Canon EOS Rebel XS lands, shoves XT aside

Goodnight XT and XTi, hello EOS Rebel XS -- we've been expecting you. Companion to the more recent XSi new DSLR has a larger 2.5-inch screen 10 megapixel sensor, live view display, 3fps burst shooting, DIGIC III image processor, seven point AF, and a bundled EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens. Unfortunately this is only going live in Japan today -- we'll be stuck waiting until next month for the US launch, which will supposedly place it in the $600-800 price range (we know, it's wide, we've got very little to go by right now). One more shot of the rear after the break.

[James @ Jun 10th 2008 12:23AM]

What does this have to do with the iPhone?

I kid.

[Minilap @ Jun 10th 2008 12:25AM]

shut up

[gabe @ Jun 10th 2008 1:16AM]

seriously - i felt like i was on a apple fanboy site today :(

[Naughty Bunnies @ Jun 10th 2008 3:59AM]

Well then your feelings were correct, engadget is apple fanboys. I welcome iPhone/Apple news myself but I believe there is a Applefree version of Engadget, if that still is in use.

[Dr. Jones @ Jun 10th 2008 12:47AM]

Does this interface with the iphone?

[Minilap @ Jun 10th 2008 12:27AM]

IS kit lens? E520 better be good.

[neihprome @ Jun 10th 2008 12:43AM]

$600-800? I doubt it, this had better be

[neihprome @ Jun 10th 2008 12:44AM]

OK, to finish that message (wtf?) I think this had better be at most $500 with a lens. $600 to 800 puts it too close to the XSi and gains them no ground in the real entry level market.

[CaptSaltyJack @ Jun 10th 2008 1:05AM]

$800 puts it too close to the EOS 40D which is $930-$950 (body only) after $200 instant rebate (until July 19th I believe). I just picked up the 40D myself, most excellent camera. Even the XSi is a ripoff at its current street price of $750 (body only). IMHO of course.

[Liam @ Jun 10th 2008 4:57AM]

The kit is $599

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0806/08061002Canon1000D.asp

As I said below, I just bought a 400d for £270. ARGH

[SubHumanSniper @ Jun 10th 2008 12:49AM]

What a joke...
Spend the money and buy yourself a Canon 40D.
Yeah it's more expensive, but it's a way better pro-sumer DSLR.
Trust me, I bought the XTi first and chucked it after only 6 months.

[Jaws @ Jun 10th 2008 1:03AM]

odd... you answer your own question on why it needs to exist in your attempt to get people to consider other options.

Yes... the 40D is a better pro-sumer model....
but...

That is like saying apples taste more appley than oranges. Why duh, of course... they're apples!

This is an entry-level digital SLR. Not a pro-sumer, not a pro model... entry-level.

And I'm sure its very appley too. :P

However... I'm with the people wishing for the $500 tag.

I just picked up a Sony alpha200 for around $450 w/ the kit lens. ENTRY LEVEL goodness. ;)

[Jagoex @ Jun 10th 2008 1:19AM]

Usually, when images go bad, it's the photographer. Just sayin'. ;)

[scootinger @ Jun 10th 2008 3:36AM]

I would rather take the ~$400-500 difference and use it to buy a better lens with this camera than buy the 40D with a crappy lens.

[Silverfrog @ Jun 10th 2008 10:47AM]

Re: jagoex

Obviously you know nothing about optics. Good luck creating sufficient depth of field without the right equipment. Just saying.

[Erigion @ Jun 10th 2008 5:04PM]

Yes, because the DSLR body magically creates depth of field without a lens.

You could have a 1DsMKIII and the best lens with the wrong settings and you'd get the same picture with no depth of field, relatively speaking, as the XS or XSi

[smileyface22 @ Jun 10th 2008 12:49AM]

true dat, and also it looks as if they had changed the memory card type from a compact flash to probably an SD card

[spyder91 @ Jun 10th 2008 12:50AM]

I hope those are two different camera's pictured and not a single black/silver camera. I was never a fan of the silver bodies to begin with. It kind of says "cheap" in Canon's DSLR world considering ONLY their lowest end cameras are offered in it. That being said, this camera should be an amazing value at that price (assuming that price is toward the $600 range). If it's near $800, it'll just encroach on the XSi's territory and more than likely push people away from itself as the XSi sells around $850 right now in kit form.

