| Canon Digital Rebel XTi 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Silver Body Only) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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by Canon  Stores images on Compact Flash (CF) memory cards; powered by battery pack NB-2LH DIGIC II Image Processor provides fast, accurate image processing; Picture Style settings for added creative control New self-cleaning dust function, plus Dust Delete Data Detection in included software Large 2.5-inch LCD display; body only (no lens included) 10.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 18 x 24-inch prints |
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| From the Manufacturer Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi offers an unbeatable combination of performance, ease-of-use and value. It has a newly designed 10.1-megapixel CMOS sensor plus a host of new features including a 2.5-inch LCD monitor, the exclusive EOS Integrated Cleaning System, and Canon's Picture Style technology, all in a lightweight, ergonomic body. The Digital Rebel XTi is proof positive that Canon continues to lead the way with our phenomenal digital SLRs.
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 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 Speedy Operation
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
Print/Share Button EF and EF-S Lenses Flash Photography Software 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 Self Cleaning Sensor Unit
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. 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 1239B002 reviews (87) 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. Fabulous Upgrade
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. If you're coming from Point and Shoot Cameras
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. Excellent
I just recieved my XTi today, i sold my Olympus E300 to switch to this camera due to already having an XT and the whole Lens situation. At First look the camera is basically the same as the XT, with the few notable exceptions, the larger lcd is a plus, all the other controls are pretty much the same. I've taken a few test shots also and really believe the quaity is a bit better. (I still love my XT though), Canon has really lived up to its reputation this time. As for why the switch (yes i used to be a die hard Olympus fan) Lenses, Running my own Portriat Studio requires several lenses, most of which are not cheap, but having choices with my canon cameras helps me control the costs. with the olympus digital slr's your pretty much tied to their lenses. This is just my initial review, heading back to more shooting.. will update this as things develop.. for now i can say "BRAVO" Canon...You've done well Simply amazing! Why buy a 30D?
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
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 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. nice camera but alittle small
I had this camera for about a week now. I bought an EF 28-105mm lens seperatly. I don't know why, but the auto focus did not work right away.It took some fiddling around before I was able to use the feature. I get gorgeous pictures with this camera. My one complaint is it feels small in the right hand. After 1/2 hour of shooting pictures my hand got a cramp. I have small hands and it still felt small to me. If you are considering this camera I'd go to a store see how it feels. I can't imaging being able to use it for a long time if you have a big hands. I'm still learning how to use it. But so far its meeting all my expectations. Had to say 5 stars because my images are sharp and professional looking
I took pictures with this camera with artificial light, natural light, and when it was almost dark and all of my images came out sharp. I'm only using the cheap 18-55mm lens, which does not have image stabilization. As long as I use a tripod, or brace against something to hold the camera still, the images are perfect. I shot landscapes, portraits, animals, moving traffic, the sky, the moon, and everything I could think of and it all came out right. I was going to buy a 5D, but so far I'm satisfied with this camera and the price is way lower. Now I wonder what my pictures would be like with an IS lens... hmmmm :) Canon Rebel Xti
Well, I've had my Rebel Xti for about 6weeks now, and all i can say is wow!!! I did have the Rebel Xt, which was an awesome camera. I'm not a professional, but i do take pictures of what ever it may be outside or inside, youth or adult events as a hobby. This camera is not for the person who wants to just point and shoot or to have a camera to stuff in your pocket. This camera is for the creative person who wants control of the pictures they are taking. The sensor cleaner and wide LCD are just a few of the wonderful advances from the XT to the XTI. The camera for me is easy to use and takes great pictures in auto mode or in my mode. I hope this helps you in your decision whether to buy or not. Awesome camera for the money
This is my first dSLR, and I must admit that I'm totally impressed and entirely happy with it. Not only is it a great value for the money, but it also takes GREAT photos (with the right lens, naturally). The re-designed interface is intuitive and easy to change-up in the midst of shooting. The build quality is solid (as solid as plastic can get, that is), and unless you're a pro who shoots all day long, this thing will hold up for years. The only "downside" is its size: this camera is pretty small compared to most dSLRs. This is easily remedied by buying the Canon battery grip, however. It's pretty much a necessity if you have medium to large hands. A couple lens suggestions for those on a budget: - Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens --> fast, sharp, awesome[...] - Tamron Autofocus 28-75mm f2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) --> speedy, sharp, and a great walk-around lens In sum, if you're looking to get into the world of dSLRs and want a quality camera that won't break the bank, BUY THE REBEL XTi. You won't be sorry. You can't beat the image quality
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! Amazing resolution!
XTi is feature laden, but takes fantastic "point and shoot" photos. Seems to be a significant improvement on Canon's Rebel XT, a wonderful camera. For the money, the best SLR going! 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. Best Canon yet-400D
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. Great Camera!
I've shifted from my previous Canon Powershot G2 to this wonderful DSLR, the Canon EOS 400D (or Digital Rebel XTi) and so far I have all praises. Though my G2 took great pictures, there's a mile of a difference a DSLR can deliver. The quality and clarity of each shot instantly makes your pictures look like they have been taken by a professional. The Rebel XTi's handling is deja vu for me because I used to have a Canon EOS 300 (or a Rebel). But its a big leap for me in terms of the plethora of functions and features as compared to my camera of the past. I always bring along my camera just in case I see a moment worth capturing. You can see some of my pictures at [...] Great DSLR for beginner like myself
This is my first SLR and I love it, so many things to learn. This body is definitely a good starting point for beginners like myself before we upgrade to something higher (like 5D) while still continue to able to use our collection of lenses. Canon definitely has a good marketing strategy to strengthen its penetration for SLR camera line. Pros: Good user-interface, affordable, light-weight, good for beginners, compatible with EF & EF-S lenses Cons: Battery is relative weak, viewfinder is somewhat small Excellent Camera....excellent support!
