FYI, I have a T1i and just tested transforming the mov files with Cineform into avi files and imported into Premiere CS4. Note that I was using 720p30, as the T1i's 1080p20 is useless! It edits just fine so I don't think you'll have a problem, depending on your workflow. I'm not done testing the Cineform Neoscene / NeoHD just yet. But the T2i files are supposedly just the same. (Hope this helps!)

having one processor vs. two.
any effect on video?
Or is it both video and stills?

JJ

I tested on a Dell Precision laptop with a Centrino dual core processor, 4GB ram and running Windows 7 enterprise. The process of importing the files from the built-in SD card onto an external RAID then Cineform conforming of about 30 minutes of video took about 15 minutes. (I didn't time it exactly, but it was still faster than real time, which is a good thing in my book!)

Remember that the 5D mkII only has one processor... And that certainly doesn't make a difference to the video... No idea about the stills.

For the EU the customs duty on a camcorder is 4.9% while it is 0% for a stills camera. Although this difference in duty is often quoted as the reason for the limitation I seriously doubt that a Japanese company will make a design decision based on the fact that a particular model will cost the consumer 4.9% more in Europe than otherwise.

Specific European models of DV camcorders without Firewire input were produced because otherwise they were classed as VCRs with an import duty of 14.9%. It would be simple enough if Canon thought it necessary to produce a different firmware version for Europe that avoided the camcorder classification & extra 40 pounds 45 Euros on the price but the extra is so small as not to be worth considering.

As I have pointed out elsewhere the extra EU import duty is only 4.9% on a camcorder versus a stills camera i.e. 945 Euros instead of 900 Euros for the 550D. As a point of comparison in Europe sales tax (VAT/TVA) is around 20% in addition.

In the past the Japanese camera companies have produced specific European model DV camcorders so even if they thought the extra 45 Euros on consumer prices were significant they could easily develop specific firmware for the European market that kept under the 30 minute record time that classes a device as a camcorder.

i've also seen it discussed many times (i'm basing my 'expertise' on bits and pieces i see discussed here at dvinfo and other places!) but i've never seen it discussed with this being given as the reason for the 5d/7d recording limits, are you sure youre not mixing it up with the GH1?

IIRC, there are three stages of limit: the 4GB limit, the overheating limit, and then the final cap at 29 minutes.

The first one, for docco/interviews at least, requires a 'weather eye' and a quick 'stop-start' when convenient, assuming scratch audio on-camera, one long take on the audio recorder, and something like PluralEyes.

The second one is odd, unpredictable, and why some people have at least a couple of bodies for these circumstances. I really hope this will be less of an issue with the 550/T2i.

The third and final one is the EU thing and just the sort of limit that's going to be hacked by some enterprising soul (like region blocks and FireWire IO).

I was debating between the 7D and 5D and now I'm getting T2i. I own the 5D (non Mark II purchased late in it's cycle) and love the full frame stills but like everyone else want the video feature of the current dslr's. The firmwear update for the current 5D kept me from pulling the trigger and I'm glad I did. For the price of the T2i I can keep my 5D and wait until the 5D mark whatever comes out.

For those that are interested B&H has the camera on it's site and you can use their email notification system to alert you when it's in.

Canon | Canon EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR (Body Only) | B&H Photo

I think the reason it's not often mentioned is that the 12 minute limit in HD is due to the file limit. The 29 minute, 59 second in SD is due to the taxes on camcorders...but I don't think many people around here record in SD, so whenever the time limit comes up, it's discussed in relation to the file size limit.

It'd be great if the T2i went up to 29:59 in HD, but though people have talked about the SDXC cards allowing that, the specs on a couple of sites for the T2i (i.e. dpreview.com) specifically say that movies are limited to 4GB. My pessimistic nature makes me think Canon would have specifically said something about "almost unlimited file size of movie length with SDXC cards" if the camera supported that.

This is an interesting decision. Many people here, having sat on the fence for so long, will probably go for a T2i/550.

Is it down to cost?

If it's possible to leave aside the cost difference... If you're looking at the video side only, does the extra durability swing you to the 7D, or the SDHC cards swing you back to the T2i/550?

And if we go 550, can we wait for the likes of M2 and Zacuto to make new viewfinders? (I find it kind of silly that, because I have a deadline of April but I also have 16 SDHC cards, I want to go 550 but may have to go 7D simply because there's a viewfinder available for it.)

Would you prefer a 7D if budget allows? Why?

Matt,

For the price you could buy the T2i and a really nice lens for less than the price of the 7D alone. (Heaven knows I don't need any more lenses, but I'm sure that would sway some people)

Good luck or bad, it seems whenever I purchase something, immediately following the next latest and greatest shows up. It happened when I purchased my 5D and again when last year I bought the A1s. Now that I think about it, it's been happening since I purchased my first Brownie in 1966.

So this time I'm getting this right out of the gate and this will keep me happy until the 5D mark whatever comes out, that's what I really want. I'll keep my 5D for stills and use the T2i for video in conjunction with the A1s and hv20.

Now that I know which way I going with this camera, I can start worrying about the A1s and it's replacement. Whenever I think about that, I find myself in a cold sweat clutching boxes and boxes of tapes, not sure if there is any future in solid state recording.....:)

I agree. I'd love Full Frame for wide angle. 5DM2 video is way behind the development/feature curve. A T2i and my Trusty old 30D will work for me until the 5DM3 ships. The T2i price is just too good to ignore. Competition is great, with the other SLR players and Red all crowding this market Canon is shipping some great products at amazing prices.

Double the difference for a 7D, 3x or 4x the difference for the 5Dm2 and on up, now it's hundreds of euros. Where do you start and stop? Then there's the issue of gray market cameras and the resulting warranty issues.

The fact is, Canon also does the same on even cheaper digicams, use the arbitrary 4gb limit. There's no file limit problem on even the cheapest Canon HD and flash based camcorders, they simply create another file, my HF100 actually does it at the 1gig mark. The fat32 4gig file limitation has been solved a long time ago, it's _not_ a technical limitation that requires exFAT or some other new technology. Canon and others are simply choosing to let 4gigs be a limitation.

Do we really think that something so simple as a 4gig file limitation is what is preventing a multi-billion dollar corporation like Canon from breaking the "12 min's in HD" limitation?

Do I also think that the EU tax happens to be a convenient excuse to cripple the T2i, 7D, 5Dm2, 1Dm4 etc? Yes. All of these cameras are still much cheaper than the cheapest interchangeable lens HD camcorder.

best footage yet
 

So, here's a little something for you all to chew on... Best footage test yet from this camera...

Sample Movie

Comes from this page:

Canon: EOS 550D / EOS REBEL T2i - Sample Images & Movies

Let the fray continue!