Canon Digital Rebel XTi

Reviewed January 2007

Characteristics

The Digital Rebel XT uses a 22.2 x 14.8 mm CMOS sensor with 10.5 million pixels, of which 10.1 million are effective. Three image sizes are offered in the JPEG format:

• L: 3888 x 2592 pixels
• M: 2816 x 1880 pixels
• S: 1936 x 1288 pixels

These three JPEG image sizes can be saved using any one two levels of compression: Fine or Normal. In addition, when the camera is set to one of the Creative Zone programs — P, Tv, Av, M or A-DEP — images can be saved using Canon's RAW format (*.CR2) which uses a non-lossy compression. Moreover, if desired, RAW images can be saved along with a JPEG version at the largest image size and least compression.

The CMOS sensor's sensitivity starts at 100 ISO, but when the camera is set to P, Tv, Av, M or A-DEP sensitivity can be pushed to 200, 400, 800, or 1600 ISO. With the Auto mode, or with the Scene mode, sensitivity is automatically set by the camera from a range that starts at 100 ISO and extends to 400 ISO.

The Rebel XTi is also equipped with what is called the EOS Integrated Cleaning System, a system that cleans the low pass filter automatically with ultrasonic vibrations, removing dust from the sensor assembly, every time the camera is started unless the shutter release is immediately pressed, or when the activated by the user. In addition, a reference image can be captured and used with the supplied software Digital Photo Professional which can then automatically delete any remaining dust that was not eliminated by the dust reduction system.

The lens mount of the Rebel XTi is compatible with all Canon EF/EF-S lenses, but, because of the smaller surface area of the CMOS sensor, all 35 mm lenses mounted on the camera have their effective focal length increased by 1.6X.

Shutter speeds with the Rebel XTi have a maximum range of 30 seconds to 1/4000 second, and when the camera is set to Manual mode an unlimited Bulb mode is available for even for longer exposures. It is worth noting, however, that the B mode requires the use of an optional remote control as holding down the shutter release for the duration of the exposure can cause camera shake. Noise reduction is automatically applied to all images captured with an exposure time of more than 1 second, but the way the noise reduction system operates can be controlled through one of the options of the Custom menu (see further).

The menu system of the Rebel XTi is divided into five sections with the first two sections containing capture-related options, the third dedicated to playback options, and the last two sections providing options that relate to the basic configuration of the camera.

While the first two sections are related to image capture, only the first is shown when the camera is set to the Auto mode, or any of the Scene modes:

• Quality: serves to select JPEG, RAW or RAW+JPEG as well as the image size and quality of the JPEG format images.
• Red-Eye Reduction: On or Off. Controls the activation of the red-eye reduction lamp, positioned between the grip and the lens mount.
• Beep: On or Off. Controls the beeps produced by the camera during some operations.
• Shoot Without Card: decides whether or not the shutter can be released when there is no memory card in the camera.

• AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing): serves to set the bracketing steps in increments of 1/3 EV over ±2 EV.
• Flash Exposure Compensation: to compensate a flash exposure over a range of ± 2 EV in 1/3 EV increments.

• White Balance Shift/Bracketing: allows correcting the white balance, by adjusting it towards Blue, Amber, Magenta, or Green over 9 steps, or bracketing the white balance by varying colour temperature over ±3 levels.
• Custom White Balance: serves to set the white balance under ambient light using a white surface to set the white point.
• Colour Space: serves to select the colour space, either sRGB or Adobe RGB.

• Picture Style: allows customizing existing Picture Styles by tweaking parameters such as sharpness, contrast, saturation and tone for every Style (Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome) and even create a new Picture style based on any of these and save the variation in one of the three User-Defined Styles. In addition, Monochrome can be customized with filters (none, yellow orange, red or green) or images can be captured in colour variations such as Sepia, blue, purple or green.
• Dust Delete Data: serves to capture a reference image using a uniform clear colour subject such as the sky, so the camera can identify any dust remaining after the dust removal system has been operated, so that this information can be passed on to Digital Photo Professional for automatic or manual deletion from images.

The third section of the menu contains options that relate to the playback mode:

• Protect allows selecting photos and tagging them so that they cannot be accidentally erased. Images can be selected one at a time from either the full screen view, or the thumbnail view.
• Rotate: rotates an image by 90° or 270°.

• Print Order: like the previous models, the Digital Rebel XTi is compatible with Direct Print and Bubble Jet Direct Print. In addition the Rebel XTi is also compatible with PictBridge allowing the camera to print directly to any printer that supports one of these standards. When connected to such a printer, a special menu allows images to be trimmed (cropped) if required, dates and file numbers to be imprinted if desired, index prints can be made, and prints can be made with or without borders. Note that whether with DPOF or when connected to a printer, RAW images cannot be printed directly.

