Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black) | 
| Brand: Canon
List Price: $899.99
Buy New: $849.99
You Save: $50.00 (6%)
New (13) from $849.99
Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 58
Media: Electronics
Batteries Included: No
Floppy Disk Drive: None
Monitor Size: 300
Includes Software: Yes
Optical Zoom: 3
Display Size: 3
Maximum Focal Length: 55
Minimum Focal Length: 18
Maximum Resolution: 12
Has Red Eye Reduction: Yes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 6 x 6 x 12
nv:Sensor: 12.2 Megapixel
Image Resolution: 4272 x 2848
Storage Media: SD/SDHC Memory Card
Compressed Format: JPEG
Compressed Format: RAW
Focus Mode: Manual focus
Focus Mode: One-shot AF
Focus Mode: AI Focus AF
Focus Mode: AI Servo AF
Focusing Range: EV -0.5-18 (at 73 F/23 C, ISO 100)
LCD Monitor: 3.0-inches
LCD Pixels: 230,000 pixels
LCD Coverage: 100%
Shutter Speed: 1/4000 sec. to 1/60 sec.
Shutter Speed: X-sync at 1/200 sec.
Light Metering Method: Evaluative
Light Metering Method: Partial metering
MPN: XSIBK
Model: XSIBK
UPC: 013803096095
EAN: 0013803096095
ASIN: B0012YA85A
Release Date: April 14, 2008 (New: Last 30 Days)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | 12.2-megapixel CMOS sensor captures enough detail for poster-size, photo-quality prints | | • | Large 3.0-inch LCD display; includes Canon's EF-S 18-55mm, f3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens | | • | DIGIC III image processor provides fast, accurate image processing; improved Autofocus and framing rate | | • | EOS Integrated Cleaning system, plus Dust Delete Data Detection in included software | | • | Stores images on SD/SDHC memory cards (not included) |
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Product Description
For photography with point-and-shoot ease, look no further than Canon's EOS Rebel XSi. The EOS Rebel XSi brings staggering technological innovation to the masses. It features Canon's EOS Integrated Cleaning System, Live View Function, a powerful DIGIC III Image Processor, and a 12.2-megapixel CMOS Sensor with Optical Image Stabilizer. The EOS Rebel XSi's refined, ergonomic design includes a 3.0" LCD monitor, compatibility with SD and SDHC Memory cards and accessories that enhance every aspect of the photographic experience. Image Format - 22.2mm x 14.8mm 3 - 2 Horizontal - Vertical Aspect Ratio Color Filter System - RGB primary color filter Low-pass Filter - Located in front of the image sensor, non-removable Recording Format - Design rule for Camera File System 2.0 Image Format - JPEG, RAW (14-bit Canon original) RAW+JPEG White Balance Settings - Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, White Fluorescent Light, Flash, and Custom Focusing Modes - One-Shot AF, AI Servo AF, AI Focus AF, Manual focusing (MF) Metering Range - EV 1-20 (with EF50mm f/1.4 USM lens, ISO 100) Exposure Compensation - Manual 2 stops in 1/3 or 1/2-stop increments and AEB 2 stops in 1/3 or 1/2-stop increments AE Lock - Automatic when focus achieved with evaluative metering and One-Shot AF, and Manual by AE lock button Shutter Type - Electronically controlled and focal-plane shutter Shutter Speeds - 1/4000 seconds to 1/60 seconds, X-sync at 1/200 seconds, 1/4000 sec. to 30 seconds, bulb Self-timer - 10-seconds, 2-seconds delay or 10-seconds delay plus continuous shooting Brightness Control - 7 levels provided Body Dimensions - 5.1 x 3.8 x 2.4 (128.8x97.5x61.9mm) Weight - 16.8 ounces (475 grams) body only Lens Dimension - 2.7 x 2.6 (69x66.2mm) Weight - 6 ounces (190 grams)
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| Customer Reviews: Read 9 more reviews...
