i sold my beloved Nikon D70 after four years of use. I still miss it. I purchased a D40, but it never felt right. Picture quality was good, better than the D70, but I had to go through menus to do most everything (changing white balance, ISO, formatting the card, you name it), whereas the D70 had dedicated buttons. That makes all the difference in usability. Besides, the D40 does not even autofocus with my beloved 50mm 1.8 lens. Are you kidding me? I returned the D40 after 3 days of use.

I was lookind at the D80, 40D, the D300, the XTI, and this one. All good cameras (at the end of the day, they all take excellent pictures). it's the usability/sweet price/new features factor that counts. 40D and D300 are expensive for me (not a pro). The XTI is getting old (still good though, and very good price). The D80 is very good, a bigger brother of my beloved d70, but still old: no sensor cleaning, to highlight tone priority, does not ship with a bundled VR lens. You are basically buying a 2006 camera in 2008. I did not like that.

I found this XSI at Circuit City. It felt right in my small hands. It had most of the buttons I need to make changes quickly. I still have to go to a menu to set my custom white balance (the D70 had a button for that). Same thing to format the card (button combination on the D70). Auto ISO is not as smart as Nikon's implementation. Other than that, the camera is excellent. All the other buttons are there. It has an RGB histogram (very important; it lets you see if you are clipping individual colors). Picture quality is great. Very little noise (Canon's CMOS sensor is cleaner than Nikon's CCD on the D80), very pleasing skin tones (I take lots of pictures of my daughter and wife).

If the D80 had the same 2008 features as this one (highlight tone priority, self-cleaning sensor, bundled VR lens), I would have gotten that one. It's still a great camera. This one is just a 2008 camera with features found in the semi-pro 40D and the pro 1DS.

I'm very happy with it.

My journey with DSLRs began back in 2003 with the original Digital Rebel. DSLRs changed my photography for the better like nothing else. Five years and some 25,000 shots later, it's still going strong. Along the way I upgraded to the Canon 30D, which is a fantastic camera as well. When the 40D was announced, I decided to wait until the 50D sometime in 2009, but wanted a newer backup/second body for my photography needs. So when the XSi/450D was announced, it sounded like a perfect fit for my needs.

I got it from Amazon.com three days ago, and have given it a pretty good workout since then, having shot about 650 shots under a variety of shooting conditions and with a number of different Canon and third-party lenses. The following are my impressions.

The build feels very good. The camera feels wonderfully light yet well built. I'm 6ft tall with average size hands, and the camera feels good in my hand. The battery grip, to me, defeats the purpose of having a small, light DSLR, so I opted for a Hakuba/Opteka grip (it's a plate that screws into the tripod socket that enables you to use the excellent Canon E1 hand strap with it) and I couldn't be happier. I'm not a fan of neck straps, so this works well for me (see the uploaded photo for the configuration).

Most of the menu buttons on the back feel different from the ones on the original Digital Rebel and the 30D; the XSi buttons feel more tactile and have a definite "click" to them when you press them. The exception are the Exposure Lock (*) and AF selector buttons, which have retained the deeper, softer feel of the older cameras. Just different, not better or worse, for me.

The LCD is now 3" with 230K pixels. The playback images look great, and probably because of the higher resolution of the sensor, there's a very slight delay when you zoom in to 10x while the image loads and displays properly. People coming from other cameras or brands might not even notice it--I only did so because of the difference between it and my two other Canon DSLRs (which have lower resolution sensors).

The Digital Rebel has a status screen on top of the camera, as does the 30D, so I wasn't sure if I was going to like the big LCD acting as the status screen and no top screen. I'm happy to say that this arrangement works well, at least for me. The back screen makes it really easy to take all the settings at a glance. The viewfinder is much larger and brighter than that in the Digital Rebel. A humongous welcome feature for me is the always displayed ISO value in the viewfinder.

The camera is only 1/2 of the image quality equation, the other being the lenses being used. Coupled with my favorite lens, the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L telephoto lens, the XSi turns out fantastic images. The supplied kit lens is very light and compact for being an image stabilized lens, and turns out good performance. The IS is certainly very useful.

Two features that used to be missing from the Digital Rebels and found in the more expensive DSLRs are now featured in the XSi: spot-metering and flash exposure compensation (these may have been available in the previous Digital Rebel model, the XTi, as well). The inclusion of those two features make the camera a much more complete and compelling photographic tool. The timer function now has a custom mode, where it'll count down from 10 seconds then take a number of shots (specified by you) in succession. No more running back and forth to reset the timer after each shot! There's also the traditional 2-second timer.

I've only tested the Live View function to see how it works, but I can already see how useful it's going to be in studio and macro shootings. Just a note, you can't half-press the shutter to autofocus while in Live View mode. You can either manual focus, or use one of the two autofocus methods, quick (the mirror flips up, the LCD goes dark for a short while, and flips down with focus locked) or live (the camera uses the LCD's contrast detection to achieve the focus--this method is slower than the quick method), both by pressing the exposure lock button (*) while in the Live View mode. Using either the RS-60E3 wired remote or RC-1 wireless remote in Live View mode will ONLY trigger the shutter, and has no bearing on focusing.

The Direct Print button that's been much ridiculed and maligned in most Canon cameras now double as the white balance menu button. The Set button in the middle of the four-direction arrow keys can be programmed for a number of different functions: Change image quality, flash exposure compensation, LCD monitor on/off (same as Display button, but can be triggered by the same hand holding the camera), and Menu display (again, can be triggered by the same hand holding the camera).

There is a dedicated ISO button, which is also very welcome. It can easily be accessed during shooting with the right thumb, thereby minimizing the interruption to shooting.

The battery life seems very good. I've shot about 500+ shots on a single charge and the status monitor is still showing charge at full.

I'm using Transcend 8GB Class 6 SDHC card with it. At ISO 100, the camera reports it can fit 396 RAW+JPG (highest quality) on it, but in reality it can probably fit about 420-450 (the camera's always conservative when estimating). With RAW only, it can fit 507. With highest quality JPG, it can fit 1,822. Note that as ISO increases, so do the file sizes and thus you can store less images per card. For example, on ISO 1600, the same card can only hold 323 images, compared to 396 at ISO 100.

My only gripe, and this is more about me than the camera, is the RAW+JPG buffer. I always shoot RAW+JPG, and the buffer will only hold four images at that speed. When the buffer's full, you can take two additional images at about a frame a second, then have to wait until the buffer empties (finishes writing to the memory card). When shooting RAW only, it's 6 images. When shooting JPG only, then it's no problem at more than 50 frames. I've found myself switching the mode dial to Sports mode when I'm shooting a fast-moving subject and the buffer simply can't keep up with it. Well, that's why Canon produces different grades and ranges of DSLRs.

I've uploaded some photos that I shot of the local wildlife. Most if not all of those were taken with the EF 70-200mm f/4 L lens (external links provided below for more images).

All in all, it's a fantastic camera. Pretty amazing to see how far the entry-level DSLRs have come in just a few years in terms of features, interface, ergonomics, and quality. I'm very pleased with my purchase and intend to have lots of fun shooting pictures with it.

[...]

I bought this camera in Hong Kong and it's impossible to display any LCD subject when using the automatic or semi- automatic functions.
I was said from the shop where I bought the camera, all the xsi are like this!!!!

How Canon can sell cameras with such defective functions?!

