Canon EOS Rebel XSi
The Canon EOS Rebel XSi is a great camera for the beginner digital photographer ready to step up beyond a point and shoot as well as those ready to go that extra step beyond the more basic Rebel XT and XTi.
Ease of Use, Performance: 23/25, Look & Feel: 23/25,
Features 24/25, How much I enjoy 23/25
Total: 93/100
If you are a beginning photographer or amateur who wants to go beyond the simple point and shoot digital you may be ready for the new Rebel XS or XSi. The XSi is the better of the two but both the Rebel XS that just came out and the Rebel XSi are both perfect if you need a really good DSLR with all the bells and whistles.
I wanted a better digital SLR camera and have been using my sons Canon EOS Rebel XT for my product shots but his does not have the features I wanted like Live View. I knew Canon was coming out with a newer model this year and waited till I found out more about it and knew it was right for me. I needed a digital camera for my work but also wanted to use it for outdoor and nature photography so I bought the XSi and have been enjoying it just as much as my wife.
We have gone out a few times now taking nature shots at local National Wildlife Parks and learning how to use the various features and settings. Nothing beats having the Live View to see what your taking the picture of right on the LCD screen so you don’t have to look through the viewfinder. The EOS Rebel XSi has all the convenient qualities of a point and shoot but all the professional settings of the more expensive Canon cameras.
If you want more in your camera and want to start in on the broader aspects of photography like depth of field and ISO adjustments the Rebel XSi will be perfect as a learning tool. Using a digital camera to learn things like what the f stops and ISO settings are will be easy and the camera is a great way to learn how to take great pictures.
I grew up in the film camera age and when digital cameras dawned it was a whole new world to photography as well as a new way to learn what all those buttons and terms mean. When learning about cameras and things like f stops, shutter speed and ISO speed it is so much easier to see what changes affect what with a digital camera.
When you learn about photography using a digital camera you can see the results immediately in the pictures and know what the actual features of your camera are. This was something that was either too expensive with the costly chemicals for processing or just not timely to do with film cameras.
Now you can see the results when you change a setting directly on a picture right after you take it without having to spend all that extra money. Digital photography is a great way to learn about the settings and how to really take good pictures and the EOS Rebel XSi is a great way to start.
If you have used a point and shoot digital camera before the XSi is a great camera for that next step in amateur to professional photography. If you have another DSLR and want to upgrade to one with all the bells and whistles but at a more affordable price the XSi is also a great buy.