Mini Digital Camera

Canon 450D / Digital Rebel XSi Camera

12 megapixel Digital Camera

The Canon 450D, known as the Rebel XSi in the USA and EOS Kiss X2 in Japan, is the latest digital SLR (DSLR) in a series of well respected 'entry level' digital cameras.

Introduction

The Canon 450D is known as the Rebel XSi in the USA and EOS Kiss X2 in Japan. This article will refer to it as the 450D. Specifications are believed to be identical for the different territories. This Knol provides information, specifications and a personal view of the current 'entry level' camera from Canon.

The 450D was announced as a successor to the 400D (Digital Rebel XTi in the USA) in January 23, 2008. The camera was released in March that year in Europe and April in North America. It is the fourth in a series of affordable digital SLRs from Canon, who redefined the market in 2003 with the 300D (Digital Rebel). At the time, the 300D took the sensor from the professional and expensive EOS 10D and put it in a plastic body with a more basic specification, but at a dramatically lower price. Subsequent models have improved the specification from the 300D's 6 megapixel sensor to 12 megapixels in the 450D which is powered by Canon's latest Digic III Processor.

In response to competition particularly from Nikon in the consumer price bracket, the 450D is now no longer Canon's entry level model, having been joined by the 1000D in July 2008.

Key Points

12 Megapixel sensor (22.2 x 14.8mm CMOS sensor, up to 4272 x 2848 resolution images)
9-point wide-area Auto Focus
3.0" LCD Monitor
Live View continuous display through LCD
SD/SDHC storage (in place of Compact Flash in previous models)
3.5 frames per second continuous shooting
Automatic sensor cleaning (on power on), software based dust-removal

Opinion

My first step into the DSLR world was the 350D, which was a revelation. I learned the creative possibilities of being able to control depth of field, exposure in difficult conditions and selecting the right lens for each job. After that (and some 12, 000 photos) an upgrade to the latest Canon was inevitable. Having skipped a generation, the 450D feels dramatically different to the older model. For a first time DSLR user, the camera is closer to the current range of compacts in feel - with a large LCD screen and Live view that make it initially handle like a 'grown up' point and shoot. However, these consumer friendly touches hide the usual steep learning curve of DSLR ownership. Step away from the fully automatic modes and the buttons spread over every surface of the camera's body present the user with a bewildering set of options. That's the whole point of moving away from point and shoot cameras though, so if getting to grips with f-stops and aperture settings sounds like too much of a challenge, this might not be the camera for you. With some of the learning curve already climbed whilst using my 350D, the controls of the 450D are far less daunting. They've also evolved into a better experience. Little touches like a dedicated button for setting ISO values, and an ISO display in the viewfinder solve some of the niggles that tripped me up on the older camera. Better metering options help keep exposure under control. A bigger viewfinder, which automatically disables the LCD when used is also welcome. Burst mode is just a little bit faster, delivering three and a half images each second - still not enough to eliminate the need for some level of skill (or luck), but a noticeable improvement all the same. The self cleaning sensor (introduced on the 400D) is a reassuring addition, though dust has caused very few problems on my older camera despite switching between three lenses throughout it's lifespan. None of these are dramatic changes, but each helps and is an entirely logical step up from previous models. The change to SD-cards for storage is a mild irritation having collected a useful set of CF cards for the 350D, but memory cards are not expensive so this is hardly an issue. The larger battery also makes the set of spares bought for the 350D redundant, which is more frustrating as it's helpful to have at least one battery in reserve. However, I've so rarely run out of charge whilst using the older camera that I will be happy to live with the change for a while until I can buy some spares. Similarly the battery grip has changed, but unless you're planning serious studio work I would suggest it's not really necessary for the majority of owners. To a new user, the camera is slick, very responsive and has a depth of functions that will keep you exploring it's abilities for quite a while. Some of the clever features that you might want to use for such things as long exposures are hidden away in Canon's usual slightly obscure 'Custom functions' menu, which drops any pretence of helping first time users. However, important settings are usually just a button press away and the various semi-manual modes allow you to explore creatively whilst the camera holds your hand. The higher price point is a bit of a disappointment, putting a cost on the advances made, but this is an excellent camera that produces very satisfying images and makes excellent use of Canon's fantastic range of lenses.

Sample Images

Sample images can be found on PBase: Browse PBase Galleries for Canon 450D images Flickr: Browse Flickr Galleries for Canon 450D images