After using the Nikon D40 for the past 6 months I was in desperate need of a new DSLR camera. Not wanting to break my bank account I had been eyeing up the latest consumer level SLR from Canon, the Rebel XSi, and eagerly awaiting its release date.

Compared to other SLRs in this class the Canon Rebel XSi includes the following:

- 12.2 Megapixels: They just keep going up! This alone gives the Rebel XSi an advantage because (at this point in time) there is no other consumer level SLR camera with more megapixels on the market. I've even had a few friends tell me they're looking to upgrade from last years Rebel XTi which had 10.1.

- 3.0" LCD Panel:. Just when you thought they couldn't make it any bigger Canon upgrades their LCD screen yet again. Another reason amateur photographers will be happy to either upgrade or flat out purchase the Rebel XSi is because Canon has added an extra half-inch of screen space on the back, making for easier viewing and putting a stop to blurry photos before they get a chance to spread.

- 9-Point AF: The EOS Rebel XSi has a high-precision 9-point wide area AF sensor for fast, accurate focus even in dim lighting. It has a number of focus modes, including One-Shot AF, AI Focus AF, AI Servo AF and Manual. In Live View Function, the EOS Rebel XSi has two AF modes: Quick mode, which uses the camera's standard 9-point AF system, and Live mode, which is a contrast-based AF system that reads the sharpness of subjects right from the imaging sensor, and can be overridden by pressing the AF mode selection button. A familiar feature in PowerShot cameras, Live mode AF uses similar technologies to achieve focus, while Quick mode is more appropriate for capturing action or for shooting in low light.

- Outstanding Image Quality: Canon's CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) sensor captures images with exceptional clarity and tonal range, and offers the most pixels in its class. It offers many of the same new technologies to maximize each pixel's light gathering efficiency that were first seen with the professional EOS-1D Mark III model. It's an APS-C size sensor (22.2 x 14.8mm), and there's an effective 1.6x increase in the lens's marked focal length when attached. Canon's DIGIC III Image Processor dramatically enhances image quality and speeds up all camera operations for intuitive operation. It works in concert with the EOS Rebel XSi's sensor to achieve unprecedented levels of performance in all lighting situations.


- 14-bit A/D Converter: With the EOS Rebel XSi, analog to digital signal conversion is executed by a 14-bit processor, which generates digital data with incredibly smooth tones. Formerly a feature only present in top-of-the-line pro digital SLR cameras, the 14-bit conversion gives incredibly smooth transitions from light to dark colors, with far less risk of "banding." A sky at sunset is a perfect example. With this rich 14-bit gradation the EOS Rebel XSi offers RAW images of the highest quality that can be processed with Canon's Digital Photo Professional software. Even JPEG files, which are always finished at 8-bits per channel, use the full 14-bit conversion initially to generate the best possible color and tonal detail. Another huge benefit of the 14-bit conversion is the Highlight Tone Priority option, which allows critical shooters to increase the level of detail in bright areas of a scene up to one stop, without affecting overall exposure.

- Auto Optimization: The EOS Rebel XSi's Auto Optimization is yet another image-quality tool that comes to the rescue in tricky lighting conditions. It can actually lighten dark areas of a scene while ensuring that bright areas maintain tonal detail. It's now available in all shooting modes, including P, Tv, Av, and Manual.
- Precision Operation: The EOS Rebel XSi operates with such effortless speed that operation is nothing short of intuitive. With instant startup times, speedy autofocus and minimal shutter lag, the EOS Rebel XSi is one of the fastest cameras available today. It can shoot up to 3.5 frames per second, in bursts of 53 JPEGs or 6 RAW files, so you'll never, ever miss a shot.

- Advanced Features: The EOS Rebel XSi's 35-zone evaluative metering system with improved white balance analyzes light based on each zone in the viewing area, enabling the camera to choose the overall best exposure for the entire scene. It now features a spot meter, which reads a tiny area (about 4%) of the picture for extremely precise metering. It also provides Center-weighted average metering and partial metering for accurate exposure no matter the situation. The EOS Rebel XSi also has an improved, high magnification viewfinder that provides a larger overall view, and increased brightness and clarity. And the EOS Rebel XSi has a Display-Off sensor that automatically turns the LCD monitor off whenever the camera is at the photographer's eye. All relevant shooting information, including ISO, is displayed right in the viewfinder so it's easy to change settings without moving the camera away from the eye.

- Flexible Storage: The EOS Rebel XSi is the first EOS Digital SLR camera to use popular SD and SDHC memory cards only. Compact, inexpensive and available in increasingly large capacities, SD and SDHC memory cards are a perfect complement to the EOS Rebel XSi's compact and lightweight body design.

- Self Cleaning Sensor Unit: It's Back! A key element of minimizing dust is preventing it from clinging to the front surface of the imaging sensor. To combat against this, the EOS Rebel XSi features a Canon-designed Self Cleaning Sensor Unit. The low-pass filter at the front of the sensor shakes off dust automatically with ultrasonic vibrations, removing dust from the sensor assembly. The EOS Rebel XSi has a new coating on the front surface of the low-pass filter, to increase its resistance to dust sticking to the sensor.

This is about as good as it gets for consumer level SLRs. Canon has done it again with it's innovation and user-friendly design. Well worth the upgrade from the Nikon D40.

I have had the XSi for about 2 weeks now and I am thouroughly impressed with it. This is my first DSLR and I was a little wary about going with a brand-new and untested camera, but I have always like Canon (I used an ELAN II in High School and I bought a SD600 about 2 years ago to take snapshots of my son). Overall, I have not been disappointed with the quality of the photos that the XSi produces. The IS lens works great and I have taken some pretty amazing photos (for me at least). I do have just a couple of issues, both good and bad, that I think those who are looking at buying this may want to know.

Battery life -- Great battery life. I should say, AMAZING battery life. I have taken about 1500 photos and I am still on the first charge. I know that you can't judge battery life by one charge, but still, if I get half this many photos in the future, I will be happy.

Live View -- I have not yet learned how to get the camera to autofocus in Live View. You can't use the 9 point autofocus system while in Live View (it uses a different contrast-based system, if I understand correctly, which isn't nearly as accurate), so it may not make that much of a difference. I think that Canon put this functionality on as an afterthought so they could compete with Nikon, Sony and Pentax. You also can't use it in the AUTO mode (Green Square). This isn't that big of a deal for me, I prefer full manual myself, but the whole point of this feature, I thought, was to make it more user friendly for the Point-and-Shoot photographer. My wife can't use Live View, and it was one of the reasons I bought this Camera. So, if this is a big selling point for you, don't go for it (If it isn't that big of a deal to you, then this is still an amazing camera -- added 4-23-2008). If you do studio work, though, you can hook the camera up to your PC and use it as a remote viewer. I think you can hook it up to a TV as well and use the Live View. But it is not a point-and-shoot camera in Live View. You have to mess with too many setting to get the image just right, and for me, it just isn't worth it. Hopefully, Canon will fix some of the functionality problems in a future Firmware update.

Image Quality -- I have had some great success shooting in a studio setting as well as some great outdoor shots. In the studio, I used tungsten "hot" lights with the subjuect against a white background. The photos turned out great. Skin tones are perfect and there is very little, if any, chromatic abberation at the edges. It shoots great outdoor shots as well. We just got into beekeeping and I was able to get some AMAZING shots of our bees up-close outdoors. The bees looked dirty and not very interesting from a distance, but the macro photos I got up close are beautiful and full of wonderfully crisp details. The lens is a little short, the image quality you get from it is pretty good considering it only costs $100. I do plan on buying a longer lens in the near future.

