Canon EOS Rebel XSi Digital Camera Review

Canon EOS Rebel XSi

First Impressions Review

Feb 01, 2008 - By Karen M. Cheung
3.4 Entering an increasingly crowded market for consumer digital SLRs comes the entry-level Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi, which premieres at PMA 2008 in Las Vegas. The XSi is the third in Canon’s budget DSLR series. Like previous Rebels, this camera is marketed toward the photo enthusiast who might turn in his or her point-and-shoot for a consumer DSLR. Canon promises the XSi is its best Rebel yet, borrowing features from its flagship professional line, including faster processing, improved autofocus, Live View, and an expanded spot metering, in addition to higher resolution, larger LCD screen, and updated menu system. The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi has a MSRP of $899.99 for the kit with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5 – f/5.6 IS zoom lens, or $799.99 for the body alone when it ships in April 2008. UPDATE: Our full review of the XSi is now available here.
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Canon EOS Rebel XSi

UPDATE: Our full review of the XSi is now available here.
Picture Quality / Size Options
The 12.2-megapixel, APS-C sized (22.2 x 14.8mm) CMOS sensor records in JPEG (14-bit Canon), RAW, and simultaneously as JPEG + RAW. Users can select through the menu how big the files should be with the following resolution and compression options:
 
Large / Fine
4272 x 2848 pixels
4.3 MB
Large / Normal
4272 x 2848
2.2 MB
Medium / Fine
3088 x 2056
2.5 MB
Medium / Normal
3088 x 2056
1.3 MB
Small / Fine
2256 x 1504
1.6 MB
Small / Normal
2256 x 1504
0.8 MB
RAW
4272 x 2848
15.3 MB
 
There is no 640 x 480 picture size, which is typical for point-and-shoots but not SLRs. That means users will likely have to downsize the picture through post-processing software for e-mailing or posting to the Web. 
 
Picture Effects Mode
The Canon Digital Rebel calls its picture effects mode “Picture Style,” a capture mode that adjusts color, contrast, and sharpness. Users can access Picture Style through the Record menu for the following options: Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful, and Monochrome. This is especially helpful for photographers who deal with large volumes of photos on demand. Instead of post-processing, the camera makes adjustments during capture. 
 
Control Options Page 8 of 11 Connectivity / Extras
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