->Purchase

This camera takes great pictures even on auto mode.

Night mode shots still look sharp even at ISO400.

Macro shot capability is amazing.

Can fully customize camera's settings to fit your needs.

Great camera feel when taking shots


->Affordable

This was my entry level purchase getting into dSLR cameras.

I could not be more pleased with this camera.

There is a learning curve, even coming from Canon AE-1 film camera.

It is so nice to have a 10.1 MP digital camera!

Make sure you buy a 133X 4 GB Compact Flash card to go with it. It really eats up the memory cards when you take lots of shots. You will take lots of shots!


->Sale

I purchased this because I couldn't afford the 5D. Great for the price, can actually get up to 54 continuous shots (3fps) when using the 2GB Extreme III card from San Disc. Spot metering would be really nice for my uses, but I am overall wuite happy with this camera.


->Prices

I did my homework, here it is. After comparing the Rebel XTI with the Powershot G7 I decided to buy the Rebel XTI becuase I wanted a camera, which had great reviews in terms of battery life, compactness, picture quality and durability.

All in All the Rebel XTI is the best digital camera i've ever owned. It has all the above qualities to suit my novice camera needs, offering a professional image, except I will purchase the new Sigma 28mm-200mm lens featuring the optical stabilizer becuase its an all around lens--for close up shots and those farther away. At $899. for the camera and $550 for the Sigma lens this is not a poor man's camera. I saved for it. I figured the amount of money i'll save in film will pay for itself.

Additionally, the G7 is not so bad. In comparance with the Rebel XTI (both Canon digital cameras) at $450 it features good battery life, a lens comparable with the 28mm-200mm all around lens, and a built in stabilizer. Its bulkier than the average digital camera but it picture quality parallels the Rebel XTI.


->Purchase

I bought this camera a couple of months ago and I could not be more satisfied. I have enjoyed photography since I was very young~10 yrs old. Now 35 years later the technology has come a long way and the enjoyment of taking a great shot is attained much easier with the sophistication of a great camera. This camera has many great features that provide quality shots like a pro at the price and simplicity for the enthusiast. I think I will be enjoying this camera for a long time.


->Purchase

I am a die hard cannon fan. I have owned 4 uptil now. I recently decided to upgrade to this camera and I am very pleased with my purchase. I bought the body only since I already had my canon gear. It takes amazing pictures. Along with that i bought the sandisk extreme IV 4 card and extreme reader combo. This card is the fastest card available in the market. You would need it if you want to shoot high quality pictures at lightening speed because it requires a high speed card.


->Best Price

For years I had a Canon Rebel...purchased this new XTI in time for our trip to Hawaii. The automatic functions performed beyond expectations. I took pictures of dolphins using the sports action function...and they are beautiful! Enlarged to 8 X 10, the clarity is amazing. The blues are incredible, the greys on the dolphins - delightful. I plan to take a class to learn to use the manual functions. It is easy to use, has a large viewing area, and works like a dream. I can't wait to see what else this camera can do.

I am also very pleased with Amazon...the camera arrived on time and in perfect condition.


->Deals

This camera is a great upgrade from the 8 mp Rebel. I bought it for my Father in law and after comparing to the 8mp Rebel, I can see that the larger screen, easy controls and sensor cleaner make it a great camera. I've had the 8 mp Rebel for about 2 years and the Rebel XTi 10.1 mp is a significant upgrade.

I though about ordering the 8mp instead to save a few dollars on a gift, but the newer XTi is well worth the extra dollars over the long hall.

Nice things cost money and the XTi is very nice.


->Sale

After having owned a Canon D60 (6mp DSLR) for five years, I bought this camera. I couldn't get over how small it was and yet how amazing the photos were and all at a price that makes this camera and awesome deal. When I put my 50mm lens on the body, I have a camera that's not much bigger than most point and shoots yet I have all the power of a DSLR. The only reason I didn't give this camera 5 stars was because I have BIG hands so even though I liked the small package it was too small for me and secondly it has no display on the top, only the LCD on the back. If you want to adjust ISO or shutter release setting, you have to use the LCD. Other than that, the pics are crazy sharp and the self cleaning sensor is a nice touch. I recommend this camera to anyone wanting to start out in photography.


->Comparison

I can gladly recommend this product to anyone looking for a digital camera packed with features at a good price. I have used it extensively since purchasing it and it has worked exactly as advertised. I am very pleased with the product.

The service I received from Amazon.com was also exactly as advertised. I received the product on time as promised. I am very happy with both the product and the service I have received.


->Deal

Excellent quality photos and all the manual adjustiblity you could ever want.

BUT before you buy the camera with the 18-55 kit lens, THINK ABOUT BUYING THE BODY BODY ONLY AND A LENS SEPARATELY. The lens is very cheaply made and at f3.5 it limits what you can do in low light situations. I would suggest the Canon EF 50mm/f1.8 II as a good starter lens.


->Buy

Bad A$$ camera, fantastic! I can't stop using it. Great cave pics! Taking to Badlands in South Dakota and then to Hawaii! Don't get anything else! Great camera!


->Comparison

This is one great camera...I have used it for a few months and I think it's great...Has many features and one must study the manual from cover to cover. Nice clear sharp pictures and one hell of a deal for the money..I highly recomend it


->Best Price

If you're thinking about stepping up from a point and shoot to an SLR get the XTI you wont be sorry. I also recommend picking up the 50mm 1.8 lens since its only $90. I've had mine for 1 month now and I've already took around 600 pics. Make sure you get a fast CF card and around 1GB if you're going to shoot at the highest quality.


->Buy

Please note that the LCD display can only be used to check camara settings and play back images. You can not use the LCD display as a view finder. In other words you can not frame your pictures using the LCD display. This is a mayor inconvenience for those of us that use the LCD display to compose the pictures.

In my opinion there is no need to have such a large LCD for changing camera settings. This feature waists battery power.


->Deals

Camera is great, but with the kit lens is feels like a toy.
I made quick test at the Ritz with the kit lens and my first impression was the camera feels plastic. But After I read some reviews, I decided to get, only the body and Tamron 17-55mm f/2.8 lens with it and now the camera feels awesome.
So what I notice is the plastic feel comes from the crappy kit lens.
So Tamron is great lens but you can also get Canon IS lenses with similar price and larger Focal length. I just think that Tamron is a little more shaper and faster then Canon IS lenses. Anyways you have many choices on Lenses.
Other then that the cameras quality is awesome, Now I can use ISO 400-800 and take decent quality images. I am former Sony f828 user so, I miss taking movies and using LCD screen for shooting pictures but Canon image quality is X1000 better. ISO 400 is better even then ISO 64 on Sony f828.
So that way you can take pictures without flash even in dark restaurant.
But if you don't want to pay too much on lenses, don't read too many reviews like me otherwise you will going to spend thousands :)

Also for detailed reviews about the camera, visit dpreview.






->Cheap

This is my first adventure in the field of SLR photography. This camera offers an unbeatable combination of performance, ease-of-use and value. It provides 10.1-megapixel CMOS sensor plus a host of new features including an easy to view 2.5-inch LCD monitor. It is extremely light weight and has an ergonomic body.

The EOS has a very high-precision 9-point AF system for speedy, (close to 2 frames per second) and accurate focusing in any situation. Great for sport events.

The only down side is that the battery is somewhat smaller than its rival's, and can drain faster due to the large 2.5 inch LCD monitor being on all of the time and the lens in the kit are okay, though I think it is a step below the camera.



->Purchase

Bought the Canon Digital Rebel xti in May, and it is my first digital SLR. The controls are not as intuitive as a point & shoot, and there is an overload of buttons, settings, etc. Now for the good news.

The picture quality is fantastic, especially in more demanding settings (low lighting, quick movement, etc). The Canon has a very good speed, and you can capture close to 2 frames per second. I also looked at the Sony alpha, but after reading several online reviews by owners, the Canon is a superior ownership proposition, and great VFM. Enjoy!


->Compare

This is my first adventure in the field of SLR photography. I have purchased digital point and shoot cameras before but, there is none I have used that even come close to the quality pictures I can take with the XTi. I have had this a month and have taken over 1000 pictures. Most just playing around with all the different functions there are to play with. I even took around 400 pictures a few weeks ago on a trip to Walt Disney World. I still used Disney's Photopass and had the pros take our pictures. I even gave them my camera and they took our picture with that and ours came out just as good as the pictures they took. I just left the camera on auto and portrate for most of the shots and they came out great.

I have had so much fun with this camera. I even borrowed a 75-300mm lens to see how that did, and for long shots this was great I used it mainly with a tripod. The kit lens was better for taking closer pictures. I really am glad I bought this lens as a kit instead of just purchasing the body and the 75-300mm lens which was recommended to me. I can't wait to get more toys for this camera...watch out one you try it you will get hooked! I did!!!


->Buy

This is a very nice beginning digital SLR camera for the serious amateur and budding professional. Lots of features and quite capable of taking very nice pictures. The lens in the kit is okay though it is a step below the camera. I did get several USM lenses and they work just fine with the XTI.
I did order the battery grip along with the camera and I would suggest it to everyone as the camera, though very capable, is on the smallish side without it.


->Sale

A freind of mine has two of these. I use a 30d for my own digital photography, but these little babies are really sweet and inexpensive for what they'll do. And over 10 MP files. I have had the opportunity to play with the camera and it is extremely easy to use and figure out for the most part even without looking at the book, although I wouldn't recommend tossing the manual. If you are familiar with the EOS system you should enjoy this one. It also has dust delete which is a very nice feature. It is not near as fast as the 30d, and doesn't have a spot meter, but it is quite a bit cheaper. Thinking of using it in conjuction or as a backup with the 30d? You'll need to purchase a seperate back up battery as they use a differant battery.

I print my friend's pictures taken with these and I can tell you it makes some very nice pictures. Overall, I'd say WOW.


->Deal

everything put its right place with this camera
1: little and small...everything is going smaller in this tidy world
2: price is low...
3: 2.5 inch screen , longer battery life , dust removal system and more
4: canon lenses are the best in the world..especially L series..
5: plenty of accesories around..

cons. :
1: sometimes underexposure problems..but not a big deal
2: there is really no walkaround lens in canon..17-80 is good but f is very high..starting from 3.5
3: maybe too small for big hands

after all
never think to what you should buy
this SLR is only thing you have to BUY
trust me..
just buy this lovely machine


->Price

The picture quality from this camera is amazing!!! The menu structure resembled my other cameras, Canon A70 and SD450, so it was easy to use from the start. The kit lens is great for general photography especially outdoors however I decided to pick up some additional lens that were faster. The Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 (~$[...]) and Canon 50mm f/1.8 (~$[...]) are inexpensive and worth it for low-light indoor shots.

The continuous shooting is great for sports and the camera is light enough that its not a burden to carry all day. Battery life is also pretty good. I've been able to get 300 shots without having to recharge the battery.

The one thing that takes a little getting used to is the crop factor. You will only notice this if you previously used a 35mm full frame film camera. I have a Minolta STsi as my backup and 28mm on that camera gives me a wider view that 28mm on the Rebel. However a full frame digital SLR is significantly more expensive than the Rebel.


->Compare

For never using a DSLR before, it only took about 20 minutes to go through the menus and get everything set up. The resolution is amazing. The burst mode is very fast along with the focusing. The 9 point auto focus is really nice to have, yet it sometimes grabs the unintended location. (Can easily be remedied by choosing what points it can use.) I'm using EF lenses off a Rebel film camera and they work just fine. My only dislike is the fact that my nose touches the left side of the screen while looking through the viewfinder. Otherwise, I love it.


->Comparison

I had an old Rebel EOS film camera with many
accessories and autofocus lenses. I bought
just the XTi body with the intent of reusing
my lenses etc. Camera is very high quality,
takes excellent high-res digital photos, but
after trying to take some low-light shots I
realized that I needed an image-stabilization
lens. Not the fault of the camera at all.
It does so much, the only limitations are
really my own knowledge. I haven't yet used
the software that came with the camera...still
using the very good iPhoto that comes with
my MacBook. When I learn more about the
camera, the software that it uses may be
more valuable (for post-processing raw format
images, I guess).


->Buy Now

I own the Canon AE1 so when looking for a digital camera, Canon was the brand I stuck with. I have been wanting a digital camera for years and finally took a leap and bought the Rebel XTI which I have had my eye on. I have tested lower priced cameras and am so glad I waited to purchase this one. It is so easy to use and for my small hands it fits great! I love that there is no shutter delay so I don't miss shots. It may be more camera than I need, but I know I won't out grow it soon.


->Deal

Review of Canon Digital Rebel XTi 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens (Black)

Pros:

1,800 photos taken on 1 battery charge when not using flash!!! Who even comes close to that??
839 photos taken on 1 battery charge using built in flash for 60 of the shots.
Fast accurate focus even in low light even with a long zoom lens
High Image Quality even with kit lens when set at F8 / 28mm
Accurate metering slightly biased towards dark which I like (easily over ridden).
Absolute reliability so far!

Cons:

Slightly small to hold and control buttons on back are a little small. Could be a plus for small hands but I have really large hands.

Thoughts:

I can not begin to tell you how many shots I missed at weddings with my old Konica Minolta Maxuum 5D camera because the auto focus would hunt, especially with a zoom lens indoors.

I borrowed a friends 70 - 200 Canon lens and was amazed how fast this camera responds and is capable of focusing from minimum focus to infinity in what appeared to be less then 1 second!

Speed:

Using a Transcend 266X 8 GB card this new Rebel XTi ROCKS!! My Rebel XTi would in sports mode consistently shoot 30 rapid frames in 10 seconds flat at Large High Quality JPEG before slowing down to store the buffer.

Conclusion:

This is an amazing camera for the price. If you value fast focusing and shooting a lot of photos between battery charges this is the camera for you! I went to the zoo this weekend and kept thinking the battery was going to run dry, it didn't run down until I had taken 1,800 photos!!! I woudl have had to have 3 batteries with me to do that with my old camera.


->For Sale

Cannon..... I think not. Try Sony. You will be happy, Save money, And have a better product, That takes better photo's. - Cannon, can you say shutter freeze?????????" your products under $3000.00 are garbage. and there it is..........


->Lowest Price

I think the shutter sound if just fine, not sure why people care about that, actually it would be better if it was stealth quiet for animals photos and sensitive moments, and the 1.6x conversion is no biggy, the dust removal can be shut off so the camera can start up even faster if needed, this wasn't in the spec of speeds. the lens makes that sound of greasy bearings only when focusing and when zooming. all the digital menu design is just fine, you can make shortcuts for the main 4 buttons. like iso or foucs style, etc. what a nice day, ahhh.


->Best Price

This is my second Canon camera I have purchased and they simply get better each time. This was a big step-up from a simple point (wait) and shoot camera.

If you spend the time learning how to use this camera you will be rewarded with great shots to show everybody.

Definitely worth the money.


->Deals

This is by far the best digital SLR in this price range. Very easy to use, and the pix are spectacular. That I can use all the lenses and accessories from my old Canon 35mm SLR is a big plus. I like being able to use it in the fully automatic mode, or use it manually at the turn of a dial. The optical viewfinder is excellent. You can't go wrong with the Rebel XTi. I should have bought it sooner!


->Price

After looking from afar at DSLR's I was finally able to get one. After much research (primarily between the Canon and the Nikon) I decided on this camera. It is easy to use with useful software for the low and mid tech level user. For anyone with a general understanding of computers and menu systems, controls are quite intuitive once you understand the various functions. Though it is pretty user friendly, because you have so many options, you have to keep your wits about you to remember what you have set in various places (that is if you aren't paying attention to the display) until you get used to the camera, but that's just a user issue, not the camera. I have already taken some really nice pictures with it. Instead of a bundle, I purchased a 17-55 EF-s 1:2.8 IS USM lens for it initially and added an EF 70-300 1:4-5.6 IS USM lens when I realized why I had a Vivitar 70-210 Series 1 lens for my old film camera -- Distance.


->Best Price

I have had a progression of Canon cameras beginning with the SLR Rebel 2000. When I moved into digital SLR it only made sense to go with a name I could trust--not to mention I could use the lenses I already had! Over three years ago I purchased the 6.1 mp Canon Rebel. Almost two years later I handed that one down to my amateur photographer daughter and bought the 8.1 mp Canon XT. A month ago I gave the XT to my daughter, who passed the Rebel along to my son--and bought the 10.1 Rebel XTi for myself! Now there are three very happy members of my family. These cameras are everything the consumer and expert reviews promise--ease of use if I want to go auto, the ability to capture some great pictures by playing with some of the manual features and nothing but praise from everyone for the results. My whole family highly recommends the Canon Rebel for any photographer who loves great pictures.


->Affordable

I sold my XT about six months ago and upgraded to the XTi. My main reason for doing this was the larger screen. This is a great camera for the price. I bought the body only because I already had the 18-55mm. The kit lense is fine if you are just starting out or aren't really serious about photography. If you are serious about photography, but don't have thousands of dollars to spend, then this body and a decent lens should serve you well.


->Buy

The camera works fantastic. The best digital camera ever! Easy to use, all my SLR lenses work with it.


->Deals

The camera body itself is pretty much perfect for the price. I think the big contest in any of these reviews is the included kit lens, which is pretty okay. It's not a L series by any stretch of the imagination, but if you're comparing it to those lenses, may I also suggest a higher-end camera -- this camera kit is meant for beginner forays into dSLR, and you always have to option to just buy the body...

My recommendation is for anyone who is just starting off with dSLRs, this is a great kit to grow from and the lens (while not perfect) will give you a fairly decent normal to light telephoto range. If you've used Canon EF or EF-S lenses and own some already, I would recommend going body-only unless you need this specific range.


->Comparison

My first thought: Because of its compact size, the XTi's buttons are not ergonomically spaced. After just 30 minutes of shooting in various lighting conditions last night, my hands started to cramp. I know this is going to get annoying. HOWEVER, if you are choosing between this camera and a Nikon D80 (which is bigger) and you already have Canon dSLR-compatible accessories like I did, then it makes sense to go with the XTi. If you do not have Canon accessories, then I recommend "test driving" both cameras at your local store before buying one. Otherwise, the XTi is great so far. I'll keep y'all posted.


->Compare

A very good Camera. for all kind of users. its price is good for 10mp DSLR.
sometimes it gives an underexposed pictures. but stil one of the top cameras at the time.

pros:
light weight
superb LCD
battery life
you get what you pay for

Cons:
long exposure noise and high iso are horrible
plastic body


->Buy

I ordered this camera without any lens. I had all the lenses from my Canon EOS IIe which is a full frame 35mm film camera. All of the information I have read stated my lenses were compatible with the new camera. Naturally the first thing I did when I received the camera was to try all my various lens and they worked perfectly. I am very happy with my new digital camera and the flexibility it allows me to shoot in various situations.

Anyone want a good buy on a Canon EOS 35mm IIe in excellent condition?


->Prices

I've been using the Canon EOS 20D for 3 years and the REBEL XTi/400D for 9months. The 20D has been replaced by the 30D which sells for about $1100.00, whereas the Rebel XTi sells for under $800.00(prices for body only). Many people ask me whether they should go for the 30D or Rebel XTi. I've pretty much switched to my Xit as the standard camera, w/the more expensive 20D as the backup. Here's my review of the Xti and comparisons to the 20D

Camera Size and Handling
The entry level Xti is smaller and lighter than the mid-level 20/30D's. This is an advantage for me, as I'm trying to keep the total weight of my kit as low as possible without sacrificing quality

The Xti has fewer dedicated controls and buttons that the 20/30D's. I expected that this would make it harder to make adjustments(I make very frequent adjustments and never use the camera on Program). However Canon did an excellent design in arranging the buttons and functions on the rear of the camera. While I do miss the famous Canon "rear wheel" which I used to dial in exposure compensation, overall, this new arrangement is just about as easy to use as the higher level cameras.

Screen
The 2.5 inch screen is not only larger but brighter than the screen on the 20D. It's the same size as the screen on the 30D and I can't compare overall brightness. This screen has enhanced the usability of the camera, particularly outdoors. While no LCD screen can render a great image in bright sunlight, I'd say I can now use this screen to get a good sense of what my image looks like in many more outdoor shooting situations than with my older camera.

Dust-Reduction
This is not in the 20 or 30D's. With my 20D I had to use a blower to clean the sensor frequently...or else I'd see spots on my images.(by frequently, I mean after about 4 days of shooting). I have had the Rebel xti for 9 months, shot thousands of frames and have never done a manual cleaning. The ultrasonic vibration system that automatically shakes dust off the sensor when the camera is turned on, really works.

Image quality
While the Xti offers higher resolution compared to the 20/30D (10.2 vs 8.2mp), it's given me some problems with noise especially at 800 iso or higher. Unlike my 20D I will not use this camera at ISO 800. I have also noticed some issues with underexposure compared to my other camera, and the need to dial-in positive exposure compensation, especially when using Canon Speedlight.
I've lived with this issue for a while, and finally called Canon. I have to give Canon credit as the support person spend nearly 20 minutes with me on the phone trying to diagnose the problem and rule out any user error. I've read about this underexposure issue on some Canon user forums. I will send my Rebel in to have the exposure calibration checked.

VERDICT
Despite some issues with the noise at ISO800 and the exposure, I really enjoy using this camera and have taken some great shots with it. Originally I intended for it to be a backup to my 20D, but instead it's become my primary body. Images can be seen on my website.




->

This is an excellent camera for those who want to pursue photgraphy seriously. [SLR stands for single lens reflex]. If u r just planning to use it as a point and shoot camera [in AUTO mode] plz dont waste ur money. Like all SLR cameras its bulky if u compare with slim-trim point-n-shoot cameras in the market which slide-in easily in ur pocket. There is no real time preview in the LCD at the back so u have to see through the eyepiece for framing the photo. Its actually gives u the image as seen through the lens. Since, all light that enters the camera through the lens gets diverted to the eyepiece via a mirror infront of the sensor, we have no real time preview as no light falls on the sensors. Moreover there is a curtain [shutter] infront of the sensors [CCD type for canon]. Shutter controls the amount of light falling on the sensors. u can reach extremely fast sensor speeds like 1/4000 secs which gives u freezing image of moving objects. For night or astro photography one can keep the shutter open for as long as 30 secs. ISO range for the EOS 400D [rebel xti] is 100-1000, where 100 is the native sensitivity. For night mode one can increase the ISO but the picture is grainier or use flash [which fills the image with light n destroys the whole effect in the photo] or can decrease the sutter speed. At lower shutter speeds camera shake can blur the photo very badly, so one must use a tripod or use an IS [image stabilized] lens. The lens that comes with the camera [18-55 mm lens] is not very good and u cant expect more from a $50-75 lens. The canon has a vertical tilt sensor which rotates the image if u shoot it vertically. The re is a sensor which turns off the LCD in the front when u move ur eyes close to the eye-piece and this is really helpful. Imagine shooting in the night mode with something bright below ur eyes....it would be terrible. The kit aslo includes a battery n a charger esp made for the EOS 400D camera. With fully charged it's sufficient for a full day of active photgraphy.
The camera uses a CF [compact flash] card [normal cameras use SD or SDpro card]. Writing image to the card is fast. The camera takes a while if the card is full, to get ready to trasfer the image. I have used canon A630 and it gets ready very fast to trasfer the images to the computer.
With this camera in continuous shooting mode one can shoot approx 3 images per second which u wont achieve with a normal digital camera. It has a maximum burst [total no. of photos one can shoot in the above mode] of approx 20 when there is no flash and image is small/fine jpeg. With RAW images it would be smaller.

If I compare it with Sony Alpha series, Canon EOS 400D is clearly a winner. Sonys camera doest even look good. Compared to Nikon it has a body that is cheaper [$200-$250]. Nikon has more features that are more subtle and u might not use them. Nikon has one screen at the top of the cmaera when the data for various parameters like shutter speed, white balance, exposure, focus, ISO etc is shown. The LCD at the back is only for image preview. The canon's one LCD at back does it both, and i like that. Furthermore canon has only one dial to control compared to 2 in Nikon. Canon has an extremely good series of lenses too for all kinds of photgraphy.


->Lowest Price

If you have a Digital Point a shoot camera, this is the way to go into the DSLR cameras. It's the best bang for the buck for you.

If you are a professional photographer you may want to go to the next camera in the canon's DSLR line.

For me an amateur but serious photo enthusiast this has worked great. I use it for family and friends, work related and artistic photos. What it is lacking... Faster speeds above 1/4000 and Higher ISO equivalent sensitivity (1600). But if you do not NEED that you'll love this camera. The battery life is great. The manual says about 500 shots mixed flash and no flash photos. This seems about right. But think about it 500+ shots with one battery! It is great. I did buy a second battery. I recommend you do too, since the battery lasts that long you will be in the road of your third shooting session when it runs out of juice. There you will appreciate the second battery.

Good basic flash. The lens is good. Has no (IS) Image Stabilization but that doesn't seem to be a problem. The good news is that you can later improve the lens. I have shot with a friends Professional Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras and it works great. So improve the lens after you have a feel for the one it comes with which is enough for your average photo experience.

The size is big compared with a point and shoot but it is smaller than all the other digital SLRs out there. So it is not a burden to carry it around.

I love this camera. I use a SanDisk SDCFX3-4096-901 4 GB Extreme III CompactFlash Card (Retail Package) memory card. It gives me about 800+ shots in Large/Fine setting.

Hope this was useful for you.


->Deal

The Digital Rebel is a great, great camera for anyone ready to make the step up from point-and-shoots. It has all the advanced settings you'd ever want, but if you're a novice like me the automatic mode takes better pictures than you probably ever imagined you could produce. It really is that much better than any other digital you've probably ever tried, including the speed.

If you are looking at this camera you are probably also considering the Nikon. I know several people who own Nikons (D50s and 40s), and to me they are a little more complicated to operate, as if they are designed more for the expert crowd.

If you buy the Digital Rebel I would suggest getting the battery grip accessory. It adds a very convenient and comfortable means of holding the camera and it allows you to go literally weeks without charging.



->Price

I own more cameras than I care to mention. I bought the XTI because of its small footprint, and excellent megapixel numbers. I have not been disapointed at all. I love it. 16 X 20 prints that look super sharp are possible if you are using a good lens. It is my favorite travel camera now. I would highly reccommend this little machine for those who are moving up in the digi world from the point and shoot cameras. Compared to my Nikon D2x it is a feather weight, but still gives great performance. Toss it over your shoulder, and you won't even know it is there.


->Affordable

I spent quite good time triyng to decide what camera do I want to have. Then I bought this one.... just a excelent camera. Now that I own it, I realize that it is too much for my needs but It is a next forward step. I am completely satisfied with this camera... It is excelent. Plus, the software that comes with the package is very, very helful.
Be careful.... this package do not include a memory, you have to buy it separately, and do it at the same time you buy the camera. Also I recommend to buy the memory reader for your PC, you will need it, trust me.
Excelent camera....


->Purchase

This is my first digital SLR and I'm glad I made this camera the first. It's easy to use and fun to learn all the features. The quality of photos are far superior to my previous point-and-shoot 2mp camera. Now that I have this camera, I'm taking a lot more photos and really satisfied with the results. The price is not too high that a first-time buyer is intimidated and not too low that you feel its a cheap starter. The kit lens (18 - 55mm) is okay for basic use but I'm already exploring to purchase a better lens. Overall, the Canon XTI is a great camera especially for digital SLR rookies.


->Deals

Simply the best and easiest digital SLR camera I have used. I have just purchased one of these last week - an upgrade from the 300D - and I have to say that the speed and accuracy of the XTi is fantastic.


->Price

Sure there are other competitors to the XTi like the Nikon D80, Sony, Olympus but for the money you can't possibly beat the quality. This IS your best bang for the buck. I have had my XTi for 1 month already and absolutely love it!! From portraits to landscapes to landscape photography, this camera does it all. I highly recommend this camera for all level photographers.


->Buy

I have been researching this camera for a few months now. I finally, decided to spend the money and purchase the Canon Rebel. I wanted a camera that takes great pictures of my children. This camera is worth every penny. It takes perfect, clear pictures. I was afraid that I wouldn't know how to use all that it offers or be able to figure out all the buttoms. All I had to do is read a little and I was ready to take pictures. I love how I can attach a tripod to the camera, set it on the timer and take a picture of the four of us. We have never been able to take pictures with both my husband and I in the picture. I would recommend this camera to anyone. You will not be disappointed!


->Prices

I recently purchased a Canon Rebel XTI and am very happy with it. I have a 35mm slr and this camera runs circles around film. I also have a Cannon S50 point and shoot digital camera but I have a major problem with red-eye. With the Canon Rebel XTI I no longer have a problem with red-eye. If you are thinking about this camera, think no longer, buy it. Buy the package. I thought that my old lenses would work so I bought the body only and had to go out and purchase a lense. It cost me a lot more going that route. I have had people tell me that my pictures look profesional. I thank them and say that they are!

I am happy happy happy with it.


->Sale

I keep seeing reviews about this being the best camera for the AMATUER. The pros at national newspapers and magazines were using this level camera three years ago. Moving up to the 5D won't make you a better photographer. I've sold plenty of photos with this camera. I sold plenty of photos with an old 3.1 megapix Olympus I had as my first digital camera.

Really don't worry so much about the camera. Buy some good lenses, take a class, learn to work with subjects, look at the light...


Often you don't have to be the best phographer, you just need to be the best photographer THERE when it comes to news and events.



->For Sale

If you want to discover passion of the wold of photography don't try to jump to high at first.Theres a litle bit to learn,and go small and with the best.Buy rebel XTi,the wold smalest and ligthest DSLR.Its a litle imaging machine.If you are about to get serious into shooting pictures,just say cheese!The Rebel XTi 10.1MP will put white on your teeth.


->Cheap

The Canon XTi is a very easy to use Camera that takes fantastic pics. The order was shipped right away and I recieved it in just a few days.
This ones a keeper for some time and I highly recommed J&R Music and Computer World/Amazon.


->Compare

When I was researching cameras and lenses, I was concerned with all the recommendations of the 5D over the XTi for amateur use, including that of "Consumer Reports". I made the choice for the XTi and I haven't been the least bit sorry. Unless you are a pro and can justify almost double the price, this camera works and works well. I chose to put my money into a better lens, in my case a Tamron 17-50mm, f2.8.

Personally, because of my investment in lenses for my Canon EOS film camera, I was driven to chose a Canon digital. If you don't have that as an issue, you may want to consider competitive units, but for my money, I am fully happy with my decision to purchase the XTi.


->Best Price

This camera is more than I expected. I love the compact shape and feel, and the motorized shutter release makes me feel like a professional. The images are nice and big and this digital camera has taken all my lenses that I used for my regular Canon SLR. I haven't had any problems interchanging the lens. The display screen on the back is nice and big and the functions are very similar to the regular Canon SLR. My only gripe is that the rechargeable battery doesn't seem to last very long. I find that if I take more than 200 photos, I need to recharge soon after that. With digital, it's easy to take 200 photos in just one day. If I go on a travel trip, I may need to buy a backup battery to have in case the battery runs out during the day and I'm not at the hotel to recharge. But other than that, it's a great reasonable professional looking digital camera to have.


->Price

This camera is awesome. I am an amateur and don't know too much about the camera but, it has some really great features. The one downside is you CAN'T use the LCD screen to take pictures. You have to look through the window. Overall it is great though.


->Prices

I have owned 3 Canons and have always been very impressed with the features and usability.

This camera is no different.

I've upgraded from the ELPH S500 series (a point-and-shoot) because I felt that I'd learned all I needed to with simpler cameras. I purchased this camera because of the positive reviews (like this one) talking about the wonders of the features.

While I love this camera, i'll give you the negative bits that I'm always looking for to give a truly balanced opinion on the features of a product; "I love it, I love it, I love it" doesn't convince me of whether I want to purchase it or not.

In no particular order:
Pros:
-physically: it's small, lightweight and while plastic, still feels solid enough to put into my bag.
-coming down in price, the cost of these DSLRs are really moving down.
-wide assortment of lenses from many manufacturers available
-the pictures are, as everyone says, amazing. the colors are rich, the default settings are pretty good in itself. I've toyed with some of the color and sharpness settings and have had good results.
-easy to use, intuitive, the center "set" button is reprogrammable also for easy use of certain features.
-great for beginners, it's designed for the consumer, not pros, and I really have learned a lot from its simplicity. Menus, instruction books, and others are simple to understand.
-Great for beginning and moving up. This is my plan, as I'm finding that photography is a strong passion of mine now. I had noticed that the higher end cameras, the 5D, etc. all use the same lenses, so eventually I'd like to move up. For right now, this camera is awesome.

Cons:
-the size makes it difficult for my hands, I bought an extended battery grip and it fits much better. However, this makes it a bit heavier.
-rear screen is not recessed. this makes me nervous that it's going to get scratched or cracked somehow. wish they'd spent a little more on plastic and pushed the screen a little deeper into the body.
-the camera shows the settings on the LCD on the back. While I think this is ok, I do feel as though it shortens the battery life. You can change the settings to turn it off, but the shortest is goes is 30 seconds. I wish it had the old digital readout on the older and higher-end cameras. then you could see the settings all the time.
-I do have a dead pixel on my LCD, that bummed me out, but it's not bad.
-This is a wish more than a complaint, but I would like to be able to fold up the mirror and be able to see the LiveView that's available on the Olympus SLR's and the Mark III. I would think that it wouldn't be that hard to do.
-I have worries about APS-C sensors being discontinued, which could mean no future lenses. But since Canon seems to have made a solid consumer-based camera line, I don't think it'll be anytime soon.

Overall, it's a great camera. I recommend you get this or a Nikon over the other brands. Between this and the Nikon, get this. As a consumer-grade, this really is top of the line.




->Compare

I am an amateur photographer and wanted something as a replacement for my finepix s602. The bundle that came with my XTi was great for almost all kinds of photography. Just add a 2GB card and a UV filter and enjoy. My friends and family love the pictures I take. I definitely recommend it!


->Buy

This camera takes Good Pictures. just after I got this cam. I go out took some shoots in the street without even reading the manual. and The pictures I took is great. the shadow and highlight is prefect. one thing I don't like about this cam is the grip. It is plastic. It is not comfortable to hold for a long time. And keep in mind, it only have one LCD. Other than that I think this is a great camera.


->Prices

I had high hopes for this camera. I was impressed with all of the features and ease of use. However, after shooting around 200 pics with nearly all of them being underexposed, I have decided to return the camera. Most of my pictures were underexposed by 2/3 to 1 stop, and yes I know that I can easily use exposure or flash compensation, but after spending nearly $800 I figure the camera should shoot well without me having to do that. The underexposure makes the full auto mode completely useless, therefore none of my family would be able to use the camera. I know some people are getting this issue fixed after having sent their camera off to Canon, but again I don't think I should have to do this. I will move on to a different camera.




