Canon Digital Rebel XT
Digital Camera Review

The Canon Digital Rebel XT digital SLR camera
 

This article will serve as a Canon Digital Rebel XT review, and highlight to you some of the best features, along with shortcomings of this professional SLR camera.

Some interesting points about the Canon Digital Rebel XT were apparent as I reviewed the camera. On the upside, it has a very fast start-up speed, taking just a fraction of a second to power up. It also produces fantastic looking pictures. However, it also has its downsides. For example, it has a lightweight plastic body which isn't ergonomically satisfying. In addition, it has a limited continuous-shooting mode, which may be restrictive in some photo situations. If you're thinking of buying this digital camera, you'll do well to take these factors into consideration.

In any case, let’s now jump right into the review and take a good look at the features of the Canon Digital Rebel XT.


Design and Construction

In terms of dimensions, the Canon Digital Rebel XT measures 4.98" by 3.71" by 2.52" (WHD) and weighs just 1.07 pounds. The body itself is made of solid black material (it's also available in silver) and looks very durable.

Holding the camera in your hands, you can tell that it has a nice, sturdy feeling and can be held very stably when shooting tricky shots. If the 'look' of the camera is an important consideration for you, you'll be glad to know that the Canon Digital Rebel XT fits the bill. It really looks like a professional digital SLR, with its big body size and excellent design.
 

Optics and Resolution

The Canon Digital Rebel XT is equipped with a powerful 3x optical zoom lens and offers with a 8.0 megapixel resolution. You can fit a range of wide angle or telephoto lenses on to the body for shooting any subject.

If you're particular about the optics within the device, the Canon Digital Rebel XT has an ISO range of 100 to 1600, as well as an aperture range of f3.5/f5.6 (wide/tele). As for shutter speeds, they range from 30 - 1/4000 sec.

I had the chance to take some test photos using the Canon Digital Rebel XT. The resulting pictures were nothing short of stunning - great color tones, accurate hues and subtle shadows.
 

User Controls

The user controls in the Canon Digital Rebel XT can be accessed through the 1.8 inch LCD screen. The controls might take a little getting used to - however, I did not have any problems reaching commonly used functions like flash control or image viewing.

And in case you're wondering, this digital camera has manual controls which let you have better exposure control. You can also have fun with the various focusing and manual options. The Canon Digital Rebel XT also does not come with a movie mode - I wouldn't expect it in a professional SLR model - so if you want to record videos, then you may have to look elsewhere.
 

Battery Life

The Canon Digital Rebel XT uses proprietary lithium batteries. What about the battery life? I can say its pretty decent. I managed to go through a full day's shooting with a single battery charge. You may of course want to invest in an extra battery - just in case, especially if you're going overseas on a vacation.
 

Storage and Transfer

In terms of storage, the Canon Digital Rebel XT accepts CompactFlash Type I/II memory cards. You’ll certainly want to purchase a higher capacity card to ensure you don't run out of storage space easily. Personally, I have a five 1GB memory cards. Yes, I know that's going overboard a little - but it's always good to be safe than sorry, especially since the Rebel XT can take 8 megapixel photos.

Image transfers are done via a speedy USB 2.0 interface - so rest assured that your photos will get downloaded to your PC pretty fast.
 

Shortcomings

The bad points about the Canon Digital Rebel XT? Well, here are two shortcomings I’d point out to you. This digital camera will sell many more units if they were corrected. Firstly, the device has a lightweight plastic body which isn't ergonomically satisfying - a fact which many professional photographers will concur with. Secondly, it has a limited continuous-shooting mode, which may be restrictive in some photo situations.
 

Conclusion

Despite its shortcomings, the Canon Digital Rebel XT is one heck of a digital camera. Whether you’re a beginner in digital photography, or a seasoned professional, you may want to consider buying this little baby. Take it with you anywhere, snap as many photos as you can - just experiment and learn!

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If you've tons of digital photos to share and but are not sure which photo sharing site to choose, then do take a look at SmugMug. I've been a happy user of their photo sharing service for two years now and I've been most impressed by it. The service allows you to upload, arrange and share your photos, as well as buy prints or burn picture CDs.

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