New Canon Camera

The T1i’s not even a year old, and Canon’s knocking it down: The Rebel T2i pulls from the 7D, delivering 18 megapixels and legit 1080p video (24, 25 or 30fps) for $900.

The T2i pulls from the higher-end 7D almost the same way the T1i pulled from the 50D, though it has its own unique sensor that simply borrows the gapless microlens tech from the 7D, which was supposedly why it could cram 18MP onto an APS-C-sized chip with noise the size of boulders. The main thing you lose is that you only get a 4-channel readout with this sensor, vs. the 7D’s 8-channel. It shoots at 18.1MP, with an ISO range of 100-6400, and extended up to 12,800 with a 9-point AF (only the center point is cross-type though) and the 7D’s IFCL 63-layer dual-zone metering system, but adapted for the 9 AF points.

The 1080p video isn’t gimped like the T1i, either, with fully select framerates (30, 24 or 25fps) and manual exposure (+/- 5 stops), plus the codec’s H.264. Sound’s mono, but you can jack in a stereo mic. Also, there’s a new “movie crop” mode that effectively zooms in 7x by only using the center part of the sensor, though you only get standard def video out of it.

The interface, ergonomics and controls and more like the 7D’s as well, with a dedicated movie button and quick info screen, though you can’t customize the controls quite as extensively. The body’s not quite as durable, swapping metal for polycarbonite (one of the things the extra $1000 for the 7D gets you). The screen sounds impressive: 1.2-million dots should pop out of the 3-inch display. Lastly, for memory you’ve got your choice of SDHC of SDXC.

The Rebel’s getting shuffled a bit: The T1i is sliding down to be the new mid-entry-level, while the XSi is going away, and the XS sticks around as the bottom of the barrel DSLR.

At $899 for the kit with a pretty standard 18-55mm lens, or $799 body only, this, people, is the new entry-level camera to get. (At least on paper.)