The Canon I Missed

This is a little embarrassing, but also interesting (and with me, interesting trumps embarrassing). I didn't even notice that there is a new pair of entry-level Canon DSLRs, the T3 (12 MP) and T3i (18 MP), that were announced on February 7th. Obviously I've been paying too much attention to photography lately and not enough attention to cameras.

It's true that successive updates of well-known cameras don't tend to get a lot of attention, even though there are a lot of very talented people working very hard on those incremental improvements we take for granted. And it's true that digital photography years are like dog-years. It's further true that our typical reader is more likely to be interested in the next tier upward, the 60D / 7D level (the 7D is effectively on sale right now too, by dint of a $200 rebate). Finally, the most noticeable change here seems to be the replacement of the now-traditional "green rectangle" auto-everything mode with an enhanced "A+ mode" that does even more for those who don't want to do anything for themselves...which is not much in the way of news. But still, it's always tempting to contrast the easily-overlooked introduction of such cameras with the sensational announcement of the original Digital Rebel in the summer of 2003, and perhaps also with the arrival of the first "affordable" high-resolution camera, the 12.8 MP EOS 5D, two summer later. (Both deservedly considered landmarks in the history of cameras.) Now the "budget" version of the entry-level Rebel has as many pixels as the original 5D (more or less), and the non-stripped version has half again more, and the latest Rebel heirs flit past in the newsstream exciting only cursory notice. Or none at all.

...From me, anyway. But maybe that's my flaw, rather than any with the camera. One thing that's indisputable is that the new T3i, when it comes out in March, will be a better, more technologically advanced camera than money could buy in 2003; feels almost ironic.

I'm off to the dentist yet again this morning (the tooth is doing well, thanks), but I wonder, have there been any more recent introductions that I've flat missed? Better look into that when I get back.

Mike

UPDATE: At least my timing is good. In the day since I posted this, B&H Photo has gotten the camera in stock!

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Original contents copyright 2011 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved.

Comments

[martin homec]

The improvements appear to be in the video mode: articulated LCD, improved LCD resolution, and video crop mode.

[Steven Ralser]

I was planning to go on the premise that I can afford a new rebel more often than a higher end canon. I was planning to replace my current rebel (Xsi) this Spring (either a new canon or jumping systems to µ4/3 - I hadn't decided yet). However our 'beloved' governor here in WI has caused me to reevaluate my plans to help stimulate our economy (my wife is at UW and the primary breadwinner in our family).

Steve

[Jim Hart]

"...but I wonder, have there been any more recent introductions that I've flat missed? "

I dunno but I wish you'd quit looking. The intro to the E-PL2 you posted in February ( http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2011/01/tucks-take-olympus-e-pl2.html )prompted me to look again at the Pen line and I ended up shelling out for an E-PL1. (Sorry, Mike, it was a local purchase so no TOP $ from Amazon - but I've ordered in some accessories from Am. which should show up on the TOP bottom line). Even though the E-PL1 is being retained (temporarily) as a "current" model I was offered a deal that "I couldn't refuse". Had you not posted the update I might have been able to dodge the Pen bullet.

So stop already. Get back to offering prints that I can't afford. They're cheaper than the cameras I can't afford.

(The Pen is a nice little beastie, btw. Not perfect by any means, but nice).

[Jeff]

Not an introduction that you missed, but there are more photo samples to be seen on DP Review of the new Fuji x100. Unlike the photo samples provided by Fuji and shared and critiqued on TOP on Feb 8, one can now compare photos of (more or less) the same subject shot a wider variety of apertures and also get a glimpse of its' high ISO performance (photo of a bowl of fruit reveals great results at ISO 6400). Some people will inevitably be disappointed with these samples though as there were no shots taken of dogs or cats.

[Jim in Denver]

The reason why you missed it is simple because there is nothing to write about. It's just another APS-sensored camera that has all sorts of nifty (or useless) features that nobody will use. It, like so many of the last batch of DSLRs, has very little to recommend itself, or even different itself from the cameras we already have.

The market is waiting for something interesting. This (unfortunately) isn't.

[Alexandre Carneiro]

From my point of view: I don't come to this site expecting to see announcements of cameras or gear. We have plenty of sites for that.
If it is something revolutionary or game-changing, sure, by all means, write it up.
A Rebel? By the time you type its name, the replacement will be announced.

[Christian]

Finally, the most noticeable change here seems to be the replacement of the now-traditional "green rectangle" auto-everything mode with an enhanced "A+ mode" that does even more for those who don't want to do anything for themselves..

This quote reminded me of my favorite comic by Drew at toothpastefordinner.com:

[Lynn]

Not a camera, but Intel and Apple's new Thunderbolt technology, introduced in the new Macbook Pro, sounds like very good news for videographers http://www.apple.com/thunderbolt/. It promises more than 12x Firewire 800 speeds and up to 20x USB2.0 speeds.

Apple claims it supports daisy-chaining (as does Firewire) multiple external devices including HDDs, a video capture device and a monitor with no loss of throughput speed.

Sure to keep those video enthusiasts happy. No mention of whether it will support memory cards and card readers.

[Dennis Ng]

I think what can happen in dSLR happen and it is the diminishing scale of thing.

Love my Nex-3 so far and I think this is the segment (on top of X100 and 645d) that has some interesting thing to happen.

[Damen Stephens]

I haven't taken a photo for the past 25 years, however I have used this time productively to perform in-depth research on which cameras have the specifications I might require were I to take photos ... go ahead - quiz me on any camera. Now is not the right time to buy due to rapid technological advancement and increasing features/decreasing prices ... I expect this situation to change somewhat over the next 30 years or so, and will buy then - provided I have worked out what my photographic style will be.

Sent from my Commodore 64 computer.

[Gingerbaker]

"It, like so many of the last batch of DSLRs, has very little to recommend itself,... "

He-he. Such cynicism.

Consider that these sub $1000.00 cameras will produce images that surpass a digital back that we had to pay about $16k for only eight years ago. And now, for free, they throw in an actual DSLR with HD video, movable LCD, live view, three custom shooting modes, ISO's to 12,000, a DIGIC 4 processor, very good metering, automatic dust removal, and decent focusing in a package that is small and light. I'd say they actually have a lot to recommend them.

As a Canon 5D owner, I took the opportunity to try the previous generation of the entry-level Canon DSLR with and without off-camera flash at night in a camera store a couple of weeks ago. I was pretty darned impressed. These cameras really perform.

Let's put it this way - if my 5D dropped dead, I would have little reason to spend more than a few hundred dollars to replace it as far as image quality goes. It's pretty cool that one can spend so little nowadays to get so much camera.