Canon Digital Rebel XTi

Reviewed January 2007

Test Photos

STILL LIFE PHOTO

This subject is photographed in a room that has a mix of fluorescent and incandescent light, but which is not brightly lit. The camera's flash is used to add fill light. The backdrop is 1.95 m (6.5 ft) from the camera.

Most of the photos presented here were captured using the EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 II which is sold in the Kit version of the Rebel XTi. Similarly, the RAW format was used as much as possible and the RAW images then converted to TIFF using the "as shot" parameters.

The built-in pop-up flash of the XTi produces an evenly-lit image, nevertheless a flash compensation of +0.3 EV is used to make the image a touch brighter in the corners.

The image sharpness, when it is inspected at 100% scale on a monitor, is a bit soft and becomes softer towards the corners of the image. Colours, on the other hand, are very natural and there is no trace of noise anywhere in the image.

ZOOM PHOTO

Now we zoom in on a specific area. The intent is to test the sharpness of the image at the zoom's maximum setting. The camera remains at the same distance as with the preceding photo.

Zoomed in, flash exposure compensation is not necessary to obtain a bright image. The colours remain true to those that were captured in the wide angle shot.

Sharpness is better at the telephoto end of the zoom, but remains a touch soft, although it allows discerning the texture of the cloth and the printing screen on old photo paper envelope.

MACRO PHOTO

The strength of the SLR system is that it allows the use of application-specific lenses. For macro photography shots, Canon offers a number of lenses such as the EF-S 60mm F2.8, used for this shot.

As always, with the type of image presented here, it is preferable if lots of light is available so that a small aperture can be used, maximizing the depth of field.

BUILDING PHOTO

This image is our outdoor test. The architecture of the building, in particular the angled girders, immediately shows the presence of jaggies. The shadowed entrance can also often reveal the quality of the exposure.

The image quality and the accuracy of the colour rendition that the XTi delivers is well-illustrated by by this image. To take into account account the reflective nature of the snow. an exposure compensation of +1 EV was used to ensure that there is a good balance between the brightly lit area of the frame and those that are not.

ZOOM PHOTO

Zooming in on the entrance of the building, the shadowed entrance takes on a greater importance for the metering and can cause an overexposure of sections that are directly lit.

Zoomed in, the exposure the camera captures is excellent. Details can be seen behind the green-tinted glass doors, as well as in the directly lit foreground.

Most notable is the absence of noise, and the accuracy of the metering which is able to capture data in the over-exposed area.

NIGHT PHOTO

Since this camera is capable of long exposures, a photo taken at night is included here.

Offering an automatically timed exposure than can be as long as 30 seconds, and a B mode, the Rebel XTi is well-equipped for night photography. It is capable of an unlimited B (Bulb) mode exposure that requires the use of of an optional remote control.

Moreover, the Rebel XTi also offers an option that makes it possible to raise the mirror before an exposure, preventing any vibrations that might be caused by the mirror moving at the beginning of an exposure.

Using an exposure of 30 seconds at 100 ISO — the lowest sensitivity so as to ensure the least noise in the exposure — and the noise reduction system set to Auto, the Rebel XTi decided that this exposure did not require noise reduction processing. Indeed, the section of the image shown below at 100% scale, contains no noise.