Cheapest Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)

I've been a frequent user of point and shoots (Canon), and knew I wanted to upgrade. First I thought about the Canon SX200, switched to the Nikon P80, but then realized that I truly wanted to upgrade and become the best amateur photographer I could be!!!

I purchased this camera out of a local electronics department in April--surprisingly on sale cheaper than Amazon!!! I knew before purchasing that the zoom on the kit lens wouldn't be enough for me, so I had the Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC AF OS (Optical Stabilizer) Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras on it's way to me from eBay and also the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens that everyone touts on the digital photo forums. I sold the kit lens to offset the costs. Rule #1 to upgrading to SLRs: Once you learn the excellence of SLRs, be ready to spend, spend, spend!

The Canon XSi helps me on my journey big time. Upon purchasing this camera, I had no idea what f-stop meant, why exposure was so important and what the heck was bokeh and DoF. While pondering what in the world I had gotten myself into, I went out and started snapping away. This camera, while intimidating at first easily let me transition from the Auto quickness of P&S into careful planning with Digital SLRs.

New to SLRs, I had to learn that "live view" was something that I as a P&S consumer had gotten used to, not something that truly belonged on a camera. I had no problem whatsoever transitioning to looking in the peephole. Taking pictures gets addicting with this camera. It has an easy-to-understand manual, and tons of digital photo forums/reviews to get one into the groove of using this camera. I mentioned earlier that I tossed the kit lens, but that doesn't mean it's a bad lens. I've seen photos of the kit lens, and I've seen photos of L lens. Depending on the photographer, they are excellent photos!

I first started taking photos on the "P" mode, not really understanding what it stood for, but just knowing that I could use that mode w/o enabling the flash (more of the flash later). The "TV" and "A" modes are also good to use, but for me it's mainly P or Manual.

I've attempted to use live view a couple of times, but for me it just gets in the way of trying to take a good photo. I'd rather take a few test shots and then tweak the settings.

One thing I've learned on photography is that the actual camera is only a tiny percentage of taking a good picture. Depending on who you ask, it can vary from 1% to 10%. For me, it's about 20% because of my amateur skills. The rest of a good picture depends on the lens used and most importantly, the actual picture taker! That said, potential new Canon XSi (D-SLR) users, please do not purchase this camera thinking you'll become a pro overnight. If you take the time to understand the elements of basic photography (exposure, depth, etc.), then you will most likely be fine with whatever you're using now. If you want to boost your skills and know for a fact that you are limited with P&S, then you are ready to upgrade and the XSi is a likely candidate.

A note on equipment. Before you go spending countless dollars on lenses and equipment, figure out what you are going to be using your camera for and what the majority of your photo subjects are. Do your research on the forums and all the reviews and then make your decisions. If you take tons of photos of your babes and are frustrated with the blurriness of low light or washing them out with the built in a flash, then a faster lens is for you along with an external flash.

The built-in flash is not great. I plan on adding a tripod and the Canon Speedlite 430EX II Flash for Canon Digital SLR Cameras to my setup. Most of my pics are taken during the day or where plenty of light is because of that very reason. Also, because of the lack of a good flash, the few night shots I do take come out extremely grainy because I have to increase the iso way high. Cool for some photos, but not for every single night shot.

I can go on about this camera, but my star rating says it all. I don't plan on upgrading until they come out with another SLR comparable to the Canon 40D that uses SD cards (my memory of choice), so it may be a while. Until then, the XSi will be my new photo road dog. That along with my two lenses, makes this camera the ultimate in beginner SLR photography.

Some other good equipment to add to your camera bag (if you're a true beginner):

A good intro or how-to digital photo book like Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Boxed Set, Volumes 1 and 2 (Includes The Digital Photography Book Volume 1 and The Digital Photography Book Volume 2) (Careful of the "humor" in this one. The author doesn't get it that it isn't really funny.)

Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 (Mac)

For photo management:
Apple Aperture 2.1.1 (Mac)
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 (PC)

Sandisk 8GB EXTREME III SDHC SD Card Class 6 (SDSDX3-8192, Plastic Case) I currently use the 4GB and can get 850 odd photos on the highest resolution in JPEG and about 300 photos shooting RAW+JPEG.

A good tripod.
A good photo bag. Right now I use a certain bag if I'm at work and just an old purse if I'm out and I want to be stylish. I do not prefer camera bags that look like camera bags. Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Save Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)

Many people have already reviewed this camera's technical details & I will skip that. What I shall try to address though is whether this is the right one for you: You can fall into one of the three categories - (a) a beginner who wants to create the beautiful pictures of an SLR but has no interest in going into its technical details ever (b) A beginner who has just entered the world of SLRs and intends to learn its intricacies before moving onto the big league (c) An intermediate who knows the technical details but wants a better SLR compared to previous versions like Nikon D40 or Rebel 300D.

If you belong to bucket (a) this is a good camera, but the Canon 1000D or Nikon D60 should save you some money. If you belong to bucket (b) this is the perfect camera by all means. I fell into this category when I bought it an year back and must say I have had no complaints. You might want to consider the Rebel 500D/T1i now though - based on the price difference(Amazon keeps changing the price of this camera) you will get a Digic 4 processor & the video capability (15 Mp vs 12 Mp is a non issue).

