News

Almost exactly a year after the insanely popular 550D/T2i was announced, Canon has rolled out an upgrade: the T3i/600d.  However, unlike the T2i, I will not be waxing poetic about the ground breaking nature of the T3i/600D.

Under the hood, the T3i/600D is actually the same camera as its predecessor, with all the same core specs. It keeps the 18MP APS-C CMOS sensor, ISO range of 100-6400, as well as the 9 point autofocus system with a 63 zone metering system.  Full HD video capture at 1920 x 1080 resolution at frame rats of 24p, 25p or 30p also remain the same.

So what's new, you may be wondering? While there are a few new features, most will have little applicability for the underwater photographer. One such feature is the articulated screen, like that seen on the 60D, which is useless when the camera is in a housing.

Additionally, the  T3i gets some new "guiding modes" that are designed to help beginner photographers have more control of their images, without learning the technical jargon.  The most interesting of these features is the Basic + feature, which allows you to control the exposure and background blur of the images, without knowing anything about manual settings. It seemed like a long time coming for a feature like this on an SLR camera.

If you are big into topside flash photography, the T3i also has the ability to remotely control flash guns.

The camera will be available in March and will retail for $799.99 for the body only.

The T3i for Underwater Photographers

So if you have the the T2i, does it make sense to upgrade? Probably not. However, it does get some nice new topside features, and should be considered if you are looking for a new entry level SLR. No word yet as to whether it will fit in existing T2i housings, but we will keep you posted.

As always, full press release below and for full specs -- hit the Equipment Section

Press Release

Rebel T3i Digital SLR Camera

An A+ for Automatic Mode

Canon aims to make everyone a better photographer and has enhanced the capabilities of the Rebel T3i’s automatic mode with new Scene Intelligent Auto technology, re-branding the green mode dial setting with a boxed “A+” design. This new camera setting now takes Picture Style into account as part of the camera’s “Auto” setting.  By analyzing faces, colors, brightness, movement, and contrast, the camera will dynamically adjust picture-style parameters to match the subject and control vividness.  Previously, the automatic setting on a Rebel DSLR adjusted exposure, focus, white balance, and Auto Lighting Optimizer, however on the new Rebel T3i, Picture Style Auto is also taken into account as part of the new Scene Intelligent Auto technology.  By incorporating this fifth parameter the camera more intelligently analyzes scenes and adjusts settings based on the subject matter being shot.  So when the camera is photographing a face it will reproduce more natural skin tones or blue skies for more vivid landscapes, a flashy red car for more saturated color and evening sunsets for more expressive images.

Fun Rebel Features

For the first time in a Rebel DSLR, the new Rebel T3i features a large Vari-Angle three-inch Clear View LCD screen with 1,040,000 dot/VGA resolution plus anti-reflective and smudge-resistant coatings for bright clear viewing from any angle. The large Vari-Angle screen helps compose low-angle or overhead shots whether capturing still images or Full HD video clips.  Photographers will enjoy the convenience of capturing an overhead shot of a parade or low-angle shots of their children on the Vari-Angle screen.

Canon’s new EOS Rebel T3i DSLR gives creative photographers some fun in-camera tools that enable users to apply Creative Filters to images after they have been shot without altering the original file.  Canon’s new Creative Image Filters, familiar to Canon PowerShot and EOS 60D users, help make a great image more dynamic by creating an altered copy of the image through any of Canon’s four artistic filter options:

The Soft Focus effect filter helps dramatize an image and smooth over shiny reflections.
The Grainy Black and White filter can give a different nostalgic perspective to any shot.  Canon’s “Toy Camera” filter deliberately adds vignetting and color shift for a creative option when shooting a colorful scene.

Users can also make a scene appear like a small-scale model, simulating the look from a tilt-shift lens, with Canon’s Miniature Effect filter, great when shooting any scene from a high vantage point.  Each of these filters can be applied to a captured still image in-camera to create a second “filtered” JPEG version, leaving the original JPEG file unaffected.

Another addition to the camera’s Live View function is Canon’s new Aspect Ratio feature whereby the Live View screen can display cropping lines for 1:1, 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratios in addition to the standard 3:2 ratio. These cropping lines make it easier to compose images in Live View, and they can help to expedite printing when using Canon’s supplied Digital Photo Professional software. Custom aspect ratios are also applied to JPEG images captured directly in-camera.

EOS HD Video Specs

The EOS Rebel T3i with Full HD video capture at 1920 x 1080 resolution in selectable frame rates of 24p, 25p or 30p will grab the attention of film students and independent filmmakers alike.  The Rebel T3i incorporates two Canon proprietary technologies for rendering amazing HD video, a DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor and a large APS-C–sized CMOS sensor capturing fine detail and color with an amazing cinematic depth of field.  The Rebel T3i DSLR allows for three video recording modes – Full HD and HD in a 16:9 aspect ratio and Standard Definition (SD) in a 4:3 aspect ratio, all at selectable frame rates.

EOS HD Video: Ready For A Close-Up

When shooting Full HD video, the Rebel T3i digitally provides additional zoom power without sacrificing quality.  The new Movie Digital Zoom feature, a first for Canon DSLRs, allows users to achieve 3x to 10x magnification while shooting Full HD video.  Unlike standard digital zoom for still images, Movie Digital Zoom crops the video image directly from the CMOS sensor at Full HD resolution to preserve video quality and still provide amazing additional telephoto power beyond just the lens.  The Movie Digital Zoom feature is great for those times when the lens isn’t enough to get you in close, but this feature provides the extra boost without a loss in video quality so a child’s smile on stage is just as clear and bright.

EOS Video Snapshot

Canon’s new EOS Video Snapshot feature borrows some innovation from Canon’s VIXIA line of camcorders for capturing, assembling and playing fun-to-watch video clips.  EOS Video Snapshot enables users to capture the video highlights of family vacations, parties or milestone events, with the same ease as taking photos.  Consumers can now record a series of two-, four- or eight-second video clips automatically.  The scenes are assembled by the camera into continuous Video Snapshot Album files for easy playback and can even be further edited in camera or through Canon’s Video Snapshot Task software on a compatible personal computer for added flexibility and fun.

Valuable Additional Features

Along with the adjustable LCD screen, the new EOS Rebel T3i DSLR features a class-leading 18-megapixel Canon CMOS sensor, a proprietary DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor, a 9-point Autofocus system and a 63-zone dual-layer metering system.  Capable of capturing kids at play or wildlife on the move, the Rebel T3i can shoot up to 34 consecutive full resolution JPEG still images or up to 11 consecutive RAW images at speeds up to 3.7-frames-per-second to either SD, SDHC or new extended capacity SDXC memory cards.

The Rebel T3i includes an ISO range from 100-6400, allowing it to capture beautiful images without the need for a flash during milestone events such as birthday celebrations, yet it still includes a built-in pop-up flash for those times requiring a little extra light.  For the first time on a Rebel camera, the T3i features a built-in Integrated Speedlite Transmitter making it even easier to do multi-flash shoots and provide images with greater ambience. The new Integrated Speedlite settings are now even easier for beginners shooting with multiple flashes.

Pricing and Availability

The Canon EOS T3i Digital SLR camera is scheduled to be delivered to U.S. dealers in the beginning of March, and will be sold in a body-only configuration at an estimated retail price of $799.99. It will also be offered in a kit version with Canon’s new EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II zoom lens at an estimated retail price of $899.99. It will also be available in a second kit version with Canon’s EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens at an estimated retail price of $1099.00.