• Transfer order: serves to select images for transfer to a computer once the Rebel XTi is connected to a computer running the bundled software.
• Auto Play: is a fully automatic playback mode that allows images to be displayed as a slide show either on the monitor or a TV.
• Review Time: displays a just captured image on the LCD monitor. Three settings are available, On, Off, or On Info, which displays the shooting data and a histogram along with the image.
• Histogram: makes it possible to see a histogram showing the overall brightness of the image, or of its RGB components when the DISP. button is pressed in playback.

The last two sections of the menu contain basic camera configuration options (these are detailed in the Interface and Software section of the review) with one exception, the access to the Custom Function options which is part of the second part of the Setup options, which have a direct impact on the capabilities of the camera when it is used with Creative Zone modes:

• C-Fn1: Set Button/Cross Key Function serves to set the function of the SET button and or the directional arrows:
  • SET: Picture Style: (default) presents the Picture Style choices.
  • SET: Quality: presents the choices for image quality and size.
  • SET: Flash Exposure Compensation: displays the Flash Exposure Compensation Screen.
  • SET: Playback: allows the SET button to operate like the button.
  • Cross Keys: AF Frame Select: allows changing the AF area without having to press the button.

• C-Fn2: Long Exposure Noise Reduction: Off, Auto or On. Serves to control noise reduction with exposures of 1 second or more, or allow the camera to decide if noise reduction is necessary or not.
• C-Fn3: Flash Synch Speed in Aperture Priority (Av) mode: Auto, which allows the camera to select automatically a synch speed from 1/30 to 1/200 second for fill-in, or use a fixed speed of 1/200 second.

• C-Fn4: Shutter/AE lock button: determines how the shutter button and AE/FE lock buttons behave:
  • AF/AE Lock: default setting.
  • AE Lock/AF allows pressing the button to auto focus, and the shutter button halfway to get AE lock.
  • AF/AF Lock, no AE Lock: in the AI Servo AF mode, the button can be pressed to stop the AF momentarily as something passes by preventing the AF getting thrown off. The exposure is set at the moment the photo is captured
  • AE/AF, no AE Lock: useful for subjects that keep moving and stopping repeatedly Using the AF Servo mode, the button can be pressed to start and stop the AI Servo AF operation. The exposure is set at the moment the photo is captured.

• C-Fn5: AF assist beam controls how the AF assist works (available when the flash is raised as it emits a brief burst of flashes):
  • Emits: default.
  • Does not emit: turns the system off.
  • Only external flash emits: only emits when an external EOS dedicated flash unit is used.
• C-Fn6: Exposure level increments decides whether EV steps are 1/3 EV or 1/2 EV.
• C-Fn7: Mirror lockup: Enable or Disable. When enabled the mirror flips up when the shutter release is pressed, and the exposure starts when the release is pressed a second time.

• C-Fn8: E-TTL II: decides the way flash exposures are achieved:
  • Evaluative: provides fully automatic flash photography under all conditions, whether in low light or when the flash is used as a fill light.
  • Average: averages the flash exposure for the area covered by the flash. The camera does not perform automatic exposure compensation.
• C-Fn9: Shutter curtain synch: selects whether the flash synch is at the first curtain (the beginning of the exposure), or the second curtain (just before the end of the exposure).
• C-Fn10: Magnified View offers two settings: Image Playback Only, makes it possible to magnify an image only in the playback mode. Image Review and Playback makes it possible to see a just captured image magnified immediately after shooting.
• C-Fn11: LCD Display When Power On has two settings: Display which automatically displays camera settings when the camera is turned on; or Retain Power Off Status which remembers the Display Camera settings screen's status when the camera was turned off, and recalls it when it is turned back on.

The Digital Rebel XTi is equipped with one CompactFlash compatible memory card slot. The camera is compatible with both CompactFlash Type I and Type II cards, and Microdrives. In North America, the camera is retailed without a memory card.

The chart below is intended to provide an idea of how many images can be saved using an optional 2 GB CompactFlash memory card:

The top jack is the A/V Out, which can be set to produce an NTSC or PAL signal in the Setup menu.

The second jack is designed for use with the RS-60E3 Remote Control, making it possible to control the camera during long exposures (Bulb mode) and avoid the possibility that the exposure will be ruined by camera shake.

At the bottom is the USB 2.0 High-Speed port. All the necessary cables are supplied with the camera, whether it is bought in a kit with a lens, or without.

The Rebel XTi uses the same Lithium-ion battery as the Rebel XT, an NB-2LH which is housed in the camera's grip. In addition, a small button cell (CR2016) is housed in the same compartment, serving to retain the date and time, and current camera settings while the main battery is being recharged.

A charger, CB-2LW, is part of the kit and is able to recharge a completely depleted battery in approximately 90 minutes.

Like the Rebel XT, the Rebel XTi is compatible with the battery grip (BG-E3). The BG-E3 can take up to 2 batteries, or use 6 AA size batteries, making it useable in any country of the world.

In addition, the battery grip adds a vertical shutter release, a secondary AE/FE lock and an AF selector.