If you belong to bracket (c) & are very serious abt moving up the SLR ladder then buy the Canon 40D or 50D. I have handled the 50D and see a remarkable difference between pictures from that and Rebel 450D. I have now reached a point where the Rebel 450D & the lens are proving to be the bottlenecks to my pictures. Dont get me wrong, I have seen & taken remarkable pics from this camera - but would rather buy a Canon 50D now. Its sensor & USM lens really do stand out.

& for those of you who do not fall in any of these 3 brackets & know the difference between active & passive focusing system, you shouldnt be reading a review for the Rebel series cameras at all!Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Discount Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)

More than satisfied acquiring the Canon EOS Rebel Xsi SLR camera. It produces clear and sharp pictures even in low light conditions. Definitely would recommend this to anyone looking for a decent low price SLR camera.Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Low Price Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)

Just purchased the camera and found it to be everything I wanted, and more. Have been using 35 mm cameras for years, as well as the digital cameras. This is a great step above the standard point and shoot cameras, and is very easy to operate and to take advantage of the upgrades. Very easy to use, fantastic photos, especially when using some of the software options out there like PhotoShop. Took over 600 photos while down in Savannah this past month and love the idea of framing the photos while shooting. Highly recommend the camera and can't wait to get a telephoto lense. Wish I would have purchased this as well, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. Looking to upgrade with the 55-200mm lense next. The battery lasts forever!Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Lowest Price Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)

Not much I can say here that others haven't already said, I'm just adding my vote to a well thought-out and functioning camera. Canon has been taking accolades for their digital camera line for years, and this model continues to be a joy to use and own. I'm super critical of tech stuff as I'm a 27 year tech-head veteran.

Battery life is very good and memory is cheap compared to what it was. I would stick with a Class 4 or Class 6 SDHC memory card.

While not a professional photographer, from the technical aspect of combining this unit with a PC and their software, they've provided a nice solution. The software is fairly decent, not the best, but does the job. Bundle it with Adobe Lightroom or just a simple Google Picasa and you are good to go with managing your photos.

Both Lightroom and Picasa can view the RAW images and touch-up with this file format is exceptional. The CameraWindow software and bundled utilities allows you to use a laptop to control the camera and settings, preview images on a larger screen, and instantly store into RAW/JPG file formats to disk. This is a big bonus when in a studio environment.

Their Zoombrowser image viewer is very functional and usable. While I'm now using Picasa and Lightroom to manage the images, Zoombrowser is certainly capable for any novice to intermediate user.

I use a 50mm lens, 18-200mm IS lens, and 580II flash as my primary equipment. The only thing I could imagine getting next is a L series lens.

Nice job Canon!Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black) Right now

Canon continues it's great line of EOS Rebel cameras with the XSi. Outstanding features, great quality and very user friendly. Both lenses included in the kit are high quality. I bought this as a graduation gift after having bought one just like it for myself. My only complaint is despite choosing 5 day shipping, Amazon delivered this item after 7 days not only missing their commit date but also ruining when I needed this as a gift.Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black) Order Now

First SLR owned since my old film Canon TLb about 30 years ago. This camera, together with books by Scott Kelby, Videos [...]. and the Strobist website have reignited my passion for photography. The best thing about a Digital camera is the instant feedback loop. Now I can experiment with various apertures, shutter speed settings, compositions and flash settings and get back instantaneous feedback. And you can take as many shots as you want and then just delete then if you don't have any winners. Digital SLRs really speed up the learning process.

The XSi is a great camera, and Canon produces a great variety of lenses. The only area that I am less than impressed is with off-camera flash where Nikon MAY have a slight edge. If nothing else - it is easier to get info on the net for Nikon flash configurations.

Regardless, I love my XSi, and look forward to many months of learning about light, composition and expression.Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black) Decide Now

Great price because I live in Cal, no sales tax and free shipping. Arrived on the estimated date. Amazon rocks!!!!Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black) Buy Now

Great to be able to take 100 photos to get that one amazing shot without paying to develop that much film.Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black) This instant

I bought it for my wife, and she just loves it. This camera is fast, produces good colors, and has effective AF, little bit more effective than my Nikon D80. It also somewhat lighter than D80, which is important for my wife. I like the option to buy body only; I combined it with Tamron 18-270 mm VC lens, that covers the whole range we need, from wide-angle to telephoto. And you can find great variety of quality lenses for it from Canon, Tamron and Sigma.
On the downside, it's missing the ability to switch the AF mode from auto to single shot to continuous with push of the button, we have to use menu to do it. I found this option very convenient in my D80.
In general, so far I like XSi.Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black) Immediately

I have had Canon products for years and had a 35mm Canon SLR, this was the main reason to stick with Canon as I was able to use my old lenses with this digital SLR camera. I have had several point-and-shoot camera's which only lasted a year or two... cheap to buy and cheaply made... you get what you pay for.
This Camera has all the options you could need in a digital SLR camera at a great price, easy to use and awesome picture quality. I am experimenting with the manual settings but the auto settings take great quality pictures as well. Many professional photographers agree Canon is the leader in lenses.

