- Author: Michael L. Poe
I'm often asked, "What camera are you using? Probably the latest thing, huh?"
The answer is, nope. There was a time from 2005-2008 where I got a new Canon Digital Rebel each year. Each year the pixel count went up. There was the 6MP, then 8, then 10, and I knew I could stop shopping when the 12MP Canon EOS Rebel Xsi (aka 450D) came out. With that resolution I could shoot the cover of a 9x12 inch magazine and not have to fudge the processing to get it up to size. 
Canon EOS Digital Rebel Xsi (450D)
Last week I passed the 10,000 image mark for this camera. At that point, it starts the count over at 1. I've never had a digital SLR make it that far before. Most of my previous Rebels were retired or passed onto a CE county office (for a small fee) when it reached somewhere around 5,000 images.
When the 15MP camera came out last year in the middle of our budget crisis, I wasn't really that interested. I had the resolution I needed for most of our work in ANR. I am limited if I need to do much cropping, a process where pixels are thrown away, but so far, it hasn't been a huge issue.
This camera is still doing well and I still recommend it, if you can find one.
Specs
|
Model |
Xsi 450D |
|
Effective Pixels |
12.2 million |
|
Max Resolution |
4272x2848 |
|
Continuous Drive |
3.5 fps |
|
Storage Type |
SD/SDHC/MMC |
|
LCD Size |
3.0” |
|
Body Dimensions |
5.1 x 3.9 x 2.4 in |
|
Exposure Comp. |
-3 to +3 EV in 1/3 EV or 1/2 EV steps |
|
Price |
$899 with lens 4/15/08 |
- Author: Michael L. Poe
In the previous post I told you about the sites I use to help me evaluate a digital camera. The side-by-side comparison feature on the dpreview.com site was helpful in my look at this new camera and my current Rebel.
Since I haven't made a recommendation in a while, I thought I better take a minute to let you know about the latest Canon Digital Rebel. But first, the reason there hasn't been much from me about the latest Rebel is because I am very satisfied with the one I'm using right now. It is the 450D or XSi and has a 12MP sensor. I've known for some time that I could slow down in camera acquisition once 12MP was affordable since it allows me to take the cover photo for a magazine (roughly 9x11 inches) without enlarging pixels. So as long as my camera is working, it meets my office's needs.
The Canon EOS Rebel T1i, a.k.a., Canon 500D, has two main upgrades: a 15MP sensor and the ability to record video.
The still image quality is not significantly improved over the previous model. However, the LCD screen on the back, while the same 3" size as the 450D, has nearly 3x the resolution.
This camera will record HD video, but only at 20 frames per second (fps). It will do standard definition, wide screen (16:9) video at the preferred 30 fps. The video quality is considered good, but the audio is not as good as it should be or would be with a more video-oriented camcorder. At this point, I'm still a believer in using video cameras for video and still cameras for photos. The technology is closer to success in less affordable models, but not at the sub-$1,000 level.
Keep in mind, you'll be manually zooming if you have a zoom lens in use. It's not easy to do, if you haven't practiced a great deal. Chances are, every video camera you've ever operated has had a motorized zoom.
Compared to the previous model, most other specs are the same, weight, lens compatibility, battery type and size, etc. The price is the same debut price as all the Rebels have been, $799. That means the previous model (mine) is available for $200-300 less.
It's a toss-up. If you want a good camera and save some money, go for the 450D (XSi). If you want more pixels because you crop a lot and you want video, think about the T1i.
