Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)

Since I was a child I always had a camera and loved taking pictures. My first camera was a Kodak 35mm rectangle job. You know the one with the square one time use flash on top? I then had Vivitars and Ritchshot In May of 2000 I bought the Canon Rebel EOS for trips to China and Australia. I never fully got proper use of the camera because film does not show the errors of your settings. I then went on to buy several Nikon Cool Pix and a Canon Powershot S2. In December of 2009 my wife and I bought each other as a gift to ourselves this camera. Words do not describe the feeling of "arriving" as an artisitc photographer. Ous lives will never be the same.

I must say I am biast against Nikon SLR's because my friends have them, and with the graduation to lenses and accessories I will be Canon 4 life.

The functions of this camera are amazing. Eveything I struggled with for years in film, and inept point and shoot and powershot cameras came to an abrupt end by purchasing this one. The functions people struggle with, tones, lighting, sharpness are answered in a matter of a few test shots going through normal photography education (a quick reference guide in the owners manaual gives a brief overview that you can learn what you need to know). The book was a guide that in the 1st week and several hundred shots later were answered by photographs that made friends and family think they were fake or not done by this camera. I will be posting photos here on 3/19/10 of what I am trying to convey. The use of the picture style defines the photos that you take. Monochrome, Sepia, landscape with the right filters brings out the inner photographer you never knew you had. You will never, ever go back to the automatic settings after two weeks of using P, TV, AV, M, and A-Dep setting. The 12.1 Megapixles is great for framing the highest quality photos in 11x14 frames. I do not belive in the near future our walls we be able to hold our photos, we will have to keep switching them out.

The only warning I have for buyers of this camera, or any SLR is that these are the cameras that take you to a new comfortable level and that comes with a price!!! you start off with the 18-55mm lense. That is not good enough. You must then get filters to bring out the landscapes and protraits you are taking. Then you move on to buying the 70-200mm or 70-300mm lenses, because you need the advance lenses to take action photos, or landscape photos. Then you need a wide angle lense, because taking pictures in the mountains or indoors, or of landscapes you get tired of backing up and not getting what you want in the shot. Then comes the hood for the wide angle, and the UV filter, and it goes on and on. Think of the camera as a foundation to advanced photography, however the lenses, the flash, and the filters, which will run you $700-$2000 it is what defines the pictures themselves. This camera is an awesome tool to capture your view of the world, the events in your life, and convey them in a professional manner. The price is fair and it will be a camera for years and years of professional photography.

The XSi is my first DSLR camera. I have, for many years, been shooting with point-and-shoot (also called "compact") cameras, so I have a lot of experience with point-and-shoot cameras. But the images quality of the XSi simply blew me away! The images captured on the XSi is much, much, much sharper than the ones from a point-and-shoot camera!

If you're looking at the XSi, you're probably a budding photographer like myself. The XSi is, debatably, the best entry-level DSLR camera, next to the Canon EOS Rebel T1i/500D.

Highlights
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- 18mm - 55mm "Kit" Lens Included
The Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS SLR Lens alone sells for [...]. You have everything you need to get started right away with taking great-looking pictures!

- Phenomenal Images
Alas, I'm unable to show you the images I've captured with the XSi here. But there's alway sample images uploaded by customers of the pictures on the product page. Alternatively, you can go to the Canon site and see for yourself the official sample images.

- Auto Mode
Okay, so you're not quite prepared to tinker with the bells and whistles on the XSi. No matter, there's always a fully "auto" mode (green rectangle on the selection dial) you can fall back on. In this mode, you would be using the XSi just as you would a point-and-shoot camera. The auto mode will stifle your creativity, but it will help you take great pictures nonetheless.

- Incredible Battery Life
I must have taken hundreds of pictures of pictures and the battery indicator bar still shows a full battery capacity (that's with image preview disabled- which is, if I'm not mistaken, the default/factory setting).

In sum, the XSi does every your point-and-shoot does, only BETTER.

If, like lot of people, you are in a quandary deciding between the T1i and the Xsi/450D. Here are the major improvements of the T1i, at least on paper, over the XSi :

- 15.1 MP Resolution
- Full HD video at 20 Frames Per Second
- ISO range of 100 to 3200
- 920,000 dots VGA monitor

vs. the XSi:

- 12.2 MP Resolution
- No video capability
- ISO range of 100 to 1600
- 230,000 dots VGA monitor


* XTi vs XSi *

- Resolution: 15.1 MP vs. 12.2 MP
When it comes to megapixels (MP), I would have to subscribe to the mantra that megapixels isn't everything. Since the XTi has the same sensor size as the XSi (APS-C size: 22.2 x 14.8mm), a higher number of megapixels would mean more pixels packed into same sensor area.

Keep in mind that as a general rule, the higher number of megapixels that are packed into a given sensor area, the worse the more "noise" (or graniness) in low light conditions. (I want to be fair, however, and say that I have not noticed perceptible differences in image quality between the two cameras, even in moderately lit or low light conditions.)