Overall, the camera is solid and feels nice in the hand. It isn't too heavy, yet still feels sturdy. If you can afford the higher price, I don't think you will be disappointed. If you can't, the XTi is still a great camera. And if you can afford to wait a few months for the price to drop a little (or to get a good used model) I would. I was able to work a few extra weekends so I could afford to get this, and I can tell you, I don't mind it a bit, because the quality of photos I am getting has been totally worth it.

--- Update ---
I was incorrect when I said you couldn't use the 9-Point autofocus in Live View. You can use the 9-point autofocus while in Live View, but the mirror flips down and focuses so you can't see what you are trying to focus on until after the camera has actually gone through the autofocus process.

I just received my new Xs and see many improvements over the older Rebel. I was totally happy with the original and really wasn't in need of changes. In fact one week ago I replaced the body when Precision Camera repair company tried to cheat me on a shutter repair. The pixel count, IS lens and live preview were what sold me on the new model. Get one but be prepared to buy new spare batteries, charger and SD cards because the new camera's are not compatible with your older Rebel spare parts. If you wear glasses you won't need to carry reading glasses to see the settings on the large LCD.

I moved up to this camera from my 8mp Cannon Rebel XTI. I am very pleased with all of the upgrades from the Rebel, but am slightly disappointed that I can not use live view with any of the automatic settings!! Live view was the MAIN reason for moving up. Otherwise, I am happy with my purchase.

This Camera seems to do it all, quite nicely, I was a little suprised that the Live View feature does not function in the automatic/program modes, but the three inch monitor is a big improvement for viewing the pictures after you take them. So I am still happy, and won't discount my five point enthusiasm.

I like the weight and the grip, it just feels right to me. I got some really nice photos with the kit lens. Using it with my 580EX flash was also a breeze.

I am a point-and-shoot kinda guy, and this camera gets pro-looking shots in full automatic mode most of the time.

If you do a search on reviews of this camera you will find a lot of first time DSLR buyers deciding to get this camera. I am one of them. After years of Point and Shoot camera use thinking the convenience of carrying them and using them was worth it, I came to the realization that I wasn't happy with most of the pictures I took. They preserved the moment but almost none of them were worth blowing up or printing. Mediocre flash, zoom, megapixels, etc limited me and the pictures.

I love all the features of this camera for the price, especially the dedicated ISO button on top and the menu system is very easy to figure out, and the 3 inch LCD screen. There is also the switch to SD memory cards which are apparently easier to use than CF. It is so easy to take the card out, put it in an SD USB card reader, load the pictures and return the card to the camera, rather than have to fiddle around with opening the little door on the camera and connecting a cable from it to the PC.

If you are contemplating buying your first DSLR you must remember that the camera is just the start. You will need to invest in a quality external flash to improve your flash pictures. And there is the various zoom lens, that now utilize Image or Optical Stabilization, a technology worth the extra cost. I was happy to do all this and I am absolutely satisfied with this camera and the Canon lens and flash as well. I now am very happy with carrying a bigger but absolutely superior camera

I switched back to Canon from Nikon and will never go back! This is wonderful, fantastic, BUY IT. I'm not going to write a lengthy review as there are very helpful reviews from more knowlegeable folks already on this page. But I will suggest picking this up if you're an enthusiast who occasionally does professional shoots like me.

We'll start with what this camera is NOT:

1) it's NOT a full-frame camera. That means it's smaller, lighter, and of course the 1.6x crop factor is important to remember. Also, it's cheaper and offers less of the obscure features nobody will ever use anyway. That makes it easier to use at the expense of being slightly less functional.

2) it's NOT a point-and-shoot digicam. Don't expect it to do videos, sound, or to incorporate all kinds of convenient uber-automation that keeps you from controlling what you want to do yourself. Most of the time, this camera will stay in "P" or "program mode" for me. There is a green setting for point-and-shoot operation, but all this does is disable most of the features that you buy the camera for.

2a) Live View is NOT the same as the LCD viewfinder on point-and-shoot digicams. Don't expect it to focus fast or provide the same functionality. Live View is intended for a camera mounted on a tripod or held steady. It is a GREAT way to get perfect focus when you need it. It is NOT an LCD viewfinder. As long as you don't think it will be that (I was stupid enough to think that way) then you know before you buy.

The bad: (in all fairness, these are true of most modern DSLR's)

1) the battery is improved, yes, but it's REALLY expensive. I've bought generic backup batteries in the past and I'll probably do the same with this one.

2) the LCD screen is right where my nose and cheek go. You can't avoid getting it all dirty and that gets annoying after a while.

3) cheesy rubber cover. I like that all of the inputs are on the side, but I just hate these cheesy rubber covers.

4) battery door on the bottom. On my tripod, I can't access the battery without removing it.

Now, we'll do a reality check:

1) to those who say "It's only 12mp", well, yeah, that's right. But, understand that unless you're printing bigger than 8x10", this resolution is better than adequate. In fact, the majority of the lenses out there aren't good enough to go above 12 megapixels. What I mean is that you can have a 100 megapixel camera but your lens is only really pushing out 10mp worth of resolution.

2) to those who say "It feels flimsy", I disagree. It feels solid and sturdy. Now, if you don't know this already, the plastic is actually a covering and environment seal. Underneath, there is a stainless steel frame that holds everything solidly and sturdy. The plastic isn't structural so however it might FEEL to you, it is, in reality, stronger than you might think.

3) they say that APS-C is going to be obsolete. Well, no. Remember that there are now scores of lenses from Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sigma, and Tokina and those numbers continue to grow. Further, APS-C cameras are selling like hotcakes with no slow-down in site. These people are the same ones that kept their Reel-to-Reels because they were higher quality. Yeah, they were right, but you can't say that CD's aren't going to sell well because of it!

My first dSLR purchase, but I come with a strong analog photographic background (medium- and large-format photography).

The XSI is very nice. It is nice and light-weight, great image quality, and is snappy in operation. I couldn't ask for much more (well maybe in-body IS like Sony, Pentax, and Olympus cameras).

I laugh at the people who call this an "entry-level" dSLR. The image quality exceeds Canon's $1300 semi-professional 40D model. The features that more-expensive models include are mostly minor conveniences. I took plenty of "professional" pictures with my 4x5" view camera. I get about 1-frame-per-15-minutes with a large-format camera. And yet people seem to think that the XSI's 3.5 frames/per/second makes it entry-level?! Most photographers need nothing more. Yes, if you are a professional wildlife or sports photographer, you want the upgrade. If not, then this camera should meet your needs and then some.

What can I say, except that this camera is the best thing that's ever happened to me, next to my dear wife that is.

I came from point-n-shoot cameras, owned alot of them; mostly Sony and some were even half the price of this SLR. I've always had two major problems with point-n-shoot cameras. First, I always had to take 2-3 pictures for something to come out decent. It seemed that even if shooting in the same modes the color definition was always different in each picture taken. Second, it was a real challenge for me to capture objects in motion, most came out blurry; again I had to shoot 4,5+ times to get one acceptable result.