I finally moved up to a DSLR and am very pleased with the quality of this particular camera. A friend has a Pentax DSLR (older) and the pictures the XTi produces are much nicer than his. The Canon is much sharper. I was missing something out of the box and called Canon and was on the phone with a live person within 30 seconds. My missing part was at my door in 4 days. Their customer service is top-notch. I was leary at first purchasing this camera because of the price but I plan keeping it for a very long time and so far so good...it does everything I want and then some. I've read some negative comments about the included lens, but I see no issues so far with that either. It takes some getting used in hand because of its smaller body than other DSLR's I held, but that seems better now as well (after about 40-50 shots). Great Camera... Will Update Review After More Use
I am using this camera with the Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 lens and all I can say is I am blown away by the quality. Granted, I am comparing to my 3-year old Canon Digital Elph and not against "professional" cameras and lenses, but this is nice rig to shoot with. Great results. Enjoy! Very Pleased D400 Owner.
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 Amazing Camera!
After a little more than a month reading reviews I finally decided to go for this camera (Canon Rebel XTi). And I think I made the right choice. This camera has not disappointed me. Every picture I take comes out with outstanding quality. It's just amazing. Some people complain about the fact that Canon got rid of the small lcd screen. I've used the previous model (Rebel XT) and not having the little lcd screen doesn't bother me at all. All the information needed is displayed on the big lcd and it's great. One more thing, this camera performs great under low light conditions. Check some of the images that I uploaded here. Okay! In conclusion, this is an awesome camera, and although some might find it not so comfortable, I totally recommend it. Get the CF Card.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Am I so dumb that I didn't realize the camera is useless without a CF card... and the CF card is not included (not even a 20MB one)? Who would think that Amazon would include the CF card with the million other accessories that they suggest? Instead, it's listed with other things people bought with this camera. Well now, I feel like an idiot after giving it as a gift - a wonderful feeling after spending $800. Am I asking too much? Excellent camera for me
I am very pleased with this purchase. Canon has a way of making advanced photography techniques easy for me to use. I upgraded from my Canon S1IS to the Rebel and I am very pleased with everything the Rebel can do and how simple it is for me to grasp the features and use them. The quality of my amateur photography has leaped into realms I never dreamed of. I could get technical and reel off numbers, stats and stuff but this purchase was not like that for me. I just read a lot of reviews and rolled the dice. Glad I did. No regrets. Excellent pictures
I owned a Canon Rebel 300D. The 400D performs much much better than the 300D. The light meter seems more accurate. The color is much more balanced. It is also much easier to see camera settings on the big LCD. The frame rate is also improved from the old 300D. From what I read, the electronics is probably better than the more expensive Canon 30D; the 30D has better mechanical parts, but I am a casual shooter, I am much more likely to replace the 400D way before the mechanical parts become an issue. I also like the smaller body of the 400D. Would be nice if it has image stabilization in the body and if it has built in wireless. Body only is recommended
The EOS Digital Rebel XTi or EOS 400D is one of the best DSLRs on the market. The camera features Canon's new EOS Integrated Cleaning System, which shakes off dust on the sensor. If any dust cannot be removed, it can be removed with the bundled software. The resolution is good, upgrading from the XT's 8.0 megapixels to 10.1 megapixels. However, that is slightly less than the Nikon D80 or the Sony a100, which both have 10.2 megapixels, 0.1 more megapixels. There are so many other things that are upgraded. But there are some disappointments. First of all, the camera is not as comfortable as a Nikon or a Sony. Many critics often highly recommend this camera, but prefer Nikon or Sony over Canon. The AF could sometimes be slow, bt this is normal. The package with the lens is rather disappointing, so I bought a body only package. Overall, I recommend the body only package, and buy another lens. If you are happy with the package with the lens, sure, buy it. But I would prefer buying a body only kit and then buying a separate lens (mine is a Sigma 18-200mm 1:3.5-6.3). A Great Camera!
We purchased this camera for Christmas and it instantly took over as the camera of choice for group family photos. We love it. You can't use the camera right out of the box, though, as it does not come with a CF card (compact flash card). A CF card is required for image storage and they aren't very available on Christmas day. Add about $[...] to the total price for a 1GB CF card. The camera does it all -- fully automatic, fully manual, bracketing, macro, etc, etc, etc. The packaged software does some really interesting things with RAW images. If you use the RAW image medium, you can alter the image per different camera settings after you download them to your computer. It is a great way to see exactly what all those settings mean. It does not do movies, but this is a still camera -- and it does stills very well. The Digital Rebel Just Keeps Getting Better!