- HD Video
The T1i frame rate is 20 frames per second (fps) compared to even the low-end camcorders, most of which are capable of 30 fps in Full HD. The XSi has no video mode.

- ISO: 3200 vs. 1600
Like they say, there's no free lunch. A higher ISO *will* result in more noise in a captured image. As a rule of thumb, set your ISO to the lowest practicable ISO setting. The lower upper range for the XSi isn't, in my opinion, a big restriction.

- LCD Resolution: 920,000 vs 230,000 dots
There is absolutely no refuting that the LCD on the T1i *is* better than the one on the XSi. The images displayed on the T1i is unquestionably sharper than the images on the XSi.

Based on the above factors, you will have to be the one who ultimately decides what works better for you.

There are, of course, other considerations, the most glaringly obviously of which is - you guessed it - the price. The price of the XSi is has dropped like a rock since I purchased it a couple of months back. If you're on a tight budget, the XSi is definitely the way to go.

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The image quality from the XSi is simply phenomenal. It is very affordably priced (it has gotten much cheaper than what it sold for originally when it debuted in 2008). If you're on a budget, the XSi is, in my opinion, the best DSLR camera to get.

The kit lens is a little bit slow, and while it produces decent pictures, the canon ef 50mm f/1.8 lens that I bought blows it away. If I had to do it all over again, I would've bought just the body and a couple 24mm f/2.8 and 50mm f/1.8. If you don't have a lot of extra money to spend on lenses though, the kit lens will produce good quality pictures. You may need a faster lens to shoot in low light. Overall, this is a great starter setup for someone looking to upgrade to a dslr package.

You dont have to spend any more than this to get a top knoch camera. It is very flexible with exposures and apertures and the memory card holds plenty. This camera has taken the best pictures I have every taken. It is user friendly also. What more can I say?

I have had this for almost a year now and it is quite a bit of fun. i have added another zoom lens and a flash to my kit and will likely add a wide angle lens next. After that, the next step is upgrading the body. this is a very good camera for learning how to take pictures in the digital realm. I highly recommend taking a class or two on how to use the features of the camera as there are many, even on this entry level camera. I also recommend buying a flash as the flash on the camera is really not very powerful and can cause a lot of harsh shadows. Final note. Look long and hard at various software editing suites for the images you capture as they can really help create the mood and enhance the scene you want to impart in the image. Lastly, I say sit back and enjoy the ride.

I've owned the camera for 1 week now, and WOW! This camera is simply incredible and the picture quality is outstanding!!! The kit lens that came with it is also impressive when used in bright/outdoor environments. (Some of my test outdoors pics and indoor pics with my window blinds open have been stunning.) However, the kit lens is a bit too slow for handheld photography in dark locations unless you use the flash.

For those of you new to photography, a "slow lens" is basically one in which the aperture does not open wide enough to collect the adequate amount of light in darker locations. Therefore, the shutter stays open longer until enough light has been collected. This also means that if your hand shakes, pictures snapped in dark enough settings will come out blurry. This is not exclusive to the XSi as slow lenses on any camera will produce similar results. If blurry indoor pics are not what you desire, you can correct this by using the flash, using a tripod, or...

BUY A NEW LENS! The XSi can use ANY Canon EF/EF-S lens on the market...and this includes "faster" ones as well!! With faster lenses (ie, f/1.8), soon you'll be shooting like a pro indoors also!

In the end, when considering its wide range of features, customizable flexibility, and it's picture quality, I think any rookie or seasoned pro would be delighted with the XSi.

I bought the Rebel Xsi after I was extremely disappointed by the indoor image quality from my Nikon D60 with f>8.0. Where Nikon D60 failed miserably, the Rebel Xsi has been superb. I routinely take indoor group photographs with it with f8 or f11 at iso 400 (flash on) and they come out excellent!!! They are very sharp and have very good details, I don't even need to up the iso. I would have to give 5 starts to the sensor in this thing, it is just amazing!!!

The best camera's are the ones which shine in low light (indoor) and the rebel xsi's sensor gives it the ability to outperform anything else in this price range...

The other gr8 thing about the Xsi is that for another 90$ I was able to buy a gr8 portrait lens, the 50mm f1.8 prime lens. That thing is so fast that I do not need flash at all for taking potrait images of my kids. I love that lens!!!!
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Overall I am very happy with this camera. The only annoying this it has is the flash strobe based AF assist vs Nikon's AF assist lamp. The flash based AF assist gives the subject's the wrong impression about when the picture is taken and is very annoying. Thankfully I have enough light in my house (where I take most of my indoor shots) that the flash AF assist is needed only about 10% of the time. I wanted to buy a speedlite to solve this issue + give me bounce flash etc., but the opteka speedlite turned out to be a waste of money (1 star) and the canon one (430 exII) is too much $$$ for me.

So for now I am just happy with the regular flash.... It gives good exposure most of the time (For potraits I focus on the faces and for groups pics I focus on darker clothes to get good exposure with the built in flash).