[Reader @ Jun 10th 2008 1:09AM]

Pretty sure it's just one.

[Za @ Jun 10th 2008 1:23AM]

Those are two different bodies - Canon's done this for a while with their Rebels.

[Alan @ Jun 10th 2008 12:55AM]

ISO button on top?

[info @ Jun 10th 2008 1:12AM]

So.. for us Europeans.. XT is 400D and XTi is 450D, right?

[z @ Jun 10th 2008 12:26PM]

I believe it is the 450d, but Canon should definitely stop calling these things differently from place to place, confusing and annoying, or maybe they believe the american buyers aren't clever enough they might buy the leftovers thinking they're the new ones...

[mobs @ Jun 10th 2008 7:20AM]

afaik
XT = 350D, XTi = 400D, XSi = 450D

[Narcosynthesis @ Jun 10th 2008 7:24AM]

rebel = 300d
rebel xt = 350d
rebel xti = 400d
rebel xsi = 450d

Seems rather silly to me to confuse everyone with different naming, but there you go.

[SubHumanSniper @ Jun 10th 2008 1:14AM]

@spyder91Yes those are two different camera bodies. I'm unsure why they chose to put the silver back with the black front. Kind of odd really. The older low end Canon's used to be silver but jumped to the black body with the XTi.

@smileyface22
Good attention to detail there buddy. I had not noticed the smaller memory card door until you pointed it out, as the XTi with its CF slot runs the length of the side of the body. Again an unusual choice of Canon.

As far as the major differences, the 2.5 screen is nice. The "live view" lcd is a joke and a step in the wrong direction IMO. DSLR are MEANT to use a true viewfinder. You notice how most newer digitals these days DON'T have the viewfinder and require the use of the live-view screen? Step in the wrong direction Canon. Also the XTi has a 9 point AF system compared to the XS's 7. Meh. Oh and the kit lens is junk. It sits in a soft storage bag on my desk at home. Also the 40D shoots at 6 FPS vs. this 3 FPS.
The best way I can describe it is to compare a knock-off ratchet with a true Snap-on ratchet. They look the same until you use them. The quality of the 40D makes itself apparent very early on and truly goes the distance in DSLR satisfaction.

[Za @ Jun 10th 2008 1:32AM]

I guess you don't get it. A hell of a lot of people are looking to move to SLRs without necessarily wanting to spend a thousand dollars up front. The image quality out of a Rebel XTi is *identical* to the image quality out of the 40D and both will be considerably better than point and shoots.

Average Joe stands to gain far more from going from a high end point and shoot to an entry level DSLR than he does from going from an entry level DSLR to a prosumer DSLR.

Also, a monkey with a Snap-on wrench will still be unable to successfully work on a car while a skilled mechanic forced to use inferior tools will still be able to do decent work. The camera does not make the shot; the photographer does, and if your argument is that the XS/XSi are worthless because you need a 40D to take good pictures, well, I think you are wrong.

[elay612 @ Jun 10th 2008 2:16AM]

@za
". The image quality out of a Rebel XTi is *identical* to the image quality out of the 40D and both will be considerably better than point and shoots."

obviously youve never shot with either the 40d or the xti or youd know that entire statement is 100% bullshit

the 40d may not blow the xti away, but the images out of it are certainly better

[Rifter @ Jun 10th 2008 12:10PM]

@subhuman

Just because you don't know how to use live view, don't bash it. With Landscapes, it rocks. With macro, it rocks. When you have a really funky angle, it rocks. With points 1 and 2, it is on a tripod. With point 3, it is not, which can cause some wobble, but I have found a high shutter speed will fix that. The worst part about live view, is that the LCD is "stuck" to the back of the camera, and cannot be rotated. I bought my XSi just over 2 months ago, and have taken well over 2000 shots with it. It is a good, solid camera. This new XS is a lower end version of it. With the DigicIII processor, and 10 MP, I bet it will have some great image quality.

