Canon EOS REBEL T2I User manual

Canon Rebel T2i (EOS 550 D)
Quick Start Guide
For Video Recording
v. 01 2020

This is a Beginner’s Guide
•This is a beginner’s guide to shooting video with a DSLR camera.
•Although this is a cheaper model of DSLR, the principles
demonstrated for determining exposure will be the same for more
expensive models. Some of the same image problems exist in the
high-end DSLRs as well.
•There are quick start guides for other DSLR models on the CDA
website, but they skip over the information for the novice.
•This guide is a good place to start if you are new to video recording.

•The Canon T2i is a 18 Megapixel entry level DSLR (released in 2010).
•It records HD 1080p video to an internal SD card.
•This guide will explain the basic procedure for shooting video and recording
audio while making reference to specific equipment in the CDA EV depot.
•In this guide all of my examples are from the Canon T2i. Subsequent
generations of Canon Rebel cameras will have similar, if not identical,
menus and controls. Later Rebel models made significant improvements:
continuous auto focus during video recording for example. The majority of
the Canon Rebel cameras in the CDA depot are T2i models.

When to use this camera
•For video recording the Canon T2i camera is better than using a
phone but not preferable to an actual video camera.
•Advantages of the Canon Rebel DSLR: relatively simple to use, a good
lens that can also shoot close-up details, proper image exposure and
focus controls
•Disadvantages: limited video recording time (a 12 minute maximum
shot length), no audio recording controls

Video vs Still Image
•Since this is a still camera with a video option, you may be tempted to
record video with the camera in a vertical position. Never do this
(unless you have a special vertical video installation in mind). Keep
the camera horizontal. The video image is always wider than taller.
•Don’t expect the video resolution to be as fine as still images. HD
video has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. This is like shooting with
the small JPEG still image option on the camera.
•Although it is a 18 megapixel camera, video recording does not use all
of these pixels on the sensor. The video image will be noisy in low
light (high ISO) situations.

Basic Operation
and
Essential
Menu Settings
In the following examples, you can see the placement of the menu
setting by looking directly at the LCD on the T2i.

SD card slot
This model comes with a Class
10 8 GB SD card. This will
record 22 minutes of HD video.
Video can be recorded with a
Class 6 SD card or higher.

Buffer Memory Indicator
You’ll notice that when you are
recording there is a buffer
(memory) indicator on the LCD. If
the card is too slow to record video,
the recording will stop and the
indicator will have reached the top.

Battery
•Turn on the camera to see the battery charge level.
•The battery will last about two hours and takes about the same
amount of time to charge.
•Turn off the camera when you are not using it to save battery power.
•There is no AC adapter supplied for this camera.

Movie mode
Turn the dial on top to movie
recording mode.

Lens Controls
On the 18-55 mm zoom lens there are two
rings for focusing and zooming.
There is a switch to enable auto or manual
focus and a switch for image stabilization.
Turn off stabilization when the camera
is on a tripod.

Holding the camera
To minimize camera shake, tu rn
stabilization on when you are hand
holding the camera.
Try to hold the camera as steady as
possible by bracing it against your
body or holding one hand underneath
the camera (as shown).
It may help to keep a tripod shoe
attached to the bottom of the camera
to give it some extra weight.

Tripod Mounting
It helps to have a quarter handy to
mount the tripod shoe on the bottom
of the camera.
Tighten until snug.

Photo vs Video Tripods
•There are different types of tripods. Photo tripods are usually lighter
and simply designed to hold the camera steady.
•Video tripods have larger heads that allow for fluid movement when
panning or tilting.
•Select the tripod that is appropriate for your use. If your shots are
static, then a photo tripod will be good enough.

Movie Record Button vs Shutter Button
Shutter (photo) and
Auto Focus button
(when pressed halfway)
Movie Record Button

Overheating
•When shooting in bright light, the camera can become overheated
and the recording may stop.
•This is a normal malfunction for this model. If this happens, just
wait for it to cool down.

Format the SD card
Go into the “wrench” camera
menu.
Reformat the SD Card to erase
any images or videos that may
be left by the previous user.

Set the Movie Recording image size and frame rate
1920 x 1080 30p is the most common
HD video image size and frame rate
in North America.

About video image sizes and frame rates:
•1920 x 1080 is the image size in horizontal by vertical pixels. This is
the size of HD video.
•24 and 30 are the frame rates: 24 frames or 30 frames per second
(fps).
•In addition to “fps”, frame rates can be expressed as “p”, to indicate
progressive scanning common to all new cameras. ”30p” means ”30
fps”.
•Choose 1920 x 1080 24 for talking head videos
•Choose 1920 x 1080 30 fps for videos with motion

More about NTSC frame rates
•24 and 30 fps are the standard frame rates in North America and Japan
where we use the NTSC video system. The majority of other countries in
the world use the PAL video system. They record video at 25 fps.
•In fact, the camera is recording at 23.97 fps and 29.97 fps.
•NTSC cameras do not advertise this actual frame rate but confusingly round
it up to 24 or 30.
•When you edit NTSC video you will see one of these actual frame rates in
the sequence or timeline settings in your editing software and when you
export the video from that timeline.
•23.97 and 29.97 fps are the actual frame rates for NTSC video used by TV
and the internet.