Canon EOS 500D (Digital Rebel T1i / Kiss X3 Digital) Review

Review based on a production Canon EOS 500D

The 500D/T1i doesn't quite have to be the everyman camera that its predecessors were. The introduction of the Rebel XS (1000D) in June 2008 means the T1i no longer has to appeal to everybody who doesn't want to stretch to buying into the 50D class. As a result, the 450D was able to bulk up its feature set to include a selection of features that price-conscious shoppers don't necessarily realize they want, such as a larger viewfinder and spot metering. The result was probably the most complete Rebel we'd seen.

There's a full explanation of the differences between the 500D/T1i and it predecessor on the coming pages but, in general terms, it's a gentle re-working of the 450D. So you get the 15MP sensor much like the one that appears in the 50D, helping this to become the first entry-level DSLR to feature video (and 1080p HD video at that). You also get the lovely 920,000 dot VGA monitor that has been slowly working its way down most manufacturer's DSLR line-ups. There are a handful of other specification tweaks that come from the use of the latest Digic 4 processor but essentially this is most of a 50D stuffed into the familiar 450D body.

Compared to predecessor - key differences

Although for the time being the EOS 500D will sit alongside the 450D in the Canon DSLR line-up there is no doubt that sooner or later it will replace the older model and occupy the spot between the 1000D as and the EOS 50D on its own. The most noticeable new features on the EOS 500D are the higher resolution sensor, the new high-res LCD and the HD video mode but the camera also comes with the latest generation DIGIC imaging processor which brings a few more low-key improvements such as fine-tunable noise reduction and Highlight Tone Priority or a fresher, animated menu design with it. See the list and table below for all the spec and feature changes..

• Higher resolution sensor (15.1 vs 12.2 effective megapixels)
• Extended ISO range up to ISO 12800
• HD video capability
• New 3.0 inch 920K pixels screen
• Adjustable noise reduction and highlight tone priority
• Face Detection in Live View
• Peripheral Illumination Correction
• HDMI output
• Larger buffer in continuous shooting
• Digic 4 style menu design .                                           PACKAGES INCLUDES : CANON EOS  500D BODY  , BODY  CAP ,  CANON BATTERY , BATTERY CHARGER  , 16 GB SD MEMORY CARD , USB CABLE AND CAMERA BAG .  GOOD CONDITION . I CAN RATE RATE 9.5 / 10 .  SHIPPING :  R175 + 3% INSURANCE SPEED SERVICE COUNTER TO COUNTER AND  R85 + 3% INSURANCE  ORDINARY POSTAGE .  please note that  this is BODY ONLY  !!!  NO  LENS  INCLUDES .