canon eos rebel t1i

I'm just an average guy who's trying to break into the professional world of photography... I've been eyeing the Canon 50D and was so close to buying one when I heard of the T1i. So I compared notes and found the T1i was nearly identical to the Canon 50D minus a few things I couldn't really notice (or care about) since I consider myself somewhat knowledgeable about photography.

After reading what few reviews there were on the internet because this item was new, I decided to take the plunge and buy this camera and lucky me, I ordered it the day it was released to the world so it came quickly!

The results? I LOVE IT! But before I say more...

Now, if you're a big guy like me who has BIG HANDS, YOU WILL WANT THE BATTERY GRIP that is extra. TRUST ME... It's a no-brainer... get it because it will make the camera feel so much better and make it look even more professional!

That, and the battery grip comes with 2 extra 1800mA batteries which will give you a total of 3 batteries all together. I've been playing with it for several days and still haven't made a dent in draining these batteries!

How's it operate? GREAT! Let me go into more detail...

It's got several settings that I will sum up for you in Regular English, not Geek speak because I wish more people would speak this way instead of beating around the bush...

It's got old fashioned digital camera settings (you know the little icons of the flower or mountain, sports guy, etc) so if you know how to use these settings, you'll be able to use this quickly and comfortably.

It's got a full auto mode (which I like to call "No Brainer Mode") because this feature is a no-brainer! You just shoot and let it think for you! It will do EVERYTHING for you and do an incredible job! (NICE :-D)

And it's got the Advanced Modes so if you are a pro or want the controls of a professional camera (you know, to change the ISO settings or F-stops, etc) You can do that too!

They really put a lot of thinking into this camera and its nice, inside and out. One of the things I've discovered that's extra credit is the software that comes with it called Digital Photo Professional.

If you've read some of these reviews that talks about a picture maybe soft somewhere or the ISO noise (for whatever reason)... Digital Photo Professional has some sweet settings that will get rid of that for you and enhance your pictures to STUNNING!

There's so much potential in this camera and remember, it's made by the same folks who made the 50D and all the other versions! So what if its got minor tweaks that others don't... the bottom line is that this is an incredible camera!

I'm not crazy about the "Rebel" name in it because it makes it sound Amateurish... This should be called The Canon EOS AWESOME T1i because it looks, feels and is just that!

Even better is the High Definition Video you can record if you want to. Sure its not equal to a dedicated HD camcorder but its nice to have if you want to record something important and look sharp too! Personally, I can't tell the difference between the 1080p and 720p so don't let these little nit-pickers bother you.

Go with your gut and DO GET A GOOD LENS to compliment the one it comes with. Your next best bet is to get a 28mm to 200mm LENS so you can do those zoom and up close shots.

With so many lenses, it will just open up all kinds of creative things you can do. I hope my review answered your questions! I'm glad I bought it and look forward to all the possibilities! So if you're looking to be a professional, this is a great start! If you're looking to have a nice camera that you want to enjoy as a hobby, this is also for you!

As I said in the title... the best of both worlds! :-)

UPDATE: While I've had it for about a month now, I'm very impressed with its performance and battery life! And to the person who commented, I'm a happy customer who's good at wording. I don't work for anyone but myself. Check my website in my profile if you want proof. I just call it as it is. :-) Get more detail about Canon EOS Rebel T1i 15.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens.