Hot on the heels of the release of other SLR’s, Cannon seems to be pulling out all the stops on the new Rebel. The new camera is known as the Rebel XTi/400D, and will go on sale in September for $800 (body). It is almost exactly the same body as the XT, but it has some big changes:
– 10mp (increased from 8)
– Anti-dust glass & ultrasonic vibration
– 9 Point AF, same as the one found in the 30D (up from 7 point AF)
– 2.5 LCD (replaces 1.8 screen and small LCD status)
– Much larger burst depth, still 3fps
(See all the 400D info at RobGalbraith.com)
Wow. I’m surprised they are adding this much to their budget offering. Aside from better ISO performance (I’m assuming), I’m not sure why anyone would buy a 30D after this comes out. I’d bet they have some changes planned for 30D and the 5D that will be coming out soon, so the 400 doesn’t eat into their market share.
I’m going to wait and see how the body is reviewed, but I’m really interested in the newer AF system. I find it to be the weakest part of my XT. I’m happy they kept the small body size, though I seem to be one of the few people that like it that way. The larger screen is always nice. I haven’t had a problem with dust on the sensor, so the anti-dust features don’t grab me as much. Dust on the inside of my 17-85 lens, that’s another issue.
The one thing missing compared to the Sony and other new SLR’s is the anti-shake. Canon seems content to keep that in lenses. I don’t really care either way, but I do appreciate the quiet shutter slap on my Rebel XT, something that I’ve heard is hard to do on the anti-shake bodies. I’m assuming the XTi will have a similar shutter noise level compared to the XT.
Wow, this looks great! I’m eager to see more info and reviews. I still have the 10D, so this could be just the upgrade I’m looking for.
Yup, looks quite nice.
The biggest complaint about the rebel is the size and interface – just let me know and I can loan you mine as a comparison.
Body alone, the 10D weighs 875 g (30.9 oz) compared to RebelXT at 540 g (19 oz), so it does get heavy after a lot of shooting.
Does it feel too small to you? Is it the grip? What about the interface don’t you like?
The main complaint is the grip. It is too short, and too shallow. My fingers don’t quite grip as much as I would like, and the little finger ends up under the camera. But, I’ve made peace with this by adding in a hand strap. Now I’ve got a great grip, and the bottom screw support ends up being a decent spot for my pinky finger. I can carry it around all day with no strain. Ultimately I’d still use the camera without the hand strap, because the size is one of the main advantages for me.
The interface isn’t bad, my main complaint is with ISO. The LCD doesn’t show it, you have to go into the menu system to find the value. That isn’t an issue with the 400D, it looks like they are putting it on the LCD now. Probably not in the viewfinder though, that seems to be a higher end exclusive they won’t give out.
Also, coming from a 10D, you might find the viewfinder smaller.
DPReview has some good photos and comparisons on the size and grip in their preview: http://www.dpreview.com/articles/canoneos400d/page4.asp