Canon Rebel XSi official, move over XTi
By Ryan Block 
posted January 23rd 2008 11:17PM
posted January 23rd 2008 11:17PM
- 12.2 megapixel APS-C CMOS (1.6x focal conversion)
- 3-inch live view LCD (up from the XTi's non-live-view 2.5-inch)
- DIGIC III image processor
- 9-point AF, 3.5fps shot rate (up to 45 images in JPEG, 6 in RAW)
- The usual ultrasonic sensor cleaning
- SD / SDHC media
- Ships April, $799 and $899 for body-only / included EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens, respectively
Two new lenses include:
EF800mm f/5.6L IS USM
- OIS
- 5360g / 11.8-pounds
- $12,000, out in May
EF200mm f/2L IS USM
- OIS
- 1.9m / 6.2-foot close-focus
- 3000g / 6.6-pounds
- $6,000, out in April
I worked at a camera store for 4 years and saw a good number of customers with bent pins in CF slots on their cameras. How they did it, I don't know. Jamming it in sideways I guess?
SD is the way to go, I have to say. Most other devices that take removable media take SD these days, or micro-SD which last time I checked fit inside an SD sized holder to be used in other devices. Lots of laptops come with SD readers on the side which is a bonus for me.
Have any of you "SD isn't as tough as CF" even handles an SD card? They're tiny and to break one you'd have to get a good grip on both sides and twist pretty hard. Not like a Smart Media card which can break just by inserting it into the camera. SD cards are solid little devices. Having SD also means the cards can also be used in other compact cameras. Say, the new Canon SD1100. While I love my Rebel XTi, I'd love to be able to buy a compact camera to bring along on bike rides and other activities where a DSLR is too big and bulky, and still be able to use the big cards.
Having a DSLR and P&S that share the same memory card format is handy. I recently went on vacation and took my Rebel XT and (semi-ancient) Powershot A70 along. It was pretty convenient to choose a camera depending on the type of activities we were doing and swap my CF card between the two cameras (and thus preserving the file numbering sequence on the one card).
In a perfect world, this new Rebel should have had dual SD and CF slots. :)
SD cards are the format of the RIAA. They are backed by the SDMI and SDCA and come with DRM and other bad stuff. i don't know why they insist on using SD when there are much better CF cards out there. the larger capacities [16 and 32gb] are still cheaper than SD.
never liked SD because of the DRM thing and the lack of speed / capacity. I hope it at least supports MMCplus
But the problem is most people have no idea about the DRM on SD cards... they just see a nice, small, high-capacity card... not knowing they are getting locked down.
DRM on SD cards? Really? Prove it. I want lots of links to respectable websites.
Hey - forget that camera!
200mm / 2.0 --- wtf?OMFG!
the problem is that you can get a 400mm 2.8 for 6500 which is the price of this 200 + 2x extender and you would be slower than 2.8 with the extender on, not to mention the extra glass.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/186152-USA/Canon_2533A002_Telephoto_EF_400mm_f_2_8L.html
This looks like it would be a decent upgrade from my Rebel XT except for having to buy new memory cards (I really have no preference in format I just already own CF cards, but I don't own any devices that use SD).
I keep hoping that Canon will start building their IS system into the body like Sony and some others do, but of course if they did that they wouldn't be able to charge 2 to 4 times as much for an IS version of a lens. If I didn't already have more invested in lens and other accessories for my Canon than what the camera itself cost I would consider jumping brands for one with an integrated IS system.
Actually Canon and Nikon use lens based IS because they provide better stabilization than camera based IS. You may be able to shoot a 1 or 2 stops slower with camera based IS but you get 3 to 4 extra stops with lens based IS. They did an article about it in Pop Photo I think.
I'm actually most unhappy about the increase in resolution. 12MP offers no real advantage over 10MP, and only serves to make RAW files that much bigger and cumbersome to work with.
I'm sure a company like Canon (and Nikon for that matter) would have done their research before committing to SD. This can be seen by the fact that Canon puts SD card slots (in addition to CF) in their pro-grade cameras, the 1Ds Mk3, as well as the 1D Mk3.
sd is a nice way to ease the transition from a lower end camera to this one - plenty of users coming from powershots or s5 is cameras will fully welcome this (i know it was a pain when i upgraded my s2is to my 400d). the liveview is quite a nice feature, and will be useful for framing awkward images. the rest is all good, but not much of an upgrade - its not worth upgrading from my 400d, but maybe the path i'm destined to take will be to a 40d at some point in the future?