->Prices

I can't add much to the rest of the reviews here, but you definitely won't be disappointed with this camera. It's got everything you will ever need.

The quality is perfect, usability is excellent. Enough said.


->Lowest Price

What a difference. I haven't had much time to learn the ins and outs of it but its easy to pick up and use, even if you've never touched it before. I have an older Sigma telephoto/super macro that throws an error code when used outside with this camera. Canon customer support is awesome though and directed me on how to remedy the problem. They are courteous and professional. The customer service alone is enough to keep me with Canon. The flash mechanism rattles a little bit and makes you think somethings broken when you pull it out of the box but if you read the manual you'll find thats normal. LCD screen is awesome. Functions are pretty easy to navigate, especially if you have experience with any of Canon's PowerShots. Looking forward to many years with this camera and the shots it will capture.


->Compare

I've had this camera now for about a month. It's an exellent camera for entry-level users and will have some longevity. The lens selection is well supported. It's a bit small but I really like it that way because it's easier to move about without distracting your subjects. Great image quality at 10.1 MP and the internal cleaning system is an exellent feature to this camera. If you're on the fence then I suggest buying this camera.


->Purchase

This is the best camera ever! I don't know anything about photography but with a little reading online, research, and of course the easy manual, I'm taking great shots. I recommend this is anyone, beginner or not. Very worth it!


->Comparison

Camera Takes Excellent Pictures. Not being a professional photographer, I find it very complex,and as such,I need and should take a few classes in photography. For basic work it satisfies my needs.


->Buy

I bought this camera after months of research as an upgrade from our Canon S2IS. The XTi is much larger than the S2IS and my wife insists she won't be carrying this one. The controls are very easy to operate and well placed. The camera is well balanced and easy to use. The power-on time is amazing and the focus is instantaneous. I'm still learning the different modes and capabilities but I'm very happy with the XTi so far. Understand this is not a point-and-shoot sized camera though. But the images it creates are well worth the extra size and weight. This is the perfect step up for those who are interested in upgrading. It would be a dream first digital camera too!


->Buy

This takes WONDERFUL pictures. We recently visited Hawaii and brought back pictures that with enlargement, let us see things we couldn't see with the naked eye. Great quality--no issues with shaking (though I like my coffee well enough) as reported by others. Great rapid-fire succession shots. I chose this product because of great reviews and recommendations in Consumer Reports.


->Price

BECAUSE OF A MEDICAL CONDITION, I USE A SINGLE LEG POLE AND A REMOTE SHUTTER SWITCH TO TAKE PICTURES, AND IT TAKES SUPER SHOTS...I DO NOT KNOW WHAT EOS STANDS FOR, BUT WHAT EVER IT MEANS I LIKE IT


->Buy Today

I need to start off by saying that I am new to Digital SLR cameras and lenses, and am by no means an expert. I am comparing this camera to the numerous point and shoot digital cameras I've had in the past three years in my search for a "good camera". The difference in quality between this camera and all of the rest of the cameras I have used is noticeable immediately, both in ease of use, and in end results. It is a pleasure to work with this camera, the menus are well laid out and everything seems well placed. It can be a point and shoot replacement (using one of many automatic presets) or you can do some pretty advanced setups (using manual settings). The images that I am getting out of this camera seem very professional, with very little effort on my part. And with a quick touch up in Adobe Lightroom, I'm turning out very good quality pictures (in my beginner opinion) with very little work required. All in all, a great camera for a beginner like myself. I'd also recommend getting a decent lens (the kit lens is only okay), a lens filter, a tripod, and an image editing program like Adobe Lightroom.


->Buy

As a father of two infants, I finally got sick of getting them to both look at the camera and smile only to suffer the dreaded shutter-lag of even the best point and shoot cameras. This is what got me to look into DSLRs. After weeks of reading reviews and researching articles, I settled on the XTi, for it's combination of features/price point. I picked it up with the kit lens and an extra battery, plus two 2gig sandisk ultra II cards and the 50mm f1.8 lens. I can't recommend the 50mm lens enough, but I already covered that in it's own review. The kit lens is not nearly as bad as some people have said. Everyone loves to trash it by comparing it to the "L" series lenses, but then that is like saying a new Nissan Maxima is crappy next to a Ferrari. The kit lens gives nice sharpness, vibrant colors, and has a focal range that nicely takes you from a little wide angle to a bit of zoom. Some people have trashed the battery life, but this camera has far exceeded any point and shoot I have ever owned, going for days without a recharge (in the 500 shot range). The camera itself is amazingly easy to use, in fact in full auto mode it is basically the best point and shoot you could ever want. If you are willing to read or learn a little, however, it can do most of the things any professional does on their cameras. You can grow into the hobby with this camera (as I am doing). It is set up to give you all the control and power you are willing to take. Add to that the extensive lineup of lenses and accessories offered by Canon and third party vendors like Sigma, Tamron and Tokina, and this camera has all the versatility, ability, and flexibility to be anything from a great point and shoot for soccer moms to a backup camera for a professional (or first serious camera for a fledgling amateur/pro).You will need a few memory cards, as it is so quick that you will find yourself taking many more shots and keeping the best ones. Nothing about this camera has been a disappointment) I give it my highest possible recommendation.


->Buy

OK, I'm very pleased with this camera.
The pictures I've taken are great, the exposure is always correct and the new display and aditional functions works perfect.
It's really fast on the start up and the buffer allows to take many RAW pictures even on slow Compact Flash cards.
I have no complains about this camera, I'm really pleased, everything works fast and fine.
The 18-55mm lens is poorly constructed and not very well. But it's also a cheap starter.


->Lowest Price

I bought this camera for a 2 week trip oversees (mostly landscape and portrait pictures).
Pros:
- I used it for 2 weeks 600+ pictures without having to re-charge
- This is my first DSLR and I was able to use it without many problems (except I kept forgetting to go from the canned landscape mode to portrait mode to get the flash)
- I got a good kit lens that takes great sharp pictures

Cons:
- The first one I got had a bad pixel in the LCD. Luckily Amazon is great and did an exchange for me. The even sent me the new one before I returned the first one!

Forget what you've read about the body being too small... I didn't use a huge heavy lens or flash, but this camera was fine to use while walking around viewing sites and taking pictures. I could see how it may be a problem if you are holding it for hours on end, but I used the strap. One other piece of advice would be to keep your pocket camera for times when you don't want to carry a camera bag with the DSLR in it. This was a beast to take to dinners and clubs.

Overall seems like a great camera (only had it for a month now). I'm still learning a lot about it.


->Compare

I'm probably an advanced amateur in skill level. We transitioned from film to digital around 2004 with two Nikon Coolpix cameras and one Canon Elph, all 3-5-megapixel machines, all nice enough but I wanted to get back to an SLR (I have several old Nikon F, Ftn, and F2 film SLRs that I still love), in digital. The technology has improved since our first digitals only a few years ago, now having little or no time lag on start-up, between shots, etc. We have a friend who is a pro who has shot for National Geographic and done some splendid photo books and he recommended the Canon Rebel XT, but by the time I got around to purchasing, the XTi was available and looked better. It is full-featured, takes quality shots, and is ridiculously easy and intuitive to use, a really nice job by Canon. It's bigger than our older, compact digital cameras but a bit smaller and a lot lighter than my venerable Nikon F film SLR's, and the power of the XTi - - range of "film" speeds, frames-per-minute in action mode, scenes settings, battery life, etc., are all very competitive. Auto-focusing is very fast and accurate. I think that digital SLR technology has evolved to a wonderful degree and it's probably tough to find a "bad" camera, but the Canon XTi is certainly an excellent choice. The comprehensive anti-sensor-dust approach is also a nice feature, although the wide zoom ranges on many of the lenses reduces the need and frequency for lens changing, which is fine with me, changing lenses is, at best, a bit awkward under most field conditons.

The built-in flash is, predictably, very limited in application and output, and the neckstrap rings could be better designed and perhaps better located on the body, but other than those minor caveats, I have no complaints and I absolutely love using it, which is as it should be.

I'm sure that there are several other excellent digital SLR's out there, but I'm very happy with the XTi and recommend it.


->Deal

I bought this camera a few weeks ago, and it's great. I never owned a DSLR before so it's great to be able to manually focus and set the aperture and shutter speed. I bought it primarily for wildlife photography, and I thought I'd get an inexpensive zoom lens and learn to use it before I spent $1000+ on a nice lens. I bought Canon's EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM Telephoto lens, and I wish I hadn't. The lens is fuzzy when it's wide open and it has bad chromatic aberration. The smaller kit lens seems fine, though, and I use it for everyday shots of friends and family.

The body of the camera is small for a DSLR, and I have big hands so it doesn't fit quite right. It's perfectly workable, though, especially when a big lens is attached so I can grip it. The control for shutter speed is easy to use, and there is a continuous exposure meter that shows how your aperture/ISO speed/shutter speed combination compares to the light levels. It makes it easy to get a general feel for the exposure then set it 1 or 2 stops in either direction if there is snow or dark shadows or whatever.

Overall, I'm very happy with this camera, but I won't feel that it's perfect until I get a good lens.


->

This is a great camera, loaded with features. Can use it as a fully automatic cameral with great results, or shoot it completely manual with full control over all settings. Intuititive menu and settings. Accurate color. It feels a little small in my big hands, but I paired it with an opteka battery grip and am happy with the heft and feel of it. Still learning about all the features. Brings excitement back to photography.


->Deal

After a long five months of debating and research, I finally broke down and bought a XTi. I bought it as an artist looking to take photos of my artwork to make prints out of.
The XTi is quite easy to use, with simple menus and a logical interface. But it all is irrelevant compared to whether or not the camera makes good images.
I was amazed at the size of the files and the information contained therein. I shot in RAW, then did minimal processing, learning to save my files to TIFF. The resulting print was quite good, and able to be blown up to 24" x 36"
The one drawback is the poor performance of this camera in low light. Even with 1000 watts of light on my artwork, is wasn't enough for those pieces that were darker. That's where knowing a little about photography helped. I took a second series of photos outside on an overcast day, and my photos turned out perfectly.
there is much more I could say about the camera, as I'm using it for a very specific use. What I will say is that it has proven to be a great investment, one I would heartily recommend to others.


->Purchase

WOW what a camera. Great price from Amazon.com and Fast Fast Delivery from Amazon.com. If you can order directly throuh amazon instead of anyone else on amazon.com I suggest that you do so. Friendly and very helpful staff. Thanks Amazon


->Sale

This camera works great. I mainly use it in a studio where it sits on a tripod. The only thing I find wrong with it is that I can't view my model in the large LCD display. I have to look through the small viewfinder which is kind of awkward. Overall, though, very happy with this camera.


->Sale

I love this camera! I won't get into technical details, but it's sufficient to say this camera is FABULOUS for amateurs. I have 2 friends who use this camera for their business, and both have taken award winning photographs. I have been using this camera for a month, and I love it. I have taken some great pictures with the kit lens, however I will be upgrading my lens at the end of this month. For this price range, you can't go wrong. The large display is wonderful, and the controls are all easy to learn. My best piece of advice to anyone looking to start this hobby, please learn how to use your manual settings! If you're buying this camera and just plan on leaving it on automatic, you won't see optimum results.


->Discount

I purchased the XTi/400D because I used to have the Rebel XT/350D (lost during divorce) and I was much more familiar with Canon than I was with Nikon. I've made several lighting mistakes with manual setting, but these were my error and due mostly to the high f-stop lens attached.

The new sensor cleaning system is definitely a plus, but it obviously cannot prevent dust during numerous lens changes. Read up carefully and have the right tools before trying to clean the sensor yourself! I tried canned air once and it left fluid residue on the sensor.

The AI Servo is not as good as I hoped for action sequence shots, but at this price for a Canon body, you can't beat it. I've taken several great pictures of my son's indoor and outdoor sports events using fast 1.8 and 2.8 lens. Make sure to get a large and fast CF card (2GB/4GB, 120x or faster) if you're taking sports action shots.

I've found it convenient to use the small XTi body with a cheap 50mm f/1.8 lens when out in the evenings under low light conditions. ISO 1600 on this model does show noise, but it will get those night indoor bar and club shots that you won't get otherwise without using a flash. If you have to use a flash which will cause bad shadows (and draws unwanted attention), try to use the 430EX flash or even better the 580EX. The built in flash is very powerful, but it fires several preflashes to sense distance, color temp, etc. This can really upset the people being photographed or scare away any night life.

The 1.6x crop factor can be a good or bad thing depending on whether you like telephoto or wide angle. Maybe someday I'll have enough money to purchase the new Mark III with only 1.3 crop, or maybe I'll just get the 5D full frame body which isn't as good for sports/action sequences. Overall, I'm extremely happy with this lightweight camera body. Note that I mostly use this with the extra BG-E3 battery grip.

Overall, I am thoroughly happy with the XTi/400D and it truly is a major improvement over the previous XT/350D.




->Buy Online

have had this camera a month now and love it. Once I sussed to change the ISO setting from 100 to 400 it started taking awesome inside shots. We've got a new son and I've taken hundreds of shots in all lighting. Continuous shooting is great waiting for that perfect smile and you can take about 10-15 very quicky qith a flash before it starts to slow down [but that may have been the battery getting low too]. If you're on a budget and are a keen amateur shot then you could do a lot worse than this camera. p.s. I've also used my old lens' from a film canon and have no probs at all.


->For Sale

This is an excellent camera for anyone who wants to make the change from amateur to serious amateur. Although the lens that comes with the camera is pretty basic and different lenses will require a lot more investment! An excellent camera!


->Discount

Received my XTi last week. I'm just learning to use this camera and using it in the auto mode only for now. The lens that everyone said was garbage is good for a beginner like me. The picture quality is much better than my old Olympus Point and Shoot (16 years old!). I plan to purchase an additional lens for sports shots soon. I know I will enjoy this camera for years to come. It's easy to operate in the auto mode, yet has many advanced features as well for someone more experienced. Love the large LCD screen. I researched for months before making a camera purchase. For my budget range, this one had all the rave reviews. I love it!

Great customer service from Amazon, free shipping, and I got a free Canon Printer! Ordered product on Sunday before President's Day. Received my camera by Wednesday. Amazon overcharged me by $[...]. I called and the rep credited my card with no problems. I was hesitant about making such an expensive purchase on the internet, but the transaction was perfect. I plan to order more photography accessories from Amazon.



->Purchase

Finally went big time digital. Have a Canon FTb 35mm w/lenses(don't fit this new camera)
tired of film processing by outside companies. Now I can take the shot, see what I have , adjust if necessary. On auto mode, it's a point and shoot that's pretty well fool proof for just general shooting. I've had it for a week plus and just starting to use some of the features. Short learning the curve. I bought the kit and the lenses is very usable. Just ordered a Sigma APO 70-300mm lenses to increase my capabilities.
The camera was easy, the lenses are a bear!!! So many choices and so many price ranges.
Overall I've taken and enjoyed more pictures this week then in the last year. Have a point and shoot that wasn't reallly what I wanted, but will remain a fine edition to my camera bag. My recommendation - GO FOR IT. Best in it's class (this week any way)


->Price

I have used the same 35mm film camera for 20 years. So now I have decided to dive into the digital camera pool. This was my first digital camera purchase. I researched digital cameras on the internet and decided to get the Canon Digital Rebel XTi. My reasons for getting this camera are:
1. No shutter lag - This means that when you press the button to take the picture, the camera takes the picture at that moment. This is a very important issue when taking things that happen all of a sudden. A friend of mine had a little pocket digital camera at spring break...lets just say he was very disipointed with the shutter lag on his camera.
2. View finder - Maybe I am so used to my regular 35mm film camera that I just have to have a view finder. A lot of the point and shoot cameras don't have a view finder. You have to use the LCD screen to see what you are looking at. That can be handy if you are holding the camera away from your face to take a picture. But I like to look at what I want to take the picture of and bring the camera up to my eye...done. No trouble finding exactly what you want to shoot. Remember, with the XTi camera, the LCD screen only shows the picture after you take it. You can't use the LCD to view what you want to take.
3. The feel - Again, probably from my 35mm camera, but I just love the feel of a regular sized camera in my hand.
4. Continuous shooting - This is a fast camera for taking multiple shots in a row. Great for action shots.
5. The Price - This is still not a cheap camera, but it is cheaper than most of the others.
The things to look out for on this camera are the settings. This camera has lots of settings and buttons. This is a good thing, but if you are not used to cameras, it can be a lot to take in. The only thing I noticed about this camera is on outside photos, if you get a lot of sky in the shot, it can make the rest of your photo a little on the dark side. There are settings to correct for this. So over all, this is a great camera. I am still getting used to all of the settings.


->Best Price

This is my first digital SLR. I've had the S3 for about 8 months now and learned a lot about composition and exposure, so I decided to take the leap and get the SLR.
So far, so good. I like the overall feel of the camera, love the speedy and accurate focusing and of course, it's a beautiful machine.
Miss the image stabilization, and using the LCD to compose the picture I'm taking.
I need to upgrade the lens really quick. The kit lens is NOTHING to write home about. As a matter of fact, the test pics I've taken are so comparable to the S3, It's even scarry! My new 50mm f/1.4 is on it's way.


->Deal

I have owned this camera for ~ two months. The pictures are incredible. I do recommend getting a memory card with speed over 100x. The software that comes with the camera is very easy to use and adds a lot of value to the pictures. I'm very satisfied.


->Price

My parents wanted to give me a camera for a gift. I'm a professional who mostly shoots Fashion, Events, and Portrait throughout Chicago; my camera is my livelehoodand only source of income! Here are some of my thoughts:

FASHION: It works great. I can drop the ISO to 100 and fire off at a decent speed. I've used the XT to get work printed in a handfull of magazines and it looks like the XTi will continue this trend! It's easy to use and I LOVE the larger LCD screen! I need to show the models how they look so they can make adjustments to their poses and they find it easy to hold and use. It is also great to show the Makeup Artist and hairstylist the image through the large LCD screen. I do suggest a battery grip since most portraits tend to be horizontal and it will help eliminate aching in your hand fromreaching over. The resolution is great and I can blow images to 20x30 with ease!

EVENT: It's a bit sketchy at some events. I paired it with the Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8 and my 580ex at a CEO breakfast. The glass was not fast enough so I had to bump the ISO to 1600. NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! I was shocked to see so much noise. It was even high at 400 & 800. WOW! I was bothered by this, but then again: I pushed the camera to its limit AND it cost less then $1,000. I cannot complain! One other note: I had someone ask ifI could "turn down the sound of the shutter." HA! Obviously I cannot change the sound of a mirror slapping against metal and plastic, but the camera DOES soundmuch louder then the 30d and 5d I have shot with in the past!

PORTRAIT
Most of the portraits I do are for CEO's, Musicians, and random people who contact me for my services. Most have no idea that the XT and XTi are the cheapest of the Canon line and they do not care: they just want excellent photographs!

TURN ONS:
Large LCD
Compact design
Easy to hold (for people with smaller hands)
High resolution

TURN OFFS:
Noisey at high ISO
Louder then the 30d and others
No clickwheel
Small size (hard to hold when you have larger hands)


->Buy

I've had the Rebel, the Rebel XT, and now this Rebel XTi. The design just keeps getting better and better. I love the new bigger screen. It's so much easier to see the camera settings. I highly recommend this camera.


->Deal

Photography is a relativly new hobby for me and I've gone through several cameras over the last couple years. After talking to a friend of mine, a professional photographer, I settled on getting the Canon Rebel SLR. I couldn't be happier with the camera. It's high end enough to do everything I could ever want and still not overly complicated. With a new baby on the way you can be assured that this camera will get a great deal of use.


->Compare

I'd bought a 300D as soon as I realized they existed. I liked it... took some decent shots, dragged it along w/me in Europe, used it for work, etc... but I always felt like I was being shortchanged on features for the amount of cabbage that I dropped for the thing... plus, I was convinced (though may be wrong) that my constant problem w/underexposure was the camera's fault... so I sold the 300d with a plan to buy a 30d asap...

finances took a turn and my hopes for a 30d went down with them... but I soon found myself back in the market for a 30d, and nearly bought one, until I took a more critical look at the xti.

in short, it's exactly the camera i'd hoped for in the 300d i'd bought initially. and it was considerably less expensive.

not a huge fan of the smaller grip, but i've since added a non-canon battery grip and really like the resultant feel.

if the funding is not an issue, then 30d > xti any day of the week. but, if you're semi-broke like myself, the 450d is teh hott.


p.s. i would rate this somewhere between 4 and 5 stars, but chose 4 to avoid hyperbole. thank you.


->Deal

After two weeks and 450 pictures the camera failed. Up until failure unit was excellent- easy to use and great pictures. Failure involved total malfunction of all camera function in other than automatic. Service was prompt and polite but online database was useless in trying to resolve problem. After minute with live support was advised to return camera to service depot, which I have since done. Bought Canon XTi because previous 35mm Rebel bought in 94 had been flawless and wanted to use existing zoom lenses. Expect unit back from warranty repairs in two weeks and we will see. But leaves an uneasy feeling with me regarding reliability, plus cost of shipping for warranty.


->Price

Even the very best point and shoots are junk compared with this camera. Can't say enough about how cool it is. It opened up a whole new world for me. Now it takes a real effort not to be obsessive in learning about new lenses and how to use them. As cool as this camera is with the kit lense, other better lenses take it to a whole other level.

If you are on the fence, just go for it, you won't regret it.


->Deal

So far I have had no problems with this camera. It takes really sharp pictures and it's really easy to use. I would recommend getting an image stabilization lens after seeing what my friend's lens can do. I chose this camera over the Sony A100 after a long debate between the two. I tested both out in a store and I just like the overall feel of the Canon. I plan on getting an image stabilization lens though, so if you want a camera with image stabilization for less money, go with the Sony. I still think the Canon is a better camera though. Good Luck!


->Prices

This is a fabulous camera. Exactly what I expected. Please note that BODY ONLY means NO LENS!!!!!


->Buy Now

Lots of megapixel, great image quality, fast processing speed and many more. I wish the body were a little bigger.


->Prices

The canon digital Rebel it's a wonderful camera, so many functions that I will really have to study on them, there's just one thing that I'm not sure if I don't know or it's like that, do any of you know if I can use the LCD screen to see the images when I'm taking the picture, or do I always have to use the visor?

It's a great product !


->Lowest Price

Picked this up recently and love it and great DSLR to learn from. You can never go wrong with Canon point to shoot to SLR cameras including ZR camcorders too. CANON all the way!


->Best Price

I bought this for work so it had to deliver. It has a million options. I read the short description carefully and then the long description carefully. But I'm old and my eyes can't see little bitty print in the dim light, so the settings on the dials are completely useless. My final solution was to download the manual from Canon as a PDF and then bring it up on my PC while I practiced with the camera. This worked. I discovered that the jpeg default settings are not as good as the Elph I have and love, but it doesn't matter. I still have the Elph and I use it at parties.

For the purpose I acquired it, the XTi is perfect. I shoot everything in RAW and downconvert it to jpg with the software Canon provides. Their software is OK, I give it a 7. The one they provide is like Excel, it will do a lot of different things, but with a lot more work than I want to do.

The provided me with the APIs and I'm a coder so I intend to write a decent program. If everyone needed the same thing I do, Canon would have written that program and I wouldn't have to. I will say that the world should settle on one RAW format so Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, Google and the rest can write this stuff instead of just Canon and me.

I waited a long time for this camera, but it was worth it. I sent several emails to Canon along the way complaining about rebates. I have never received a rebate in my life, so I won't buy any products that are in a rebate/price spiral.



->Best Price

The camera produces dark pictures and needs manual exposure compensation to correct this. I have used a Canon film SLR camera for years and compared to that, it certainly feels there is something wrong in the metering of this camera. I am returning mine tomorrow.


->Buy Today

The Canon xti 10.1mp is easy to use, lenes from my canon rebel 35 mm camera interchange nicely.


->Deals

Bought this right after Christmas, when Santa decided I had been good, but not good enough for this kind of cash.

Let's face it, $800 is serious coin for most of us, and there are hundreds of cheaper cameras out there.

So why plunk down this kind of money for a camera? Well, it depends on who you are, and what you plan to use it for. If you are looking for a point-and-shoot for snapshots, you should probably pass. There are cheaper cameras out there (Canon Powershots, for example) that will give you what you want for less.

However, if you are a semi-serious photographer, this is an extremely nice camera. I'll skip the tech specs, as you can find those elsewhere. Here's what counts for me: the shots are ultra-crisp, and the camera features are phenomenal. There are enough MPs here to do some significant enlargements, without loss of clarity.

I'd rate myself an enthusiastic amateur photographer, and, in all honesty, this is probably too much camera for me. Which is good, as I'll be buying a manual, and working to get everything out of this camera I can. I am using this as an educational tool. I'll experiment with it, and learn more by using it.

In my mind, well worth the price.


->Sale

Pros:

1.Better hand grip
2.Nice 2.5 screen.
3.Faster burst
4.Solid CF card door.

Neutral:

1. Proactive anti-dust. Haven't used long enough to tell the effectiveness
2. 9-point AF. No apparent improvement of the old 7 point AF. Nikon uses
11 pt AF and I heard its AF is worse than Canon...

Con:

1. Freezes after consecutive flash shots or burst shots without flash. Freezes upto 1 minute. Apparently the old battery is not up for the job.
2. Dark shots more often than XT (350D) - metering problem.
3. 10mp only gets the file larger and uses up CF faster. Not much else.

Bottom line:
I'll wait for the 30D upgrade...




->Buy

I still have the SD200 I bought a year or two ago, but the XTI is great. I am still learning all the settings. Now I'm starting to play with the RAW and continous shooting modes. I can't wait until nature starts getting it's color back to go shooting in some of the parks around town. A friend of mine has an XT and his photos from last summer look great, I can't imagine what the XTI's will look like.

All I can say is buy THE biggest Memory Card you can find. If you shoot in RAW + L, it eats them alive. I had to wait for my Ultra II 2 gig and ended up using a standard 1 gig for a while. Now I just need to decide if I should shell out for more cards or to get an IS USM lens.

I was suprised when I used up the battery the first time, not because it went fast (it didn't) but because it uses the same as the Elura series Camcorder I have.

I can't say enough about it. Even when I screw up a shot, like when my dog bumps my leg, I can still see great detail. Canon did a great job with this camera and if you register it like I did, they answer even the rookiest of questions quicker than you would expect.

If you are looking for an upgrade from a point and shoot to a SLR, this is for you. If you are already familiar with Canon's Menus and Programs, that's just icing.


->Prices

Wonderful camera! Worth every penny plus some! It's true you can't immediately see the pic that you take at the exact moment but you can pull it up immediately after you take it with a push of the play button.


->Discount

PRO'S: Great features and images. Easy to use and follow instructions. CON'S: No CF card supplied with camera, can't view image through display screen when taking photos.


->Comparison

Has performed admirably. After only making the step up to a digital SLR now (I'd been holding off as long as I could to get as good a performance as possible), it's lived up to every expections.

Battery life has been great (only charged once in two weeks while travelling with it), and having tried it with 5 different lenses now (from fisheye's to 70-200mm f/2.0), it's been fantastic. You should see the zoom factor with the 70-200mm :)

[...]



->Best Price

My new XTi underexposed & I've since learned that others have had this problem. Be aware of this correctable problem. Canon agreed there was an issue with my camera after I sent them a series of photos & histograms. Their service center gave fast service & appear to have corrected the problem. I've long used digital point & shoot cameras (Olympus & Kodak). This is my first SLR. I went to an SLR to get faster shots & hopefully greatly improved low light shots. The XTi certainly solved my need for faster shots. Initial evaluation of night/low light shots show great improvement over the non-SLR cameras. Photos of nightime lighted Christmas trees are not as blurry. Too early in the evaluation (plus I need to upgrade from the kit lens) to say it fully meets my desire for good low light shots.

THe underexposure problem (both indoor & outdoor shots too dark) could be compensated for by increasing exposure by +2/3.


->Compare

I have been extremely pleased with the Rebel XTi. I'm a relatively new-comer to the SLR world, but have been learning quickly (the XTi helps with the learning process since it is very easy to use). My major impetus in moving into the SLR world was my frustration with the large delay in depressing the shutter and pictures actually being taken with most digital cameras. Now that my children are getting more involved in sports and "moving" activities, I found that my old Sony DSCP93 camera (despite it's very nice pictures), was just not quick enough to capture these moments effectively. (Although I miss being able to just pop it into my pocket...)

The silver body stays nice and cool during the hot days of summer in bright sunlight - which is the only advantage over the black body that I've found (that seems to be why all of the professional Canon-afficianado's prefer those white Canon lenses...). The presets for shooting makes the learning curve a little easier and helps aid in figuring out the intricacies of how to use the advanced features of this camera. Another great part is the large MP of the camera - makes cropping pictures much easier, and still allows for large size photo prints. Overall a great camera.


->Lowest Price

Excellent camera. I have only used it a small amount of time but it makes the most incredible pictures. Only wish they had one of these 20 years ago. For the money, I don't think it can't be beat.


->Deals

I've owned my Canon Digital Rebel XTi for almost a month now, and have taken over 1,000 pictures. The camera seems to be holding up well and hasn't developed any problems. It has all the features you would expect in a digital SLR, although it does lack a spot metering system, but it hasn't caused any problems that I couldn't fix by changing somthing else. Is it a fault? Yes, but is it all that important? No, especially if you're a beginner with DSLR's.

I've read a lot of reviews that criticize the kit lens, and although it is certainly less than impressive, it is an excellent beginner's lens, and it's low price helps too. If you're a believer in "the lens makes the picture, not the camera," then I would suggest buying another, higher quality lens either directly from Canon, or a slightly more cost sensitive lens from Sigma or Tamron.

Back to the camera body itself. The XTi is a bit small, especially for those of us with large hands or long fingers, but it's a lot easier to hold than a normal "point and shoot" camera that most casual digital photographers are used to. Even though it's tough to hold at times, I prefer the smaller body, but it's really personal preference (if you get a chance, go out to a store and hold one, just to make sure it's a good fit for you.) If you can't stand the size, you should look at Nikon's entry level DSLR (the D80), or if you're willing to shell out some extra bucks, one of Canon's professional series cameras (the 30D or 5D.)

Canon has updated a few things with the upgrade to their outstanding Digital Rebel XT. The thing that will catch most people's attention first of course is the addition of 2 more megapixels, giving the XTi a total of 10.1. However, the 2 additional megapixels comes at a price. Although Canon increased the amount of overall pixels, the sensor (for those of you that are new to DSLR photography, the sensor takes the place of film in a camera and captures the image digitally) is roughly the same size as the one in the XT. This produces a little more noise, but not enough to notice unless you view the picture at larger than true size. Other changes include the loss of the small indicator LCD above the main LCD on the back, and the increase of the main LCD to 2.5 inches. I think this was an excellent idea. It does slightly decrease battery life because the camera has to keep the large color LCD on all the time, but it is much easier to see all of your picture settings clearly and at the same time. Also, a rubber thumb grip (which was missing entirely in the XT) was placed on the back for a more comfortable hold as well as the addition to a rough plastic/rubber grip in the front of the camera (also missing in the XT). There are other differences as well, including more AF points, Picture Style settings and more. If you want to see the rest of the specifics, go to Canon's website.

So, to sum it up: The XTi is an excellent upgrade to the ever-popular Rebel XT. It is an excellent camera for beginner DSLR photographers and is portable enough for everyday use. The plastic body does feel a bit cheap, but it's the inside that counts (just don't drop it.) For the great price of Canon's Digital Rebel XTi, it won't dissapoint, and may be more than you expected. So if you're serious about buying a entry level digital SLR, I would strongly suggest you purchase Canon's newest edition to their EOS lineup.

Hope this was helpful!


->Compare

This camera blows my mind. It has features and functions I never would have dreamed a camera to have...Now I have to say, I'm "old" (56) so I'm used to more dinosaur like cameras. But the Canon Rebel XTi is the absolute coolest thing I've ever used in photography. And, I'm just now learning it. It is like buying a Ferrari and only going 60! There is so much more this machine can do. IT is a dream camera, for me. I can hardly wait to figure it all out!!! lol


->Best Price

This camera is fantastic. The picture quality cannot be beat, and the features of the camera are countless. I am not a proffesional, but wanted a nice camera. Even the less than "guru" can work it because of its ease of use. I bought a lot of things this past year, but this is by far my best purchase. I would definately recommend that if you purchase this to buy an additional lense with a bigger zoom. But other than that, this camera will make you very happy!!!
I am also glad I purchased it with [...]. They had the best price on the camera, and got it here on time!


->Prices

What can I say, I love Canon cameras. Deciding to buy this camera wasn't a big deal because I knew I wanted Canon & I already had Canon lenses that I used with my film camera. It works great & takes beautiful shots. Since I already own a rebel, getting used to the options was not difficult because they are not that different. The display is nice & big. I haven't used the dust cleaner app on it yet because I haven't needed to, but I did play around with other settings & have had a ball. Some people have complained about the images being too dark...I think it may be a preference or just particular settings. Just like any camera, you need to make adjustments to get the image the way you want. At any rate, I really like it, but I'm still not ready to give up my film cameras.


->Buy

I had XT before purchasing XTi and I thought it is time to upgrade with the new one. Xti has sensor cleaning feature and other nice things. When I got the camera, my test shots turned out a dissapointment. It may be psychologic or real, but I did not like the pictures that came out of the camera. I searched canon user forums and some people reported that the new XTi is slightly different than the original in terms of color and light adjustments. Conclusion: I returned the camera and bought a nice used Canon 20D on eBay with a lot of classic features (and cheaper than XTi).



->Buy

I have used this camera both during Christmas holiday family gatherings, as well as in the pursuit of outdoor scenery. It is a WONDERFUL camera. Whether shooting in full sunlight at ASA 100, or tripod astrophotography at ASA 1600, the camera truly shines.
As an astrophotographer, the only issue I find with it is that exposure time is limited to 30 seconds. Other than that, I think anyone purchasing this camera would agree it is a good value.


->Prices

We bought this camera after we had our first child--and everyone comments on what outstanding pictures it takes. We get such great pictures of our baby, there's just no need to take him to a professional studio! It's very easy to use and we are slowly learning all of the many things the camera actually can do. But, initially, it's as easy as point and shoot for perfect pictures. The lens it comes with is perfect for indoor and closer objects, but in the future we will probably invest in a better lens for zooming on things further away. Great camera--would recommend to anyone!


