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Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS: A Great DSLR For Cost-Conscious Noobs
Posted by Wilson Rothman at 2:00 PM on June 10, 2008
Canon Japan today unveils the EOS Digital Rebel XS, a little brother to the critically praised Rebel XSi DSLR camera. This is good news for everyone but Nikon. When I reviewed the Canon XSi, the only thing that saddened me was its price tag, US$200 more than the Nikon D60, but with enough performance to merit the step up. The XS can do almost everything the XSi can do, with a few trade-offs for what sounds like a US$200 price drop. Update: DETAILED spec comparison chart below.
AU: Locally this will be the EOS 1000D and succeed the 400D. It will hit shelved in late July for an RRP that is still yet to be determined, although there is an event on July 1 that should announce all that stuff. I'll keep you posted.
Here's the tradeoff: The XS's sensor is 10.1 megapixel instead of the XSi's 12.2. The XS's LCD screen size is 2.5", versus the XSi's 3 incher. And the XS has a 7-point AF sensor rather than a 9 point. In other words, nothing that's going to keep an enthusiastic amateur photographer up at night.
Above, I said "what sounds like a $200 price drop" because Canon is acknowledging the XS but can't yet confirm the price. They do concede that it will be taking the place of the Rebel XTi, and by any valuation the XS is a far superior machine. It's got Canon's DigicIII processor for better images and faster speeds, rather than the XTi's DigicIII. More importantly, it has the Live View that I finally figured out, a useful tool on many occasions. It gets 50% more battery life, and weighs 2.5oz lighter than XTi. Not only that, but when you buy the body with kit lens, you get the nicer, image-stabilized 18-55mm lens that currently comes in the XSi's kit.
The funniest thing is, because of the lower megapixelage, the XS is the first of this series able to pull off unlimited consecutive large, fine JPEGs. The XSi can do 53 in a row, but this one can go until the SD card is chock full.
So bottom line, you get most of the XSi's performance enhancements, presumably priced in Canon's $600 (body only) and $700 (with kit lens) XTi slots. We should have official price and availability confirmation next month, but for now, look over the specs and start saving your beans. [Canon]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
Dean
Posted August 4, 2008 12:07 PM
i want more info on the suspected EOS 3D (5D mark II) any help Giz???
89macrunner
Posted 2:40 PM 10/6/08
used is still the best way to go for n00bs. I just picked up a Rebel XT w/ kit lens for $200 on craigslist.
89macrunner
endless
Posted 2:36 PM 10/6/08
fantastic.
keep nikon on their toes.
i need a full frame D300 asap.
:D
endless
klew
Posted 2:31 PM 10/6/08
@bosskev: the sensor difference could certainly be a better result, and now I wonder if the XS uses the same accessory lineup of the XSi (like new battery shape, and battery grip)
klew
Ravlen
Posted 2:28 PM 10/6/08
Minor Nitpick... The XTi has the Digic II... But I wish I had waited before I bought my new camera, I would have likely gone for this one.
Ravlen
bosskev
Posted 2:25 PM 10/6/08
Compared to the XSi, it is possible that the new XS's lower pixel density sensor could actually yield a slightly cleaner image (i.e., less noise) and/or have somewhat better low light capability. And 10.1 megapixels is more than enough resolution for all but poster-sized prints. It will be interesting to see how this pans out in tests/reviews.
(-17)
bosskev
DWD
Posted 2:23 PM 10/6/08
@scrag: Sweet reference...now don't press your luck.
DWD
DWD
Posted 2:21 PM 10/6/08
I was planning on purchasing the XSi, now I have to seriously reconsider. Also, besides unlimited consecutive images (limited only by card size), with fewer megapixels usually comes faster, more pics/sec, in consecutive mode.
DWD
scrag
Posted 2:17 PM 10/6/08
Now when do we get the announcement on the 5D replacement... no whammy, no whammy!
scrag
nino63004
Posted 2:12 PM 10/6/08
this may be the camera I end up buying this summer.
nino63004
shenanigans61
Posted 2:05 PM 10/6/08
Excuse me, does Canon sell absorbant towels for soaking up the slobber on my keyboard accumulated from all these releases?
shenanigans61
mumin
Posted 2:05 PM 10/6/08
they read gizmodo! :-)
mumin
hellboy997
Posted 3:35 PM 10/6/08
any dslr's without that pesky anti-infrared glass?
hellboy997
emorphien
Posted 3:15 PM 10/6/08
@four12:
I'm sitting on the money for a 5D MK II as well... my 1D MK II needs a replacement!
emorphien
four12
Posted 3:12 PM 10/6/08
I'm with @scrag. I've got the money for a 5D MkII sitting *right here* just waiting to spend it.
