Canon XSi: 12.2 Megapixels, Image Stabilized Lens, and Double Live View
by Wesley Fink on May 5, 2008 3:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Digital Camera
XSi compared to XTi
As the top-selling model in the DSLR universe, each new Canon builds on the previous model's footprint and features. This evolutionary approach keeps new Rebels familiar, but Canon also has managed to keep their entry flagship fresh with the latest must-have features and new Canon innovations.
The XSi is more rounded and less angular than the XTi. It is also slightly larger than the XTi to accommodate the larger 3" LCD.
| Canon XSi vs. Canon XTi | ||
| XSi | XTi | |
| Dimensions | 129 x 97.5 x 61.9mm 5.1 x 3.8 x 2.4" |
126.5 x 94.2 x 65mm 5.0 x 3.7 x 2.6" |
| Weight | 475g (16.8oz) - Body only 525g (18.5oz) - with Battery |
510g (18oz) - Body Only 556g (19.6oz) |
The XSi is 2.5mm wider and 3.3mm taller than the XTi. However, it is 3.1mm less deep and 35g lighter than the current XTi. The overall impression is the XSi is slightly larger than the XTi, and it is surprisingly light. The rubber grip cover is now more "texturized" with subtle changes to the shutter release depression and angle. The grip is more comfortable to hold for larger hands (still improved by adding the grip), but it is a good fit for smaller hands.
Build quality seems a cut above earlier Rebels and the appearance is definitely classier and more in keeping with the rest of the Canon DSLR line. The XSi has been described as looking like a mini 40D and that is an apt description. The XSi is also the most rugged Digital Rebel ever built with a stainless-steel chassis and a glass-reinforced engineering plastics body.
The XTi ON LED is gone, something that may matter to some users. If you look closely you can see that the shallower XSi is entirely due to the stubbier pentamirror/flash housing, which does not overhang as much as in the XTi.
The XSi adds an ISO button just above the on-off switch. ISO is also now displayed in the viewfinder (finally!).
The biggest changes in the XSi are on the back where the new 3" LCD looks absolutely massive compared to the XTi's 2.5" screen. The 3" screen is the same size and specifications as the Canon 40D screen. It is also the largest screen in its class - the Nikon D60 and Olympus 510/420 are 2.5", while the Sony A350/300/200 and Pentax K200D are 2.7".
The larger screen on the XSi required a complete rearrangement of rear buttons as well. There are no longer buttons on the left and the Menu and Display buttons are now at the top left of the screen.
The right side control buttons and layout are basically the same as the XTi, with the addition of the playback and delete (trash) buttons at the bottom right of the screen. The drive/timer button has been reassigned to a directional pad button and the old button is now assigned to White Balance. In a quick glance at the XSi rear you would think it has been simplified, as it looks as if there are fewer buttons. However, all the buttons and functions are still there; they are just rearranged.
The XSi is the first Canon camera to use SD cards, a break with all previous Digital Rebels that used Compact Flash cards. This is really not a handicap at all since SD cards are now priced about the same as Compact Flash. The latest Class 6 SDHC cards are also very fast, just like the high-speed CF cards. All test shots with the XSi used a 16GB Class 6 SDHC card for image storage. The operation was trouble free and very fast.
XSi introduces a new battery that is incompatible with past models. The electrical contacts are contained in the bump on the battery - presumably to prevent accidental contact and discharge in the camera bag. The new LP-E5 (50g) rechargeable battery weighs about the same as the NB-2LH (46g) which powered the XT and XTi models. However, battery output increases about 50% to 1080 mAh compared to the 720 mAh of the NB-2LH. Battery life was not an issue with the XTi as Canon CMOS sensors are justly famous for low power consumption. The XSi battery life is even better, with plenty of reserve for driving the 3" LCD and Live View.
With the new LP-E5 battery also comes a new battery grip called the BP-E5. Then new BP-E5 works only on the XSi; it is incompatible with the earlier Digital Rebel grip. The earlier BP-E3 will not work on the XSi.
The new BP-E5 requires the battery cover be removed for mounting. The grip has a place to store the battery cover on the grip so it is not lost. Power for the grip is either one or two LP-E5 batteries. The grip also comes with an AA battery holder for six AA-size batteries as an alternate power source. We tested the grip with high-capacity rechargeable AA batteries and they worked fine as a power source.
It is definitely worth mentioning that the grip with two BP-E5 batteries is still extremely light, but the two dedicated batteries pack a wallop with 2160 mAh available. Unlike the Sony proprietary batteries, the new LP-E5 batteries are already available OEM from third party vendors.
