Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens - Black by Canon
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Digital camera reviews of Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens - Black
Digital camera Review: Auto Focus Problems - Can't return
Summary: 1 Stars
I'm not new to photography and have tried every adjustment possible to get clear, sharp landscape images. It is not possible with this camera. I'm now reading that I'm not the only one. Amazon's seller won't return my emails. I don't know if Canon will make this right but if you don't want the possibility of the hassle then avoid this model.Digital camera Review: Auto focus points could be better.
Summary: 3 Stars
This review is for the newcomer to DSLR's and not the advanced user. So we don't need to hear the experts bashing on how someone doesn't know what they are doing and shoudn't get a camera like this. I am speaking for the person who needs a camera to capture their kids in the school play, soccer game etc. and can't capture the moment with a point and shoot. You can't expect awesome pictures if you do not learn how to use all the settings, features, and purpose of an SLR camera. You might even get worse pictures than your point and shoot. Sure an SLR has an auto feature where it will figure what is the best settings to use for a basic picture, but you also end up with a basic picture.
But even all said I would still recommend an SLR and a good zoom lens that you can afford. It is worth spending the money because you can never recapture that moment of your child or whatever your trying to capture. How many pictures have you taken with a point and shoot that were horrible because they were too dark or blurry? Sure they are fine if the lighting is good and you are within 10 feet or so away. Any further than that well, why bother. The larger zoom type cameras are better but are still limited when lighting is an issue. The pocket type point and shoots usually have a lag time between shots or flash charging up again. So forget about getting off several shots in succesion. Hard to capture a picture if the object is in motion also. The larger zoom types have mimimal lag time and some can even fire off bursts of 3 to 5 in a second with one push of the button and better at capturing something in motion. But they still can't beat an DSLR. I have gotten shots of my children with an DSLR with low lighting and no flash from many rows of seats away and they were great. The image quality was even good enough where I can crop it and still look good. People using their camera phones crack me up, but that's another story.
I am not going to get into all the technicalities of this camera. You can read the other reviews for that. I just want to mention that if you are one of those people who need to step up to an SLR because the point and shoot couldn't do the job but don't want to become the serious photographer then this inforomation might be what you are looking for.
I find the XSI pictures are soft and not crisp. Some photographers prefer this. The new Nikon DSLR's take crisper pictures, and they are less expensive.
The main con of the XSI is the focusing points. If you use the camera in auto mode then it will focus on the nearest or most identifiable focus points it can focus on. So it might focus on an object in front of the actual thing your trying to capture that is behind it, or on a purse or print on a shirt for example instead of the persons face or what not. If your trying to get a group picture with the guest of honor in the middle of it, you might not have that person in full focus but instead the preople around because the cameras focus is focusing on the most vivid or closest points. You can set the camera in one of the manual settings and pick one focus point of your choice, like center, top, left, right etc. but you can't pick all on. In auto it will focus on more than one but like I mentioned before, not excactly on what you want. you can press the shutter button half way and it will try and refocus on different points or you can get closer to your subject and press the shutter button half way and hold it so it keeps that focus point and then you step back and snap the picture. Well you don't have the luxury of time on your hands for those kid or spontaneous shots.
So this is where I recommend the newer Nikon DSLR's. Their focus points I find tend to focus on more points and usually on the center also where my subject tends to be. The XSI was here and there. If the area your focusing on is busy, the XSI will pick a few focus points here and there were it thinks are the best. But with the Nikon, I found it to focus on more points which is nice because the whole image will be more sharper instead of certain areas of it when cropping or zooming the image on a computer. Unless you are going for the "bokeh" effect in which the subject is in focus and the area around it is blurred.
A camera of this size isn't always convienient to carry around to all occasions because of it's size, accessories, worries, or whatever the reason. If you already have a pocket point and shoot or zoom camera, don't get rid of them. I keep them for when I go on vacation because I don't want to carry a big DSLR around on vacation. I use the pocket one for when we go out and I don't want to carry anything bulky and for those you never know shots. I use the zoom one for the amusement parks. It's small enough where it is still manageable where I can toss in my backpack. I use that one for the amusement parks because I can get pictures of the kids on rides. The zoom and speed is adequate enough where I can get pictures of the kids in the distance or when their zooming down the roller coaster. One day I might get rid of my pocket one and get a waterproof one, that way I have all my bases covered. Ha ha.
But when you learn how to use a DSLR's features coupled with a decent lens, man the pictures are like night and day.
If you still find that a DSLR is just too much over kill for you then you might want to check out the Nikon S8100. It is a little higher end point and shoot that is a little larger than your average point and shoot but it takes amazing pictures at a distance and in low lighting and has HD video capture with stereo. My nephew has the older S8000 model of this and I was blown away at the pictures and videos he took at my childs play. And we were sitting way back. They made improvements on the S8100 where it counted so I can't imganine how good it would be now, wow.
I would recommend you try out different cameras and brands in the store and decide which one suits you. Look for optical zoom, optical image stabilization, and good low light capability.
Digital camera Review: Avoid buying a Canon, customer service is the worst!
Summary: 1 Stars
Though the camera was excellent (when it worked) buying a Canon isn't worth the hassle customer service gives you when something goes wrong.
I had to send mine in twice in one month and the issues still aren't resolved. With all the incompetent managers, run around, lies, lost information and additional time needed to repair, I am quickly becoming convinced that they are just dragging their feet to run my warranty time out.
I got stuck with a $1000 lemon (not including all wasted money on lenses and accessories). I wouldn't recommend Canon products. Go for a competitor with better customer service.
Digital camera Review: Awesome
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this camera for my wife, a first time dslr user.She loves it,takes great pictures and is easy to use.Digital camera Review: Awesome Camera
Summary: 5 Stars
The quality of this camera is amazing for the price. It's lightweight and easy to use. I have two small children and needed something that would take a great picture without it being blurry. It delivered!