Customer Reviews

 Amazon-King of the Gray Market - Aug 26, 2010

BEWARE!-This is the second Canon XSI I've purchased-and retuned-from Amazon. The first was through a third party vendor and arrived without a warranty card. I should have known better. After receiving my refund i purchased another from Amazon.com. I checked the listing and under the heading "what's in the box" was included a" one year Canon USA limited warranty". The camera arrived without a warranty card. It's going back. This feels like a nasty bait and switch. Next time I'm going to B&H.

 Beginner's DSLR - Aug 23, 2010

It really is a beginner's DLSR, mainly because the features reflect the basic DSLRs such as ISO speed and white balance, spot metering etc. but still is under par when compared to the EOS 50Ds for example. But is complete value for money if you are looking to get started in photography, which I believe is more about taking and framing a picture with good composition skills. Once that has been accomplished you can aim for better equipment. But all said, it IS a DSLR.. when you want to take that awesome shot, you can always get your awesome lenses which is such a huge segment in DSLR photography. So I would definitely recommend the EOS 450D to anyone starting out with some amateur photography. Go for it!

P.S. +ves - Lighter, good display, ease of use, cost
-ves - ISO speed max - 1600, not a higher end DSLR

 Great for beginners. - Aug 22, 2010

I'm happy with the camera, I purchased the body only so I could get a nicer lens. I also added a battery grip to the camera because the body is a little small to hold when you have a large lens on it. I also put on a hand strap to help prevent hand shaking, which also helps out a lot with the strain of holding this heavy camera. It has been an easy to use camera, I purchased a DVD about the Rebel XSi just so I could learn what all of the buttons do faster than it takes to read the manual. I found it to be extremely useful, since this is my first DSLR. I've had the camera for over a year now, and am happy with it, but it doesn't come with any extras. All of those little extras add up quickly, and this can be an expensive hobby! I purchased an eye piece extender, which is great. I think it should have come standard with the camera. The only complaint I have is that the LCD screen does not work the same way a point and shoot does. I was unable to take any photos in focus. Once I stated using the viewfinder I had much better success. I had gotten really spoiled using the LCD screen on my point and shoot, so it took a little time to get used to the viewfinder again.

 Decent camera with good value for money - Aug 22, 2010

I had used analogue Canon EOS rebel 2000 SLR camera earlier. That made using this camera very easy. The camera is lightweight (for an SLR camera), easy to use and has excellent battery life. Picture quality is quite good for outdoor as well as indoor pictures, though with automatic mode indoor pictures tend to be a little overexposed. For an amateur who wants to try out a digital SLR camera its excellent value for money.

 My first DSLR - Aug 20, 2010

I won't go into a detailed review, as there are many many more that have better technical understanding on this than me that you can read.

I had only used a point and shoot, ultra compact, type camera before getting the XSi. I wanted to upgrade to something that would be easy to figure out, and would take great pictures even if I just set it to automatic. I am not dissapointed, I can set the XSi to automatic and still come out with better pictures than I'm used to.

Half the fun however is playing with the manual settings, you can do so much. I like to do a lot of hiking so most of my pictures are in well lit, outdoors settings, but they've all been great so far. I don't have any background DSLR experience so I have nothing to compare the XSi to, but I can't say I have any complaints on the XSi, it's a great first DSLR.

 Absolutely LOVE it! - Aug 18, 2010

My first DSLR. I love it. The images are beautiful and it's easy to use. I'm very pleased, as a beginner, to have purchased this camera.

 Awesome Camera - Aug 18, 2010

This camera was my first entry into the world of DSLRs and I am extremely happy with my choice. The camera takes great photos even with the kit lens. I bought the EF 28-135mm just for a better range and USM focusing. The camera is very easy to get used to. The buttons are laid out well. The XSI is much lighter than higher end DSLRs (7D) and the portability is great. With the kit lens attached, you barely notice your carrying it. (the 28-135 adds significant weight) The only feature I wish it had is a higher ISO, although the pictures at ISO 1600 are pretty good with the noise reduction on. I would definitely recommend this camera to anyone looking for an entry level DSLR or even a back-up camera. Great value for the money.

