By W. Jen ("Excellent value", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

I bought my wife the Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens AND Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens package for $460 shipped. She had been interested in photography for 2+ years and had been using our Canon Powershot SD700 IS for her photography projects.

When we bought the SD700 IS 2 years ago, it was almost $500. Needless to say, the Canon Rebel XS package is an amazing bargain at $460 and the difference in image quality is unbelievable.

I should have bought 2.

By Sri Dhanush "Sri" ("Good DSLR for first timers..", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

I have had this model for over a month now and i am really impressed with the images it can produce. If you are on a tight budget and on the lookout for an entry level DSLR, then you have 2 choices... the Nikon D40 and the Canon Rebel XS. Although the latter costs a bit more than the Nikon, the extra buck is well spent since you get a bigger sensor and upto date features commonly found in more costly DSLRs from Canon. The results are very good with the automatic settings. Probably the best thing that canon has done is to include an IS enabled 18-55mm lens which works very well. However, if you are serious about DSLR photography, you will find that upgrading to a good lens will make a big difference.. as for casual users, its the best you can get for the money you pay. Worth it!

By R. Paul Hilburn ("Old Lenses do fit! very pleased!", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

I have had a canon rebel 35mm camera for 10 years now, I already have a nice camera bag, tripod and several lenses and filters. I really wanted to switch to a digital but wanted to buy body only. I had several sales people tell me that the pics just wouldnt turn out right. I found a friend who just bought and xti and we did some experimenting, no diff whatsoever. I found a refurbished body only, perfect price, came just when I wanted it to, looks in perfect condition. I have only had it a couple of days, and I love it. My daughter closes her eyes for shots all the time, now I can review and shoot again. Has all the same features of my old, SLR just now its digital, takes B&W, you can adjust your ISO 'film speed', etc. I think for a hobbyist trying to update their 35mm setup, this is perfect.

By Pete Chen ("Great SLR camera for beginners", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

Canon Rebel XS camera has all the bells and whistles for a DSLR beginner. I am extremely happy with it. If you are looking for the best value for entry level DSLR, then this is not the best value. Nikon and Olympus have better deals. But I want to have the huge selections of lens. Besides, I am pretty comfortable with the controls of my two Canon point-and-shoot cameras. The only complaint I have is the layout of the auto focus points. It has seven. Five of them are on the middle horizontal line. The sixth one is right above the center, and the seventh one below the center. If you want to focus roughly around the centers of four quadrants, then you have to move your camera to compose your picture after you focus using one of the focus points. This is quite inconvenient and causes incorrect focusing if the subject is close to you. XSi has nine auto focus points nicely laid out. But it costs you about two hundred dollars more.

By T. Frey ("Only a month, but strong so far.", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

The Canon Rebel XS 1000D is great so far, I've been out on some extended shooting days so far, and the battery life is great. I usually shoot around 400 photos on a single outing, and that doesn't put a significant dent in the battery life.

The live view is cool, but I have used it, but I don't think you'll find yourself using it very much. It's also a significant drain on your battery. The continuous shooting is 3.5 shots per second on Canon Rebel XS, which is plenty fast for me, but if you're looking to do a series motion shots, this isn't going to shoot quite fast enough.

The 18-55mm lens is a nice lens and is good for portraits and general shooting, but if you do any work beyond basic photography, you're going to want a longer lens. The 55mm lens can focus an a minimum distance of .25 meters (about 10 inches), which for me isn't really close enough to do macro shots. If you wanna zoom way in on something small, you're going to need a macro lens.

All and all, probably Canon Rebel XS is the best camera I've seen for the money. Great stuff, the software it comes with is pretty useful as well, but not a replacement for photoshop.

I love my Canon Rebel XS, I'm going to be using it for quite some time. :)

By N. currie ("Canon Rebel XS", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

Very Happy with the Canon Rebel XS. Bought soley for taking action shots of my son and daughter's lacrosse games and I've gotten some amazing shots. I added a 300 mm lens for this as the one that comes standard would not get across the field. Canon Rebel XS is a little heavy but I use the strap and that helps. It focuses very well and you can take a bunch of shots on a battery charge. I've taken upwards of 800 with and without flash and it was still going strong. I use a 4gb card and you can put around 1600 pictures on it. Wish you could shoot movies but I knew it wouldn't when purchasing it. The only thing I didn't realize is that you don't get a display of what you're shooting. You actually have to look through the viewfinder just as you did in the old days with cameras. I'm getting used to that but still miss being able to just hold it out in front and snap. Overall Canon Rebel XS is a very nice camera. I've taken over 4000 pictures in 3 weeks and am still snapping away. My 11 year old daughter loves it to. She's constantly taking action shots of our dogs and getting closeups of flowers around the yard.