Great camera, one of the best entry-level DSLRs on the market April 24, 2008
Hyun Yu
167 out of 169 found this review helpful
My journey with DSLRs began back in 2003 with the original Digital Rebel. DSLRs changed my photography for the better like nothing else. Five years and some 25,000 shots later, it's still going strong. Along the way I upgraded to the Canon 30D, which is a fantastic camera as well. When the 40D was announced, I decided to wait until the 50D sometime in 2009, but wanted a newer backup/second body for my photography needs. So when the XSi/450D was announced, it sounded like a perfect fit for my needs.
I got it from Amazon.com three days ago, and have given it a pretty good workout since then, having shot about 650 shots under a variety of shooting conditions and with a number of different Canon and third-party lenses. The following are my impressions.
The build feels very good. The camera feels wonderfully light yet well built. I'm 6ft tall with average size hands, and the camera feels good in my hand. The battery grip, to me, defeats the purpose of having a small, light DSLR, so I opted for a Hakuba/Opteka grip (it's a plate that screws into the tripod socket that enables you to use the excellent Canon E1 hand strap with it) and I couldn't be happier. I'm not a fan of neck straps, so this works well for me (see the uploaded photo for the configuration).
Most of the menu buttons on the back feel different from the ones on the original Digital Rebel and the 30D; the XSi buttons feel more tactile and have a definite "click" to them when you press them. The exception are the Exposure Lock (*) and AF selector buttons, which have retained the deeper, softer feel of the older cameras. Just different, not better or worse, for me.
The LCD is now 3" with 230K pixels. The playback images look great, and probably because of the higher resolution of the sensor, there's a very slight delay when you zoom in to 10x while the image loads and displays properly. People coming from other cameras or brands might not even notice it--I only did so because of the difference between it and my two other Canon DSLRs (which have lower resolution sensors). The viewing angle of the LCD screen (how clearly you can see the screen from side and up and down) is excellent; you can still see the screen holding the camera almost straight up for an overhead shot (more on this later). I'd estimate the viewing angle is about 160-170 degrees both horizontally and vertically.
The Digital Rebel has a separate status screen above the main LCD screen, and the 30D had one on top of the camera, so I wasn't sure if I was going to like the big LCD acting as the status screen and no top screen. I'm happy to say that this arrangement works well, at least for me. The back screen makes it really easy to take all the settings at a glance. The viewfinder is much larger and brighter than that in the Digital Rebel. A humongously welcome feature for me is the always displayed ISO value in the viewfinder.
The camera is only 1/2 of the image quality equation, the other being the lenses being used. Coupled with my favorite lens, the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L telephoto lens, the XSi turns out fantastic images. The supplied kit lens is very light and compact for being an image stabilized lens, and turns out good performance. The IS is certainly very useful.
Two features that used to be missing from the Digital Rebels and found in the more expensive DSLRs are now featured in the XSi: spot-metering and flash exposure compensation (these may have been available in the previous Digital Rebel model, the XTi, as well). The inclusion of those two features make the camera a much more complete and compelling photographic tool. The timer function now has a custom mode, where it'll count down from 10 seconds then take a number of shots (specified by you) in succession. No more running back and forth to reset the timer after each shot! There's also the traditional 2-second timer.
Let's talk for a minute about sensor and the ISO values. XSi/450D has five ISO values you can choose: 100 (best image quality), 200, 400, 800, and 1600. Higher ISO increases the camera sensor's sensitivity to light, thus you can achieve faster shutter speeeds for a given lighting condition. However, the trade-off is that the sensor "noise" (think grain for film photography) increases with higher ISO, so you get a degraded image quality in return for less blurred photos from hand shakes (thanks to faster shutter speed). This may come in handy in situations where flash photography is not permitted, such as a museum or a concert or theater. HOWEVER, compared to point-and-shoot digital cameras, the larger sensors of DSLRs, including the XSi, means that even at ISO 800 and 1600 you get very usable images right out of the camera. Running the images shot at those ISO settings through any number of third-party noise reduction software will improve them even further.