Come ON already!
four12
emorphien
Posted 2:46 PM 10/6/08
All I gotta say is I think they're missing the boat if it's that expensive. They need something in the $500 range new to combat the cheaper cameras from other manufacturers IMO.
emorphien
ihavenoimaginationwhenitcomestopickingausername
Posted 5:24 PM 10/6/08
So, like a sorta updated 400D?
ihavenoimaginationwhenitcomestopickingausername
ReD-BaRoN
Posted 5:46 PM 10/6/08
It's got Canon's DigicIII processor for better images and faster speeds, rather than the XTi's DigicIII.
??
ReD-BaRoN
cheungman
Posted 5:45 PM 10/6/08
But does it have 3g,GPS and geotagging?
cheungman
markarian
Posted 9:07 PM 10/6/08
Why'd they have to downgrade the autofocus? I think I'm quite happy with my XTi, thanks.
markarian
williamn
Posted 11:04 PM 10/6/08
Sooooooo....where's the innovation?
williamn
nikuser
Posted 4:58 PM 10/6/08
Interesting, this will help to cannibalize the sales of the XSi. They can't do anything without stepping on their own toes now. If the 5D Mark II is too good (16MP, even lower noise, 5fps etc) it will kill off (or almost) the 1D series - especially the 1Ds.
nikuser
spaceman37
Posted 11:27 PM 10/6/08
@emorphien: I too await the new 5D! I'm guessing/hoping they will announce at/around photokina in late September.
On another note, the 1D MKII and 5D are two different kinds of camera - I personally wouldn't replace it, the more the merrier!
spaceman37
Wilson Rothman
Posted 11:22 PM 10/6/08
@williamn: In the price.
Wilson Rothman
DWD
Posted 11:51 PM 10/6/08
Nope, I was wrong about the continuous shooting rate. 3.5 frames/sec for the 450D/XSi and 3.0 for the 1000D/XS. This has to be an intentional crippling, since the same processor with small images should be able to handle faster shooting. A detailed comparison along with the old 400D/XTi here:
[www.dpreview.com]
DWD
shenanigans61
Posted 12:40 AM 11/6/08
@papaguru: What exactly is that number?
shenanigans61
papaguru
Posted 12:29 AM 11/6/08
@bosskev: Congrats on the -17, keep it up!
papaguru
Atsumi
Posted 1:19 AM 11/6/08
Looks like I need to upgrade my XT.
That XSi is looking pretty nice.
...so is the 5D.
Atsumi
Screen Name
Posted 1:13 AM 11/6/08
I bet it'll still set my images to 72 dpi
Screen Name
Fierock
Posted 4:04 AM 11/6/08
This certainly fills a niche, however it will eat into sales of XSi which means they'll probably price the XSi's a little lower or else eventually replace the XSi with one that better fills the void between the 450D and 40D. I'd love to see a rebel size body in magnesium, even larger/brighter viewfinder and optional focus screens and maybe an even better standard kit lens.
Fierock
markarian
Posted 5:27 AM 11/6/08
@Fierock: Well said.
In any case, I don't think this was done to keep Nikon on their toes, so much as to undercut Olympus' cheapo offerings as of late. Canon usually can't help themselves, and seems to give their low-end almost everything they have to offer in terms of features. But it does look as if the continuous shooting and the autofocus were crippled down to XT levels (which doesn't make it a bad camera, there's just no actual cost-reason for doing it, besides making the XSi relevant).
markarian
bosskev
Posted 5:57 AM 11/6/08
@papaguru: Thank you, moving along well at this point.
@shenanigans61: That number, -17? That is so "yesterday". (-18)
bosskev
williamn
Posted 6:22 AM 11/6/08
@Wilson Rothman: Dropping the FPS, sensor spec, magnification %(yay for tunnel-vision) and others is surely gonna drop it > $200. Bleh!
williamn
shenanigans61
Posted 10:54 AM 11/6/08
@bosskev: Wtf?
shenanigans61
bosskev
Posted 5:25 PM 11/6/08
@shenanigans61: Anywhere you see yellow text, it is a link you can click on. In this case, if you had clicked on the (-18), you would have been taken to a comment I posted a few weeks ago in a Gizmodo story about fitness with the Wii Fit; clicking to that comment should resolve your understandable confusion.
bosskev
applesaucy
Posted 10:28 PM 11/6/08
hmmm a..... magnesium body, even larger/brighter viewfinder and optional focus screens and maybe an even better standard kit lens. Wow that sounds great. So great in fact that it should have a better name like ...40d???
applesaucy
Fierock
Posted 7:48 AM 14/6/08
@applesaucy: Since you mention it, a close look at performance specs reveal that the 450D and the 40D are quite similar on paper, but the $400 difference between these two is for more than just what I listed.
As an aspiring amateur whom appreciats build quality and sensory features, the 40D is far superior - however there are many who wouldn't want to pay extra for the better autofocus, faster burst speed and fps, higher sensitivity, quicker top shutter speed and the extra display on top of body. Plus many prefer the smaller form factor.
Fierock