The arrival of the Canon Rebel XTi — EOS 400D outside
North America — created a lot of interest. The cause
of this interest was not primarily the increase in resolution
to 10 megapixel, nor the use of a 2.5-inch LCD monitor. The
cause was that this is Canon's first camera equipped with
a dust reduction system. The system works by applying hypersonic
vibrations to the low-pass filter in front of the CMOS sensor
to dislodge any dust that may have settled on it, a process
that takes a second and which occurs when the Rebel XTi is
turned on or off.
But, because speed is one of
the most sought-after characteristics of digital SLR cameras
— start-up speed as well as shooting speed — the
1 second delay caused by the start-up action of the dust reduction
system can be skipped with a simple press of the shutter release.
At this point in time, the
Rebel XTi/EOS 400D is coexisting with the Rebel XT/EOS 350D
in the market and on the shelves of vendors, which makes comparisons
between the two cameras simply unavoidable.
In terms of image quality, the first impression is that there
is only a difference of resolution. But in fact, the improvements
the Rebel XTi brings are not limited to an extra couple of
million pixels.
The XTi's auto focus system,
for example, is different from the XT, and is imported from
the EOS 30D. This is an auto focus system with 9 AF areas,
and is a valuable addition to an entry-level SLR, since this
is a system that is fast and precise. Regrettably, however,
the AF assist remains only available when the flash is opened.
The buffer memory of the XTi is also improved over the XT,
and the XTi is capable of longer bursts, double that of the
XT, be it with RAW or JPEG images.
Another addition to the Rebel XTi is Picture
Styles, a feature incorporated into other recent Canon cameras.
Picture Styles makes it possible to subtly change sharpness,
saturation, contrast, and colour tone, adapting the way the
image looks to the subject. In addition, three User Defined
settings can be saved, based on modifications of existing
styles or can be occupied by imported settings, some of which
are Picture
Styles that are available on-line.
Using the Standard Picture Style,
the default setting, the photos captured by the Rebel XTi
have excellent colours that are true to life and are not over-saturated;
while the Monochrome Picture Style, which can be used in conjunction
with a variety of filters, yields superb monochromatic images.
Just like its predecessor, the XTi is available in a kit
that includes an EF-S 18-55 mm f3.5-5.6 II zoom. And,
while the images that this lens produced with an 8 megapixel
sensor were very good, the 10 megapixel CMOS of the XTi seems
to be pushing this lens to its limits, and occasionally beyond.
Photos captured at the wide angle
end of the zoom and with a wide aperture are visibly soft,
and more uniform sharpness is obtained when the lens is stopped
down to f8. Likewise, a chromatic aberration is also noticeable
when there are strong contrasts, and is more pronounced in
the corners of the frame. On the other hand, when higher end
Canon lenses are used, such as L series lenses, the images
are perfect and of impressively high quality.
While increases in pixel density
are commonly considered to cause an increase in noise, the 10-megapixel
CMOS of the Rebel XTi appears to be only marginally noisier
than the 8-megapixel CMOS of the XT. Indeed, noise is insignificant
up to 400 ISO, and only faintly detectable in dark areas. At
800 ISO noise is visible, but does not detract from the image
as it only imparts a grain, which if desired can be corrected
with software.
Even at 1600 ISO, images remain
completely useable, especially if they were captured under
good light to maximize the shutter speed. Worth noting, the
way noise reduction is applied can be user-set, or left up
to the camera to determine whether it is necessary or not
after a long exposure.
Two formats are offered to
save images on the Rebel XTi: JPEG at either one of two compression
levels, or RAW. Only the JPEG format, however, offers a choice
of image sizes: Large, Medium or Small. JPEG images saved
using the least compressed format, Fine, yield images
that are free of any artefacts, and maintain excellent colour
nuances; while those saved using the Normal setting
are equally useable, albeit with a slight loss in the smaller
details.
Still, to take full advantage
of the capabilities of the Rebel XTi, the RAW format is preferable.
It captures all the data captured by the CMOS sensor, and
offers total flexibility over post-capture processing. Moreover,
the camera offers an option to capture both a RAW and JPEG
(Fine) version of the image, which makes it possible to adjust
and process the RAW image, and still have an immediately useable
JPEG.
Special mention should be made
of the software supplied with the Rebel XTi: Digital Photo
Professional Version 2.2, a much improved piece of software
that provides a broad and powerful panoply of tools that are
beyond those bundled with most other entry-level cameras.
The Canon Digital Rebel XTi,
although it resembles the XT, is in fact a distinct model. Its
10-megapixel CMOS sensor gives it a slight advantage in terms
of resolution, but it is really the AF, the buffer memory, the
Picture Styles, and the dust reduction system that position
it ahead of the XT. Moreover, in view of its excellent image
quality and its price, the Rebel XTi/EOS 400D is one of the
most attractive DSLR cameras currently on the market, although
the lens it is currently sold with in kit form does not do the
camera justice, quite unlike when it is paired with any of Canon
finer lenses.
Merchants/Buying Choices
Where to buy Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi with 18-55mm Lens - Black
Image Quality