I bought the camera for my wife -- it is her third in the successive generations of Digital Rebels. She thinks the camera is fantastic. Each has been an enhancement to the prior, with the base model having been quite good to begin with. Great entry level digital SLR
I purchased this camera in October to take on a trip, and it did not let me down. This is a great entry-level digital SLR. I bought the body only and purchased the Canon EFS 17-85mm lens with image stabilization. I think it is a big step up from the lens included with the kit (I borrowed the base lens from someone to compare). I previously owned the Canon Powershot G2, and I think the Rebel XTi is the next step up the line. One observation for those used to framing the picture through the LCD, this is not the camera for you. The Digital Rebel XTi requires you to frame the picture through the viewfinder. I would recommend you do this regardless, but I know people that are confused (and even bothered) when they can't preview the picture in the LCD window. To really get your money's worth, I would recommend that you purchase a field guide or take a class. I was fortunate enough to find a class specific to the Canon Digital Rebel XTi. This really helps with understanding the advanced capabilities of the camera. A good class also can improve your overall photography skills. Neophyte goes techie
This Canon digital rebel XTi 10 is so easy to understand and use. My pictures actually look really good! I am learning how to use all the advanced features with ease. Soon I will be as functional as the pros. Best bang for the buck right now!
I got this camera in sept and have taken around 3000 photos thus far , no complaints it functions in all situations very well. It is on the small side thats my only gripe so i got the battery grip but results speak for themselves i have posted a couple sample shots. Excellent
This product far surpasses my expectations as an industry pro. Easy to use, hard to take a bad shot. No downside. I bought one for my business and family. more camera than we needed
....but still thrilled with the purchase. we'll never scratch the surface regarding the capabilities of this camera, but we're very happy with the purchase. Extremely good for sports photography. The rapid fire shooting is great. Great pictures and won't break the bank - or the back
I decided to take the plunge and try a DSLR and I love this camera. I took it on a photo trip this fall where a bunch of guys had bigger more "pro" style gear - I could hardly lift some of their cameras. For me, this is perfect. The grip fits my girly hands well, and it's comfortable to carry all day. The only downside to the light weight is that when I put my biggish zoom lens on it, it feels unbalanced, especially on a tripod. I've taken just over 2000 pictures with it, and I've not yet had any problems. I splurged on the Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 image stabilized lens and it's super for nature photography. The image stabilizer lets me hand-hold it with acceptable-to-me results down to about 1/30 sec - better with a tripod of course but that's not always an option. If you're considering jumping to SLR for the first time, it's well worth looking into a class or a beginner's book or video. You'll need to wrap your mind around the aperture/exposure/depth of field relationships to really get the most out of the camera and make good lens purchase decisions for the type of photography you want to do. I had used film SLRs ages ago, but I took a one-day class at a local camera shop right after buying the camera and it was really helpful. Rebel XTi ay yi yi !!
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!! Very Satisfied
Awsome camara. Super shots, clean crisp and very easy to use. A tad heavy for my wife but she has gotten used to it. Great value. Area for improvement is more clarity around the CF card. Would have been nice to know that it was not included in with the camera nor assessory packet. Would also have been good to know specifically what size CF card was need. Spun wheel getting this info on line and ended up going to Best Buy. Incredible move from APS to DSLR
Long ago I shot a Pentax K-1000. Soon after I was shooting the digital APS cameras. Now the DSLR's are affordable; I saw what my father was shooting with his EOS XT and now the XTi is out. I bought an XTi along with the EF 24-105mm lens, image stabilized (IS), L-glass. After a month of shooting I can only say "wow"! Spend the money on the lens. Depth of field and color is excellent. This more than blows away my old point and shoot digital camera. Every time I download pictures there are at least a couple where I say wow, I can't believe how good that is... I'm just a hobby shooter, I dabble in photography, but this camera makes me feel like a pro. I would also highly recommend the Cannon EX580 external flash. Again like the lens, a little bit of cost, but in many of these pics using a bounce flash I can almost not tell I was using a flash at all. Excellent first D-SLR camera
I purchased this camera together with the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens. I was interested in starting my rig with a good prime lens that would perform well under low lighting and be appropriate for head-shoulder portrait photography. I have had this camera and lens for four months now and I must say that this combination suits my needs perfectly. Perfect for anybody getting their first D-SLR camera. Even for anyone wanting to point and shoot, this camera in the auto mode is easy enough to not intimidate you. And for the more advanced photographers, it gives full control to be able to photograph in any shooting situation. I strongly recommend that you pass the kit lens and get the body only option together with the lens that best fits your budget and needs. Even the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 (about the same prize as the kit lens) would give you better results than the kit lens. Bear in mind that the kit lens doesn't even have an ultrasonic focusing motor. The only oddity I can think of is the small size that makes it difficult to hold this camera. But after some time, the body "grows" into your hand (you adjust your grip in a way that it is comfortable to shoot with this camera and you end up forgetting the small size). Excellent first D-SLR camera and worthy second body for professionals. canon does it again
I have been digital for about ten years, I have shot canon cameras for about 25 years, I bought a computer and a scanner in 1996 and scanned in my film from my cameras, I bought a D 60 and thought it the best little did I know what was in store for this industry. I bought the D 300 when it came out and have used it as my primary camera until this last summer when I sent it in and had it changed to a dedicated Infrared camera, staying with the rebel line I just recieved my new D400 xti and cannot believe how much they have improved it over the D3oo this is an amazing little camera, this camera has features that you will not find in the $3,000 and $8,000 canon cameras if you had a six star rating this camera would get it Once you hit 20 pictures in a row it locks up with "busy" signal
