Canon has announced the new consumer-level DSLR: EOS 500D or Digital Rebel T1i in the US or Kiss Digital X3 in Japan.
Main changes or new features with respect to EOS 450D are the following:
- 15 Megapixels (the pixel race does not stop...);
- movie recording, in High Definition! This is becoming a must in the last months since the competition from Nikon. Resolution up to 1920x1080 at 20 frame per seconds (30 frames with 1280x720). Recording time limited by file size (up to 4 GB) or time (less than half an hour).
- microphone and a small loudspeaker;
- DIGIC 4 image processor, the effect of this new chip has to be evaluated with practical tests;
- vignetting correction (as in pro cameras - called "peripheral illumination correction") when shooting JPG or RAW but developed with Canon software DPP;
- highlight tone priority - compensation for reducing blown out areas (as in pro cameras);
- 920'000 pixels LCD (now almost a standard);
- ISO expansion to 6400 or even 12800 (probably not very usable...).
Initial price of body only would be 799 $ / 799 euros.