I read a comparison a couple of weeks back, where a photographer took a bunch of pictures with a 5D and an XSi. He found that the XSi had image quality about 1 step lower than the 5D. (so, an XSi shooting at ISO 100 is about the same quality of a 5D at ISO 200).

[rpflo @ Jun 10th 2008 4:02PM]

"The image quality out of a Rebel XTi is *identical* to the image quality out of the 40D"

I own the 40D and the XTi, not identical. The color out of the 40D is evident to even the untrained eye.

I edit about 200 portraiture shots per week. My color adjustment time has gone way down since I got the 40D.

"fjdslk but it's the same megapixelz!"

[SubHumanSniper @ Jun 10th 2008 4:39PM]

Jesus how did I know I would get bashed on this?
The Snap-on comparison was brought in because the sheer quality of the 40D is better than anything below it, crappy photographers aside. If you get a chance, pick up an XTi or an XS and listen to the shutter as you shoot. Now pick up the 40D and listen to the shutter mechanism. Its superior quality is obvious.
As far as live view goes, I don't know if I have a need for it. There are many types of photography and just because one type would benefit from having live view, doesn't mean I should consider that a plus. Maybe I don't have any use for it. It just seems that once live view screens on digitals got large enough, the viewfinder disappeared and to me that's a drawback. What if the viewfinder disappears on DSLR's in the future? Ugh.
And finally this all started because VALUE is the most important thing to consider here. Does 500 or 600 dollars for an XS mean it's a better value because a 40D body costs 900 or 1,000? I have an XTi and a 40D so I'm in this about 1,500 alone on bodies. Do I wish I would have just made the jump and bought the 40D from the get go? You bet. I use both all the time at the same time, one on each side of me with different lenses in tow. The average guy looking to get into DSLR's isn't going to spend the huge sum to buy a Mark series body. But I think going for the bottom end of the spectrum is a mistake as well.

[omnicloud @ Jun 11th 2008 12:36AM]

@SubHumanSpider:

To reiterate what Za said, you can buy the most expensive, most lucrative Bösendorfer, but that does not mean you can play the piano masterfully.

Photography is an expressive art form that you, the photographer use the camera as a paintbrush. A higher end camera only makes it a bit easier to attain the results you desire. If you can't produce good images from any digital camera on the market today, then you are just a bad photographer.

While I don't agree with everything he says, you should read Ken Rockwell's site, especially: http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/notcamera.htm

[omnicloud @ Jun 11th 2008 1:45AM]

@ SubHumanSniper:

On another note to your reply above my previous post:

DSLRs losing the viewfinder in favour of just live view..?
No that would be an advanced (bridge) camera with removable lens.

digital single-lens-REFLEX = the reflex mirror for the viewfinder. A dSLR without an optical viewfinder is not a dSLR.

[SubHumanSniper @ Jun 10th 2008 1:17AM]

Oh yeah and @Jaws...

Pro-sumer is DEFINED as an entry level DSLR.
A Professional level DSLR is considered a Mark or above.
Pro-sumer = Professional / Consumer.

Define your oranges with apples elsewhere.

[Jaws @ Jun 10th 2008 1:30AM]

you obviously didn't get the memo from the companies trying get more and more people into dSLR's. Taking it out of the pro-sumer realm all together.

A sub $500 camera is hardly anything professional (when you get get an ultra-zoom p&s for the same price maybe).

I'm all for more price points in the dSLR range. pro, beginner... whatever.

[Za @ Jun 10th 2008 1:42AM]

No mate, not at all.

