Canon Rebel T2i (Rebel 550D) -- First Impressions, Part 2

Got DPP installed. Unfortunately, I have never used it before and I don't seem to be able to get the settings right to get the kind of results I am used to with Photoshop RAW converter. The converted images from DPP don't look very good. Just to make sure, I opened a 5D RAW file in DPP, and compared to the Adobe RAW converter output, the Adobe output is much much better. Very possibly because I haven't adjusted the settings correctly in DPP. So, I give up on DPP and use the in-camera jpegs until Adobe updates the RAW converter to include support for the T2i.

If you have used a 5D or 5D II before, you may be disappointed that the pictures from the T2i do not look as sharp. I think this has to do with a stronger AA filter that the Rebel has. I am not saying the pictures are bad, just not as sharp if you compare them side by side with the 5D/5D II. I am extremely happy with the results from ISO up to 800. Anything higher than that, the noise reduction seems to have taken a toll on the image quality. I just don't understand why they would put 18 MP on the sensor. If they stick with 12 MP and give us clean ultra high ISO, people will buy it in droves.

I intend to compare the 5D and T2i images with same subject/lens, but that probably won't happen until I can process the RAW files with the Adobe RAW converter.

As a side note, I noticed that if I shoot RAW+JPEG, the buffer is reduced to 3 frames! #$%#$%!?! Come on, RAM is dirt cheap! Don't go so stingy on buffer member!

Also, when the jpeg file is opened in Photoshop, it's a 46 MB file! My computer is noticeably more sluggish when processing the T2i files in Photoshop. It's even worse with DPP. I have a Dual Xeon 3.6GHz computer with 8 GB of RAM running Vista 64-bit, so the slowness shouldn't be the computer.


William -- T2i with Canon EF 50mm f1.2 @ f1.4. ISO 200. Larger Picture.


Ryan -- T2i with EF 50mm f1.2 @ f1.2. ISO 100. Larger Picture.


Snow Fight -- T2i & Sigma 50mm f1.4. ISO 100. Larger Picture.


Megan -- T2i & Sigma 50mm f1.4. Larger Picture.


Snowman -- T2i & Sigma 50mm f1.4. Larger Picture.

Next time, we will look at the auto focus accuracy.