This ties in to another very useful feature of the XSi/450D that makes life easier for the photographer: The Auto ISO function. By default, Auto ISO sets the ISO (the sensor sensitivity to light) between 100 and 800 (by using custom functions, this can be changed to 200-1600). If you are, for example, shooting your kid's indoor basketball game and you know that you need a shutter speed of at least 1/200 sec to "freeze" the action, then you can set the camera to Tv (shutter priority mode) and set the value to 1/200, and set the camera to Auto ISO. Then the camera will match the aperture and the ISO to achieve proper exposure at that shutter speed. With my other DSLRs, setting the camera to shutter priority only allowed the camera to adjust the aperture value; ISO setting had to be adjusted manually. With the XSi/450D, the ability for the camera to adjust the ISO value automatically makes it one less thing for you the photographer to worry about.
I've only tested the Live View function to see how it works, but I can already see how useful it's going to be in studio and macro shootings. Just a note, you can't half-press the shutter to autofocus while in Live View mode. You can either manual focus, or use one of the two autofocus methods, quick (the mirror flips up, the LCD goes dark for a short while, and flips down with focus locked) or live (the camera uses the LCD's contrast detection to achieve the focus--this method is slower than the quick method), both by pressing the exposure lock button (*) while in the Live View mode. Using either the RS-60E3 wired remote or RC-1 wireless remote in Live View mode will ONLY trigger the shutter, and has no bearing on focusing.
Some people seem to be under the impression that the inclusion of the Live View feature will enable them to use the XSi/450D as they do point-and-shoot digital cameras, to compose their shots. That is not the case. You can't really make a functioning use of the Live View feature unless the camera's securely mounted on a tripod or on a flat surface. Both Live View focusing modes, while precise, are too slow to be used for hand-held shooting.
Having said that, there is one use of Live View in hand-held shooting that I've come to value. When shooting overhead or over an obstacle, I can, with the same hand holding the camera, trigger the Live View, compose the scene through the LCD monitor (even if it's out of focus, it's easy to get the general framing right), disable Live View, and take the photo normally. With a little practice, this can be accomplished very quickly. Very handy when you're just holding the camera overhead and hoping for the best.
The Direct Print button that's been much ridiculed and maligned in most Canon cameras now double as the white balance menu button. The Set button in the middle of the four-direction arrow keys can be programmed for a number of different functions: Change image quality, flash exposure compensation, LCD monitor on/off (same as Display button, but can be triggered by the same hand holding the camera), and Menu display (again, can be triggered by the same hand holding the camera).
There is a dedicated ISO button, which is also very welcome. It can easily be accessed during shooting with the right thumb, thereby minimizing the interruption to shooting.
The battery life seems very good. I've shot about 500+ shots on a single charge and the status monitor is still showing charge at full.
I'm using Transcend 8GB Class 6 SDHC card with it. At ISO 100, the camera reports it can fit 396 RAW+JPG (highest quality) on it, but in reality it can probably fit about 420-450 (the camera's always conservative when estimating). With RAW only, it can fit 507. With highest quality JPG, it can fit 1,822. Note that as ISO increases, so do the file sizes and thus you can store less images per card. For example, on ISO 1600, the same card can only hold 323 images, compared to 396 at ISO 100.
My only gripe, and this is more about me than the camera, is the RAW+JPG buffer. I always shoot RAW+JPG, and the buffer will only hold four images at that speed (this is a limitation that's built into the camera's memory buffer system, and thus using a fast memory card doesn't help--see p.64 of the manual). When the buffer's full, you can take two additional images at about a frame a second, then have to wait until the buffer empties (finishes writing to the memory card). When shooting RAW only, it's 6 images. When shooting JPG only, then it's no problem at more than 50 frames. I've found myself switching the mode dial to Sports mode when I'm shooting a fast-moving subject and the buffer simply can't keep up with it. Well, that's why Canon produces different grades and ranges of DSLRs.
I've uploaded some photos that I shot of the local wildlife. Most if not all of those were taken with the EF 70-200mm f/4 L lens.
