As a DSLR that takes wonderfully expected images like all modern day DSLRs do and as one of the very few (currently, but we'll be seeing more) DSLRs that record full resolution HD video (1080 & 720) at the moment, it's a clear 5/5. After all, this is one of Canon's lowest trim DSLRs and it already offers 15 megapixels and HD recording.

But then all of those goodies have been beaten to death in reviews everywhere, so I thought I'll just detail some notes on hands-on experience using VIDEO on this bad boy (firmware 1.0.9). It's quite a new thing with DSLRs and some buyers (new DSLR owners and repeats!) might not be too sure what to expect.

- don't expect HD video quality matching HD video dedicated recorders. There will be the "jello" effect (that is actually the Internet technical term for it!) if you pan too fast. And just don't move too fast (you & subject) since at full 1080, it's only 20FPS, not quite up to specs to avoid choppy video when speed's involved (720 has 30FPS). Dynamic exposure is quite slow and sometimes off.

- manual focus seems like the only real usable method of focusing. Not only does the Liveview contrast detecting focusing really slow, it makes a ton of noise (recorded!) and for a LONG time (back and forth) even on a quick focusing USM lens like the 24-70L. Unless you want to give the viewers a bit of nausea, manual focusing gets you there much faster (and remember manual focusing by eye on the fab screen is fine since the output is not 15MP still image but 1080px in height video, i.e. precision doesn't need to be super exact). One last IMPORTANT point on auto focusing, if you try focusing on something dark where the camera needs more light to be able to find focus, the lens will automatically open the aperture so the camera can see. But then, that means while it is focusing, the video will suddenly become crazily overexposed. No joke. It's a lot like spot metering a backlit object where everything not dark will overexpose.

- the mono sound isn't too bad, a lot like video on a point and shoot/prosumer camera. It's sure no competition to an actual HD video recorder, but hey it does the job more alright than I thought.

- zooming the lens while you shoot does make a sliding sound in your video, depending on how smooth the zoom is on your lens of course. And don't even think about clicking any buttons or turning the wheel. The sound proofing for the on-body controls is quite crap. But then there's really not much you have to/can change on the camera while you're shooting anyways.

- I'm not sure what others are reporting (looking at the other reviews), I have an 8GB PQI class2 SDHC and it hasn't failed in writing speed to lose video bits yet.

- It's actually quite fun.

I know most of my notes are rather negative (point is to inform, right), but to be honest, HD video, especially on a DSLR with interchangeable lenses is really fun. Just think fisheyes! Telephotos! Super narrow depth of field! Tilt-shift lenses! And it's really something when you watch the videos, captured by a PHOTO CAMERA, on your computer monitor and find that at 100%, it's bigger than your screen.. fullscreening the video actually shrinks the video window. Hm.

So maybe it seems like this is just HD slapped on a DLSR for marketing and fuel for the whole gimmick-why-video-on-a-DLSR whine, but really, it's a sign for things to come. Future gens of these love machines will surely be refined due to competition and at the end of it all, we win.