Canon EOS Rebel T1i / 500D

The Rebel T1i, also sold as the EOS 500D, is a Canon DSLR from 2009. Its 15.1 megapixel APS-C sensor and EF-S lens mount make it a conventional camera built around interchangeable lenses.

It suits someone learning photography, with framing through an optical viewfinder. Nine autofocus points and a 3.4 frames per second burst favour portraits, landscapes and family pictures over fast action.

The body weighs 520 grams, and storage uses SD or SDHC cards. The LP-E5 battery is rated for 440 shots, and the camera offers no wireless connectivity at all.

A 15.1 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor sits behind the EF-S mount, driven by the Digic 4 processor. That resolution leaves room for prints and moderate crops from everyday subjects. The Optics score of 45 is modest and places the camera in the bottom 15% of cameras in our database for Optics.

Pace is the main constraint. The 3.4 frames per second burst and nine autofocus points handle portraits, landscapes and static subjects comfortably, but rapid action will outgrow both. The shutter tops out at 1/4000 second, which can restrict wide apertures in bright daylight.

Sensitivity runs from ISO 100 to 6400, setting a firm ceiling on low-light shooting. With no in-body stabilisation, dim scenes call for steady handholding, a faster shutter speed or a tripod. Framing through the optical pentamirror viewfinder gives a direct view of the scene.

The T1i does record video, saving clips as MOV files. Its maximum recording resolution is Full HD, and the fastest frame rate on offer is 30fps. The Video score of 43 is modest, reflecting the resolution and frame rate caps.

Filming is composed through live view on the rear LCD, which shows the scene in real time as you set up the shot and check the framing before recording starts.

There is no built-in timelapse function, so interval sequences would have to be created another way. Clips record to the same SD or SDHC card as stills, so no separate media is needed when mixing photos and video on a shoot.

The 3-inch LCD carries 920,000 dots, enough for checking focus and reviewing shots. It is fixed in place, so there is no tilting for waist-level or overhead angles, and there is no touch input. Every adjustment happens through the physical controls.

A built-in flash covers fill light and dim interiors, and external flash is supported when you want more power or control over the light.

There is no weather sealing, so keep the camera out of rain and heavy dust. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS are all absent, so files cannot be sent wirelessly and there is no built-in location tagging. The Features score of 41 is modest, and the missing weather sealing, touch input and Bluetooth cost it points.

The T1i takes SD and SDHC cards in a single slot. With no second slot, capacity planning comes down to carrying spare cards or offloading images between shoots.

The LP-E5 battery is rated for 440 shots per charge, a moderate figure. A spare battery is worth packing for longer outings or heavy review sessions on the rear screen.

The T1i cannot charge its battery over USB, so a flat battery cannot be topped up from a laptop or power bank. The Storage & Battery score of 24 is limited, and the single slot, moderate battery rating and absence of USB charging account for it.