All in all, it's a fantastic camera. Pretty amazing to see how far the entry-level DSLRs have come in just a few years in terms of features, interface, ergonomics, and quality. I'm very pleased with my purchase and intend to have lots of fun shooting pictures with it.
 are you looking for a good DSLR that does not break the bank? This is it. April 24, 2008
Francesco Scinico (San Diego, CA)
63 out of 66 found this review helpful
i sold my beloved Nikon D70 after four years of use. I still miss it. I purchased a D40, but it never felt right. Picture quality was good, better than the D70, but I had to go through menus to do most everything (changing white balance, ISO, formatting the card, you name it), whereas the D70 had dedicated buttons. That makes all the difference in usability. Besides, the D40 does not even autofocus with my beloved 50mm 1.8 lens. Are you kidding me? I returned the D40 after 3 days of use.
I was lookind at the D80, 40D, the D300, the XTI, and this one. All good cameras (at the end of the day, they all take excellent pictures). it's the usability/sweet price/new features factor that counts. 40D and D300 are expensive for me (not a pro). The XTI is getting old (still good though, and very good price). The D80 is very good, a bigger brother of my beloved d70, but still old: no sensor cleaning, to highlight tone priority, does not ship with a bundled VR lens. You are basically buying a 2006 camera in 2008. I did not like that.
I found this XSI at Circuit City. It felt right in my small hands. It had most of the buttons I need to make changes quickly. I still have to go to a menu to set my custom white balance (the D70 had a button for that). Same thing to format the card (button combination on the D70). Auto ISO is not as smart as Nikon's implementation. Other than that, the camera is excellent. All the other buttons are there. It has an RGB histogram (very important; it lets you see if you are clipping individual colors). Picture quality is great. Very little noise (Canon's CMOS sensor is cleaner than Nikon's CCD on the D80), very pleasing skin tones (I take lots of pictures of my daughter and wife).
If the D80 had the same 2008 features as this one (highlight tone priority, self-cleaning sensor, bundled VR lens), I would have gotten that one. It's still a great camera. This one is just a 2008 camera with features found in the semi-pro 40D and the pro 1DS.
I'm very happy with it.
Great camera, amazing battery life . . . a little expensive. April 22, 2008
J. Lane (Salt Lake City, UT)
42 out of 45 found this review helpful
I have had the XSi for about 2 weeks now and I am thouroughly impressed with it. This is my first DSLR and I was a little wary about going with a brand-new and untested camera, but I have always like Canon (I used an ELAN II in High School and I bought a SD600 about 2 years ago to take snapshots of my son). Overall, I have not been disappointed with the quality of the photos that the XSi produces. The IS lens works great and I have taken some pretty amazing photos (for me at least). I do have just a couple of issues, both good and bad, that I think those who are looking at buying this may want to know.
Battery life -- Great battery life. I should say, AMAZING battery life. I have taken about 1500 photos and I am still on the first charge. I know that you can't judge battery life by one charge, but still, if I get half this many photos in the future, I will be happy.
Live View -- I have not yet learned how to get the camera to autofocus in Live View. You can't use the 9 point autofocus system while in Live View (it uses a different contrast-based system, if I understand correctly, which isn't nearly as accurate), so it may not make that much of a difference. I think that Canon put this functionality on as an afterthought so they could compete with Nikon, Sony and Pentax. You also can't use it in the AUTO mode (Green Square). This isn't that big of a deal for me, I prefer full manual myself, but the whole point of this feature, I thought, was to make it more user friendly for the Point-and-Shoot photographer. My wife can't use Live View in it's current form (I specifically bought a DSLR with a live view function so she could still use the camera). So, if Live View is a big selling point for you, You may want to look at some others (If it isn't that big of a deal to you, then this is still an amazing camera -- added 4-23-2008). If you do studio work, though, you can hook the camera up to your PC and use it as a remote viewer. But it is not a point-and-shoot camera in Live View. You have to mess with too many setting to get the image just right, and for me, it just isn't worth it. Hopefully, Canon will fix some of the functionality problems in a future Firmware update.