Also I only using center focus point 90% of the time as it is the fastest and most accurate.

Again overall the camera is 5 star.

There really isn't a better deal out there under $1500, or at least under $1,000... under the canon/nikon lineup. After 7 months of use, I can say that this is one amazing camera. It has many of the functions that you get with the 50D. Unless you care about HD video or care about being able to do some major cropping to your photos, your best best for the $ is the XSi.

One thing to take note is that the noise levels are amazing. One step down from this camera and you get way too much noise. The 50D has very comparable noise levels. I shoot in a club at iso 1600, exposures without flash run into 1/2 second... noise reduced, they are still excellent quality.. even at 1:1 crops.

Also a note on buttons: If you care about using your camera quickly and usefully (unlike a point and shoot) DON'T buy any lower than this! Any step down is missing the shortcut hardware buttons. Why buy an slr, only to change settings in menus?? Sure it is still missing a few buttons, but you can set your own custom menu to help negate that drawback.

Metering is decent, you need to make sure to point at a more neutral object to get a good reading. With using the in-camera spot metering on a lastolite ezybalance gray card to get an exposure reading (then switching the camera from Aperture Priority, to Manual and inputing those settings read), the exposure is quite good.

No IR assist lamp, so you will have to use an external flash with flash firing turned off (assuming you don't want to use flash) to use its IR assist lamp to focus in the dark. The feature to turn flash firing off, while using the focus assist lamp, is missing on a lot of cameras - so watch out if this is something you are interested in.

Quality is great, noise levels are great, auto focus is pretty good, metering is ok, LCD is amazing (!), no IR assist lamp =(

Well I'd recommend you stop reading user reviews and go read some professional reviews from somewhere like dpreview, the-digital-picture, and steve's digicams. These are more opinion article-esk than factual professional comparisons.

If you're looking at the cameras in this price range, that means you're likely also looking at the Pentax K-x, Nikon D5000, Sony A500, Olympus E-620 and even, potentially, the Canon T1i.

If you're looking at DSLRs and you think video on your DSLR is something you actually want or will ever use, you best stop looking at the XSi and instead focus on the K-x, D5000 and T1i. The XSi offers NO video functionality.

If your hope is to not need to spend extra money on image stabilizing lenses, then buy the K-x or the E-620. All the above listed cameras besides these 2 require you purchase lenses with image stabilization which is an extra cost on the lens as it requires more glass. Of course, the way around the need for image stabilizing lenses is to use a tripod or a monopod.

If you don't want to buy lenses, well, then you had better stop looking at DSLR/SLR cameras all together and jump into point and shoot. There are a lot of nice models with really good quality pictures out there.

REMEMBER, WHEN BUYING A DSLR CAMERA, you aren't REALLY buying a camera; you're buying a lens system. What do I mean? Well think about it this way. You are spending money on a camera body, yes. But you're also spending money on lenses. Lenses that are NOT interchangeable (except the Olympus method that not many manufacturers jumped on and then you still have to buy lenses to their spec and you would need a replacement camera with the same capability). If you buy this body today and begin to purchase Canon lenses, you are investing in Canon for, most likely, the rest of your picture taking "career." The camera body is the inexpensive part in this whole endeavor and if you purchase a 55-250mm lens today, along with many others, you most certainly won't want to re-purchase these lenses when you inevitably have to upgrade the camera. And that's where DSLR/SLR camera manufacturers get you. It's like Gillette and their disposable razor heads.

So why then, given all the above, would one purchase the XSi over all the competition? Price is one factor. Image quality is another (the pictures this camera can take are nothing short of breathtaking, but that's all a matter of opinion, so this is just my opinion and not a statement of fact I can quantify). One more is lens quality. Canon (well, really all the above) have been making lenses for YEARS. And in the lens department Canon and Nikon stand above the rest.

Why did I purchase this camera? Well Canon has been around a long time and actually started the DSLR revolution with the original Rebel camera. Their cameras always stand well on their own. While they may not stand head and shoulders above every camera out there, they do a tremendous job of holding their own in the market. My father owns a Rebel XT and it's an amazing piece of kit for when it was made. I bought this one because the T1i supposedly has some photo aberrations usually attributed to the sensor size that actually captures the image being too small to really utilize the 15 MP picture it is taking.

The price is good, I bought a brand I know and I can share lenses with my father. That's why I bought this camera.


I realize this review is pretty jumbled. Instead of writing a full review, as there are many other reviews here that do a much better job than I describing technical and non-technical details, I decided to just put down things I was thinking about as I purchased my first DSLR.

I already own a D90 and just purchased it as a gift item. The camera performs very well in all preset modes . Its a very nice camera if you are just stepping into the SLR photography realm. I specially liked the High ISO performance of the camera. One thing that i was concerned about though was the Av mode which had problems calculating the Shutter speed at low light and the images were blurred. Not sure if the kit lens was the issue or if the issue is with the Av mode itself. Hence i had to use either Tv or M mode. Preset modes are great . Good camera for all starters...