On the contrary, I decided to spend 900 bux and get this camera. It simply refuses to break pictures. I've taken pictures from busses out the window while in motion, i've taken pictures at fast moving objects, and it just refuses to break focus. I'm extremely surprised at how well it behaves, even in auto mode. It all feels like a dream.

The next thing i tried is the macro mode function at the Botanical Garden; and you can see some sample photos - the blue flower is one of the best :) I took about 5 pictures of each flower, because that's how I used to do it in the past. I shouldn't have. Each picture came out clear and sharp, however, keeping in mind that the kit lens is not really a macro lens, while shooting the really small flowers, there was some blurr, which is totally understandable. Some things are just too small to capture the details with the kit lens, not the camera's fault.

Another nice feature is the ability to update the firmware yourself, which we all know improves stability, adds new functionality, and, if there are any, corrects any software bugs.

The build quality is really solid too. It feels as solid as a rock, but not as heavy :)

Lastly, the battery. I haven't drained the battery but I have taken about 230 pictures, about 30 of those were at night with the flash. By the end of the day, I was still running with a full battery. So while I can't say exactly how many shots u can get on a full charge, I can confirm that the battery does not get exhausted easily.

Overall, if you have the money to spend and new to SLR's I would definately recommend this camera. Sure it's a bit expensive, but SDHC memory cards are cheap these days.

I love this camera. With the Live View, all I do is hook it up to my laptop, and find a bright star, and magnify the view on the laptop and I can focus in seconds. With the Xti and no Live View, it was a long, painful process that never really focused right. Once focused, I can take several long exposure pictures with no problem. Much less noise at higher ISO's than the Xti. I was able to get great pictures, first night out.

For other uses, its a great camera as well!

I upgraded to the XSi from my original Canon Digital Rebel. I really love the new features on the XSi and the live view option. I also like the ability to connect to the computer and control from there. Its a great entry in the Canon line of digital cameras. And for the price, you can't beat it.

I bought this camera a week ago as a replacement to my 5 year old digital rebel. I can experience the differences clearly. It is lighter and much faster. The speed in terms of start-up and shot-to-shot as well as auto-focus is incredible. It is dead on for the most part. This camera is a lot lighter too especially for someone used to the original digital rebel. I was not hugely impressed with the kit lens even though it has received rave reviews. I am still playing with it. My Canon 28-105 produces sharper images than the kit lens.

All in all, this camera is definitely a step-up from the older digital rebel. Compared to the XTi, the 3 inch LCD and live preview is a major enhancement. Spot metering is a huge plus. I am very satisfied with this camera.

I received my XSi on April 28th, just two days before I went chaperoned an 8th grade trip to Washington DC. I used the camera for the first time in Washington and it took a bit of time to get used to the controls, but I managed to get some really good shots. I used the kit lens that is included with the camera, as well as my 70-300mm zoom lens and my 24-70mm lens (both Canon lenses) and I got some excellent photos.

I subsequently took this camera and lenses with me on a one week vacation to Orlando, Florida and I shot around 1200 photos, and I got lots of excellent shots. The colors are great, and its a big step up from the first generation Digital Rebel which I previously used.

If it only had built in IS, it would be the perfect cam. Canon has to continue successfully producing/selling their IS lenses so having cameras with built in shake reduction feature is pointless for them unless they want to hurt their sales. Then again, at some point, they will be the only manufacturer to have no built in IS and if people enjoy using manual lenses, they will want to have their Canon cameras with built in IS just for the sake of using older Canon lenses and the rest available for what is the most versatile mount for use of any older manual focus lenses from Contax to Leica.

XSI is a wonderful camera, bettered perhaps by the slightly nicer sensor of the 40D, but worth the price to pay for the 40D?...not sure.

My first SLR camera and I really like the feel and the large LCD screen on the back. I find it is very user friendly. Has a lot of automatic features so you don't have to be a expert to take some good quality photos. You can grow with the camera as you learn more of it's basic features. I picked up a couple of lens to go with this camera and can't wait to explore more of what it has to offer. I'm so glad I choose this model. I've been wanting to get a SLR camera for years and finally I got one and I couldn't be happier!

This is not really a review of the XSi but rather a warning about a potential flaw in the Auto-Focus LED indicators (in the viewfinder). I actually have been using a Canon Rebel XT but I believe the XSi uses similar AF indicators. In spite of utmost care for my camera and lenses, one of the indicators is now completely gone, meaning it no longer lights up, while all the others have dimmed significantly. These indicators are important for shots involving people, for example, when one wants to focus on the eyes. I have owned the XT for just about exactly 2 years and have taken about 6000 photos and I am very disappointed by this. Planned obsolescence? I don't know but I won't take the chance again. Since I have invested in a number of Canon lenses, I am moving to a 40D since it uses different focus LEDs (small squares light up instead of simple dots) and it is supposedly built better. Personally, if I have similar issues with the 40D, I might sell everything and move to another brand. Perhaps I just received the unlucky XT but would be curious to hear if others have had similar experiences. Other than this issue, I have been very pleased with the image quality and I am sure the XSi would deliver even better.

I mated the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM lens with the Canon XSI body. Individually they are both incredible components. The camera has most of the features of more expensive dSLRs and the lens is an "L" lens, possessing incredible optics and quality. But I'm not sure they work well together.

When I first lifted the camera from the shipping box I was impressed. The camera felt solid, not like some cheap plastic cameras on the market. And it was relatively light-weight.

The lens was built like a tank, solid, bulky at 77mm diameter, and quite heavy. But when the lens was attached to the camera something strange happened. It didn't feel right. The balance was way off. Since the lens was 50% heavier than the camera, it tended to point downward, like a divining rod, when the camera was suspended by its' strap. But, of course, "heavy" is a relative term. I had just upgraded from a compact P&S. And most quality dSLR lenses tend to be "heavy". I read about photograpers who label camera and lenses even heavier than mine as "light". This is just a personal reaction I want to convey. I had anticipated I would be supporting the weight of the camera almost totally with my right hand, using my left had only for balance. But I find I am also using my left hand to support considerable weight.

I won't go here into much detail about the specifications. They'll be discussed in depth by other reviewers. Suffice it to say this is a quality camera with advanced features and "predictable" controls.

There is one operational issue I think should be addressed, however. It's almost impossible to frame a shot using the viewfinder without smudging that beautiful 3" LCD monitor with your nose. There are eyepiece extenders available, but most users are not satisfied with them. It is said much of the image is blocked with their use.

I have addressed this problem by installing a plastic protector over the LCD monitor. I suggest you do the same. Now I can rub the protector to my heart's content without fear of scratching the LCD glass.

One other thing: Protect your lens with a quality UV filter. it would be pointless to install a cheap UV filter over a high-quality lens. I went for the B&H.

In summary, although I'm not yet comfortable with my combination of camera and lens, I did not let this detract from my grade. After all, this is a review of
a camera, and not of a lens or even a combination of the two. Hopefully my discomfort will pass as I use the camera more frequently.

I waited for months debating on whether to go ahead and purchase the Canon 40D or hold out for the new XSi. I am thrilled that I waited on the XSi. The quality is excellent! I purchased the XSi with the 18-55mm IS lens. The lens is a good walk around lens but I also purchased the 50mm 1.8 and the Sigma 70-300mm zoom. I tend to the leave the Sigma on more than any.