Image Quality -- I have had some great success shooting in a studio setting as well as some great outdoor shots. In the studio, I used tungsten "hot" lights with the subjuect against a white background. The photos turned out great. Skin tones are perfect and there is very little, if any, chromatic abberation at the edges. It shoots great outdoor shots as well. We just got into beekeeping and I was able to get some AMAZING shots of our bees up-close outdoors. The bees looked dirty and not very interesting from a distance, but the macro photos I got up close are beautiful and full of wonderfully crisp details. The lens is a little short, the image quality you get from it is pretty good considering it only costs $100. I do plan on buying a longer lens in the near future.
Overall, the camera is solid and feels nice in the hand. It isn't too heavy, yet still feels sturdy. If you can afford the higher price, I don't think you will be disappointed. If you can't, the XTi is still a great camera. And if you can afford to wait a few months for the price to drop a little (or to get a good used model) I would. I was able to work a few extra weekends so I could afford to get this, and I can tell you, I don't mind it a bit, because the quality of photos I am getting has been totally worth it.
--- Update ---
I was incorrect when I said you couldn't use the 9-Point autofocus in Live View. You can use the 9-point autofocus while in Live View, but the mirror flips down and focuses so you can't see what you are trying to focus on until after the camera has actually gone through the autofocus process.
LEFT MY NIKON D40 BEHIND AND NEVER LOOKED BACK April 23, 2008
Justin Paxton
41 out of 68 found this review helpful
After using the Nikon D40 for the past 6 months I was in desperate need of a new DSLR camera. Not wanting to break my bank account I had been eyeing up the latest consumer level SLR from Canon, the Rebel XSi, and eagerly awaiting its release date.
Compared to other SLRs in this class the Canon Rebel XSi includes the following:
- 12.2 Megapixels: They just keep going up! This alone gives the Rebel XSi an advantage because (at this point in time) there is no other consumer level SLR camera with more megapixels on the market. I've even had a few friends tell me they're looking to upgrade from last years Rebel XTi which had 10.1.
- 3.0" LCD Panel:. Just when you thought they couldn't make it any bigger Canon upgrades their LCD screen yet again. Another reason amateur photographers will be happy to either upgrade or flat out purchase the Rebel XSi is because Canon has added an extra half-inch of screen space on the back, making for easier viewing and putting a stop to blurry photos before they get a chance to spread.
- 9-Point AF: The EOS Rebel XSi has a high-precision 9-point wide area AF sensor for fast, accurate focus even in dim lighting. It has a number of focus modes, including One-Shot AF, AI Focus AF, AI Servo AF and Manual. In Live View Function, the EOS Rebel XSi has two AF modes: Quick mode, which uses the camera's standard 9-point AF system, and Live mode, which is a contrast-based AF system that reads the sharpness of subjects right from the imaging sensor, and can be overridden by pressing the AF mode selection button. A familiar feature in PowerShot cameras, Live mode AF uses similar technologies to achieve focus, while Quick mode is more appropriate for capturing action or for shooting in low light.
- Outstanding Image Quality: Canon's CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) sensor captures images with exceptional clarity and tonal range, and offers the most pixels in its class. It offers many of the same new technologies to maximize each pixel's light gathering efficiency that were first seen with the professional EOS-1D Mark III model. It's an APS-C size sensor (22.2 x 14.8mm), and there's an effective 1.6x increase in the lens's marked focal length when attached. Canon's DIGIC III Image Processor dramatically enhances image quality and speeds up all camera operations for intuitive operation. It works in concert with the EOS Rebel XSi's sensor to achieve unprecedented levels of performance in all lighting situations.
