of the 7D. ISO 100 files were clean, sharp, and great in the lab. Post production only made them sharper. If you held a print from this camera, a 7d, a 5D Mark II at ISO 100 I doubt seriously that any client could really tell what camera the image came from. The inclusion of a full manual video was a surprise to me, and from the samples I've seen running on my computer the videos are off incredibly excellent quality...1080p!
PROS for the T2i:
* Bang for the buck - Canon gives it's users a lot in terms of features. With current pricing for the body under $800, you get a sensor that matches the quality of the 7D for most of the ISO range, and at low ISO that matches the quality of the full-frame 5D Mark II.
* Incredibly powerful movie mode - Canon went all out here. With full manual movie mode at 1080p @30fps and 24fps, Canon has shown they are absolutely serious about movie mode on an SLR. Using 5 different lenses in movie mode brought me back to why it was amazing on the 5D Mark II. I see the T2i now as a 5D Mark II movie wise with a built in teleconverter. Very nice! Also huge thank you for the microphone slot Canon. Very nice inclusion there
* New LCD - The wide screen LCD didn't require getting any used too, and looked great.
* Great ISO 100~3200 Performance - Mind you lots of cameras now are sporting high iso, but remember it was only 2 generations ago that ISO 1600 was the hard cap for the rebel series. Now pushing ISO 12800, with ISO 6400 usable in video, that's a pretty big improvement for an introductory camera. I'm personally not a fan of high iso, but if you shot a killer must get shot at iso 3200 with this camera...its easily cleanable, fixable, and usable to the extent of a big print. Just don't shoot 3200 all day long, use the high iso's with caution
CONS:
* AEB - Entry level cameras are a perfect time to promote tests with things like HDR. Canon still hasn't implemented taking three frames in AEB yet, and you can only go up or down two stops when you do. I rarely use AEB, but this has been a consistent issue for a while, when competitors (such as Nikon) have already moved forward with options to accomplish this with wider stop ranges.
* New battery system - Companies can so easily say they are improving the performance of their batteries that they have to change it, but it really feels like they are just doing this so you have to buy their extremely expensive batteries. When I sold the t1i it had 4 batteries and a grip that cost me less than $100....now I'm stuck with 1 battery for the t2i, and probably a bill of $60 just to get another one. This is pretty much a consistent complaint whenever a new battery system is out. Can wait to see how much the grip is also.
Overall this camera gives you almost everything you could want in a prosumer DSLR. It's hard to justify the extra cost of the 7D given the lack of extra features (besides the weather-sealing, 19 point AF, etc.) With the extra money you could save, I would put that money towards from better lenses.
Just my two cents, but I'll be selling my 7D in lieu of the T2i so I can finally get some L lenses.
Used Canon EOS Digital Rebel T2i Digital Camera W/ 18-55 F3.5-5.6 Lens
4.4 | 749 ratings
Price: 499
Last update: 03-24-2025
About this item
18.0-megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor; DIGIC 4 image processor for high image quality and speed
Kit includes 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens
ISO 100-6400 (expandable to 12800) for shooting from bright to dim light; enhanced 63-zone, Dual-layer metering system
Improved EOS Movie mode with manual exposure control and expanded recording 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)
Wide 3.0-inch Clear View LCD monitor; dedicated Live View/Movie shooting button
New compatibility with SDXC memory cards, plus new menu status indicator for Eye-Fi support
Kit includes 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens
ISO 100-6400 (expandable to 12800) for shooting from bright to dim light; enhanced 63-zone, Dual-layer metering system
Improved EOS Movie mode with manual exposure control and expanded recording 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)
Wide 3.0-inch Clear View LCD monitor; dedicated Live View/Movie shooting button
New compatibility with SDXC memory cards, plus new menu status indicator for Eye-Fi support
Product information
Top reviews from the United States
R. Hammer
Way to go Canon!
Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2010
R. Hammer
Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2010
PROS for the T2i:
* Bang for the buck - Canon gives it's users a lot in terms of features. With current pricing for the body under $800, you get a sensor that matches the quality of the 7D for most of the ISO range, and at low ISO that matches the quality of the full-frame 5D Mark II.
* Incredibly powerful movie mode - Canon went all out here. With full manual movie mode at 1080p @30fps and 24fps, Canon has shown they are absolutely serious about movie mode on an SLR. Using 5 different lenses in movie mode brought me back to why it was amazing on the 5D Mark II. I see the T2i now as a 5D Mark II movie wise with a built in teleconverter. Very nice! Also huge thank you for the microphone slot Canon. Very nice inclusion there
* New LCD - The wide screen LCD didn't require getting any used too, and looked great.
* Great ISO 100~3200 Performance - Mind you lots of cameras now are sporting high iso, but remember it was only 2 generations ago that ISO 1600 was the hard cap for the rebel series. Now pushing ISO 12800, with ISO 6400 usable in video, that's a pretty big improvement for an introductory camera. I'm personally not a fan of high iso, but if you shot a killer must get shot at iso 3200 with this camera...its easily cleanable, fixable, and usable to the extent of a big print. Just don't shoot 3200 all day long, use the high iso's with caution
CONS:
* AEB - Entry level cameras are a perfect time to promote tests with things like HDR. Canon still hasn't implemented taking three frames in AEB yet, and you can only go up or down two stops when you do. I rarely use AEB, but this has been a consistent issue for a while, when competitors (such as Nikon) have already moved forward with options to accomplish this with wider stop ranges.
* New battery system - Companies can so easily say they are improving the performance of their batteries that they have to change it, but it really feels like they are just doing this so you have to buy their extremely expensive batteries. When I sold the t1i it had 4 batteries and a grip that cost me less than $100....now I'm stuck with 1 battery for the t2i, and probably a bill of $60 just to get another one. This is pretty much a consistent complaint whenever a new battery system is out. Can wait to see how much the grip is also.
Overall this camera gives you almost everything you could want in a prosumer DSLR. It's hard to justify the extra cost of the 7D given the lack of extra features (besides the weather-sealing, 19 point AF, etc.) With the extra money you could save, I would put that money towards from better lenses.
Just my two cents, but I'll be selling my 7D in lieu of the T2i so I can finally get some L lenses.
Images in this review
Nathan K
A Fantastic Mid-range camera that delivers pro-quality results!
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2011