Enter the new Canon EOS Digital
Rebel XT. At only 4.98x3.71x2.63 inches and barely over
a pound in weight (17.1 ounces), it comes close in size
to the advanced compact digital cameras that I love. Yet
the camera includes an excellent 8-megapixel sensor based
on the technologies used in the Canon EOS 20D’s
sensor, uses all Canon EF and EF-S lenses and includes
a full set of automatic and manual controls that outdoor
photographers expect. In addition, the camera uses a small-format
sensor that will magnify the subject in the frame by a
factor of 1.6x compared to a 35mm frame.
While at Great Smoky Mountains National Park earlier this
year, I fit the camera with three lenses (a Canon EF 70-300mm
DO zoom, a Canon EF-S 60mm macro and a Tamron 11-18mm
wide-angle zoom) into a small waist pack. I sacrificed
nothing with that package in terms of capabilities, and
when I checked my results on the computer, I discovered
that I sacrificed nothing in image quality. Image color,
contrast and noise are excellent.
I used the RAW+JPEG setting and loved what I got with
both formats. The internal DIGIC II processor does a superb
job of giving well-processed JPEG files. Anyone who says
JPEG has inferior quality compared to RAW has never looked
at a JPEG processed by Canon’s proprietary DIGIC
processor. I easily enlarged these 8-megapixel files to
make high-quality 12x18-inch prints (I’d guess they
would go bigger, but I don’t have a bigger printer).
The EOS Digital Rebel XT is a significant upgrade from
the original Digital Rebel. The XT includes built-in flash
compensation and choice of AF modes that the original
didn’t have. The camera also features a high-speed,
wide-area autofocus system that can have its seven points
selected individually; a minimal 0.2-second startup time;
a bright, easily viewed viewfinder; depth-of-field preview;
settable shutter speeds from 1/4000 to 30 seconds and
more. This may be Canon’s newest entry-level digital
SLR in terms of price, but it’s no basic, minimally
controlled camera. Canon shows that it’s possible
to have both “compact” and “full-featured” work
in the same unit.
To get this compact size, Canon uses a battery that’s
considerably smaller than any other battery used for Canon
digital SLRs. This makes carrying extras convenient, but
you do worry about capacity at first. Canon says it matches
the performance of the larger batteries used in the original
Digital Rebel and my experience confirms that. After a
few days of shooting in the Smokies, however, I quit worrying
about the battery.
Contact: Canon, (800)
OK-CANON, www.usa.canon.com.
Specifications
Camera Type: Digital,
interchangeable-lens SLR
Lens Mount: Canon
EF and EF-S
Sensor: CMOS
Resolution: 8
megapixels (3456 x 2304 pixels)
Viewfinder: 95% coverage
of sensor, 0.8x magnification, pentamirror
LCD: 1.8-inch TFT
Media Type: CompactFlash
Shooting Modes: Program,
shutter-priority, aperture-priority, depth of field, full-auto,
manual
Program Modes: Portrait,
Landscape, Close-Up, Sports, Night Portrait and Flash
Off
Exposure Compensation: ±2
stops in 1/3- or 1/2-EV steps
Metering System: Evaluative
metering, partial (9%), center-weighted
Shutter Speeds: 30 to
1⁄4000 sec.
ISO Equivalency: 100-1600
Built-In Flash: Pop-up,
GN 43 (ISO 100/feet)
Power Source: Proprietary
Li-ion
Size: 4.98x3.71x2.63
inches
Weight: 17.1 ounces
Estimated Street Price: $899.95
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