Canon Rebel XSi

The Canon XSi has many upgrades from the XTi.  For starters it has a: Digic III Processor, Live View, 3.5 frames per second, 3" LCD, 12 megapixels, bigger viewfinder, better grip, upgraded kit lens, and spot metering.

All of these things mentioned above are very nice.  They provide an entry level camera with advanced features.  The only negative I can think of for this camera is that it uses SD cards instead of CF cards so if you have a collection of CF cards, you are going to have to sell them and buy SD cards.  The bigger viewfinder was a big relief, because on previous Rebel cameras, the viewfinder was very small.  The new grip is also a very nice upgrade rubberized  as it uses a ruberized grip.  Also new to a Rebel series camera, it features a dedicated ISO button for easy access and also displays the ISO setting in the viewfinder.  Also this camera has a live view mode.  Although almost every point and shoot has a live view mode, DSLR's are just starting to get them.  Live view is being able to see the shot in a live time on the LCD screen.  It can be very helpful for shots with angles that you simply just can't look through the viewfinder.  Another improvement that is liked by all is the addition of an upgraded kit lens.  The kit lens that came with the XT and XTi, the 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 was a terrible lens and was not very useful.  The new kit lens is the 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 IS.  It provides image stabilization and better optics.  The larger LCD is also a very nice upgrade.  Spot metering is a feature that has never been in a Rebel series camera before and is greatly welcomed in this camera.  Although the price is on the upper side of entry level cameras, you get more than just an entry level camera, you get a camera with advanced features.

Hope that helps!

Canon Rebel XTi

The Rebel XTi is a 10 megapixel camera that features a Digic II processor, self cleaning unit, 2.5" LCD screen, and a new 9 point focusing system.

Overall, the Rebel XTi is a very nice upgrade over XT, but not a humongous upgrade.  Some of the improvements are as shown above.  The camera still feels a little small, but the grip has been improved and if you add the battery grip, it feels like a new camera.  The self cleaning unit shakes the low pass filter in front of the sensor to rid it of dust.  This self cleaning unit has been questioned by many but the bottom line is that it is better to have than not have.  The 2.5" LCD is very nice and has all of the camera settings displayed on it since there is no top LCD.  The 10 megapixels is also another nice upgrade.  This camera is relatively cheap and is a great buy.

Hope this helps!

Canon Rebel XT

The Canon Rebel XT is an 8 megapixel camera that features a Digic II Processor.  Now for the review:

To me this camera feels very much like a toy, because of its grip.  This is by far the worst grip out of any Rebel Series camera.  However, if you do not like the small grip, you can buy a battery grip for it that increases the size of the grip and adds another shutter release for vertical shooting for around $150. Also on the back of the camera, there is only a 1.8" screen that is almost useless.  The only thing you can really accomplish on this screen is to check your histogram.  However, looks and LCD screen aside, the camera is capable of getting great images.  8 megapixels might not be up to date with newer bodies, but if you are someone who likes to print relatively small, 8 megapixels is more than enough.  ISO control on this camera is decent.  If properly exposed, I can not see why you would not want to jump to 800 or even 1600.  Unfortunately, like every other Rebel camera, there is no studio sync port for studio lighting.  However, to most people this is not a problem at all.

Overall, since this camera is the cheapest Canon DSLR on the market right now, it can provide great image quality, but if you are looking for something a little bit more robust or have more features, this is not your camera.

Hope this helps!