I'm not a photographer;I am just a mom who loves to take pictures of her kids in all that they do. This camera does an amazing job. The color is beautiful, the features are easy to use, and it fits my small hands so well. I love how clear my photos can be when I get the lighting just right. I have added a 70-300mm lens to my collection as well, and it is great for little league baseball. I also took it to a concert, put it on the right setting, and I got the best concert photos I have ever taken in my life. I highly recommend this camera to people who are beyond the point and shoot but who aren't quite the professional.

Like most people these days, I have been using digital point and shoot cameras for years, and have greatly enjoyed taking pictures with them with reckless abandon. Soon enough, however, you start appreciating the intrinsic limitations of point and shoot cameras, even the best ones on the market: no matter how sophisticated the camera, shooting objects will never be as sharp as when you saw them with your naked eye, the colors are not exactly what you saw, and unless you have the perfect lighting conditions all of those problems only get exacerbated. Sometimes post-production in Photoshop or a similar program can improve things to a great extent, but even this can only take you so far. For most everyday shooting this still might not be the problem, but if you want to get a bit more sophisticated with your pictures you need to take the plunge and buy a truly qualitatively different camera: a digital SLR. These cameras used to be an almost exclusive domain of professional photographers, but with the improvements in technology and the increased marketplace competition they have become accessible to regular consumers.

There are many manufacturers of DSLRs out there, with seemingly more and more entering that space every day. However, there are two well-established brands that still more or less dominate over all the others: Canon and Nikon. If you are an amateur photographer who is just starting out in the DSLR world, chances are you'll do more than fine with any one of those brands. One of the main reasons I decided to go with Canon is that it seems that for about the same price you get more megapixels. I like to play with images in Photoshop, and more pixels in general give you more stuff to play with. 12 megapixels of this camera are more than sufficient for most of my creative needs.

The first thing that you'll notice with any DSLR camera is its relative size as compared to dainty point and shoots. You can never carry DSLR around as an afterthought. When you take one around you make a conscious decision to take pictures, and furthermore you will be conspicuous when taking them. These might be some of the considerations to think about when deciding on a switch from point and shoots.

In addition to size, you will also notice a very solid feel of this camera. It is not made out of cheap materials, and every part of it has been thoughtfully designed for durability. You shouldn't casually toss this camera around, but it is comforting to know that it can probably withstand most everyday small bumps if they come its way.

This camera has many features and settings, and all of this might be overwhelming to a first-time SLR user. In addition to automatic settings that are now also a familiar feature of most point and shoot cameras, there are multiple "creative" settings that include various levels of manual control, including a completely manual operation. When you first start shooting I would recommend using these "creative" settings to experiment and play with. However, if you are still unsure of what you are doing and there is shot that you absolutely have to take then the automatic settings would be much more appropriate. One of the annoying features of this camera is that it doesn't allow you to preview your shots on the screen while in one of the automatic modes. The so-called "Live View" can only be used in one of the manual modes. When shooting in automatic mode, you will have to use the viewfinder. This in itself may motivate you to learn more about photography and the manual shooting.

The picture quality of the photographs that I have taken has been spectacular. You will notice a clear difference from the point-and-shoot photograph from the very first shots that you take, and so will all of your friends. Just prepare yourself for becoming the "designated photographer." :) The only problem that I've had is that in low light photographs have pretty noticeable orange glow. I've been able to avoid this only when fiddling with shooting controls in one of the manual modes.

Another amazing feature of this camera is the speed with which it takes pictures. At 3.5 frames per second, you will be able to capture some pretty amazing shots if you go into the continuous shooting mode. I've been able to capture electric sparks on the Van Der Graaf generator and some really neat sports action photos.

This is the last of the Canon Rebel DSLRs that does not allow you to shoot video. Unless you really care about high-definition video this may not be that much of a problem. I for one don't find myself filming videos all that often, and when I do a stand-alone video camera is more than sufficient for all of my needs.

Overall I have been extremely satisfied with this camera over the last two years that I've had it. Most manufacturers (Canon included) keep coming with bigger and better models almost every year, but unless you really need some of the latest top-of-the line features you will be more than well served with this camera. I for one don't feel like I have even scratched the surface of what this camera has to offer.

I had this camera for over a year and a half before I bought a Canon 7D. I loved it then and still love it. I reluctantly gave it to a son so that it would continue to get full use and bring joy. The only reason I upgraded was:
-- Better high ISO image quality
-- Better AF tracking for birds in flight, one of my primary shooting targets
I'm glad I did. The 7D is a great camera but the body only is $1600. Unless those things truly matter to you (there are other differences too), the XSi is terrific.

I won't repeat the detailed comments in other reviews but will comment on some other comments:
-- Construction, weight, feel - the 7D is definitely heavier but the XSi felt fine in my hands. One of my primary lenses is the 100-400mm L which weighs 3lbs. I find talk of an unbalanced feel (with any lens) somewhat nonsense at least for my hands. For carrying around, hiking, birding, I wish the 7D was lighter like the XSi.

