Canon EOS Rebel XS

Value (6.50)
The Canon Rebel XS with an included lens retails for the same amount as just the body of a Rebel XSi. The question that arises is if the XSi’s extra two megapixels and slight performance advantage justify the price difference. The XS enters an already heavily saturated market of entry level SLRs without adding any major new features. For an extra $50 you can get a slightly better Canon with the same lens, or you could save $200 and get the Sony Alpha 200, which received lower scores in our lab tests, but still takes perfectly good pictures. Regardless, the Canon XS is a decent camera for a decent list price of $699 with lens.

Comparisons

Canon EOS Rebel XSi – It’s very tempting to look at the XS and just call it a cheaper XSi with a slightly lower resolution. If you look at our tests, however, the XS and XSi scored differently in a number of sections. The XSi performed better in terms of color accuracy, white balance and resolution, while the XS did better in low light and dynamic range tests. However, retailing for $700 without a lens, it’s probably worth spending slightly more to get the XSi, if you can manage it.

 Sony Alpha 200 – If you want to get the least expensive SLR that still shoots decent pictures, then you may lean towards the Sony Alpha 200. It’s $200 cheaper, is missing Live View, and scored worse on every lab test except white balance and resolution. But considering that you can pick it up for under $500 with a lens, it’s a bargain.

Nikon D60 – The Nikon D60 is currently available for about $600. It offers the same resolution as the XS, and provides a similar feature set, with the exception of Live View. If you’re already sworn allegiance to Canon in the Canon/Nikon war, then choosing the D60 over the XS doesn’t make much sense, but if you aren’t allied with either faction, both are good cameras. The XS performed better in terms of color accuracy and low light performance, but the Nikon had lower noise levels overall.

Olympus E-520– The E-520 retails at the same price as the XS, but scored significantly better in only one area, the color test. One advantage to the E-520, though, is that autofocus and image stabilization systems are housed in the body of the camera rather than the lens, which makes lenses cheaper than those of Canon. The body is also significantly more solid, and feels like it could survive rougher treatment. The Olympus has a far superior Live View system and more image presets, making it a smaller step for people moving from a point-and-shoor to an SLR. However, in terms of pure image quality, the Canon wins, hands down.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters – The XS makes an excellent first SLR for people more used to point-and-shoot cameras. It has automatic settings that performed well, along with Live View, which is a definite draw for the new-to-SLRs crowd, even if the auto focus system is less than ideal.

Budget Consumers – Shoppers heavily concerned with the bottom line are more than likely to be attracted to the Sony Alpha 200 over the Rebel XS. The Alpha is significantly cheaper, and still scored well.

Gadget Freaks – The XS isn’t bleeding-edge, with no standout new functions or innovations. It’s just a solid, entry-level camera, and holds little attraction for the gadget crowd.

Manual Control Freaks – As one would expect from an SLR, the manual controls on the XS are extensive. However, the limited ISO range and lack of truly in-depth control probably won’t satisfy this crowd.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists – There’s not a lot here for the professional or serious hobbyist. It might work as a backup camera, especially if they already have Canon lenses, but it’s certainly not aimed at them.