The XSi has nearly all the features of the 40d at a fraction of the cost. It's features are definitely well above the XTi and totally worth the upgrade. The 3" LCD screen is great for the live view shooting or reviewing. The buttons are placed great and it's very easy to navigate.

The body itself is not as heavy as the 40d but also doesn't feel cheap and weak. It's a huge step up from my Canon S3 IS, however, I still love that camera and all it's power too.

I have used the camera in numerous situations already and it prevails in all. Of course as with most, it does extremely well outdoors in light. It also exceeded my expectations indoors in low light. Even when I have had to bump the ISO to 800 or 1600, it performs wonderfully and there is very little noticeable noise. With my former cameras, I was never able to use high ISO settings because they were too noisy to fix with post processing. With the XSi, there is very little if any post processing work needed on the high ISO shots. It's wonderful for low light situations when you don't want that deer in the headlights flash look!

All in all, the XSi was totally worth the wait and the savings. The XSi is a fraction of the cost of the 40D and yet has nearly if not all the pluses of the 40D. I'd definitely recommend anyone debating between the two to go ahead and go with the XSi body and save your money for good lenses.

You have the choice of buying a XSi for 800 dollars (body only) or buying a Canon 40D for $950. I can't see why anyone in that position would choose to go with the XSI. The build quality on the 40D is infinitely better. It has weatherproofing and a magnesium alloy body. It's shutter is rated for 100,000 shots whereas the rebel series has been rated for about half that (That means the 40D could last twice as long for 150 bucks more). It has a much better and clearer viewfinder; a pentaprism instead of a pentamirror. It is faster in terms of burst shooting and can reach faster shutter speeds than the XSi (1/8000 sec vs 1/4000). It also has a much larger memory buffer for when you take bursts of photos. The 40D can be pushed to 3200 ISO while the XSi tops out at 1600. This is a big deal when shooting in low light. The 40D also has longer battery life.

Further, most people will never use 12 Megapixels. 10 is perfectly adequate. I can understand buying an XTi over a 40D. The XTi is half the price. But for the small difference the 40D is definitely the smarter buy when compared to the XSi. If the price comes down, then the XSi will be worth it. Until then. Do yourself a favor and get the 40D. Just my two cents.

My three stars are strictly based on a price to performance consideration. I'm sure the XSi performs great. Canon dSLR's are excellent all around.

Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)
This is quite a good camera for the price, and the lens is GREAT value with
good wide angle and zoom capabilities. One review I read before buying the camera said it was intuitive to operate. Not for me! It came set up so the LIVE VIEW feature, which shows the shot to be taken on the screen, was not defaulted, so the the QUICK START instructions were useless, and only after deep reading of the operating instructions did i work out what was going on.
Also this only operates on "manual" modes, not on any of the automatic modes. So a lot steeper learning curve than I'd expected.

The XSi is a significant step forward for Canon, and brings features to the upper end of the consumer market that were previously only seen in much more expensive professional equipment.

The most important reasons I like this camera are:

1. The kit lens (EF-S 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 IS) is very good for the price. It is as sharp as lenses costing $700 to $1,000 and has only minimally greater barrel distortion and no vignetting to speak of. There is a little bit more chromatic aberration than with more expensive lenses, but again it is hardly worth mentioning. The autofocus and image stabilization work reliably and quickly. For aficionados of professional grade lenses, the build will seem light, but a light and small lens is also easier to carry around. Overall, a big improvement over earlier Canon kit lenses.

2. The 12.2 megapixel sensor provides very good resolution. Even 8"x12" enlargements are satisfactory. We can look forward to the day when consumer-priced 35mm SLRs will have 30 megapixel full size sensors, but in the meantime, this is as good as it gets.

3. The camera is fast. With natural lighting (no flash) it shoots 3.5 frames per second, perfect for capturing kids or sports action.

4. Another great feature of the XSi is that it has all the manual controllability that advanced photographers want, but also has automatic modes that even a complete beginner can easily use.

Having only had the XSi for a few weeks, I cannot yet say anything about the reliability of this new model. What I can report is that in more than 30 years of photography, I have found Canon products, both SLR and point and shoot, to be by far the most reliable. The Nikon, Olympus, and Pentax cameras I once owned have long since fallen by the wayside, but every Canon I have ever had, going all the way back to a 1978 35 mm AT-1 SLR, is still going strong.

At Dpreview this camera scores 9, near to top in image quality.It's true! Great photos, natural colors, I love it!

Just bought one last week. This Canon camera is simply the best SLR/quality value camera on the market....hands down.

This camera is impossible to beat at this price. I won't write a lengthy review, but, you can set this camera in fully automatic mode and hand it to a "point and shoot" person, and they will obtain fantastic results. For the amateur photographer, this has all of the bells and whistles, what I love is I can reset the camera rapidly for multiple shots of the same scene on very different settings. Married with a decent photo program on your computer, it is possible to achieve professional results.

Many reviews say, get this with the stabilization lens.... I wholeheartedly agree... the extra $100 is a bargain price for this lens... It is almost (and I do say almost) like having a tripod. I set the camera for 1/10th second exposures with no support, and obtained steady pictures with it, slower than this, and the stabilization did not fully correct for any unsteadiness.

We'd buy it again in a heartbeat, and I wish I could get one for everyone I know!! Best photos that I have ever taken and a joy to use! Connecting it to the computer and downloading photos takes a matter of seconds.

Get the largest SD card you can afford with it... We have a 2GB card with it, and it fills fairly rapidly. 1GB is far too small for this camera (primarily because you will take numerous shots with it, not because the pics take up a great deal of memory), I'm guessing 4GB would be near perfect (or a couple of 2GB cards, but one 4GB is safer, the cards are too easy to misplace).

I'm a professional photographer. I shoot editorials and advertising. I own a couple Canon 1Ds Mark 3. That being said, I wanted a small compact camera to take around with me. I first purchased a Sigma DP-1, but found it limiting and too slow. I sold it and decided to purchase the Canon 450D (XSi). And I am simply amazed at the functionality and speedy feel of the camera. Yes, it's not as small as a DP-1, but compared to a 1Ds Mark 3, it's tiny. Every feature of this camera is well thought out and they loaded it with much current technology as possible. I can't think of a single thing to complain about. I see people complaining about the buffer, but honestly if you NEED high buffer on RAW shooting then take the plunge and buy a 1D or 1Ds.

It's not a professional grade camera by functionality and build. But the image quality is on par. sRAW on a 1Ds Mark 3 is precisely the same as this camera MP size. I would feel very comfortable with the image quality of this camera to do a editorial shoot (non-sport) with it. But of course, the client always wants to see the big expensive camera, since they're paying you. :)

Pros: 12MP, features: one of the more complete entry level DSLR, ergonomic, weight, lens kit, image quality, cheap IS lens complement: canon IS 55-250mm, canon community of expert users, canon software, live view, speed

Cons: price not only the camera but as well the other canon accessories like the flash, , grip.... need as well to invest time since it is more complex than a Point & shoot(read below)

I bought the 450D/XSI since around 3 weeks and it is my first DSLR. My previous camera was a canon Point & Shoot (P&S) with which I felt limited although I was shooting times to times in manual mode.
One of the reasons that encouraged me to stay with canon was the good quality of my previous camera and because the canon cameras interface is quite similar (this saves time). The 450D/XSI is an excellent camera and the kit lens is very good and it can be complemented for a limited budget (less than 300$) with the good canon IS 55-250mm.

