The Canon EOS Rebel T1i or Canon 500D looks to be a hybrid of Canon’s 50D and 5D Mark II. It incorporates the 50D’s 15.1 megapixel CMOS sensor and high-definition 1080p video recording of the 5D Mark II into an entry-level Canon body. It will be the first Rebel DSLR to have high-definition video recording.

The Canon EOS Rebel T1i features H.264 video capture @ 1080p/20fps and 720p/30fps (mono sound), DIGIC 4 processing, 9 auto-focus points, 3.4fps burst shooting for 170 JPEGs or 9 RAW files, lens peripheral illumination correction (also found on the 50D), 3-inch, 920,000-dot LCD (same as the 5D Mark II LCD), built-in sensor dust removal system, live view (very handy for unusual shooting positions!), Canon’s “Creative Auto” mode for light exposure tweaks on full-auto. It is compatible with SD/SDHC cards (class 6 or higher recommended).

Standard package includes the following items: rechargeable battery pack and charger, USB and video cables, a neckstrap, an EOS Solutions Disk CD.

MSRP will be $899 with the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens, $799 for the body only. Release date is said to be on May 2009.

[via Doobybrain.com]