Quality & Size Options

The T1i can shoot images in RAW, JPEG or both. JPEGs can be set to high or low quality settings in the three sizes listed below.

Dynamic Range (5.65)

The T1i was decidedly lackluster in the dynamic range test, showing a marked decline after ISO 200, which gave it the lowest score among our comparison cameras. Dynamic range is a measure of a camera’s ability to capture detail in both bright and dark areas of the same photo, so that detail is not lost into the shadows.

We test dynamic range by photographing a Kodak Stepchart at all available ISOs, and use Imatest to analyze the range of gray steps the camera captures.

The Rebel T1i had a dynamic range of nearly seven stops at ISOs 100 and 200, but then it dropped off rapidly at the higher sensitivities.

The Rebel T1i also has a d-range optimizer function called ‘Highlight Tone Priority’which will improve dynamic range, but may result in higher image noise. More on how we test dynamic range.

Compared to other cameras at ISO 200, the T1i did worse than any of the others except the Pentax K2000, which in turn performed much better at higher ISOs. Overall, this is a disappointing result, and rightly puts the T1i at the bottom of the pack for this test.

Image Stabilization (6.62)

The T1i uses lens-based image stabilization, and shooting with the 18-55mm kit lens, we experienced mixed results. When it improved the resolution of captured photos it did so quite well, but is was a bit of a crapshoot as to when it that improvement would take place. Also, the T1i’s overall sharpness problem meant that a relatively minor improvement resulting from image stabilization could be interpreted as a significant percentage improvement in our testing.

To test the capabilities of the image stabilization system, we shoot a slanted-line target at a number of shutter speeds, with Image Stabilization on and off, testing separately for horizontal and vertical stabilization. Our specially designed rig has two levels of vibration, a high shake setting that approximates the shake you’d find when shooting with one hand or when moving, and the low shake setting that’s close to what you would experience when standing still and holding the camera securely. More on how we test image stabilization.

First we looked the effectiveness of stabilization at our lower shake speed. While horizontally, it generally seems that the stabilization system will improve results, if only slightly, vertically the stabilization makes matters worse up until 1/15 of a second, where it produced a huge improvement.

At the higher shake speeds, image stabilization seems slightly more effective horizontally, though not at really high shutter speeds. Vertically the results are mixed, but stabilization never makes a huge difference one way or the other.

Image Stabilization Comparison Table			Expand
	Low Shake IS Off	Low Shake IS On	High Shake IS Off	High Shake IS On
1/500
1/250
1/125
1/60
1/30
1/15
1/8

We only have stabilization data for two of the four comparison cameras, namely the Nikon D5000 and the Pentax K2000. The T1i scores comparatively well in this section, but this is in part due to the relatively large percentage jump a small improvement produces when the top resolution is low to begin with, which is the case here.