I will not do a technical review as a lot of experts already did. [...] My advise or comment is for the people who are upgrading to a DSLR: you need to spend time to learn photography techniques and how your XSI/DSLR works. If you are buying this camera for just using the automatic mode it is not a wise investment (although the XSI automatic mode is excellent as well) and you can find cheaper and better alternatives (point &shoots, some other DSLR like the XT....

In addition I read in forums a lot of questions/remarks that would not have been raised if the people took 5 minutes to read the user guides or if they experimented by them self.

After around 1000 shots with the XSI my photos improved significantly thanks as well to the use of the canon post processing software delivered with the camera. But I am still far from using the full potential of this camera

I was deciding between a Canon 40D and this camera. For me, the form factor is a big plus, because I plan on lugging this onto an airplane along with my laptop in my carryon. I tend not to abuse my electronics too much, so the whole question of plastic body on the XSi vs. a metal body for the 40D wasn't an issue for me. Two points that favored the 40D: the continuous RAW mode is better (for baby's first steps, or sports) and the kit lens for the 40D is more versatile (a little wider than 35mm and out to 5X zoom, vs 3X zoom on the XSi kit lens). For me, it wasn't worth the extra cost (about $400 as of this writing).

I decided to splurge on a DSLR over an point-and-shoot because I always got frustrated with sunset and lowlight shots with my point-and-shoot (I have an Olympus Stylus 400). Either the picture would be blown out or too dark. Also, indoor shots without flash would often be too grainy because of the inferior image processing in my pocket camera. Much less of a problem with a DSLR, where I've been able to twiddle with the ISO and the aperture to get decent shots in all the above-mentioned situations.

Overall, I'm very satisfied with this product. 4 stars because Canon doesn't include a SD card in the kit (c'mon, even my point-and-shoot came with a weenie card).

I thought long and hard about buying a new digital camera. I was torn between the 40D and the XSi. I chose the XSi mostly because of price and features and I have not been disappointed. I just love taking pictures with this camera.

I have had 3 or 4 $300.00 cameras and they did their job however it was time to make a jump to a real SLR digital. The feel and controls are natural and well located, focus is fast, power-up from stand-by out standing. I like macro floral shots, its here out of the box easy. The auto focus lens is a must, there are sellers that offer strange non-Canon lens don't go there.

This is my first SLR camera. I bought it for my Hawaii Trip. It works great. The pixes are clear. I and my gf both love it.

For someone who is used to a non-digital SLR, you will feel right at home with this one. All the same functions are there, just shown on a menu to select electronically, instead of with manual adjustments. You can use this as a point-and-shoot digital, or you can play to your heart's content. The lens is great, and you can add a telephoto lens if you want. It will take some learning for someone whose only experience is with a digital, but is a good choice for someone who wants to convert to digital from manual without losing all the versatility of the SLR camera.

Amazon (And other web sites) should remove reviews from off of their site by individuals (like the one on this item with one star) who pull down the ratings of a camera like this one simply because they claim they had a bad customer experience with a seller. The rating system needs to be changed or monitored to stop these kinds of bogus reviews. Their claimed seller experience should in no way be permitted to reflect against the quality and reputation of a product line, and reflect unreasonable product down grading through the star system.

This kind of action has been seen on other websites in relation to this particular camera, and someone in one particular review even professed to logging back into a site under different names, giving the XSi one star (of 5) over and over again in order to help depreciate the camera's overall rating, giving a bogus appearance as though this camera has a lower popularity rating than that of their favorite brand in which they are loyal to. Their actions dictate as if this Canon camera has no right to be more popular than their own brand. One individual even stated in a forum that they were deliberately attempting to pull down Canon's XSi 5 star rating because of their belief that they are saving the world from it's ignorance about cameras (Even if it means cheating the rating popularity to do it)

Amazon, these one star ratings are an abuse of the star system and should be pulled from web sites. They are not a true reflection of user opinion or experience in general. I recently bought a Rebel XSi from Amazon.com, and I'm completely satisfied and happy with it. If a customer prefers a certain "head to head " competitor brand, then they should go buy that brand and write a positive review on it as their own favorite camera. But don't go into a Canon customer review page and pull the XSi's star rating down simply because you don't like this item's popularity, or think you have a right to judge how it should be rated or viewed by other possible camera customers.

This childish behavior has no place in the real world. We all know that one of the 1st impressions of what someone looks at in a review rating is how many stars it has, leading to the old adage "The 1st impression is always the lasting impression"

I have been watching this camera's development closely over the past 3 years for possible purchase, and due to the advancements over it's previous XT and XTi predecessors including the new 12mp sensor it has, I found it quite odd that it's star ratings were somehow dropping lower than it's predecessors. Especially when expert reviews give it higher marks.

This is my first digital SLR. I love it!
The camera has a lot to play (and learn) with. It has the latest technology from Canon. The live view doesn't seem to work as a point and shoot yet it may not be a deal breaker. The lens are so-so. By reading other reports one realizes that there are much better lens to replace it. The camera is light and no so bulky as other SLRs.
If you plan to buy a general purpose zoom it may not make sense to buy the body with the lens even at the cheap price difference (unless you want to sell it later).

I'd love to write a review for this camera, but it was shipped broken so I haven't had a chance to use it. Don't order this camera online, and especially don't buy it from Pavilion Electronics.

A Pro, I've a Canon Ds and a Canon D Mark II n, for jobs. And, a Rebel XT and XTi, as back up cameras and for assistants to use, and I got an XSI for the same reason as the other Rebel's! Though, I got to tell you, I really like this sweet little light 12MP camera. And, I want'a use it too and am going to, especially when I want to lighten my camera bag for a long hike by foot to a location to shot and for times when I'll be carrying a camera in hand all day long... It has all the basic manual functions that I might need and then some, and other pluses...

This camera is really great!

It's easy to use, the LCD screen is big and clear, it's quite light, and the packaged kit lens (18-55 IS) is good. It's not a top lens, but it delivers sharp photos across the zoom range. Default settings will you great shots out of the box.
The 9-point auto focus is good most of times, but I found myself using the central point most often, even more so when using larger apertures.

For under $800 (body only), this is the best DSLR you can find.

* Pros and Cons *
Pros:
- An easy to use, quick camera.
- Intuitive menu.
- 12 mega pixels.
- Great pictures, sharp, good tones.
- Small and light weight for a DSLR.
- Live view mode (slow but can be useful in studio).
- 3.5 shots per second (could be more).
- Sharp kit lens for the price.

Cons:
- Expensive compared to the Canon 40D.
- ISO limited to 1600.
- Relatively low fps.
- Exposure compensation range limited.

* The competition *
The closest competitor is certainly the Canon 40D, which is a bigger, more professional camera. It has more options, higher iso, remote flash, higher shots per second rate, fewer pixels but a definitely tougher feel.
I went for the rebel Xsi because I found the 40D too hefty.
Still, if you really want a professional camera you should look at the Canon 40D.
If you have a bigger budget, you should also look at Nikon, I really recommend the Nikon D300, it's a really impressive camera.

* Lenses *
Canon has LOTS of lenses.
If you're tight on budget, you should get the 50mm 1.8, a great lens for portrait. It's also a good start to get used to shoot with primes (lenses with a fixed focal length).
The 18-55mm kit lens if often paired with the Canon 55-250mm IS lens to give you an almost 14x zoom (13.9).
If you don't want to change lenses, the Sigma 18-200 OS deserves a look.

