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

• Nice upgrade of the popular Digital Rebel Series!

  
  By A2UQK3DAZ8NO2T on 2006-09-13
  [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.
  
  
  
  
  

• If you're coming from Point and Shoot Cameras

  
  By APPEHP9XMWRNI on 2006-09-20
  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.
  
  

• Difficult Decision (30D vs. XTi)

  
  By AGXV8E7XK9J6H on 2006-11-10
  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.
  
  

• Great for travelers and DSLR newcomers

  
  By A21911QJJHVGD2 on 2006-11-09
  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.
  
  

• excellent camera, but don't get the kit!

  
  By A2WZUY0NIU1LF3 on 2006-10-03
  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.
  
  
• A Gem of a Camera
  By A1NPZV9IORNOXZ on 2006-10-16
  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.
  
  
• Best Canon yet-400D
  By AVC85ZJU394CS on 2006-11-15
  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.
  
  
• A little disappointed :-(
  By A2HGY8JP2F864O on 2006-11-02
  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.
  
  
  
  
• Excellent Camera, but don't buy the kit lens
  By A2ALMGQVFM72SA on 2007-04-16
  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.
  
  
• Great camera, but the included Macintosh software is tricky to install
  By A33G2V3MN59LQX on 2006-09-15
  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.
  
  
• Nice upgrade of the popular Digital Rebel Series!
  By A2UQK3DAZ8NO2T on 2006-09-13
  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.
  
  
  
  
  
• Not a worthy upgrade from 350D XT
  By A1VVRA3P6G1TWH on 2007-01-23
  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...
  
  
  
  
• Nice upgrade for the price.
  By A5UVHFQQTXFV2 on 2006-09-22
  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.
  
  
  
• You can't beat the image quality
  By A2NXCQS8E99C6R on 2006-11-08
  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!
  
  
• So Far So Good
  By A3CQNSW72VKGSN on 2006-09-19
  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).
  
  
  
• Absolutely stunning
  By APNBE5FKORL6M on 2006-10-15
  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.
  
  
• Nice upgrade of the popular Digital Rebel Series!
  By A2UQK3DAZ8NO2T on 2006-09-13
  [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.
  
  
  
  
  
• Nice upgrade of the popular Digital Rebel Series!
  By A2UQK3DAZ8NO2T on 2006-09-13
  [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.
  
  
  
  
  
• Rebel XTi ay yi yi !!
  By AXMSCAQLBBCCX on 2007-01-04
  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!!
  
  
• Good Camera, Bad Exposure
  By A1D48Z8GOJEX7K on 2007-06-30
  This camera has a lot of good features, but consistently underexposes shots significantly in all light conditions, including full sun. If you don't believe this, type in "XTI underexposure" in your browser! You will see HUNDREDS of posts. Indoor photos with the built in flash are particularly bad.
  
  The exposure problem renders the auto modes worthless - not appropriate for an $800 camera.
  
  
• Professional User; good value for money
  By A3FU2O40CJOBZF on 2007-02-17
  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)
  
  
• Simply amazing! Why buy a 30D?
  By AF36VNRLHZ6HY on 2006-09-27
  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.
  
  
• First impressions after upgrading the 300D
  By A1G2SA2CCYFT99 on 2006-09-28
  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.
  
  
• Useless LCD Display
  By A3ESFPEEXMZDMV on 2007-06-16
  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.
  
  
• Rebel Rebel how could they know? Hot Tramp! I love you so...
  By A1HMQ71YXISCCA on 2007-08-05
  First off, if anyone reading this has Canon lenses and accessories, quit reading this and just buy this dslr. It's the cheapest camera body with the most up-to-date technology. The kit I purchased contained the following: one xti body; one 18-55 zoom; one camera strap with non-slip rubber on one side; one battery pack with enough of a charge to get started without charging first; one charger; a couple of cd's with Canon software and way too many papers. Now, on to the review...
  
  This is the second "Rebel" camera I have owned. The first was a "Rebel 2000" 35mm film camera. This camera needs a new name. Carrying a bulky slr (even a rebel ain't that inconspicuous) over one's shoulder does not exactly conjure images of Jimmy Dean. Unfortunately, "400D" isn't really the most unique moniker either.
  
  Next, on to the camera... First off, I would like to say that the technology that this device possesses is extremely impressive. I don't feel at all cheated by the asking price. That being said, not all of the amazing functions available are easily accessible. Just try to set "Custom White Balance" and it becomes apparent that the ostentatious number of options contained in this gadget may have kept the designers from being able to present a streamlined user interface. Alas, the controls required by a photographer--as opposed to a gadget freak--can be accessed through diligence. User interface = minus one-half star.
  
  But this "rebel" does offer many of the functions that made me ditch my film rebel for an Canon Elan film camera. Those include: choice of AF mode easily accessible, pretty good autofocus system, and metal lens mount on the front of the camera body. Also, this being digital, there is fairly easy access to preset white balance, iso, metering mode and drive mode.
  
  Image quality is nearly identical to any nikon or canon dslr with a 1.5 or 1.6 crop sensor. Very good indeed. Five stars there.
  
