Canon EOS Rebel XSi

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EOS Rebel XSi Prices

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Manual Control Options
In addition to six automatic shooting modes (refer to the Custom Image Presets section), the Digital Rebel XSi has full manual shooting with PASM (Program, Aperture, Shutter and Manual) priority modes. The manual controls on the XSi are comparable to other entry-level SLRs. 

Auto Focus
The Canon XSi uses a 9-point autofocus system, equal to the number of AF sites on the earlier XTi. The difference is that the XSi upgrades to cross-type AF sensors, which is like a double-check on image recognition. The cross-type AF sensors, as opposed to single-axis AF sensors, quickly and more accurately detect subjects, thereby improving the overall autofocus system. The cross-type autofocus is effective with EF and EF-S lenses with an aperture of f/2.8 or faster. The 9 points are displayed on both the viewfinder and LCD monitor, displayed as a diamond shape. They work both automatically or manually. Users can change the autofocus to one-shot AF, Al Servo AF for continuous autofocus, and Al Focus AF for tracking focus. To aid the autofocus system, the AF assist lamp illuminates the scene, or the flash fires a few small bursts. Canon claims the assist beam is effective for up to 13.1 feet.

 

Overall, the autofocus system on the XSi is an improvement from the XTi. Many manufacturers are electing to use cross-type sensors for some or all of its AF points, claiming the secondary layer of image-registration is a better system. We'll do more through tests on this when our full review comes out soon.

How well the manual focus works depends mostly on the lens. The included kit lens (EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS) works well for manual focus. The viewfinder magnification is 0.87x, which isn’t as high as some of Canon’s higher-end cameras or other manufacturers, which makes focusing a little more difficult via the viewfinder. Most shooters in this market will rely on the autofocus system, but the manual focus option is useful for old-school shooters.

 

The Canon XSi has a full set of manual and semi-automatic controls for exposure. The full Manual gives the user complete control over exposure for aperture and shutter speed. The Shutter Priority (Tv) mode adjusts f-stop values depending on shutter speed selected by the user. Aperture Priority mode selects shutter time depending on the aperture value selected. There is also an additional A-DEP mode for Depth-of-Field for auto exposure, which selects both shutter time and f-stop based on making sure that all of the objects in the field of view are in focus. 

Metering
The Canon XSi now uses four types of light metering systems - finally. One of the complaints about the XTi was that the SLR lacked spot metering. The XSi, for the first time in the Rebel series, fills that void. The spot metering mode looks at approximately 4 percent of the viewfinder at the center. The other three systems of the 35-zone TTL full aperture metering are borrowed from the previous camera: Evaluative metering that is linked to an AF point; Partial metering located at 9 percent of the viewfinder’s center; and Center-Weighted average metering. Serious shooters will certainly appreciate the added spot metering on this entry-level SLR.

 

White Balance
The Digital Rebel XSi has the following white balance presets: Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, White Fluorescent Light, and Flash. To manually control white balance, the camera offers a Custom option, used by shooting a white card. White balance can be adjusted +/- 9 full-stop increments. Users can also bracket white balance +/- 3 full stop increments. That’s a healthy dose of white balance control options to account for varied shooting conditions. 

ISO
In Basic Zone modes, the sensitivity ranges from ISO 100 to 800, which the camera sets automatically during Scene mode shooting. In the Creative Zone modes, sensitivity ranges from ISO 100 to 1600. Users can adjust ISO in increments of 1 full stop, unlike other SLRs that allow for 1/2 or 1/3 stops.

The XSi is equipped with Canon’s High ISO Noise Reduction technology, which uses an array of microlenses over each pixel to focus more light onto the sensor, in theory leading to less noise. Though we haven't scientifically tested the noise reduction associated with high ISOs yet, we anticipate the sensor technology should combat grain in low light shooting.

 

Shutter Speed
The Canon XSi uses an electronic shutter that reacts at 1/4000 of a second to a full 30 seconds for long exposure shooting. There is a bulb setting to customize shutter speed for longer exposures. The shutter speed range on the XSi is the same range on the XTi, and covers most shooting situations from action sports to night scenes.

 

Aperture can be controlled manually or automatically in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments. The included kit lens functions moderately with an aperture of f/3.5-f/5.6. Users who frequently shoot night scenes such as weddings might want to consider an advanced, brighter lens with an f/2.8 or faster aperture.