By sus ("Canon Rebel XS", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

Love this camera! I am used to a film SLR, and a small point and shoot digital, but with how slow the point and shoot is, and not being able to see my shots right away with film, I just had to upgrade to a digital SLR! I did a good bit of research and was deciding between the Canon Rebel XS and XSi. I have always been a Canon person, so that part was easy. We were looking for an econoical choice, and though there are some features on the XSi that are a bit better - the main differences appear to be the Canon Rebel XS has a slightly smaller screen and slightly slower fps and only a bit less on the megapixels. To me, it was negligible and the cost was a few hundred dollars less. We have been getting beautiful pictures and have been having lots of fun with it. And with the fast shutter speed and quick ability to review shots, we haven't missed out on getting the shots like we used to on our point and shoot. I highly recommend Canon Rebel XS!!

By LoveBNL ("Canon Rebel xs", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

So far everything with this camera has been great. We are not photography gurus, but it meets our needs well.

By Danh Nguyen ("It's good to have it", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

Canon Rebel XS is good camera with reasonable price to compare with other models.
I recommend that everyone should have one like this. Don't waste money for PnS cameras

By Judah B "judah b" ("Canon REBEL XS simply a beautiful experience", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

I spent several weeks reviewing the Canon REBEL XS vs it's many 10 MP adversaries, I even checked it against the ultra zooms as I wanted the convenience of video as well, but too many good things stood out with Canon Rebel XS and so I decided upon it. I bought the Canon Rebel XS and after days of dirt testing this camera I've found it a beautiful experience.
Now I'm a professional videographer attached to a tv station in Trinidad & Tobago, my purpose for Canon Rebel XS was the need for a quick sharp still shot camera that would be impressive under low light and still capture impressive portrait shots to be used for my website and for large prints. I didn't want to shell out over a $1000. US for a camera body.
What is tagged by Canon is true: The full auto mode is truly accurate and gives excellent shots always, it makes photography so easy for a beginner or intermediate. The portrait mode isn't blurry, images are clean, nicely toned, excellent in quality for large size prints. The P ( program mode) I like alot at first because this mode sets exposure so nicely I found it addictive. I shot alot of night pics of cars on a freeway, with bright, sharp, lively colours emerging. Night pics at 800 iso had very very very little noise, and I mean I was searching the pics on 15" monitors for reason to complain, but was really impressed.
The auto focus is really quick. Th Canon Rebel XS comes with "only" a 7 point auto focus system compared to the XSi 9 point, forgive me when I say there may be no need for another 2 points when the camera focusses so quick and so accurately. I have not gotten a soft image when shot with the auto focus operating.
Now for those point and shoot cams that boast about "face detection"....5 faces...6,7, some even 15. I also have a 10 mp ultra zoom, this simply matters little if not at all, if the focussing ability of the camera is poor or average, and given the "average lens" quality they're made of.
I have learnt clearly that a 10 MP ultra zoom simply cannot compare to a 10 MP D SLR...chalk and cheese.
I also bought the Tamron 70mm - 300mm, F4-5.6 telephoto/ macro lens. No vignetting at either end of the lens.
Auto iso is simply magnificent, have not taken a shot where the camera over estimated or underestimated the iso levels.
The Manual mode of this camera is the most impressive for me. The Canon Rebel XS via various magazine testing has come up faster than it's other 10 MP rivals when it comes to fps shooting, and burst images. It really does shoot 3 fps consistently, it shoots 2.3 fps in low light, worst case is over 1 fps all at 10 MP quality.
I haven't used a lower quality since, given I bought a Transcend 8GB SDHC card storage is not an issue.
Most of my shooting has been at night, for the little done in daylight, it has been amazing. Colours are very bright, depth of field very very nice. Macros works well. Image optimizer simply shocked life out of me. I was in a shaded area and without flash it really improves the subject without over blowing the background, stuff that is almost impossible on point and shoot cams.