->Price

I have been waiting three years to buy this camera and all I can say is what a disappointment. My first SLR was a Rebel 2000 so I am very familiar with all the normal features as well as the new features of this camera. I also own a 5MP Canon A95 Power shot which blows the XTi out of the water on almost any indoor shot. The flash is never enough - as one review said, almost all low light (in door) shots will come out dark. The foreground will be OK but there will be no background detail. Contrasting this with my Powershot, the same exact photo will have a nice bright background. I have taken hundreds of comparison shots to a friend of mine's XTi as well as comparing to my Powershot. The "new nine zone" focus does not work well either, I have to use center focus mode and be sure of what it is focusing on. My Rebel 2000 film camera almost never a focus issue. Unfortunately, it seems Canon just didn't put the quality into this one. The only way I have found to get a better picture is to go into manual and push the flash up one stop, but for $800, I shouldn't have to do this. The camera does take good outdoor shots and pictures of the moon etc. and the 1600 film speed is nice.


->Buy

I have a Canon Eos 35mm (not a Rebel) camera that I have been using for many years and loved it. It was time to move to digital however and I just couldn't justify the cost of the 10mega-pixel EOS, so I opted to "step-down" to the Digital Rebel XTi.

After taking my existing ultrasonic lenses to a local retailer and making sure they'd work on the Rebel XTi, I purchased a "body only" version of the camera, thus saving myself roughly $50 dollars.

I've been using the camera for a few days now, mostly in the house and I'm happy to say that I think I made the right decision. Only a real die-hard photographer will lament the loss of some of the finer configurations available on the full EOS. For me, and for most people, the Rebel XTi has everything you need. It still includes your standard modes: Landscape, Sport, Twilight, etc., and of course you can adjust aperture and all that other stuff that only people who do it as a profession or hobby really understand anyway.

The built-in flash is very powerful, moreso I'd say than what was on my EOS 35mm, and the menu is more intuitive than the Fuji FinePix I had before purchasing this camera.

Additionally, some have noted that any 35mm lens you try to use on the digital will creating some cropping, but I don't really see a difference. I probably would if I could put the two side x side, but my standard wide-angle lens takes in a fair amount of space, and my zoom lens appears fine too. For reference I have the Ultrasonic lenses with the red dot, not the ones with the red dot and white square.

Cons: You can't view what you're taking a picture of in the viewfinder; you have to look through the lens. Also, the carry strap that comes with it is pretty cheap. I'll probably use the one from my EOS.

My particular purchase included everything BUT a CF card, so I got a 2GB one from Transcend ($45), and it works perfectly.

Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase and I don't feel like I missed out on any features by not buying the EOS.


->Buy

I'm terribly excited to get this camera, I've been waiting a long time to purchase it. When I saw it go on sale I couldn't pass up the chance to snag it.... ;) I just wanted to post and say thank you for the reviews, they were quite helpful. I only gave it four stars because I just ordered it last night and I won't get it for another few weeks. I'll have to share a few photos after I've had enough time to play around with it.




->Buy

I take a lot of pictures and have a great deal of fun doing it. I also spend more time editing the pictures than I do taking them. I love the outdoors and traveling. I take my camera everywhere. So, you can imagine how really excited I was about moving up to an SLR body camera and all the advantages that it could give me. Unfortunately, it turned out that it took every ounce of joy out of taking pictures for me.

For starters, I am too stupid to get it to work well! There is no doubt this is a fine camera. In the hands of someone who knew what they were doing and were willing to spend the time, it will perform very well. However, for a hack like myself, I could only get about 40% of my shot on autopilot to looked really good. I don't know where it was focusing but even with all the help on board it only got part of it right. There where some really outstanding pictures compared to my old camera but I couldn't tell when it was going to work. In low light there was no hope. There was nothing I could do to hold it still enough to get a clear shot. I had it wedged up against a concrete building and low wall trying to take a picture of Austin's skyline at night. I even added my tripod for more support and it still didn't work. Which bring me to another fact of life with these cameras. They are very expensive. The image stabilization cost more than the camera and that is just the start! It looked to me that I would have at least $3,000 invested into this thing to get it to do what I wanted! That is an awful lot of money for very little return when comparing these cameras to the cheaper easier to use models.

Then there is the size of the thing. When you add in all the goodies that go with it you have a massive bundle of stuff that is not only heavy, it is pretty large. I can't see any real reason for all of this given the new advances photography. I spent all my time messing with the camera and lugging stuff around instead of enjoying myself and having fun. I called my boss for advice and he had sold his big SLR and was carrying a little subcompact. I sent it back.

PS The service I got at Amazon was terrific.



->Comparison

This camera has everything that you need, has been easy to learn how to use (it's my first digital camera), and takes great pictures. It's been a lot of fun to play around with. I'm especially interested in low light photography, and have been very impressed with the sharpness and quality of the images even without a tripod. I generally like to set most everything manually, and it's been easy to work with in that regard. Many of the auto features are good enough that it's been slowly tempting me to become more lazy.

Also, the software package that comes with the camera has been easy to use. It makes handling the much larger number of pictures I take now (vs. my old Canon AE-1) a lot easier than I thought it would be.

If you're looking for a capable SLR camera at a good value, I would definitely recommend this one.


->Prices

I've only had this for a few days but I love it! I upgraded from the Digital Rebel 300d and I had the D30 before that so I was already very familar with how this camera works. The only thing I was disappointed was that it took a different battery, battery grip, and charger from my 300d.

The biggest reason I upgraded was to get the bigger burst capacity but the better focus system, bigger screen, and of course added megapixels definately made it worth every penny of the upgrade. Another thing is that the body is smaller than the 300d which was smaller than the d30. I miss the heft of the d30 but plan to get the battery grip which will add some weight back to it. Its smaller size and lighter weight will probably be much better apreciated after I travel some with it.


->

If you have had digital PS cameras, you know they take good pics of average scenes, but sometimes they try to be too smart and get in the way of what you really want to achieve. If you are familiar with 35mm SLRs, you really miss the ability to control things.

The new generation of DSLRs are now as good as 35mm for enlargements, and modern storage media (flash cards and hard disks) allow for storage of a lot of images even at maximum size and quality. The Canon is the best value of a very good set of contenders from Nikon and Sony. The sensor in the camera is 24 mm (larger is better -- we will soon see a 35 mm sensor). This camera can use legacy Canon lenses as well as the new EFS (short focus in the back specifically for digital EOS). Because the sensor is not 35mm, you have to multiply lens length by a conversion factor, in this case 1.6, to get 35 mm equivalent (example: a 50mm lens will give the same result as an 80mm on a 35 SLR).

The kit lens is ok but not great. I got a Tamron 28-75 f2.8 which is my primary lens. I may splurge and get one of the Canon "L" series lenses in the near future.

The camera is compatible with iPhoto on the Mac (I have yet to encounter one that is not), and comes with its own image browser and photo editing software. On the Mac, I am using the Canon image browser and iPhoto for picture management, but still prefer Photoshop elements when I need more image manipulation. iPhoto albums are effectively folders that can be loaded into the navigation window of Image Browser.


->Deals

I have been a film camera buff all my life. I have looked at digital cameras for the past several years but was waiting on the features that I have in my film SLR's. This was reasonably priced and pretty full featured (lacking only in spot metering). I gave it a try. I am well satisfied with it. I have shot several thousand images and find the images more than satisfactory, the camera easy to use and am becoming a digital convert.


->Best Price

Pros:
- Great Battery Life
- Stunning Clarity
- Easy to use
- Automatic Dust Removal
Cons:
-Rubbish Kit Lens

This is my first DSLR but I have had no problems using this camera and have gotten some stunning results. In my opinion the only thing which is lacking is the kit lens, but I have still managed to take some good shots with this. Overall extermely pleased.


->Buy

I love the camera but have only been using the automatic focus mode and wish you could force the flash in this mode but you can't. Sometimes pictures of baby come out dark b/c the automatic flash doesn't go off. I guess I need to learn how to use the manual functions so I can force the flash myself. Automatic just seems easier when quickly trying to capture the brief moment when she is smiling and looking at me (with her eyes) open all at the same time!


->Price

I bought this Canon because I have lenses from a Canon Rebel SLR which is a camera I still love. The lenses work great with this new digital. I do a lot of low light photograpy and the low light exposures come out very clean.
I am not a professional photgrapher and the manual has been very helpful in introducing all of the state of the art digital features that this camera offers. I also like the ease offered connecting the camera to my mac.


->Best Price

I've been using the camera for about two month now. It's a decent buy although you might want to consider the body only and get a better lens. I spent the first couple of weeks struggling with the kit lens. It might not have anything to do with the kit lens but I did get a lot better pictures with Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens. One problem I'm having is the 9-point AF. Canon may think it a good feature, quite often it focuses on the wrong thing. And even it focuses on the "right" thing, in most cases the image is not sharp. So I use the single point focus most of the time. But this gives me another problem. If I pick the non-center focus point, AE might not be accurate as the metering doesn't follow the AF point (I could be wrong on this). So in tricky condition I have to lock the AE first then reposition and shoot. Again this only happens in tricky situation. I'd say 90% of the time AE is ok. High end camera body may have better feature but I'd rather spend more on lens as you can take equally good pictures if you know the body well enough, and I'm still discovering.


->

The product performs as advertized. It is more camera than the average user needs but has completely automated features for those who don't want to know the ins and outs of professional photography to take quality photos. I highly recommend. Choose the lenses that fit your requirements and you will be "good to go".


->Affordable

This is an easy to use digital SLR. I was amazed at the many professional quality images that I obtained during a recent visit to San Diego Wild Animal Park. However, beware of vendors who may try to substitute a gray product (400D) for the U.S. version (XTi). It is light handling even with the telephoto. The 9 autofocus points make it easy to use this on full auto with sharp images.


->Deals

We are just moving into the world of SLR Photography and this camera is fantastic. It is easy to use and takes amazing photos. Beyond impressed.


->Price

"Black Body Only" is almost jargon. I totally misunderstood that this did not include a basic lense. Had to return and re-order. The company that shipped the camera is great to work with.


->Compare

This XTi is a solid entry level digital SLR. It is many auto features for a novice like my self to use. As my abilities increase the camera has potential as well. After using the quick start guide I have been able to use this camera almost immediately. It is versatile in that you can mount EF-S and EF model lenses with the camera. It is a good starter SLR. I do recommend buying the lens separately from the standard 18-55mm lens. The kit lens lacks the USM and the IS, but features add to the camera.


->Buy

My hat is off to Canon on the body, sensor, processor, and feature set on this camera. It's great. It takes beautiful pictures that I'm very pleased with. There is definitely a sticker shock when you start piecing together your DSLR kit. I know that I've spent about $2300 on the camera and 4 lenses. It's unfortunate that you still have to spend that to get a precision photography experience, but that's how it is. You can't go wrong with this DSLR.

My only complaint would be that I'd trade the 2.5" LCD back to the XT for the smaler LCD and the monochrome LCD info screen. The 2.5" LCD info screen on this XTI doesn't work like I'd like it to. It's a small complaint though and a small price to pay for a 10 megapixel sensor.


->Compare

I am now using this camera for almost 2 months. Its been a great experience working with this camera. The 18-55 mm wide angle lens itself has capture brilliant photos whether it is night or day. I also have the Canon 100-400mm IS Telephote lens which I used to take the far images is the exact match for this mate. I have been highly overwhelmed to work with this.


->Best Price

I bought this camera after many months of saving up and researching digital SLRs... and I couldn't be more satisfied with my purchase! I'm a professional by no means, but I really love how much functionality is packed into this little guy. The giant LCD display on the back is just awesome--combine that with the 10 MP and it makes this camera a much better purchase than one of the larger, more expensive Canon DSLRs.

Also, I was a little nervous before I bought the camera because I read a lot of reviews that talked about the size of the camera being hard to handle. Well, my hands are HUGE (I can palm a basketball) and I have had no problems at all, and I love the fact that it is relatively smaller and easier to carry around than the larger counterparts.

Finally, if you are just starting out, then you will be plenty satisfied with the kit lens, which provides some decent range and a nice wide-angle end. If you are waiting to buy the camera because you are trying to save up for the perfect lens, don't! Buy the kit today and then save up and add to your lens collection down the road--you won't be disappointed!


->Deal

I bought this camera and 1-week later headed for the Galapagos Islands. The camera was simple to use and wonderful photos resulted. We carried two lenses and 3 Gigs of memory for a 10-day trip. The battery held the charge--I had bought spare batteries and only needed to replace them once. I was impressed! I am hoping that photograpghy will be a new love in our life, and the camera will let us begin that journey.


->Discount

I am new into the world of SLR photography and this camera has been great for a newbie. One of my friends, who is an experienced photographer, noticed that the XTi takes dark pictures on the manual settings. This issue is discussed at length in many forums and reviews of this camera and I have not found this to be a major problem. With over 500 shots so far I am really enjoying the camera and can't wait to get more lenses. On the subject of lenses I would get the camera body only and spend a couple hundred more on a better lens to start. With the underexposure issue, I would consider one if the IS (image stabilization) lenses which allows you to take pictures at up to 3 shutter speeds slower with out blurring the image from camera shake.


->Deals

As this is my first digital camera, I have found it very easy to use, and it has been easy to get great looking photos with the automatic settings. Overall very pleased.


->Price

This is the best present that I've bought to myself for a while! What a top camera for such an amature photographer like myself.
Just point and shoot. If the results are rubbish, then delete it and try again with the other settings.
Now, I'm forever taking pictures without the issue with develpoing 35mm film, whilst trying to remember which settings to select whilst taking the 24 / 36 pictures.

Well worth the money!


->Affordable

I loved my xti but returned due to mislabel by amazon, it was advertised as coming with USM lens but it does not, plus Pentax/Samsung give you more for the money, I was not impressed with Nikon d80 either as it does not have IS and when using zoom in 60-135 range the pics were coming out blurry as hell.


->Buy

I have been digital for about ten years, I have shot canon cameras for about 25 years, I bought a computer and a scanner in 1996 and scanned in my film from my cameras, I bought a D 60 and thought it the best little did I know what was in store for this industry. I bought the D 300 when it came out and have used it as my primary camera until this last summer when I sent it in and had it changed to a dedicated Infrared camera, staying with the rebel line I just recieved my new D400 xti and cannot believe how much they have improved it over the D3oo this is an amazing little camera, this camera has features that you will not find in the $3,000 and $8,000 canon cameras if you had a six star rating this camera would get it


->Deal

I got the XTi to replace my XT (just wanted to upgrade) and loved it until I discovered one major flaw I could not overlook. We were trying to take a family Christmas portrait of my husband, myself, and our 5 month old daughter. I asked my mom to take the pictures one after the other while my dad tried to get our daughter to laugh. After 20 shots (using flash)the camera locked up completely with a constant "busy" signal and she was only able to take one picture every 10 or so seconds. I can't count how many great shots we missed because she was pressing the shutter and the camera wouldn't respond. I duplicated this issue over and over, confirmed in the manual that this is how it operates normally, and even communicated with Canon to confirm that this is normal.
Considering I usually take many pictures at a time to try to capture a smile or a cute expression this major flaw rendered this camera useless to me. The old XT does not have this issue so I very sadly and reluctantly returned the XTi. I am so disappointed in the XTi. The major purpose is to take pictures so if there is some "flash recycling feature" that prevents me from doing that - what is the point?


->Compare

I've had this camera for going on 4 months, and I absolutely love it. This is my first digital SLR camera, and I'm really pleased with it. The image quality is really sharp, and it's very easy to use. I happen to have a background in photography, so it may be a bit easier for me than it is for a complete novice. However, I find the controls to be very convenient, and I lovve the resolution and size of the LCD display on the back of the camera.

I've read that the camera is a bit harder to handle for people with larger hands, but I don't have that problem. It's relatively lightweight and easy to handle.


->Deal

I purchased this camera together with the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens. I was interested in starting my rig with a good prime lens that would perform well under low lighting and be appropriate for head-shoulder portrait photography. I have had this camera and lens for four months now and I must say that this combination suits my needs perfectly. Perfect for anybody getting their first D-SLR camera. Even for anyone wanting to point and shoot, this camera in the auto mode is easy enough to not intimidate you. And for the more advanced photographers, it gives full control to be able to photograph in any shooting situation. I strongly recommend that you pass the kit lens and get the body only option together with the lens that best fits your budget and needs. Even the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 (about the same prize as the kit lens) would give you better results than the kit lens. Bear in mind that the kit lens doesn't even have an ultrasonic focusing motor. The only oddity I can think of is the small size that makes it difficult to hold this camera. But after some time, the body "grows" into your hand (you adjust your grip in a way that it is comfortable to shoot with this camera and you end up forgetting the small size). Excellent first D-SLR camera and worthy second body for professionals.


->Deal

Awsome camara. Super shots, clean crisp and very easy to use. A tad heavy for my wife but she has gotten used to it. Great value.

Area for improvement is more clarity around the CF card. Would have been nice to know that it was not included in with the camera nor assessory packet. Would also have been good to know specifically what size CF card was need. Spun wheel getting this info on line and ended up going to Best Buy.


->Price

Long ago I shot a Pentax K-1000. Soon after I was shooting the digital APS cameras. Now the DSLR's are affordable; I saw what my father was shooting with his EOS XT and now the XTi is out. I bought an XTi along with the EF 24-105mm lens, image stabilized (IS), L-glass. After a month of shooting I can only say "wow"! Spend the money on the lens. Depth of field and color is excellent. This more than blows away my old point and shoot digital camera. Every time I download pictures there are at least a couple where I say wow, I can't believe how good that is... I'm just a hobby shooter, I dabble in photography, but this camera makes me feel like a pro.

I would also highly recommend the Cannon EX580 external flash. Again like the lens, a little bit of cost, but in many of these pics using a bounce flash I can almost not tell I was using a flash at all.


->Prices

This product far surpasses my expectations as an industry pro. Easy to use, hard to take a bad shot. No downside. I bought one for my business and family.


->Compare

....but still thrilled with the purchase. we'll never scratch the surface regarding the capabilities of this camera, but we're very happy with the purchase. Extremely good for sports photography. The rapid fire shooting is great.


->Buy

I decided to take the plunge and try a DSLR and I love this camera. I took it on a photo trip this fall where a bunch of guys had bigger more "pro" style gear - I could hardly lift some of their cameras. For me, this is perfect. The grip fits my girly hands well, and it's comfortable to carry all day. The only downside to the light weight is that when I put my biggish zoom lens on it, it feels unbalanced, especially on a tripod. I've taken just over 2000 pictures with it, and I've not yet had any problems. I splurged on the Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 image stabilized lens and it's super for nature photography. The image stabilizer lets me hand-hold it with acceptable-to-me results down to about 1/30 sec - better with a tripod of course but that's not always an option.

If you're considering jumping to SLR for the first time, it's well worth looking into a class or a beginner's book or video. You'll need to wrap your mind around the aperture/exposure/depth of field relationships to really get the most out of the camera and make good lens purchase decisions for the type of photography you want to do. I had used film SLRs ages ago, but I took a one-day class at a local camera shop right after buying the camera and it was really helpful.


->Compare

Wow, is Amazon going to be sorry that they asked me to write a review on this product!! This camera is such a disappointing piece of junk that we returned it. Upon further research on the internet, we found that we were one of many people whose XTi produced photos that were incredibly dark and underexposed, even though we bought and used the Canon EX430 Flash with it. Sent some photos to Canon, and they confirmed that camera was defective. We then went to [..]and bought another XTi, only to have the same results. Sent some of that camera's photos to Canon, and they again said the camera was not working correctly! Their tech supervisor told us that the "green box" fully automatic setting is just a marketing ploy and this model is really incapable of taking a good photo when set on full automatic settings. Why could my film SLR take an excellent photo on auto focus, auto shutter, auto aperature, etc.? Don't buy this piece of junk!!


->Discount

I bought the camera for my wife -- it is her third in the successive generations of Digital Rebels. She thinks the camera is fantastic. Each has been an enhancement to the prior, with the base model having been quite good to begin with.


->Comparison

I purchased this camera in October to take on a trip, and it did not let me down. This is a great entry-level digital SLR. I bought the body only and purchased the Canon EFS 17-85mm lens with image stabilization. I think it is a big step up from the lens included with the kit (I borrowed the base lens from someone to compare). I previously owned the Canon Powershot G2, and I think the Rebel XTi is the next step up the line.

One observation for those used to framing the picture through the LCD, this is not the camera for you. The Digital Rebel XTi requires you to frame the picture through the viewfinder. I would recommend you do this regardless, but I know people that are confused (and even bothered) when they can't preview the picture in the LCD window.

To really get your money's worth, I would recommend that you purchase a field guide or take a class. I was fortunate enough to find a class specific to the Canon Digital Rebel XTi. This really helps with understanding the advanced capabilities of the camera. A good class also can improve your overall photography skills.


->Buy

This Canon digital rebel XTi 10 is so easy to understand and use. My pictures actually look really good! I am learning how to use all the advanced features with ease. Soon I will be as functional as the pros.


->Buy

I got this camera in sept and have taken around 3000 photos thus far , no complaints it functions in all situations very well. It is on the small side thats my only gripe so i got the battery grip but results speak for themselves i have posted a couple sample shots.


->Wholesale

The EOS Digital Rebel XTi or EOS 400D is one of the best DSLRs on the market.

The camera features Canon's new EOS Integrated Cleaning System, which shakes off dust on the sensor. If any dust cannot be removed, it can be removed with the bundled software.

The resolution is good, upgrading from the XT's 8.0 megapixels to 10.1 megapixels. However, that is slightly less than the Nikon D80 or the Sony a100, which both have 10.2 megapixels, 0.1 more megapixels.

There are so many other things that are upgraded.

But there are some disappointments.

First of all, the camera is not as comfortable as a Nikon or a Sony. Many critics often highly recommend this camera, but prefer Nikon or Sony over Canon.

The AF could sometimes be slow, bt this is normal.

The package with the lens is rather disappointing, so I bought a body only package.

Overall, I recommend the body only package, and buy another lens. If you are happy with the package with the lens, sure, buy it. But I would prefer buying a body only kit and then buying a separate lens (mine is a Sigma 18-200mm 1:3.5-6.3).


->Discount

We purchased this camera for Christmas and it instantly took over as the camera of choice for group family photos. We love it. You can't use the camera right out of the box, though, as it does not come with a CF card (compact flash card). A CF card is required for image storage and they aren't very available on Christmas day. Add about $[...] to the total price for a 1GB CF card.

The camera does it all -- fully automatic, fully manual, bracketing, macro, etc, etc, etc. The packaged software does some really interesting things with RAW images. If you use the RAW image medium, you can alter the image per different camera settings after you download them to your computer. It is a great way to see exactly what all those settings mean.

It does not do movies, but this is a still camera -- and it does stills very well.


->Buy

I am very pleased with this purchase. Canon has a way of making advanced photography techniques easy for me to use. I upgraded from my Canon S1IS to the Rebel and I am very pleased with everything the Rebel can do and how simple it is for me to grasp the features and use them. The quality of my amateur photography has leaped into realms I never dreamed of. I could get technical and reel off numbers, stats and stuff but this purchase was not like that for me. I just read a lot of reviews and rolled the dice. Glad I did. No regrets.


->Buy

I owned a Canon Rebel 300D. The 400D performs much much better than the 300D. The light meter seems more accurate. The color is much more balanced. It is also much easier to see camera settings on the big LCD. The frame rate is also improved from the old 300D. From what I read, the electronics is probably better than the more expensive Canon 30D; the 30D has better mechanical parts, but I am a casual shooter, I am much more likely to replace the 400D way before the mechanical parts become an issue. I also like the smaller body of the 400D. Would be nice if it has image stabilization in the body and if it has built in wireless.


->Prices

After a little more than a month reading reviews I finally decided to go for this camera (Canon Rebel XTi). And I think I made the right choice. This camera has not disappointed me. Every picture I take comes out with outstanding quality. It's just amazing.
Some people complain about the fact that Canon got rid of the small lcd screen. I've used the previous model (Rebel XT) and not having the little lcd screen doesn't bother me at all. All the information needed is displayed on the big lcd and it's great.
One more thing, this camera performs great under low light conditions. Check some of the images that I uploaded here.
Okay! In conclusion, this is an awesome camera, and although some might find it not so comfortable, I totally recommend it.


->Deal

Am I so dumb that I didn't realize the camera is useless without a CF card... and the CF card is not included (not even a 20MB one)? Who would think that Amazon would include the CF card with the million other accessories that they suggest? Instead, it's listed with other things people bought with this camera.

Well now, I feel like an idiot after giving it as a gift - a wonderful feeling after spending $800. Am I asking too much?




->Sale

Bought directly from Amazon, and I swear by them.
Low price, reliability and fast delivery.
I am an old emulsion guy, went from film SLR's (ME Super, AE-1)
to point and shoot digital (A-620). I decided to plunge
into the DSLR field. I can tell you with sincerity, the
images that this camera produces is amazing. I shoot in RAW
and JPEG.

Two reccomendations:

1. Buy the body only. The kit lens is a toy.
Purchase the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8, great glass!
It will be the best 70.00 that you will ever spend.
Build quality does not equal "L" lenses, but the
optics are superb.

2. Buy the Canon Battery Grip if you have large hands.

If you shoot in RAW, a CF card of 2GB is mandatory.

If you purchase this camera, you will not be disappointed.

The Polish Prince.
Green Bay, WI



->Best Price

This camera is everything it is advertised to be. I absolutely love it. I did not install the software that came with it so I cannot offer an opinion on that part of the experience but the quality of the product and the quality of the photos are really top-notch. My brother has a canon 30D and this camera is just as good, especially with similar lenses, for less than half the price.


->Best Price

I am using this camera with the Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 lens and all I can say is I am blown away by the quality. Granted, I am comparing to my 3-year old Canon Digital Elph and not against "professional" cameras and lenses, but this is nice rig to shoot with. Great results. Enjoy!


->Price

I finally moved up to a DSLR and am very pleased with the quality of this particular camera. A friend has a Pentax DSLR (older) and the pictures the XTi produces are much nicer than his. The Canon is much sharper. I was missing something out of the box and called Canon and was on the phone with a live person within 30 seconds. My missing part was at my door in 4 days. Their customer service is top-notch. I was leary at first purchasing this camera because of the price but I plan keeping it for a very long time and so far so good...it does everything I want and then some. I've read some negative comments about the included lens, but I see no issues so far with that either. It takes some getting used in hand because of its smaller body than other DSLR's I held, but that seems better now as well (after about 40-50 shots).


->Deal

This is my first SLR and I love it, so many things to learn. This body is definitely a good starting point for beginners like myself before we upgrade to something higher (like 5D) while still continue to able to use our collection of lenses. Canon definitely has a good marketing strategy to strengthen its penetration for SLR camera line.

Pros: Good user-interface, affordable, light-weight, good for beginners, compatible with EF & EF-S lenses
Cons: Battery is relative weak, viewfinder is somewhat small


->Lowest Price

I've shifted from my previous Canon Powershot G2 to this wonderful DSLR, the Canon EOS 400D (or Digital Rebel XTi) and so far I have all praises. Though my G2 took great pictures, there's a mile of a difference a DSLR can deliver. The quality and clarity of each shot instantly makes your pictures look like they have been taken by a professional. The Rebel XTi's handling is deja vu for me because I used to have a Canon EOS 300 (or a Rebel). But its a big leap for me in terms of the plethora of functions and features as compared to my camera of the past. I always bring along my camera just in case I see a moment worth capturing. You can see some of my pictures at [...]


->Prices

I'll keep this short,as I assume most of the tec stuff has been covered.I sold a 350D to get the 400D(XTi).The 400D focuses better,has better ergonomics,is the same size/weight,and takes GREAT photos.I tried a Nikon D80,but it loses way too much detail at iso 400 and up.Plus the Canon line of lenses fits my needs better,are cheaper,and are available.The Nikon costs $300 more (with the Canon being discounted),and the Nikon Raw converter adds another $150.So the true cost difference is $400-450.
I'd buy the Canon over the Nikon at the same price due to image quality,especially if you shoot jpeg.
BTW,if you can afford Canon L lenses(the 25-105L and the 70-200L-any of the 4) are amazing.
One caveat,as with ANY dslr,these cameras are not p/s and do best with some post processing and with knowledge of how a camera meters/exposes,etc.I can't emphasize this enough.


->Price

I had the Rebel XT and about 8 lenses and was thinking of getting an upgraded second camera body. So when it came out the 30D was a logical choice, but it was not really much of an upgrade from the 20D, which I resisted, so I was not really sure what to do. Then I had all but decided to just take the plunge and get the 30D when I heard the first rumblings about the XTi.

Then I started to learn the details about the XTi, more mega pixels, same auto focus, same screen, picture styles, dust cleaning! The only areas that the 30D won in my opinion were build quality, spot meter, and estimated shutter life. Those 3 categories were not enough to convince me that the 30D was worth $300-$400 more than the XTi especially since the XTi had won or tied in most categories. The way I look at it is that the camera bodies are not nearly as important as the lenses, they change so fast that it is not worth it to me to spend more for longevity when it will be outdated in a year anyway. Spend $1,500 on a lens, use it for a lifetime, spend $1,500 on a camera body, regret it in a year. I fully expect the upgrade to the 30D to be released within a year, and now that I have saved by getting the XTi I will have all that much more to put towards it when it comes out.

So basically what I am saying is that, in my opinion, the XTi is just as good, if not better than the semi-pro 30D, so why pay more? Switching from the XT to the XTi was very simple, I can use them both now without any problems. The batteries, battery grips, remote shutter release, and most of the other accessories are also compatible with both, which is nice to keep the amount of gear you need to carry to a minimum.

Unless you want to move up to a full frame sensor, I can't see any reasons why you would not want to go with this camera. If you read books on photography from just 1 or 2 years ago you will realize that this "entry level" camera has features that were not even available on top of the line ($5,000+) camera bodies. With the speed that camera bodies advance you might as well buy the entry level body every year instead of making a huge investment in the pro level bodies and then being shown up by something 10% of that price in a year or two. Not that there are not reasons to buy one of those bodies, I just don't seem have any of them.


->Deal

XTi is feature laden, but takes fantastic "point and shoot" photos. Seems to be a significant improvement on Canon's Rebel XT, a wonderful camera. For the money, the best SLR going!


->Comparison

With emphasis on portability, Canon's Digital Rebel XTi is designed for first-time DSLR photographers and travel enthusiasts. Measuring 5.0" by 3.7" by 2.6" and weighing 1.1 lbs., it is about as large as the largest point & shoot cameras and one of the smallest DSLR camera bodies on the market. Its size is the source of both popularity and criticisms. If you have large hands or a heavier lens, it may feel too small. An optional battery grip can help, but some will want something more substantial. Visit a store nearby to find out for yourself.

The package includes camera body with a lens cap, battery, charger, manual, catalogs, neck strap, USB and composite video cables, and CD-ROMs. You will need a lens and CompactFlash memory card. There may be some static energy in the packaging, so remove the lens cap in a dust-free environment such as the bathroom to prevent dust entering the sensor. Much promoted sensor cleaning system helps, but it's best not to get any in the first place.

Canon sells 4 versions of XTi: black or silver finish and with or without EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. Black or silver is largely a personal preference, but most lenses, most accessories, and all but low-end DSLR camera bodies are black. As for the kit lens, it can be an affordable introduction to DSLR and capable if used exclusively at f/8 or f/11 apertures (soft at other apertures). In other words, the lens is not ideal for shooting under low light. If you don't have to get a zoom lens now, start with Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II. It is famous for top-notch performance at very low price. Due to XTi's APS-C image sensor (compositions are multiplied by 1.6x), this lens becomes 35mm-equivalent of 80mm.

If you have the budget for a good zoom lens, at over 100 lenses, Canon has you covered. Some of Canon's popular zoom lenses include EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM, EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM, and EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM. If these are too pricey, third party vendors such as Sigma and Tamron make Canon-compatible lenses for less. Their focus is not as nice as Canon's USM but they generally outperform Canon's lower-end lenses.Tamron's SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) and Sigma's 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC and AF 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC macro are popular among budget-minded photographers.

With 10.1 megapixels image sensor, the XTi can benefit from sharper lenses. Although increasing the resolution over same image sensor area can increase noise, Canon has improved the sensor technology to maintain low noise floor and high dynamic range. Performance wise, there's very little to criticize. Great example of Canon's trademark smooth, high contrast, saturated, and low noise. Noise remains low even at ISO 800. It is said that shooting RAW is equivalent to getting an extra exposure (1.0 EV) and it can help you maintain usable details with acceptable noise at ISO 1600. Low noise gives XTi a bit of an excuse for missing in-body image stabilizer. According to Canon, lens is more effective location for image stabilizer, especially telephoto. That's true but I think the feature would've been nice to have. As a consolation, the XTi has mirror lockup that reduces vibration caused by the mirror movement. My sole performance criticism is the metering mode. It includes only partial and not spot metering mode (very useful when shooting high contrast scenes such as candlelit birthday cake). Perhaps more problematic is the evaluative metering mode, which occasionally underexposes images by 2/3 EV or so.

Some have criticized XTi for "plasticky" build. Except for the metal lens mount, the exterior is largely made of high quality engineering plastic with rubbery paint. If you drop it, it will probably crack or break, but it's sturdy and well made. Flipping on the power lever, it starts up almost immediately ready for use. Much promoted auto sensor cleaning kicks in when powering up and down. As with most DSLRs, there's virtually no shutter lag and it focuses in a split second (especially when using a USM lens). In continuous shooting mode with a fast memory card, it can take 10 RAWs or 27 JPEGs at 3 frames per second. RAW images are 10 MB each, so get a speed 2 GB or larger memory card, such as SanDisk's Ultra II series.

Replacing both 1.8" LCD and info display is 2.5" high resolution LCD with LED backlighting. It displays current camera settings, photos in memory, and menu. Thanks to greater real estate and more refined user interface, XTi is very intuitive and pleasure to use. The minus is 10% lower battery life, which was merely adequate to begin with. XTi has 95% crop 0.8x optical viewfinder that displays 9 auto focus points, shutter speed, aperture, and more, but misses ISO speed, white balance, and metering mode. Overall, XTi's viewfinder is more than adequate but pales to Nikon D80's larger and more comprehensive one.

