Canon EOS Rebel XTi Black SLR Digital Camera Body Only

Great Camera

Posted Jan 26, 2007 - Great camera combined with Canon's great lens lineup. Small grip does not bother me, despite long finger. I have used for numerous situations from bird watching, airshows, and landscapes with no serious issues. Have not experienced any under-exposure issues that others have commented on. Thanks

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For a first DSLR, look no further

Posted Mar 8, 2008 - This is my first DSLR. I've used digital point and shoots, from ultra compact to full-body "SLR like" cameras for years. I decided to go the DSLR route because I wanted a camera with good low-noise high ISO performance. It was down to the Nikon D80 and this camera. The reviews I read indicated the Canon as the better in ISO performance, and it was much cheaper, so it was a no-brainer. Even at 1600 ISO, the noise is very minimal, and with Neat Image, Noise Ninja, or even the included Canon software, noise can be virtually eliminated. Many complain about the small body and grip, but being used to non-SLR cameras, this doesn't bother me, and I have hands that can palm a basketball. The menu and buttons are extremely intuitive. It took me only a day of use to master the controls. As others have said, the kit lens isn't the greatest, but is far from bad. However, Canon seems to have some of the best lenses out there, adding to this camera's appeal. When coupled with the 50mm EF f/1.4 lens, this camera can almost see in the dark. It's not a huge con, but I wish the camera had image stabilization in the body so that this feature could be used with any lens, Canon brand or third party. The lack of spot metering is widely criticized, but honestly I manage fine without it. I really wish there was an AF assist lamp. It's irritating having to use the flash as the AF lamp, then having to physically close it if a shot with flash is desired. There is a small light on the front for indicating self timed shooting - why couldn't this have doubled as an AF lamp? Overall I love this camera. I currently have the kit lens, a Canon EF 28-135mm USM IS and a Canon EF 50mm USM f/1.4. I've taken 1200 shots in a month. I'm very satisfied with the camera, and if I had any final regrets, it would be that I didn't hold out for the XSi, but the XTi is certainly sufficient!

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A good step up from 350D.

Posted Dec 17, 2006 - I used a 350D for a year and had a chance for upgrading recently. Since I already have quite a few Canon lenses, my options are 30D and 400D. They have virtually the same picture quality. 30D has better build quality, but 400D is also well built. 30D's viewfinder is bigger and brighter, but not by THAT much. The grip on 30D is more comfortable, but I never had real problem with 350D or 400D either. On the up side, 400D is easier to carry around, has 2 more megapixels for cropping when needed, has 3 step dust removing (reduce production, shake off, and software remove). It's also $300 cheaper! The lack of a small LCD status panel doesn't bother me at all. The big LCD shows everything one needs to know. It hurts the battery life a little bit. It shouldn't be a problem unless you really need to shoot 500+ pictures with a single charge. The overall performance is as good as any SLR. I also like the 9 point AF. I shoot RAW almost always. So the new picture style is not important to me. But if you shoot jpeg and remember to use the right settings, it will be a plus from 350D. One minor complaint is that after you change settings like ISO, you have to press the set button to return to the main shooting screen. I don't think they need sub-menu that you have to press set to exit. The bottom line is that 400D won't be the bottleneck for my photos. I can save some money for better lenses, or, maybe a photography class. :)

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Excellent continuation of the Digital Rebel line...

Posted Jan 14, 2007 - This is my 3rd rebel as I had the original and the XT. This is exactly what I was looking for in terms of an upgrade. The last versions had smaller lcd screen and were likely to collect dust on the sensor. This version remedies the dust problem and increases the lcd size. There are some other differences in terms of the menu layout and canon finally got past the 3 digit limit of "999" read out for pictures remaining--a no-brainer since you can get 6-8gb compact flash cards for less than $150 now. Other than those improvements, the basic form factor seems to be extremely similar to the xt and I guess some folks will still complain about the small hand grip. I personally don't mind it and I have fairly long fingers, although they're slim. I would definitely invest in a better lens than the stock 18-55mm one that canon throws into their kit package. You are doing this cam a diservice by only using a sub $100 lens. I've had outstanding quality images from both sigma 18-200mm, 10-20mm and canon 70-300IS lenses. Like the past rebels, I highly recommend this cam both as a first time dslr buy or as an upgrade.