Stuff I disagree with from the "reviews" : 1- "The camera feels cheaply built"....simply wrong, nothing is shabby, buttons are actually easy to press, doesn't have cheap clicks to them, the lens mount has a secure feel to it, and a proper snap when it is set. Battery compartment is certainly secure. Your finger must intricately open the door for entry, won't be an accident issue. Rubber door at a.v. ports snap in well. Rubber grip is firm enough, smooth enough to not irritate your hands.
2- " Canon Rebel XS is "overpriced" compared to the XSi.....Xsi shoots slower than the Canon Rebel XS, XSi picture quality is equal to the XS even though the XSi is 12 MP. The XSi may be the 3" LCD and a few other upgrades, but these upgrades don't add up when the picture is taken and the quality of both cameras match alike. I may have chosen the XSI if I wanted to spend the extra $150. u.s but for the lesser price, I'm yet to regret.
3- "The Canon Rebel XS "only has a 2.5" LCD compared to a couple of it's rivals having 3" LCD's". I can see every thing clearly with this screen, even with Histograms, and grids onscreen. If LCD's get much bigger then canon may need to install a tv tuner as well....the 2.5" is more than sufficient.
4- "The Canon Rebel XS doesn't have SPOT METERING compared to the XSi, so this is a big issue"- haven't encountered a reason to complain yet, after 500 night shots and 200 day shots.

THE DOWN SIDE: the EOS software for uploading the photos to computer, and remote controlling the cam via computer is AWFUL. It's a task to upload, as it is beach balling when you hit "upload". Digital professional software is non responsive. I have not been able to use the software past the install point. Mac version here.
Better use i-photo and photoshop.

I highly rate Canon Rebel XS, and as a videographer who's accustomed to t.v. broadcast quality the Canon Rebel XS is worth it, and since canon is so intent on pushing the rebel XSi they have significantly lowered the price on the Canon Rebel XS.....I recommend people buy the Canon Rebel XS and get a good lens with the discount earned. The trick is in the lens and the user, and lesser the camera.

By J. Gallo ("Best Affordable DSLR (Canon Rebel XS vs. Olympus E-510 or Nikon D40/60)", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

I want to save you the time and uncertainty in choosing the best affordable DSLR. For those considering the Canon EOS Rebel XS, the Olympus E-510 or the Nikon D40 / D40x / D60, I believe the Canon EOS Rebel XS is the best choice. Also, at the price difference between the Canon EOS Rebel XS and the SXi ($150-200 as of December '08), the Canon EOS Rebel XS is an excellent alternative--both take exactly the same high quality pictures, save the 2MP difference, which is negligible at the end. Please note that the Canon EOS Rebel XS's new lens kit comes with the better quality EFS 18-55 Image Stabilization lens (they are better engineered); and that Canon is offering nowadays generous rebates on telephoto lenses when coupled with the purchase of the XS (I bought mine with the entry-level Canon EF 75-300mm III lens with a generous instant Canon rebate. Don't buy from anybody different from B&H Photo, directly from Amazon, Adorama, Buydig/Beach Camera; stay away from Broadway Photo and TriState).

Canons are popular for the excellent image processing. Nikons for their Nikor lenses. Olympus, some say, for the color of some of the pictures they take.

The Olympus E-510 has important flaws, e.g., the average performance in high ISO speeds and highlight blowing. Also, its inconsistency with good results is worth noting.

The Nikon D40 lacks important features, e.g., image stabilization in their kit lens. The D60 is lacking the high picture quality ratings of the Canon XS. Both Nikons are nice looking, which is a selling factor I usually consider; but picture quality should be your top criterion for the long run.

Don't go through the extensive research I have already done (months, and intense debating). The Canon EOS Rebel XS is a winner (specially with the new IS lens kit), even more with its current price (Dec. '08: $480). It is feature rich (you can even add 3 of your preferred defined Picture Style modes), good/professional looking (black body), even the sound of the shooter is nicer than the others. Bottom line: Excellent picture quality, high ISO/low light remarkable performance, and relevant features and space for customization make the Canon XS a winner for months and even years to come.

By G. Wachman "GW" ("For the money, the Canon Rebel XS delivers", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

**Note 12/8/09 - It appears that currently the XSi can be had for less than $100 more than the Canon Rebel XS - in my opinion the extra features are worth this additional cost for those who want a wider range of capabilities (esp. higher frame rate for continuous shooting mode). The Canon Rebel XS remains a great value for those on a budget who are seeking a basic DSLR.