I don't have a lot to say...I had the Canon EOS Rebel XTi. I then saw the XSi was coming out...did my research on it. Found out that it had what I needed for most of my amateur needs. It came out, I bought it. It didn't disappoint me. Bottom line.

I bought this for my wife Becky she loves it
the pictures are awesome

Just had an opportunity to use this camera under varying conditions in USA and Canada. I am a long time amateur trying to become a professional. From the Pacific coast of California to Mobile, AL., where I live, to my new grand daughter's face in Brampton, Ontario, CDA., to Niagara Falls, CDA., and back home, this camera performed exceedingly well. I have taken well over 600 pics and the battery still has charge for perhaps another 600 pics. I used auto settings as well as dedicated, and in every case, the results were outstanding. My family and friends were amazed at the crispness of the prints, but for me, it was the ease of use and ready adaptability that got my attention. This will be my main camera for some time to come. A rebel in its class, but attaches a new meaning to the word. Likely to stay at the head of this class.

The camera is evolutionary on the Canon EOS 40D model with greater megapixels, in a compact package. It handles easily, and does not increase the burden on the user because of excess weight. The image stabilization feauture on the 18-55MM lense is a pleasant addition to the kit lense, and gives a greater level of control over pictures. I am forced to seek out image stabilization lenses because the excess weight causes my hands to shake. I look forward to using the Camera in Florence and Venice this Fall.

We bought this camera one day before a big vacation. I would have been happy with my tiny 6mp, but my husband was determined to move up. His pictures were WONDERFUL. Clearly we did not have time to explore all it could do in advance, but the 3,000 pictures we shot are amazing. Whether a detailed picture trying to capture centuries old stained glass or my quick shots out of the car window, the end results are priceless. You can blow up the image to look at single threads on a tapestry without the image suffering. WOW. Have memory ready though! We had our laptop and were able to dump the 2GB card daily. Really need a bigger card.

I normally shoot P&S cameras and never was interested in getting a dSLR due to the size. I have a Canon SD1000 for parties where I don't want to carry a large camera and S3 mainly for family get together, vacation, etc. I tried the camera first at a local store and I liked it, so when the price dropped online I bought it and I can't be happier. The images and the speed of taking pictures is great. The quality of the pics is amazing too. I'll probably get rid of my S3 and keep the SD1000 as a low profile cam and use this for parties, vacations, etc.

My husband and I bought this camera for our 35th anniversary because we wanted to take a driving tour through the redwood forests of California and the ocean along the Oregon coast. We figured the trip would be a warm up and review of what the camera could do. We are so pleased with the photos taken with this Canon Rebel TSi 12 Megapixel Camera. It came with an 18-55 mm lens and we purchased a 75-300 mm lens also. Neither of us are pro's with a camera but I loved the feature that lets you take multiple pictures one after the other. We had also purchased a High-speed SD memory disk and were able to get fantastic photos of waves as they crest, curl, and crash on shore. I was even able to get photos of sea gulls flying and with the larger lens they look wonderful. We also toured the lighthouses along the Oregon Coast and the camera took great pictures of those too, no mater what the distance was. I cannot wait to go on another whale watch cruise this summer here in Seattle. This time I think I will actually be able to capture the Orca pods and not have photos of the water only because my old camera took too long to focus before the picture would shoot. I was afraid that the bigger camera would be a pain to carry around but it really was not. Although bigger than my smaller digital camera, it is lightweight and was not really the problem I thought it would be. We both love this camera.

I got this camera 3 weeks ago and have taken about 800 pics , I have to say that the first 500 were not really good, this camera is very good if you know how to use it, it takes a litle while to learn about settings flash, and stuff, also if you want to take beter shots you need to get an extra lens, other than 18-55mm i got canon 70-200 f/4 L wich is really good for zoomed pics, good and beter definition, you also need to get an uv filter to avoid overexp., when sunny days dont be surprised if your pics come up very lighted, you always have to adjust your settings, speccially iso, and exp. , and never get shots under basic zone when very sunny, camera has defult settings and you wont be able to change those settings, and pics will come up over exp. i use P mode and lower exp, also iso will be set at 100 or 200,,, overall I'm happy with it, if you wanna see some pics just check the samples on this webpaga amazon.com on your right side of camera description says users pictures or something, click on the most recently added or check them all, when you find a bratz pic, thats me, two pics next to bratz, and 3 before bratz, total five, thanks so much and happy hollidays

This review is strictly comparison of image quality of these four SLRs, I am completely leaving out ergonomics, features, size of LCD etc.

After shooting 100s of shots and pixel peeping images of identical scenes.

Color reproduction:
1st: Nikon D60
2nd: Canon XTi and Canon XSi
4th: Olympus E420

D60 has sliglty more vibrant and punchier colors than the Canons. Casual user will be much happier with Nikon over the other three. XSi and XTi and identical in this regard inspite of the former's 14-bit A/D converison advantage. Upgarding from XTi to XSi will not give any advantage in real world improvements in terms of color reproduction.

Image Noise (at 400 and 1600 ISO)
1st: Canon XTi
2nd: Canon XSi
3rd: Nikon D60
3rd: Olympus E420

XTi has the least image noise, as it has less megapixels in the same area CMOS sensor when compared XSi. D60's CCD is noisier but it also has more color information at higher ISOs where Canons mutes colors to suppress the noise. E420 smaller LiveMOS sensor has worst of both worlds. It's images are as Noisy as D40 but colors are as muted as Canon's.

If you factor in the prices, the best choices are either XTi for D60. The trade off is between better color and less noise.

Hello everyone! Well I got the Canon XSI the other day and i wanted to let you all know how the live view work. Not good!!! Let me explain how it works and why it will not work underwater.
1.You Have two choices in Auto Focus in Live View.
Quick View: Samples a Focus points
Live View: Samples in center
Both are slow.
2.When you think how live view should work it doesn't. You would think to focus you would press the Shutter botton down 1/2 way and it would Focus. Well in Live view it doesn't. Strange? How you do it is.You press the AE Lock Botton. Then after it focuses you press the Shutter Botton. The biggest problem it take 1 to3 Sec. just to Focus. Good by fish!!! Man i had high hopes for this camera but i am going to send it back. If someone else has seen a better way of doing this let us know. But i don't think so. Man this camera Sucks!!!!!

A very popular review here suggested that the 40D was a better deal. I'm here to say I ignored his suggestion and am glad I did. I've only had the XSi for a week, so haven't taken more than 100 real shots yet, but I'm really pleased.

First off, the XSi is $200 cheaper than the 40D (at the moment, it varies greatly) and 2/3rds the weight, both of which I appreciate. I've never used the 40D so my comments below are about the XSi and the improvements over the Xti.

