Canon Digital Rebel XSi

[adam613]

So Canon just announced the XTi replacement...the Digital Rebel XSi.

Press release: http://www.usa.canon.com/templatedata/p ... 3_xsi.html (http://www.usa.canon.com/templatedata/pressrelease/20080123_xsi.html)

Vital stats:

12.2 MP
DIGIC III processor, 14-bit color
LiveView
Improved auto-focus (sounds from the press release like the 30D system)
3.5 fps up to 45 JPEG or 6 RAW
Storage on SD cards instead of CF

$799 body-only, $899 with the EF-S 18-55 IS (I have this lens; it's a bit better than the normal kit lens, optically)

This seems to compare to the 40D like the XTi compared to the 30D; it has a lot of the same features, but is still crippled in areas like drive speed, and doesn't have the same build quality. But the price difference between the XSi and the 40D isn't as great as the difference between the XTi and the 30D was.

The decision to use SD cards instead of CF cards is interesting. All of Canon's point-and-shoots use SD cards, as do Nikon's entry-level DSLRs. Is this the new trend?

Cramming 12MP on that sensor is also interesting...I have a sneaking suspicion that the 40D will take less noisy pics at 10MP.

Canon also announced an EF-S 55-200 f/4-5.6 IS lens. Completely inappropriate for plane-spotting, but maybe it will be good enough to kill off that horrid 75-300 USM III...

Thoughts? Do we start recommending this to newbies? :)

[flyboy 28]

Hm. LiveView would be nice, but not really essential. I like the SD card though. I hate using CF.

[T-Bird76]

Adam your comparing Apples to Oranges....This is a consumer based camera vs the 40D which is Prosumer...not a fair comparrision. Most consumers could careless about or even know the difference between a CF and SD card, they want something small, easy to use that pack alot of features which this does.

[Matt Molnar]

Interesting Canon is moving to SD while Sony's latest entry-level DSLR amazingly uses only CF instead of MemoryStick!

[adam613]

Adam your comparing Apples to Oranges....This is a consumer based camera vs the 40D which is Prosumer...not a fair comparrision. Most consumers could careless about or even know the difference between a CF and SD card, they want something small, easy to use that pack alot of features which this does.

I agree that it isn't a fair comparison, but it is a comparison a lot of first-time DSLR buyers are going to be making over the next year, especially as the 40D comes down in price.

And I disagree that a lot of consumers don't know the difference between CF and SD...most people who use point-and-shoots own SD cards. I wouldn't be surprised to see the 50D accept both.

[madcatimages]

Is the SD card better than the CF card? (Besides size of course) I would have to think the CF card would be faster. (write speed and whatnot)

[adam613]

So one of my co-workers got his XSi over the weekend and let me play with it today. I have to say, I'm impressed with how well-executed it is; it really is like a point-and-shoot with interchangeable lenses. The user interface is somewhat similar to my girlfriend's PowerShot A720, but the feature set is more like a dumbed-down 40D.

I'm not sure I'd want to bring it plane-spotting because of the slow drive and inflexible autofocus, but people who regularly get asked for photography advice by friends and family members should probably check it out, just to see...

[Delta777LR]

Wow, just thinking about it I ordered my new Canon EOS Rebel XT this past week... I should be getting it soon now..