**Revised 18 Apr 2009**

(4.5/5 stars)

This year I decided to finally get a digital SLR. The market is filled with excellent choices and early January saw a plunge in prices that has since receded, so I feel like I picked a good time to buy. The downside of having so many options, though, was trying to decide which one was right for me. Not being too familiar with dSLRs, I read lots of reviews and learned the terminology, and after a couple weeks finally decided on the Canon Rebel XS.

Based on what I was willing to pay (around $650 or less), I considered three other cameras before buying this one: The Canon Rebel XSi, the Nikon D60, and the Pentax K200D. I think Nikon has excellent offerings at the "enthusiast/semi pro" level (D80/D90 and D300, respectively) that are arguably superior to Canon's lineup, but I was disappointed by the D60 in general, mostly due to the lack of autofocus compatibility with older lenses. The main attraction of the Pentax is the high build quality with weather sealing, but it also sports a decent quality kit lens, a large viewfinder, and internal image stabilization. What concerned me about the K200D was the image quality, especially with JPEGs, as reported in a number of pro reviews. As is the case with many entering the dSLR world, image quality was my #1 consideration. Finally, live view (the ability to compose with the rear LCD) is a tool I have found to be quite useful in certain situations and it is notably lacking on the Nikon and Pentax models that I considered.

So, left with the Canons, I considered what I might get with the XSi for the nearly $200 extra. As a beginner I simply wasn't convinced that the additional features on the XSi were worth the extra cash, the image quality the two cameras being basically equal. So I sprang for the Canon Rebel XS, got the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens with the savings, and still had some cash left in my pocket. Generally I've been quite happy with my decision. There is a lot of talk about how camera makers "intentionally cripple" their entry-level models, but you're unlikely to notice this if it's your first dSLR. If you pay more for the next step up, you're arguably paying a premium for new technology that you won't even notice or appreciate that much, and will either be commonplace or obsolete in just a couple years. If I had spent more I think I would have skipped the XSi and gone for the 40D, which sports a better build and a nicer kit lens, the Pentax K20D, or perhaps the Nikon D80 or D90. My plan is to stick with the XS for a few years until Canon gives me a compelling reason to upgrade.

So anyway, what is my impression of the Canon Rebel XS after 4 months of solid use? Generally, quite good, but here are my thoughts:

The good:

- Image Quality. Period. This is the Canon trademark. The basic JPEG modes are great when you don't want to bother with the creative stuff. The level of sharpness and the color rendition are quite good for my tastes, and can be easily adjusted. One thing I have noticed is that the default sharpening is fairly high and can easily lead to artefacts when rendering fine details. I would recommend turning down the sharpness on all the picture styles to 2 or 3 to avoid this.

- Performance at High ISO. Many of my favorite photos have been taken in low light situations and I've decided there's one thing everyone looking at dSLRs should consider carefully: image quality at high ISO speeds. Using higher ISO speeds is extremely useful when trying to get sharp pictures in low light situations (without using a flash). Simply put, in the entry level market Canon outperforms the competition. I've taken a number of pictures at ISO 1600 that look great, especially with the in-camera noise reduction turned on. I made an 8 x 10 in. print of one of these photos, and the noise was almost imperceptible. (Update: I only wish I could shoot ISO 3200, which is available with some of the newer models coming out.)

- Ease of Use. The camera puts all the essential controls at your fingertips. Adjusting ISO, exposure compensation, metering mode, and white balance, not to mention picture styles and autofocus mode, are all quick and intuitive operations with this camera. The only thing that takes a little more time is setting custom white balance, which I seem to do a lot under incandescent light. Also, after activating live view in the menu system, it can be turned on or off at the press of a button.

- Canon Rebel XS is small, light, and physically attractive. With my 50mm lens attached, the camera is remarkably compact and very lightweight. Also, having dealt with the lag of compact digitals for years, the responsiveness of Canon Rebel XS is especially noticeable.

- Kit lens. While the 18-55mm IS lens that ships with the camera leaves something to be desired in terms of build quality (and manual operation), the optical quality actually surprised me. I wish it gave a little more reach on the telephoto end, but in general it does a good job. In fact, the main reason I'm not getting the $500 EF-S 17-85mm is that the 18-55 performs better on the wide end.