 Great beginner D-SLR - Aug 17, 2010

I have owned this camera for about a year and a half and have been thoroughly pleased with the results. For an entry level D-SLR Canon has provided a superb product.

 Excellent Camera - Aug 12, 2010

This camera is hands down one of the best purchases I've ever made. Right out of the box, I've taken some amazing photos. I've literally used it every single day since purchasing and I couldn't be happier with my decision to buy the Canon Xsi 450D. A couple of my friends purchased this camera and after just briefly seeing some amature photos they had taken, I realized this was the camera I have been looking for. I've always been a big fan of Canon products and this delivers. The camera is light weight, sturdy, and easy to use. The only downfall, which is so very minor, is the kit lens doesn't offer much zoom, so I will be purchasing the Canon 55-250mm telephoto zoom lens to add to my collection. Like I said before, this is a very minor drawback. The kit lens is great besides not being able to zoom in on something far away. I will be posting photos along with my review soon =)

 Great camera value - Aug 09, 2010

This camera was bought to take better grade pictures of my growing family than what you would get with a pocket camera of comprable pixel resolution. Moreover, it may not be technically on par with the pro series,; however, for my purposes it does a great job. I got this with the 580EXII flash and I haven't taken a bad picture yet.

 Great Starter DSLR - Jul 22, 2010

This Canon is very nice. However, I prefer using my Canon A1 film camera. Digital is great, but I wish this camera had the ability to take photographs as well as my A1 SLR. No way, it just can't be done. But for a digital camera for under $700, whereas mine included the 50-250mm zoom lens and the standard 18-55mm, so I received even a better deal. I do like the camera, I just can't seem to get the quality pictures I think it should deliver. It could be me and not the camera. All of the whistles & bells are fantastic, including the battery life. I use my old Canon Speedlite 199a flash on this camera. Its works perfectly. No problems. Oh, and I called Canon technical support prior to using this older flash unit because I had read where some people thought it could damage the camera, which it cannot. All I can say is when you are in the market for a new camera, keep your eyes open for Canon to offer special deals on lenses.

 Funtionality and High Performance - Jul 21, 2010

I like this camera because Camera and Image quality is very good, Ease of use and Value for money

 .. - Jul 17, 2010

For an entry-level camera this has given me far more than entry-level results. This is the only DSLR I could afford, and for the money I payed for it I was very pleased. Even with the 18-55 (which has crapped the bed) I was able to get great results even though I had to manual focus the whole time because the lens sucked! Check out my pictures at ([...]) All the pictures on there were taken with the XSi with the 18-55 kit, with the exception of like three pictures that were taken with a crappy fujifilm point and shoot. The camera itself is great. It may not have great build quality, but as long as your not thrashing it around it will hold up... The most important thing about this lens you need to know is KEEP IT CLEAN..don't take off the lens and leave the mirrors exposed..that was my biggest mistake!

 My favorite feature - Jul 15, 2010

My favorite feature is the 4x6 prints it creates automatically vs being told I have taken a digital image and I need to print true digital or deal with cropping and losing part of my image. I love this camera.

 Perfect for starting out - Jul 11, 2010

This was my first DLSR that I actually kept :) I ordered the Pentax K-X right before this one and ended up playing with both for a week before I returned the Pentax. I think this Canon is a higher quality product and has the benefit of a large user base, and therefore lots of knowledgebase in the community. The camera is pretty light and easy to use. It may be a bit cheaper on other websites, but I chose to go with Amazon due to the high quality of their customer service and easy return process.