Entry-level [ less than ~US$1000]:
D40/D40x/D60
Rebel line
Evolt E410/E420/E510
Pentax K100D
Sony A200/A300/A350
etc

Prosumer [~US$1000-2000]:
Nikon D80/D300
Canon EOS30/40D/5D
Pentax K20D
Olympus E3
Sony A700
etc

Professional [~US$2000+]:
Nikon D3, perhaps D300
Canon 1d[x]Mk[x], perhaps 5D
etc

Although some cameras blur the lines, and not all of these cameras are contemporaries, there is a clear distinction between entry-level and prosumer. I just gave a quick and dirty rundown of what the general consensus is on naming scheme.

[fh @ Jun 10th 2008 3:58AM]

"Prosumer" was actually originally a way to identify a hybrid design between consumer point-and-shoot cameras and professional DSLRs. More specifically, a prosumer camera is one that opts for a high-quality but fixed lens, which while looking similar in shape to a DSLR, is significantly cheaper because of the fixed lens but offers much more image control than a regular consumer point-and-shoot. Within Canon's lineup:

Consumer: PowerShot A and SD series
Prosumer: PowerShot G, S5, and SX series
Professional: Any of the DSLRs

The Digital Rebel series marks the entry-level DSLR lineup; the 30D/40D marks the mid-range; and the 1D/1Ds/5D marks the high-end. And real photographers don't classify hardware according to pricetag: you can still get great images from an entry-level Canon DSLR when pairing them with an (expensive) L-series lens. But most photographers in-the-know would consider that foolish because of the 1.6x sensor magnification factor, which conversely is also why the full-frame 5D is always considered a high-end, albeit more economic, DSLR.

[Billy Fiul @ Jun 10th 2008 1:18AM]

Agreed, anything other than sexy black body is deal breaker.

[Zane @ Jun 10th 2008 1:30AM]

Is that the end of iPhone-related news?
*Thanks God*

[Ito @ Jun 10th 2008 1:45AM]

This price tag would really be the killer of this camera. I love canon to death, but as this is replacing the XT for canon's lowest end DSLR, $600-$800 is very pricey, especially when compared to the Nikon D40...

[Michael Scrip @ Jun 10th 2008 2:43AM]

I hope this XS will be closer to $600 in that $600~$800 range.

If the XS is closer to $800.. why not get an XSi for $900?

[Unbangyourmom @ Jun 10th 2008 4:08PM]

What a strange camera. If it were somewhere in the $500 with lense i might consider it as i love live view with my prime lenses. The XSi just wasn't good enough. Definitely will be getting the Nikon D90. Maybe the XRI will hit the spot.

[Goonfeld @ Jun 10th 2008 3:43AM]

Anyone know which of their models has the full size sensor inside, enabling you to use those whacky fish-eye lenses to their full potential?

Cheers

[fh @ Jun 10th 2008 4:01AM]

Still only the 1Ds series and 5D. Expensive, yes. But then so are those fancy fisheye lenses.

[senor goonfeld @ Jun 10th 2008 9:01AM]

And any idea if the 5D or 1D are recent launches, or are they due to be updated?

ta

[Silverfrog @ Jun 10th 2008 11:04AM]

Re: goonfeld

The 1-series had a recent update already (with the Mark III). The 5D is rumored to receive an update this November (Mark II).

[Liam @ Jun 10th 2008 4:43AM]

I just bought a 400d for £270, body only. If this is $600 with that lens then I will feel very foolish indeed.

[j.d.ripper @ Jun 10th 2008 5:01AM]

Would really like to see a side by side, feature by feature comparison of the XS and XSi

[Liam @ Jun 10th 2008 6:24AM]

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0801/08012403canoneos450d.asp
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0806/08061002Canon1000D.asp

I'll go through the biggies;

3" vs 2.5" LCD (same pixel count though)
9 vs 7 point AF
Rubber grips vs bare plastic
0.87x vs 0.81x viewfinder magnification
475g vs 450g (no battery)
The 1000D has less buttons, more menu surfing will be needed.

I think the 450d will be the nicer camera to have to deal with on a regular basis. The actual image quality will be nigh on exact, though.

[Liam @ Jun 10th 2008 6:25AM]

I meant to say it'll be nigh on exactly the same.