@ Tony
Two words: Bigger. Viewfinder.
800$ !!! for the entry level canon ? how much was the xti announced for ? is this gonna be the real price ?
XTi was the same price when it was introduced.
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/rebel%20xti.shtml
You might be better off buying the body only and grabbing the lens from Amazon or something would save you about 20-30 bucks.
I shoot film. HA! Take THAT bitchez!
Don't forget that most new laptops have card readers that can read SD cards. That's a bonus. Since this camera isn't for pros, I can understand the switch to SD. Imagine all the consumers who have Powershots and Elphs. Now that can jump right into the XSi.
Everybody seems upset about the type of memory card, but thats not a very big deal. What bothers me is the higher MP count. The 10mp XTi already has lower quality than the 8mp version. Its grainier and has slightly less dynamic range. Now they are going to increase this? Its a mega-pixel war, and the consumers are ultimately losing. I think they should start concentrating of image quality rather than higher resolution. I bet the digic III processor would have gone nicely with an 8mp rebel. :/
This is lame. It's painfully obvious that the Rebel line is a "gateway" dSLR. It's meant to lure P&S owners wanting more from their gear without the sticker shock of a pro unit. That's what entry level means. I for one think it's brilliant of Canon because thats one less expense to hold a prosective buyer from pulling the trigger.
Canon won't alienate their existing base and allow another brand to win them over because of the CF issue. I agree there should have been a transition model to help XT / XTi owners make the jump, but the flipside is since the XSi really isn't that much better then the XT, maybe the logical jump would be a 40D, where magically their CF would still work.
There is a method to Canon's madness. It is what it is, accept it or or buy a Nikon.
Get a fucking olympus 510 instead! uses a Cf and Sd together!!!!!
Nobody should ever buy an Olympus. The name is derived from shitty beer and a vagina.
On second thought, fuck yourselves. What a pointless thread. I actually can't believe I got sucked into this crappy post. I'll never get these past 10 minutes back.
fuck you too asshole
More shots of the camera can be seen here http://www.techup.it/articoli/canon_eos_450d_prime_impressioni, in Europe they call it EOS 450D.
Why didn't Canon just have both an SD and a CF slot on this camera like they do on the 1D? This would have solved the problem of enticing point-and-shoot owners to step up to an SLR. And it would not render that collection of Sandisk Extreme III CF cards that the typical XT/XTi owner has amassed completely useless. In fact, as an XT owner who has lots of CF cards, I might welcome such a setup as it would allow me to use two cards, either for extra security or extra capacity. But Canon had to do things the stupid way. In any case, I guess this is just one more reason to just go with a used 5D when the new 7D comes out instead of going with an upgraded Rebel.
The only turn-down I see in the XSi is the 12MP sensor. The 10MP XTi falls behind the 8MP XT in photo quality, and it looks like that will continue (though we'll have to reserve final judgment for when we see the photos).
IMHO, the switch to SD is welcome (I was surprised that the XTi still used CF). No pins to bend, and SD readers are built into computers, TVs, printers, etc. So what if you have a pile of CF cards already? Flash is dirt cheap these days. Pick up an 8GB SDHC card for less than Canon will charge you for a spare battery.
I have a point and shoot that uses SD. Not to mention I had to replace the SDs cause they disappeared, broke, or just plain failed
PS. I am a student who has shot professional things with my XTi, and they are actually quite nice. Just because you elitist 5D and 1Ders think you are badasses because you spent thousands of dollars on the bodies, just remember. You guys are the equivalent of the car guys who buy Lamborghini's so they can drive around town and no where else.
The XTi is a great camera for what you pay. But the SD thing is a joke.
I cant believe the bickering back and forth over what memory card is more durable.
Do any of you remember film???Flimsy light sensitive cellophane that attracts dust?
Who gives a rats ass on the memory card.Its the results that count.
Given the track record of canon engineering I'm sure they know what they're doing.
Has anyone of you designed and built a digital camera?I didn't think so!!!
how long will it take for the xti's price to start going down after the xsi comes out?
Any word on availability yet?
I have been waiting to upgrade my original Digital rebel 300. Spot metering was my BIG pet peeve. This is the first Digital rebel to have it.
As for SD - I welcome my SD overlords. Fry’s had a 8 gig SD SDCH card for $35 this weekend... no biggie.
I was able to pick up the eos digital rebel xsi from J&R. http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=4216778
This is my first SLR so my frame of reference is only within the scope of this model, but so far so good. I'm basically learning as i'm going along, but I love it.