- Software. The image editing and organizing programs that come with the Canon Rebel XS are not the most refined, but they are fairly powerful, and likely adequate for those who don't want to part with another $200 or more for an image editing program. Also, you can control the camera remotely from your computer with live view, which is cool, if not extremely useful. As far as I know, Canon is the most generous company in terms of what they offer in their packaged software.

A few complaints:

- Build/Grip: One of the big reasons I didn't get the XSi was because it offered no improvement in the way of build quality or ergonomics (besides the marginally better grip material). The downside of Canon Rebel XS's low weight is the plastic construction. Especially compared to a Pentax (which is also plastic but has a metal frame and usually weather sealing), there's a noticeable difference in the way it feels in your hands. There are advantages to each approach, but some will prefer a more solid (and heavy) construction. Also, some reviewers complain about the grip. I have relatively long fingers, and while I agree that it is a little cramped and awkward compared to a Pentax, for example, it's a secure grip and while taking pictures I've never found it to be uncomfortable. I should say that I spent some time comparing the D60 grip to this one, and ultimately preferred the Canon Rebel XS. While the build and grip are adequate, they do detract somewhat from the overall photographic experience. I would give more weight to these factors if I were to buy again.

-Lenses: This is somewhat of a mixed bag. Generally speaking, the deal with Canon is that if you have deep pockets you'll be hard pressed to find a more comprehensive set of high quality professional lenses. As a hobbyist, however, I shy away from spending $1000+ on a lens, so my options are more limited. There are some very good options: the EF-S 10-22mm, EF-S 60mm, EF 50mm f/1.4, EF 85mm f/1.8, and EF 100mm f/2.8 all come to mind. But other bases aren't as well covered: a made-for-digital "standard" prime lens for example, or a quality upgrade to the kit lens (the 17-85mm gets pretty lukewarm reviews). Ideally you should give some thought to the lenses you think you might purchase, and survey what each company offers. I tend to think that Canon, Nikon, Olympus and Pentax all have good options, but their strengths and weaknesses are different.

- The viewfinder is fairly small. When dealing with a shallow depth of field in low light and I want to get the focus just right, I often switch to live view to zoom in and focus manually (This is actually very handy). The only basis I have for comparison is my ancient Minolta film SLR that sports a much bigger viewfinder. That said, when I compared the Canon Rebel XS and XSi, I didn't really notice the difference between the two. APS-C cameras have smaller viewfinders that 35mm/full frame cameras in general, but they vary enough that it is worth giving it due consideration as you compare cameras.

- Metering: This is a fairly minor quibble, but I find that the metering overexposes fairly frequently, especially for high contrast scenes (outdoors). I have found that I get better results dialing in -1/3 to -2/3 stops of exposure compensation in these situations.

- Slow continuous shooting rate. If you're shooting action (sports, moving animals, etc.) in RAW you'll want to look elsewhere. The JPEG rate (3 fps) is comparable to competitors and has the advantage of being able to shoot until the card is full. In RAW, however, you'll find that the 1.5 fps (for 5 frames) is pretty slow. I don't generally shoot action so this was not an important consideration for me. (Update: After 4 months of pretty heavy shooting, I still have not found a need for a higher frame rate.)

Overall: Considering the price of the Canon Rebel XS and the overall quality of the package (image quality and feature set), I'm convinced it gives you the most bang for your buck of cameras below $500. Canon Rebel XS is capable of taking very nice photographs, and I find the control layout to be very intuitive. The only things that leave me feeling somewhat unsatisfied are (1) the relatively "cheap" or plastic feel of the camera (2) the grip, which is satisfactory but does not fit the shape of my hand like other cameras, and (3) the lens lineup. I recommend spending some time holding the camera (and others) and researching lenses to make sure the XS will meet your needs. Having said that, the image quality of this camera is excellent, and I am most satisfied by its low-light performance. Furthermore, if you think you'll upgrade in the next several years, I have a feeling Canon will be forced to compete aggressively with Nikon in the enthusiast range, so you can be confident you'll have some good options down the road. (Update: I have to say that the XS is a camera that has grown on me. Despite my quibbles, in everyday use there is very little to dislike about this camera and it will take something very significant for me to switch brands.)