  Ergonomics are sacrificed for size, but I actually am happy to make this sacrifice. For studio work or the Serengeti, I'm sure a 1D with full frame sensor is great. But I need a camera that I can actually carry at the zoo or amusement park without bashing 6-year-olds in the forehead with my unruly 7 pound "machine" complete with gargantuan battery grip and 10 million candle power "strobe."
  
  Speaking of strobe, the on camera flash works just great for fill and the 1/200th flash synch is certainly sufficient. But, just try taking a succession of pics using on camera fill flash without filling the buffer. Now I've got to put an external flash on the top of my "carry around" slr.
  Minus one more half-star.
  
  The rear lcd is quite good except for one small concern. The images appear slightly warmer upon review than they have looked on my monitor or any of the prints I've made thus far. Perhaps there is some variation among rebels .
  The battery and CF card doors are well designed and seem capable of years of service, but the gee dee rubber cover over the connections for usb and electronic cable release sucks. A cable release is absolutely the best way to take pics using a tripod. Oh well, there's always gaffer's tape if the cover comes off.
  
  Okay. Aside from the aforementioned Canon devotee, who should buy this? Answer: anyone photographing people, pets or any action. For landscapes and scenery and posed photos where everyone smiles for grandma, this camera is completely superfluous. A cheap Canon A series on a tripod set to ISO 50 or 80 will work wonders for 16x20 inch prints of mountains and oceans. But for any photog that keeps missing the right facial expression or pose, this kind of camera (along with some practice) is a step in the right direction.
  
  This camera is sold with the 18-55 lens for good reason. It has a 1.6 crop sensor--which, without getting too technical, makes 18mm equal to approx 28 or 29mm at the wide end. It is extremely useful to have a wide angle lens included in the package--especially one as light-weight as the 18-55. And, surprisingly, the optical quality is perfectly fine. There are many reviews here which disparage this lens as junk. Not so. It may not last forever, but it is certainly worth the extra $50. In fact, if this is the first slr camera for the buyer, he/she should definitely opt for the kit lens and use it for awhile before deciding whether or not to add more accessories to the camera. It's possible that someone used to carrying a pocket digicam will grow tired of the commitment necessary to carry a larger camera. And no one wants to be stuck with a $700 paperweight with an additional $700 lens attached. I know I would feel like a rebel without a brain.
  In closing, this camera is a good buy. If the photographer requires a larger camera or better build quality, the 30D (What?! Canon doesn't like the name "Elan" anymore?) is readily available for a little more money.
  Just don't expect any improvement in image quality from a 30D.
  
  
  
  One parting thought. I wish to offer some advice to anyone reading this. One of the most important things a person can learn to do with a digital camera is to "reformat" the memory card after downloading the images to a computer. This ensures that the files on the card don't become "corrupted"
  like the little rebels prowling our streets. Unfortunately, Canon has buried this function in a menu. Upon purchasing this camera, learn the necessary steps to "format" the CF card. Then write a review like this one to let Canon know how much the process of formatting the card sucks. Hey, Canon people!! Are you out there? Give us a dedicated button to format, dummies! Better still make the camera ask if the photographer would like to
  format the card each time a card is re-inserted. As I used to say during my
  elementary school "rebel" phase, "duh." (End of rant. I'm still rating this four stars. Guess I'm Canon's lil beeeyawtch.)
  --------------------
  Update to review: If you have been kind enough to read my entire review, I still stand by my review. This is a very good camera. But I noticed today that the Nikon D40, a comparable camera, is selling for $200 less than the rebel xti. I already had quite a bit of canon detritus... er, uh... gear, so the rebel was the right choice for me. But if I were buying my first slr AND I had no previous investment in lenses, flashes, etc., the Nikon D40 would be my choice today. It's under $500 with the lens!!! Wow! Way to go Nikon! If there is any consolation to be had, my rebel does say that it was actually manufactured in Japan-land. Maybe the d40 is made in tsunami alley or something. (I know. I know. So un-pc and insensitive.) Heck. My 200's gotta get me sumthin'. Honestly, I'm just hoping that Canon will have to lower the price of future "rebels" to compete. Then all of us photo-nerds win. Yayyyyy. hur, hur, hur.
  --------------------
  One more update--10-20-07.
  ------------------------
  I have been using my 18-55 kit lens more and more lately, even though I own more expensive Canon lenses. Not only is it very sharp--it doesn't seem to exhibit any of the dreaded "purple fringe" effects even when the edge of an object has overexposed highlights. It's possible that I lucked into an especially good example of this lens, but I also suspect that Canon's quality control doesn't let too many duds roll off the assembly line--even the non-Japanese produced goods (I'm talkin' bout you China.) In fact, I would avoid the more expensive 17-85is and 17-55is 2.8. Why pay so much for mid-range consumer zooms that are much bulkier on a rebel? The 18-55 is just fine for everything except ultra-wide, macro and ultra-shallow telephoto--none of which the two more expensive "consumer" grade zooms can handle either. I would suggest the 100 2.8 macro for portraits and macro. And the 10-22 for ultra-wide. (I'm not much into ultra-wide. The novelty effect wears thin pretty fast unless you're that Ken Rockwell guy. He seems to love that novelty effect coupled with over-saturation. But he makes some good gear recommendations :)
  
  One last thing: I am seriously considering looking into the Image Stabilized version of this 18-55 lens. It may not have the best build quality. Nor a metal lens mount. But it is actually the one lens in the Canon line-up that I am most anxious to get a hold of. In fact, if canon would just add a metal lens mount, usm, slightly more rugged build and non-rotating front element--with a comparable size and weight--I think they just might have made one of my favorite lenses ever. Of course, Canon won't listen to some loser who writes Amazon.com reviews.
  
