Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Black) Review

When I originally wrote this review back in August 2008, the price of the XSi and the XS kits were the same. Back then, you would have been foolish to buy the XS kit when the XSi offered a lot more at the same price. During the second-half of 2008, the price of the XS kit has dropped significantly. Due to the significant price difference between the Canon XSi kit and the Canon XS kit, I have revised this article.
The Canon EOS Rebel XS is the "little brother" of the Canon EOS Rebel XSi which means they are both almost the same camera, but the XSi has more to offer than the XS. Perhaps consider basing your buying decision on how serious you will be taking up digital SLR photography. If you firmly believe that you will take digital SLR photography very seriously in the long run and want a solid entry-level digital SLR camera, then the Canon XSi may be a better choice for you. If price is your main concern and you are only looking for Canon's bottom entry-level digital SLR model, then the current price of the Canon XS kit is quite worthy of a purchase consideration.
Both models were released in 2008, with the Canon XSi released in April and the Canon XS released four months later in August. By comparison, the XS is a trimmed-down version of the XSi.
Here are the notable similarities of the XSi and the XS:
* Both have practically the same large single-plate CMOS sensor and the Digic III Image Processor, except the XSi is 12.2MP while the XS is only 10.1MP (megapixels).
* Both have the Canon EOS Integrated Cleaning System.
* Both can be purchased with the same EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Kit Lens. It is possible to buy the XSi camera body without the kit lens.
* Both have Live View Function with their LCD displays.
* Both are fully compatible with Canon EF and EF-S lenses.
* Both utilize SD and SDHC memory cards.
* Both use the same battery pack (LP-E5) and the same optional battery grip (BG-E5).
* The XS is compatible with most of the Canon EOS camera system accessories that can be used with the XSi.
Now here are the differences between the XS and the XSi:
* The XSi has more megapixels at 12.2MP while the XS is 10.1MP.
* For JPEG, the XSi can continuously shoot at 3.5 fps while the XS can do 3.0 fps. But for RAW, the XSi is much better at 3.5 fps while the XS can only do 1.5 fps.
* The LCD monitor of the XSi measures 3.0 inches while the XS has a smaller screen at 2.5 inches.
* The XSi has a 9-point AF system while the XS has only a 7-point.
* The XSi has Spot metering while the XS does not. Both have Evaluative, Partial, and Center-weighted metering, however.
* The XSi RAW is 14-bit while the XS RAW is 12-bit.
* XSi has Highlight Tone Priority while XS does not.
* The viewfinder of the XSi provides 0.87x magnification while the XS provides 0.81x.
* The XSi can utilize the RC-1 or the RC-5 wireless remote shutter release, but the XS is not compatible with either so you won't be able to use a wireless remote release.
* You cannot buy the XS without the kit lens.
My point of this review is to help consumers weigh their decision between the XSi and the XS from a pricing perspective. As of this writing, I feel that the XSi is currently the best Canon entry-level digital SLR camera for serious beginning enthusiasts. In my opinion, the XS is best for those primarily concerned with the price. If you think you will not need certain features that the XSi has but the XS does not, then buying the XS will save you money. Not everyone will use all of the features on the XSi. However, the XSi may provide serious enthusiasts with more room for growth compared to the XS.
NOTE: Canon USA officially released the EOS Rebel XS in August 2008 and was first announced by Canon USA on July 8, 2008.
"Date first available at Amazon.com: June 17, 2003" is truly an error.
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