Other options to consider:

Olympus

The Olympus Evolt E420 10MP Digital SLR Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Lens provides an interesting and very cost-effective choice, particularly for those who value small size. To take full advantage of the minute camera, you'll want to consider getting the tiny 25mm pancake lens in addition to the standard zoom. The E-420 delivers on features too, with live view and a good dust control system. The downsides? First, there is no in-body image stabilization, unlike its bigger brother, the E-520 (also a good option). Also, lens selection is limited due to the unique sensor size. That said, the lenses are designed specifically for "four thirds" sensors as opposed to "full frame", and thus have more appropriate focal lengths. More importantly, several of the Olympus Zuiko lenses get rave reviews for their optical quality. A final downside is that the "four thirds" image quality, in particular dynamic range and high ISO, isn't quite on par with Canon or Nikon. However, I suspect that for many people it will be more than good enough.

The recently announced Olympus Evolt E620 12.3MP Live MOS Digital SLR Camera with Image Stabilization and 2.7 inch Swivel LCD w/ 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Lens crams most of the features of the semi-pro E-30 into a body closer to the size of a E-420. If you have a bigger budget, check this one out, it looks like an excellent camera.

Pentax

For those who want a more upscale dSLR experience in the entry-level market segment, I would recommend the Pentax K200D 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with Shake Reduction 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens. You get a quality build, weatherproofing, a nice viewfinder, and arguably the best built kit lens there is (complete with a nice lens hood!). Make sure you can live with the image quality if you plan on shooting JPEG and keep in mind there's no live view, but if you read owner reviews you'll find very few unhappy customers.

For a bit more you can bag yourself the Pentax K20D 14.6MP Digital SLR Camera with Shake Reduction and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II Lens. This camera could be categorized more as "semi-pro" or "enthusiast", and is best for those eager to take greater manual control of their camera. The new sensor resolves the image quality issues of the K200D and has greater resolution. It has live view, but the implementation is apparently pretty crude. All in all, it sounds like this is a very good deal at current pricing and again, you'll find very few unhappy users.

Nikon

The Nikon D90 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX Nikkor Zoom Lens is an update to the D80 that by all accounts equals or exceeds its Canon rivals on image quality and delivers a very nice feature set including HD video. For this, though, you'll need to pay a pretty penny (around $1100). And at that price, you'll want to give full consideration to the well-built Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens, or its more expensive sibling, the Canon EOS 50D 15.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens.

The recently announced Nikon D5000 12.3 MP DX Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens and 2.7-inch Vari-angle LCD falls into the same price range as the D80, and is something of a blend between the D60 and the D90 in terms of the design. Most of the features, however, have been passed down from the D90. It's billed more as an upper entry-level camera (like the Canon T1i and the Olympus E-620), and as such lacks a few of the more serious features of the d90 like the top LCD, the nice large pentaprism viewfinder, and wireless flash control, but most of the bells and whistles are there. Like the d60 there is no autofocus with non AF-S lenses, though this is becoming less of an issue since the release of the AF-S 35mm f/1.8 and the AF-S 50mm f/1.4. At the price it's being offered at the moment I would still very much prefer the D90, but this is a decent option nonetheless.

The Nikon D3000 10MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens was also announced recently and appears to be a refresh of the D60 built around the same sensor with an upgraded autofocus system and a few new bells and whistles. No video or live view, though, due to the older CCD-type sensor. Again, my personal feeling is that if you buy Nikon the D90 is currently the best deal for "enthusiasts" who plan to get into the nuts and bolts of photography. If you only plan to shoot very casually and can still find a D40, that camera also represents a great value.

By Brandon White ("Excellent starter DSLR", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

This review is geared toward complete newbies (such as myself) who are coming from the point-and-shoot world.

I purchased Canon Rebel XS camera due to a budget constraint and after reading numerous reviews. For what you features you get, you simply cannot beat the price for an entry level DSLR camera. You may have looked at the XSI (as I have) and have been tempted to put forth the extra $100 or so to get that one. If you get down to the nitty gritty between the specs of the Canon Rebel XS camera and XSI, you'll find that they are very minimally different, and more importantly, those "extra" features will have no bearing on you as a DSLR newbie.

This Canon Rebel XS camera (1000D) model is oft overlooked because so many are praising its "bigger brother" the XSI. But take a look at a side-by-side comparison and you'll notice not much has been scaled back for this Canon Rebel XS camera. Save that extra money for better glass. I would even be willing to speculate that a future firmware release will address some of these scaled-back features.

PROS

-Currently the best bang for buck you're going to find (at this time).
-Canon didn't scale back very much from the XSI
-Some report that the lower MP (10 vs XSI's 12) gives better image quality because of the sensor (DigicIII).
-Excellent image quality even with the supplied kit lens.
-Easy to use (with some research-effort on your part)
-Canon compatibility -- nuff said.