Highlights of software package are ImageBrowser (Mac OS X Universal Binary), ZoomBrowser (Windows), and Digital Photo Professional (Mac OS X Universal Binary and Windows). ImageBrowser and ZoomBrowser are easy-to-weight lightweight applications for managing JPEG and RAW. Digital Photo Professional is considerably more powerful and lets you use XTi's dust delete data feature for removing dust its sensor cleaning hardware couldn't remove.


->Sale

I've considered other, higher priced digital SLRs, such as the Nikon D80 and Canon 30D. However, I decided that I probably won't be using some of the more advanced features offered by those cameras, and would rather spend the money saved on a better lens. In terms of picture quality, all these SLRs are capable of equivalent quality.

Currently I have 3 lenses, the kit 18-55mm, the 50mm f/1.8, and the 85mm f/1.8. I don't use the kit zoom lens anymore because I favor the faster, prime lenses. I mostly take pictures of my children, and the 85mm f/1.8 is an excellent portrait lens. It is sharp, fast, and produces beautiful background blur. Zoom lenses unfortunately are not as sharp or fast, unless you're willing to pay much more than the cost of the camera body.

I think all novice SLR owners should buy the cheap Canon 50mm f/1.8, to discover what a fast lens can do when you set the aperture to 1.8, and take some portraits. You too can have professional-looking results!


->Sale

This is my first dSLR, and I must admit that I'm totally impressed and entirely happy with it. Not only is it a great value for the money, but it also takes GREAT photos (with the right lens, naturally). The re-designed interface is intuitive and easy to change-up in the midst of shooting. The build quality is solid (as solid as plastic can get, that is), and unless you're a pro who shoots all day long, this thing will hold up for years. The only "downside" is its size: this camera is pretty small compared to most dSLRs. This is easily remedied by buying the Canon battery grip, however. It's pretty much a necessity if you have medium to large hands.

A couple lens suggestions for those on a budget:

- Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens --> fast, sharp, awesome[...]
- Tamron Autofocus 28-75mm f2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) --> speedy, sharp, and a great walk-around lens

In sum, if you're looking to get into the world of dSLRs and want a quality camera that won't break the bank, BUY THE REBEL XTi. You won't be sorry.


->Sale

I took pictures with this camera with artificial light, natural light, and when it was almost dark and all of my images came out sharp. I'm only using the cheap 18-55mm lens, which does not have image stabilization. As long as I use a tripod, or brace against something to hold the camera still, the images are perfect. I shot landscapes, portraits, animals, moving traffic, the sky, the moon, and everything I could think of and it all came out right.
I was going to buy a 5D, but so far I'm satisfied with this camera and the price is way lower. Now I wonder what my pictures would be like with an IS lens... hmmmm :)


->Compare

Well, I've had my Rebel Xti for about 6weeks now, and all i can say is wow!!! I did have the Rebel Xt, which was an awesome camera. I'm not a professional, but i do take pictures of what ever it may be outside or inside, youth or adult events as a hobby. This camera is not for the person who wants to just point and shoot or to have a camera to stuff in your pocket. This camera is for the creative person who wants control of the pictures they are taking. The sensor cleaner and wide LCD are just a few of the wonderful advances from the XT to the XTI. The camera for me is easy to use and takes great pictures in auto mode or in my mode.
I hope this helps you in your decision whether to buy or not.


->Lowest Price

I had this camera for about a week now. I bought an EF 28-105mm lens seperatly. I don't know why, but the auto focus did not work right away.It took some fiddling around before I was able to use the feature. I get gorgeous pictures with this camera. My one complaint is it feels small in the right hand. After 1/2 hour of shooting pictures my hand got a cramp. I have small hands and it still felt small to me. If you are considering this camera I'd go to a store see how it feels. I can't imaging being able to use it for a long time if you have a big hands.
I'm still learning how to use it. But so far its meeting all my expectations.


->Compare

First of all I must say that this camera CAN take some wonderful, even incredible looking pictures. But since everyone else is proclaiming its virtues, I will write mainly about its negatives. There aren't too many, but it does have a few drawbacks; a couple of which I just don't understand.
This camera is now the fourth digital camera I have bought. The first was the Nikon Coolpix 995 for my wife. The second was the Sony F707 for me. The third was the Canon SD400 for my wife. And lastly the XTi for me. So I have had a little experience with cameras at or near "prosumer" level. This is why I find it hard to believe how the XTi can get some of these things wrong.
First of all is the white balance. Of my 4 cameras, this camera has, by far, the worst indoors Auto White Balance. I am using compact fluorescent light bulbs and daylight lights in the house and the XTi makes everything look yellow. And none of the other white balance options is close either. The one saving grace is the Custom White Balance option. You perform this Custom White Balance by taking a picture of something gray (preferably a large gray piece of paper or a card made just for this, and have it centered in the picture) and then selecting this picture as the Custom White Balance reference. After doing this the White Balance is nothing short of superb. I even had it work just by zooming in on something white and then selecting it as the reference picture. (I guess white works just as well as gray.)
But my disappointment is, "Why does this have to be done at all?" All three other cameras of mine handle this lighting much better than the XTi. But what's really the saddest is that the Canon Elph handles it better than the XTi.
It's nice that, after some hassle, it does have good white balance. But I shouldn't have to carry around a gray card everywhere I go or touch up every photo I take to get the right white balance. Especially when a 1 ½ year old Canon does it better, for half the price.
My next gripe is the lack of spot metering. It wouldn't bother me so much if:
1) The other metering options were more consistent.
2) Every other camera I own didn't have it.
3) Canon Tech Support hadn't told me that they reserve Spot Metering for their higher end cameras.....Especially when their own [...] has it!! How is a $500 camera higher end than the XTi?
Usually I can select partial metering and then turn up the exposure about 1/3 to 2/3 of a stop and get decent exposure. But it would be much more consistent to just have a spot metering option; especially with backlit subjects, or with a lot of harsh, low sun and shade in the picture.
My last gripe is about the included software, especially with RAW pictures. Don't even try loading this software on anything but a dual-core or 4 GHz PC. The software is ssslllooowww!!! For one thing, both the Zoombrowser EX and Digital Photo Professional start scanning the hard drive for pictures as soon as the software loads, and there doesn't seem to be any way to stop it. If you have a lot of pictures on your computer, it will take a long, long time before the software lets you do anything. Make sure you have coffee ready! The other thing is that the software is just a memory hog and runs excruciatingly slow; especially when trying to edit RAW or .cr2 files. Speaking of which, why does Canon have to use such a non-standard file? I would be glad to use some other software for editing my RAW's, but Canon's proprietary files can't be opened by other "normal" programs. So for now I'll just stick to .jpg's.
Then there's the other complaints, which are true. The kit lens isn't very good. The form-factor could use work. ( I am constantly hitting the FEL button on accident) and the view finder is kind of smallish; among others.
Overall I am pleased with the camera. I have some wonderful pictures already on the wall. But I've also had a few real stinkers due to the lack of spot metering and the occasional terrible white balance. If it weren't for these two (rather huge for me) issues, than I would give the XTi 5 stars. But until Canon fixes these glaring issues it won't be given my highest rating. And it also won't be recommended by me to anyone who's serious into photography.




->Buy

I bought the Rebel EOS Digital XTi 400D to upgrade my almost 3-year old Rebel EOS Digital 300D (which, by the way, is still a great camera). I won't go into the technical differences between the two cameras, but I will say this: the differences between the two cameras are worth the cost of the upgrade for me. Here's why.

Although too much can be made of additional pixels, the upgrade from 6 mega-pixels to 10.1 mega-pixels simply means that more data is available to process pictures. I shoot in RAW mode, so I'll take all the additional information I can get.

The larger LCD screen on the 400D is much, much, much better than that on the 300D. I really like a) the much larger view of each picture taken, and b) the clarity of the camera settings when displayed on the screen. I also really like the feature that automatically turns off the screen when the camera is raised to the eye for composition. I honestly didn't realize how tiny the 300D LCD is until comparing it to the 400D. Thank you, Canon, for the bigger screen!

I also like that the 400D comes with new, selectable Picture Styles (Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral and Faithful) that automatically make small corrections to things like sharpness, contrast and color.

The camera start-up time on the 400D is also significantly quicker than that of the 300D. I once missed what I now think is the shot of a lifetime because I couldn't get the 300D to start up fast enough. I believe the 400D would have gotten the shot.

It's also much easier to select the type of Auto Focus mode on the 400D. When your camera is set to shoot in One Shot mode, but you find yourself in the middle of movement and action, the 400D makes it easy and fast to switch to AI Focus or AI Servo - essential for sports shots.

For those who have come to appreciate and rely on the histogram to determine proper exposure, you now have the choice between Brightness and RGB.

I also like the increased continuous shooting speed of almost 3 frames-per-second. A very nice feature when shooting the dog, kids playing or outdoor events.

Finally, for those who are concerned about dust on the sensor, the new automatica sensor cleaning capabiltiy is a very nice to have.

On the downside, the 400D camera grip is a bit too small for larger hands. It's manageable, but not as comfortable as the grip on the 300D. However, I mostly solved this problem by attaching an Opteka battery grip, which enlarged the grip surface.

Also, the smaller battery size on the 400D means that you can't interchange batteries between the 300D and the 400D. It also means that the (optional) battery grip that worked on the 300D does not fit on the 400D.

BOTTOM LINE

Am I happy that I upgraded from the 300D to the 400D? You bet. I'd do it again in a heart beat.

Would I recommend this camera to the serious amateur? Absolutely. It's worth every penny to someone getting his or her first Digital SLR or upgrading from the 300D.


->Buy Online

I am an advanced amature. For me, the quality of professionally done prints is the biggest measure of a camera or lense. I will be brief and to the point:

1. Do not use the kit lense. This camera deserves high quality lenses. If tight on budget, buy the 50mm 1.8 EF MK II. It is a cheap but very high quality lense. This is the lense I use with my XTi.

2. I just received my first set of prints (4x6). I have never taken pictures as good as this. My previous gear was Rebel (film) and the same 50mm lense. So, I can make a decent comparison between 35mm film and digital. The prints from XTi are stunningly better than anything I ever managed with film. The sharpness and perception of depth in the prints are nothing short of dazzling.

3. Do not worry too much about how the pictures look on screen. XTi produces very high fidelity colors which may look a bit dull on the monitor. Your natural tendency might be to tweak the images to increase the color saturation. Do not do it (unless you wish to display the images on screen only). Prints are absolutely stunning in color accuracy and more vivid than screen.

If you are waiting for digital to catch up with film, do not wait any longer. The battle between 35mm and digital is over. Having said that, incredible things are still coming down the technology pipe. If you are really serious, you may want to wait for these:
- Built in High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography.
- Resolution that matches medium format film (15mp).
- More affordable image stabilization. This may not have been important for 35mm films, but will make a difference at such high resolutions.


->Wholesale

Since two years I own the Canon EOS-1, which I bought for my book (available on Amazon - nudge, nudge, wink, wink) research trips. You will find my EOS-1 review on Amazon too. With the Rebel XTi (or 400D in the rest of the world) there is now a high quality camera with the same resolution at the tenth of the price. I bought the XTi on Amazon and have used it now for some time. I bought a Sigma DC 18-200mm zoom-lens, which is like a 27-300mm because of the smaller CCD than the EOS-1. I can highly recommend the Sigma lens because it makes the XTi an amazingly small, light but complete package that I carry around in my rucksack, which I could never do with my EOS-1.

The picture quality and ease of use it absolutely amazing! In everyday conditions I cannot see a difference between the EOS-1 (which was $9000 when I bought it two years ago) and the XTi. The software is much easier to use and the camera works really well in fully automatic. The in-built flash is very good and battery life is excellent, given the small battery. I will post a few images I shot with it. I did virtually no editing on those except clipping to make them smaller. I did also buy the Canon EF 10-22mm because I need a lot of wide-angle and I will review that seperately. It is a great lens to go with the XTi.

Does that make the EOS-1 obsolete? No. Mostly because it has the high quality AF lenses and a full size CCD for much better colour quality and sensitivity. There is now a EOS-1 Mark2 and I will have to think about upgrading to the next model a year down the line. Sigh!


->Comparison

I've been using the 400d/XTi for about 2 weeks now, and I love it. Shutter response is very fast, and the LCD is easily readible, even in very bright conditions. The 9 point AF is far superior to the 7 point AF offered on the 300 and 350d models, and the added resolution (10.08 MP) is a nice bonus. The anti-dust protection, particularly the automatic sensor cleaning, is great as I change lenses quite often.

I'm sad to say that the 400d has replaced my (more expensive) 30d for most applications. The 30d clearly has a better build quality, but that's the only advantage I can see at this point. If you want a lightweight, moderately inexpensive prosumer-grade camera, the 400d is about as good as you can get for the money.

PLEASE NOTE: if you are new to digital photography, the camera is important, but lenses are FAR MORE IMPORTANT. If you want to get great results with the 400d, you're going to have to buy good lenses. The kit lens (18-55, NOT USM) sucks -- it makes a good paperweight, but that's it. If you're a beginner I'd recommend the 50mm f/1.8 MK II (or the f/1.4, if you can afford it) to start. The f/1.8 MK II is cheaper than the kit lens, and while it's a prime (doesn't allow you to zoom) it's much sharper in low light conditions (and the f/1.4 is even sharper than the f/1.8).

Overall, I give this camera a 9 out of 10. For the price, it's the best you can get. Just remember, lenses are more important than the camera. A 300d with L-series lenses will outperform a 400d with low/consumer grade lenses in all settings. If you already have a 300 or 350d, save your money and invest it in better optics. If you don't already have a dslr, this is perhaps the best entry-level model on the market.


->Deal

I'm using the 400D (aka Rebel XTi in the US) since two days. Not enough to give an impression on the quality of the pictures. Many things have improved. Most important the responsiveness of the camera. I only want to give an advice about two things that to me are definitly much worse that the 300D I had before.

The main one is the size of the grip, which is much smaller. If I use heavy lenses, 5 minutes are enough to start feeling my hand hurt. Had I had the camera in my hands before buying, this reason would have been enough for me to go definitly for the 30D.
Second one, less important: they have reduced the size of the battery. Now battery lasts less, maybe because the cell capacity has decreased, or maybe because the display now has to stay on much longer than it used on the 300D. I used my 300D battery charger also for my Canon MVX3i camcorder batteries. Now I cannot do that anymore. This was a little disappointing.

In short, do not upgrade your 300D camera to this one without having held it in yur hands.


->Deals

I've had my XTi for a week now, having upgraded from an old D30. Wow! What a difference! The speed, accuracy, elegant user interface, are top notch. My bro' has a 20D, and that thing is a tank compared to the Rebel, which is amazingly compact. Feature-wise, the XTi matches or beats out the 30D in every respect except burst frame rate (3 vs. 5 FPS) which shouldn't matter. You'll take more pictures if you don't have to lug around a brick. A recommendation: ditch the kit lens, which is not worthy of this body and get an EF-L 17-40 or the EF-S IS 17-55, which most certainly are worthy.

My one question to Canon: why don't you put a movie mode in your SLRs? I know it doesn't appeal to photo snobs but it sure is nice if you have kids.


->Compare

I just recieved my XTi today, i sold my Olympus E300 to switch to this camera due to already having an XT and the whole Lens situation. At First look the camera is basically the same as the XT, with the few notable exceptions, the larger lcd is a plus, all the other controls are pretty much the same. I've taken a few test shots also and really believe the quaity is a bit better. (I still love my XT though), Canon has really lived up to its reputation this time. As for why the switch (yes i used to be a die hard Olympus fan) Lenses, Running my own Portriat Studio requires several lenses, most of which are not cheap, but having choices with my canon cameras helps me control the costs. with the olympus digital slr's your pretty much tied to their lenses. This is just my initial review, heading back to more shooting.. will update this as things develop.. for now i can say "BRAVO" Canon...You've done well


->Comparison

I decided to upgrade from the Rebel XT, for the simple reason that I'm in my 40s, have had Laser surgery on my eyes, and my close up vision isn't as good as it once was. Of course the first thing you notice is the 2.5" LCD. With the elimination of the mini-LCD on the XT, which displayed the camera settings, everything is now on the large LCD. This is a huge improvement for us middle aged folks. No more accidentally shooting at 1600 because this setting was buried. The current camera settings are staring you in the face.

I've just received the camera and have taken a few test shots. The first thing I noticed is the 9 point AF is much more robust than the XTs focus system. So much so that I will have to turn down the sharpness especially on portraits.
I have a couple Canon L series lenses, and to my surprise, my initial opinion is the XTi shots seem significantly sharper than the XT. The only thing I can attribute this to is the new AF system.

As for the dust cleaning system. Time will tell, but you do see a dust cleaning screen for a couple seconds after power up/down.

For the most part, the rest of the camera is pretty much the same as an XT. If you are used to the XT menu, you will have no problem navigating the XTi menu...it's the same. USB Interface, batteries, charger etc...all the same as the XT. I was glad to see this camera still uses CF, because I have invested a little cash in memory cards..

I had been saving up for the 30D, but when I saw news releases about the XTi, I bit because of the 2.5" LCD and 10mp. Perhaps Canon will lose some 30D sales until they upgrade the 30D to 10mp. At 4-500 less, I couldn't resist the XTi.

So my initial opinion, pending more test shots and some serious shooting, is I'm very happy with this purchase.
Just the 2.5" LCD alone, was reason enough for me to upgrade.



->Compare

You'll find plenty of technical reviews on the web regarding features and specs for this camera.

The best thing I think I can provide is my short experience with this camera, so if you used to have a high end P&S camera and is looking to dive into the DSLR world, you are where I was a few weeks ago.

I owned a Sony F717 which I really loved, but honestly, all I did was set it to Auto and take good pictures. The problem was that I had a toddler at home that doesn't really like to wait till the camera took a few secs to focus and take the pic. I was missing those smiles and moments just because the Sony couldn't take pics fast enough.

I decided to look into newer cameras... Initially my budget was around $400 and I was looking to buy the Canon S3. But after spending several weeks online reading reviews (like you probably are right now), I decided that I wanted a DSLR (you'll find plenty of technical reasons in the web and other reviews). I was then ready to buy the Canon Xt (But the Xti was just around the corner, so I decided to wait a couple more weeks and when the Xti was finally released on Sep 1st, I went to Best Buy and got mine)

It's my third week with the camera, and I'm loving it. I can take pictures of my son faster than he can say "bugga bugga bugga". While I'm still learning how to use the camera to its potential (I've been trying to learn how to shoot pictures in manual mode instead of full automatic), I've been fully satisfied with the results so far.

If you're doing what I did last month, you're probably reading tons of reviews of this camera, the Canon Xt, Nikon D50, Nikon D70, Nikon D80, etc. Don't waste your time on the details.. They're all excellent cameras, and if you're coming from P&S, any of these cameras will be an awesome one for you to learn.

I warn you though. The biggest danger of buying this camera is that you'll soon be lusting after lenses... Now I spend hours on the web checking reviews of Canon, Sigma and Tamron lenses, and believe it or not, it's much harder to buy lenses than to buy a camera.

PS: A Great book I I got was "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. I actually got the book before the camera, and it was one of the main deciding factors that got me into DSLR instead of a pro P&S. The pictures that Bryan shows in this book are amazing and you need control. Now I'm paranoid with getting the smallest Depth of Field possible in my son's pictures (You'll understand this if you get this book or any other that explains concepts of Exposure)

Update (10/04): After weeks digging forums and reviews, I decided to purchase 2 lenses... The canon 50 f1.8 and the canon 70-300 IS. I'm not going to go over the details for these lenses in this review, but wanted to let you guys know that deciding which camera was the easy part. Deciding the lenses is where all the pain resides.


->Comparison

I was comparison-shopping between the Canon Rebel XTi, Nikon D80 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A100. Issues that matter most to me are ISO performance, image stabilization and dust removal capability. The best information that I was able to gather from various professional reviews before my purchase decision is as follows:

ISO performance: The XTi and D80 are pretty much on a par, but with the D80 having a slight edge in being able to push it up to 3200 (with decreased resolution at that setting though). The Sony starts to fall behind at ISO 800 with noise issues and at ISO 1600 with other image quality issues as well.

Image Stabilization: Sony has an edge in terms of cost-effectivenes because of the use of an in-camera IS system. With Canon and Nikon, you have to pay extra for lenses with IS.

Dust Removal: Canon provides both hardware and software solutions. Sony provides hardware only. Nikon provides neither.

I decided to take a chance on the XTi and bought the camera with kit lens about 10 days ago. Since then, I was snapping shots everywhere at various camera settings, testing its limits. First off, I was very impressed with the lightning quick performance of the camera. I was also stunned by the amazing picture quality that the kit lens is capable of providing, especially after so much snob from numerous professional photographers on this "cheap" lens. The most tell-tale signs are various hand-held head shots taken indoor at ISO settings of 800 and 1600 (without flash nor any additional lighting). I was able to capture all the vivid details of the skin complexion of a human face, including every little pore, hair, bum, wrinkle, and even subtle skin discoloration.

Excited over the amazing performance of this new camera, I decided to add a zoom lens to it and I bought the Canon EF 70-300 mm F/4-5.6 IS USM zoom lens five days ago. I took it to the park two days later to take pictures of our dog and her canine buddies. It was already 6:45pm when we arrived at the park. With Image Stabilization functions on, hand held, ISO fixed at 1600 and no flash, I snapped both still shots and light-duty action shots from a distance at various focal lengths. I was still able to get quite a number of high-quality letter-size printouts from these shots.

So far, I am very happy with the camera and the two lenses. There are a few things I would wish for though. I wish the XTi would have a larger viewfinder (both the D80 and A100 have larger viewfinders), illuminated buttons (for night shots), and more reasonable prices on Canon's lens hoods (the lens hood for the above-mentioned zoom lens costs an outrageous $45).



->Deal

Please see the previous review for the details, but as a former XT owner, I can say the XTi is a real step up.... not so much in terms of image quality, but user interface. Changing all the settings - ISO, metering, autofocus, etc. - has been greatly improved. And the new display make it easy to see what all the current settings are - no more shooting all day outside at ISO 1600 because you forgot to check the menu option. Overall, the XTi makes it easier to be a good photographer than the XT. And that's certainly worth a little extra money to me.


->Price

I've been wanting a digital SLR for a long time and with the introduction of the Canon Digital Rebel XTi, I decided the time was right. My experiences are based on about 7 years of point-and-shoot zoom cameras and, before that, a manual focus Canon A-1 film SLR.

As SLRs go, the camera is very compact out of the box. Unfortunately, it didn't stay that way after I attached the optional BG-E3 battery grip. It feels very solid regardless of the attachments, but I think it's a little easier to handle with the extra bulk of the battery grip, which also allows for up to three times the battery power of the standard Li-ion battery when used with the high capacity NiMH AA batteries currently available,

The lens included in the kit is passable, especially if you can't afford a better lens, but I found that a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens gives noticeably sharper images. I will be using the kit lens only when I need 18-24mm focal lengths.

One of the first things that impressed me when I started using the camera was the autofocus speed. It is really fast and works well in lighting conditions that would make my Canon PowerShot S1 IS's autofocus choke. It uses the flash as a focus assist light when the light gets too low for the autofocus to work unassisted.

The controls are well laid out. They provide one-button access to white balance settings, ISO settings, autofocus modes, and exposure modes. Exposure compensation is accomplished almost as easily: turn the dial next to the shutter release while holding down the aperture/exposure compensation button with your thumb.

My only complaints center around the difficulty with which the included Macintosh software installed. First of all, unlike software installers for any other package I've installed under OS X, which give you the opportunity to authenticate with an admin name and password even when installed from a normal user account, the installer for the included software does not. Therefore, you *must* install the software while logged into an admin account. This is very bad installer design IMHO.

Secondly, the Digital Photo Professional application would not operate correctly when run in a normal user account unless it was run once in an admin account. I presume that the first run installs some extra software (plugins or drivers?) in a location only writable by an admin user. Before I figured this out, the app would not decode nor process RAW images, more often than not resulting in the SBOD (spinning beachball of death) and requiring a force-quit of the app. However, once I got it working, the software worked well on the RAW images I had captured with the camera. I was able to brighten up a slightly underexposed RAW photo of one of my cats in a particularly expressive pose by about 0.5 stops with no noticeable quality loss.

I would heartily recommend this camera to anyone who has been disappointed with the image quality, speed, and other limitations of a point-and-shoot.


->Compare

[Reprint from my XTi w/ lens review]

The new Digital Rebel XTi camera should appeal to a wide variety of users: those wishing to upgrade from a point & shoot digital, or those wishing to improve upon their first generation digital SLRs. Features and value make this a 5-star camera, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea.

Compared to the previous Digital Rebel XT, important improvements are:

1) 10.1 megapixels. In digital camera circles, this is like saying a car has more horsepower than an older car. While this alone doesn't mean "better" pictures, in reality, combined with other improvements in hardware & software, the results typically are better.;

2) 2.5" LCD panel. This alone has more than one advantage. The obvious first one is that our pictures look larger in review. The second, and for someone approaching 50 (like myself), is that the LCD is now used for all the camera's data (shutter speed, aperture, shots left, etc.). It's much easier to read than the small LCD typically located on the top of the cameras. It might use up the batteries quicker, but, heck, if you can see the info this much easier, then so be it. One complaint, it does not appear that the data rotates when you do verticals (like the Sony Alpha 100).;

3) 9-point AF. The number of points are improved from 7, but the real key here is that it's the system from the 30D, which had a much higher degree of accuracy than the previous Rebels.;

4) Picture Styles. I didn't really appreciate them at first, but simply put, this is like the days of film, when we could use a "portrait" film or "landscape" film. For those that don't like to do a lot of computer work, these can be VERY handy in getting the right look in the camera.;

5) Dust cleaning system. OK, I think the dust problem will probably be a little overblown, now that Canon offers a solution, but it is a real, if not great, threat. Additionally, the way Canon has implemented it is second to none. The first is through hardware. An ultrasonic filter can simply shake the dust off. Second is through software. If you spot a nasty piece that won't shake off, you can do a reference shot, and have the dust removed by software on your computer.;

6)The grip has been improved a little. The rubber on the grip is improved, and an anti-slip strip has been placed on the back where the right thumb goes.

Most all other things Canon is know for still exists. The camera focus fast and quietly. Camera operations are quick and easy to locate and use. Pictures look great.

Now for the other side. This is an unusual time in that all the big players are comming out with a 10 megapixel camera at the same time, so the Canon has some stiff competition. Here goes a simple comparison.

1) Compared to the other two cameras already available, the Sony A100 and Nikon D80 (both also 5-star cameras), the XTi is considerably smaller, and somewhat lighter. Some will like this, even some with medium to medium-large hands. But most people with larger, and some with somewhat smaller hands may prefer the other two choices.;

2) The battery is somewhat smaller than its rival's, and may drain a bit faster due to the LCD being used for info all the time.;

3) Functionally, the rear LCD is not as nice as the Sony's. The Sony's rotates, can be set to enlarged type (50+ user again), and the system that turns it off as your eye approaches also starts the AF on the Sony. [Although many like the top LCD, the Nikon way of needing to push a button on the back, then peak over the top to see what you're setting is not as nice].;

4) No in camera stabalization. The A100 can shift the sensor to help eliminate camera shake. Nikon and Canon require you to purchase rather expensive lenses to get the anti-shake.;

Also, soon to be added to the competion will be the Pentax K10D. Specs are sketchy right now, but it appears to be enter the competition as a 10 megapixel camera with built-in anti-shake (much like their K100D).

Of these 3 currently on the market, the Canon is the least expensive; therefore, it's up to the other 2 to show they are worth more, a very difficult task, indeed.





->Best Price

[This is the same review I posted for the kit. If you're getting the body because you don't like the 18-55 lens, keep in mind that some dealers offer this camera in a kit with the much nicer 17-85 USM IS (image stabalization) zoom.]


The new Digital Rebel XTi camera should appeal to a wide variety of users: those wishing to upgrade from a point & shoot digital, or those wishing to improve upon their first generation digital SLRs. Features and value make this a 5-star camera, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea.

Compared to the previous Digital Rebel XT, important improvements are:

1) 10.1 megapixels. In digital camera circles, this is like saying a car has more horsepower than an older car. While this alone doesn't mean "better" pictures, in reality, combined with other improvements in hardware & software, the results typically are better.;

2) 2.5" LCD panel. This alone has more than one advantage. The obvious first one is that our pictures look larger in review. The second, and for someone approaching 50 (like myself), is that the LCD is now used for all the camera's data (shutter speed, aperture, shots left, etc.). It's much easier to read than the small LCD typically located on the top of the cameras. It might use up the batteries quicker, but, heck, if you can see the info this much easier, then so be it. One complaint, it does not appear that the data rotates when you do verticals (like the Sony Alpha 100).;

3) 9-point AF. The number of points are improved from 7, but the real key here is that it's the system from the 30D, which had a much higher degree of accuracy than the previous Rebels.;

4) Picture Styles. I didn't really appreciate them at first, but simply put, this is like the days of film, when we could use a "portrait" film or "landscape" film. For those that don't like to do a lot of computer work, these can be VERY handy in getting the right look in the camera.;

5) Dust cleaning system. OK, I think the dust problem will probably be a little overblown, now that Canon offers a solution, but it is a real, if not great, threat. Additionally, the way Canon has implemented it is second to none. The first is through hardware. An ultrasonic filter can simply shake the dust off. Second is through software. If you spot a nasty piece that won't shake off, you can do a reference shot, and have the dust removed by software on your computer.;

6)The grip has been improved a little. The rubber on the grip is improved, and an anti-slip strip has been placed on the back where the right thumb goes.

Most all other things Canon is know for still exists. The camera focus fast and quietly. Camera operations are quick and easy to locate and use. Pictures look great.

Now for the other side. This is an unusual time in that all the big players are comming out with a 10 megapixel camera at the same time, so the Canon has some stiff competition. Here goes a simple comparison.

1) Compared to the other two cameras already available, the Sony A100 and Nikon D80 (both also 5-star cameras), the XTi is considerably smaller, and somewhat lighter. Some will like this, even some with medium to medium-large hands. But most people with larger, and some with somewhat smaller hands may prefer the other two choices.;

2) The battery is somewhat smaller than its rival's, and may drain a bit faster due to the LCD being used for info all the time.;

3) Functionally, the rear LCD is not as nice as the Sony's. The Sony's rotates, can be set to enlarged type (50+ user again), and the system that turns it off as your eye approaches also starts the AF on the Sony. [Although many like the top LCD, the Nikon way of needing to push a button on the back, then peak over the top to see what you're setting is not as nice].;

4) No in camera stabalization. The A100 can shift the sensor to help eliminate camera shake. Nikon and Canon require you to purchase rather expensive lenses to get the anti-shake.;

Also, soon to be added to the competion will be the Pentax K10D. Specs are sketchy right now, but it appears to be enter the competition as a 10 megapixel camera with built-in anti-shake (much like their K100D).

Of these 3 currently on the market, the Canon is the least expensive; therefore, it's up to the other 2 to show they are worth more, a very difficult task, indeed.





->Buy

[This is the same review I posted for the XTi black body. The black finish has always been more popular, so keep in mind that resale value might be a bit less for the silver.]

The new Digital Rebel XTi camera should appeal to a wide variety of users: those wishing to upgrade from a point & shoot digital, or those wishing to improve upon their first generation digital SLRs. Features and value make this a 5-star camera, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea.

Compared to the previous Digital Rebel XT, important improvements are:

1) 10.1 megapixels. In digital camera circles, this is like saying a car has more horsepower than an older car. While this alone doesn't mean "better" pictures, in reality, combined with other improvements in hardware & software, the results typically are better.;

2) 2.5" LCD panel. This alone has more than one advantage. The obvious first one is that our pictures look larger in review. The second, and for someone approaching 50 (like myself), is that the LCD is now used for all the camera's data (shutter speed, aperture, shots left, etc.). It's much easier to read than the small LCD typically located on the top of the cameras. It might use up the batteries quicker, but, heck, if you can see the info this much easier, then so be it. One complaint, it does not appear that the data rotates when you do verticals (like the Sony Alpha 100).;

3) 9-point AF. The number of points are improved from 7, but the real key here is that it's the system from the 30D, which had a much higher degree of accuracy than the previous Rebels.;

4) Picture Styles. I didn't really appreciate them at first, but simply put, this is like the days of film, when we could use a "portrait" film or "landscape" film. For those that don't like to do a lot of computer work, these can be VERY handy in getting the right look in the camera.;

5) Dust cleaning system. OK, I think the dust problem will probably be a little overblown, now that Canon offers a solution, but it is a real, if not great, threat. Additionally, the way Canon has implemented it is second to none. The first is through hardware. An ultrasonic filter can simply shake the dust off. Second is through software. If you spot a nasty piece that won't shake off, you can do a reference shot, and have the dust removed by software on your computer.;

6)The grip has been improved a little. The rubber on the grip is improved, and an anti-slip strip has been placed on the back where the right thumb goes.

Most all other things Canon is know for still exists. The camera focus fast and quietly. Camera operations are quick and easy to locate and use. Pictures look great.

Now for the other side. This is an unusual time in that all the big players are comming out with a 10 megapixel camera at the same time, so the Canon has some stiff competition. Here goes a simple comparison.

1) Compared to the other two cameras already available, the Sony A100 and Nikon D80 (both also 5-star cameras), the XTi is considerably smaller, and somewhat lighter. Some will like this, even some with medium to medium-large hands. But most people with larger, and some with somewhat smaller hands may prefer the other two choices.;

2) The battery is somewhat smaller than its rival's, and may drain a bit faster due to the LCD being used for info all the time.;

3) Functionally, the rear LCD is not as nice as the Sony's. The Sony's rotates, can be set to enlarged type (50+ user again), and the system that turns it off as your eye approaches also starts the AF on the Sony. [Although many like the top LCD, the Nikon way of needing to push a button on the back, then peak over the top to see what you're setting is not as nice].;

4) No in camera stabalization. The A100 can shift the sensor to help eliminate camera shake. Nikon and Canon require you to purchase rather expensive lenses to get the anti-shake.;

Also, soon to be added to the competion will be the Pentax K10D. Specs are sketchy right now, but it appears to be enter the competition as a 10 megapixel camera with built-in anti-shake (much like their K100D).

Of these 3 currently on the market, the Canon is the least expensive; therefore, it's up to the other 2 to show they are worth more, a very difficult task, indeed.





->Lowest Price

The new Digital Rebel XTi camera should appeal to a wide variety of users: those wishing to upgrade from a point & shoot digital, or those wishing to improve upon their first generation digital SLRs. Features and value make this a 5-star camera, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea.