I got the XTi to replace my XT (just wanted to upgrade) and loved it until I discovered one major flaw I could not overlook. We were trying to take a family Christmas portrait of my husband, myself, and our 5 month old daughter. I asked my mom to take the pictures one after the other while my dad tried to get our daughter to laugh. After 20 shots (using flash)the camera locked up completely with a constant "busy" signal and she was only able to take one picture every 10 or so seconds. I can't count how many great shots we missed because she was pressing the shutter and the camera wouldn't respond. I duplicated this issue over and over, confirmed in the manual that this is how it operates normally, and even communicated with Canon to confirm that this is normal. Considering I usually take many pictures at a time to try to capture a smile or a cute expression this major flaw rendered this camera useless to me. The old XT does not have this issue so I very sadly and reluctantly returned the XTi. I am so disappointed in the XTi. The major purpose is to take pictures so if there is some "flash recycling feature" that prevents me from doing that - what is the point? Great buy and easy to use
I've had this camera for going on 4 months, and I absolutely love it. This is my first digital SLR camera, and I'm really pleased with it. The image quality is really sharp, and it's very easy to use. I happen to have a background in photography, so it may be a bit easier for me than it is for a complete novice. However, I find the controls to be very convenient, and I lovve the resolution and size of the LCD display on the back of the camera. I've read that the camera is a bit harder to handle for people with larger hands, but I don't have that problem. It's relatively lightweight and easy to handle. great picture taking camera
I loved my xti but returned due to mislabel by amazon, it was advertised as coming with USM lens but it does not, plus Pentax/Samsung give you more for the money, I was not impressed with Nikon d80 either as it does not have IS and when using zoom in 60-135 range the pics were coming out blurry as hell. Great Photographs
This is an easy to use digital SLR. I was amazed at the many professional quality images that I obtained during a recent visit to San Diego Wild Animal Park. However, beware of vendors who may try to substitute a gray product (400D) for the U.S. version (XTi). It is light handling even with the telephoto. The 9 autofocus points make it easy to use this on full auto with sharp images. Fantastic Camera
We are just moving into the world of SLR Photography and this camera is fantastic. It is easy to use and takes amazing photos. Beyond impressed. Sales Description
"Black Body Only" is almost jargon. I totally misunderstood that this did not include a basic lense. Had to return and re-order. The company that shipped the camera is great to work with. Great Starter SLR
This XTi is a solid entry level digital SLR. It is many auto features for a novice like my self to use. As my abilities increase the camera has potential as well. After using the quick start guide I have been able to use this camera almost immediately. It is versatile in that you can mount EF-S and EF model lenses with the camera. It is a good starter SLR. I do recommend buying the lens separately from the standard 18-55mm lens. The kit lens lacks the USM and the IS, but features add to the camera. Great DSLR at an ok price
My hat is off to Canon on the body, sensor, processor, and feature set on this camera. It's great. It takes beautiful pictures that I'm very pleased with. There is definitely a sticker shock when you start piecing together your DSLR kit. I know that I've spent about $2300 on the camera and 4 lenses. It's unfortunate that you still have to spend that to get a precision photography experience, but that's how it is. You can't go wrong with this DSLR. My only complaint would be that I'd trade the 2.5" LCD back to the XT for the smaler LCD and the monochrome LCD info screen. The 2.5" LCD info screen on this XTI doesn't work like I'd like it to. It's a small complaint though and a small price to pay for a 10 megapixel sensor. Canon Rocks!
I am now using this camera for almost 2 months. Its been a great experience working with this camera. The 18-55 mm wide angle lens itself has capture brilliant photos whether it is night or day. I also have the Canon 100-400mm IS Telephote lens which I used to take the far images is the exact match for this mate. I have been highly overwhelmed to work with this. Great camera -- packed with features!
I bought this camera after many months of saving up and researching digital SLRs... and I couldn't be more satisfied with my purchase! I'm a professional by no means, but I really love how much functionality is packed into this little guy. The giant LCD display on the back is just awesome--combine that with the 10 MP and it makes this camera a much better purchase than one of the larger, more expensive Canon DSLRs. Also, I was a little nervous before I bought the camera because I read a lot of reviews that talked about the size of the camera being hard to handle. Well, my hands are HUGE (I can palm a basketball) and I have had no problems at all, and I love the fact that it is relatively smaller and easier to carry around than the larger counterparts. Finally, if you are just starting out, then you will be plenty satisfied with the kit lens, which provides some decent range and a nice wide-angle end. If you are waiting to buy the camera because you are trying to save up for the perfect lens, don't! Buy the kit today and then save up and add to your lens collection down the road--you won't be disappointed! Great Camera for Novice
I bought this camera and 1-week later headed for the Galapagos Islands. The camera was simple to use and wonderful photos resulted. We carried two lenses and 3 Gigs of memory for a 10-day trip. The battery held the charge--I had bought spare batteries and only needed to replace them once. I was impressed! I am hoping that photograpghy will be a new love in our life, and the camera will let us begin that journey. Great Camera
I am new into the world of SLR photography and this camera has been great for a newbie. One of my friends, who is an experienced photographer, noticed that the XTi takes dark pictures on the manual settings. This issue is discussed at length in many forums and reviews of this camera and I have not found this to be a major problem. With over 500 shots so far I am really enjoying the camera and can't wait to get more lenses. On the subject of lenses I would get the camera body only and spend a couple hundred more on a better lens to start. With the underexposure issue, I would consider one if the IS (image stabilization) lenses which allows you to take pictures at up to 3 shutter speeds slower with out blurring the image from camera shake. Positive Feedback
As this is my first digital camera, I have found it very easy to use, and it has been easy to get great looking photos with the automatic settings. Overall very pleased. Brilliant
This is the best present that I've bought to myself for a while! What a top camera for such an amature photographer like myself. Just point and shoot. If the results are rubbish, then delete it and try again with the other settings. Now, I'm forever taking pictures without the issue with develpoing 35mm film, whilst trying to remember which settings to select whilst taking the 24 / 36 pictures. Well worth the money! Great low light photos!
