Canon has introduced its most affordable SLR yet with the Rebel XS, a solid performer priced at $599.99 including a 18-55mm kit lens
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The Rebel XS looks almost identical to the step-up model Rebel XSi, which is to say just like every other entry-level SLR on the market. It's primarily built of black plastic, with some textured areas to give you a bit more grip, and an enlarged hand-hold, which also serves to house the battery. We did think the XS felt a bit light and flimsy for an SLR, but after substantial use we adapted to slinging it around with ease.
The low cost of the XS does come with some scrimping on the hardware side. It has a smaller LCD than the only marginally more expensive XSi (2.5 inches vs. 3 inches), and the grips are made of roughened plastic rather than rubber.
One of the big advantages to using a Canon SLR, is that Canon has one of the widest arrays of lenses on the market. The XS is an inexpensive way to gain access to this bounty and, while the included lens isn't an outstanding example, it's a step in the right direction.
As you would hope from an SLR, the Canon XS puts a substantial amount of control at your fingertips. It has a standard array of ISOs (100-1600), six levels of white balance as well as auto and manual, and a range of shutter speeds from 1/40000th of a second to 30-seconds.
A feature we did have trouble with is Live View. Live View on a digital SLR attempts to mimic some of the functionality of a point-and-shoot, and show the image you're going to take on the LCD rather than through the viewfinder. This was problematic on the XS, as the controls were buried deep in the bowels of the camera menu system, and the auto focus was slow and inaccurate.
The XS uses a rechargeable 1060 mAh Canon battery, which impressed us with a long lifespan, lasting our full range of performance tests on only a single charge. In a departure from some other Canon cameras, the XS uses SD and SDHC memory cards, which are small, cheap and easy to obtain.
Performance (read in-depth lab performance at DigitalCameraInfo.com)
In our comprehensive image testing, the Rebel XS produced good, though not outstanding scores. In terms of color accuracy and resolution (a measure of image detail, not megapixels), the XS scored around the same level we see with many entry-level SLRs. It performed well in our manual noise test (where we look at the visual "static" that appears in digital images), but not quite so well in the automatic ISO noise test. Where the XS shone was in our low light and long exposure tests, where it had a very high color accuracy and notably low image noise low. It also performed admirably with dynamic range, which is a measure of the camera's ability to handle situations with both very bright and very dark areas without losing image detail.
Comparisons (read in-depth lab comparisons at DigitalCameraInfo.com)
We compared the Canon Rebel XS to the Canon Rebel XSi, the Sony Alpha 200, the Nikon D60 and the Olympus E-520.
The Rebel XSi is more expensive than the XS by $100, but has numerous advantages. It has a better grip, a larger LCD, shoots at 12 rather than 10 megapixels, and scored better on color accuracy, white balance and resolution. If you can afford to spend the little extra, it's probably worth the investment.
If you want to save a bit of money, perhaps the Sony Alpha 200 is more your style. It has a list price of $499 with lens, a bit lower than the XS. It doesn't have Live View, and scored worse on every lab test we run except white balance and resolution. That said, it's not a bad camera by any stretch of the imagination, and if you want a low-cost entry into the world of SLR photography, this is a good choice.
The Nikon D60 is the loyal opposition's competitor to Canon's XS, offering the same resolution and a similar feature set. In terms of our test results, the two dance around each other, with the Canon doing better in color accuracy and low light, and the Nikon keeping noise levels lower. It more or less boils down to brand preference between these two.
The Olympus E-520 retails for $650, a tad more than the Canon, and scored worse in every lab test except color. In its favor, though, it has a more competent Live View system; in-camera image stabilization, which leads to less expensive lenses, and higher-quality body construction. Unfortunately, it just doesn't take photos as well.
For a more in-depth review, visit the Canon EOS Rebel XS Review at our partner DigitalCameraInfo.com
