Canon has unveiled the EOS 500D (Digital Rebel T1i), the latest addition to its compact DSLR series. The upper-entry-level camera features a 15.1 MP APS-C CMOS sensor with 1080p HD video recording at 20fps. It also offers a 3.0 inch LCD with 920,000 dot resolution and an ISO sensitivity range expandable up to 12800 equivalent. It includes a faster Digic 4 processor offering better noise reduction at higher ISO's and continuous shooting speeds of up to 3.4 fps delivering 170 large JPEG images in a single burst.

Amstelveen, The Netherlands, 25 March 2009: Canon announces the new 15.1MP EOS 500D which offers photographers an outstanding combination of features. Following the launch of the first Canon EOS camera to shoot movies – the EOS 5D Mark II in September 2008 – Canon now brings Full High Definition (HD) video capability to consumers in a compact and lightweight DSLR.

The new EOS 500D features a 15.1 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor – ideal for large detailed prints or enormous cropping possibilities. For shooting in near-dark conditions, the EOS 500D offers a high ISO sensitivity up to 3200 which is expandable to 12800, giving photographers the power to shoot in the dimmest light conditions. Outstanding noise reduction is made possible by Canon’s DIGIC 4 processor.

The EOS 500D heralds a new way for photography enthusiasts to capture their world. It pairs outstanding still image capture with Full HD 1080P video recording. For longer video shoots, users can also choose lower shooting resolutions of 720P or VGA.*

Every detail revealed

Exacting image preview and review is provided by a 3.0” Clear View LCD screen.The same screen as used on the acclaimed 5D Mark II, it features a 920,000 dot count – for ultra-detailed image review, accurate focus checks, and clear access to the EOS menu system. As well as aiding shooting from awkward angles, Live View mode includes contrast based and Face Detection AF options. Ideal for newcomers to digital SLR photography, these allow compact-camera style auto focus, with a real-time image displayed on the LCD.

Fast processing, fast focusing

Canon’s DIGIC 4 processor drives continuous shooting speeds of up to 3.4 fps in bursts of up to 170 JPEGs**. Using Canon’s wide area AF system – which features 9 individual sensors, including a central cross type point with a high precision sensor for f/2.8 or faster lenses– makes capturing split-second action sequences possible.

DIGIC 4 works in conjunction with the CMOS sensor to deliver exceptional noise reduction and 14-bit image processing for smooth gradation of tones and natural-looking colours. In addition, DIGIC 4 enables the ultra-fast start-up times and near-instant image review after shooting that photographers demand.

Distinctive EOS quality

Despite its compact, lightweight body, the EOS 500D includes all the hallmarks of the EOS system. Every detail of the EOS 500D – from the large, bright viewfinder to the famously intuitive EOS menu system – is designed to provide users with a world-class shooting experience.

Image quality is protected by the EOS Integrated Cleaning System, which reduces, repels and removes unwanted dust from the sensor. Stubborn particles can be easily removed in post-production by using Dust Delete Data – which can be added to the image in-camera – and Canon’s included Digital Photo Professional software.

Digital Photo Professional software offers a comprehensive RAW editing package, with functions such as a quick check tool, a cropping tool, and a stamp tool – plus the ability to change brightness, White Balance and Picture Styles in RAW images. The software suite is included with EOS Utility and Picture Style editor for unrivalled versatility.
Compatibility with the full range of Canon’s EF and EF-S lenses and EX-series Speedlites – including the exceptionally compact, powerful new Speedlite 270EX, which features a bounce and zoom head, plus fast recharging from just 2 AA sized

batteries – allows the creation of a shooting system as unique as the photographer using it.
“The EOS 500D pushes the boundaries of what photographers can demand from their cameras, combining exceptional images with full HD video,” said Rainer Fuehres, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging, Europe. “Photography enthusiasts can now capture their most significant moments in a manner that matches their creativity.”

Any Canon photographer can register for the CANON iMAGE GATEWAY service, which allows access to the latest EOS information, useful updates and exclusive EOS content – plus tools that allow users to create their own video podcasts and store images online.

Features at a glance:

* 15.1 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
* Full HD movie recording with HDMI connection for viewing and playback on an HDTV
* ISO 100-3200 (expandable to 12800)
* 3.4 frames per second continuous shooting
* Max. 170 large JPEG images in a single burst
* 3.0” ClearView LCD with Live View mode
* 9-point wide area AF with cross type centre point
* High speed DIGIC 4 performance and superb image quality
* EOS Integrated Cleaning System
* Full compatibility with Canon EF and EF-S lenses and EX-series Speedlites, including new Speedlite 270EX, TS-E 17mm f/4L and TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II

Technologies Explained:

CMOS

Canon’s CMOS technology is one of the company’s key competitive advantages, with noise reduction circuitry at each pixel site delivering virtually noise-free images. In comparison with CCD technology, the lower power consumption characteristics of Canon’s CMOS sensors also contribute to longer battery life.

Signal conversion in Canon’s CMOS sensors is handled by individual amplifiers at each pixel site. Unnecessary charge transfer operations are avoided, vastly speeding up the process of getting signal to the image processor. Noise generation is reduced, power consumption is limited and faster frame rate potential is increased.

DIGIC

Image data captured by the CMOS sensor is processed by Canon’s purpose-built DIGIC image processors before being written to the camera's memory card. DIGIC technology uses advanced image processing algorithms to ensure precise, natural colours, accurate white balance, and advanced noise reduction. Ultra-fast processing speeds result in highly responsive camera operation and near-instant start-up times.

