Canon Digital Rebel XSi Digital Camera Review

The Canon Digital Rebel XSi is an update to last year's XTi that ups the resolution to 12.2 megapixels and adds a handful of other new features, including a bigger 3-inch screen, an improved autofocus system, and optical image stabilization in the kit lens. It's also the first Digital Rebel to feature the now commonplace Live View mode, which provides a point-and-shoot-esque live view of the subject on the LCD screen before shooting. But none of these updates are earth-shattering, and the XSi proves to be an evolution rather than a revolution. And it faces stiff competition from a bevy of new SLRs such as the Nikon D60 and the Olympus E-420. However, it is still a strong competitior, and the updates Canon has made under the hood seem to be paying off: image quality is improved over the XTi, with great color and plenty of detail. The XSi costs $780 for the body only and $830 with the 35-70mm kit lens.

Section	The Good	The Bad
Testing/Performance	Great color and resolution in images	Significant noise
Components	Big, bright 3-inch LCD screen with wide viewing angle	Poor manual focus and Manual mode
Design/Layout	Comfortable to hold and good control placement	Manual mode is awkward to use
Modes	Great full auto mode, plus manual modes	No variable speed for burst mode
Control Options	Decent live view mode for point-and-shoot users	Autofocus is slow and noisy with kit lens
Image Parameters	Can save both RAW and JPEG files	No separate control for resolution and quality
Connectivity/Extras	Supports SD and SDHC cards	Low resolution video output only
Value	Not the cheapest SLR available	Decent value for money