While it’s a subjective call for sure, the XSi’s physical presence is – in my mind, at least – the camera’s least impressive area. Though I’ll be the first to admit that image quality is infinitely more important than styling in this price class, there’s an expectation that a DSLR (even an entry-level one) will come off as a high-end product. The Rebel XSi’s aesthetics may not do a lot to win it fans. As with Canon’s point-and-shoots, it’s also easy to scroll through images either 10 or 100 at a time using the control dial.įor a detailed listing of specifications and features, please refer to the specifications table found at the bottom of the review. The camera does incorporate an orientation sensor that automatically rotates portrait-orientation images during playback. Like most DSLRs, playback options are fairly basic with the XSi. Auto Depth of Field: Camera automatically calculates aperture to ensure that depth of field covers all focus points.Manual: User selects both aperture and shutter speed.Aperture Priority: User selects aperture, and camera calculates shutter speed for correct exposure.Shutter Priority: User selects shutter speed, and camera calculates aperture for correct exposure.Program: Auto exposure mode with user control for flash settings, metering mode, etc.
Canon eos rebel xsi lens full#
Note that in the Basic Zone, many exposure control and general shooting options (including AF drive mode, metering options, and flash modes) are locked out or limited.Ĭanon’s Creative Zone modes encompass the full range of expected user-controlled exposure options, with a few interesting additions: Night Scene: Enables slow flash sync to capture both subject and background.Sports: Continuous drive and AF options are enabled higher shutter speeds are preferenced.Macro: Moderate aperture settings are preferred in this mode.Landscape: Increased contrast mode that favors narrower apertures.Portrait: Settings are optimized for portraiture, with adjustments to image tone and flash mode.Auto Exposure: Camera selects all exposure values.The XSi supports Canon’s current EF/EF-S lens mount, and comes packaged in kit form with an optically stabilized version of the manufacturer’s 18-55mm kit lens.Īs with previous Rebel DSLRs, the XSi’s shooting modes are divided into two basic groups, which Canon terms the “Basic Zone” and the “Creative Zone.” The Basic Zone is made up of the XSi’s auto exposure and scene preset options. Other upgrades and niceties include a fairly advanced “Picture Style” menu that allows shooters to fine-tune image processing (and includes space for several user-defined custom settings), an impressively fast advertised continuous shooting speed, and the inclusion of Canon’s well-regarded DIGIC III processor. The XSi is also the first Rebel to forgo CF memory in favor of the more compact SD/SDHC format. The XSi’s live view implementation moves beyond the basic with the addition of a contrast-detection AF mode that allows the camera to auto focus without interrupting the on-screen preview to do so – a feat not possible in the first generation of live view DSLRs. LCD size is a particularly significant stat for the XSi insofar as the new camera is also the first entry-level Canon to sport a live view system, allowing the screen to be used for shot composition. The XTi’s nine-point auto focus system returns with some slight tweaks, and the new Rebel gets an enormous 3-inch LCD. Continuing in the tradition of the Digital Rebel cameras, the XSi features a proprietary CMOS sensor with an effective 12.2 megapixels of resolution, making it Canon’s most high-res entry-level offering to date. the Canon EOS 450D) is Canon’s latest mass-consumer DSLR, moving into the company’s lineup one step above the current Rebel XTi. As one of the clear market leaders, expectations are always high for Canon, but early murmurs of significant refinements to the Rebel formula in addition to class-leading sensor performance served up at the same list price as the previous generation XTi have made the XSi look more and more promising as the new consumer-grade standard bearer in the DSLR world. Sitting somewhere between the basic “true entry-level” models and advanced-amateur cameras like Canon’s own EOS 40D, the XSi continues to push the resolution envelope, reprises the XTi’s well-regarded auto focus system, and at once offers more custom functions and advanced control for the serious photographer and a fairly mature live view implementation aimed to entice shooters to step up from compact point-and-shoots.