Compared to the previous Digital Rebel XT, important improvements are:

1) 10.1 megapixels. In digital camera circles, this is like saying a car has more horsepower than an older car. While this alone doesn't mean "better" pictures, in reality, combined with other improvements in hardware & software, the results typically are better.;

2) 2.5" LCD panel. This alone has more than one advantage. The obvious first one is that our pictures look larger in review. The second, and for someone approaching 50 (like myself), is that the LCD is now used for all the camera's data (shutter speed, aperture, shots left, etc.). It's much easier to read than the small LCD typically located on the top of the cameras. It might use up the batteries quicker, but, heck, if you can see the info this much easier, then so be it. One complaint, it does not appear that the data rotates when you do verticals (like the Sony Alpha 100).;

3) 9-point AF. The number of points are improved from 7, but the real key here is that it's the system from the 30D, which had a much higher degree of accuracy than the previous Rebels.;

4) Picture Styles. I didn't really appreciate them at first, but simply put, this is like the days of film, when we could use a "portrait" film or "landscape" film. For those that don't like to do a lot of computer work, these can be VERY handy in getting the right look in the camera.;

5) Dust cleaning system. OK, I think the dust problem will probably be a little overblown, now that Canon offers a solution, but it is a real, if not great, threat. Additionally, the way Canon has implemented it is second to none. The first is through hardware. An ultrasonic filter can simply shake the dust off. Second is through software. If you spot a nasty piece that won't shake off, you can do a reference shot, and have the dust removed by software on your computer.;

6)The grip has been improved a little. The rubber on the grip is improved, and an anti-slip strip has been placed on the back where the right thumb goes.

Most all other things Canon is know for still exists. The camera focus fast and quietly. Camera operations are quick and easy to locate and use. Pictures look great.

Now for the other side. This is an unusual time in that all the big players are comming out with a 10 megapixel camera at the same time, so the Canon has some stiff competition. Here goes a simple comparison.

1) Compared to the other two cameras already available, the Sony A100 and Nikon D80 (both also 5-star cameras), the XTi is considerably smaller, and somewhat lighter. Some will like this, even some with medium to medium-large hands. But most people with larger, and some with somewhat smaller hands may prefer the other two choices.;

2) The battery is somewhat smaller than its rival's, and may drain a bit faster due to the LCD being used for info all the time.;

3) Functionally, the rear LCD is not as nice as the Sony's. The Sony's rotates, can be set to enlarged type (50+ user again), and the system that turns it off as your eye approaches also starts the AF on the Sony. [Although many like the top LCD, the Nikon way of needing to push a button on the back, then peak over the top to see what you're setting is not as nice].;

4) No in camera stabalization. The A100 can shift the sensor to help eliminate camera shake. Nikon and Canon require you to purchase rather expensive lenses to get the anti-shake.;

Also, soon to be added to the competion will be the Pentax K10D. Specs are sketchy right now, but it appears to be enter the competition as a 10 megapixel camera with built-in anti-shake (much like their K100D).

Of these 3 currently on the market, the Canon is the least expensive; therefore, it's up to the other 2 to show they are worth more, a very difficult task, indeed.





->Discount

This camera takes great pictures even on auto mode.

Night mode shots still look sharp even at ISO400.

Macro shot capability is amazing.

Can fully customize camera's settings to fit your needs.

Great camera feel when taking shots


->Cheap

This was my entry level purchase getting into dSLR cameras.

I could not be more pleased with this camera.

There is a learning curve, even coming from Canon AE-1 film camera.

It is so nice to have a 10.1 MP digital camera!

Make sure you buy a 133X 4 GB Compact Flash card to go with it. It really eats up the memory cards when you take lots of shots. You will take lots of shots!


->Best Price

I purchased this because I couldn't afford the 5D. Great for the price, can actually get up to 54 continuous shots (3fps) when using the 2GB Extreme III card from San Disc. Spot metering would be really nice for my uses, but I am overall wuite happy with this camera.


->Compare

I did my homework, here it is. After comparing the Rebel XTI with the Powershot G7 I decided to buy the Rebel XTI becuase I wanted a camera, which had great reviews in terms of battery life, compactness, picture quality and durability.

All in All the Rebel XTI is the best digital camera i've ever owned. It has all the above qualities to suit my novice camera needs, offering a professional image, except I will purchase the new Sigma 28mm-200mm lens featuring the optical stabilizer becuase its an all around lens--for close up shots and those farther away. At $899. for the camera and $550 for the Sigma lens this is not a poor man's camera. I saved for it. I figured the amount of money i'll save in film will pay for itself.

Additionally, the G7 is not so bad. In comparance with the Rebel XTI (both Canon digital cameras) at $450 it features good battery life, a lens comparable with the 28mm-200mm all around lens, and a built in stabilizer. Its bulkier than the average digital camera but it picture quality parallels the Rebel XTI.


->Price

I bought this camera a couple of months ago and I could not be more satisfied. I have enjoyed photography since I was very young~10 yrs old. Now 35 years later the technology has come a long way and the enjoyment of taking a great shot is attained much easier with the sophistication of a great camera. This camera has many great features that provide quality shots like a pro at the price and simplicity for the enthusiast. I think I will be enjoying this camera for a long time.


->Sale

I am a die hard cannon fan. I have owned 4 uptil now. I recently decided to upgrade to this camera and I am very pleased with my purchase. I bought the body only since I already had my canon gear. It takes amazing pictures. Along with that i bought the sandisk extreme IV 4 card and extreme reader combo. This card is the fastest card available in the market. You would need it if you want to shoot high quality pictures at lightening speed because it requires a high speed card.


->Wholesale

For years I had a Canon Rebel...purchased this new XTI in time for our trip to Hawaii. The automatic functions performed beyond expectations. I took pictures of dolphins using the sports action function...and they are beautiful! Enlarged to 8 X 10, the clarity is amazing. The blues are incredible, the greys on the dolphins - delightful. I plan to take a class to learn to use the manual functions. It is easy to use, has a large viewing area, and works like a dream. I can't wait to see what else this camera can do.

I am also very pleased with Amazon...the camera arrived on time and in perfect condition.


->Best Price

This camera is a great upgrade from the 8 mp Rebel. I bought it for my Father in law and after comparing to the 8mp Rebel, I can see that the larger screen, easy controls and sensor cleaner make it a great camera. I've had the 8 mp Rebel for about 2 years and the Rebel XTi 10.1 mp is a significant upgrade.

I though about ordering the 8mp instead to save a few dollars on a gift, but the newer XTi is well worth the extra dollars over the long hall.

Nice things cost money and the XTi is very nice.


->Deal

After having owned a Canon D60 (6mp DSLR) for five years, I bought this camera. I couldn't get over how small it was and yet how amazing the photos were and all at a price that makes this camera and awesome deal. When I put my 50mm lens on the body, I have a camera that's not much bigger than most point and shoots yet I have all the power of a DSLR. The only reason I didn't give this camera 5 stars was because I have BIG hands so even though I liked the small package it was too small for me and secondly it has no display on the top, only the LCD on the back. If you want to adjust ISO or shutter release setting, you have to use the LCD. Other than that, the pics are crazy sharp and the self cleaning sensor is a nice touch. I recommend this camera to anyone wanting to start out in photography.


->Price

I can gladly recommend this product to anyone looking for a digital camera packed with features at a good price. I have used it extensively since purchasing it and it has worked exactly as advertised. I am very pleased with the product.

The service I received from Amazon.com was also exactly as advertised. I received the product on time as promised. I am very happy with both the product and the service I have received.


->Best Price

Excellent quality photos and all the manual adjustiblity you could ever want.

BUT before you buy the camera with the 18-55 kit lens, THINK ABOUT BUYING THE BODY BODY ONLY AND A LENS SEPARATELY. The lens is very cheaply made and at f3.5 it limits what you can do in low light situations. I would suggest the Canon EF 50mm/f1.8 II as a good starter lens.


->Best Price

Bad A$$ camera, fantastic! I can't stop using it. Great cave pics! Taking to Badlands in South Dakota and then to Hawaii! Don't get anything else! Great camera!


->Purchase

This is one great camera...I have used it for a few months and I think it's great...Has many features and one must study the manual from cover to cover. Nice clear sharp pictures and one hell of a deal for the money..I highly recomend it


->Cheap

If you're thinking about stepping up from a point and shoot to an SLR get the XTI you wont be sorry. I also recommend picking up the 50mm 1.8 lens since its only $90. I've had mine for 1 month now and I've already took around 600 pics. Make sure you get a fast CF card and around 1GB if you're going to shoot at the highest quality.


->Best Price

Please note that the LCD display can only be used to check camara settings and play back images. You can not use the LCD display as a view finder. In other words you can not frame your pictures using the LCD display. This is a mayor inconvenience for those of us that use the LCD display to compose the pictures.

In my opinion there is no need to have such a large LCD for changing camera settings. This feature waists battery power.


->

Camera is great, but with the kit lens is feels like a toy.
I made quick test at the Ritz with the kit lens and my first impression was the camera feels plastic. But After I read some reviews, I decided to get, only the body and Tamron 17-55mm f/2.8 lens with it and now the camera feels awesome.
So what I notice is the plastic feel comes from the crappy kit lens.
So Tamron is great lens but you can also get Canon IS lenses with similar price and larger Focal length. I just think that Tamron is a little more shaper and faster then Canon IS lenses. Anyways you have many choices on Lenses.
Other then that the cameras quality is awesome, Now I can use ISO 400-800 and take decent quality images. I am former Sony f828 user so, I miss taking movies and using LCD screen for shooting pictures but Canon image quality is X1000 better. ISO 400 is better even then ISO 64 on Sony f828.
So that way you can take pictures without flash even in dark restaurant.
But if you don't want to pay too much on lenses, don't read too many reviews like me otherwise you will going to spend thousands :)

Also for detailed reviews about the camera, visit dpreview.






->Purchase

This is my first adventure in the field of SLR photography. This camera offers an unbeatable combination of performance, ease-of-use and value. It provides 10.1-megapixel CMOS sensor plus a host of new features including an easy to view 2.5-inch LCD monitor. It is extremely light weight and has an ergonomic body.

The EOS has a very high-precision 9-point AF system for speedy, (close to 2 frames per second) and accurate focusing in any situation. Great for sport events.

The only down side is that the battery is somewhat smaller than its rival's, and can drain faster due to the large 2.5 inch LCD monitor being on all of the time and the lens in the kit are okay, though I think it is a step below the camera.



->Buy

Bought the Canon Digital Rebel xti in May, and it is my first digital SLR. The controls are not as intuitive as a point & shoot, and there is an overload of buttons, settings, etc. Now for the good news.

The picture quality is fantastic, especially in more demanding settings (low lighting, quick movement, etc). The Canon has a very good speed, and you can capture close to 2 frames per second. I also looked at the Sony alpha, but after reading several online reviews by owners, the Canon is a superior ownership proposition, and great VFM. Enjoy!


->Deals

This is my first adventure in the field of SLR photography. I have purchased digital point and shoot cameras before but, there is none I have used that even come close to the quality pictures I can take with the XTi. I have had this a month and have taken over 1000 pictures. Most just playing around with all the different functions there are to play with. I even took around 400 pictures a few weeks ago on a trip to Walt Disney World. I still used Disney's Photopass and had the pros take our pictures. I even gave them my camera and they took our picture with that and ours came out just as good as the pictures they took. I just left the camera on auto and portrate for most of the shots and they came out great.

I have had so much fun with this camera. I even borrowed a 75-300mm lens to see how that did, and for long shots this was great I used it mainly with a tripod. The kit lens was better for taking closer pictures. I really am glad I bought this lens as a kit instead of just purchasing the body and the 75-300mm lens which was recommended to me. I can't wait to get more toys for this camera...watch out one you try it you will get hooked! I did!!!


->Compare

This is a very nice beginning digital SLR camera for the serious amateur and budding professional. Lots of features and quite capable of taking very nice pictures. The lens in the kit is okay though it is a step below the camera. I did get several USM lenses and they work just fine with the XTI.
I did order the battery grip along with the camera and I would suggest it to everyone as the camera, though very capable, is on the smallish side without it.


->Comparison

A freind of mine has two of these. I use a 30d for my own digital photography, but these little babies are really sweet and inexpensive for what they'll do. And over 10 MP files. I have had the opportunity to play with the camera and it is extremely easy to use and figure out for the most part even without looking at the book, although I wouldn't recommend tossing the manual. If you are familiar with the EOS system you should enjoy this one. It also has dust delete which is a very nice feature. It is not near as fast as the 30d, and doesn't have a spot meter, but it is quite a bit cheaper. Thinking of using it in conjuction or as a backup with the 30d? You'll need to purchase a seperate back up battery as they use a differant battery.

I print my friend's pictures taken with these and I can tell you it makes some very nice pictures. Overall, I'd say WOW.


->Sale

everything put its right place with this camera
1: little and small...everything is going smaller in this tidy world
2: price is low...
3: 2.5 inch screen , longer battery life , dust removal system and more
4: canon lenses are the best in the world..especially L series..
5: plenty of accesories around..

cons. :
1: sometimes underexposure problems..but not a big deal
2: there is really no walkaround lens in canon..17-80 is good but f is very high..starting from 3.5
3: maybe too small for big hands

after all
never think to what you should buy
this SLR is only thing you have to BUY
trust me..
just buy this lovely machine


->Affordable

The picture quality from this camera is amazing!!! The menu structure resembled my other cameras, Canon A70 and SD450, so it was easy to use from the start. The kit lens is great for general photography especially outdoors however I decided to pick up some additional lens that were faster. The Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 (~$[...]) and Canon 50mm f/1.8 (~$[...]) are inexpensive and worth it for low-light indoor shots.

The continuous shooting is great for sports and the camera is light enough that its not a burden to carry all day. Battery life is also pretty good. I've been able to get 300 shots without having to recharge the battery.

The one thing that takes a little getting used to is the crop factor. You will only notice this if you previously used a 35mm full frame film camera. I have a Minolta STsi as my backup and 28mm on that camera gives me a wider view that 28mm on the Rebel. However a full frame digital SLR is significantly more expensive than the Rebel.


->Sale

For never using a DSLR before, it only took about 20 minutes to go through the menus and get everything set up. The resolution is amazing. The burst mode is very fast along with the focusing. The 9 point auto focus is really nice to have, yet it sometimes grabs the unintended location. (Can easily be remedied by choosing what points it can use.) I'm using EF lenses off a Rebel film camera and they work just fine. My only dislike is the fact that my nose touches the left side of the screen while looking through the viewfinder. Otherwise, I love it.


->Discount

I had an old Rebel EOS film camera with many
accessories and autofocus lenses. I bought
just the XTi body with the intent of reusing
my lenses etc. Camera is very high quality,
takes excellent high-res digital photos, but
after trying to take some low-light shots I
realized that I needed an image-stabilization
lens. Not the fault of the camera at all.
It does so much, the only limitations are
really my own knowledge. I haven't yet used
the software that came with the camera...still
using the very good iPhoto that comes with
my MacBook. When I learn more about the
camera, the software that it uses may be
more valuable (for post-processing raw format
images, I guess).


->Purchase

I own the Canon AE1 so when looking for a digital camera, Canon was the brand I stuck with. I have been wanting a digital camera for years and finally took a leap and bought the Rebel XTI which I have had my eye on. I have tested lower priced cameras and am so glad I waited to purchase this one. It is so easy to use and for my small hands it fits great! I love that there is no shutter delay so I don't miss shots. It may be more camera than I need, but I know I won't out grow it soon.


->Compare

Review of Canon Digital Rebel XTi 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens (Black)

Pros:

1,800 photos taken on 1 battery charge when not using flash!!! Who even comes close to that??
839 photos taken on 1 battery charge using built in flash for 60 of the shots.
Fast accurate focus even in low light even with a long zoom lens
High Image Quality even with kit lens when set at F8 / 28mm
Accurate metering slightly biased towards dark which I like (easily over ridden).
Absolute reliability so far!

Cons:

Slightly small to hold and control buttons on back are a little small. Could be a plus for small hands but I have really large hands.

Thoughts:

I can not begin to tell you how many shots I missed at weddings with my old Konica Minolta Maxuum 5D camera because the auto focus would hunt, especially with a zoom lens indoors.

I borrowed a friends 70 - 200 Canon lens and was amazed how fast this camera responds and is capable of focusing from minimum focus to infinity in what appeared to be less then 1 second!

Speed:

Using a Transcend 266X 8 GB card this new Rebel XTi ROCKS!! My Rebel XTi would in sports mode consistently shoot 30 rapid frames in 10 seconds flat at Large High Quality JPEG before slowing down to store the buffer.

Conclusion:

This is an amazing camera for the price. If you value fast focusing and shooting a lot of photos between battery charges this is the camera for you! I went to the zoo this weekend and kept thinking the battery was going to run dry, it didn't run down until I had taken 1,800 photos!!! I woudl have had to have 3 batteries with me to do that with my old camera.


->

Cannon..... I think not. Try Sony. You will be happy, Save money, And have a better product, That takes better photo's. - Cannon, can you say shutter freeze?????????" your products under $3000.00 are garbage. and there it is..........


->Buy

I think the shutter sound if just fine, not sure why people care about that, actually it would be better if it was stealth quiet for animals photos and sensitive moments, and the 1.6x conversion is no biggy, the dust removal can be shut off so the camera can start up even faster if needed, this wasn't in the spec of speeds. the lens makes that sound of greasy bearings only when focusing and when zooming. all the digital menu design is just fine, you can make shortcuts for the main 4 buttons. like iso or foucs style, etc. what a nice day, ahhh.


->Deal

This is my second Canon camera I have purchased and they simply get better each time. This was a big step-up from a simple point (wait) and shoot camera.

If you spend the time learning how to use this camera you will be rewarded with great shots to show everybody.

Definitely worth the money.


->Cheap

This is by far the best digital SLR in this price range. Very easy to use, and the pix are spectacular. That I can use all the lenses and accessories from my old Canon 35mm SLR is a big plus. I like being able to use it in the fully automatic mode, or use it manually at the turn of a dial. The optical viewfinder is excellent. You can't go wrong with the Rebel XTi. I should have bought it sooner!


->Best Price

After looking from afar at DSLR's I was finally able to get one. After much research (primarily between the Canon and the Nikon) I decided on this camera. It is easy to use with useful software for the low and mid tech level user. For anyone with a general understanding of computers and menu systems, controls are quite intuitive once you understand the various functions. Though it is pretty user friendly, because you have so many options, you have to keep your wits about you to remember what you have set in various places (that is if you aren't paying attention to the display) until you get used to the camera, but that's just a user issue, not the camera. I have already taken some really nice pictures with it. Instead of a bundle, I purchased a 17-55 EF-s 1:2.8 IS USM lens for it initially and added an EF 70-300 1:4-5.6 IS USM lens when I realized why I had a Vivitar 70-210 Series 1 lens for my old film camera -- Distance.


->Compare

I have had a progression of Canon cameras beginning with the SLR Rebel 2000. When I moved into digital SLR it only made sense to go with a name I could trust--not to mention I could use the lenses I already had! Over three years ago I purchased the 6.1 mp Canon Rebel. Almost two years later I handed that one down to my amateur photographer daughter and bought the 8.1 mp Canon XT. A month ago I gave the XT to my daughter, who passed the Rebel along to my son--and bought the 10.1 Rebel XTi for myself! Now there are three very happy members of my family. These cameras are everything the consumer and expert reviews promise--ease of use if I want to go auto, the ability to capture some great pictures by playing with some of the manual features and nothing but praise from everyone for the results. My whole family highly recommends the Canon Rebel for any photographer who loves great pictures.


->Cheap

I sold my XT about six months ago and upgraded to the XTi. My main reason for doing this was the larger screen. This is a great camera for the price. I bought the body only because I already had the 18-55mm. The kit lense is fine if you are just starting out or aren't really serious about photography. If you are serious about photography, but don't have thousands of dollars to spend, then this body and a decent lens should serve you well.


->Lowest Price

The camera works fantastic. The best digital camera ever! Easy to use, all my SLR lenses work with it.


->Buy Now

The camera body itself is pretty much perfect for the price. I think the big contest in any of these reviews is the included kit lens, which is pretty okay. It's not a L series by any stretch of the imagination, but if you're comparing it to those lenses, may I also suggest a higher-end camera -- this camera kit is meant for beginner forays into dSLR, and you always have to option to just buy the body...

My recommendation is for anyone who is just starting off with dSLRs, this is a great kit to grow from and the lens (while not perfect) will give you a fairly decent normal to light telephoto range. If you've used Canon EF or EF-S lenses and own some already, I would recommend going body-only unless you need this specific range.


->Prices

My first thought: Because of its compact size, the XTi's buttons are not ergonomically spaced. After just 30 minutes of shooting in various lighting conditions last night, my hands started to cramp. I know this is going to get annoying. HOWEVER, if you are choosing between this camera and a Nikon D80 (which is bigger) and you already have Canon dSLR-compatible accessories like I did, then it makes sense to go with the XTi. If you do not have Canon accessories, then I recommend "test driving" both cameras at your local store before buying one. Otherwise, the XTi is great so far. I'll keep y'all posted.


->Price

A very good Camera. for all kind of users. its price is good for 10mp DSLR.
sometimes it gives an underexposed pictures. but stil one of the top cameras at the time.

pros:
light weight
superb LCD
battery life
you get what you pay for

Cons:
long exposure noise and high iso are horrible
plastic body


->Compare

I ordered this camera without any lens. I had all the lenses from my Canon EOS IIe which is a full frame 35mm film camera. All of the information I have read stated my lenses were compatible with the new camera. Naturally the first thing I did when I received the camera was to try all my various lens and they worked perfectly. I am very happy with my new digital camera and the flexibility it allows me to shoot in various situations.

Anyone want a good buy on a Canon EOS 35mm IIe in excellent condition?


->Price

I've been using the Canon EOS 20D for 3 years and the REBEL XTi/400D for 9months. The 20D has been replaced by the 30D which sells for about $1100.00, whereas the Rebel XTi sells for under $800.00(prices for body only). Many people ask me whether they should go for the 30D or Rebel XTi. I've pretty much switched to my Xit as the standard camera, w/the more expensive 20D as the backup. Here's my review of the Xti and comparisons to the 20D

Camera Size and Handling
The entry level Xti is smaller and lighter than the mid-level 20/30D's. This is an advantage for me, as I'm trying to keep the total weight of my kit as low as possible without sacrificing quality

The Xti has fewer dedicated controls and buttons that the 20/30D's. I expected that this would make it harder to make adjustments(I make very frequent adjustments and never use the camera on Program). However Canon did an excellent design in arranging the buttons and functions on the rear of the camera. While I do miss the famous Canon "rear wheel" which I used to dial in exposure compensation, overall, this new arrangement is just about as easy to use as the higher level cameras.

Screen
The 2.5 inch screen is not only larger but brighter than the screen on the 20D. It's the same size as the screen on the 30D and I can't compare overall brightness. This screen has enhanced the usability of the camera, particularly outdoors. While no LCD screen can render a great image in bright sunlight, I'd say I can now use this screen to get a good sense of what my image looks like in many more outdoor shooting situations than with my older camera.

Dust-Reduction
This is not in the 20 or 30D's. With my 20D I had to use a blower to clean the sensor frequently...or else I'd see spots on my images.(by frequently, I mean after about 4 days of shooting). I have had the Rebel xti for 9 months, shot thousands of frames and have never done a manual cleaning. The ultrasonic vibration system that automatically shakes dust off the sensor when the camera is turned on, really works.

Image quality
While the Xti offers higher resolution compared to the 20/30D (10.2 vs 8.2mp), it's given me some problems with noise especially at 800 iso or higher. Unlike my 20D I will not use this camera at ISO 800. I have also noticed some issues with underexposure compared to my other camera, and the need to dial-in positive exposure compensation, especially when using Canon Speedlight.
I've lived with this issue for a while, and finally called Canon. I have to give Canon credit as the support person spend nearly 20 minutes with me on the phone trying to diagnose the problem and rule out any user error. I've read about this underexposure issue on some Canon user forums. I will send my Rebel in to have the exposure calibration checked.

VERDICT
Despite some issues with the noise at ISO800 and the exposure, I really enjoy using this camera and have taken some great shots with it. Originally I intended for it to be a backup to my 20D, but instead it's become my primary body. Images can be seen on my website.




->Deals

This is an excellent camera for those who want to pursue photgraphy seriously. [SLR stands for single lens reflex]. If u r just planning to use it as a point and shoot camera [in AUTO mode] plz dont waste ur money. Like all SLR cameras its bulky if u compare with slim-trim point-n-shoot cameras in the market which slide-in easily in ur pocket. There is no real time preview in the LCD at the back so u have to see through the eyepiece for framing the photo. Its actually gives u the image as seen through the lens. Since, all light that enters the camera through the lens gets diverted to the eyepiece via a mirror infront of the sensor, we have no real time preview as no light falls on the sensors. Moreover there is a curtain [shutter] infront of the sensors [CCD type for canon]. Shutter controls the amount of light falling on the sensors. u can reach extremely fast sensor speeds like 1/4000 secs which gives u freezing image of moving objects. For night or astro photography one can keep the shutter open for as long as 30 secs. ISO range for the EOS 400D [rebel xti] is 100-1000, where 100 is the native sensitivity. For night mode one can increase the ISO but the picture is grainier or use flash [which fills the image with light n destroys the whole effect in the photo] or can decrease the sutter speed. At lower shutter speeds camera shake can blur the photo very badly, so one must use a tripod or use an IS [image stabilized] lens. The lens that comes with the camera [18-55 mm lens] is not very good and u cant expect more from a $50-75 lens. The canon has a vertical tilt sensor which rotates the image if u shoot it vertically. The re is a sensor which turns off the LCD in the front when u move ur eyes close to the eye-piece and this is really helpful. Imagine shooting in the night mode with something bright below ur eyes....it would be terrible. The kit aslo includes a battery n a charger esp made for the EOS 400D camera. With fully charged it's sufficient for a full day of active photgraphy.
The camera uses a CF [compact flash] card [normal cameras use SD or SDpro card]. Writing image to the card is fast. The camera takes a while if the card is full, to get ready to trasfer the image. I have used canon A630 and it gets ready very fast to trasfer the images to the computer.
With this camera in continuous shooting mode one can shoot approx 3 images per second which u wont achieve with a normal digital camera. It has a maximum burst [total no. of photos one can shoot in the above mode] of approx 20 when there is no flash and image is small/fine jpeg. With RAW images it would be smaller.

If I compare it with Sony Alpha series, Canon EOS 400D is clearly a winner. Sonys camera doest even look good. Compared to Nikon it has a body that is cheaper [$200-$250]. Nikon has more features that are more subtle and u might not use them. Nikon has one screen at the top of the cmaera when the data for various parameters like shutter speed, white balance, exposure, focus, ISO etc is shown. The LCD at the back is only for image preview. The canon's one LCD at back does it both, and i like that. Furthermore canon has only one dial to control compared to 2 in Nikon. Canon has an extremely good series of lenses too for all kinds of photgraphy.


->Comparison

If you have a Digital Point a shoot camera, this is the way to go into the DSLR cameras. It's the best bang for the buck for you.

If you are a professional photographer you may want to go to the next camera in the canon's DSLR line.

For me an amateur but serious photo enthusiast this has worked great. I use it for family and friends, work related and artistic photos. What it is lacking... Faster speeds above 1/4000 and Higher ISO equivalent sensitivity (1600). But if you do not NEED that you'll love this camera. The battery life is great. The manual says about 500 shots mixed flash and no flash photos. This seems about right. But think about it 500+ shots with one battery! It is great. I did buy a second battery. I recommend you do too, since the battery lasts that long you will be in the road of your third shooting session when it runs out of juice. There you will appreciate the second battery.

Good basic flash. The lens is good. Has no (IS) Image Stabilization but that doesn't seem to be a problem. The good news is that you can later improve the lens. I have shot with a friends Professional Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras and it works great. So improve the lens after you have a feel for the one it comes with which is enough for your average photo experience.

The size is big compared with a point and shoot but it is smaller than all the other digital SLRs out there. So it is not a burden to carry it around.

I love this camera. I use a SanDisk SDCFX3-4096-901 4 GB Extreme III CompactFlash Card (Retail Package) memory card. It gives me about 800+ shots in Large/Fine setting.

Hope this was useful for you.


->Discount

The Digital Rebel is a great, great camera for anyone ready to make the step up from point-and-shoots. It has all the advanced settings you'd ever want, but if you're a novice like me the automatic mode takes better pictures than you probably ever imagined you could produce. It really is that much better than any other digital you've probably ever tried, including the speed.

If you are looking at this camera you are probably also considering the Nikon. I know several people who own Nikons (D50s and 40s), and to me they are a little more complicated to operate, as if they are designed more for the expert crowd.

If you buy the Digital Rebel I would suggest getting the battery grip accessory. It adds a very convenient and comfortable means of holding the camera and it allows you to go literally weeks without charging.



->Sale

I own more cameras than I care to mention. I bought the XTI because of its small footprint, and excellent megapixel numbers. I have not been disapointed at all. I love it. 16 X 20 prints that look super sharp are possible if you are using a good lens. It is my favorite travel camera now. I would highly reccommend this little machine for those who are moving up in the digi world from the point and shoot cameras. Compared to my Nikon D2x it is a feather weight, but still gives great performance. Toss it over your shoulder, and you won't even know it is there.


->Compare

I spent quite good time triyng to decide what camera do I want to have. Then I bought this one.... just a excelent camera. Now that I own it, I realize that it is too much for my needs but It is a next forward step. I am completely satisfied with this camera... It is excelent. Plus, the software that comes with the package is very, very helful.
Be careful.... this package do not include a memory, you have to buy it separately, and do it at the same time you buy the camera. Also I recommend to buy the memory reader for your PC, you will need it, trust me.
Excelent camera....


->Compare

This is my first digital SLR and I'm glad I made this camera the first. It's easy to use and fun to learn all the features. The quality of photos are far superior to my previous point-and-shoot 2mp camera. Now that I have this camera, I'm taking a lot more photos and really satisfied with the results. The price is not too high that a first-time buyer is intimidated and not too low that you feel its a cheap starter. The kit lens (18 - 55mm) is okay for basic use but I'm already exploring to purchase a better lens. Overall, the Canon XTI is a great camera especially for digital SLR rookies.


->Prices

Simply the best and easiest digital SLR camera I have used. I have just purchased one of these last week - an upgrade from the 300D - and I have to say that the speed and accuracy of the XTi is fantastic.


->Sale

Sure there are other competitors to the XTi like the Nikon D80, Sony, Olympus but for the money you can't possibly beat the quality. This IS your best bang for the buck. I have had my XTi for 1 month already and absolutely love it!! From portraits to landscapes to landscape photography, this camera does it all. I highly recommend this camera for all level photographers.


->Sale

I have been researching this camera for a few months now. I finally, decided to spend the money and purchase the Canon Rebel. I wanted a camera that takes great pictures of my children. This camera is worth every penny. It takes perfect, clear pictures. I was afraid that I wouldn't know how to use all that it offers or be able to figure out all the buttoms. All I had to do is read a little and I was ready to take pictures. I love how I can attach a tripod to the camera, set it on the timer and take a picture of the four of us. We have never been able to take pictures with both my husband and I in the picture. I would recommend this camera to anyone. You will not be disappointed!


->Deals

I recently purchased a Canon Rebel XTI and am very happy with it. I have a 35mm slr and this camera runs circles around film. I also have a Cannon S50 point and shoot digital camera but I have a major problem with red-eye. With the Canon Rebel XTI I no longer have a problem with red-eye. If you are thinking about this camera, think no longer, buy it. Buy the package. I thought that my old lenses would work so I bought the body only and had to go out and purchase a lense. It cost me a lot more going that route. I have had people tell me that my pictures look profesional. I thank them and say that they are!

I am happy happy happy with it.


->Comparison

I am a pro wanna be and I am not well versed in technology, or capable of using a complicated camera, but I found this camera to be easy to use, and it produces excellent pictures without pouring over the manual. I have even figured out how to produce some special effects with a little manual reading. So I am very impressed.


->

This is my first digital SLR. Turns on quickly, shoots multiple shots quickly. Various auto settings work well so I do not need to use the manual functions. Manual focus is a nice thing and easy to turn on or off with just one manual switch. For family use the 18-55mm Canon lens is all I need. Get a good/quick CF card. I like Canon cameras in general, this one continues that tradition. Good solid quality feel, buttons in good location. Fairly easy to learn how to use for anyone with some camera common sense.


->Purchase

Awesome features, but don't buy the package with the "kit lens". The XTi is not an "L-Series Quality" Digital SLR, but with Canon's unlimited choice of superior lenses for the XTi, you will shoot like a pro before you know it. Buy the camera body and decide which lens works best for you. I chose to get the inexpensive, EF 50mm f/1.8 II, for starters (April 2007). If you want a quality lens for under $100, this is a must-have in your arsenal. Sure it has a plastic housing and doesn't look sophisticated, but the optics are the same as the much more expensive 50mm f/1.4 lens! My wife and I have taken over one thousand pix already with this camera & lens since April. We couldn't be happier with the versatility and quality that this camera is capable of producing! Thanks Canon.


->Cheap

You can't go wrong with this camera! The pictures are amazing! I wish I had bought this much sooner. The only thing that held me back was the price, but in the end it's more than well worth it. Just keep in mind that you will have to do a lot of reading and playing around with the camera before you will really be good at using it. The manual it comes with is not much help in teaching you how to use the camera so be sure to buy some other Rebel XTi books to teach you the basics and even some advanced tips. It comes with a neck strap, but you will have to purchase a camera bag and extra battery to make your purchase complete.


->Price

so i took delivery of this camera last night and bought a different lens instead of the standard supplied with a zoom to 200. got it home and took an up close photo of my wifes face. if that isn't bad enough i then used the zoom function on the LCD screen and could just see every line pimple and pore on her face. i'd never really noticed before and now i feel i have to divorce her. so this is probably going to be the most expensive gadget i've ever bought! thanks Canon, i'll be sure to send the lawyers fees to you! my previous camera was a sony point and shoot which only took blurred photos. she looks so much better blurred!


->Affordable

This camera is awesome. I am an amateur and don't know too much about the camera but, it has some really great features. The one downside is you CAN'T use the LCD screen to take pictures. You have to look through the window. Overall it is great though.


->Comparison

I have owned 3 Canons and have always been very impressed with the features and usability.

This camera is no different.

I've upgraded from the ELPH S500 series (a point-and-shoot) because I felt that I'd learned all I needed to with simpler cameras. I purchased this camera because of the positive reviews (like this one) talking about the wonders of the features.