DIGIC chips work with a high speed image buffer – reading, processing, compressing and writing image data fast enough to keep the buffer clear during long continuous shooting bursts. And because DIGIC integrates all key processing functions, power consumption is kept to a minimum.

EOS Integrated Cleaning System

The EOS Integrated Cleaning System combats sensor dust in three important ways: Reduce, Repel and Remove.

* Reduce - Internal camera mechanisms are designed to minimise dust generation. The redesigned body cap prevents dust generation through wear on the cap itself.
* Repel - Anti-static technologies, including a special fluorine coating, are applied to the low-pass filter covering the front of the sensor so as not to attract dust.
* Remove - A Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit uses hi-frequency vibrations to shake dust from the infrared filter for a period of approximately one second after each start up. For instant shooting after power up, this feature is disabled immediately the shutter release is depressed.

Canon has also developed an internal Dust Delete Data system, which can map the position of visible dust on the sensor. This can then be deleted automatically after the shoot with the latest Digital Photo Professional software.

Clear View LCD

Canon’s Clear View LCD screens are 3.0” in diameter and feature a VGA (640x480) pixel resolution with 920,000 dots. This allows high-quality viewing of images and ultra-accurate focus checks in playback. Thanks to a wide 170º angle-of-view, a Clear View LCD can be viewed in a wide range of environments with ghosting and reflections being eliminated thanks to Canon’s unique dual layer anti reflective coating. This combination of features enables photographers to enjoy shooting from awkward angles.

Full HD

Thanks to the combination of a Canon CMOS sensor and DIGIC 4 processing, Canon is able to offer Full HD resolution movie recording in a digital SLR camera. An HDMI connection provides the ability to play back movies directly on any HDTV in high quality HD resolution. Canon’s Full HD products feature the same maximum resolution available for HDTV’s (1920x1080 pixels), ensuring outstanding clarity. Full HD exceeds the quality found in HD ready (720) resolution devices.

Picture Style

Picture Style pre-sets simplify in-camera control over image qualities. Picture Style pre-sets can be likened to different film types – each one offering a different colour response. Within each selectable pre-set, photographers have control over sharpness, contrast, colour tone and saturation. The camera’s factory default configuration is set to deliver immediately-usable JPEG images without need for additional menu settings. Picture Style presets applied to a RAW image can be revised with Canon’s Digital Photo Professional software.

The six pre-sets are:

* Standard – for crisp, vivid images that don’t require post-processing
* Portrait – optimises colour tone and saturation and weakens sharpening to achieve attractive skin tones
* Landscape – for punchier greens and blues with stronger sharpening to give a crisp edge to mountain, tree and building outlines
* Neutral – ideal for post-processing
* Faithful – adjusts colour to match the subject colour when shot under a colour temperature of 5200K
* Monochrome – for black and white shooting with a range of filter effects (yellow, orange, red and green) and toning effects (sepia, blue, purple and green).

Software

Digital Photo Professional Software

Digital Photo Professional software provides high speed, high quality processing of lossless RAW images. Processing with Digital Photo Professional allows real-time display and immediate application of image adjustments, giving control over RAW image variables such as white balance, dynamic range, exposure compensation, noise reduction and colour tone – plus the ability to view Auto Focus points on an image.

Recently added functions to Digital Photo Professional include a Peripheral Illumination Correction tool, which reduces the darkening that can occur in the corners of images shot with certain lenses. The Lens Aberration correction tool allows precise correction of different types of distortion caused by certain cameras. Users can also control the highlights and shadows within an image, reducing the problem of ‘clipped’ areas where detail is lost.

Digital Photo Professional supports sRGB, Adobe RGB, ColorMatch RGB, Apple RGB and Wide Gamut RGB colour spaces. ICC (International Colour Consortium) profiles can be attached to TIFF or JPEG images when converted from RAW. This allows faithful reproduction of colours in software applications that support ICC profiles, such as Adobe Photoshop. For improved efficiency, a set of image adjustments can be saved as a recipe and applied.

EOS Utility

The latest version of EOS Utility provides essential support for Live View remote shooting, camera configuration and image transfers. Tightly integrated with Digital Photo Professional, EOS Utility can be configured to monitor ‘hot’ folders, automatically renaming and moving incoming images to a structured file system. Users can also tag their images with EXIF data, including copyright information.

Picture Style Editor

Picture Style Editor allows users to create individual Picture Styles that fit with their personal requirements. Each Picture Style contains detailed information on how specific colours should be represented within an image. Once new Picture Styles have been created, they can be uploaded directly into the camera and applied to JPEG or RAW images. When working with RAW files in DPP, both personal Picture Styles and the 6 predetermined Picture Styles can all be adjusted.

ZoomBrowser/ImageBrowser

For extra-easy review, editing and management of JPEG files, two pieces of software are included: ZoomBrowser for PC, and ImageBrowser for Mac.

Both programs feature a MovieEdit function plug-in, which supports the .MOV clips recorded by the EOS 500D and EOS 5D Mark II. Users can use this to perform basic editing tasks, including creating and exporting clips which combine movie files and JPEGs.

*A built-in HDMI connection allows easy and instant review of images and movie clips on any compatible HDTV.
**Figure may vary depending on capacity of SD card used


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