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Great bang for the buck

Posted Feb 20, 2008 - Full disclosure: I'm a Canon guy. From my 35mm SLRs to point-and-shoots to now, DSLR, I've always been a fan of Canon. Given that, I found the controls on the XTi to be very intuitive and easy to get around the various features. The image quality is fantastic. I decided to forgo the kit lens and went with a Sigma 30mm prime (which is fantastic) and couldn't be happier with the quality for a 1.6x crop camera. If you are going to be making very large prints, you might want to consider a full size sensor camera, but the image quality you'll get from the XTi will serve any noobie to advanced amateur very well. I thought the noise, even at high ISO settings was minimal. I've read many warnings about the size of body and the small grip and I have to say, if you have large hands, you should at least pick hold one before you decide to buy. I have small hands and although the camera is very usable, it is a little cramped and I may get the battery grip just to make the grip longer. There are a lot of nice features packed into the XTi, my favorite might be the sensor that shuts off the LCD screen when you put the camera up to your face. Small detail, but makes a big difference especially when shooting somewhere dark. If the XTi had a larger grip and the thumb wheel on the back, like the 30D, I would say it would be just about perfect, but given the cost, I can't complain one bit. If you're looking for your first DSLR or just don't want to spend thousands, this is the camera for you.

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Excellent camera for the money

Posted Nov 5, 2006 - I had a used 1st generation Digital Rebel before this, and it was well worth the upgrade to get the XTI. The only thing I miss about the old rebel is the more comfortable grip. But the fact that it is lighter is a worthy tradeoff. When matched with a small lens like the 60mm macro, it is lighter than my Tokina 12-24 lens by itself! I like knowing there is an extensive dust cleaning system in place to keep pesky dust at bay, and this is the first Canon to have it. My biggest complaint is I would love to be able to change the ISO while looking through the viewfinder (when bouncing back and forth between direct sunlight and shade), but I think that issue is true for all its competitors too. The 9 point AF system is directly taken from the more expensive 30D and a welcomed improvement. The large 2.5" LCD is bright enough, even in direct sunlight. From dpreview it states 3-5% of shots are well underexposed, perhaps a firmware update will fix it (I don't believe mine has done this yet in its 500 shots so far). Overall, I am very pleased with this upgrade.

