The Canon Rebel XTi
A Camera to Consider

by Don Johnson
(US)

For those who love to take pictures, it helps to have the right equipment. Not only does the camera need to be easy to use, it also needs to produce quality results. And for me, the quality needs to come from ease of use.

I have been taking pictures for over 40 years. Our local camera store has a showcase of old cameras on display. I feel like I could have donated some of my old cameras to their collection. At my age, I seem to embrace new technology slower than most people. Only recently have I switched over to digital photography. And now that I have, I wished I had switched sooner.

Two Advantages of Digital over Film

Technology really does make life easier for us. I remember buying film and always having to plan ahead on what to buy. Film on the market has an ASA or DIN exposure-index number to indicate its sensitivity to light. The meter on the camera had to be set for the correct exposure index of the film that I bought.

My rule of thumb for buying film was that the higher the ASA number (or film speed), the "grainier" the pictures could turn out. ASA 400 would have more "noise" in the picture than ASA 100, for example.

I bought ASA 400 film when I knew I would be taking pictures inside and not using a flash. I bought ASA 100 for better quality pictures and knowing that I would have adequate light. And I bought ASA 200 film speed when I didn't know what kind of pictures that I would be taking.

How nice it is that the Rebel XTi has solved this problem for me. The term now is ISO speed. It is setting the Imaging Sensor's Sensitivity to light to match the ambient light level on your subject. This can be changed for each picture without having to use up the rest of your film. By pressing a button, the display below appears.



I select 100/200 for the sunny outdoors. I select 400/800 for overcast skies or in the evenings. And I select 1600 for night or when it is darker indoors. With the quality of the Canon Rebel, I don't find using ISO 1600 to be very "grainy" like film.

The second advantage of digital over film is to be able to see your pictures instantly. My son recently graduated from high school and we wanted a picture of him in his cap and gown with our whole family. I think we had to take around 6-7 pictures before we got a good picture of everyone. With film, I would have taken several pictures and hoped for the best.

Camera Features that I Like

1. Ease of Use: The camera can look complicated and hard to use but it's not. It is a simple camera to use but also has the functionality for the advance user. I can get superb results by;

• Removing the lens cap


• Turning the camera on


• Pointing the camera at my subject


• Taking the picture

2. Viewfinder Image: At my age, my eyes are not what they use to be. I find it awkward to look inside of the viewfinder with my glasses on. The Canon Rebel lets me adjust the viewfinder to match my eye sight. This is accomplished by simply moving a knob left or right.

3. Focusing: Focusing could not be easier. To take a picture, the shutter button is pressed. On the Canon Rebel, the shutter button performs 2 functions. Pressing the shutter button halfway activates auto focusing. Pressing the shutter button completely takes the picture. I don't know how it can be made easier than this.

There is a second part of this auto focusing that I like. Depending on what I am trying to do, I don't always want my subject in the middle of the picture. I may want my subject on the left or right side to create a balanced background and a good perspective. While I focus on my subject by pressing the shutter button halfway, this locks the focus. I can them move the camera left or right to take the picture and my subjects remains in perfect focus.

4. Fully Automatic Mode: As a person who loves photography, I enjoy the preset modes. I love taking pictures of nature so the two preset modes that I use the most is Landscape and Close-ups.


Landscape mode helps me for wide scenery, night scenes, and to have everything in focus from near to far. The greens and blues also become more vivid and sharp.

Close-up mode is great when I take pictures of flowers up close. I try to keep the background simple so the flowers stand out better.

5. The Self Timer: I won't buy a camera that does not have this feature. The truth is, I don't like my picture being taken. But I am the photographer for the family. I also develop them and put the pictures into photo albums. I have 3 children so I have 3 sets of photo albums that I work on. The idea is, when my children get married and have their own home, they each have their own set of albums that I will give to them. Even though I don't like my picture being taken, I am sure my kids will appreciate having Dad in some of the pictures when they get older.

Features I had to Learn to Like

1. Selecting what the Camera Focuses on: The Rebel has 9 points that it focuses on. In automatic focus, all nine points are active. But generally speaking, the camera focuses on the closest subject. When I take pictures of nature, the closest subject may not be the subject that I want in perfect focus. Pressing a button lets me select which of the nine points I want to have doing the focusing.



I can choose which point the camera uses to focus on

2. Continuous Shooting: Have you ever had your child on a school stage to receive an award? I've witnessed the different expressions on their face as they get closer to the presenter. Continuous shooting has allowed me to capture priceless expressions. This mode takes 3 shots per second.



3. Selecting a Picture Style: This feature allows me to obtain the desired effect depending on what setting I choose.

• Standard: Images are sharp, crisp and vivid.


• Portrait: Allows for nice skin tones and works well for close ups.


• Landscape: For vivid blues and greens and produces sharp images.


• Neutral: I select this setting when I want to process my pictures on my own computer using my own software.

Disadvantages

Most people using digital cameras do not look into the viewfinder to take the picture. Normally you see them holding the camera out in front of their eyes and they are looking at the LCD monitor to compose their shot. With the Canon Rebel, it does not have this ability. You must look into the viewfinder.

I've asked many friends to use my camera to take the picture. It is just a habit and an assumption that you compose your picture in the LCD monitor. I have to tell them to look into the viewfinder eyepiece. I can see that they are not accustomed to doing this.

For me, this is not a disadvantage. All the cameras that I have ever owned were single lens reflex. This means, when you look in the eyepiece, what you see is what you get. I find that I can compose the picture better by looking in the viewfinder and adjusting the zoom on the lens. It all comes down to personal preference.

Summary

If you are ever in the market to buy a camera, the Canon Rebel is definitely one to consider. Even if you don't end up buying it, you will learn about features that will help you decide about what you want in a camera

The above features do not even scratch the surface of the capabilities and features of the camera. I listed only those that stand out for me.

The camera is simple enough that a beginner can use it with ease. It is sophisticated enough that a photographer could use it and get professional results.

My rating for the Canon Rebel is: Two Thumbs Up!

---

Don Johnson is owner and publisher of Avoid Nasal Allergies.com. He says, "Prevention is the key to success." He also takes pride in being able to take his own nature and flower photos.

---