 So cheap now! - Jul 08, 2010

I bought my baby back when it was brand new $800 at Best Buy. It is a great camera, definitely need to educate myself on how to use all the fancy features and adjust everything. Pretty light and easy to use the normal basic digital functions. Great speed! I can take picture after picture in seconds! Which is great for shooting anything in movement. It's very pretty : ) I do have to say my favourite digital camera I ever owned was my first, it was just a simple cannon power shot. It had great photo quality, so simple to use... I loved it, but I dropped it and the flash broke so I handed it... up? To my mother. I definitely would choose cannon over any other brand. Especially Sony. Ew. Horrible. Sorry this post is not professionally serious, I'm not good at long reviews and specifics. Good luck!

 Outdoor picture quality is dissappointing - Jul 06, 2010

I've had this camera for over 1 year. I am very disappointed with the quality of outdoor shots. Whether sunny, overcast, or cloudy, all of them seem to be over exposed and cool in tone. I have to manually edit every picture in Photo Shop to adjust the color but because of the overexposure the pictures still seem flat. I have 5 different EF lenses of decent to excellent quality and it does not make a difference which lens I use. Also, auto focus which was once very crisp is now very soft. Quite frankly my, small digital point-and-shoot takes better quality pictures than this digital SLR. Even though I've always had Canon camera's I was seriously considering purchasing a Nikon instead of this camera because I was not happy with my last canon camera (A95). But, after so many years I did not want to judge Canon based on one camera. Well, because my last two Canon purchases were extrmeley disappointing I will not by another and I now regret not purchasing the Nikon.

 Never failed me! - Jul 01, 2010

Oh my goodness, I have had this camera for almost a year, and I have nothing but good things to say about it.

Here are the things I love.

Long Battery Life: I was in Italy and I only had to charge it twice in 10 days, and I shoot so many images. It really holds a charge. (I do remove the battery when it's not in use).

Ease of use: Auto is very nice, and I also find it easy to change settings

Fast: There is pretty much NO shutter delay, and the camera starts up quickly.

Focus: It focuses really well, and takes the photo instantly.

Image Quality: The images are always stunning.

Camera Quality: Had it for a year, and still works as if it's brand new. No problems with the computer, and it is still fast and perfect.

I am a photo passionist, and 16, and people always ask if I actually took the photo. I am proud to say I did, and how much I love my camera.

The only issue is when the flash is on, it strobes when I try to focus the image, which can blind some people for a second before I take a photo.

 Simple? - Jun 24, 2010

I have been using this camera for a few months.
First of all, I'm not a professional. I am a hobby photographer and I enjoy photography really much.

This is my second DSLR. My first one was an olympus E-410 (which I really don't like), and GOD I love you for this thing.
The first time I held the camera in my hands it felt like it was made for me. I have small hands and this thing is so adorable. It's light (no pressure on the neck/shoulders), easy to use, FAST to use (when changing setting and stuff) and its a steal for the price.
12.2 megapixel is alot, and probably more than I'll ever need. But I got this thing to 'grow' with. I want to get better and better everyday I press the shutter. And I know this lil friend will give me the chance because it has the capacity.
I don't want to talk about the boring details about this magic black box. Guess you're reading this review cause you are considering getting one, right? And maybe you're also interested in the XSi's bigger brothers, the 500D and 550D. Right?
I don't see any difference between the camera's.
Same body, same feel, just the video-thing what makes them different. If I didn't have an iPod with a video recording setting, I would have gone for the later version(s). But hey that me, and I only bought this dslr for photography. Not for video.
But, If you're interested in buying a 1000D and can't decide, I suggest not to pic the 1000D (I don't know what the american name is, rebel xs or something?)
It feels so plastic, so 'novice'-like. If you want a camera that isn't a beginner model and you have a budget, this is definitely your choice.

I bought this dslr with a 50mm f/1.4 lens. And maybe if you have done your homework and researched a bit, you know this lens knock's out all the others. Its cheap for its price, and a perfect match with a 450D.
Really lightweight, superior image quality. The colors and DoF are... I don't even have words to say. :)

Next week I'm getting a Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 lens. The L lens, thats right. :)
And I think, no I know, this will be a perfect match again.

