Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black): Customer Reviews & Product Details

My first digital slr. Love it. Used to have a film Rebel G, so the learning curve on this one was pretty easy for me. I'm sure there are a million arguments for stepping up to the next dlsr in line, but I didn't see a reason for it. This is a MUCH better camera than the one I was replacing, so all the nitpicky little drawbacks ("only" 7 autofocus points, "only" 1.5 fps in raw, etc.) seem silly to me because they completely blow away my other cameras. I love this camera.

I do a lot of travel and was looking for a lower cost DSLR to take with me. After reading reviews from [...], dpreview and cnet, I decided to go with the Canon XS. I have no complaints about the ergos or the picture quality. My wife has the Nikon D60 and I consider this by far a better set up. The 7 point auto focus is a nice feature for the cost. The additional megapixels that you get with the xsi is not worth the cost in my opinion. The 2.5" screen is definitely small by today's standards, but I like the live view function (as far as I know it is the only camera at this cost that has the Live View function).

It seems that both the Nikons and the Canons low end SLRs are coming with the IS or VR lenses now. this is a nice feature, but it adds to the cost of additional lenses. Having the Stabilization technology in the body of the camera is something to consider if you will be purchasing multiple lenses. The mission for my camera only requires 2 lenses at most though.

As far as picture quality and performance go; we ran some basic tests against my wife's D60. It was very different to see the difference in the ISO tests we did. We used people in dark lit situations (more realistic than the scientific pics of cards you see on the research sites). They both are capable of about 3 frames per second which is fine for what we need, but a lot of cameras are capable of more today. The Canon beats it with the AF points and the overall feel and layout of the camera. Once you learn hoe to use the camera, both are capable of beautiful shots.

I like having it in my bag for travel. It is lower cost so I'm not totally worried about it and it is sophisticated enough to handle any type of landscape or street shot that I come across without disappointing me. Obviously I recommend it as a travel camera, but if your looking for a good family and friend upgrade from a point and shoot or a tool to launch you into "real" photography, then this is a great buy.

This is the third Canon rebel that I have owned in the past 10 years, I started in the pre-digital age with a film version. I really love this camera, it works for everything I need it to do. I am taking a photography class and this thing does all the 'tricks' needed to complete assignments, but it is also my go-to camera to use as a point and shoot with the premade settings. I like that the screen on the back is larger than my older Rebel, much easier to take a peek at what I've got. I have had no problems at all with programming or using this camera. Until I have finished photography school and actually open my own business and get a large frame camera, like a 5D, I will be sticking with the Rebel.

I bought this to replace my point and shoot and was very disappointed. The main reason I wanted this camera was for a fast shutter speed and taking pictures fast to capture missed shots of my two year old. The shutter was not as fast as I wanted and after about 20 shots it took extremely long to process a picture. I think the memory was full or something. My kodak z612 takes faster shots and more continuous. Sending it back and going to look for a new Kodak.

As my first DSLR, I found Rebel XS very easy to use. After couple of weeks of "playing" with it I was able to use almost all advanced features. I'm no longer using the preset modes.
I've noticed some difficulties with AF at low light, but, hey, you can always focus manual and for only $ 450.... very good DSLR for the price. Great image.
I would upgrade the kit lens with something with a wider aperture for low light pictures.