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

The Canon Rebel XTi's APS-C size sensor has the same 3:2 ratio as film cameras.

10.1-Megapixel APS-C Size CMOS Sensor
Canon's large-area CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor captures images with exceptional clarity and tonal range, and offers the most pixels in its class. This APS-C size sensor (22.2 x 14.8mm) has the same 3:2 ratio as film cameras, enabling an effective angle of view that is 1.6x the normal EF lens focal length. With pixel resolution of 3,904 x 2,598, the Digital Rebel XTi not only offers the most pixels in its class, but bests many professional-level cameras. Recorded on Canon's CMOS sensor, each pixel is captured with fine detail to create images of tremendous depth, nuance, and resolution, ensuring enough information for even poster-sized prints.

DIGIC II Image Processor
The EOS Digital Rebel XTi is the product of Canon's extensive in-house development: The DIGIC II Image Processor was designed specifically for Canon digital SLR cameras and enhances every aspect of image capture. Information captured by the CMOS sensor is processed and assembled into images of exceptional quality. With the DIGIC II Image Processor on board, photographers can expect natural color reproduction, precise white balance in any number of lighting situations, and unparalleled clarity. The DIGIC II Image Processor employs sophisticated signal processing algorithms and works at greater speeds, all while consuming less energy. The entire processing chip--not just the software that drives it--is dedicated for use in a digital still camera.

The XTi's 2.5-inch LCD is larger than most DSLR screens.

Responsive and Reliable
The EOS Digital Rebel XTi has a brilliant 2.5-inch LCD monitor with approximately 230,000 pixels. Also used in Canon's Professional EOS SLRs, this screen displays more than images. Shooting information and playback are both displayed on the LCD, so that the photographer can see all of the shooting information simultaneously on one screen. Not only can images be viewed larger than on the Digital Rebel XT, they can be viewed at a greater angle (160 degrees) than many other conventional LCD monitors.

Display Off Sensor
When composing images, the Digital Rebel XTi's external display turns off automatically thanks to the newly developed Display Off Sensor. This new sensor detects the photographer's face against the back panel of the camera, and turns the screen off to prevent the LCD monitor's brightness from disturbing the photographer's eye while looking through the viewfinder.

Speedy Operation
With a startup time of 0.2 seconds, the EOS Digital Rebel XTi is ready to go the instant it's brought to the eye. And the Digital Rebel XTi's shutter can record images as fast as 1/4000 seconds and as long as 30 seconds, plus bulb at up to 3 frames per second (fps) for 27 consecutive shots. It synchronizes with Canon Speedlites at 1/200 second.

EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 USM Standard Zoom Lens
This kit includes a standard zoom exclusively for the EOS Digital Rebel and EOS 20D SLR cameras, with APS-C size image circle equivalent to an approximately 28-90mm focal length. The lens is compact and ultra-lightweight with impressive close-focusing ability of 0.9 feet (0.28 meters). It features optimized coating for digital imaging sensor to minimize ghost images and flare.

Picture Style settings allow you to recreate characteristics of your favorite photo films.

9-Point AF
The EOS Digital Rebel XTi has a high-precision 9-point AF system for speedy and accurate focusing in any situation. Conveniently located on the back of the camera for thumb-controlled action, Canon's cross key buttons enable instant choice of the 9 focus points or allow the camera to choose them automatically. One-Shot is perfect for still photography. AI Servo AF tracks moving subjects, ensuring accurate focus. AI Focus AF switches between One-Shot and AI Servo when subjects are moving and stopping. The Digital Rebel XTi's focusing system functions in metering ranges of EV-0.5 to 18 and displays information on the Digital Rebel XTi's big LCD display.

Picture Style settings
With Picture Style technology and the EOS Digital Rebel XTi, photographers can recreate characteristics of their favorite films. Color, saturation, sharpness, and contrast settings create noticeable variation in the saved image. In addition to six preset Picture Styles (Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful, and Monochrome), users can create three additional settings for their particular photographic style.

Print/Share Button
Printing and uploading to a computer is incredibly simple with the Digital Rebel XTi's Print/Share button. By connecting the Digital Rebel XTi to a computer via the USB 2.0 port, it's easy to transfer some or all of the photographs in the cameras memory to folders on the computer.

EF and EF-S Lenses
The EOS Digital Rebel XTi is compatible with all Canon lenses in the EF lineup, ranging from ultra-wide-angle to super-telephoto lenses, and including Canon's EF-S series lenses, manufactured specifically for Canon's APS-C sized digital sensor. Canon lenses employ advanced optical expertise and micron-precision engineering to deliver unprecedented performance in all facets of the photographic process. Aspherical optics and fluorite elements, for example, are featured in the universally acclaimed L-Series lenses, and Canon's Image Stabilizer technology in select lenses minimizes the effect of camera shake.

Flash Photography
The EOS Digital Rebel XTi features the acclaimed E-TTL II flash metering system. Whether using its flush-mounted integral flash (guide no. of 43 feet/13 meters at ISO 100), or any of the flashes in the EX Speedlite line, E-TTL II provides reliable flash output through numerous exposures.

Software
The EOS Digital Rebel XTi comes bundled with the updated Canon EOS Digital Solution Disk (Version 13.0), which features powerful software programs designed to extend the EOS experience to the computer. These include Canon's ZoomBrowser EX for Windows (Version 5.7), ImageBrower for Macintosh OS X (Version 5.7), Digital Photo Professional (Version 2.2), Canon's EOS Utility (Version 1.1) and PhotoStitch (Version 3.1). Each application is designed to perfect captured images and streamline the digital workflow.