- 14-bit A/D Converter: With the EOS Rebel XSi, analog to digital signal conversion is executed by a 14-bit processor, which generates digital data with incredibly smooth tones. Formerly a feature only present in top-of-the-line pro digital SLR cameras, the 14-bit conversion gives incredibly smooth transitions from light to dark colors, with far less risk of "banding." A sky at sunset is a perfect example. With this rich 14-bit gradation the EOS Rebel XSi offers RAW images of the highest quality that can be processed with Canon's Digital Photo Professional software. Even JPEG files, which are always finished at 8-bits per channel, use the full 14-bit conversion initially to generate the best possible color and tonal detail. Another huge benefit of the 14-bit conversion is the Highlight Tone Priority option, which allows critical shooters to increase the level of detail in bright areas of a scene up to one stop, without affecting overall exposure.
- Auto Optimization: The EOS Rebel XSi's Auto Optimization is yet another image-quality tool that comes to the rescue in tricky lighting conditions. It can actually lighten dark areas of a scene while ensuring that bright areas maintain tonal detail. It's now available in all shooting modes, including P, Tv, Av, and Manual.
- Precision Operation: The EOS Rebel XSi operates with such effortless speed that operation is nothing short of intuitive. With instant startup times, speedy autofocus and minimal shutter lag, the EOS Rebel XSi is one of the fastest cameras available today. It can shoot up to 3.5 frames per second, in bursts of 53 JPEGs or 6 RAW files, so you'll never, ever miss a shot.
- Advanced Features: The EOS Rebel XSi's 35-zone evaluative metering system with improved white balance analyzes light based on each zone in the viewing area, enabling the camera to choose the overall best exposure for the entire scene. It now features a spot meter, which reads a tiny area (about 4%) of the picture for extremely precise metering. It also provides Center-weighted average metering and partial metering for accurate exposure no matter the situation. The EOS Rebel XSi also has an improved, high magnification viewfinder that provides a larger overall view, and increased brightness and clarity. And the EOS Rebel XSi has a Display-Off sensor that automatically turns the LCD monitor off whenever the camera is at the photographer's eye. All relevant shooting information, including ISO, is displayed right in the viewfinder so it's easy to change settings without moving the camera away from the eye.
- Flexible Storage: The EOS Rebel XSi is the first EOS Digital SLR camera to use popular SD and SDHC memory cards only. Compact, inexpensive and available in increasingly large capacities, SD and SDHC memory cards are a perfect complement to the EOS Rebel XSi's compact and lightweight body design.
- Self Cleaning Sensor Unit: It's Back! A key element of minimizing dust is preventing it from clinging to the front surface of the imaging sensor. To combat against this, the EOS Rebel XSi features a Canon-designed Self Cleaning Sensor Unit. The low-pass filter at the front of the sensor shakes off dust automatically with ultrasonic vibrations, removing dust from the sensor assembly. The EOS Rebel XSi has a new coating on the front surface of the low-pass filter, to increase its resistance to dust sticking to the sensor.
This is about as good as it gets for consumer level SLRs. Canon has done it again with it's innovation and user-friendly design. Well worth the upgrade from the Nikon D40.
first time DSLR owner April 29, 2008
A. Aganad (San Jose, CA USA)
17 out of 19 found this review helpful
If you do a search on reviews of this camera you will find a lot of first time DSLR buyers deciding to get this camera. I am one of them. After years of Point and Shoot camera use thinking the convenience of carrying them and using them was worth it, I came to the realization that I wasn't happy with most of the pictures I took. They preserved the moment but almost none of them were worth blowing up or printing. Mediocre flash, zoom, megapixels, etc limited me and the pictures.
I love all the features of this camera for the price, especially the dedicated ISO button on top and the menu system is very easy to figure out, and the 3 inch LCD screen. There is also the switch to SD memory cards which are apparently easier to use than CF. It is so easy to take the card out, put it in an SD USB card reader, load the pictures and return the card to the camera, rather than have to fiddle around with opening the little door on the camera and connecting a cable from it to the PC.
If you are contemplating buying your first DSLR you must remember that the camera is just the start. You will need to invest in a quality external flash to improve your flash pictures. And there is the various zoom lens, that now utilize Image or Optical Stabilization, a technology worth the extra cost. I was happy to do all this and I am absolutely satisfied with this camera and the Canon lens and flash as well. I now am very happy with carrying a bigger but absolutely superior camera
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