CONS

-Not crazy about the build materials (some sort of plastic). When I purchase things, I plan on owning them for a very long time, regardless of how "outdated" it may become a few years down the road.
-Some button placements for me seem counter-intuitive, but remember, I'm only a newbie.
-Has crop sensor like all of the rebels.
-Live View usefulness is questionable.

In short: If you're coming from P&S, you will not be disappointed with this purchase of Canon Rebel XS camera. It will meet or exceed your expectations of photo quality and features.

By TonyG "TonyG" ("OK, I'm a Canon Snob", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

In a nut shell (based on cameras in this price range):

* Great picture quality, especially if you know how to manipulate Raw format - software is included
* On the small side of DSLRs - can be a pro or con depending on your use
* Included software to control the camera with a computer is a major plus for me
* Lens is good for being included in a kit at this price, one of the best IMHO.
* Read online professional reviews. Really helpful for me.
* You can't go wrong with a Canon DSLR
* This is a great entry level DSLR, if you can afford it and want more Megapixels and features, jump up to an XSi or TSi.
* battery life is good - but get a spare just incase

The Long Winded Stuff:

I am a Canon snob ever since my first digital camera, which was a point and shoot Canon S30 3.2 MP I paid over $500.00 for. That S30 took better pictures (as far as quality) than my wife's Minolta 6 MP DSLR that I bought her years later. I must have bought at least 10 point and shoots and DSLRs for my family and work. All different brands. But every time I didn't buy a Canon I was upset with the purchase. There have been some good Nikons but none better than the Canons. My biggest disapointment was the Minolta DSLR I bought for my wife. Against my better judgement the guy at the camera store talked me into it.

There are more qualified sites and people on the internet that will give you great professional reviews of the camera and all it's features. Here is a few reasons I chose this one:

I was contemplating between the Canon Rebel XS, XSi or TSi. I did a lot of research online before making my decision and in the end the price won out and I settled for a less megapixels and less $$$ (10.1 is plenty for what I needed). Like all Canon DSLRs this camera takes great photos and the kit lens that it comes with is a great lens for a DSLR in this price range. The body is on the small side and people with large hands may find it uncomfortable if they are taking pictures constently. But the small size also has the benefit of better portability.

Besides the picture quality, my favorite feature is that it comes with the software to control the camera and most of it's features right from your computer. I actually use this feature a lot, because I do product pictures and indoor still life with it. I can set all aspects of the shot, aperature, sharpness, shooting mode, white balance, etc, then control the shutter right from the computer. The picture loads right to my computer, I can examine the shot adjust the raw photo or make any adjustments necessary and retake the photo without relying on the small LCD screen on the camera. The liveshot helps even more because I can view the shot live as I am setting up before I take the picture. Other copmpanies charge more $$$ for this benefit. I like to use Raw format and make adjustments then convert it to a user friendly format. If your not familiar with the Raw format, it is worth your time to do some research and learn about it, your pictures will be much better.

By M. Stempler ("", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

Canon Rebel XS is a FANTASTIC value...as long as you don't buy it for full retail price. I believe full retail for the kit with the EF-S 18-55mm IS lens is about $600, but I bought it  for about $460. There are deals to be had on this camera, so make sure you find them.
CNET has a good review of Canon Rebel XS, so I'll just list the pros and cons as I see them.

PROS
-Phenomenal photo quality/color fidelity
-Intuitive menu/user interface
-Sensor cleaner
-Lightweight, comfortable to hold
-Fast autofocus
-Basically non-existent shutter lag
-Takes only about 1 second to turn the camera on and take a picture
-Compatible with almost all recently (last 10-15 years) manufactured Canon lenses
-10.1 MP is PLENTY
-Poster size prints are excellent (as long as pictures are crisp)

CONS
-Relatively few photos per second (3 in ideal lighting conditions)
-Multiple frames per second requires ideal lighting conditions
-Lack of spot metering makes taking pictures with lots of contrast VERY difficult (i.e. sunlight through trees or behind landscape). This is my biggest complaint with the camera.
-Not compatible with wireless remote control
-Kit lens is not great in low light conditions
-Lenses with image stabilization are very expensive

Overall, this is, in my opinion a terrific starter's digital SLR.

