Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera (Black Body Only) by Canon
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Digital camera reviews of Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera (Black Body Only)
Digital camera Review: Excellent camera; a few negs
Summary: 4 Stars
This is an excellent digital SLR oveall, and (almost) everything positive that others have written about it is correct in my opinion. The controls are intuitive, and after a little practice you can use them without having to take your eye off the viewfinder - the ISO control, the exposure compensation, the viewfinder is familiar to any Canon SLR user, etc... The grip is comfortable, and provides good 'grip'. The LCD panel is bright, and displays all relevant information in a readable, usable manner. The mode dial allows you to switch on the camera with a gentle flick to the wheel, and the camera itself switches on almost instantaneously.
The battery, when fully charged, can take almost a thousand shots before requiring a recharge. Even when using the flash, I was able to take more than a hundred shots before the indicator dipped to the low marker.
Since this camera can accept both regular and EF-S lenses, there is a white marker on the body for aligning the EF-S lenses when mounting them on the body, and a red marker for the regular lenses. Nice!
The negatives, in my opinion:
- Flash photography results, especially indoors, and with the built-in flash, are not too good. You will have to experiment a lot to get acceptably good results. This may be an issue with most cameras when using the built-in flash, and you may need to go in for an external flash. So this is not necessarily a negative against the Canon XSi, but more an issue with most cameras I think.
- The tripod socket at the bottom has the camera's serial number next to it. So, after screwing and un-screwing the tripod head a few times to the camera body, you are very likely to end up scratching off the serial number completely. Also, you will need to swivel the tripod head to open the battery cover. This is also bad for the serial number sticker. This may not matter much, unless you need to get the camera repaired. Bummer. In any case, this is not optimal design.
- If you switch on the "Long Exposure Noise Reduction" custom setting on, it can take 5, 10 seconds or longer before you are able to take another photo. So be aware of that. This depends on the length of the exposure itself. For 30 second exposures, this post-processing can take almost as long.
- The exposure compensation indicator still does not go beyond showing 2 f-stops in either direction. This is supposed to be on account of a patent issue, but it still reduces usability somewhat.
On the whole, an excellent camera, but not without its flaws.
Digital camera Review: Excellent starter
Summary: 5 Stars
As my first SLR I think this was the best choice I could have made at the time. After a short learning curve you are ready to take great pictures and they only improve as you go. Take the time to learn how to shoot the better modes and stay away from the auto modes. With the release of the T series this may not be a top choice depending on your price range but overall I couldn't be happier.Digital camera Review: Fantastic Entry Level SLR
Summary: 5 Stars
For the longest time, I have never had a real digital camera (for pictures, I would always use the camera on my enV Touch). I never wanted to get a small point and shoot camera because I've never been happy with the image quality. One day, my grandpa gave me a Sigma EF lens, and since I had the lens, I decided to go ahead and take the plunge into the DSLR world. The lens pretty much decided that I was going to get a Canon EOS DSLR, so I just had to choose the right one. I wanted to get the most for my money, so I decided to go get a used camera. I saw that my options were the XSi, XTi, an older 30D, and the first generation 1D. After doing a ton of research, I decided that the XSi was the best thing to get, as it had live view and a self cleaning CMOS sensor. I've had this camera for about a month, and overall I am very pleased with it:
Pros:
-Excellent image quality. Unless you're taking images with a really bad lens or a damaged lens, if taken properly, the photos will look great. The colors look fantastic, and the detail is astounding.
-Easy to use. Shooting in automatic pretty much makes it act as a point and shoot camera, but once you learn how to shoot in manual, you won't regret it. Adjusting the ISO, shutter speed and f-prime are really easy and quick to do, so if you need to get a shot of something very quickly, it is very possible.
-Well built. The body is plastic, but it is well constructed. I wouldn't drop it on any hard surface, but the camera could take a decent beating.
-Good built in flash. It's nowhere near a professional flash, but it's bright enough so that you can take pictures in just about any dark area. It will destroy the flash on ANY point and shoot camera. You can't adjust it to use it for modified lighting.
-Light. Mostly due to the fact that the body isn't made of metal, but it helps if you have it around your neck all day.
-Lens compatibility. Like all other Canon DSLR's, it takes EF lenses, so thankfully finding a compatible lens is very easy to do.
-Live view. I definitely prefer the viewfinder (it seems like it's easier to steady the camera when it's closer to your face), but if I need someone to take a picture for me, I like the fact that I can set it to automatic, turn on live view and be confident that someone who isn't familiar with camera equipment could still take a good picture.
-The LCD screen is INCREDIBLE. I know it seems childish to type a word in all caps, but this LCD screen deserves it. A full sized monitor is still better for viewing the pictures, but Canon is not lying about the ridiculous viewing angle. The colors and sharpness really pop out!
Cons:
-When I got it out of the box, it had some auto-focus issues (similar to the ones discussed in other reviews here). However, I updated the firmware (search "canon eos xsi firmware" on Google to find it) and it seems to be doing much better (I went from 1.0.4 to 1.1.0). It was a pain that I had to update the firmware, but things like that happen. I feel like it did resolve the issue though.
-ISO only goes up to 1600. While going up any higher usually isn't a good idea, sometimes it's necessary for places that don't have good lighting. Getting a lens with a low f-prime will help (anywhere between 1.2-1.8 will work), but it would've been nice to have it go up to at least 3200.
Overall:
Fantastic camera. I bought this from a friend with a battery, charger, case and a couple of other goodies for a good price, and I don't regret it. It has its minor issues, but once you get used to the camera, you will easily overlook them. This performs about equivalent to a Nikon D60.
However, if you want the most bang for your buck, you are best off buying the camera body without the kit lens, and then buying a 50mm lens and a telephoto lens.
Digital camera Review: GREAT digital camera - still holds up well against newer models
Summary: 5 Stars
The XSi is a great digital body, and should probably be bought that way (i.e., without a lens), so that you can save the money you would have spent on a barely-adequate kit lens to put towards something far better, such as the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens. While this Rebel has been superceded by the newer Canon EOS Rebel T1i, this model still provides excellent bang for the buck, and even exceeds the performance of the T1i in some respects.
Others have written at length and in great detail about the features and performance of this camera, so I'll just touch on a few highlights and some important distinctions between this and the newer model, the T1i. This model uses the same size digital sensor (APS-C) with fewer megapixels than the newer body. This fact, together with the less agressive noise-reduction implemented by the older DIGIC III processor in this camera, means that the XSi can provide lower noise in lower-light situations than the T1i, while still providing more than enough pixels to print even cropped sections of your photos up to 11x14.
By foregoing the video recording mode, DIGIC IV processor and high-resolution screen found on the T1i, the XSi body leaves more room in your budget for some important accessories, such as the 17-55 f/2.8 lens mentioned above, and one of the must-have Speedlite flashes, such as the top-of-the-line Canon Speedlite 580EX II or the still-very-much-worth-having Canon Speedlite 430EX II.
Basically, if you want a compact digital camera body that accepts EF-S lenses and don't want to blow your whole budget before you even get to buy a lens or a flash, the XSi is right in the sweet spot of great performance for a reasonable price.
Digital camera Review: Glad I got a Canon XSi
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased the Canon XSi back in April. I debated for two months as this was going to be my first real DSLR. I looked at the 40D, the 50D, the XTi and I just ended up making a simple choice (I knew I wanted Canon) based on the price, features, the pixel count, the lenses available and my skill level. This camera has lived up to my expectations and I am glad I decided on the XSi. I also purchased a Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 to go with it and the combination is excellent! Get a Canon if you are not sure what to get.