I was too conservative at shooting only at 400 ISO and below. Pushing higher to 800 is ok when needed.

Purchased the XSi plus some lenses/accessories at Amazon. Have been very happy with them.

I bought this when it first came out in 2008 prior to a trip to Disney. It replaced an original Digital Rebel (6.3 MP) which was also a great camera (which I passed down ?up to my Dad). Getting this camera has taken my photography to a whole new level - it is a great camera. It is easy to use and takes sharp pictures. The user interface is well done and will be second nature to anyone with experience with a Canon (even point and shoots). The easiest thing to do is to use it in "full auto" mode for a while but don't get complacent and keep it there for the life of the camera - try turning that dial and repeating shots so you can learn all that this wonderful unit is capable of. At the price point this is really too good to pass up.

If you are considering this camera vs. the point and shoot variety, I have found the main two advantages of DSLR to be the lack of delay in shutter release and of course the clarity of the pictures with the larger lenses. The first issue is often of paramount importance in taking pictures of kids and pets - they never stay still for long! With regards to picture quality, it is interesting that manufacturers "push" the megapixels so much on the point and shoots. PLEASE don't make the mistake of thinking that 12 MP on a point and shoot will come anywhere near the pictures from this camera (provided a good lens is attached). There really is no comparison. I have several point and shoot cameras (which I have also reviewed) and though they trump the DSLR for portability (or ability to immerse in water for the D10) there is no comparison for picture quality.

I have recently upgraded lenses with the addition of two "L" lenses (which work great with the XSI) and may upgrade to the new Rebel T2i in the future for both improved sensitivity (ISO 6400 on that camera, 1600 max on this one) and the ability to record HD video, which this camera does not have. That said, this camera has served me very well and will continue to do so. As another reviewer pointed out, the battery life on this one is terrific - I bought a second battery but have only rarely used it (though I rotate them, of course).

In summary, this is a terrific camera which I would highly recommend to anyone considering "making the jump" to DSLR.

Just got the camera and haven't had any of the focusing problems others have complained about. I even put an old 35-80mm lens that came with my old 35mm Rebel (no image stabilization) and took some action pics of my dog playing in the yard. I was very happy with the results.

Note that I'm not a pro and usually rely on the auto mode. Maybe my standards are a bit too low, but if I can take good pictures of a miniture schnauzer running around with her toys, then anyone should be able to get good results.

Especially liked the lack of the shutter lag time. Not even Penny could escape it like she would our Fuji point and shoot.

Very happy with it so far. Now I just have to learn how to master the other features.

pro: faster shutter speed than my high end point and shoot and thats a given although my lx2 cost more than this with lens and kit lol. LONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNG battery life. i've taken over 1000 photos and it only consumed half the battery. takes sdhc cards instead of compact flash. non of my computers have those compactflash slots.


con: red pixel hot spots? i supposed this is a gamble but i'm getting it exchanged. doesnt do well in dark area shutter speed becomes much slower when taking those without flash on.



it is not a machine gun but 3 photos per second aint bad for the price. i was originally looking at the 7d but ended up buying this instead so i can get some good lens with it.

As my first SLR I think this was the best choice I could have made at the time. After a short learning curve you are ready to take great pictures and they only improve as you go. Take the time to learn how to shoot the better modes and stay away from the auto modes. With the release of the T series this may not be a top choice depending on your price range but overall I couldn't be happier.

I decided to switch from my handycam to something more sophisticated like this one. I am happy with my purchase. It takes quality pictures, the clarity is amazing, focus has a much wider span that I expected, the LCD screen is pretty big. The zoom could have been a little better but thats okay. I have bought Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras. Overall I am satisfied with my purchase.

This is my First DSLR, so I can't compare to others, but picture quality is NICE. as DSLRs, all will have a learning curve, but it is truly an amazing camera.

DSLR does NOT replace a point and shoot in portability, so don't plan to replace your point and shoot camera with this, and costs add up once you start adding extra lenses, but the pictures are awesome, and the possibilities are endless. It is not a professional camera per say, but pictures from it make it to published print all the time.

It's that good.

Still a lot to learn. So far it takes great pictures. Bought the remote control and took some great family photos. For once I'm in the pictures!

It was everything that I waited.
Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)

This is my first DSLR camera. I've owned a Canon point & shoot for a while (SD1000). I've always loved the image quality of Canon's lenses, so I decided to purchase this camera after many positive reviews. I'm hoping to master this DSLR and upgrade down the road, and hopefully I'll be able to make a career out of professional photography.

Out of the box, I was amazed at the high-quality construction and sturdy feel. Many people say this camera feels awfully light, which may be true compared to the higher-end camera's, but I felt it was really sturdy.

