Hands-on with the Canon EOS Rebel XSi DSLR

We got our hands on what's probably one of the most anticipated cameras of the show, the Canon EOS Rebel XSi DSLR. The predecessor XTi model was crazy successful, so smart money says that the step up to a 3-inch live view LCD, 12.2-megapixel CMOS sensor, 9-point AF and Canon's DIGIC III processing will help continue the trend. That's a lot of features packed into this "starter" DSLR from Canon. With this body and all the lenses Canon has, this is one entry level that most folks will never need to leave.

Gallery: Hands-on with the Canon Rebel XSi DSLR

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[Richard @ Jan 31st 2008 2:30AM]

I know this adds little to the content of this site - but I LOVE Canon cams.

[Lenny @ Jan 31st 2008 2:20AM]

I find it amusing that the blurriest picture was the one showing the image stabilizer :)

[Andy S. @ Jan 31st 2008 2:32AM]

Will Buy.

[Daniel @ Jan 31st 2008 2:28AM]

taking pictures of cameras is ironic.

[courtenay27 @ Jan 31st 2008 2:42PM]

Taking BAD pictures of GOOD cameras is what's ironic.

[Andy S. @ Jan 31st 2008 2:33AM]

I don't think that 13th pic is the XSi.

[anorphirith @ Jan 31st 2008 2:48AM]

you guys obviously need one of those, you among the people who will really need it

[webon @ Jan 31st 2008 3:24AM]

what?

[anorphirith @ Feb 1st 2008 3:45AM]

my point was that the pictures they posted were crappy and that if somebody should buy a dslr for a useful use it would be engadget

[Jesse S @ Apr 9th 2008 8:48PM]

And how would buying a better camera increase their skills? That's like saying buying a better pan or knife makes you a better chef. Or buying a better bike makes you a better bicycler. Or buying a better horse makes you a better equestrian. Or buying a better computer makes you a better gamer. Etc.

[webon @ Jan 31st 2008 3:25AM]

Damn it just bought the xti, very cheap tho, hehe now I know why

[Chamil @ Jan 31st 2008 4:09AM]

I was not going to update my Rebel XT till the new 5D replacement comes.... but looking at the price and features of this baby I am having second thoughts about it now...

[Adam @ Jan 31st 2008 4:14AM]

1) Pic 13 is a Nikon, I can tell by the power switch and hideous button layout. 2) Speaking of buttons, there's a new one on the XSI between the shooting mode dial and the jog dial... But the silkscreening is obstructed in all your shots... WHAT DOES THE BUTTON DO?!?! :P

[Bilgin Ozkan @ Jan 31st 2008 6:00AM]

Actually you are right about the button layout but not about the camera brand. It is actually a Fuji SLR who use Nikon SLR bodies. I can tell from the SP1 SP2 etc. options on the dial.

Still definitely NOT a Canon though :)

And thank god for no 5D replacement as I would hate for my invesment to be obsolete :)

[mike @ Jan 31st 2008 4:20AM]

Never need to leave seems a little overstated.
Does it have better than a tiny toy tunnel of an eye piece yet....
When I looked at canon before, the pictures it produced were fine.
But, the handling was like an ungainly fisher price toy, with crappy little tunnel of an eyepiece.
Better handling and attention to such details definitely led me to pentax at the time.
Or does the new feature of live view now mean that the eye piece will become ignored in this level of cameras too?
I hope not... that would be a crying shame.
I wonder how everyone is accomplishing there live view ... prism I guess... funny how for the past several years, the company lines were all about not corrupting the light path with such shenanigans.. but now that the low end dslr market has bled into the prosumer camera space... all the cams have to have the live view!
Might be handy at times... but is almost surely a trade off in image quality.
It's all too bad as well, because it certainly leaves all the players free to slack off in relation to not improving the eye pieces, which were already very, very, very, very horribly sickly cousins of the often excellent eye pieces which were available on even lower end 35mm slrs back in the day.
And it's hard to get a good image, when you can't properly see if it is in focus or not.

- Mike

[mike @ Jan 31st 2008 4:27AM]

p.s. Having optically stabilized systems (or chip stabilized), while at the same time forcing people to try to hold a camera stable a foot or more in front of their face is one of the great ironic tragedies of modern camera design.
This is another BIG reason I hope the new gotta-have dslr feature of live view doesn't promote declining design interest in the eye piece.
But... I know it will. I just know it.
Oh.. feeeewwwie.

- Mike

[Charlie Taylor @ Jan 31st 2008 5:03AM]

No prism involved in the Xsi live-view. It's a feed straight from the image sensor. The viewfinder is also supposedly vastly improved from the Xti. Not as bright as say a 40D, but they say about the same size.

[Martin Trautmann @ Jan 31st 2008 6:15AM]

AFAIK the EOS 450D / XSi got no prism at all. The viewfinder is built from mirrors.

[wichenroder @ Jan 31st 2008 4:45AM]

So you touched it and took some horrible, redundant photos.. anything else? What is this post for?

[puxpux @ Apr 9th 2008 9:10PM]

for lulz, obviously!

[ScaryFast @ Jan 31st 2008 5:31AM]

I have the XTi and provided the image quality is still there I will pick one of these up at release. I got the first XTi from the store I used to work at and hopefully my ex-boss can get me the first XSi too.

Larger LCD, larger viewfinder, Digic III, SD, better grip, improved auto focus, new CMOS sensor which supposedly helps decrease noise, Live View, sounds like a winner.