But anyways, photography is not *only* about the gear. As long as you got a bright fantasy and imagination, all doors are open. ;)

 Fantastic Entry Level SLR - Jun 23, 2010

For the longest time, I have never had a real digital camera (for pictures, I would always use the camera on my enV Touch). I never wanted to get a small point and shoot camera because I've never been happy with the image quality. One day, my grandpa gave me a Sigma EF lens, and since I had the lens, I decided to go ahead and take the plunge into the DSLR world. The lens pretty much decided that I was going to get a Canon EOS DSLR, so I just had to choose the right one. I wanted to get the most for my money, so I decided to go get a used camera. I saw that my options were the XSi, XTi, an older 30D, and the first generation 1D. After doing a ton of research, I decided that the XSi was the best thing to get, as it had live view and a self cleaning CMOS sensor. I've had this camera for about a month, and overall I am very pleased with it:

Pros:
-Excellent image quality. Unless you're taking images with a really bad lens or a damaged lens, if taken properly, the photos will look great. The colors look fantastic, and the detail is astounding.
-Easy to use. Shooting in automatic pretty much makes it act as a point and shoot camera, but once you learn how to shoot in manual, you won't regret it. Adjusting the ISO, shutter speed and f-prime are really easy and quick to do, so if you need to get a shot of something very quickly, it is very possible.
-Well built. The body is plastic, but it is well constructed. I wouldn't drop it on any hard surface, but the camera could take a decent beating.
-Good built in flash. It's nowhere near a professional flash, but it's bright enough so that you can take pictures in just about any dark area. It will destroy the flash on ANY point and shoot camera. You can't adjust it to use it for modified lighting.
-Light. Mostly due to the fact that the body isn't made of metal, but it helps if you have it around your neck all day.
-Lens compatibility. Like all other Canon DSLR's, it takes EF lenses, so thankfully finding a compatible lens is very easy to do.
-Live view. I definitely prefer the viewfinder (it seems like it's easier to steady the camera when it's closer to your face), but if I need someone to take a picture for me, I like the fact that I can set it to automatic, turn on live view and be confident that someone who isn't familiar with camera equipment could still take a good picture.
-The LCD screen is INCREDIBLE. I know it seems childish to type a word in all caps, but this LCD screen deserves it. A full sized monitor is still better for viewing the pictures, but Canon is not lying about the ridiculous viewing angle. The colors and sharpness really pop out!

Cons:
-When I got it out of the box, it had some auto-focus issues (similar to the ones discussed in other reviews here). However, I updated the firmware (search "canon eos xsi firmware" on Google to find it) and it seems to be doing much better (I went from 1.0.4 to 1.1.0). It was a pain that I had to update the firmware, but things like that happen. I feel like it did resolve the issue though.
-ISO only goes up to 1600. While going up any higher usually isn't a good idea, sometimes it's necessary for places that don't have good lighting. Getting a lens with a low f-prime will help (anywhere between 1.2-1.8 will work), but it would've been nice to have it go up to at least 3200.

Overall:
Fantastic camera. I bought this from a friend with a battery, charger, case and a couple of other goodies for a good price, and I don't regret it. It has its minor issues, but once you get used to the camera, you will easily overlook them. This performs about equivalent to a Nikon D60.

However, if you want the most bang for your buck, you are best off buying the camera body without the kit lens, and then buying a 50mm lens and a telephoto lens.

 Very satisfied with this camera - Jun 23, 2010

Before commenting, I want to thank all the people who write detailed reviews of this and other "technical" products. It really helps to narrow down the best choice based on user experience,complexity, ease of use, features and value.