While I love this camera, i'll give you the negative bits that I'm always looking for to give a truly balanced opinion on the features of a product; "I love it, I love it, I love it" doesn't convince me of whether I want to purchase it or not.

In no particular order:
Pros:
-physically: it's small, lightweight and while plastic, still feels solid enough to put into my bag.
-coming down in price, the cost of these DSLRs are really moving down.
-wide assortment of lenses from many manufacturers available
-the pictures are, as everyone says, amazing. the colors are rich, the default settings are pretty good in itself. I've toyed with some of the color and sharpness settings and have had good results.
-easy to use, intuitive, the center "set" button is reprogrammable also for easy use of certain features.
-great for beginners, it's designed for the consumer, not pros, and I really have learned a lot from its simplicity. Menus, instruction books, and others are simple to understand.
-Great for beginning and moving up. This is my plan, as I'm finding that photography is a strong passion of mine now. I had noticed that the higher end cameras, the 5D, etc. all use the same lenses, so eventually I'd like to move up. For right now, this camera is awesome.

Cons:
-the size makes it difficult for my hands, I bought an extended battery grip and it fits much better. However, this makes it a bit heavier.
-rear screen is not recessed. this makes me nervous that it's going to get scratched or cracked somehow. wish they'd spent a little more on plastic and pushed the screen a little deeper into the body.
-the camera shows the settings on the LCD on the back. While I think this is ok, I do feel as though it shortens the battery life. You can change the settings to turn it off, but the shortest is goes is 30 seconds. I wish it had the old digital readout on the older and higher-end cameras. then you could see the settings all the time.
-I do have a dead pixel on my LCD, that bummed me out, but it's not bad.
-This is a wish more than a complaint, but I would like to be able to fold up the mirror and be able to see the LiveView that's available on the Olympus SLR's and the Mark III. I would think that it wouldn't be that hard to do.
-I have worries about APS-C sensors being discontinued, which could mean no future lenses. But since Canon seems to have made a solid consumer-based camera line, I don't think it'll be anytime soon.

Overall, it's a great camera. I recommend you get this or a Nikon over the other brands. Between this and the Nikon, get this. As a consumer-grade, this really is top of the line.




->Prices

I am an amateur photographer and wanted something as a replacement for my finepix s602. The bundle that came with my XTi was great for almost all kinds of photography. Just add a 2GB card and a UV filter and enjoy. My friends and family love the pictures I take. I definitely recommend it!


->Best Price

This camera takes Good Pictures. just after I got this cam. I go out took some shoots in the street without even reading the manual. and The pictures I took is great. the shadow and highlight is prefect. one thing I don't like about this cam is the grip. It is plastic. It is not comfortable to hold for a long time. And keep in mind, it only have one LCD. Other than that I think this is a great camera.


->Comparison

I had high hopes for this camera. I was impressed with all of the features and ease of use. However, after shooting around 200 pics with nearly all of them being underexposed, I have decided to return the camera. Most of my pictures were underexposed by 2/3 to 1 stop, and yes I know that I can easily use exposure or flash compensation, but after spending nearly $800 I figure the camera should shoot well without me having to do that. The underexposure makes the full auto mode completely useless, therefore none of my family would be able to use the camera. I know some people are getting this issue fixed after having sent their camera off to Canon, but again I don't think I should have to do this. I will move on to a different camera.




->

I am a huge fan of Canon. I have owned and used the Canon Rebel SLR 35mm for years. I finally took the plunge and bought the Rebel XTi and love it! I went to a pro baseball game last night and took some awesome pictures using my zoom lens. You can't go wrong with the XTi!


->Purchase

I owned a Canon Rebel film SLR that I used well into 2002. Like many others, I got tired of paying for film, so I made the switch to digital, buying a point-and-shoot. It wasn't until I purchased this Rebel SLR in March of 2007 that I realized how much I missed my SLR!

I purchased the body only because I had a lot of Canon gear that was still compatible with the digital SLR. Buying the Canon was therefore, an easy choice for me. However, I did compare the Canon to the Nikon D40 and D80 and found that the Canon compared very favorably, dollar-for-dollar.

The Canon Rebel XTi has a very high-quality feel about it. It is very well made, with rubber grips at all the right contact points, buttons and doors that feel "made for the long run," EXCELLENT bundled software, and fast camera-to-PC transfer times. Unlike a lot of other electronics purchases I've made recently, it comes will full versions of all of its software- no "lite" versions requiring you to pay more for the full version. And again, the software is EXCELLENT. It is much better than the software that came bundled with my Kodak point-and-shoot.

Even if you don't have any Canon lenses in your arsenal, I'd still advise against buying the kit with the lens. The lens included with the kit is not a great lens- it won't disappoint, mind you, but it's not a high-quality optics lens. Most local camera stores are offering Canon-sponsored specials that allow you to buy the body and a separate lens for about the same price as the Camera kit. This would be a much better deal. Note that the only difference between the "Kit" and the "Body Only" is the kit lens. The "Body Only" still includes all of the cables, software, manuals, battery, and charger.

If you're interested in flexing the camera's true muscle by shooting multiple frames at high resolution (I've gotten mine to fire 49 straight frames in about 17 seconds) you'll want to get a top-quality Compact Flash card; the camera does not come with one. Note that there are differences in memory cards with respect to read and write speeds. I purchased the SanDisk Extreme III 4GB card. The Extreme III line is capable of 20MB/sec min write and read speeds. Check other cards carefully- I've tried the slower cards and the camera cannot respond as quickly as you might want with slower cards.

This is an excellent camera- it takes high-quality 10MP JPEG images with excellent color depth, white balance, and clarity, with as little or as much control as you care to specify. You can use it as a novice's point-and-shoot, or a professional's wedding camera, and get excellent results every time.


->For Sale

This camera takes excellent quality pictures, and is easy to use. Uploading pictures to computer is seamless. The manual is not so good, but I was able to resolve problems through tech support.


->Comparison

Like many I hesitated to buy this camera, due in part to the price. However, finally took the plunge because I was going to Italy for a couple of weeks. Well, 400 shots later I can say this is an excellent camera. Light weight, great resolution to the pictures, vivid color saturation and the big view screen cannot be beat. I tried out manual settings, auto settings, pre-programmed settings. The portrait setting seemed to have a tendency to take multiple shots even when the camera was in single shot mode and evening photos were tricky but that may be due to my lack of familiarity with the camera. I used it with the Canon 28-105 USM lens. I have been using digital cameras for about 4 years. This is the best camera I have used so far. The camera was also very popular in Europe.


->Best Price

So far, so good. As always Canon puts out a great product. This is my first digital camera but not my first Canon. It has so many features that if you don't use it all the time it's easy to forget some of its features. I love that it fits all my other Canon lenses. So far, I'm very happy with this camera and I plan on remaining loyal to Canon as long as they keep pumping out superior products.


->Best Price

This camera has been getting an endless amount of praise from reviewers for some time now. I've had mine for seven months and couldn't be happier. Adding another perfect review with all the same technicalities would just would be tedious & redundant.

The only thing I will mention is the fact that this camera is ALWAYS compared to the Nikon D80, which in my opinion is unfair. The Canon Digital Rebel XTi should be compared to the Nikon D40x. It seems that whenever Canon comes out with a new camera model there's always a Nikon fanatic ready to undermine it without so much as a second look.

I think it's only fair to point out that when comparing the Canon Digital Rebel XTi to the Nikon D40x the Rebel far out does the opposition. I don't mean to belittle Nikon, but lets keep the fights in the proper weight class.


->Comparison

I agonized over the Canon XT, XTi, 20D, and 30D. I decided that for now I did not need the spot meter on the most expensive models (even though I would love to have it) and that the XT or XTi would suit my needs perfectly. I was all set to buy the XT because at $[...] for the body it is great deal. But then I went to [...] and got my hands on the XTi body. The XTi is a beautiful camera and I really like the 9 point auto focus. But what changed my mind was the screen. I took a few test shots in the store and reviewed them on the brighter 2.5 inch LCD screen. It was then that I realized that I would be disappointed if I bought the XT with its smaller, dimmer LCD. If the XT had the bigger LCD I would buy it in a heart beat, but come on people! It's a digital camera and the whole point is to be able to review the picture you just took and actually be able to see it, even in bright sunlight. So for now I am stuck paying an extra $175 for the bigger screen, because I am not interested in the extra mega pixels. The dust shaking sensor and 9 point auto focus is welcome but not worth $[...]. The money I saved by not buying the 30D will go towards better glass, possibly the EF-S 60mm Macro USM.


->Best Price

This is my first DSLR camera and I have to say I am absolutely delighted with it. I've got to the stage where normal consumer cameras just dont cut it anymore. Sure they have loads of megapixels but they never advertise how bad the quality is. They just keep bragging about how many pixels they shoe-horned into each shot.
So I decided the time was right to do something about it. The photo quality is superb, and there are many options to optimize the picture quality for a given scene. The build quality, feature set and support for the Digital Rebel XTi/EOS 400D are top notch, as well as the battery life. I took about 400 snaps so far (each around 3-5MB) and the battery is still on its first charge. This is everything I'd hoped it would be and more.

If your thinking of entering the world of DSLR cameras, get one of these. Seriously.


->Wholesale

I am a former pro, in the fiel of industrial photography, and I used to work whith medium and a large format cameras getting along whith high quality. This Canon is my first digital camera and I am really amayzing about the results with it. I do recommend this tool. Is on a good price and very simple to work with.
Ricardo Medrano


->Price

It's hard to imagine why anyone would look elsewhere for a DSLR. Unless you have large hands this camera handles very well. Best of all the controls are so easy to understand and they are located in a most useful fashion - easy to get at when needed, often without removing your eye from the viewfinder.
The well lit and large LCD displays all camera setting before exposure and a good image of the captured file.
It comes with just about every imaginable feature so you can start with point and shoot and gradually work you way up to complete creative control.
Hesitate no longer - this camera is the one you really want!


->Price

I can't add much to the rest of the reviews here, but you definitely won't be disappointed with this camera. It's got everything you will ever need.

The quality is perfect, usability is excellent. Enough said.


->Prices

What a difference. I haven't had much time to learn the ins and outs of it but its easy to pick up and use, even if you've never touched it before. I have an older Sigma telephoto/super macro that throws an error code when used outside with this camera. Canon customer support is awesome though and directed me on how to remedy the problem. They are courteous and professional. The customer service alone is enough to keep me with Canon. The flash mechanism rattles a little bit and makes you think somethings broken when you pull it out of the box but if you read the manual you'll find thats normal. LCD screen is awesome. Functions are pretty easy to navigate, especially if you have experience with any of Canon's PowerShots. Looking forward to many years with this camera and the shots it will capture.


->Prices

I've had this camera now for about a month. It's an exellent camera for entry-level users and will have some longevity. The lens selection is well supported. It's a bit small but I really like it that way because it's easier to move about without distracting your subjects. Great image quality at 10.1 MP and the internal cleaning system is an exellent feature to this camera. If you're on the fence then I suggest buying this camera.


->Buy

This is the best camera ever! I don't know anything about photography but with a little reading online, research, and of course the easy manual, I'm taking great shots. I recommend this is anyone, beginner or not. Very worth it!


->Deals

Camera Takes Excellent Pictures. Not being a professional photographer, I find it very complex,and as such,I need and should take a few classes in photography. For basic work it satisfies my needs.


->Deals

I bought this camera after months of research as an upgrade from our Canon S2IS. The XTi is much larger than the S2IS and my wife insists she won't be carrying this one. The controls are very easy to operate and well placed. The camera is well balanced and easy to use. The power-on time is amazing and the focus is instantaneous. I'm still learning the different modes and capabilities but I'm very happy with the XTi so far. Understand this is not a point-and-shoot sized camera though. But the images it creates are well worth the extra size and weight. This is the perfect step up for those who are interested in upgrading. It would be a dream first digital camera too!


->Best Price

This takes WONDERFUL pictures. We recently visited Hawaii and brought back pictures that with enlargement, let us see things we couldn't see with the naked eye. Great quality--no issues with shaking (though I like my coffee well enough) as reported by others. Great rapid-fire succession shots. I chose this product because of great reviews and recommendations in Consumer Reports.


->Price

BECAUSE OF A MEDICAL CONDITION, I USE A SINGLE LEG POLE AND A REMOTE SHUTTER SWITCH TO TAKE PICTURES, AND IT TAKES SUPER SHOTS...I DO NOT KNOW WHAT EOS STANDS FOR, BUT WHAT EVER IT MEANS I LIKE IT


->Prices

I need to start off by saying that I am new to Digital SLR cameras and lenses, and am by no means an expert. I am comparing this camera to the numerous point and shoot digital cameras I've had in the past three years in my search for a "good camera". The difference in quality between this camera and all of the rest of the cameras I have used is noticeable immediately, both in ease of use, and in end results. It is a pleasure to work with this camera, the menus are well laid out and everything seems well placed. It can be a point and shoot replacement (using one of many automatic presets) or you can do some pretty advanced setups (using manual settings). The images that I am getting out of this camera seem very professional, with very little effort on my part. And with a quick touch up in Adobe Lightroom, I'm turning out very good quality pictures (in my beginner opinion) with very little work required. All in all, a great camera for a beginner like myself. I'd also recommend getting a decent lens (the kit lens is only okay), a lens filter, a tripod, and an image editing program like Adobe Lightroom.


->

As a father of two infants, I finally got sick of getting them to both look at the camera and smile only to suffer the dreaded shutter-lag of even the best point and shoot cameras. This is what got me to look into DSLRs. After weeks of reading reviews and researching articles, I settled on the XTi, for it's combination of features/price point. I picked it up with the kit lens and an extra battery, plus two 2gig sandisk ultra II cards and the 50mm f1.8 lens. I can't recommend the 50mm lens enough, but I already covered that in it's own review. The kit lens is not nearly as bad as some people have said. Everyone loves to trash it by comparing it to the "L" series lenses, but then that is like saying a new Nissan Maxima is crappy next to a Ferrari. The kit lens gives nice sharpness, vibrant colors, and has a focal range that nicely takes you from a little wide angle to a bit of zoom. Some people have trashed the battery life, but this camera has far exceeded any point and shoot I have ever owned, going for days without a recharge (in the 500 shot range). The camera itself is amazingly easy to use, in fact in full auto mode it is basically the best point and shoot you could ever want. If you are willing to read or learn a little, however, it can do most of the things any professional does on their cameras. You can grow into the hobby with this camera (as I am doing). It is set up to give you all the control and power you are willing to take. Add to that the extensive lineup of lenses and accessories offered by Canon and third party vendors like Sigma, Tamron and Tokina, and this camera has all the versatility, ability, and flexibility to be anything from a great point and shoot for soccer moms to a backup camera for a professional (or first serious camera for a fledgling amateur/pro).You will need a few memory cards, as it is so quick that you will find yourself taking many more shots and keeping the best ones. Nothing about this camera has been a disappointment) I give it my highest possible recommendation.


->Discount

have had this camera a month now and love it. Once I sussed to change the ISO setting from 100 to 400 it started taking awesome inside shots. We've got a new son and I've taken hundreds of shots in all lighting. Continuous shooting is great waiting for that perfect smile and you can take about 10-15 very quicky qith a flash before it starts to slow down [but that may have been the battery getting low too]. If you're on a budget and are a keen amateur shot then you could do a lot worse than this camera. p.s. I've also used my old lens' from a film canon and have no probs at all.


->Comparison

This is an excellent camera for anyone who wants to make the change from amateur to serious amateur. Although the lens that comes with the camera is pretty basic and different lenses will require a lot more investment! An excellent camera!


->Discount

Received my XTi last week. I'm just learning to use this camera and using it in the auto mode only for now. The lens that everyone said was garbage is good for a beginner like me. The picture quality is much better than my old Olympus Point and Shoot (16 years old!). I plan to purchase an additional lens for sports shots soon. I know I will enjoy this camera for years to come. It's easy to operate in the auto mode, yet has many advanced features as well for someone more experienced. Love the large LCD screen. I researched for months before making a camera purchase. For my budget range, this one had all the rave reviews. I love it!

Great customer service from Amazon, free shipping, and I got a free Canon Printer! Ordered product on Sunday before President's Day. Received my camera by Wednesday. Amazon overcharged me by $[...]. I called and the rep credited my card with no problems. I was hesitant about making such an expensive purchase on the internet, but the transaction was perfect. I plan to order more photography accessories from Amazon.



->Prices

Finally went big time digital. Have a Canon FTb 35mm w/lenses(don't fit this new camera)
tired of film processing by outside companies. Now I can take the shot, see what I have , adjust if necessary. On auto mode, it's a point and shoot that's pretty well fool proof for just general shooting. I've had it for a week plus and just starting to use some of the features. Short learning the curve. I bought the kit and the lenses is very usable. Just ordered a Sigma APO 70-300mm lenses to increase my capabilities.
The camera was easy, the lenses are a bear!!! So many choices and so many price ranges.
Overall I've taken and enjoyed more pictures this week then in the last year. Have a point and shoot that wasn't reallly what I wanted, but will remain a fine edition to my camera bag. My recommendation - GO FOR IT. Best in it's class (this week any way)


->Prices

I have used the same 35mm film camera for 20 years. So now I have decided to dive into the digital camera pool. This was my first digital camera purchase. I researched digital cameras on the internet and decided to get the Canon Digital Rebel XTi. My reasons for getting this camera are:
1. No shutter lag - This means that when you press the button to take the picture, the camera takes the picture at that moment. This is a very important issue when taking things that happen all of a sudden. A friend of mine had a little pocket digital camera at spring break...lets just say he was very disipointed with the shutter lag on his camera.
2. View finder - Maybe I am so used to my regular 35mm film camera that I just have to have a view finder. A lot of the point and shoot cameras don't have a view finder. You have to use the LCD screen to see what you are looking at. That can be handy if you are holding the camera away from your face to take a picture. But I like to look at what I want to take the picture of and bring the camera up to my eye...done. No trouble finding exactly what you want to shoot. Remember, with the XTi camera, the LCD screen only shows the picture after you take it. You can't use the LCD to view what you want to take.
3. The feel - Again, probably from my 35mm camera, but I just love the feel of a regular sized camera in my hand.
4. Continuous shooting - This is a fast camera for taking multiple shots in a row. Great for action shots.
5. The Price - This is still not a cheap camera, but it is cheaper than most of the others.
The things to look out for on this camera are the settings. This camera has lots of settings and buttons. This is a good thing, but if you are not used to cameras, it can be a lot to take in. The only thing I noticed about this camera is on outside photos, if you get a lot of sky in the shot, it can make the rest of your photo a little on the dark side. There are settings to correct for this. So over all, this is a great camera. I am still getting used to all of the settings.


->Buy

This is my first digital SLR. I've had the S3 for about 8 months now and learned a lot about composition and exposure, so I decided to take the leap and get the SLR.
So far, so good. I like the overall feel of the camera, love the speedy and accurate focusing and of course, it's a beautiful machine.
Miss the image stabilization, and using the LCD to compose the picture I'm taking.
I need to upgrade the lens really quick. The kit lens is NOTHING to write home about. As a matter of fact, the test pics I've taken are so comparable to the S3, It's even scarry! My new 50mm f/1.4 is on it's way.


->

I have owned this camera for ~ two months. The pictures are incredible. I do recommend getting a memory card with speed over 100x. The software that comes with the camera is very easy to use and adds a lot of value to the pictures. I'm very satisfied.


->Deals

My parents wanted to give me a camera for a gift. I'm a professional who mostly shoots Fashion, Events, and Portrait throughout Chicago; my camera is my livelehoodand only source of income! Here are some of my thoughts:

FASHION: It works great. I can drop the ISO to 100 and fire off at a decent speed. I've used the XT to get work printed in a handfull of magazines and it looks like the XTi will continue this trend! It's easy to use and I LOVE the larger LCD screen! I need to show the models how they look so they can make adjustments to their poses and they find it easy to hold and use. It is also great to show the Makeup Artist and hairstylist the image through the large LCD screen. I do suggest a battery grip since most portraits tend to be horizontal and it will help eliminate aching in your hand fromreaching over. The resolution is great and I can blow images to 20x30 with ease!

EVENT: It's a bit sketchy at some events. I paired it with the Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8 and my 580ex at a CEO breakfast. The glass was not fast enough so I had to bump the ISO to 1600. NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! I was shocked to see so much noise. It was even high at 400 & 800. WOW! I was bothered by this, but then again: I pushed the camera to its limit AND it cost less then $1,000. I cannot complain! One other note: I had someone ask ifI could "turn down the sound of the shutter." HA! Obviously I cannot change the sound of a mirror slapping against metal and plastic, but the camera DOES soundmuch louder then the 30d and 5d I have shot with in the past!

PORTRAIT
Most of the portraits I do are for CEO's, Musicians, and random people who contact me for my services. Most have no idea that the XT and XTi are the cheapest of the Canon line and they do not care: they just want excellent photographs!

TURN ONS:
Large LCD
Compact design
Easy to hold (for people with smaller hands)
High resolution

TURN OFFS:
Noisey at high ISO
Louder then the 30d and others
No clickwheel
Small size (hard to hold when you have larger hands)


->Deals

I've had the Rebel, the Rebel XT, and now this Rebel XTi. The design just keeps getting better and better. I love the new bigger screen. It's so much easier to see the camera settings. I highly recommend this camera.


->Comparison

Photography is a relativly new hobby for me and I've gone through several cameras over the last couple years. After talking to a friend of mine, a professional photographer, I settled on getting the Canon Rebel SLR. I couldn't be happier with the camera. It's high end enough to do everything I could ever want and still not overly complicated. With a new baby on the way you can be assured that this camera will get a great deal of use.


->Purchase

I'd bought a 300D as soon as I realized they existed. I liked it... took some decent shots, dragged it along w/me in Europe, used it for work, etc... but I always felt like I was being shortchanged on features for the amount of cabbage that I dropped for the thing... plus, I was convinced (though may be wrong) that my constant problem w/underexposure was the camera's fault... so I sold the 300d with a plan to buy a 30d asap...

finances took a turn and my hopes for a 30d went down with them... but I soon found myself back in the market for a 30d, and nearly bought one, until I took a more critical look at the xti.

in short, it's exactly the camera i'd hoped for in the 300d i'd bought initially. and it was considerably less expensive.

not a huge fan of the smaller grip, but i've since added a non-canon battery grip and really like the resultant feel.

if the funding is not an issue, then 30d > xti any day of the week. but, if you're semi-broke like myself, the 450d is teh hott.


p.s. i would rate this somewhere between 4 and 5 stars, but chose 4 to avoid hyperbole. thank you.


->Affordable

After two weeks and 450 pictures the camera failed. Up until failure unit was excellent- easy to use and great pictures. Failure involved total malfunction of all camera function in other than automatic. Service was prompt and polite but online database was useless in trying to resolve problem. After minute with live support was advised to return camera to service depot, which I have since done. Bought Canon XTi because previous 35mm Rebel bought in 94 had been flawless and wanted to use existing zoom lenses. Expect unit back from warranty repairs in two weeks and we will see. But leaves an uneasy feeling with me regarding reliability, plus cost of shipping for warranty.


->Best Price

Even the very best point and shoots are junk compared with this camera. Can't say enough about how cool it is. It opened up a whole new world for me. Now it takes a real effort not to be obsessive in learning about new lenses and how to use them. As cool as this camera is with the kit lense, other better lenses take it to a whole other level.

If you are on the fence, just go for it, you won't regret it.


->Wholesale

So far I have had no problems with this camera. It takes really sharp pictures and it's really easy to use. I would recommend getting an image stabilization lens after seeing what my friend's lens can do. I chose this camera over the Sony A100 after a long debate between the two. I tested both out in a store and I just like the overall feel of the Canon. I plan on getting an image stabilization lens though, so if you want a camera with image stabilization for less money, go with the Sony. I still think the Canon is a better camera though. Good Luck!


->Wholesale

This is a fabulous camera. Exactly what I expected. Please note that BODY ONLY means NO LENS!!!!!


->Compare

Lots of megapixel, great image quality, fast processing speed and many more. I wish the body were a little bigger.


->For Sale

The canon digital Rebel it's a wonderful camera, so many functions that I will really have to study on them, there's just one thing that I'm not sure if I don't know or it's like that, do any of you know if I can use the LCD screen to see the images when I'm taking the picture, or do I always have to use the visor?

It's a great product !


->Best Price

Picked this up recently and love it and great DSLR to learn from. You can never go wrong with Canon point to shoot to SLR cameras including ZR camcorders too. CANON all the way!


->Discount

I bought this for work so it had to deliver. It has a million options. I read the short description carefully and then the long description carefully. But I'm old and my eyes can't see little bitty print in the dim light, so the settings on the dials are completely useless. My final solution was to download the manual from Canon as a PDF and then bring it up on my PC while I practiced with the camera. This worked. I discovered that the jpeg default settings are not as good as the Elph I have and love, but it doesn't matter. I still have the Elph and I use it at parties.

For the purpose I acquired it, the XTi is perfect. I shoot everything in RAW and downconvert it to jpg with the software Canon provides. Their software is OK, I give it a 7. The one they provide is like Excel, it will do a lot of different things, but with a lot more work than I want to do.

The provided me with the APIs and I'm a coder so I intend to write a decent program. If everyone needed the same thing I do, Canon would have written that program and I wouldn't have to. I will say that the world should settle on one RAW format so Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, Google and the rest can write this stuff instead of just Canon and me.

I waited a long time for this camera, but it was worth it. I sent several emails to Canon along the way complaining about rebates. I have never received a rebate in my life, so I won't buy any products that are in a rebate/price spiral.



->

The camera produces dark pictures and needs manual exposure compensation to correct this. I have used a Canon film SLR camera for years and compared to that, it certainly feels there is something wrong in the metering of this camera. I am returning mine tomorrow.


->Price

The Canon xti 10.1mp is easy to use, lenes from my canon rebel 35 mm camera interchange nicely.


->Best Price

Bought this right after Christmas, when Santa decided I had been good, but not good enough for this kind of cash.

Let's face it, $800 is serious coin for most of us, and there are hundreds of cheaper cameras out there.

So why plunk down this kind of money for a camera? Well, it depends on who you are, and what you plan to use it for. If you are looking for a point-and-shoot for snapshots, you should probably pass. There are cheaper cameras out there (Canon Powershots, for example) that will give you what you want for less.

However, if you are a semi-serious photographer, this is an extremely nice camera. I'll skip the tech specs, as you can find those elsewhere. Here's what counts for me: the shots are ultra-crisp, and the camera features are phenomenal. There are enough MPs here to do some significant enlargements, without loss of clarity.

I'd rate myself an enthusiastic amateur photographer, and, in all honesty, this is probably too much camera for me. Which is good, as I'll be buying a manual, and working to get everything out of this camera I can. I am using this as an educational tool. I'll experiment with it, and learn more by using it.

In my mind, well worth the price.


->Comparison

Pros:

1.Better hand grip
2.Nice 2.5 screen.
3.Faster burst
4.Solid CF card door.

Neutral:

1. Proactive anti-dust. Haven't used long enough to tell the effectiveness
2. 9-point AF. No apparent improvement of the old 7 point AF. Nikon uses
11 pt AF and I heard its AF is worse than Canon...

Con:

1. Freezes after consecutive flash shots or burst shots without flash. Freezes upto 1 minute. Apparently the old battery is not up for the job.
2. Dark shots more often than XT (350D) - metering problem.
3. 10mp only gets the file larger and uses up CF faster. Not much else.

Bottom line:
I'll wait for the 30D upgrade...




->Deals

I still have the SD200 I bought a year or two ago, but the XTI is great. I am still learning all the settings. Now I'm starting to play with the RAW and continous shooting modes. I can't wait until nature starts getting it's color back to go shooting in some of the parks around town. A friend of mine has an XT and his photos from last summer look great, I can't imagine what the XTI's will look like.

All I can say is buy THE biggest Memory Card you can find. If you shoot in RAW + L, it eats them alive. I had to wait for my Ultra II 2 gig and ended up using a standard 1 gig for a while. Now I just need to decide if I should shell out for more cards or to get an IS USM lens.

I was suprised when I used up the battery the first time, not because it went fast (it didn't) but because it uses the same as the Elura series Camcorder I have.

I can't say enough about it. Even when I screw up a shot, like when my dog bumps my leg, I can still see great detail. Canon did a great job with this camera and if you register it like I did, they answer even the rookiest of questions quicker than you would expect.

If you are looking for an upgrade from a point and shoot to a SLR, this is for you. If you are already familiar with Canon's Menus and Programs, that's just icing.


->Lowest Price

Wonderful camera! Worth every penny plus some! It's true you can't immediately see the pic that you take at the exact moment but you can pull it up immediately after you take it with a push of the play button.


->Buy

PRO'S: Great features and images. Easy to use and follow instructions. CON'S: No CF card supplied with camera, can't view image through display screen when taking photos.


->Best Price

Has performed admirably. After only making the step up to a digital SLR now (I'd been holding off as long as I could to get as good a performance as possible), it's lived up to every expections.

Battery life has been great (only charged once in two weeks while travelling with it), and having tried it with 5 different lenses now (from fisheye's to 70-200mm f/2.0), it's been fantastic. You should see the zoom factor with the 70-200mm :)

[...]



->Lowest Price

My new XTi underexposed & I've since learned that others have had this problem. Be aware of this correctable problem. Canon agreed there was an issue with my camera after I sent them a series of photos & histograms. Their service center gave fast service & appear to have corrected the problem. I've long used digital point & shoot cameras (Olympus & Kodak). This is my first SLR. I went to an SLR to get faster shots & hopefully greatly improved low light shots. The XTi certainly solved my need for faster shots. Initial evaluation of night/low light shots show great improvement over the non-SLR cameras. Photos of nightime lighted Christmas trees are not as blurry. Too early in the evaluation (plus I need to upgrade from the kit lens) to say it fully meets my desire for good low light shots.

THe underexposure problem (both indoor & outdoor shots too dark) could be compensated for by increasing exposure by +2/3.


->

I have been extremely pleased with the Rebel XTi. I'm a relatively new-comer to the SLR world, but have been learning quickly (the XTi helps with the learning process since it is very easy to use). My major impetus in moving into the SLR world was my frustration with the large delay in depressing the shutter and pictures actually being taken with most digital cameras. Now that my children are getting more involved in sports and "moving" activities, I found that my old Sony DSCP93 camera (despite it's very nice pictures), was just not quick enough to capture these moments effectively. (Although I miss being able to just pop it into my pocket...)

The silver body stays nice and cool during the hot days of summer in bright sunlight - which is the only advantage over the black body that I've found (that seems to be why all of the professional Canon-afficianado's prefer those white Canon lenses...). The presets for shooting makes the learning curve a little easier and helps aid in figuring out the intricacies of how to use the advanced features of this camera. Another great part is the large MP of the camera - makes cropping pictures much easier, and still allows for large size photo prints. Overall a great camera.


->Comparison

Excellent camera. I have only used it a small amount of time but it makes the most incredible pictures. Only wish they had one of these 20 years ago. For the money, I don't think it can't be beat.


->Deals

I've owned my Canon Digital Rebel XTi for almost a month now, and have taken over 1,000 pictures. The camera seems to be holding up well and hasn't developed any problems. It has all the features you would expect in a digital SLR, although it does lack a spot metering system, but it hasn't caused any problems that I couldn't fix by changing somthing else. Is it a fault? Yes, but is it all that important? No, especially if you're a beginner with DSLR's.

I've read a lot of reviews that criticize the kit lens, and although it is certainly less than impressive, it is an excellent beginner's lens, and it's low price helps too. If you're a believer in "the lens makes the picture, not the camera," then I would suggest buying another, higher quality lens either directly from Canon, or a slightly more cost sensitive lens from Sigma or Tamron.

Back to the camera body itself. The XTi is a bit small, especially for those of us with large hands or long fingers, but it's a lot easier to hold than a normal "point and shoot" camera that most casual digital photographers are used to. Even though it's tough to hold at times, I prefer the smaller body, but it's really personal preference (if you get a chance, go out to a store and hold one, just to make sure it's a good fit for you.) If you can't stand the size, you should look at Nikon's entry level DSLR (the D80), or if you're willing to shell out some extra bucks, one of Canon's professional series cameras (the 30D or 5D.)

Canon has updated a few things with the upgrade to their outstanding Digital Rebel XT. The thing that will catch most people's attention first of course is the addition of 2 more megapixels, giving the XTi a total of 10.1. However, the 2 additional megapixels comes at a price. Although Canon increased the amount of overall pixels, the sensor (for those of you that are new to DSLR photography, the sensor takes the place of film in a camera and captures the image digitally) is roughly the same size as the one in the XT. This produces a little more noise, but not enough to notice unless you view the picture at larger than true size. Other changes include the loss of the small indicator LCD above the main LCD on the back, and the increase of the main LCD to 2.5 inches. I think this was an excellent idea. It does slightly decrease battery life because the camera has to keep the large color LCD on all the time, but it is much easier to see all of your picture settings clearly and at the same time. Also, a rubber thumb grip (which was missing entirely in the XT) was placed on the back for a more comfortable hold as well as the addition to a rough plastic/rubber grip in the front of the camera (also missing in the XT). There are other differences as well, including more AF points, Picture Style settings and more. If you want to see the rest of the specifics, go to Canon's website.

So, to sum it up: The XTi is an excellent upgrade to the ever-popular Rebel XT. It is an excellent camera for beginner DSLR photographers and is portable enough for everyday use. The plastic body does feel a bit cheap, but it's the inside that counts (just don't drop it.) For the great price of Canon's Digital Rebel XTi, it won't dissapoint, and may be more than you expected. So if you're serious about buying a entry level digital SLR, I would strongly suggest you purchase Canon's newest edition to their EOS lineup.

Hope this was helpful!


->Buy

This camera blows my mind. It has features and functions I never would have dreamed a camera to have...Now I have to say, I'm "old" (56) so I'm used to more dinosaur like cameras. But the Canon Rebel XTi is the absolute coolest thing I've ever used in photography. And, I'm just now learning it. It is like buying a Ferrari and only going 60! There is so much more this machine can do. IT is a dream camera, for me. I can hardly wait to figure it all out!!! lol


->Best Price

This camera is fantastic. The picture quality cannot be beat, and the features of the camera are countless. I am not a proffesional, but wanted a nice camera. Even the less than "guru" can work it because of its ease of use. I bought a lot of things this past year, but this is by far my best purchase. I would definately recommend that if you purchase this to buy an additional lense with a bigger zoom. But other than that, this camera will make you very happy!!!
I am also glad I purchased it with [...]. They had the best price on the camera, and got it here on time!