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Excellent camera overall

Posted Oct 3, 2006 - I am new to digital SLR photography, having come from conventional digital cameras (my last was a Canon PowerShot S1 IS). I bought the camera body and a Tamron 18 - 200 F3.5 - 6.3 lens. I have so far mainly used it for sports photography, because of the sheer challenge, but have also taken a couple macro shots that came out surprisingly well, with excellent narrow depth of field and (in my judgment at least) good "bokeh". It's hard to separate the performance of the camera body (image sensor, etc.) from the lens, but first my outdoor results. In decent sunlight the lens and camera gave me stellar performance at a recent cross country invitational, especially since I'm an amateur. I shot F8.0 and ISO 400 to contend with sometimes bright light (and the fact that I'd left my lens hood at home), and the camera set itself to 1/1000 second shutter speed or thereabout, which resulted in runners being caught dead still although they were in their finishing sprint. Excellent shots! I've been less thrilled with my indoor results frankly, but based on another reviewer's comments to the contrary, I'm inclined to think it may be my lens. If I attempt to shoot indoor volleyball without a flash, the gymnasium lighting is too feeble to produce a good exposure. Even when I'm set to ISO 1600 (and I've tried the other settings below that as well), I can't seem to get a shutter speed faster than about 1/125 (when shooting shutter priority or Tv) before I see significant underexposure. Naturally, that's not a fast enough shutter speed for hand holding the rig at long telephoto (serving the ball on the other side of the court), or for capturing the action when someone's spiking the ball for example. I'm going to have to try another lens at some point. The camera is a little odd when it comes to a test I did to see how the "Sunny 16" rule holds up. For those who don't know it, it says you'll get a roughly correct exposure on a sunny day with aperture set to 16.0 and shutter speed set as the reciprocal of ISO speed. So I took the camera outdoors on a bright sunny day, set it to full manual, set ISO 100, shutter 1/100, and aperture 16. Whereupon, the camera's light meter dialed down EV compensation to -2 and produced a dark picture. I had to bump the ISO up to 400, let it do it's -2 adjustment (which can't be overridden in full manual) and then I got a proper shot. Shooting in aperture priority, set to 16, it set its own shutter speed to 1/25 when my ISO was 100. So instead of being the reciprocal of ISO, shutter speed was four times the reciprocal of ISO. All because the sensor seems to think it needs to apply -2 EV bias to the shots I was taking. Also, when shooting in a mode where EV compensation can be set by hand, I've tried all non-zero biases now and they don't appear to actually produce any difference. Cosmetically, the setting appears to take, but I get the exact same (unadjusted) exposure regardless. I feel like I must be doing something wrong, or perhaps its a glitch in the firmware (v1.0.4) or an issue arising out of the Tamron lens being a third party lens. Another oddity in this respect is that if I examine the JPEG's embedded EXIF data, even when I know the camera applied -2 bias, the EV field always reads out 0.0 as if no adjustement occurred. Still, who looks at JPEG metadata anyway? It's the visual material that matters, and this camera produces some stunning, detailed high res shots! So other than the EV bias issue, this is an outstanding camera and I'm very happy with my decision to go with the XTi. Its 9 point autofocus is fast, and the ability to select a point or change to servo mode for continuous refoucing as I track a moving subject performs fantastically. The menus are very intuitive and not cluttered in the least. I really couldn't think of a way to improve the user interface. The proximity sensor which turns off the LCD display when the camera is near your face is a really slick feature. All in all, this is a fantastic camera and I only wish I could afford to pair it up with one of Canon's EF 70 - 200 F2.8 USM IS lenses like it deserves to be matched with, but alas that's $1600 or so!

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Step up!

Posted Oct 20, 2006 - I previously owned the Canon XT or 350 D. Many people wonder if it's worth stepping up to this version. So far I would not discourage that choice (of course sparing some few 700 dollar, to get body only version). The key elements of Xti are not many at the first glance, but worth the upgrade: 10 megapixel, not a huge amount compared with 8 of the previous model,but they're all there, without adding noise. The big LCD which is really bigger but also brighter... still visible with bright sun (well October Boston sun)! The automatic sensor cleaning, still is a feature which I need to test more in depth...I didn't switch many times my lenses to get dust on the sensor! But theoretically it's an important add on: my previous shot of bright landscape (smaller aperture) with xt were always flawed with big dust spot (annoying). A great add-on, often overlooked, is the new 9 dot AF, quite faster and more efficient than previous five spot, even at night! I remember that canon sent me some months ago a survey to know what I would have changed in the Xt...I think they really listened to the suggestion of customers!

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Rebel XTI

Posted Oct 4, 2006 - I purchased the Rebel XT this summer and thought it was a great camera. But wow! The XTI is significantly better! The menu system is easier to navigate and the larger LCD is a great step up. I use a Canon 24-105mm L series lens and the focusing is lightning fast and accurate, even in low light. I've printed photos up to 13x19 (the largest I can go on my printer) and the images are sharp and clear. The new CMOS sensor and focusing system used in the XTI is similar to Canon's 30D, yet the Rebel is $400 less. Great value for the money.

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Pretty good carema

Posted Sep 28, 2006 - I know some would complain about the handle.....somehow I think this is actually have a better than the REbel XT in term of size and easy to hold. This is probably the best entry level camera.....cheaper than the NIkon D200 and Sony's entry level. If you are new to professional photography, this is the camera. I've done tons of research from other source and so far the only top competitor that this camera do have are the Nikon D200, Nikon D80 and Sony Alpha. Try not to buy the cheap Kit lens. The Kit lens are not that good. Do some research about other lens. The lens I bought is EF 28-105 II. The lens cost approximately 250. Or do some research on Sigma, tokina and tamron. Those company make lens for canon.

