Viewfinder (7.5)
The Digital Rebel XT uses the same 95 percent accurate viewfinder as the original EOS Digital Rebel and puts a larger, more cushioned eyepiece around it. The cosmetic detail is nice; the eyepiece won’t fall off (like the smaller rubber eye cup on the Nikon D70) and provides a substantial amount of comfort. For many users, 95 percent viewfinder accuracy will be good enough, although when pictures are framed within the viewfinder, the image is actually slightly smaller than the recorded picture. When images are viewed on the LCD screen, nearly all of the 5 percent discrepancy is at the top of the image – the bad background you’d meticulously cropped out above your subject’s head will be there after all – so be aware! For commercial studio photographers or perfectionists who hold their frame composition near and dear to their heart, the XT’s 95 percent accuracy may be enough to look elsewhere in the DSLR market.
The pentamirror viewfinder displays a 0.8x magnified perspective on the fixed laser matte screen. There is also a dioptric mechanism to adjust the focus of the viewfinder from -3.0 to +1.0 for photographers who dislike shooting with their eyeglasses. Image information is available within the viewfinder for the following parameters:
-Aperture and Shutter Speed settings
-Exposure level display and Exposure compensation
-Burst and continuous shooting
-Focus confirmation (AF/MF)
-AF points, AE lock
-AEB settings
-Flash status and settings, Flash exposure compensation
-High-speed Sync
-CF card status
-Data processing indicator
LCD Screen (5.0)
As with other DSLRs, the LCD screen is used for playback and menu selections only; it cannot be used as a viewfinder like on compact digital cameras. The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT applies a 1.8-inch TFT color LCD screen that offers 100 percent frame coverage (copy to file). There are 115,000 pixels of resolution and a five-level brightness adjustment available within the setup menu. The brightness adjustments will help significantly in extreme lighting, however, the 115,000 pixels is just too meager to do the images justice.
Flash (8.0)
The Rebel XT has a pop-up flash similar to the original Rebel’s, except that the new flash extends slightly taller. The retractable flash unit sits just above the lens and uses an E-TTL II auto flash system – this is the same system used in the pricier Canon EOS 20D and Mark II models. The flash uses four modes: Auto, Manual, On/Off, and Red-Eye Reduction. To fine tune the intensity, there is a flash compensation mode as well as eight customizable flash metering modes. The flash, which syncs with the camera at 1/200th of a second, takes about 3 seconds to recycle. A hot shoe rests in the center of the pop-up flash; this can be used for flash accessories.
The stock flash provides coverage correlating to roughly a 17mm focal length (27mm equivalency in 35mm format).
Zoom Lens (8.5)
A strong draw to the Rebel XT for those steeped in Canon equipment is the camera’s compatibility with all Canon EF and EF-S lenses. And for those photographers who opt for the kit lens that is included with the Canon Rebel XT, they won’t be disappointed. The EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-f/5.6 lens adds about a hundred dollars to the total price of the camera, but is worth the investment. It can focus quickly, captures images with remarkable sharpness, and has an improved rubber grip on the focus ring. The focus ring on this lens has grooves in the rubber that are closer together than the original EOS Digital Rebel’s kit lens and provides a more comfortable texture.