I bought this Canon because I have lenses from a Canon Rebel SLR which is a camera I still love. The lenses work great with this new digital. I do a lot of low light photograpy and the low light exposures come out very clean. I am not a professional photgrapher and the manual has been very helpful in introducing all of the state of the art digital features that this camera offers. I also like the ease offered connecting the camera to my mac. Good camera body, sub-par lens
I've been using the camera for about two month now. It's a decent buy although you might want to consider the body only and get a better lens. I spent the first couple of weeks struggling with the kit lens. It might not have anything to do with the kit lens but I did get a lot better pictures with Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens. One problem I'm having is the 9-point AF. Canon may think it a good feature, quite often it focuses on the wrong thing. And even it focuses on the "right" thing, in most cases the image is not sharp. So I use the single point focus most of the time. But this gives me another problem. If I pick the non-center focus point, AE might not be accurate as the metering doesn't follow the AF point (I could be wrong on this). So in tricky condition I have to lock the AE first then reposition and shoot. Again this only happens in tricky situation. I'd say 90% of the time AE is ok. High end camera body may have better feature but I'd rather spend more on lens as you can take equally good pictures if you know the body well enough, and I'm still discovering. Canon Digital Rebel xTi review
The product performs as advertized. It is more camera than the average user needs but has completely automated features for those who don't want to know the ins and outs of professional photography to take quality photos. I highly recommend. Choose the lenses that fit your requirements and you will be "good to go". Creative freedom, beautiful pics
If you have had digital PS cameras, you know they take good pics of average scenes, but sometimes they try to be too smart and get in the way of what you really want to achieve. If you are familiar with 35mm SLRs, you really miss the ability to control things. The new generation of DSLRs are now as good as 35mm for enlargements, and modern storage media (flash cards and hard disks) allow for storage of a lot of images even at maximum size and quality. The Canon is the best value of a very good set of contenders from Nikon and Sony. The sensor in the camera is 24 mm (larger is better -- we will soon see a 35 mm sensor). This camera can use legacy Canon lenses as well as the new EFS (short focus in the back specifically for digital EOS). Because the sensor is not 35mm, you have to multiply lens length by a conversion factor, in this case 1.6, to get 35 mm equivalent (example: a 50mm lens will give the same result as an 80mm on a 35 SLR). The kit lens is ok but not great. I got a Tamron 28-75 f2.8 which is my primary lens. I may splurge and get one of the Canon "L" series lenses in the near future. The camera is compatible with iPhoto on the Mac (I have yet to encounter one that is not), and comes with its own image browser and photo editing software. On the Mac, I am using the Canon image browser and iPhoto for picture management, but still prefer Photoshop elements when I need more image manipulation. iPhoto albums are effectively folders that can be loaded into the navigation window of Image Browser. Nice camera for first digital user
I have been a film camera buff all my life. I have looked at digital cameras for the past several years but was waiting on the features that I have in my film SLR's. This was reasonably priced and pretty full featured (lacking only in spot metering). I gave it a try. I am well satisfied with it. I have shot several thousand images and find the images more than satisfactory, the camera easy to use and am becoming a digital convert. Great Entry Level DSLR
Pros: - Great Battery Life - Stunning Clarity - Easy to use - Automatic Dust Removal Cons: -Rubbish Kit Lens This is my first DSLR but I have had no problems using this camera and have gotten some stunning results. In my opinion the only thing which is lacking is the kit lens, but I have still managed to take some good shots with this. Overall extermely pleased. Love the Camera, but wish I could force the flash
I love the camera but have only been using the automatic focus mode and wish you could force the flash in this mode but you can't. Sometimes pictures of baby come out dark b/c the automatic flash doesn't go off. I guess I need to learn how to use the manual functions so I can force the flash myself. Automatic just seems easier when quickly trying to capture the brief moment when she is smiling and looking at me (with her eyes) open all at the same time! upgraded from the 300d
I've only had this for a few days but I love it! I upgraded from the Digital Rebel 300d and I had the D30 before that so I was already very familar with how this camera works. The only thing I was disappointed was that it took a different battery, battery grip, and charger from my 300d. The biggest reason I upgraded was to get the bigger burst capacity but the better focus system, bigger screen, and of course added megapixels definately made it worth every penny of the upgrade. Another thing is that the body is smaller than the 300d which was smaller than the d30. I miss the heft of the d30 but plan to get the battery grip which will add some weight back to it. Its smaller size and lighter weight will probably be much better apreciated after I travel some with it. This camera is not for an amatuer like me!