Detailed Specification

Sensor	12.2 million effective pixels 12.4 million total pixels 22.2 x 14.8mm CMOS sensor 3:2 Aspect Ratio RGB Colour Filter Built-in/Fixed with Self Cleaning Sensor Unit
Image Sizes	4272 x 2848 (L) 3088 x 2056 (M) 2256 x 1504 (S)
Compression	Fine, Normal, RAW (14bit .CR2)
File Types	JPEG (Exif 2.21 [Exif Print] compliant) RAW (.CR2) & JPEG Large / Fine RAW (.CR2)
Lens Mount	EF / EF-S
Conversion Factor	1.6x With EF Lenses
Shutter Type	Electronically controlled focal-plane shutter Optional wired Remote Switch RS-60E3 Optional Remote Controller RC-1/RC-5
Speed	30 - 1/4000 sec (1/2 or 1/3 stop increments) Flash X-Sync: 1/200 sec Bulb
Auto Focus	9 point CMOS AF f/5.6 cross type at centre, extra sensitivity at f/2.8 Working Range EV -0.5 -18 (at 23C & ISO100)
Focus Modes	AI Focus One Shot AI Servo Live Mode in Live View Quick Mode in Live View
AF Point Selection	Automatic Manual - Both modes superimposed on viewfinder and shown on LCD
Focus Control	Auto focus Manual focus (Switch on Lens)
AF Assist	Built in Flash strobes
Metering	TTL Full aperture metering, 35-zone SPC EV 1-20 (at 23C with 50mm f/1.4 lens, ISO 100)
Metering Modes	Evaluative Metering (linked to all AF points) Partial metering at center (9% of viewfinder) Spot metering at center (4% of viewfinder) Center weighted average metering
AE Lock	Auto - In 1-shot AF mode with evaluative metering on lock Manual - With AE lock button
AE Bracketing	+/- 2 EV, 1/2 or 1/3-stop increments
Exposure comp.	+/- 2 EV, 1/2 or 1/3-stop increments
ISO Speed Equiv.	Auto (100-800) 100 200 400 800 1600 Highlight Tone Priority (200-1600)
White Balance	Auto Daylight Shade Cloudy Tungsten White Fluorescent light Flash Custom
WB Tuning	Blue/Amber +/-9 Magenta/Green +/-9
WB Bracketing	+/-3 levels 3 Images per shutter release Selectable Blue/Amber or Magenta/Green bias
Colour Space	sRGB Adobe RGB.
Orientation sensor	Yes
Flash	E-TTL II auto flash, with automatic popup Guide No. 13 (metres at ISO 100) X-Sync 1/200sec Coverage up to 17 mm focal length (27 mm FOV equiv.)
Flash Compensation	+/- 2EV, 1/2 or 1/3 increments
Flash Bracketing	Yes
Flash Lock	Yes
External Flash	Hot-shoe connection only E-TTL II with EX series Speedlites, wireless multi-flash support
Drive Modes	Single Continuous - 3.5fps. up to 53 images JPEG/ 6 images RAW Self-timer 10 seconds, 2 seconds (with mirror lock up)
Auto Shooting	Full Auto Portrait Landscape Close-up Sports Night Portrait No Flash
Manual Shooting	Program AE (P) Shutter priority AE (Tv) Aperture priority AE (Av) Full Manual (M) Auto Depth-Of-Field
Viewfinder	95% Coverage Fixed Pentamirror 0.87x Magnification Eyepoint 19mm from eyepiece lens center Dioptre adjustment -3 to +1 (1/m) Proximity sensor disables LCD shooting mode information
Viewfinder Information	AF information (AF points, focus confirmation light) Shutter speed Aperture value ISO speed (always displayed) AE lock Exposure level/compensation Spot metering circle Exposure warning AEB Flash ready High-speed sync Flash Exposure lock Flash exposure compensation Red-eye reduction light White balance correction SD card information Monochrome shooting Maximum burst
DOF Preview	Yes, button on body
LCD Monitor	3.0" TFT 230K dots 100% coverage 7 brightness levels
Live View	Live TTL display of scene from CMOS image sensor Manual focus only during live view Optional auto-focus using mirror down/up sequence Real-time evaluative metering through image sensor Best view or exposure simulation User selectable grid (thirds) Selectable 1, 5, 10x magnification at AF point Supports Canon Remote Capture Utility 2.0
Storage	SD Card / SDHC Card
Connectivity	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (Mini-B) Video output (PAL/ NTSC)
Firmware	User upgradable
Power	1 x Rechargeable Li-ion Battery LP-E5 (7.4v 1050mAh) Power turns off after 30sec or 1, 2, 4, 8 or 15mins. Optional AC Adapter Kit ACK-E5 Optional battery grip BG-E5
Body	Plastic over stainless steel frame
Dimensions	129 x 98 x 62 mm (5.1 x 3.9 x 2.4 in)
Weight	475g (without battery)

Other Reviews

DP Review The EOS 450D feels like a mature product, it is capable of superb results... and it has a feature set that offers an excellent balance between beginner-friendly ease of use and the manual control / customization demanded by those wanting something a little more serious. Steve's DigiCams The Canon EOS Rebel XSi is whole lot of camera for an entry-level model. It's stellar performance and superb image quality offer a lot to the first-time dSLR user.

Firmware Updates

Since its release Canon have issued two firmware updates, the most recent is available here. Details of this update are:

Firmware Update Version 1.1.0

This update (April 2009) applies to cameras with firmware up to version 1.0.9 and incorporates the following improvements:

1. Supports the AF assist beam features of the new flash, Speedlite 270 EX, which is scheduled to be released in April 2009.

Full link: http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/firm-e/eosdigital4/firmware.html

Firmware Update Version 1.0.9

This update (September 2008) applies to cameras with firmware up to version 1.0.4 and fixes the following issues:

Fixes a phenomenon in which AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing) shooting does not operate normally under specific conditions.
Fixes a phenomenon in which the Live View exposure simulation warning indication does not properly display during Live View shooting.
Fixes a phenomenon in which images cannot be played back after continuous shooting when a printer is connected to the camera or a video output terminal is used.

Links

Canon USA - EOS Digital Rebel XSi Canon UK - EOS 450D

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