Canon Rebel XS Review

Shooting with the Rebel XS is an enjoyable experience, and while comparisons between the XS and the generally similarly (and often identical) XSi are obvious and natural, Canon has done a nice job of paring down the more advanced camera's feature set for the XS without losing the essence of what has made the latest Rebel models so excellent. If you can live without some of the advanced features – better dynamic range control, more resolution, a wider AF area with more points, and a larger screen – that the XSi offers, the XS actually brings newer technology to the table with its unlimited JPEG buffer for continuous shooting and more broadly compatible cross-type center AF sensor.

Canon's kit zoom remains my least favorite part of the current Rebel package, but that's easily (and relatively cheaply rectified). There are some construction oddities and ergonomic issues to look out for, but a quick in-store test drive should be enough to tell whether you'll get along with the XS's physical form or not. With those concerns aside, there's very little else to get in the way of taking fantastic photos with the XS.

Finally, it might have been nice to see more differentiation between the XS and what's already available from Canon. But with overall performance and image quality marks that are top notch, it's hard to fault the manufacturer too much for sticking with a formula that works. And in almost every regard, the Rebel XS does just that.

Pros:

* Rebel XSi performance for less bucks
* Fantastic, reliable AF system
* Extremely clean high-ISO shots
* More processing options than you could possibly need

Cons:

* Build quality not great
* Kit lens is of average quality
* Auto white balance struggles at times
* Live view less than useful


David Rasnake

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