Canon Introduces New Digital Rebel

Canon got a jump on next week's Photo Marketing Association show by unleashing a bevy of new point-and-shoot cameras, and a refresh to its Digital Rebel. Based on its specs, the new Digital Rebel XSi ($799 body only, $899 with the EF-S 18-55mm IS kit lens) represents more than just a surface update of the current Rebel XTi.

For starters, Canon has switched the storage medium from CompactFlash cards to SD/SDHC cards. Although not unheard of for an SLR--competitor Nikon uses an SD card in its smaller, entry-level camera, the D40--it's somewhat surprising that Canon switched storage mediums from one generation to the next.

What's not surprising: This model ups the ante in some expected ways, such moving resolution to 12.2 megapixels, the LCD size to three inches, and boosting the image processor to Canon's Digic III (already found on most Canon point-and-shoots and Canon's EOS 40D and 1D Mark III). Somewhat less expected on this model, but still a nice find: the Rebel XSi becomes the latest DSLR to add Live View, for composing the shot in the LCD screen; plus, this model has a new auto-focus system and can shoot up to 3.5 frames per second--more than its predecessor.

The Digital Rebel XSi is due out in April.

Meanwhile, if that's too much camera for you, perhaps one of Canon's newly unveiled point-and-shoots will be more to your liking. The reasonably full-featured Canon A590 IS costs just $180--noticeably less than its predecessor--while the entry-level A470 carries an MSRP of $130. Canon says it expects that model to sell at retail for closer to $100.

Comments

Note that the Nikon D80 also uses SD cards, not just the D40. With 4 other cameras and a Treo smart phone that all use SD cards it was one of the reasons I picked the D80 over the Canon.

JBENZ

January 25, 2008

5:18 AM PT

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