And while a lot of pros and pro wannabes talk trash about live view, only an idiot would say it has no use whatsoever. Some of these people would rather crawl around on their belly in the mud to compose a shot than admit that they use live view like "normal" people.

I've been in situations with my XTi where I can't physically get my head behind the camera, be it in a corner, or down low, or up above my head. In all of these situations I've had to shoot blind and hope for the best, often missing important shots. While practice might make perfect, I'd rather be able to glance at the LCD even at an extreme angle, to make sure I'm at least pointed at the subject.

But I'm not a pro so what do I know? I just want my camera to be a tool that is easy and fun to use.

[mike @ Jan 31st 2008 10:01AM]

Yes, you're right. Live view has its uses. I think the new Sony designs are quite smart to have an articulating/swiveling screen to really take advantage of it.
My point was that where all the talk used to be about it corrupting the dslr, now everyone has it.
My second point was that it is no substitute for a good eye piece, like it has been treated on pocket cameras.
And I hope its presence does not lave the manufacturers feeling as though the eye piece doesn't need attention too. I however, think that is just what will happen. And that is much to the detriment of these cameras if it does.
Live view makes precise focus often more difficult than with a good eye piece, and it also promotes holding the camera in a much less stable fashion.
It surely has its uses, but if I could only have live view or a decent eyepiece and not both.. I'd take the eyepiece without a moments thought.

That all being said, even the high end dslr eyepieces aren't very good by old slr standards.

- Mike

[z @ Jan 31st 2008 5:57AM]

Please Canon, drop the 'xxi' or '###d' naming convention and make it a simple unique worldwide denomination...

[Martin Trautmann @ Jan 31st 2008 6:12AM]

At least the non-US name should be mentionned: Canon EOS 450D

[Jeff @ Jan 31st 2008 7:40AM]

No CF = no sale.

I don't get the switch in low-end SLR's to SD. It's not like the xsi is any smaller than the xti (nor should it be - the Rebels have always been a bit too small to really hold properly).

Well, maybe Canon's trying to push CF users to the higher-end bodies... and they'll probably succeed in my case.

[Liam @ Jan 31st 2008 9:25AM]

As someone who's looking into getting a 'proper' SLR after having a powershot to muck about with for the past five years, I prefer SD cards for many reasons. Firstly; I can shove the card in my Wii for a quick slideshow. Secondly; they're getting really cheap. £15 seems to be the going rate for 4gb cards, so they're level with compact flash or slightly cheaper. They're also faster, comsume less power, and leave more space in the camera for more important things, such as a bigger battery.

I can understand if you've built up quite a collection of CF cards that you'd be peeved, though.

[mike @ Jan 31st 2008 9:55AM]

Yeah, I don't see the problem with SD either. My understanding is that it is physically a more robust design. And sizes/prices are certainly reasonable enough.
More and more common to get a built in SD slot on notebooks and stuff too.
I think compact flash has more or less seen its day.

- mike

[Scott @ Jan 31st 2008 1:01PM]

Having worked with SD and CF cards quite a bit, I can tell you from experience that SD is neither "faster" nor "more physically robust" than CF cards. CF cards have the ability to be faster than SD cards, as well as being more durable.

[DANIEL @ Jan 31st 2008 9:04PM]

Can it do video?

[Liam @ Jan 31st 2008 9:07AM]

I want this SOOO bad.

[Liam @ Jan 31st 2008 9:09AM]

Oh, and here's a review of the (relatively) new glass that seems to come as a kit with the camera;

http://www.photozone.de/Reviews/Canon%20EOS%20Lens%20Tests/181-canon-ef-s-18-55mm-f35-56-is-test-report--review

Tasty and cheap, basically.

[Jeff @ Feb 2nd 2008 2:56AM]

Who has 2 thumbs and just got an XTi for christmas... THIS GUY...


So disappointing that a better camera is released within 1 month of my gift.

My real question is whether the XSi will have the same XTi flash issue - unable to take more than 20 photos on the built in flash in fast succession. I know for true quality and to dismiss the issue you should have a speedflash, but sometimes you just have no reason to lug one of those around.

If no flash issue, the additions to the XSi make it such a dramatically better camera at such a mildly elevated price point, it makes XTi recent buyers feel totally and completely screwed with a big rubber one.

Addition of 2mpxls, no big deal
Addition of: live view, Image stabilization lens, SD, ALL big deals for just a $200-300 increase at price point.

[Scott @ Jan 31st 2008 1:10PM]

Even Speedlights and other flashes have a recycle capacity limit. the XSi likely has the same limit that our XTi's have.

Personally, Live View and 2MP arn't worth considering an upgrade for me, SD is a downgrade from CF, and if I really want IS on a cheap lens, I could pick up the same 18-55 IS for around $200, but I'd rather have the 17-55 f/2.8 IS.

[Scott @ Jan 31st 2008 1:11PM]

Meant to reply to this. See my comments below.

[Scott @ Jan 31st 2008 1:11PM]

Crap. Quotes arn't working right.

[Joseph @ Jan 31st 2008 5:17PM]

your comment system is busted...

[Chosenbydestiny @ Jan 31st 2008 5:33PM]

Not bad, for a vacation camera.

[tim.brown01 @ Feb 1st 2008 11:55AM]

Just to be anal - the XTi had the 9 point autofocus.

[640x800 @ Feb 18th 2008 5:24PM]

this is a pretty sweet deal... bit pricier than the XTi, but Canon did a great job updating. Everyone should take a look at Nikon's "new" D60- not much going on there for the same bloody price! I'll definately be looking into one of these once I get the funds.