For an uncompromising mix of ease of use, affordability and outstanding features, look no further than the Canon Digital Rebel XT. Featuring an 8.0 Megapixel CMOS sensor, Canon’s DIGIC II Image Processor, and compatibility with over 50 EF Lenses, this digital SLR offers outstanding performance for both the serious photographer and the weekend photographer who just wants to take great pictures.

All controls and displays are right where you need them.

For starters, the Rebel XT delivers 3,456 x 2,304-pixel images for images of 13×19 inches and larger. The camera features variable ISO — 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1,600 settings — and supports all Canon EOS series lenses. An optical viewfinder provides detailed information such as diopter adjustment and depth-of-field preview, while the 1.8-inch TFT LCD view finder offers a wealth of additional information as well as several playback features, including thumbnail view and zooming to 10x magnification. Backlit with five level settings for brightness, the viewfinder is easy to read in dark environments.

While the Rebel XT is compatible with all Canon lenses in the EF lineup — ranging from ultra-wide-angle to super-telephoto lenses –, the camera includes the Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. This 18-55mm is a standard zoom designed exclusively for the Digital Rebel and features optimized coating to minimize ghost images and flare.

If action photography is your specialty, the Rebel XT offers a continuous shooting mode that captures as many as 14 images as fast as three frames per second (with shutter speeds of 1/250 second or faster.) The camera offers a shutter speed range from 1/4,000 to 30 seconds, and a bulb x-sync at 1/200 seconds. Best of all, it features an ultra-fast 0.2 seconds startup time, a shutter release lag of 100 milliseconds, and viewfinder blackout time of 175 milliseconds — all of which means that you’ll always be on top of the action.

Despite its wealth of advanced features, the Rebel XT is also one of the easiest, and most user-friendly digital SLRs you’ll find anywhere. Its compact design — 4.98 x 3.71 x 2.63 inches (W x H x D) — and weight (less than two pounds) means that the camera body will fit snugly in your hands. The EOS Digital Rebel XT has a newly developed high-precision seven-point autofocus (AF) system for speedy and accurate focusing in any situation. You can easily choose your own point of focus or direct the camera to choose it automatically. You can even use predictive AF to ensure that moving subjects stay focused while you compose your shot. With a built-in dioptric adjustment mechanism and a new precision matte screen, achieving sharp focus is fast and easy with the Rebel XT, no matter where or when you’re taking pictures.

A number of additional automatic setting and shooting modes — including Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports, Night Portrait, and Flash Off — allows you to concentrate on your subject and leave the camera to sort out the details. A redeye reduction via a built-in illuminator keeps your face shots on track, and USB 2.0 connectivity for both PC and Macintosh lets you upload your images with ease and without the need for additional software. The camera also supports direct printing with PictBridge compatible printers. In short, the Rebel XT is the ideal digital SLR choice for both the serious photographer who demands the ultimate in high-quality features, as well as the weekend picture taker who demands the ultimate in affordability and convenience.

A remarkable blend of simplicity and highly advanced D-SLR capabilities, the compact and powerful D5000 offers breathtaking 12.3-megapixel image quality, along with a flexible, Vari-angle, Live View monitor for fresh picture-taking perspectives. Nikon’s EXPEED image processing further enhances performance, contributing to split-second shutter response and continuous shooting at up to 4 frames-per-second to capture fast action and precise moments perfectly.

A remarkable blend of simplicity and highly-advanced DSLR capabilities, the compact and powerful D5000 offers breathtaking 12.3-megapixel image quality, along with a flexible, Vari-angle, Live View monitor for fresh picture-taking perspectives. Nikon’s EXPEED image processing further enhances performance, contributing to split-second shutter response and continuous shooting at up to 4 frames-per-second to capture fast action and precise moments perfectly.

The D5000’s 24-fps HD D-Movie mode with sound captures video clips with amazing clarity–offering new and exciting creative opportunities. Fast, accurate 11-point autofocus with 3D Tracking, teamed with famous NIKKOR optics, assures incredible image sharpness, while active image sensor cleaning combats annoying dust automatically. Featuring a convenient built-in flash, 19 automatic exposure Scene Modes to make the impossible easy and 23 Custom Setting options to fit your preferences, as well as 14 in-camera image retouching functions, the D5000 is the perfect DSLR, beginning with performance to meet your picture-taking tomorrows.

Outfit includes the 3x AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens with image stabilization and legendary NIKKOR optical quality.

Customer Review

Great Camera. If you are new to the DSLR game (like myself) or you are upgrading and you can fork up the cash, it is definitely worth it. It has a very concise, simple, and easy to use interface, the buttons are very well placed, and the swivel LCD is very nice and useful in certain situations (I really like how it folds inwards to protect the screen). My main purpose for this camera is still photos so the video is a cool bonus and is surprisingly better than I thought (though if you are looking to do serious HD video, I’d go for an HD camcorder or something else instead).

The D5000 is essentially a D90 squeezed into a smaller lighter body (of course it lacks the internal AF motor, doesn’t have as good a grip, and has a slightly smaller pentamirror viewfinder instead of the pentaprism in the D90 – all of this amongst a few other things, but hey it’s cheaper for a reason – also it is mentionable that the D5000 has an additional live view mode, a few more in camera editing tools, and more scene modes compared to the D90 – all useful for someone new to the DSLR in the sense that you can learn from them or just use them to make your life easier and your photos look great).

Featuring the latest 3-stop Image Stabilizer for outstanding camera shake reduction, the EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM zoom lens also features super responsive autofocus. Replacing the popular EF 75-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM, the world’s first interchangeable lens with Image Stabilizer (IS), the lens is expected to appeal to serious amateur nature and sports photographers looking to achieve outstanding results while shooting hand held.

Image Stabilizer
IS dramatically reduces image blur caused by camera shake. The EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM features Canon’s latest 3-stop IS, a one-stop improvement over its predecessor. Gyro sensors detect unwanted vibrations, triggering the corresponding movement of a correcting lens group perpendicular to the optical axis. The EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM provides 2-mode IS for shooting immobile subjects.

Superb autofocus
The micro USM motor found in the EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM employs ultra-sonic frequency vibrations to drive auto focus with unrivalled speed and near-silent operation.

Pleasing defocused background
The EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM employs an electro-magnetic diaphragm (EMD) with a circular aperture.

Image quality
By optimizing Super Spectra lens coatings and lens element shaping, Canon’s engineers have been effective in suppressing flare and ghosting–more prone to occur with digital cameras due to reflection off the image sensor. By increasing light absorption, coatings reduce reflections off lens element surfaces to deliver crisp, undistorted images with natural color balance.

Focal length translates to 112-480mm equivalent in 35mm film format when fitted to EOS 20D and EOS 350D cameras.

When used in conjunction with Canon’s range of EX Speedlite flash units, the lens passes distance information to the flash algorithm for markedly improved flash exposure metering.

Accessories for the EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM include the lens hood ET-65B and the lens pouch LP1222.