The kit lens works wonders. Nothing AMAZING, but its a great lens, capable of quality images and I couldnt be happier. It's a great lens to start out with and can definitely capture some rather great images. Matter of fact, with the use of photoshop and/or lightroom, you could easily fool people that this camera & lens is that of a Canon Mark series the "L" lens series (well, maybe).

I've uploaded a few test images, straight out of the box on day one. Nothing special, and I have NO photography experience (other than the typical 'point & shoot' variety). So far, I'm pretty excited. Can't wait to learn more tricks and tips, and purchase some more lenses down the road.

If your a beginner, like me, this camera and kit lens will not disappoint. I'm very happy with my purchase.

This is my first DSLR camera. It was a toss up between Canon and Nikon. So many people told me to get a Nikon d90, and I probably would have if it weren't for the price. I realize a d90 is a far cry from this camera. However when it comes to features and quality for the price, the Canon Rebel XSi is hard to beat. This camera was worth every penny. I am not a photography expert, so this is a simpleton explanation of my experience with the camera so far. The image quality is great. Lowlight conditions sometimes give me a problem, but I'm sure this can be fixed through the camera settings. I hate using a flash, and yet the flash on this camera is very nice. The pictures look natural. I have a feeling this camera is capable of so much more, but I still have very much to learn about it. I would say this is a great starter DSLR.

this is my first DSLR and it is awesome. i'm still learning to use it but the pictures i have taken you cannot accomplish with just a snap and shoot. i Love this camera and buying it on amazon saved me over $100.00!! came very quickly and in 1 piece. =)

This is a great camera. We are very happy with the image quality and speed of pictures. Our first camera's display stopped working after 3 days but Amazon's great customer service had a new one in our hands within 5 days. So far the replacement works flawlessly.

This is a fantastic tool that will take some learning if you're new to DSLR's but I'm anxious to master the full benefits of ownership.

After a lot of research, customer satisfaction posts, reviews, etc I decided on this camera. I am a typical middle class working stiff. I can afford what I can, and wanted a quality camera for a modest price. This is it. Takes great photos with really good battery life. The image stabilizer feature is worth its weight in gold. Its not a miracle worker, but really helps on the "camera shake" that you get with some shots.

But it should be noted that no camera can take great pictures without the "taker" practicing. While the little "purse" camera is almost idiot proof, this one is not. You have to play with it and enjoy it. It doesn't use film, has a warranty, and a ton of settings, so why not experiment with it. I take the same photo with a dozen different settings and then see what the photos look like. Practice makes perfect, and it doesn't cost you a penny to do it.

There are some great books printed for this particular camera that are a must. Check the reviews here on Amazon and make your choices.

As you will find out by checking the various sites, there are accessories that will cost you thousands of dollars if you get carried away. My suggestion is "stick to the basics".

And one more VERY important aspect to picture taking. "A great photo is in the eyes of the beholder".

The "pro" photographer that lectures for an hour about everything that was done wrong when he looks at a photo taken, may be telling that to a person that thinks the photo looks "perfect".

Great camera with a lot of settings to get you in the ball park.

I do not know how to use many of the features besides AUTO so I cannot speak to that. I hope to learn how to use all of those features.
I am disappointed that the camera does not have a video feature for short video clips.
I am also disappointed that you must use the viewfinder to take pictures on auto and it doesn't show on the nice big screen!
Otherwise, it takes beautiful photos and I look forward to learning how to use all the manual features.

I had this camera sent to me while on deployment to Afghanistan. I understand Amazon.com's policy on sending electronics over seas so I had to have it mailed home to the states so the wife could sent it to me from there. I was using a small Canon "point and shoot" which was great for taking out on patrols, but I needed something more for back on base, capturing the mountains and the beautiful skyline the way I see them. There's only so much you can manipulate manually on a "point and shoot". I'll be attending a photography class when I return home and the Canon XSI allows me to become more camera savvy in preparation for school. I LOVE this thing! Anyone who wants to get into photography professionally or just as a hobby, I HIGHLY recommend one of Canon's Rebel line. They have one to fit your shooting style no matter what it is. Three other soldiers in this (very small) base have a Canon Rebel of some kind and they agree, GO CANON REBEL!

We are just getting into high quality digital photography so using it mainly in Full Auto mode so far. It is fairly intuitive and the picture quality is excellent.

Please be aware that the LCD does not display in full-automated mode. You have to look at your subject using viewfinder, or switch to one of the manual mode settings in order to see your subject in the LCD. This is my first digital SLR, so I do not know if all SLR's behave this way or not. If I knew before hand that I would not be able to use the LCD display to take pictures in automated mode then that would have been a powerful argument not to buy this.

The last camera I bought was almost 11 years ago. It was a Nikon CoolPix. Great camera but it is antiquated now. I researches for a new camera for at least 10 months before I finally decided upon this one. I wanted a Nikon but all of the reviews lead me to this camera. Feature for feature, dollar for dollar this camera could not be beat. I am satified with it. I do not have any complaints. I made a good choice. This camera will not disappoint you!