Digital Photo Professional (Version 2.2) is an image processing program that enables high-speed RAW image processing, high-speed previewing for real-time image adjustment, and support for sRGB, Adobe RGB, and Wide Gamut RGB color spaces. Because it's CMS (Color Management System) compatible, Digital Photo Professional allows for easy image layout and printing in Adobe RGB in conjunction with Easy-PhotoPrint and PictBridge printers. It also features the Digital Rebel XTi's Dust Delete Data Detection tool for cleaner images.

EOS Utility (Version 1.1) for Macintosh or Windows handles the connection between the camera and computer, whenever they're connected via USB. It allows remote-controlled shooting from the computer, handles downloading of images from the camera to the computer, and allows seamless linking to either Canon's ZoomBrowser/ImageBrowser or Digital Photo Professional software once images have been copied to the hard drive. Furthermore, it's used to upload settings back into a USB-connected camera.

ZoomBrowser EX (Version 5.7) for Windows and ImageBrowser (Version 5.7) for Mac OS X are the easy, user-friendly options for viewing and editing of JPEG and even RAW image files. Both allow viewing of numerous types of images including finished TIFF and BMP files. Both also have a variety of search options for finding images, allow re-naming of single images or batches of files, and offer a variety of options for printing without using a separate image-editing program.

Dependable for Cleaning the Sensor
The EOS Digital Rebel XTi not only sports a newly refined body with better ergonomics and a new grip, but it also has some of Canon's most advanced improvements in dust reduction. No matter how careful photographers may be to change lenses in dust free areas and to keep their equipment as clean as possible, dust often ends up on their cameras' sensors, creating distracting spots on recorded images. The Digital Rebel XTi's integrated hardware and software solutions make trouble with dust a thing of the past. The Digital Rebel XTi is the first digital EOS SLR camera to feature this important technology: by ensuring the sensor is free of dust and debris, the camera guarantees a cleaner image.

Self Cleaning Sensor Unit
To combat stray dust that enters the camera and adheres to the image sensor during a lens change, the Digital Rebel XTi features an all new Canon-designed Self Cleaning Sensor Unit. The low-pass filter cleans itself automatically with ultrasonic vibrations, removing dust from the sensor assembly.

Dust Delete Data Detection
Dust that has been missed by the Integrated Self Cleaning Sensor Unit can also be erased with software included in Digital Photo Professional (DPP) Version 2.2. The Digital Rebel XTi's imaging sensor is able to single out the dust particles on its surface, then plots out their location coordinates within the image. This data is transmitted along with the image, whether JPEG or RAW, and can be either manually or automatically erased in Canon's DPP 2.2. This added software option ensures the cleanest possible image, perfect for printing or archiving.

Product Description
The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi has a newly designed 10.1 MP Canon CMOS sensor plus a host of new features including a 2.5-inch LCD monitor, the exclusive EOS Integrated Cleaning System featuring a Self Cleaning Sensor and Canon's Picture Style technology, all in a lightweight, ergonomic body. The EOS Digital Rebel XTi is compatible with all Canon lenses in the EF lineup, ranging from ultra-wide angle to super telephoto lenses, and including Canon's EF-S series lenses, manufactured specifically for Canon's APS-C sized digital sensor. Canon's Speedlite 430EX is perfectly suited to the EOS Digital Rebel XTi. In addition to Canon's EF lenses and Speedlite flashes, many other accessories are designed by Canon to work perfectly with the EOS Digital Rebel XTi. The Battery Grip BG-E3 adds a vertical shutter release, and can hold two NB-2LH Battery Packs for increased shooting capacity. Canon's Semi Hard Case EH18-L can accommodate the EOS Digital Rebel XTi with a small zoom lens. An EF-S 18-55mm is included in the EOS Digital Rebel XTi Lens Kit. 1.6x Lens Focal Length Conversion Factor Image Sensor Type - High-Sensitivity, high-resolution, single-plate, CMOS sensor 3 - 2 Aspect Ratio Recording Format - JPEG, RAW, and RAW+JPEG simultaneous recording provided USB 2.0 Hi-Speed Interface, mini-B port, NTSC/PAL for video output Viewfinder Type - Eye-level SLR with pentamirror Shutter Speeds - 1/4000 to 30 seconds Self-timer - 10 seconds delay, 2 seconds delay with C.Fn-7-1 (mirror lockup) Continuous Shooting Speed - Approx. 3 fps (at shutter speed of 1/250 sec. or faster) Compatible Printers - CP and SELPHY Compact Photo Printers, PIXMA Photo Printers and PictBridge compatible printers (via USB Interface Cable IFC-400PCU) Power Source - One Battery Pack NB-2LH Dimensions - Width 4.98 x Height 3.71 x Depth 2.56 inch, 126.5 x 94.2 x 65mm / Weight - 18 ounces (510g body only)

Canon 1239B001 reviews (26)

Nice upgrade of the popular Digital Rebel Series!
[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.

Great camera, but the included Macintosh software is tricky to install
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.

So Far So Good
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).

If you're coming from Point and Shoot Cameras
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.

Nice upgrade for the 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.

First impressions after upgrading the 300D
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.

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

Perfect - software even better than the EOS-1
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!

Absolutely stunning
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.

A Gem of a Camera
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.

A little disappointed :-(
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 � 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.

Great for travelers and DSLR newcomers
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.

Difficult Decision (30D vs. XTi)
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.