Canon EOS XSi (450D) Review

One size does not fit all. No one camera can be all things to all people. Not one brand, not one model within that brand. At this time there at least a half dozen cameras from the majors, including Canon, Nikon, Olympus, and Pentax that will meet the needs of the DSLR newcomer or someone working on a tight budget. Frankly, there are likely no significant image quality or feature advantages to the Canon XSi that make it a must-have over comparably priced models from the other leading camera companies.

Indeed, one area where Canon (as well as Nikon) have a challenge is with their lack of in-body image stabilization. Canon has lenses in all price ranges with IS built in, but it's not in their bodies, as it is with Pentax, Olympus and some others. Time will tell if this will become a marketing issue for these two companies.

But, if you're someone that is either partial to Canon cameras, or already have a higher end model, a set of lenses, and are seeking another camera body that's small and light weight, yet without serious feature limitations, then the Canon XSi may well be the camera that you've been looking for. As we have seen, image quality (at least within its ISO range) is on a par with anything else on the market, and better than most in this price range. Features are as comprehensive as anything from the competition, and the days of Canon's low-end cameras being deliberately throttled in terms of features thankfully seem to be finally over. (ISO settings above 1600 still seem to be an exception).

And finally, if you're a Rebel owner who is looking to upgrade from a previous model, and who is looking for the answer to the question – Is the XSi worth the cost on an upgrade? – I'd say that in terms of resolution, image quality, and features, moving up to an XSi is likely a worthwhile step.

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