My sister asked me for a LSR camera, I gift one of this for christmas, since she had, all her friends (photographs and designers) are wondered with this camera. She is very happy and told me all friends will buy one of these. Price was great and quality of pictures is amazing. *****

Bought for the holidays and took some amazing quality pictures. Additionally, while it allows for some very advanced settings, it was also easy enough while on AUTO setting for anyone to snap and shoot good looking photos. Highly recommended.

This is an excellent replacement for my original Canon digital Rebel 6.3mp. It's much more sophisticated than the original one so it takes some working with it to learn its new features. I highly recommend Julie Adair King's book: Canon EOS Digital XSi/450D for Dummies, available at Amazon. It goes into much more detail and suggestions than you are likely to find elsewhere or in the Canon material. Also, there's a nice review at [...]
One common complaint with the XSi is that it comes with a rather "soft" default focus, which may disappoint. In fact, it comes set at "3" with settings available up to "7" for the "standard" picture setting. Once you learn the camera this can be changed, and will work with any modes other than "auto". I have mainly been using the "P" mode. I also find I get a much sharper focus not using the 9-point focusing, but rather, in the "P" mode use the center (locked in) focusing point. My first few days with it I was frustrated and disappointed with the soft focus. Now that I read the "Dummies" book and understand the camera better, all is well. This is much more than a simple point-and-shoot, though it can be used in a completely automatic mode. I now feel very comfortable with it. Do take time to learn the camera.

This is a remarkable camera. I took my first photography course in 1984. I used my uncle's Nikon, and was hooked. This cheap little SLR does everything I could ever have wanted in an SLR. Sure it's APS-C, but the pics look great and on my budget - it's a top notch camera. I recommend adding the el-cheapo 50mm 1.8 lens that canon sells for 100 bucks. It's worth it unless you can shell out some more for a wider/faster lens (I'm saving up for a 30mm 1.4). If you come from the old world of 35mm film SLRs you'll want to multiply the lens length by 1.6 with this camera - so a 50mm lens is actually a fair bit longer. You'll want 35mm or 30mm to get that old SLR prime lens feel (just like 1984). Do some research and you'll hear all sorts of complaining from the "full frame" snobs. For the world of us average joe amature photographer this camera is outstanding - don't worry about full frame. As too the longevity of the "S" lenses - just don't sink alot of money into them (which is not a problem because they are pretty cheap). If you want a really expensive lens - it'll undoubtably be full frame anyway (which will work just fine with this camera).

Great buy. Great camera. Nothing but positive things from me on this one!

Outstanding product for the money, you will not be disappointed with the image quality and the ease of use.

Prior to this camera I have used a Powershot A30(?) and a cheap Kodak P&S. I was always fustrated with the quality of pictures I got. I think some of that has to do with the fact that I never learned proper technique for taking pictures. However, even when using the Auto or scene modes on the XSi, the quality is outstanding and the ease of taking pictures is great. It is actually fun to take pictures with this camera.

One of the biggest concerns we had with getting a new camera was its ability to take quality pictures of our children who hardly ever sit still. I do still take some bad shots given my lack of knowledge in picture taking, but I'm able to get a lot of good shots as well. When set to Continuous shooting mode, the camera is very quick. Even when set to single-shot mode, the ability to get a number of pictures in a short amount of time is still fast - way faster than our P&S cameras. Also, we can actually take decent pictures of our children inside the house without the use of the flash and the picture quality is still excellent (to my perspective).

One of the nice things about this camera is it's ability to take pictures in RAW format (when using manual modes) and then being able to modify the pictures on the computer afterward using Canon's supplied software. The software is very handy and provides some nice features.

I can't say enough good things about this camera. It was well worth the price we paid and I have no regrets whatsoever.

Canon makes great products. This is my latest. It takes absolutely gorgeous pix. I have the Canon18mm-135mm lens
and it captures so many different types of shots. My only complaint is that some of the buttons you have to look at
to be sure you have your finger on the right one.

Nothing much to say. This is more than what i expected, a great camera, whether you are a beginner or an expert.

This is the second Canon Rebel camera that I have had. The first was a 35mm that I loved and was very happy to purchase the same in digital. I haven't had it very long to be able to compare the quality of the photos but so far I really like that the feel of the camera is similar and the shutter speed is fast. I also purchased the same camera so that my old lenses would fit. It is very easy to use, turn it on, take off the lens cap and shoot.

very nice dslr. Huge difference from a conventional dig. camera. So far the photos that we have shot are very viverant and sharp. i still use kodak image editor though because of my printer. very nice camera. this does not take short movie clips, kinda weak considering all the other cameras at this price point do.

We received a couple of new Canon XSi Digital rebels for crime scene work. Right out of the box one of them had battery issues. Last night at a homicide scene in sub freezing temps mine completely crashed. The associated speedlight couldn't communicate with the camera resulting in underexposed, blurry night pictures. Then the camera began shutting down intermittently. I had to put it back in the car for several minutes until it began to operate again. Finally, after over an hour of annoying, unannounced shutdowns it started doing what it's supposed to. The pictures it takes are nothing short of spectacular. I love the design and the interface. Overall a great camera. I'm afraid, however I will have to stick with my erstwhile Canon S2is. It may have fewer megapixels and tons of scratches and scars but it always turns on and takes pictures no matter what. Canon makes great cameras. They dropped the ball on these.