I was a newbie to Digital SLR cameras and got educated by reading these reviews and a book on how to shoot. 18 months later I am happy to report this was a fantastic purchase. It is true, if you have a few extra bucks, get this one vs. the XTI. I've never had any device, let alone a camera, have this long a battery life. I purchased a 4 gb card with the extra speed rating and it is an absolute pleasure to shoot rapid shots. It gets the kids in that perfect moment every time - and you have tons of shots to choose from, as it stores the images very quickly and moves on to the next shot almost instantly. I also upgraded from the stock lens provided with the body, which was total junk - to a Canon image stabilizer lens, which I didn't have to break the bank for. I got the most incredible shots of wildlife on Assateague Island, Virginia you could ever imagine while riding on the boat!

It is a time saver to. If you don't want to figure out all of the technical stuff, full auto will do a lot of what you need, but only on outdoor use. But treat yourself, get a tri-pod and a telephoto lens and start shooting the best shots of your life.

 Awesome camera! - Jun 22, 2010

I had a Rebel XTi and had some reservations with switching to a different Rebel. I shopped around and saw the changes made to the Rebel in the newer model, the price change was the seller in my switching to the newer Rebel. It took me about two uses before I got used to the buttons but I quickly got accustomed to them. The camera is great and I love it!

 I like this camera, but it needs movie capability - Jun 20, 2010

I like this camera. The lenses change easily. It works well and delivers photos of excellent quality. I wish that this had movie capability. It needs a case. The battery held a charge for a month with intermittent daily use. An 8 Gb card holds quite a few pictures - more than I need in a day.

 Great Kit for a Beginner - Jun 18, 2010

Cons:

For those of you new to photography, an 18-55mm zoom does not have a very long zoom. I almost immediately bought a zoom up to 300mm because I like to zoom :)

It also does not have a very low f number, which means it's not the greatest in low light, although there is the built in flash. It also means the depth of field does not blur the background very much (it seems more obvious when you zoom in). Almost all of the time it doesn't go lower than f/5.6 :(

Does not have full time manual focus (which means it autofocuses and you can adjust the focus manually whenever you want.) It took me a while to realize I had to switch the thing to Manual Focus (MF) to control the focus! Otherwise it changes the focus automatically back again when you click the shutter.

If my finger is hovering over the shutter constantly, then the bottom right corner digs into the palm of my hand, leaving a pretty big mark! It may just be me...


Pros:

The lens has Image Stabilization (IS)! This helps it in lower light because you can have the shutter speed lower and still have sharp pictures.

Semi-manual settings, so you can adjust the shutter speed and the aperture with automatically compensate for example.

Very nice 3 inch LCD screen.

The overall impression of the body is nicely designed.

Zoom moves easily, but doesn't slide around due to gravity.


Very nice camera body. Decent lens to get a beginner started. Good value.

 Excellent "entry level" digital SLR - Jun 17, 2010

Being a devotee of film photography, an advanced amateur who spent a lot of time in the darkroom, I moved into digital only gradually and reluctantly. My first purchase was a Canon compact, and this was the second digital camera I bought. I've owned it for a year now. I think it's wonderful. I find it very straightforward to use. This is real praise from someone used to a Leica M6, which has nothing automatic and only 3 controls--focus, shutter speed and f-stop. It takes good pictures set on auto, and the controls and menus on other settings (I use program, and other more manual settings--hardly ever the more automatic ones like portrait or landscape) are easy to understand, if you know a little about photography. The standard zoom lens that comes with the camera is not great, but takes decent pictures stopped down, and has the advantage of being lightweight. I've since purchased better, and heavier, lenses. Are these as good as my Elmars, my Zeiss Tessars and Goerz Dagors? Well, no, but they're very decent. The camera feels well built (again, major praise from a person accustomed to Leica), and I disagree with those who say it feels insubstantial (what, do they want it to be even heavier?).

My photos turn out nicely, with minimal tweaking necessary in Photoshop Elements. I haven't yet made any huge enlargements, so I'm not able to comment on that aspect of printing, but I display pictures on my large screen tv and am very happy with their appearance. So the pros might look down on this "beginner's" camera, but I intend to hang onto it, and I would recommend it without hesitation.