Pros - Hi Res pictures, easy to use and a great price for a digital SLR.
Cons - In "Live view" auto focas is not available. (This is the only reason I didn't give it a 5 star!)Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black) Best Quality

I purchased the Canon XSi back in April. I debated for two months as this was going to be my first real DSLR. I looked at the 40D, the 50D, the XTi and I just ended up making a simple choice (I knew I wanted Canon) based on the price, features, the pixel count, the lenses available and my skill level. This camera has lived up to my expectations and I am glad I decided on the XSi. I also purchased a Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 to go with it and the combination is excellent! Get a Canon if you are not sure what to get. Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black) Get it now!

Bought this camera for son's law school graduation, it is great, easy to use. Very happy with Wall street photo, camera came very quickly too.Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black) Top Quality

Just got it out of the box today and took a few test pics. Got it as a replacement for my XTi, which I had lost. So far I'm very impressed with the camera, but I've only taken a few indoor, low-light pics so far. The camera feels solid and has all the features the enthusiast would need. As others have mentioned it doesn't have quite the best ergonomic fit because the grip is a bit small, but it didn't affect my 5-star rating.

Very impressed with the Image Stabilizing Lens. It kicks the butt of the Tamron that I had on my XTi.

Its currently June 2009, and as I write this I have to say I was thinking of getting an XS, but at the moment the XSi does not cost that much more, and Canon has a great deal at the moment where if you get the kit together with an Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II Lens for EOS Digital SLR Rebel XT, XTI, 20D & 30D Digital Camerasm IS lens you get $200 off of the purchase price, where with the ES you can get a different lens for $100 off, effectively making both combos about the same price on Amazon. Either way, if you are OK with having the extra hassle of changing lenses, this promotion makes it a lot more affordable to have a range of 18mm to circa 200mm than buying a mega zoom lens like I had before. Pictures will be better too since each lens is more dedicated.Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Where To Buy Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)

Great camera for the price. Has a lot of features. I mostly shoot in manual and aperture priority. Do keep in mind that this is a cropped sensor camera - I didn't know about cropped sensors before buying this camera. So those of you like me that are switching over from a film SLR will notice that the view finder is a lot smaller then what you're use to. But a full frame will set you back a lot more, so this is a good one to start with.

The only thing I was concerned about was megapixels, thinking more is better. But if you're only going to be printing as large as 5x7 than, this really shouldn't be that much of a concern. I've read that the D series (30D, 40D, etc.) produces images with much less noise, so these might be cameras you may want to consider as well.

I upgraded to the Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 lens, and it is SUPER sharp. Highly recommended combo, but 28mm is a bit too tight for some indoor shots, so I got a 12-24 as well. Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Shop For Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)

Good camera but a lot to learn regarding all of the options. Can be expensive to maintain. Best for serious hobby or professional work.Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)

i have been waiting for the annual canon rebate, and got this kit with the 55-200 lens. I have got a lot of good comments on my pictures now from friends, which i hardly ever heard for ones taken with my canon S1-IS. Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black) Review

This is my first SDLR camera and it is great. Good pictures thought a little bulky. Battery last about 1000 shots on high quality.Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Order Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)

My wife has used a Canon SLR for a number of years, so a Canon EOS was the logical choice when purchasing a digital camera as it uses the same lens.

The Camera takes excellent photos and operates very similarly to the film model, only better in many ways.

I would have rated it five stars, but...

So far, it's been impossible to transfer images from the camera to the computer. We managed to transfer one, but that was it. Other images simply will not transfer. The software doesn't recognize, and refuses to connect to, the camera. Even after reloading the software and trying on a different computer. The Canon help line was absolutely no help! NONE!!! They insist it must be a "computer problem" as "no one else has ever had this problem".

Consequently, we must take the memory card to the in-store developer-kiosk and transfer images there, which requires two trips.

The camera is great and does everything she wanted, but the software and the Canon help desk are worthless! Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Buy Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)

I don't know anything about ISOs, image stabilization, or auto focus. I couldn't possibly tell you -- yet -- what half the buttons on my new camera do. But the picture quality is amazing, and I picked up the basics in about fifteen minutes of playing around. The interface is clear and easy to understand, there are more photo options than I know what to do with right now (i.e. "portrait" versus "night portrait"), and my auto-focus is working beautifully.

Some other reviewers have mentioned the kit lens, and I agree that it is good for indoor and close shots, but I'll definitely be spending the money on something more powerful for a better zoom. I took it to my niece's dance recital and all my non-flash, far-away shots of the stage were pretty blurry.

All in all, this seems like a GREAT camera for a beginner with a pretty decent price-tag. Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).

Purchase Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)

I had begun thinking about purchasing a DSLR camera and reading reviews and comparing. When the time for a decision came, everything pointed to the Canon Rebel XSi. The quality of photos is wonderful. All of the possible combinations of features are easily accessed and simple to set. I have taken beautiful shots inside and outside, with the flash and without, up close and far away. I am extremely satisfied with this camera and highly recommend it for anyone looking to jump up to DSLR.Get more detail about Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black).