I take a lot of pictures and have a great deal of fun doing it. I also spend more time editing the pictures than I do taking them. I love the outdoors and traveling. I take my camera everywhere. So, you can imagine how really excited I was about moving up to an SLR body camera and all the advantages that it could give me. Unfortunately, it turned out that it took every ounce of joy out of taking pictures for me. For starters, I am too stupid to get it to work well! There is no doubt this is a fine camera. In the hands of someone who knew what they were doing and were willing to spend the time, it will perform very well. However, for a hack like myself, I could only get about 40% of my shot on autopilot to looked really good. I don't know where it was focusing but even with all the help on board it only got part of it right. There where some really outstanding pictures compared to my old camera but I couldn't tell when it was going to work. In low light there was no hope. There was nothing I could do to hold it still enough to get a clear shot. I had it wedged up against a concrete building and low wall trying to take a picture of Austin's skyline at night. I even added my tripod for more support and it still didn't work. Which bring me to another fact of life with these cameras. They are very expensive. The image stabilization cost more than the camera and that is just the start! It looked to me that I would have at least $3,000 invested into this thing to get it to do what I wanted! That is an awful lot of money for very little return when comparing these cameras to the cheaper easier to use models. Then there is the size of the thing. When you add in all the goodies that go with it you have a massive bundle of stuff that is not only heavy, it is pretty large. I can't see any real reason for all of this given the new advances photography. I spent all my time messing with the camera and lugging stuff around instead of enjoying myself and having fun. I called my boss for advice and he had sold his big SLR and was carrying a little subcompact. I sent it back. PS The service I got at Amazon was terrific. Good to go
This camera has everything that you need, has been easy to learn how to use (it's my first digital camera), and takes great pictures. It's been a lot of fun to play around with. I'm especially interested in low light photography, and have been very impressed with the sharpness and quality of the images even without a tripod. I generally like to set most everything manually, and it's been easy to work with in that regard. Many of the auto features are good enough that it's been slowly tempting me to become more lazy. Also, the software package that comes with the camera has been easy to use. It makes handling the much larger number of pictures I take now (vs. my old Canon AE-1) a lot easier than I thought it would be. If you're looking for a capable SLR camera at a good value, I would definitely recommend this one. Just ordered it but haven't received it yet!
I'm terribly excited to get this camera, I've been waiting a long time to purchase it. When I saw it go on sale I couldn't pass up the chance to snag it.... ;) I just wanted to post and say thank you for the reviews, they were quite helpful. I only gave it four stars because I just ordered it last night and I won't get it for another few weeks. I'll have to share a few photos after I've had enough time to play around with it. Moved Down from Canon EOS 35mm, but very pleased!
I have a Canon Eos 35mm (not a Rebel) camera that I have been using for many years and loved it. It was time to move to digital however and I just couldn't justify the cost of the 10mega-pixel EOS, so I opted to "step-down" to the Digital Rebel XTi. After taking my existing ultrasonic lenses to a local retailer and making sure they'd work on the Rebel XTi, I purchased a "body only" version of the camera, thus saving myself roughly $50 dollars. I've been using the camera for a few days now, mostly in the house and I'm happy to say that I think I made the right decision. Only a real die-hard photographer will lament the loss of some of the finer configurations available on the full EOS. For me, and for most people, the Rebel XTi has everything you need. It still includes your standard modes: Landscape, Sport, Twilight, etc., and of course you can adjust aperture and all that other stuff that only people who do it as a profession or hobby really understand anyway. The built-in flash is very powerful, moreso I'd say than what was on my EOS 35mm, and the menu is more intuitive than the Fuji FinePix I had before purchasing this camera. Additionally, some have noted that any 35mm lens you try to use on the digital will creating some cropping, but I don't really see a difference. I probably would if I could put the two side x side, but my standard wide-angle lens takes in a fair amount of space, and my zoom lens appears fine too. For reference I have the Ultrasonic lenses with the red dot, not the ones with the red dot and white square. Cons: You can't view what you're taking a picture of in the viewfinder; you have to look through the lens. Also, the carry strap that comes with it is pretty cheap. I'll probably use the one from my EOS. My particular purchase included everything BUT a CF card, so I got a 2GB one from Transcend ($45), and it works perfectly. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase and I don't feel like I missed out on any features by not buying the EOS. An Excellent Beginner's SLR
I've owned my Canon Digital Rebel XTi for almost a month now, and have taken over 1,000 pictures. The camera seems to be holding up well and hasn't developed any problems. It has all the features you would expect in a digital SLR, although it does lack a spot metering system, but it hasn't caused any problems that I couldn't fix by changing somthing else. Is it a fault? Yes, but is it all that important? No, especially if you're a beginner with DSLR's. I've read a lot of reviews that criticize the kit lens, and although it is certainly less than impressive, it is an excellent beginner's lens, and it's low price helps too. If you're a believer in "the lens makes the picture, not the camera," then I would suggest buying another, higher quality lens either directly from Canon, or a slightly more cost sensitive lens from Sigma or Tamron. Back to the camera body itself. The XTi is a bit small, especially for those of us with large hands or long fingers, but it's a lot easier to hold than a normal "point and shoot" camera that most casual digital photographers are used to. Even though it's tough to hold at times, I prefer the smaller body, but it's really personal preference (if you get a chance, go out to a store and hold one, just to make sure it's a good fit for you.) If you can't stand the size, you should look at Nikon's entry level DSLR (the D80), or if you're willing to shell out some extra bucks, one of Canon's professional series cameras (the 30D or 5D.) Canon has updated a few things with the upgrade to their outstanding Digital Rebel XT. The thing that will catch most people's attention first of course is the addition of 2 more megapixels, giving the XTi a total of 10.1. However, the 2 additional megapixels comes at a price. Although Canon increased the amount of overall pixels, the sensor (for those of you that are new to DSLR photography, the sensor takes the place of film in a camera and captures the image digitally) is roughly the same size as the one in the XT. This produces a little more noise, but not enough to notice unless you view the picture at larger than true size. Other changes include the loss of the small indicator LCD above the main LCD on the back, and the increase of the main LCD to 2.5 inches. I think this was an excellent idea. It does slightly decrease battery life because the camera has to keep the large color LCD on all the time, but it is much easier to see all of your picture settings clearly and at the same time. Also, a rubber thumb grip (which was missing entirely in the XT) was placed on the back for a more comfortable hold as well as the addition to a rough plastic/rubber grip in the front of the camera (also missing in the XT). There are other differences as well, including more AF points, Picture Style settings and more. If you want to see the rest of the specifics, go to Canon's website. So, to sum it up: The XTi is an excellent upgrade to the ever-popular Rebel XT. It is an excellent camera for beginner DSLR photographers and is portable enough for everyday use. The plastic body does feel a bit cheap, but it's the inside that counts (just don't drop it.) For the great price of Canon's Digital Rebel XTi, it won't dissapoint, and may be more than you expected. So if you're serious about buying a entry level digital SLR, I would strongly suggest you purchase Canon's newest edition to their EOS lineup. Hope this was helpful! Digital Camera on Steroids...