An added feature of the BP-E5 is that it does provide some weather sealing, unlike the previous Digital Rebel grip. While Canon does not make a big deal of the feature, the XSi does provide some weather sealing, which is more a prosumer model feature.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
56 Comments
View All Comments
JarredWalton - Wednesday, May 7, 2008 - link
While I do understand what you're suggesting, trust me on this one: I would make a HORRIBLE reviewer for cameras. At least initially, anyway - give me a couple years and a bunch of different cameras to use and I could begin to make some headway. But we don't have a couple years, and even with time I would never know as much as a lot of other people. As it stands, I have personally used exactly three DSLR cameras: an original Canon Digital Rebel EOS, and then last month I upgraded to a Rebel XTi. (Love the XTi, incidentally - I'm thinking an upgrade every two or three generations will work out well.)n4bby - Tuesday, May 6, 2008 - link
hi all,i appreciate the replies, and again i am not trying to belittle the time and effort put into these reviews. but i think Justin Case understood the point i was trying to make. and the reason i bring this up is that i too went about learning about DSLR's and photography the "wrong" way.
i too used to analyze gear very much the same way Wesley did in this review - taking endless test shots, playing the numbers and features game, etc... much like Anandtech reviewers and readers, i come from a technical background (EE in college, internet developer since then), and this seemingly quantitative evaluation method made sense to me. i have my own collection of box shots that are uncannily like Wes's. i spent a lot of time reading reviews and user opinions on DPReview, Fred Miranda etc. etc. that took a similar approach.
the problem is, it didn't really help me size up the true value of gear for its ultimate purpose - taking pictures - and while i don't really regret my purchases (Canon 10D and various prime lenses - Canon was the only real game in town at the time), i do not feel they were well-advised. since then, i have had the good fortune of working with professional photographers at a digital photography startup - i'm talking people who shot for Sports Illustrated, US News, the NY Times, etc. - not to mention having exposure to clients who shoot for a living. and let me tell you, it turned my perspective on photo gear upside down... now, you may say ok, these guys are pros but anandtech readers are consumers, so that's not relevant. but the perspective i gained from these pros helped me improved my photography immensely, and also made me look at gear in a much more constructive fashion than "pixel peeping." i realized that the merit of gear was not so much about absolutes, but about context and finding the right gear for the job - and i think that is something that is often missing from these reviews.
again, i think the work you guys do here is excellent - this is one of the truly great resources of information on the desktop computing industry on the internet. and if the readership likes the camera reviews, more power to you. i just thought i would throw another perspective out there... apologies for the rant!
cheers,
n4bby
n4bby - Tuesday, May 6, 2008 - link
incidentally, i just re-read the review very carefully, and i find a *lot* of statements and judgments that i take issue with, and that i think many knowledgeable photographers would as well - some things have already been pointed out by other anandtech readers. and i stand by my original statement that the quality of the test and sample shots is rather poor and may not be a good basis for comparison between the cameras.casteve - Monday, May 5, 2008 - link
It might be time to retire my 2.1MP now. :)Seriously, thanks for the camera reviews. I might come to the site for PC info, but all things electronic draw my interest.
I've got a point and shoot digital camera for casual shots and a trusty Canon A-1 for when I care about quality/enlargements. I've been waiting for prosumer prices to drop or consumer builds to meet the quality bar. Looks like we are starting to get there.
haplo602 - Monday, May 5, 2008 - link
I think the comparison with Nikon D60 is not the correct one. D60 is a followup on D40 - crude AF system, no lens drive screw, no DOF preview button etc.Both have the same sensor, but D80 is a more usable camera:
11 AF points, DOF preview button, 2 command dials (way better handling than with one), battery grip ...
Wesley Fink - Monday, May 5, 2008 - link
The D80 was introduced at the time of the XTi. It was priced higher than the XTi and aimed more at the 30D than the XTi. Comparing it to the entry Canon did not seem appropriate. The real Nikon competitor to the XSi will likely be the D80 replacement as I mentioned.Canon does not really have a camera as basic as the D60 (D40x/D40), but the XTi is continued and actually costs less than the D60 right now. In my opinion the XTi trounces the D60 in a head-to-head and it costs less.
I expected some would claim the D80 the better compare, but I don't believe it is. BTW, IMO the Nikon D300 trounces the Canon D40 in every way as I mentioned in the review. I am definitely not biased toward Canon. It is just the situation changes at the entry level and Nikon does not really have a convincing competitor right now for the XSi.
haplo602 - Monday, May 5, 2008 - link
I did not say you are biased either way (the general oppinion would be you are biased towards Oly 4/3 :-))If you claim that Canon does not have an equivalent to the D60/D40 line why then compare them with the latest Rebel? And if D80 is older, well bad for Nikon as they don't have an up to date competitor to the Rebel. But D80 should be the direct opponent for 450D until the next generation is introduced.
DailyYahoo - Monday, May 5, 2008 - link
I remember those Rebel ads with John McEnroe. Back then, John was a hippie and spelled his name Andre Aggasi. Image was everything back then :)Wesley Fink - Monday, May 5, 2008 - link
Thanks for catching this. At least we got the Ad reference corrected before McEnroe caught it :) I seem to recall Agassi was dating Brooke Shields at the time.DailyYahoo - Monday, May 5, 2008 - link
You are very welcome. I should point out that at least one of us knows how to spell Agassi ; ) By the way, excellent article. I have a 350D and it is really starting to look so very long in the tooth with all of these new releases. Too bad I'm poor. : )