This camera is a great digital SLR for the price.

Coming from regular point and shoot Canons and Sony around 7MP, this camera blows them away in image quality and is just as easy to use as the point and shoots.

Make sure to invest in quality UV or other quality lens protection depending on your intended use for the camera.

Also, getting the higher zoom lens is a must-have with this camera, although most of your pictures will be taken in the 18-55 range with the lens that comes with the camera.

Only thing that could improve on this camera would be to be able to see the picture on the LCD before shooting(like a point and shoot), but I suppose that defeats the whole digital SLR camera's history and function.

I am a pro shooter who got this camera to use for fun and trips were i would be mad if i damaged my high end $$$ body.(like skiing) Any way i love the camera so far. I have not had the problems that i have read about with the auto focus or image quality. You however can not take this camera out of the box and get the best pictures it can take. they will be ok but you need to take the time and set up your camera. READ the book if you dont know what your doing. I got the kit camera with the 18-55 IS lens and it is ok. The camera takes much better pictures with my 35-350 72mm L lens on it, as will any camera, spend your money on the glass not the body.

If you want a good camera for the price this is the one for you. If you have older EOS cameras your old lenses will work with the new camera. I also use my 430EZ flash that is from my A2 EOS film camera, it is way over powering in the auto mode (as it is not a E-TTL flash only a TTL) but it works if you manual set it, for inside i use 1/16 or 1/32 (up to 10-15 feet works great) out side i set it to full power and i can light up a subject 100 feet away! (it is great for that)

If you have used a EOS before this works about the same. even from my old film EOS to this one, the basic-mid advance functions are the same.

BEWARE were you but from online. do not buy from a company who dose not have a good reviews (reviews not rating, and read the bad ones too). Personally i will not buy from 17st photo out of NY, to many nightmare stories . i try to buy from amazon directly and will do a lot of review reading if my item is supplied by anyone other than them. Spend a few extra $$ to make sure you can send it back it their are any problems. you will get what you pay for.

Was a little nervous ordering a SLR online....but the price was compelling ($150 less than a retail store near my home)

Absolutely no disappointment...came as ordered......very pleased.

I took photography in college many, many years ago and decided recently that I wanted to start taking quality photographs again so I bought the Canon Rebel based on advice of a professional photographer. I have not been disappointed. If you want to point and shoot the automatic features will allow you to do that. If you don't, but want to make the adjustments yourself (the way it used to be done) then you can do that as well. If the latter, the instruction book is very clear on how to do that even if you don't know about f stops, shutter and film speed. The other features are amazing and I am really looking forward to using some of the advanced features. So far, this has turned out to be a great purchase.

I love my new Canon EOS Xsi. With the new SLR, it was curious that the new 3" screen was showing you the camera settings rather than the image you were shooting, like with point and shoot cameras. Only with "Live View" will you see the images on the screen as you photograph. It doesn't matter. Since it's a SLR, you view your shot through the viewfinder, which has elaborate information you can see. Frankly, the screen on point and shoot cameras were impossible to see and you could never tell what you were getting on them anyway. The SLR lets you know exactly what you are getting by looking through the lens that is taking the shot.

I got a great deal on my 12.2 mpx EOS at Amazon, and I would urge anyone looking for a more serious camera than a point-and-shoot should jump in and make the plunge with this very excellent DSLR.

Though the camera was excellent (when it worked) buying a Canon isn't worth the hassle customer service gives you when something goes wrong.

I had to send mine in twice in one month and the issues still aren't resolved. With all the incompetent managers, run around, lies, lost information and additional time needed to repair, I am quickly becoming convinced that they are just dragging their feet to run my warranty time out.

I got stuck with a $1000 lemon (not including all wasted money on lenses and accessories). I wouldn't recommend Canon products. Go for a competitor with better customer service.

Researched and shopped around before settling on this camera. Very pleased with the camera, and the price was much better than the 'big box' stores.

As this camera was not for me, I already own one and i've been doing photography for a while now, this camera is actually a remarkable camera for it's price and the quality that comes out of it, as it is a beginners camera, it is still up to professional standard quality, i'm not a professional photographer or anything but i've used my camera for a while now and tested this one out for someone i bought it for, and to be honest it wasn't as bad for the price, decent deal and a good beginners kit to start out in the photography world, and as you go along you just upgrade, when i started i went straight with the L series lense and i started at the top and learned my ways, but for the beginners who want to either use this for personal or amateur photography hey this isn't bad to start with.

purhased the item and it came in quick, as it was brand new very great deal for what i got XSI with the 18-55mm and the 50-200mm lense with two filter for 600, thats a good deal.