This camera blows my mind. It has features and functions I never would have dreamed a camera to have...Now I have to say, I'm "old" (56) so I'm used to more dinosaur like cameras. But the Canon Rebel XTi is the absolute coolest thing I've ever used in photography. And, I'm just now learning it. It is like buying a Ferrari and only going 60! There is so much more this machine can do. IT is a dream camera, for me. I can hardly wait to figure it all out!!! lol The best thing I bought in 2006
This camera is fantastic. The picture quality cannot be beat, and the features of the camera are countless. I am not a proffesional, but wanted a nice camera. Even the less than "guru" can work it because of its ease of use. I bought a lot of things this past year, but this is by far my best purchase. I would definately recommend that if you purchase this to buy an additional lense with a bigger zoom. But other than that, this camera will make you very happy!!! I am also glad I purchased it with [...]. They had the best price on the camera, and got it here on time! Canon Digital Rebel XTi
What can I say, I love Canon cameras. Deciding to buy this camera wasn't a big deal because I knew I wanted Canon & I already had Canon lenses that I used with my film camera. It works great & takes beautiful shots. Since I already own a rebel, getting used to the options was not difficult because they are not that different. The display is nice & big. I haven't used the dust cleaner app on it yet because I haven't needed to, but I did play around with other settings & have had a ball. Some people have complained about the images being too dark...I think it may be a preference or just particular settings. Just like any camera, you need to make adjustments to get the image the way you want. At any rate, I really like it, but I'm still not ready to give up my film cameras. great camera but has issues
I had XT before purchasing XTi and I thought it is time to upgrade with the new one. Xti has sensor cleaning feature and other nice things. When I got the camera, my test shots turned out a dissapointment. It may be psychologic or real, but I did not like the pictures that came out of the camera. I searched canon user forums and some people reported that the new XTi is slightly different than the original in terms of color and light adjustments. Conclusion: I returned the camera and bought a nice used Canon 20D on eBay with a lot of classic features (and cheaper than XTi). Canon Digital Rebel XTi, 10.1 MP DLSR
I have used this camera both during Christmas holiday family gatherings, as well as in the pursuit of outdoor scenery. It is a WONDERFUL camera. Whether shooting in full sunlight at ASA 100, or tripod astrophotography at ASA 1600, the camera truly shines. As an astrophotographer, the only issue I find with it is that exposure time is limited to 30 seconds. Other than that, I think anyone purchasing this camera would agree it is a good value. Rebel XTi- Great Camera!
We bought this camera after we had our first child--and everyone comments on what outstanding pictures it takes. We get such great pictures of our baby, there's just no need to take him to a professional studio! It's very easy to use and we are slowly learning all of the many things the camera actually can do. But, initially, it's as easy as point and shoot for perfect pictures. The lens it comes with is perfect for indoor and closer objects, but in the future we will probably invest in a better lens for zooming on things further away. Great camera--would recommend to anyone! Definitely not a good point and shoot in doors
I have been waiting three years to buy this camera and all I can say is what a disappointment. My first SLR was a Rebel 2000 so I am very familiar with all the normal features as well as the new features of this camera. I also own a 5MP Canon A95 Power shot which blows the XTi out of the water on almost any indoor shot. The flash is never enough - as one review said, almost all low light (in door) shots will come out dark. The foreground will be OK but there will be no background detail. Contrasting this with my Powershot, the same exact photo will have a nice bright background. I have taken hundreds of comparison shots to a friend of mine's XTi as well as comparing to my Powershot. The "new nine zone" focus does not work well either, I have to use center focus mode and be sure of what it is focusing on. My Rebel 2000 film camera almost never a focus issue. Unfortunately, it seems Canon just didn't put the quality into this one. The only way I have found to get a better picture is to go into manual and push the flash up one stop, but for $800, I shouldn't have to do this. The camera does take good outdoor shots and pictures of the moon etc. and the 1600 film speed is nice. PRO'S/CON'S
PRO'S: Great features and images. Easy to use and follow instructions. CON'S: No CF card supplied with camera, can't view image through display screen when taking photos. compact traveller, great performer
Has performed admirably. After only making the step up to a digital SLR now (I'd been holding off as long as I could to get as good a performance as possible), it's lived up to every expections. Battery life has been great (only charged once in two weeks while travelling with it), and having tried it with 5 different lenses now (from fisheye's to 70-200mm f/2.0), it's been fantastic. You should see the zoom factor with the 70-200mm :) [...] Promising Camera But Underexposure Is An Issue