Pros:

* Bigger screen is great for viewing your results and checking the settings.
* Seeing the ISO in the viewfinder is wonderful! In the past I'd messed up shots because I'd left it set wrong, but no longer.
* The viewfinder seems brighter and easier to view (haven't used in low light yet).
* New Auto ISO makes getting quick shots in changing light easier, though I'll manually set it for shots when I had time to check all my settings.
* Digital noise seems to be slightly reduced than the Xti.
* Battery life is *excellent*. I've only charged it once so far.
* Even though the Live View focusing is a little funky, it works pretty well. I can definitely see using it for night shots when the viewfinder is too dark (or maybe it won't be anymore?). Nice touch that you can display a 3x3 grid on the screen for composition. For auto-focusing, I prefer the Quick Focus mode, which blanks out the Live View while you're holding down the * button and the focusing is happening, but it's definitely usable. The other auto-focus mode (Live Mode) takes so long that I won't use it. Manual focusing is made much easier since they've added the ability to zoom in 10x in Live View, which is *wonderful*. I'd missed that feature when I moved up from my Panasonic FZ30, which had it.
* I like having the new spot metering for night shots.
* I *really* like the new "My Menu" where you can select your favorite 6 menu options and they show up first, which means less digging through menus.

Cons:

* Highlight Tone Priority feature eliminates the ISO 100 option, which means you can get a little more digital noise. And you can still get blown out highlights. Maybe I'm not using it right or expecting too much?
* Buttons on the back of the camera are more recessed than the Xti, making it less-obvious when you're trying to hit the right one w/o looking. It's also *really* crowded back there! Tough having fat fingers!

Neither pro nor con:

* RAW files are much bigger than in the Xti, many around 14MB, which means you get fewer shots per memory card (135 RAWs on a 2GB card, vs 197 on the same sized card in my Xti). I expected a little increase from the increased resolution, but didn't count on the increase in the A/D bits from 12 to 14 to increase things too. This also makes file transfers and loading into image editing software slower, and I think I'll need a bigger hard drive soon!
* When reviewing photos, you can hit the Disp button to see more shot details. Hit it once to just add that the storage format and picture count, which I *don't* think is worth its own step. Hit the Disp button again to see the brightness histogram. Hit it once more to see the luminescence histogram plus 3 small histograms for Red, Green and Blue. Personally I don't have use for this last mode (or the second), so wish there was a Custom Function to disable them.
* High ISO noise reduction - another feature I've turned off in Custom Functions. Better to do advanced noise reduction on the computer. Plus is slows down the continuous shooting mode to about 1.5 shots per second! Ugh.

All in all the XSi is a really nice pro-sumer camera that lets you get down and dirty with details when you want but can also rip off quick shots w/o thinking about every little setting.

The Canon EOS Rebel Xsi was a very good buy at Amazon

The price was excellent, the camera arrived within 5 working days of the order, and there were no shipping charges or sales tax.

I have previously owned the Canon Rebel XT. I liked this camera as an improvement over my previous Powershot. The SLR offered the focusing and lens possibilities I had experienced with my film Elan camera. However, I found the Canon XT did not do well in low-light situations and that it did not handle situations with varied lighting very well.

The new Canon XSi is a VAST improvement over the XT and well worth the investment. Photos are much sharper. The XSi easily adapts to all types of lighting situations. Also its new larger LCD screen is much easier to use. This camera feels more substantial in the hand, and I find all the buttons smartly placed for ease of use.

I might add that I have added the 55-250mm IS lens to the 18-55mm IS lens. Both are light and easily used. With 2 lenses I have both fairly wide angle and telephoto capabilities. This is a great lens set up for anyone wanting to use their XSi in travel and hiking situations.

We have had this camera for about 3 weeks now and I have to say we love it. I had a Canon G3 years ago and love every picture taken from it. This is my first DSLR and just as the reviews say and I thought, it is amazing. Most of the pictures were clear and amazingly capture nature, people, landscapes, and night shots with awesome clarity. I looked hard at the 40D and I must say it is a better camera, I just didn't want to spend $500 more for many features that I may never use. I have had some auto focus problems but I attributed them to my own fault.

I picked up this camera two weeks ago at a local store. Overall, it's a solid camera. Color reproduction is wonderful, it's quick, low noise with high iso, and terrific macros. The camera is blazing fast. Please refer to the other posters for the good points of this camera.

Now i'll discuss the shortcomings. The major one, which has been referenced to in various forums such as dpreview and a few online review sites is poor AutoFocus. Not all cameras are affected, but mine was. If you shoot at an object from w/in 10 ft, it has trouble over 50% of the time picking up the autofocus point and often selects the wrong point. If you use center focus, it gets pretty close but final image is still a bit blurry. It becomes a bit sharper w/ the live view autofocus system. When I took some outdoor pics of some animals, i couldn't quite lock on what i was interested in. Even when taking shots of people outside w/ a prominent background, it seems to have trouble deciding if it wants to focus on the person or the background. I'd say that 20% of my shots were actually in focus and those look wonderful. The remaining ones had the focus off. So i'm gonna send my camera to canon for repair. I went to best buy and tried out a 40D and the focus was rock solid. If you get a good camera, kodus to u.

Well, maybe not, but the Rebel XSi is certainly a step up for me!!! As a certified DSLR newb (this is my first SLR camera of any type), I certainly didn't know what to expect when I ordered this camera. Yeah, I had done all of the online and in-store research, read through myriads of model reviews and pondered my desired requirements, but you never know how things are going to go until you have the product at home and have used it a few times. Bottom line is that the Rebel XSi is easy to use and takes great pictures, which is what it's all about! For someone who never had anything but a point-and-shoot, the learning curve on the Rebel has not been as steep as I originally thought. While I won't be chucking my job to become a paparazzo and art galleries won't be showing any of my works anytime soon, the Rebel XSi works for what I need it for; clean and crisp, albeit amateur, photography.

In the end, I decided to purchase the Rebel XSi for a couple of reasons. First, it met my price point for a first-timer's DSLR camera. I couldn't see myself spending >$1K to support a hobby that I was only beginning to explore. I likened my buying a higher-end prosumer or professional camera body (like a Canon 1D, a 40D or a Pentax/Samsung K20) to throwing the keys for the Maserati to a 15 year-old driver school dropout. I know I could "grow" into a high-end camera, but why take a chance? My second rationale for purchasing the Rebel XSi was the functionalities built into the camera. With comparably-priced DSLRs, i would have had to sacrifice this or that feature that comes included with the XSi.

My much-used PowerShot will be gathering dust...

I just got this camera and am beyond delighted with it. The quality and clarity of the images it captures are no less than mind-blowing.

However I would like to warn you all of something;

If you are plannning to buy this BECAUSE of the live-screen feature, DON'T!

In buying this, I could do without the live-screen feature, but I fear that there are people planning to buy this camera on the merits of this feature alone. The truth is, using the live-screen feature greatly diminishes the quality of your photos, and the feature is not available in all shooting modes.

If the live-screen feature is a large reason of yours to buy this camera then, I repeat, DO NOT!

If, however, you are purely looking for a very good camera that is worth its price (around $800 now) and can do without the live-screen than go ahed and buy!

I may be biased b/c this is my first DSLR camera, but I can't live without it. It is easy to use for the amateur like myself or advanced enough for a professional. very user friendly camera and is actually pretty easy to use. Fairly light camera even with big tamron 28-300mm VC lens on it (a must have). the pics have been perfect so far...if not outstanding

This is the best Digital Rebel yet! Had the XT a few years ago. The XSI takes entry level DSLR way past the next level. I'm a Graphic Designer so I use this camera for both personal and work photos. I let one of my coworkers use it for about a hour after which he is going to buy one. Love the 3in screen and the way Canon cleaned up the body. May be more money then Nikon but well worth it. You get some really great software with the Canon. Nikon on the other hand gives you very basic software and makes you pay for their better version.