->

What can I say, I love Canon cameras. Deciding to buy this camera wasn't a big deal because I knew I wanted Canon & I already had Canon lenses that I used with my film camera. It works great & takes beautiful shots. Since I already own a rebel, getting used to the options was not difficult because they are not that different. The display is nice & big. I haven't used the dust cleaner app on it yet because I haven't needed to, but I did play around with other settings & have had a ball. Some people have complained about the images being too dark...I think it may be a preference or just particular settings. Just like any camera, you need to make adjustments to get the image the way you want. At any rate, I really like it, but I'm still not ready to give up my film cameras.


->Compare

I had XT before purchasing XTi and I thought it is time to upgrade with the new one. Xti has sensor cleaning feature and other nice things. When I got the camera, my test shots turned out a dissapointment. It may be psychologic or real, but I did not like the pictures that came out of the camera. I searched canon user forums and some people reported that the new XTi is slightly different than the original in terms of color and light adjustments. Conclusion: I returned the camera and bought a nice used Canon 20D on eBay with a lot of classic features (and cheaper than XTi).



->Sale

I have used this camera both during Christmas holiday family gatherings, as well as in the pursuit of outdoor scenery. It is a WONDERFUL camera. Whether shooting in full sunlight at ASA 100, or tripod astrophotography at ASA 1600, the camera truly shines.
As an astrophotographer, the only issue I find with it is that exposure time is limited to 30 seconds. Other than that, I think anyone purchasing this camera would agree it is a good value.


->Lowest Price

We bought this camera after we had our first child--and everyone comments on what outstanding pictures it takes. We get such great pictures of our baby, there's just no need to take him to a professional studio! It's very easy to use and we are slowly learning all of the many things the camera actually can do. But, initially, it's as easy as point and shoot for perfect pictures. The lens it comes with is perfect for indoor and closer objects, but in the future we will probably invest in a better lens for zooming on things further away. Great camera--would recommend to anyone!


->Cheap

I have been waiting three years to buy this camera and all I can say is what a disappointment. My first SLR was a Rebel 2000 so I am very familiar with all the normal features as well as the new features of this camera. I also own a 5MP Canon A95 Power shot which blows the XTi out of the water on almost any indoor shot. The flash is never enough - as one review said, almost all low light (in door) shots will come out dark. The foreground will be OK but there will be no background detail. Contrasting this with my Powershot, the same exact photo will have a nice bright background. I have taken hundreds of comparison shots to a friend of mine's XTi as well as comparing to my Powershot. The "new nine zone" focus does not work well either, I have to use center focus mode and be sure of what it is focusing on. My Rebel 2000 film camera almost never a focus issue. Unfortunately, it seems Canon just didn't put the quality into this one. The only way I have found to get a better picture is to go into manual and push the flash up one stop, but for $800, I shouldn't have to do this. The camera does take good outdoor shots and pictures of the moon etc. and the 1600 film speed is nice.


->Deal

I have a Canon Eos 35mm (not a Rebel) camera that I have been using for many years and loved it. It was time to move to digital however and I just couldn't justify the cost of the 10mega-pixel EOS, so I opted to "step-down" to the Digital Rebel XTi.

After taking my existing ultrasonic lenses to a local retailer and making sure they'd work on the Rebel XTi, I purchased a "body only" version of the camera, thus saving myself roughly $50 dollars.

I've been using the camera for a few days now, mostly in the house and I'm happy to say that I think I made the right decision. Only a real die-hard photographer will lament the loss of some of the finer configurations available on the full EOS. For me, and for most people, the Rebel XTi has everything you need. It still includes your standard modes: Landscape, Sport, Twilight, etc., and of course you can adjust aperture and all that other stuff that only people who do it as a profession or hobby really understand anyway.

The built-in flash is very powerful, moreso I'd say than what was on my EOS 35mm, and the menu is more intuitive than the Fuji FinePix I had before purchasing this camera.

Additionally, some have noted that any 35mm lens you try to use on the digital will creating some cropping, but I don't really see a difference. I probably would if I could put the two side x side, but my standard wide-angle lens takes in a fair amount of space, and my zoom lens appears fine too. For reference I have the Ultrasonic lenses with the red dot, not the ones with the red dot and white square.

Cons: You can't view what you're taking a picture of in the viewfinder; you have to look through the lens. Also, the carry strap that comes with it is pretty cheap. I'll probably use the one from my EOS.

My particular purchase included everything BUT a CF card, so I got a 2GB one from Transcend ($45), and it works perfectly.

Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase and I don't feel like I missed out on any features by not buying the EOS.


->Comparison

I'm terribly excited to get this camera, I've been waiting a long time to purchase it. When I saw it go on sale I couldn't pass up the chance to snag it.... ;) I just wanted to post and say thank you for the reviews, they were quite helpful. I only gave it four stars because I just ordered it last night and I won't get it for another few weeks. I'll have to share a few photos after I've had enough time to play around with it.




->Buy

I take a lot of pictures and have a great deal of fun doing it. I also spend more time editing the pictures than I do taking them. I love the outdoors and traveling. I take my camera everywhere. So, you can imagine how really excited I was about moving up to an SLR body camera and all the advantages that it could give me. Unfortunately, it turned out that it took every ounce of joy out of taking pictures for me.

For starters, I am too stupid to get it to work well! There is no doubt this is a fine camera. In the hands of someone who knew what they were doing and were willing to spend the time, it will perform very well. However, for a hack like myself, I could only get about 40% of my shot on autopilot to looked really good. I don't know where it was focusing but even with all the help on board it only got part of it right. There where some really outstanding pictures compared to my old camera but I couldn't tell when it was going to work. In low light there was no hope. There was nothing I could do to hold it still enough to get a clear shot. I had it wedged up against a concrete building and low wall trying to take a picture of Austin's skyline at night. I even added my tripod for more support and it still didn't work. Which bring me to another fact of life with these cameras. They are very expensive. The image stabilization cost more than the camera and that is just the start! It looked to me that I would have at least $3,000 invested into this thing to get it to do what I wanted! That is an awful lot of money for very little return when comparing these cameras to the cheaper easier to use models.

Then there is the size of the thing. When you add in all the goodies that go with it you have a massive bundle of stuff that is not only heavy, it is pretty large. I can't see any real reason for all of this given the new advances photography. I spent all my time messing with the camera and lugging stuff around instead of enjoying myself and having fun. I called my boss for advice and he had sold his big SLR and was carrying a little subcompact. I sent it back.

PS The service I got at Amazon was terrific.



->Comparison

This camera has everything that you need, has been easy to learn how to use (it's my first digital camera), and takes great pictures. It's been a lot of fun to play around with. I'm especially interested in low light photography, and have been very impressed with the sharpness and quality of the images even without a tripod. I generally like to set most everything manually, and it's been easy to work with in that regard. Many of the auto features are good enough that it's been slowly tempting me to become more lazy.

Also, the software package that comes with the camera has been easy to use. It makes handling the much larger number of pictures I take now (vs. my old Canon AE-1) a lot easier than I thought it would be.

If you're looking for a capable SLR camera at a good value, I would definitely recommend this one.


->Lowest Price

I've only had this for a few days but I love it! I upgraded from the Digital Rebel 300d and I had the D30 before that so I was already very familar with how this camera works. The only thing I was disappointed was that it took a different battery, battery grip, and charger from my 300d.

The biggest reason I upgraded was to get the bigger burst capacity but the better focus system, bigger screen, and of course added megapixels definately made it worth every penny of the upgrade. Another thing is that the body is smaller than the 300d which was smaller than the d30. I miss the heft of the d30 but plan to get the battery grip which will add some weight back to it. Its smaller size and lighter weight will probably be much better apreciated after I travel some with it.


->Wholesale

If you have had digital PS cameras, you know they take good pics of average scenes, but sometimes they try to be too smart and get in the way of what you really want to achieve. If you are familiar with 35mm SLRs, you really miss the ability to control things.

The new generation of DSLRs are now as good as 35mm for enlargements, and modern storage media (flash cards and hard disks) allow for storage of a lot of images even at maximum size and quality. The Canon is the best value of a very good set of contenders from Nikon and Sony. The sensor in the camera is 24 mm (larger is better -- we will soon see a 35 mm sensor). This camera can use legacy Canon lenses as well as the new EFS (short focus in the back specifically for digital EOS). Because the sensor is not 35mm, you have to multiply lens length by a conversion factor, in this case 1.6, to get 35 mm equivalent (example: a 50mm lens will give the same result as an 80mm on a 35 SLR).

The kit lens is ok but not great. I got a Tamron 28-75 f2.8 which is my primary lens. I may splurge and get one of the Canon "L" series lenses in the near future.

The camera is compatible with iPhoto on the Mac (I have yet to encounter one that is not), and comes with its own image browser and photo editing software. On the Mac, I am using the Canon image browser and iPhoto for picture management, but still prefer Photoshop elements when I need more image manipulation. iPhoto albums are effectively folders that can be loaded into the navigation window of Image Browser.


->Sale

I have been a film camera buff all my life. I have looked at digital cameras for the past several years but was waiting on the features that I have in my film SLR's. This was reasonably priced and pretty full featured (lacking only in spot metering). I gave it a try. I am well satisfied with it. I have shot several thousand images and find the images more than satisfactory, the camera easy to use and am becoming a digital convert.


->Buy

Pros:
- Great Battery Life
- Stunning Clarity
- Easy to use
- Automatic Dust Removal
Cons:
-Rubbish Kit Lens

This is my first DSLR but I have had no problems using this camera and have gotten some stunning results. In my opinion the only thing which is lacking is the kit lens, but I have still managed to take some good shots with this. Overall extermely pleased.


->Lowest Price

I love the camera but have only been using the automatic focus mode and wish you could force the flash in this mode but you can't. Sometimes pictures of baby come out dark b/c the automatic flash doesn't go off. I guess I need to learn how to use the manual functions so I can force the flash myself. Automatic just seems easier when quickly trying to capture the brief moment when she is smiling and looking at me (with her eyes) open all at the same time!


->Comparison

I bought this Canon because I have lenses from a Canon Rebel SLR which is a camera I still love. The lenses work great with this new digital. I do a lot of low light photograpy and the low light exposures come out very clean.
I am not a professional photgrapher and the manual has been very helpful in introducing all of the state of the art digital features that this camera offers. I also like the ease offered connecting the camera to my mac.


->Sale

I've been using the camera for about two month now. It's a decent buy although you might want to consider the body only and get a better lens. I spent the first couple of weeks struggling with the kit lens. It might not have anything to do with the kit lens but I did get a lot better pictures with Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens. One problem I'm having is the 9-point AF. Canon may think it a good feature, quite often it focuses on the wrong thing. And even it focuses on the "right" thing, in most cases the image is not sharp. So I use the single point focus most of the time. But this gives me another problem. If I pick the non-center focus point, AE might not be accurate as the metering doesn't follow the AF point (I could be wrong on this). So in tricky condition I have to lock the AE first then reposition and shoot. Again this only happens in tricky situation. I'd say 90% of the time AE is ok. High end camera body may have better feature but I'd rather spend more on lens as you can take equally good pictures if you know the body well enough, and I'm still discovering.


->Sale

The product performs as advertized. It is more camera than the average user needs but has completely automated features for those who don't want to know the ins and outs of professional photography to take quality photos. I highly recommend. Choose the lenses that fit your requirements and you will be "good to go".


->

This is an easy to use digital SLR. I was amazed at the many professional quality images that I obtained during a recent visit to San Diego Wild Animal Park. However, beware of vendors who may try to substitute a gray product (400D) for the U.S. version (XTi). It is light handling even with the telephoto. The 9 autofocus points make it easy to use this on full auto with sharp images.


->

We are just moving into the world of SLR Photography and this camera is fantastic. It is easy to use and takes amazing photos. Beyond impressed.


->Deal

"Black Body Only" is almost jargon. I totally misunderstood that this did not include a basic lense. Had to return and re-order. The company that shipped the camera is great to work with.


->Compare

This XTi is a solid entry level digital SLR. It is many auto features for a novice like my self to use. As my abilities increase the camera has potential as well. After using the quick start guide I have been able to use this camera almost immediately. It is versatile in that you can mount EF-S and EF model lenses with the camera. It is a good starter SLR. I do recommend buying the lens separately from the standard 18-55mm lens. The kit lens lacks the USM and the IS, but features add to the camera.


->

My hat is off to Canon on the body, sensor, processor, and feature set on this camera. It's great. It takes beautiful pictures that I'm very pleased with. There is definitely a sticker shock when you start piecing together your DSLR kit. I know that I've spent about $2300 on the camera and 4 lenses. It's unfortunate that you still have to spend that to get a precision photography experience, but that's how it is. You can't go wrong with this DSLR.

My only complaint would be that I'd trade the 2.5" LCD back to the XT for the smaler LCD and the monochrome LCD info screen. The 2.5" LCD info screen on this XTI doesn't work like I'd like it to. It's a small complaint though and a small price to pay for a 10 megapixel sensor.


->Price

I am now using this camera for almost 2 months. Its been a great experience working with this camera. The 18-55 mm wide angle lens itself has capture brilliant photos whether it is night or day. I also have the Canon 100-400mm IS Telephote lens which I used to take the far images is the exact match for this mate. I have been highly overwhelmed to work with this.


->Discount

I bought this camera after many months of saving up and researching digital SLRs... and I couldn't be more satisfied with my purchase! I'm a professional by no means, but I really love how much functionality is packed into this little guy. The giant LCD display on the back is just awesome--combine that with the 10 MP and it makes this camera a much better purchase than one of the larger, more expensive Canon DSLRs.

Also, I was a little nervous before I bought the camera because I read a lot of reviews that talked about the size of the camera being hard to handle. Well, my hands are HUGE (I can palm a basketball) and I have had no problems at all, and I love the fact that it is relatively smaller and easier to carry around than the larger counterparts.

Finally, if you are just starting out, then you will be plenty satisfied with the kit lens, which provides some decent range and a nice wide-angle end. If you are waiting to buy the camera because you are trying to save up for the perfect lens, don't! Buy the kit today and then save up and add to your lens collection down the road--you won't be disappointed!


->Buy Online

I bought this camera and 1-week later headed for the Galapagos Islands. The camera was simple to use and wonderful photos resulted. We carried two lenses and 3 Gigs of memory for a 10-day trip. The battery held the charge--I had bought spare batteries and only needed to replace them once. I was impressed! I am hoping that photograpghy will be a new love in our life, and the camera will let us begin that journey.


->Prices

I am new into the world of SLR photography and this camera has been great for a newbie. One of my friends, who is an experienced photographer, noticed that the XTi takes dark pictures on the manual settings. This issue is discussed at length in many forums and reviews of this camera and I have not found this to be a major problem. With over 500 shots so far I am really enjoying the camera and can't wait to get more lenses. On the subject of lenses I would get the camera body only and spend a couple hundred more on a better lens to start. With the underexposure issue, I would consider one if the IS (image stabilization) lenses which allows you to take pictures at up to 3 shutter speeds slower with out blurring the image from camera shake.


->Lowest Price

As this is my first digital camera, I have found it very easy to use, and it has been easy to get great looking photos with the automatic settings. Overall very pleased.


->Discount

I decided to take the plunge and try a DSLR and I love this camera. I took it on a photo trip this fall where a bunch of guys had bigger more "pro" style gear - I could hardly lift some of their cameras. For me, this is perfect. The grip fits my girly hands well, and it's comfortable to carry all day. The only downside to the light weight is that when I put my biggish zoom lens on it, it feels unbalanced, especially on a tripod. I've taken just over 2000 pictures with it, and I've not yet had any problems. I splurged on the Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 image stabilized lens and it's super for nature photography. The image stabilizer lets me hand-hold it with acceptable-to-me results down to about 1/30 sec - better with a tripod of course but that's not always an option.

If you're considering jumping to SLR for the first time, it's well worth looking into a class or a beginner's book or video. You'll need to wrap your mind around the aperture/exposure/depth of field relationships to really get the most out of the camera and make good lens purchase decisions for the type of photography you want to do. I had used film SLRs ages ago, but I took a one-day class at a local camera shop right after buying the camera and it was really helpful.


->Price

Wow, is Amazon going to be sorry that they asked me to write a review on this product!! This camera is such a disappointing piece of junk that we returned it. Upon further research on the internet, we found that we were one of many people whose XTi produced photos that were incredibly dark and underexposed, even though we bought and used the Canon EX430 Flash with it. Sent some photos to Canon, and they confirmed that camera was defective. We then went to [..]and bought another XTi, only to have the same results. Sent some of that camera's photos to Canon, and they again said the camera was not working correctly! Their tech supervisor told us that the "green box" fully automatic setting is just a marketing ploy and this model is really incapable of taking a good photo when set on full automatic settings. Why could my film SLR take an excellent photo on auto focus, auto shutter, auto aperature, etc.? Don't buy this piece of junk!!


->Cheap

I bought the camera for my wife -- it is her third in the successive generations of Digital Rebels. She thinks the camera is fantastic. Each has been an enhancement to the prior, with the base model having been quite good to begin with.


->Price

I purchased this camera in October to take on a trip, and it did not let me down. This is a great entry-level digital SLR. I bought the body only and purchased the Canon EFS 17-85mm lens with image stabilization. I think it is a big step up from the lens included with the kit (I borrowed the base lens from someone to compare). I previously owned the Canon Powershot G2, and I think the Rebel XTi is the next step up the line.

One observation for those used to framing the picture through the LCD, this is not the camera for you. The Digital Rebel XTi requires you to frame the picture through the viewfinder. I would recommend you do this regardless, but I know people that are confused (and even bothered) when they can't preview the picture in the LCD window.

To really get your money's worth, I would recommend that you purchase a field guide or take a class. I was fortunate enough to find a class specific to the Canon Digital Rebel XTi. This really helps with understanding the advanced capabilities of the camera. A good class also can improve your overall photography skills.


->Compare

This Canon digital rebel XTi 10 is so easy to understand and use. My pictures actually look really good! I am learning how to use all the advanced features with ease. Soon I will be as functional as the pros.


->Cheap

I got this camera in sept and have taken around 3000 photos thus far , no complaints it functions in all situations very well. It is on the small side thats my only gripe so i got the battery grip but results speak for themselves i have posted a couple sample shots.


->Deals

The EOS Digital Rebel XTi or EOS 400D is one of the best DSLRs on the market.

The camera features Canon's new EOS Integrated Cleaning System, which shakes off dust on the sensor. If any dust cannot be removed, it can be removed with the bundled software.

The resolution is good, upgrading from the XT's 8.0 megapixels to 10.1 megapixels. However, that is slightly less than the Nikon D80 or the Sony a100, which both have 10.2 megapixels, 0.1 more megapixels.

There are so many other things that are upgraded.

But there are some disappointments.

First of all, the camera is not as comfortable as a Nikon or a Sony. Many critics often highly recommend this camera, but prefer Nikon or Sony over Canon.

The AF could sometimes be slow, bt this is normal.

The package with the lens is rather disappointing, so I bought a body only package.

Overall, I recommend the body only package, and buy another lens. If you are happy with the package with the lens, sure, buy it. But I would prefer buying a body only kit and then buying a separate lens (mine is a Sigma 18-200mm 1:3.5-6.3).


->Comparison

We purchased this camera for Christmas and it instantly took over as the camera of choice for group family photos. We love it. You can't use the camera right out of the box, though, as it does not come with a CF card (compact flash card). A CF card is required for image storage and they aren't very available on Christmas day. Add about $[...] to the total price for a 1GB CF card.

The camera does it all -- fully automatic, fully manual, bracketing, macro, etc, etc, etc. The packaged software does some really interesting things with RAW images. If you use the RAW image medium, you can alter the image per different camera settings after you download them to your computer. It is a great way to see exactly what all those settings mean.

It does not do movies, but this is a still camera -- and it does stills very well.


->

I am very pleased with this purchase. Canon has a way of making advanced photography techniques easy for me to use. I upgraded from my Canon S1IS to the Rebel and I am very pleased with everything the Rebel can do and how simple it is for me to grasp the features and use them. The quality of my amateur photography has leaped into realms I never dreamed of. I could get technical and reel off numbers, stats and stuff but this purchase was not like that for me. I just read a lot of reviews and rolled the dice. Glad I did. No regrets.


->Sale

I owned a Canon Rebel 300D. The 400D performs much much better than the 300D. The light meter seems more accurate. The color is much more balanced. It is also much easier to see camera settings on the big LCD. The frame rate is also improved from the old 300D. From what I read, the electronics is probably better than the more expensive Canon 30D; the 30D has better mechanical parts, but I am a casual shooter, I am much more likely to replace the 400D way before the mechanical parts become an issue. I also like the smaller body of the 400D. Would be nice if it has image stabilization in the body and if it has built in wireless.


->Prices

After a little more than a month reading reviews I finally decided to go for this camera (Canon Rebel XTi). And I think I made the right choice. This camera has not disappointed me. Every picture I take comes out with outstanding quality. It's just amazing.
Some people complain about the fact that Canon got rid of the small lcd screen. I've used the previous model (Rebel XT) and not having the little lcd screen doesn't bother me at all. All the information needed is displayed on the big lcd and it's great.
One more thing, this camera performs great under low light conditions. Check some of the images that I uploaded here.
Okay! In conclusion, this is an awesome camera, and although some might find it not so comfortable, I totally recommend it.


->Discount

Am I so dumb that I didn't realize the camera is useless without a CF card... and the CF card is not included (not even a 20MB one)? Who would think that Amazon would include the CF card with the million other accessories that they suggest? Instead, it's listed with other things people bought with this camera.

Well now, I feel like an idiot after giving it as a gift - a wonderful feeling after spending $800. Am I asking too much?




->Compare

Bought directly from Amazon, and I swear by them.
Low price, reliability and fast delivery.
I am an old emulsion guy, went from film SLR's (ME Super, AE-1)
to point and shoot digital (A-620). I decided to plunge
into the DSLR field. I can tell you with sincerity, the
images that this camera produces is amazing. I shoot in RAW
and JPEG.

Two reccomendations:

1. Buy the body only. The kit lens is a toy.
Purchase the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8, great glass!
It will be the best 70.00 that you will ever spend.
Build quality does not equal "L" lenses, but the
optics are superb.

2. Buy the Canon Battery Grip if you have large hands.

If you shoot in RAW, a CF card of 2GB is mandatory.

If you purchase this camera, you will not be disappointed.

The Polish Prince.
Green Bay, WI



->Comparison

This camera is everything it is advertised to be. I absolutely love it. I did not install the software that came with it so I cannot offer an opinion on that part of the experience but the quality of the product and the quality of the photos are really top-notch. My brother has a canon 30D and this camera is just as good, especially with similar lenses, for less than half the price.


->Lowest Price

I am using this camera with the Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 lens and all I can say is I am blown away by the quality. Granted, I am comparing to my 3-year old Canon Digital Elph and not against "professional" cameras and lenses, but this is nice rig to shoot with. Great results. Enjoy!


->Deals

I finally moved up to a DSLR and am very pleased with the quality of this particular camera. A friend has a Pentax DSLR (older) and the pictures the XTi produces are much nicer than his. The Canon is much sharper. I was missing something out of the box and called Canon and was on the phone with a live person within 30 seconds. My missing part was at my door in 4 days. Their customer service is top-notch. I was leary at first purchasing this camera because of the price but I plan keeping it for a very long time and so far so good...it does everything I want and then some. I've read some negative comments about the included lens, but I see no issues so far with that either. It takes some getting used in hand because of its smaller body than other DSLR's I held, but that seems better now as well (after about 40-50 shots).


->Price

This is my first SLR and I love it, so many things to learn. This body is definitely a good starting point for beginners like myself before we upgrade to something higher (like 5D) while still continue to able to use our collection of lenses. Canon definitely has a good marketing strategy to strengthen its penetration for SLR camera line.

Pros: Good user-interface, affordable, light-weight, good for beginners, compatible with EF & EF-S lenses
Cons: Battery is relative weak, viewfinder is somewhat small


->Deals

I've shifted from my previous Canon Powershot G2 to this wonderful DSLR, the Canon EOS 400D (or Digital Rebel XTi) and so far I have all praises. Though my G2 took great pictures, there's a mile of a difference a DSLR can deliver. The quality and clarity of each shot instantly makes your pictures look like they have been taken by a professional. The Rebel XTi's handling is deja vu for me because I used to have a Canon EOS 300 (or a Rebel). But its a big leap for me in terms of the plethora of functions and features as compared to my camera of the past. I always bring along my camera just in case I see a moment worth capturing. You can see some of my pictures at [...]


->

I'll keep this short,as I assume most of the tec stuff has been covered.I sold a 350D to get the 400D(XTi).The 400D focuses better,has better ergonomics,is the same size/weight,and takes GREAT photos.I tried a Nikon D80,but it loses way too much detail at iso 400 and up.Plus the Canon line of lenses fits my needs better,are cheaper,and are available.The Nikon costs $300 more (with the Canon being discounted),and the Nikon Raw converter adds another $150.So the true cost difference is $400-450.
I'd buy the Canon over the Nikon at the same price due to image quality,especially if you shoot jpeg.
BTW,if you can afford Canon L lenses(the 25-105L and the 70-200L-any of the 4) are amazing.
One caveat,as with ANY dslr,these cameras are not p/s and do best with some post processing and with knowledge of how a camera meters/exposes,etc.I can't emphasize this enough.


->Compare

I had the Rebel XT and about 8 lenses and was thinking of getting an upgraded second camera body. So when it came out the 30D was a logical choice, but it was not really much of an upgrade from the 20D, which I resisted, so I was not really sure what to do. Then I had all but decided to just take the plunge and get the 30D when I heard the first rumblings about the XTi.

Then I started to learn the details about the XTi, more mega pixels, same auto focus, same screen, picture styles, dust cleaning! The only areas that the 30D won in my opinion were build quality, spot meter, and estimated shutter life. Those 3 categories were not enough to convince me that the 30D was worth $300-$400 more than the XTi especially since the XTi had won or tied in most categories. The way I look at it is that the camera bodies are not nearly as important as the lenses, they change so fast that it is not worth it to me to spend more for longevity when it will be outdated in a year anyway. Spend $1,500 on a lens, use it for a lifetime, spend $1,500 on a camera body, regret it in a year. I fully expect the upgrade to the 30D to be released within a year, and now that I have saved by getting the XTi I will have all that much more to put towards it when it comes out.

So basically what I am saying is that, in my opinion, the XTi is just as good, if not better than the semi-pro 30D, so why pay more? Switching from the XT to the XTi was very simple, I can use them both now without any problems. The batteries, battery grips, remote shutter release, and most of the other accessories are also compatible with both, which is nice to keep the amount of gear you need to carry to a minimum.

Unless you want to move up to a full frame sensor, I can't see any reasons why you would not want to go with this camera. If you read books on photography from just 1 or 2 years ago you will realize that this "entry level" camera has features that were not even available on top of the line ($5,000+) camera bodies. With the speed that camera bodies advance you might as well buy the entry level body every year instead of making a huge investment in the pro level bodies and then being shown up by something 10% of that price in a year or two. Not that there are not reasons to buy one of those bodies, I just don't seem have any of them.


->Sale

XTi is feature laden, but takes fantastic "point and shoot" photos. Seems to be a significant improvement on Canon's Rebel XT, a wonderful camera. For the money, the best SLR going!


->Affordable

With emphasis on portability, Canon's Digital Rebel XTi is designed for first-time DSLR photographers and travel enthusiasts. Measuring 5.0" by 3.7" by 2.6" and weighing 1.1 lbs., it is about as large as the largest point & shoot cameras and one of the smallest DSLR camera bodies on the market. Its size is the source of both popularity and criticisms. If you have large hands or a heavier lens, it may feel too small. An optional battery grip can help, but some will want something more substantial. Visit a store nearby to find out for yourself.

The package includes camera body with a lens cap, battery, charger, manual, catalogs, neck strap, USB and composite video cables, and CD-ROMs. You will need a lens and CompactFlash memory card. There may be some static energy in the packaging, so remove the lens cap in a dust-free environment such as the bathroom to prevent dust entering the sensor. Much promoted sensor cleaning system helps, but it's best not to get any in the first place.

Canon sells 4 versions of XTi: black or silver finish and with or without EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. Black or silver is largely a personal preference, but most lenses, most accessories, and all but low-end DSLR camera bodies are black. As for the kit lens, it can be an affordable introduction to DSLR and capable if used exclusively at f/8 or f/11 apertures (soft at other apertures). In other words, the lens is not ideal for shooting under low light. If you don't have to get a zoom lens now, start with Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II. It is famous for top-notch performance at very low price. Due to XTi's APS-C image sensor (compositions are multiplied by 1.6x), this lens becomes 35mm-equivalent of 80mm.

If you have the budget for a good zoom lens, at over 100 lenses, Canon has you covered. Some of Canon's popular zoom lenses include EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM, EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM, and EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM. If these are too pricey, third party vendors such as Sigma and Tamron make Canon-compatible lenses for less. Their focus is not as nice as Canon's USM but they generally outperform Canon's lower-end lenses.Tamron's SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) and Sigma's 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC and AF 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC macro are popular among budget-minded photographers.

With 10.1 megapixels image sensor, the XTi can benefit from sharper lenses. Although increasing the resolution over same image sensor area can increase noise, Canon has improved the sensor technology to maintain low noise floor and high dynamic range. Performance wise, there's very little to criticize. Great example of Canon's trademark smooth, high contrast, saturated, and low noise. Noise remains low even at ISO 800. It is said that shooting RAW is equivalent to getting an extra exposure (1.0 EV) and it can help you maintain usable details with acceptable noise at ISO 1600. Low noise gives XTi a bit of an excuse for missing in-body image stabilizer. According to Canon, lens is more effective location for image stabilizer, especially telephoto. That's true but I think the feature would've been nice to have. As a consolation, the XTi has mirror lockup that reduces vibration caused by the mirror movement. My sole performance criticism is the metering mode. It includes only partial and not spot metering mode (very useful when shooting high contrast scenes such as candlelit birthday cake). Perhaps more problematic is the evaluative metering mode, which occasionally underexposes images by 2/3 EV or so.

Some have criticized XTi for "plasticky" build. Except for the metal lens mount, the exterior is largely made of high quality engineering plastic with rubbery paint. If you drop it, it will probably crack or break, but it's sturdy and well made. Flipping on the power lever, it starts up almost immediately ready for use. Much promoted auto sensor cleaning kicks in when powering up and down. As with most DSLRs, there's virtually no shutter lag and it focuses in a split second (especially when using a USM lens). In continuous shooting mode with a fast memory card, it can take 10 RAWs or 27 JPEGs at 3 frames per second. RAW images are 10 MB each, so get a speed 2 GB or larger memory card, such as SanDisk's Ultra II series.

Replacing both 1.8" LCD and info display is 2.5" high resolution LCD with LED backlighting. It displays current camera settings, photos in memory, and menu. Thanks to greater real estate and more refined user interface, XTi is very intuitive and pleasure to use. The minus is 10% lower battery life, which was merely adequate to begin with. XTi has 95% crop 0.8x optical viewfinder that displays 9 auto focus points, shutter speed, aperture, and more, but misses ISO speed, white balance, and metering mode. Overall, XTi's viewfinder is more than adequate but pales to Nikon D80's larger and more comprehensive one.

Highlights of software package are ImageBrowser (Mac OS X Universal Binary), ZoomBrowser (Windows), and Digital Photo Professional (Mac OS X Universal Binary and Windows). ImageBrowser and ZoomBrowser are easy-to-weight lightweight applications for managing JPEG and RAW. Digital Photo Professional is considerably more powerful and lets you use XTi's dust delete data feature for removing dust its sensor cleaning hardware couldn't remove.


->Buy

I've considered other, higher priced digital SLRs, such as the Nikon D80 and Canon 30D. However, I decided that I probably won't be using some of the more advanced features offered by those cameras, and would rather spend the money saved on a better lens. In terms of picture quality, all these SLRs are capable of equivalent quality.

Currently I have 3 lenses, the kit 18-55mm, the 50mm f/1.8, and the 85mm f/1.8. I don't use the kit zoom lens anymore because I favor the faster, prime lenses. I mostly take pictures of my children, and the 85mm f/1.8 is an excellent portrait lens. It is sharp, fast, and produces beautiful background blur. Zoom lenses unfortunately are not as sharp or fast, unless you're willing to pay much more than the cost of the camera body.

I think all novice SLR owners should buy the cheap Canon 50mm f/1.8, to discover what a fast lens can do when you set the aperture to 1.8, and take some portraits. You too can have professional-looking results!


->Prices

This is my first dSLR, and I must admit that I'm totally impressed and entirely happy with it. Not only is it a great value for the money, but it also takes GREAT photos (with the right lens, naturally). The re-designed interface is intuitive and easy to change-up in the midst of shooting. The build quality is solid (as solid as plastic can get, that is), and unless you're a pro who shoots all day long, this thing will hold up for years. The only "downside" is its size: this camera is pretty small compared to most dSLRs. This is easily remedied by buying the Canon battery grip, however. It's pretty much a necessity if you have medium to large hands.

A couple lens suggestions for those on a budget:

- Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens --> fast, sharp, awesome[...]
- Tamron Autofocus 28-75mm f2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) --> speedy, sharp, and a great walk-around lens

In sum, if you're looking to get into the world of dSLRs and want a quality camera that won't break the bank, BUY THE REBEL XTi. You won't be sorry.


->Deal

I took pictures with this camera with artificial light, natural light, and when it was almost dark and all of my images came out sharp. I'm only using the cheap 18-55mm lens, which does not have image stabilization. As long as I use a tripod, or brace against something to hold the camera still, the images are perfect. I shot landscapes, portraits, animals, moving traffic, the sky, the moon, and everything I could think of and it all came out right.
I was going to buy a 5D, but so far I'm satisfied with this camera and the price is way lower. Now I wonder what my pictures would be like with an IS lens... hmmmm :)


->Compare

Well, I've had my Rebel Xti for about 6weeks now, and all i can say is wow!!! I did have the Rebel Xt, which was an awesome camera. I'm not a professional, but i do take pictures of what ever it may be outside or inside, youth or adult events as a hobby. This camera is not for the person who wants to just point and shoot or to have a camera to stuff in your pocket. This camera is for the creative person who wants control of the pictures they are taking. The sensor cleaner and wide LCD are just a few of the wonderful advances from the XT to the XTI. The camera for me is easy to use and takes great pictures in auto mode or in my mode.
I hope this helps you in your decision whether to buy or not.