My new XTi underexposed & I've since learned that others have had this problem. Be aware of this correctable problem. Canon agreed there was an issue with my camera after I sent them a series of photos & histograms. Their service center gave fast service & appear to have corrected the problem. I've long used digital point & shoot cameras (Olympus & Kodak). This is my first SLR. I went to an SLR to get faster shots & hopefully greatly improved low light shots. The XTi certainly solved my need for faster shots. Initial evaluation of night/low light shots show great improvement over the non-SLR cameras. Photos of nightime lighted Christmas trees are not as blurry. Too early in the evaluation (plus I need to upgrade from the kit lens) to say it fully meets my desire for good low light shots. THe underexposure problem (both indoor & outdoor shots too dark) could be compensated for by increasing exposure by +2/3. Excellent value for the money
I have been extremely pleased with the Rebel XTi. I'm a relatively new-comer to the SLR world, but have been learning quickly (the XTi helps with the learning process since it is very easy to use). My major impetus in moving into the SLR world was my frustration with the large delay in depressing the shutter and pictures actually being taken with most digital cameras. Now that my children are getting more involved in sports and "moving" activities, I found that my old Sony DSCP93 camera (despite it's very nice pictures), was just not quick enough to capture these moments effectively. (Although I miss being able to just pop it into my pocket...) The silver body stays nice and cool during the hot days of summer in bright sunlight - which is the only advantage over the black body that I've found (that seems to be why all of the professional Canon-afficianado's prefer those white Canon lenses...). The presets for shooting makes the learning curve a little easier and helps aid in figuring out the intricacies of how to use the advanced features of this camera. Another great part is the large MP of the camera - makes cropping pictures much easier, and still allows for large size photo prints. Overall a great camera. Pleased to a tee!
Excellent camera. I have only used it a small amount of time but it makes the most incredible pictures. Only wish they had one of these 20 years ago. For the money, I don't think it can't be beat. Awesome!
Wonderful camera! Worth every penny plus some! It's true you can't immediately see the pic that you take at the exact moment but you can pull it up immediately after you take it with a push of the play button. Great Upgrade from a Point and Shoot
I still have the SD200 I bought a year or two ago, but the XTI is great. I am still learning all the settings. Now I'm starting to play with the RAW and continous shooting modes. I can't wait until nature starts getting it's color back to go shooting in some of the parks around town. A friend of mine has an XT and his photos from last summer look great, I can't imagine what the XTI's will look like. All I can say is buy THE biggest Memory Card you can find. If you shoot in RAW + L, it eats them alive. I had to wait for my Ultra II 2 gig and ended up using a standard 1 gig for a while. Now I just need to decide if I should shell out for more cards or to get an IS USM lens. I was suprised when I used up the battery the first time, not because it went fast (it didn't) but because it uses the same as the Elura series Camcorder I have. I can't say enough about it. Even when I screw up a shot, like when my dog bumps my leg, I can still see great detail. Canon did a great job with this camera and if you register it like I did, they answer even the rookiest of questions quicker than you would expect. If you are looking for an upgrade from a point and shoot to a SLR, this is for you. If you are already familiar with Canon's Menus and Programs, that's just icing. Not much better than 350D
Here's my two cents as a long time 350D user - the new 400D isn't a whole lot better. Some, but not much. And my 400D even has a sever firmware problem. Pro: - Better grip. Yes, I can feel the difference and the 400D is better. - The 2.5" LCD is better, quite a bit better. - The auto rotation works, and fast. Couldn't get the 350D to work somehow. - CF door feels more solid with a nice and reaasuring door-shutting sound, instead of the "almost-closed-but-might-fall-off" type of sound on my 350D - better build quality I suppose. - Continuous shooting is faster and longer, for sure. Neutral: - Hasn't own it long enough to know if the pro-active dust cleaning works - imporved menu navigation didn't do much for me, same laboring process to go through to get to the necessary setting. Some mentioned that the setting will stick with no need to click the set button now. But for me, the set button click on 350D wasn't a problem to begin with. You just get used to it over time. I think the 30D's a different league, close to that of the Nikons. Nikon seems to do a better job letting the shooter get to the functions more easily. - The 9 point AF and 2MP surplus don't do much to improve IQ either. A little maybe, but not as visible as I'd hope for with all the hype. Con: - Do have the metering error like some other users mentioned: some of the pictures come out under exposed for no reason, because others are fine from the same series. I think there's a bug in the new firmware. - My 400D has a nasty bug, sometimes it takes forever to recycle the internal flash. 350D never has the problem. With two different new batteries, various setting changes, and different lenses, no use. It happens quite often and unpredictable. Once it happens, you just can' do anything. It holds up the camera and freezes. When the flash is down, no problem. Conclusion: I think the 400D is a quick hack from Canon trying to beat Nikon and Sony to the market, with some quite unexpected and hideous bugs in the firmware. I just hope they will get it right the next time, plus with the anti-shake feature like Sony did. So I am glad Canon called this one XTi (for improved XT?). I am sticking with my 350D and waiting for the real XT 2.0, if Canon ever comes to that. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