  
• Fabulous Upgrade
  By A2BQM1YNU87S3E on 2006-09-17
  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.
  
  
• Anti-dust features not that effective
  By AWZJHLU69PAH7 on 2007-07-17
  Dust on the image sensor is a problem inherent to all DSLR cameras. Whenever the mirror box is exposed to the environment, dust can (and will) get in and get statically attracted to the image sensor. Canon, with the ultrasonic dust cleaning feature and the image-degrading dust delete and detection software, seems in principle to have solidly addressed the problem. Unfortunately, this does not impress in practice.
  
  If you are not familiar with how sensor dust appears in photographs, look at the sample in the Product Description, where they attempt to demonstrate the strength of the dust management features- or go to pbase.com and look at samples of the XTi from regular, everyday users. In particular, look for samples that have lots of blue sky. The dust will appear as spots/dots or splotches. The more your lens is stopped down (small aperture, >f10), the more prominent the dust spot in the image.
  
  I purchased an XTi body and Canon's EF 28-135mm USM lens from Amazon and, in my rather clean office, I carefully unpacked the camera and lens from their display boxes and immediately mated the two. I only had one lens, so the two were never unpaired. I took the camera on a mountain trip and was horrified to find dust spots on many of my shots. At first I thought I got something on the lens filter (purchased separately) but no. The spots appear in the exact same spot from shot to shot and become sharper if the aperture is stopped down. They are non-existent when the lens is wide or moderately open (shallow depth of field).
  
  Before I enflame a bunch of pro photographers, once I realized the dust was present on my images, I ran through the forced cleaning and allowed the camera to map the dust for removal in the DPP software. Subsequent shots of sky with small aperture revealed no improvement. Amazon instantly replaced the camera, but it was actually worse. After doing some research, I was led to the Giottos Rocket Air Blaster, but this just moved some of the spots to a different location on the sensor. I have an expectation that a factory fresh DSLR would be clean and free of debris on the image sensor. Even higher-end Canons apparently have this out-of-the-box problem- just google it. I refuse to resort to physical methods (swabs/fluid) to clean the sensor of brand new camera, the very act makes me a bit nervous.
  
  I would accept a dust problem if I changed lenses in the field, wind blowing and all, but this is not the case. However, the special dust management features of the XTi fail under the most benign conditions. I give the XTi 3 stars as a penalty for failing on the dust promise, but would give it 5 stars otherwise. It does take fantastic pictures, especially on photos taken with low f numbers and without big areas of light-colored objects.
  
  
  
• DUST DUST DUST
  By A3J2UO9611K5PR on 2007-12-30
  Although I love many things about this camera, I must share one major concern with anyone thinking about purchasing this camera: Dust. I bouhgt my camera kit 3 months ago, with a wonderful 50mm 1.8 lens. From switching back and forth between lenses, dust has landed on the COMS sensor, and the sonic dust removal system does nothing to remove it. It is noticeable in the pictures and the included software doesn't remove it at all. Had I know the camera needs to be sent away and cleaned professionally (at my cost) every 3 months, I think I would have rethought this purchase. I've owned many 35mm film camera over the years, and I have become good at cleaning them, but this sensor is just too delicate and the consequences of a mistake too great for me to own a camera like this. It looks like my window to return it to Amazon has expired too, so I think I might be stuck with a really wonderful camera that is totally impractical to use.
  
  
• Perfect - software even better than the EOS-1
  By A1SEHRRSCQTQ42 on 2006-10-07
  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!
  
  
• Very Pleased D400 Owner.
  By A2WOFYSWAWCQ3W on 2006-12-23
  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
  
  
  

• Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Medium Telephoto Macro Lens for Canon SLR Cameras
• Induro Carbonflex 8x Tripod CX-213
• MADE Products CA-2001-BLK Seattle Sling Waterproof Bag (Black)
• Induro Carbonflex 8x Tripod CX-114
• Canon Speedlite 430EX II Flash for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

• SanDisk SDCFH-004G-A11 4GB/15MB Ultra II CF Card ( US Retail Package )
• SanDisk 2GB ULTRA II CompactFlash Card (SDCFH-2048-901)
• Canon NB-2LH Rechargeable Battery Pack for Digital Rebel XT/XTi, PowerShot S30/40/45/50/60/70/80, G7 & G9 Digital Cameras
• Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi/400D Digital Field Guide
• Canon Accessory Starter Kit for Digital Rebel XT and XTi (Includes 200DG Bag, NB-2LH Battery, & 58mm Haze Filter)