CanonEosRebelT4i
Latest
Canon recalls 68,200 EOS Rebel T4i DSLRs, says rubber grips can lead to skin rash
We've covered our fair share of product recalls over the years, but this one almost certainly takes the cake when looking at pure zaniness. Canon has recalled its EOS Rebel T4i -- some 68,200 units -- "due to a risk of allergic reaction." You read that right. As the story goes, a chemical used in the camera's rubber grips "can result in a reaction that changes the grips from black to white and poses a risk of skin irritation to the consumer," and while the company has only received a single report of a consumer developing a "minor rash" after contact, that's obviously enough to issue to recall. It involves T4i units with a 12-digit serial number that contain a second digit that is a "3" or "4" and a sixth digit that is a "1." If that's you, you're advised to stop using the camera and ping Canon USA to have replacement rubber grips installed free of charge. Specifically, you can ring 855-902-3277 and be prepared to be placed on hold for the better part of your adult life.
Canon touts EOS Rebel T4i with improved video focusing system, EF-S 18-135mm and EF 40mm silent lenses (hands-on)
There wasn't much reason to upgrade with last year's T3i, but that's certainly not the case with the Canon EOS Rebel T4i. This new entry-level DSLR packs a redesigned 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with brand-new focus capabilities, enabling the camera to use both phase- and contrast-detection autofocus when paired with one of two new STM lenses. The center portion of the sensor uses traditional phase-detection technology, while points nearer to the perimeter aid by recognizing contrast in a scene, enabling a more accurate autofocus technique for both stills and video shooting. On the video front, the new lenses -- an EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM for $550 or the EF 40mm f/2.8 STM "pancake" for $200 -- allow for much more silent zoom and focusing during video capture, so you don't need to worry about those sensitive stereo mics picking up mechanical noise. The camera still did a bit of focus hunting while recording video during our hands-on, but autofocus performance was quite impressive while capturing stills, even in low light. On the spec front, there's an articulating 3-inch Clear View smudge-resistant glass LCD, with a 1.04-megapixel resolution and new capacitive multitouch functionality, letting you pinch and zoom pictures and tap your way through menus just the same -- you'll still have the full array of physical controls if you'd prefer to go that route. There's the same bounty of video modes available with the T3i and T2i, including 1080 at 30p, 25p and 24p, 1080/60i and 50i, and VGA at 30 and 25 frames-per-second -- there's also a stereo mic on board, along with a dedicated microphone input jack on the side. In burst mode, the T4i can snap up to 5 consecutive frames per second. The camera also includes the same LP-E8 battery pack as previous Rebels, with a 1120mAh capacity. The Rebel T4i will be available in a body-only configuration for $850, $950 with the 18-55mm kit lens or $1200 with the new 18-135mm STM optic, all of which are set to ship later this month. If you feel that the new features don't justify the price, you'll rest easy knowing that Canon has no plans to pull the T3i from store shelves -- that T2i, however, is destined for retirement.%Gallery-156563%