->Best Price

I had this camera for about a week now. I bought an EF 28-105mm lens seperatly. I don't know why, but the auto focus did not work right away.It took some fiddling around before I was able to use the feature. I get gorgeous pictures with this camera. My one complaint is it feels small in the right hand. After 1/2 hour of shooting pictures my hand got a cramp. I have small hands and it still felt small to me. If you are considering this camera I'd go to a store see how it feels. I can't imaging being able to use it for a long time if you have a big hands.
I'm still learning how to use it. But so far its meeting all my expectations.


->

First of all I must say that this camera CAN take some wonderful, even incredible looking pictures. But since everyone else is proclaiming its virtues, I will write mainly about its negatives. There aren't too many, but it does have a few drawbacks; a couple of which I just don't understand.
This camera is now the fourth digital camera I have bought. The first was the Nikon Coolpix 995 for my wife. The second was the Sony F707 for me. The third was the Canon SD400 for my wife. And lastly the XTi for me. So I have had a little experience with cameras at or near "prosumer" level. This is why I find it hard to believe how the XTi can get some of these things wrong.
First of all is the white balance. Of my 4 cameras, this camera has, by far, the worst indoors Auto White Balance. I am using compact fluorescent light bulbs and daylight lights in the house and the XTi makes everything look yellow. And none of the other white balance options is close either. The one saving grace is the Custom White Balance option. You perform this Custom White Balance by taking a picture of something gray (preferably a large gray piece of paper or a card made just for this, and have it centered in the picture) and then selecting this picture as the Custom White Balance reference. After doing this the White Balance is nothing short of superb. I even had it work just by zooming in on something white and then selecting it as the reference picture. (I guess white works just as well as gray.)
But my disappointment is, "Why does this have to be done at all?" All three other cameras of mine handle this lighting much better than the XTi. But what's really the saddest is that the Canon Elph handles it better than the XTi.
It's nice that, after some hassle, it does have good white balance. But I shouldn't have to carry around a gray card everywhere I go or touch up every photo I take to get the right white balance. Especially when a 1 ½ year old Canon does it better, for half the price.
My next gripe is the lack of spot metering. It wouldn't bother me so much if:
1) The other metering options were more consistent.
2) Every other camera I own didn't have it.
3) Canon Tech Support hadn't told me that they reserve Spot Metering for their higher end cameras.....Especially when their own [...] has it!! How is a $500 camera higher end than the XTi?
Usually I can select partial metering and then turn up the exposure about 1/3 to 2/3 of a stop and get decent exposure. But it would be much more consistent to just have a spot metering option; especially with backlit subjects, or with a lot of harsh, low sun and shade in the picture.
My last gripe is about the included software, especially with RAW pictures. Don't even try loading this software on anything but a dual-core or 4 GHz PC. The software is ssslllooowww!!! For one thing, both the Zoombrowser EX and Digital Photo Professional start scanning the hard drive for pictures as soon as the software loads, and there doesn't seem to be any way to stop it. If you have a lot of pictures on your computer, it will take a long, long time before the software lets you do anything. Make sure you have coffee ready! The other thing is that the software is just a memory hog and runs excruciatingly slow; especially when trying to edit RAW or .cr2 files. Speaking of which, why does Canon have to use such a non-standard file? I would be glad to use some other software for editing my RAW's, but Canon's proprietary files can't be opened by other "normal" programs. So for now I'll just stick to .jpg's.
Then there's the other complaints, which are true. The kit lens isn't very good. The form-factor could use work. ( I am constantly hitting the FEL button on accident) and the view finder is kind of smallish; among others.
Overall I am pleased with the camera. I have some wonderful pictures already on the wall. But I've also had a few real stinkers due to the lack of spot metering and the occasional terrible white balance. If it weren't for these two (rather huge for me) issues, than I would give the XTi 5 stars. But until Canon fixes these glaring issues it won't be given my highest rating. And it also won't be recommended by me to anyone who's serious into photography.




->Affordable

I bought the Rebel EOS Digital XTi 400D to upgrade my almost 3-year old Rebel EOS Digital 300D (which, by the way, is still a great camera). I won't go into the technical differences between the two cameras, but I will say this: the differences between the two cameras are worth the cost of the upgrade for me. Here's why.

Although too much can be made of additional pixels, the upgrade from 6 mega-pixels to 10.1 mega-pixels simply means that more data is available to process pictures. I shoot in RAW mode, so I'll take all the additional information I can get.

The larger LCD screen on the 400D is much, much, much better than that on the 300D. I really like a) the much larger view of each picture taken, and b) the clarity of the camera settings when displayed on the screen. I also really like the feature that automatically turns off the screen when the camera is raised to the eye for composition. I honestly didn't realize how tiny the 300D LCD is until comparing it to the 400D. Thank you, Canon, for the bigger screen!

I also like that the 400D comes with new, selectable Picture Styles (Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral and Faithful) that automatically make small corrections to things like sharpness, contrast and color.

The camera start-up time on the 400D is also significantly quicker than that of the 300D. I once missed what I now think is the shot of a lifetime because I couldn't get the 300D to start up fast enough. I believe the 400D would have gotten the shot.

It's also much easier to select the type of Auto Focus mode on the 400D. When your camera is set to shoot in One Shot mode, but you find yourself in the middle of movement and action, the 400D makes it easy and fast to switch to AI Focus or AI Servo - essential for sports shots.

For those who have come to appreciate and rely on the histogram to determine proper exposure, you now have the choice between Brightness and RGB.

I also like the increased continuous shooting speed of almost 3 frames-per-second. A very nice feature when shooting the dog, kids playing or outdoor events.

Finally, for those who are concerned about dust on the sensor, the new automatica sensor cleaning capabiltiy is a very nice to have.

On the downside, the 400D camera grip is a bit too small for larger hands. It's manageable, but not as comfortable as the grip on the 300D. However, I mostly solved this problem by attaching an Opteka battery grip, which enlarged the grip surface.

Also, the smaller battery size on the 400D means that you can't interchange batteries between the 300D and the 400D. It also means that the (optional) battery grip that worked on the 300D does not fit on the 400D.

BOTTOM LINE

Am I happy that I upgraded from the 300D to the 400D? You bet. I'd do it again in a heart beat.

Would I recommend this camera to the serious amateur? Absolutely. It's worth every penny to someone getting his or her first Digital SLR or upgrading from the 300D.


->Compare

I am an advanced amature. For me, the quality of professionally done prints is the biggest measure of a camera or lense. I will be brief and to the point:

1. Do not use the kit lense. This camera deserves high quality lenses. If tight on budget, buy the 50mm 1.8 EF MK II. It is a cheap but very high quality lense. This is the lense I use with my XTi.

2. I just received my first set of prints (4x6). I have never taken pictures as good as this. My previous gear was Rebel (film) and the same 50mm lense. So, I can make a decent comparison between 35mm film and digital. The prints from XTi are stunningly better than anything I ever managed with film. The sharpness and perception of depth in the prints are nothing short of dazzling.

3. Do not worry too much about how the pictures look on screen. XTi produces very high fidelity colors which may look a bit dull on the monitor. Your natural tendency might be to tweak the images to increase the color saturation. Do not do it (unless you wish to display the images on screen only). Prints are absolutely stunning in color accuracy and more vivid than screen.

If you are waiting for digital to catch up with film, do not wait any longer. The battle between 35mm and digital is over. Having said that, incredible things are still coming down the technology pipe. If you are really serious, you may want to wait for these:
- Built in High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography.
- Resolution that matches medium format film (15mp).
- More affordable image stabilization. This may not have been important for 35mm films, but will make a difference at such high resolutions.


->Buy Online

Since two years I own the Canon EOS-1, which I bought for my book (available on Amazon - nudge, nudge, wink, wink) research trips. You will find my EOS-1 review on Amazon too. With the Rebel XTi (or 400D in the rest of the world) there is now a high quality camera with the same resolution at the tenth of the price. I bought the XTi on Amazon and have used it now for some time. I bought a Sigma DC 18-200mm zoom-lens, which is like a 27-300mm because of the smaller CCD than the EOS-1. I can highly recommend the Sigma lens because it makes the XTi an amazingly small, light but complete package that I carry around in my rucksack, which I could never do with my EOS-1.

The picture quality and ease of use it absolutely amazing! In everyday conditions I cannot see a difference between the EOS-1 (which was $9000 when I bought it two years ago) and the XTi. The software is much easier to use and the camera works really well in fully automatic. The in-built flash is very good and battery life is excellent, given the small battery. I will post a few images I shot with it. I did virtually no editing on those except clipping to make them smaller. I did also buy the Canon EF 10-22mm because I need a lot of wide-angle and I will review that seperately. It is a great lens to go with the XTi.

Does that make the EOS-1 obsolete? No. Mostly because it has the high quality AF lenses and a full size CCD for much better colour quality and sensitivity. There is now a EOS-1 Mark2 and I will have to think about upgrading to the next model a year down the line. Sigh!


->Discount

I've been using the 400d/XTi for about 2 weeks now, and I love it. Shutter response is very fast, and the LCD is easily readible, even in very bright conditions. The 9 point AF is far superior to the 7 point AF offered on the 300 and 350d models, and the added resolution (10.08 MP) is a nice bonus. The anti-dust protection, particularly the automatic sensor cleaning, is great as I change lenses quite often.

I'm sad to say that the 400d has replaced my (more expensive) 30d for most applications. The 30d clearly has a better build quality, but that's the only advantage I can see at this point. If you want a lightweight, moderately inexpensive prosumer-grade camera, the 400d is about as good as you can get for the money.

PLEASE NOTE: if you are new to digital photography, the camera is important, but lenses are FAR MORE IMPORTANT. If you want to get great results with the 400d, you're going to have to buy good lenses. The kit lens (18-55, NOT USM) sucks -- it makes a good paperweight, but that's it. If you're a beginner I'd recommend the 50mm f/1.8 MK II (or the f/1.4, if you can afford it) to start. The f/1.8 MK II is cheaper than the kit lens, and while it's a prime (doesn't allow you to zoom) it's much sharper in low light conditions (and the f/1.4 is even sharper than the f/1.8).

Overall, I give this camera a 9 out of 10. For the price, it's the best you can get. Just remember, lenses are more important than the camera. A 300d with L-series lenses will outperform a 400d with low/consumer grade lenses in all settings. If you already have a 300 or 350d, save your money and invest it in better optics. If you don't already have a dslr, this is perhaps the best entry-level model on the market.


->Comparison

I'm using the 400D (aka Rebel XTi in the US) since two days. Not enough to give an impression on the quality of the pictures. Many things have improved. Most important the responsiveness of the camera. I only want to give an advice about two things that to me are definitly much worse that the 300D I had before.

The main one is the size of the grip, which is much smaller. If I use heavy lenses, 5 minutes are enough to start feeling my hand hurt. Had I had the camera in my hands before buying, this reason would have been enough for me to go definitly for the 30D.
Second one, less important: they have reduced the size of the battery. Now battery lasts less, maybe because the cell capacity has decreased, or maybe because the display now has to stay on much longer than it used on the 300D. I used my 300D battery charger also for my Canon MVX3i camcorder batteries. Now I cannot do that anymore. This was a little disappointing.

In short, do not upgrade your 300D camera to this one without having held it in yur hands.


->Prices

I've had my XTi for a week now, having upgraded from an old D30. Wow! What a difference! The speed, accuracy, elegant user interface, are top notch. My bro' has a 20D, and that thing is a tank compared to the Rebel, which is amazingly compact. Feature-wise, the XTi matches or beats out the 30D in every respect except burst frame rate (3 vs. 5 FPS) which shouldn't matter. You'll take more pictures if you don't have to lug around a brick. A recommendation: ditch the kit lens, which is not worthy of this body and get an EF-L 17-40 or the EF-S IS 17-55, which most certainly are worthy.

My one question to Canon: why don't you put a movie mode in your SLRs? I know it doesn't appeal to photo snobs but it sure is nice if you have kids.


->Buy

I just recieved my XTi today, i sold my Olympus E300 to switch to this camera due to already having an XT and the whole Lens situation. At First look the camera is basically the same as the XT, with the few notable exceptions, the larger lcd is a plus, all the other controls are pretty much the same. I've taken a few test shots also and really believe the quaity is a bit better. (I still love my XT though), Canon has really lived up to its reputation this time. As for why the switch (yes i used to be a die hard Olympus fan) Lenses, Running my own Portriat Studio requires several lenses, most of which are not cheap, but having choices with my canon cameras helps me control the costs. with the olympus digital slr's your pretty much tied to their lenses. This is just my initial review, heading back to more shooting.. will update this as things develop.. for now i can say "BRAVO" Canon...You've done well


->Lowest Price

I decided to upgrade from the Rebel XT, for the simple reason that I'm in my 40s, have had Laser surgery on my eyes, and my close up vision isn't as good as it once was. Of course the first thing you notice is the 2.5" LCD. With the elimination of the mini-LCD on the XT, which displayed the camera settings, everything is now on the large LCD. This is a huge improvement for us middle aged folks. No more accidentally shooting at 1600 because this setting was buried. The current camera settings are staring you in the face.

I've just received the camera and have taken a few test shots. The first thing I noticed is the 9 point AF is much more robust than the XTs focus system. So much so that I will have to turn down the sharpness especially on portraits.
I have a couple Canon L series lenses, and to my surprise, my initial opinion is the XTi shots seem significantly sharper than the XT. The only thing I can attribute this to is the new AF system.

As for the dust cleaning system. Time will tell, but you do see a dust cleaning screen for a couple seconds after power up/down.

For the most part, the rest of the camera is pretty much the same as an XT. If you are used to the XT menu, you will have no problem navigating the XTi menu...it's the same. USB Interface, batteries, charger etc...all the same as the XT. I was glad to see this camera still uses CF, because I have invested a little cash in memory cards..

I had been saving up for the 30D, but when I saw news releases about the XTi, I bit because of the 2.5" LCD and 10mp. Perhaps Canon will lose some 30D sales until they upgrade the 30D to 10mp. At 4-500 less, I couldn't resist the XTi.

So my initial opinion, pending more test shots and some serious shooting, is I'm very happy with this purchase.
Just the 2.5" LCD alone, was reason enough for me to upgrade.



->Comparison

You'll find plenty of technical reviews on the web regarding features and specs for this camera.

The best thing I think I can provide is my short experience with this camera, so if you used to have a high end P&S camera and is looking to dive into the DSLR world, you are where I was a few weeks ago.

I owned a Sony F717 which I really loved, but honestly, all I did was set it to Auto and take good pictures. The problem was that I had a toddler at home that doesn't really like to wait till the camera took a few secs to focus and take the pic. I was missing those smiles and moments just because the Sony couldn't take pics fast enough.

I decided to look into newer cameras... Initially my budget was around $400 and I was looking to buy the Canon S3. But after spending several weeks online reading reviews (like you probably are right now), I decided that I wanted a DSLR (you'll find plenty of technical reasons in the web and other reviews). I was then ready to buy the Canon Xt (But the Xti was just around the corner, so I decided to wait a couple more weeks and when the Xti was finally released on Sep 1st, I went to Best Buy and got mine)

It's my third week with the camera, and I'm loving it. I can take pictures of my son faster than he can say "bugga bugga bugga". While I'm still learning how to use the camera to its potential (I've been trying to learn how to shoot pictures in manual mode instead of full automatic), I've been fully satisfied with the results so far.

If you're doing what I did last month, you're probably reading tons of reviews of this camera, the Canon Xt, Nikon D50, Nikon D70, Nikon D80, etc. Don't waste your time on the details.. They're all excellent cameras, and if you're coming from P&S, any of these cameras will be an awesome one for you to learn.

I warn you though. The biggest danger of buying this camera is that you'll soon be lusting after lenses... Now I spend hours on the web checking reviews of Canon, Sigma and Tamron lenses, and believe it or not, it's much harder to buy lenses than to buy a camera.

PS: A Great book I I got was "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. I actually got the book before the camera, and it was one of the main deciding factors that got me into DSLR instead of a pro P&S. The pictures that Bryan shows in this book are amazing and you need control. Now I'm paranoid with getting the smallest Depth of Field possible in my son's pictures (You'll understand this if you get this book or any other that explains concepts of Exposure)

Update (10/04): After weeks digging forums and reviews, I decided to purchase 2 lenses... The canon 50 f1.8 and the canon 70-300 IS. I'm not going to go over the details for these lenses in this review, but wanted to let you guys know that deciding which camera was the easy part. Deciding the lenses is where all the pain resides.


->Prices

I was comparison-shopping between the Canon Rebel XTi, Nikon D80 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A100. Issues that matter most to me are ISO performance, image stabilization and dust removal capability. The best information that I was able to gather from various professional reviews before my purchase decision is as follows:

ISO performance: The XTi and D80 are pretty much on a par, but with the D80 having a slight edge in being able to push it up to 3200 (with decreased resolution at that setting though). The Sony starts to fall behind at ISO 800 with noise issues and at ISO 1600 with other image quality issues as well.

Image Stabilization: Sony has an edge in terms of cost-effectivenes because of the use of an in-camera IS system. With Canon and Nikon, you have to pay extra for lenses with IS.

Dust Removal: Canon provides both hardware and software solutions. Sony provides hardware only. Nikon provides neither.

I decided to take a chance on the XTi and bought the camera with kit lens about 10 days ago. Since then, I was snapping shots everywhere at various camera settings, testing its limits. First off, I was very impressed with the lightning quick performance of the camera. I was also stunned by the amazing picture quality that the kit lens is capable of providing, especially after so much snob from numerous professional photographers on this "cheap" lens. The most tell-tale signs are various hand-held head shots taken indoor at ISO settings of 800 and 1600 (without flash nor any additional lighting). I was able to capture all the vivid details of the skin complexion of a human face, including every little pore, hair, bum, wrinkle, and even subtle skin discoloration.

Excited over the amazing performance of this new camera, I decided to add a zoom lens to it and I bought the Canon EF 70-300 mm F/4-5.6 IS USM zoom lens five days ago. I took it to the park two days later to take pictures of our dog and her canine buddies. It was already 6:45pm when we arrived at the park. With Image Stabilization functions on, hand held, ISO fixed at 1600 and no flash, I snapped both still shots and light-duty action shots from a distance at various focal lengths. I was still able to get quite a number of high-quality letter-size printouts from these shots.

So far, I am very happy with the camera and the two lenses. There are a few things I would wish for though. I wish the XTi would have a larger viewfinder (both the D80 and A100 have larger viewfinders), illuminated buttons (for night shots), and more reasonable prices on Canon's lens hoods (the lens hood for the above-mentioned zoom lens costs an outrageous $45).



->

Please see the previous review for the details, but as a former XT owner, I can say the XTi is a real step up.... not so much in terms of image quality, but user interface. Changing all the settings - ISO, metering, autofocus, etc. - has been greatly improved. And the new display make it easy to see what all the current settings are - no more shooting all day outside at ISO 1600 because you forgot to check the menu option. Overall, the XTi makes it easier to be a good photographer than the XT. And that's certainly worth a little extra money to me.


->Comparison

I've been wanting a digital SLR for a long time and with the introduction of the Canon Digital Rebel XTi, I decided the time was right. My experiences are based on about 7 years of point-and-shoot zoom cameras and, before that, a manual focus Canon A-1 film SLR.

As SLRs go, the camera is very compact out of the box. Unfortunately, it didn't stay that way after I attached the optional BG-E3 battery grip. It feels very solid regardless of the attachments, but I think it's a little easier to handle with the extra bulk of the battery grip, which also allows for up to three times the battery power of the standard Li-ion battery when used with the high capacity NiMH AA batteries currently available,

The lens included in the kit is passable, especially if you can't afford a better lens, but I found that a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens gives noticeably sharper images. I will be using the kit lens only when I need 18-24mm focal lengths.

One of the first things that impressed me when I started using the camera was the autofocus speed. It is really fast and works well in lighting conditions that would make my Canon PowerShot S1 IS's autofocus choke. It uses the flash as a focus assist light when the light gets too low for the autofocus to work unassisted.

The controls are well laid out. They provide one-button access to white balance settings, ISO settings, autofocus modes, and exposure modes. Exposure compensation is accomplished almost as easily: turn the dial next to the shutter release while holding down the aperture/exposure compensation button with your thumb.

My only complaints center around the difficulty with which the included Macintosh software installed. First of all, unlike software installers for any other package I've installed under OS X, which give you the opportunity to authenticate with an admin name and password even when installed from a normal user account, the installer for the included software does not. Therefore, you *must* install the software while logged into an admin account. This is very bad installer design IMHO.

Secondly, the Digital Photo Professional application would not operate correctly when run in a normal user account unless it was run once in an admin account. I presume that the first run installs some extra software (plugins or drivers?) in a location only writable by an admin user. Before I figured this out, the app would not decode nor process RAW images, more often than not resulting in the SBOD (spinning beachball of death) and requiring a force-quit of the app. However, once I got it working, the software worked well on the RAW images I had captured with the camera. I was able to brighten up a slightly underexposed RAW photo of one of my cats in a particularly expressive pose by about 0.5 stops with no noticeable quality loss.

I would heartily recommend this camera to anyone who has been disappointed with the image quality, speed, and other limitations of a point-and-shoot.


->Cheap

[Reprint from my XTi w/ lens review]

The new Digital Rebel XTi camera should appeal to a wide variety of users: those wishing to upgrade from a point & shoot digital, or those wishing to improve upon their first generation digital SLRs. Features and value make this a 5-star camera, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea.

Compared to the previous Digital Rebel XT, important improvements are:

1) 10.1 megapixels. In digital camera circles, this is like saying a car has more horsepower than an older car. While this alone doesn't mean "better" pictures, in reality, combined with other improvements in hardware & software, the results typically are better.;

2) 2.5" LCD panel. This alone has more than one advantage. The obvious first one is that our pictures look larger in review. The second, and for someone approaching 50 (like myself), is that the LCD is now used for all the camera's data (shutter speed, aperture, shots left, etc.). It's much easier to read than the small LCD typically located on the top of the cameras. It might use up the batteries quicker, but, heck, if you can see the info this much easier, then so be it. One complaint, it does not appear that the data rotates when you do verticals (like the Sony Alpha 100).;

3) 9-point AF. The number of points are improved from 7, but the real key here is that it's the system from the 30D, which had a much higher degree of accuracy than the previous Rebels.;

4) Picture Styles. I didn't really appreciate them at first, but simply put, this is like the days of film, when we could use a "portrait" film or "landscape" film. For those that don't like to do a lot of computer work, these can be VERY handy in getting the right look in the camera.;

5) Dust cleaning system. OK, I think the dust problem will probably be a little overblown, now that Canon offers a solution, but it is a real, if not great, threat. Additionally, the way Canon has implemented it is second to none. The first is through hardware. An ultrasonic filter can simply shake the dust off. Second is through software. If you spot a nasty piece that won't shake off, you can do a reference shot, and have the dust removed by software on your computer.;

6)The grip has been improved a little. The rubber on the grip is improved, and an anti-slip strip has been placed on the back where the right thumb goes.

Most all other things Canon is know for still exists. The camera focus fast and quietly. Camera operations are quick and easy to locate and use. Pictures look great.

Now for the other side. This is an unusual time in that all the big players are comming out with a 10 megapixel camera at the same time, so the Canon has some stiff competition. Here goes a simple comparison.

1) Compared to the other two cameras already available, the Sony A100 and Nikon D80 (both also 5-star cameras), the XTi is considerably smaller, and somewhat lighter. Some will like this, even some with medium to medium-large hands. But most people with larger, and some with somewhat smaller hands may prefer the other two choices.;

2) The battery is somewhat smaller than its rival's, and may drain a bit faster due to the LCD being used for info all the time.;

3) Functionally, the rear LCD is not as nice as the Sony's. The Sony's rotates, can be set to enlarged type (50+ user again), and the system that turns it off as your eye approaches also starts the AF on the Sony. [Although many like the top LCD, the Nikon way of needing to push a button on the back, then peak over the top to see what you're setting is not as nice].;

4) No in camera stabalization. The A100 can shift the sensor to help eliminate camera shake. Nikon and Canon require you to purchase rather expensive lenses to get the anti-shake.;

Also, soon to be added to the competion will be the Pentax K10D. Specs are sketchy right now, but it appears to be enter the competition as a 10 megapixel camera with built-in anti-shake (much like their K100D).

Of these 3 currently on the market, the Canon is the least expensive; therefore, it's up to the other 2 to show they are worth more, a very difficult task, indeed.





->Deal

[This is the same review I posted for the kit. If you're getting the body because you don't like the 18-55 lens, keep in mind that some dealers offer this camera in a kit with the much nicer 17-85 USM IS (image stabalization) zoom.]


The new Digital Rebel XTi camera should appeal to a wide variety of users: those wishing to upgrade from a point & shoot digital, or those wishing to improve upon their first generation digital SLRs. Features and value make this a 5-star camera, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea.

Compared to the previous Digital Rebel XT, important improvements are:

1) 10.1 megapixels. In digital camera circles, this is like saying a car has more horsepower than an older car. While this alone doesn't mean "better" pictures, in reality, combined with other improvements in hardware & software, the results typically are better.;

2) 2.5" LCD panel. This alone has more than one advantage. The obvious first one is that our pictures look larger in review. The second, and for someone approaching 50 (like myself), is that the LCD is now used for all the camera's data (shutter speed, aperture, shots left, etc.). It's much easier to read than the small LCD typically located on the top of the cameras. It might use up the batteries quicker, but, heck, if you can see the info this much easier, then so be it. One complaint, it does not appear that the data rotates when you do verticals (like the Sony Alpha 100).;

3) 9-point AF. The number of points are improved from 7, but the real key here is that it's the system from the 30D, which had a much higher degree of accuracy than the previous Rebels.;

4) Picture Styles. I didn't really appreciate them at first, but simply put, this is like the days of film, when we could use a "portrait" film or "landscape" film. For those that don't like to do a lot of computer work, these can be VERY handy in getting the right look in the camera.;

5) Dust cleaning system. OK, I think the dust problem will probably be a little overblown, now that Canon offers a solution, but it is a real, if not great, threat. Additionally, the way Canon has implemented it is second to none. The first is through hardware. An ultrasonic filter can simply shake the dust off. Second is through software. If you spot a nasty piece that won't shake off, you can do a reference shot, and have the dust removed by software on your computer.;

6)The grip has been improved a little. The rubber on the grip is improved, and an anti-slip strip has been placed on the back where the right thumb goes.

Most all other things Canon is know for still exists. The camera focus fast and quietly. Camera operations are quick and easy to locate and use. Pictures look great.

Now for the other side. This is an unusual time in that all the big players are comming out with a 10 megapixel camera at the same time, so the Canon has some stiff competition. Here goes a simple comparison.

1) Compared to the other two cameras already available, the Sony A100 and Nikon D80 (both also 5-star cameras), the XTi is considerably smaller, and somewhat lighter. Some will like this, even some with medium to medium-large hands. But most people with larger, and some with somewhat smaller hands may prefer the other two choices.;

2) The battery is somewhat smaller than its rival's, and may drain a bit faster due to the LCD being used for info all the time.;

3) Functionally, the rear LCD is not as nice as the Sony's. The Sony's rotates, can be set to enlarged type (50+ user again), and the system that turns it off as your eye approaches also starts the AF on the Sony. [Although many like the top LCD, the Nikon way of needing to push a button on the back, then peak over the top to see what you're setting is not as nice].;

4) No in camera stabalization. The A100 can shift the sensor to help eliminate camera shake. Nikon and Canon require you to purchase rather expensive lenses to get the anti-shake.;

Also, soon to be added to the competion will be the Pentax K10D. Specs are sketchy right now, but it appears to be enter the competition as a 10 megapixel camera with built-in anti-shake (much like their K100D).

Of these 3 currently on the market, the Canon is the least expensive; therefore, it's up to the other 2 to show they are worth more, a very difficult task, indeed.





->Deals

[This is the same review I posted for the XTi black body. The black finish has always been more popular, so keep in mind that resale value might be a bit less for the silver.]

The new Digital Rebel XTi camera should appeal to a wide variety of users: those wishing to upgrade from a point & shoot digital, or those wishing to improve upon their first generation digital SLRs. Features and value make this a 5-star camera, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea.

Compared to the previous Digital Rebel XT, important improvements are:

1) 10.1 megapixels. In digital camera circles, this is like saying a car has more horsepower than an older car. While this alone doesn't mean "better" pictures, in reality, combined with other improvements in hardware & software, the results typically are better.;

2) 2.5" LCD panel. This alone has more than one advantage. The obvious first one is that our pictures look larger in review. The second, and for someone approaching 50 (like myself), is that the LCD is now used for all the camera's data (shutter speed, aperture, shots left, etc.). It's much easier to read than the small LCD typically located on the top of the cameras. It might use up the batteries quicker, but, heck, if you can see the info this much easier, then so be it. One complaint, it does not appear that the data rotates when you do verticals (like the Sony Alpha 100).;

3) 9-point AF. The number of points are improved from 7, but the real key here is that it's the system from the 30D, which had a much higher degree of accuracy than the previous Rebels.;

4) Picture Styles. I didn't really appreciate them at first, but simply put, this is like the days of film, when we could use a "portrait" film or "landscape" film. For those that don't like to do a lot of computer work, these can be VERY handy in getting the right look in the camera.;

5) Dust cleaning system. OK, I think the dust problem will probably be a little overblown, now that Canon offers a solution, but it is a real, if not great, threat. Additionally, the way Canon has implemented it is second to none. The first is through hardware. An ultrasonic filter can simply shake the dust off. Second is through software. If you spot a nasty piece that won't shake off, you can do a reference shot, and have the dust removed by software on your computer.;

6)The grip has been improved a little. The rubber on the grip is improved, and an anti-slip strip has been placed on the back where the right thumb goes.

Most all other things Canon is know for still exists. The camera focus fast and quietly. Camera operations are quick and easy to locate and use. Pictures look great.

Now for the other side. This is an unusual time in that all the big players are comming out with a 10 megapixel camera at the same time, so the Canon has some stiff competition. Here goes a simple comparison.

1) Compared to the other two cameras already available, the Sony A100 and Nikon D80 (both also 5-star cameras), the XTi is considerably smaller, and somewhat lighter. Some will like this, even some with medium to medium-large hands. But most people with larger, and some with somewhat smaller hands may prefer the other two choices.;

2) The battery is somewhat smaller than its rival's, and may drain a bit faster due to the LCD being used for info all the time.;

3) Functionally, the rear LCD is not as nice as the Sony's. The Sony's rotates, can be set to enlarged type (50+ user again), and the system that turns it off as your eye approaches also starts the AF on the Sony. [Although many like the top LCD, the Nikon way of needing to push a button on the back, then peak over the top to see what you're setting is not as nice].;

4) No in camera stabalization. The A100 can shift the sensor to help eliminate camera shake. Nikon and Canon require you to purchase rather expensive lenses to get the anti-shake.;

Also, soon to be added to the competion will be the Pentax K10D. Specs are sketchy right now, but it appears to be enter the competition as a 10 megapixel camera with built-in anti-shake (much like their K100D).

Of these 3 currently on the market, the Canon is the least expensive; therefore, it's up to the other 2 to show they are worth more, a very difficult task, indeed.





->Lowest Price

The new Digital Rebel XTi camera should appeal to a wide variety of users: those wishing to upgrade from a point & shoot digital, or those wishing to improve upon their first generation digital SLRs. Features and value make this a 5-star camera, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea.

Compared to the previous Digital Rebel XT, important improvements are:

1) 10.1 megapixels. In digital camera circles, this is like saying a car has more horsepower than an older car. While this alone doesn't mean "better" pictures, in reality, combined with other improvements in hardware & software, the results typically are better.;

2) 2.5" LCD panel. This alone has more than one advantage. The obvious first one is that our pictures look larger in review. The second, and for someone approaching 50 (like myself), is that the LCD is now used for all the camera's data (shutter speed, aperture, shots left, etc.). It's much easier to read than the small LCD typically located on the top of the cameras. It might use up the batteries quicker, but, heck, if you can see the info this much easier, then so be it. One complaint, it does not appear that the data rotates when you do verticals (like the Sony Alpha 100).;

3) 9-point AF. The number of points are improved from 7, but the real key here is that it's the system from the 30D, which had a much higher degree of accuracy than the previous Rebels.;

4) Picture Styles. I didn't really appreciate them at first, but simply put, this is like the days of film, when we could use a "portrait" film or "landscape" film. For those that don't like to do a lot of computer work, these can be VERY handy in getting the right look in the camera.;

5) Dust cleaning system. OK, I think the dust problem will probably be a little overblown, now that Canon offers a solution, but it is a real, if not great, threat. Additionally, the way Canon has implemented it is second to none. The first is through hardware. An ultrasonic filter can simply shake the dust off. Second is through software. If you spot a nasty piece that won't shake off, you can do a reference shot, and have the dust removed by software on your computer.;

6)The grip has been improved a little. The rubber on the grip is improved, and an anti-slip strip has been placed on the back where the right thumb goes.

Most all other things Canon is know for still exists. The camera focus fast and quietly. Camera operations are quick and easy to locate and use. Pictures look great.

Now for the other side. This is an unusual time in that all the big players are comming out with a 10 megapixel camera at the same time, so the Canon has some stiff competition. Here goes a simple comparison.

1) Compared to the other two cameras already available, the Sony A100 and Nikon D80 (both also 5-star cameras), the XTi is considerably smaller, and somewhat lighter. Some will like this, even some with medium to medium-large hands. But most people with larger, and some with somewhat smaller hands may prefer the other two choices.;

2) The battery is somewhat smaller than its rival's, and may drain a bit faster due to the LCD being used for info all the time.;

3) Functionally, the rear LCD is not as nice as the Sony's. The Sony's rotates, can be set to enlarged type (50+ user again), and the system that turns it off as your eye approaches also starts the AF on the Sony. [Although many like the top LCD, the Nikon way of needing to push a button on the back, then peak over the top to see what you're setting is not as nice].;

4) No in camera stabalization. The A100 can shift the sensor to help eliminate camera shake. Nikon and Canon require you to purchase rather expensive lenses to get the anti-shake.;

Also, soon to be added to the competion will be the Pentax K10D. Specs are sketchy right now, but it appears to be enter the competition as a 10 megapixel camera with built-in anti-shake (much like their K100D).

Of these 3 currently on the market, the Canon is the least expensive; therefore, it's up to the other 2 to show they are worth more, a very difficult task, indeed.