Canon's highly popular Rebel lines brings the performance of the digital SLR world below the $1000 price barrier. With an 8MP CMOS sensor and a small, light body, the Rebel XT vies for the position of the best low-cost digital SLR (DSLR) camera on the market. SLR means single lens reflex, wherein the actual image coming through the lens is projected onto the eyepiece (on in the case of digital, to the LCD screen), letting the photographer SEE exactly what will appear on the final picture - focus, aperture depth, etc. These are what professional photographers use, with quick zoom capabilities, FAST auto-focus (plus complete manual control), no startup or lag time, and the abiltity to take bursts of photos all in a 1 second. There are larger pictures below. See all Canon Rebel Digital SLRs here.
Like all SLR cameras, the Rebel XT lets you use interchangeable lenses (Canon or other EF compatible). The performance of the XT is nothing short of phenomenal, shooting 3 frames per second in burst mode, with resolution that is essentially as good as the more expensive Canon EOS 20D (1750 lines of resolution). Color reproduction nearly matches the real world, and there is no noise even past 400 ISO settings. It has a 7 point auto focus system that is quick and responsive, reducing shutter lag times. The Canon uses compact flash memory cards for storage, and the micro-drives fit in the same form factor space, which means up to 8GB of storage. High speed USB 2.0 connection hooks you up to your PC is you don't have a memory card reader. Full RAW support of course. The only complaint we had was with the LCD - at 1.8" it is on the small side, and dim in bright outdoor light.
Other Specs:
Image Sensor: 22.2 x 14.8mm, 8.2 Megapixel, single-plate color CMOS sensor with RGB primary color filter & Low-pass Filter
Color Depth: 24-Bit RGB (JPEG files) and 36-Bit RGB (RAW files)
Recorded Resolutions: Large (3456 x 2304), Medium (2496 x 1664), Small (1728 x 1152) x 2304
Autofocus: TTL-CT-SIR with AF-dedicated CMOS sensor with 7 AF points and AF assisit beam
Sensitivity: ISO 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600
Scene Modes: Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports, Night Portrait, Flash Off
Dimensions: (W x H x D) - 3.7 x 5.0 x 2.7", 17.1oz
Verdict: The Canon Digital Rebel XT may be the best sub-$1000 camera on the market. Photos have near-perfect clarity and resolution even in auto-mode, and complete manual control allows the more artistic photographer to do whatever their heart desires. The auto-focus was spot on in our test shots 98% of the time. Picture quality suffers a bit under low-light indoor conditions, but that is more a fact of physics than a camera problem. The camera is normally sold in kit form with an adequate lens companion. If you plan on buying or upgrading to other lenses, consider skipping the combo kit and get the body only ($899?) as the included lens is not top of the line.
Current price is just under $1000. The links on this page contain further reference materials and information.
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