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Just got it ....

Posted Sep 26, 2006 - I purchased EOS Rebel XTi as soon as I could find a vendor with the black body. And when it arrived I had to chase the UPS driver all over the county to get it. Finally cornered him in a Staples parking lot and the camera was mine. The small black body looks great. When I match it with my 70mm-300mm Canon Ultrasonic lens even restaurant waitresses give me compliments. Such a thrill. It seems to perform unusually well with action shots under low light conditions. I also operate a Cannon EOS-10D and an EOS-1 Ds Mark II but I like this little baby much better when used for “grab” shots at parties and dances. The 1D is just too big to be comfortable carrying around in that kind of atmosphere, especially when you have to attach an external flash. And the 6-Mp 10D is a little heavier with significantly less resolution. It takes more time to be sure about a camera. But so far the new Rebel XTi looks like a real winner.

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Best Digital SLR Camera for the price

Posted Oct 25, 2006 - I was comparison-shopping between the Canon Rebel XTi, Nikon D80 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A100. Issues that matter most to me are ISO performance, image stabilization and dust removal capability. The best information that I was able to gather from various professional reviews before my purchase decision is as follows: ISO performance: The XTi and D80 are pretty much on a par, but with the D80 having a slight edge in being able to push it up to 3200 (with decreased resolution at that setting though). The Sony starts to fall behind at ISO 800 with noise issues and at ISO 1600 with other image quality issues as well. Image Stabilization: Sony has an edge in terms of cost-effectivenes because of the use of an in-camera IS system. With Canon and Nikon, you have to pay extra for lenses with IS. Dust Removal: Canon provides both hardware and software solutions. Sony provides hardware only. Nikon provides neither. So far, I am very happy with the camera. There are a few things I would wish for though. I wish the XTi would have a larger viewfinder (both the D80 and A100 have larger viewfinders), illuminated buttons (for night shots), and more reasonable prices on Canon's lens hoods (the lens hood for the above-mentioned zoom lens costs an outrageous $45).

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I likey ALOT

Posted Nov 5, 2006 - I am a original digital rebel (300D) owner. I purchased my 300D in Dec 2003 for $1000. The low noise in the 800-1600 ISO range is what sold me on the upgrade. If you own the 300D you know what I am talking about. First the reason for the upgrade. This camera exceeds my expectations at 800 to 1600 ISO. I can now shoot indoors at low light and get pictures I would show to my friends. Icing on the cake. 1) The jumbotron LCD. Ok maybe not jumbotron, but I think it looks huge and much better than my 300D. 2) Black body. I know, "Can you really tell the difference from the pictures if the camera is black or silver?" NO, but coming from the 300D where I didn't get a choice. I choose black. Call me old fashioned, but the guys shooting with a silver camera just doesn't look as professional as the guy with the black one and that "LOOK AT ME" white lens. You know what I am talking about. 3) 3fps and a buffer my 300D couldn't imagine. 4) the final thing "IT IS ONLY $799" or ($670 if you are lucky like me) I paid $1000 for the 300D and it doesn't even touch this thing. After @baying the 300D it was only a $300 upgrade. $300 well spent.

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Great Upgrade From Rebel XT.

Posted Dec 12, 2006 - 12/12/06 Better price at Amazon.com @ $699.94 shipping free from Amazon. Do not purchase the Kit Lens with the body as it is not a good lens. Spend more for a better Canon lens preferably a "L" "IS" lens as they are well worth the money in obtaining quality images.

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canon 400D

Posted Dec 2, 2006 - Canon lens are good but expensive. I've been using Canon digital camera from the start, I like my first A95 DC very much, the menu is very easy to use. I like the 400D menu too, the LCD display has a very good high resolution, and it's easy to check the photos. I think Canon make good DSLR compared to other camera like Nikon or Sony, maybe Sony & Nikon are using the same CCD sensor that I think their photos have the same white balance, the red object will never look absolute red but red-orange color. I think this is exactly the same results when you're watching the SONY LCD/CRT TV at home compared to PHILIPS LCD/CRT TV. The Sony TVs are always look more orange than PHILIPS TV.

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