Canon T2i Comparison Review

The Canon EOS Rebel T2i (called Canon 550D in some regions) is a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera that was revealed to the public in February 2010 and is equipped with an APS-C sensor. It offers a resolution of 17.9 megapixel.

Is the Canon T2i a good camera? The T2i has a Camera Elo of 1392. This rating puts the T2i below average of all digital single lens reflex cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (APS cameras), the T2i also ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 2.5-star performance rating. – Well, the Canon T2i is more than 13 years old, and there have been many other good digital cameras released since 2010.

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

Body comparison with a credit card

The physical dimensions of the Canon T2i relative to a credit card are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Canon T2i alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon T2i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	530 g	440	n	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
2.		Canon T100	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
3.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
4.		Canon T5	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
5.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
6.		Canon T4i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
7.		Canon T3	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	495 g	700	n	Feb 2011	449	ebay.com
8.		Canon T3i	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
9.		Canon T1i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
10.		Canon XSi	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	524 g	500	n	Jan 2008	799	ebay.com
11.		Canon XTi	127 mm	84 mm	65 mm	556 g	370	n	Aug 2006	799	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Canon T2i was launched in the US market at a price of $699. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Check T2i offers at
ebay.com

Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

The Canon T2i features an APS-C sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Canon T2i among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

For most cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon T2i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	784	66
2.		Canon T100	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
3.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
4.		Canon T5	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
5.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
6.		Canon T4i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
7.		Canon T3	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	720/30p	21.9	11.0	755	62
8.		Canon T3i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
9.		Canon T1i	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	1080/20p	21.7	11.5	663	63
10.		Canon XSi	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	none	21.9	10.8	692	61
11.		Canon XTi	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.0	664	62

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The T2i indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the T2i can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the T2i has an optical viewfinder that provides a field of view of 95% and a magnification of 0.54x. The adjacent tables list some of the other core features of the Canon T2i along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon T2i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
2.		Canon T100	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon T5	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon T4i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon T3	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon T3i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
9.		Canon T1i	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.4/s	Y	n
10.		Canon XSi	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
11.		Canon XTi	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
Notes: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One convenient feature of the T2i is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.

Connection comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS Rebel T2i and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon T2i	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon T100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon T5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon T4i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon T3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon T3i	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon T1i	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon XSi	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon XTi	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the T2i has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Further information on the features and operation of the T2i can be found in the free online Canon T2i Manual or on the Canon support site.

Expert reviews

While the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the T2i in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate. This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

Review Scores

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon T2i	..	+ +	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
2.		Canon T100	..	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
3.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
4.		Canon T5	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
5.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
6.		Canon T4i	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
7.		Canon T3	..	80/100	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	449	ebay.com
8.		Canon T3i	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
9.		Canon T1i	..	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
10.		Canon XSi	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	799	ebay.com
11.		Canon XTi	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	4/5	Aug 2006	799	ebay.com
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check T2i offers at
ebay.com

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just use the search menu below. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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