By Angela J. Parker "Brighteyes" ("Very pleased", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

Well, I have only had Canon Rebel XS for a few days,but I am very happy with it. The price is very reasonable and affordable. This also is my first SLR having owned several point and shoot film and digital. The only "negative" about Canon Rebel XS is the "Live View". I see this as nothing more than a selling point aimed at point and shoot users. You cannot use the live view in full auto setting, you have to be in one of the manual settings. You cannot use the shutter button for auto focus (read the review on dpreviews.com), I don't want to go into a long explaination here. The view finder is very easy to see and use for taking pics so I probably wont be using live view except maybe to compose a tripod shot,take it out of live view and take the shot.The 18-55mm IS kit lens is really a very good lens and I have no complaints about it (well maybe the plastic mount). Focus is fast and the image stabilizer is great.The 18mm is a very good wide angle although the 55mm is not that great a zoom,I have the 28-135mm USM IS on the way and cain't wait to try it out.
As I said I am very pleased with Canon Rebel XS and would recommend it to anyone wanting to make the jump from point and shoot to SLR's.
Update 12/07/2008
After using Canon Rebel XS for a few weeks now I just wanted to add. I LOVE IT. I bought the 28-135 USM IS as a sorta replacement for the kit lens. I shoot mostly in the "P" mode with auto aperture,focus set on AI.
I also shoot quite a bit of low light and I am amazed at the quality of the images (I do set the ISO on 1600 or 800)I intially gave Canon Rebel XS 4 stars only because of the live view which still is (in my opinon) not all that great.So I will now give it 4 1/2 stars

By David Chan ("Best entry level DSLR", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

I am looking for a camera with the following attributes:

1) Great indoor photo image quality.
2) Great ability to focus moving kids
3) Fast capture

I tried several compact/prosumer cameras and none of them fulfill the need. So, I decided to try on DSLR. I compared Canon Rebel XS, Canon Rebel XSi and Nikon D60.

All 3 of them are really good and fulfill my needs. I picked Canon Rebel XS because:

1) In amazon, with Canon $100 rebate, a Canon Rebel XS + Canon 75-300mm is only $520. Very attractive price. Canon Rebel XSi alone is $640. I don't think as a beginner, the larger LCD, higher resolution, more focus points justify the cost difference.

2) Nikon D60 has similar pice as Canon Rebel XS but it is made in Thailand. Canon Rebel XS and XSi are made in Japan.

So, I have used the camera to do the following which I can't do with a point-n-shoot before.

1) Indoor singing performance. With Full auto mode, the pictures are clear and sharp. The only issue is a lot of red eyes to fix even I turn on the red eye reduction lamp.

2) Indoor portrait. The picture with no flash is super! The direct flash is too strong. I may need an external flash to help adjusting flash angle to make flash picture better.

3) Outdoor picture. Most of the point-n-shoot cammeras can do very good picture already. But with Rebel XS, the focus time and snap time are crazily fast. I can do continuous snap and pick the best easily.

4) Canon Rebel XS gives me great photo in Full Auto most of the time. You don't need to be an expert at all. Just hold still and press.

By Justin Lai ("Great entry level DSLR!", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

In March, I decided to get into digital photography and purchase a DSLR. Because most of my friends are Canon users, I didn't have to make the usual decision between brands. The advice I received was to invest money in lenses instead of the camera body. This way, I could continue to use lenses as I advanced and also get higher quality shots with better glass. Also, with the minimum investment, if I could master the basics on the basic DSLR, I could upgrade in the future.

~20,000 shots later I am more than satisfied with the use of the Canon Rebel XS. Remember how much you are paying. I also purchased the nifty fifty, Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens with the original purchase. Using that lens (along with the kit lens), I was able to learn a lot and develop my skills.

I had the dreaded Err99 problem about 1000 shots in, but within a week, I got my camera fixed from Canon. I've heard others with bad stories dealing with Canon customer service, but mine was perfect. I've now invested in other prime lenses. I may upgrade in the future for specs like better ISO noise management or faster shooting rates, but this camera is more than sufficient.

Regardless of the Canon Rebel XS you end up choosing, just shoot (many) photos and learn from them. Learn from others. Learn from photographers all around the world (flickr, etc.) For me, Canon Rebel XS was just the camera to bring me into the world of photography!

(don't forget to purchase UV filters to protect your lenses!)

By Janet Miller ("The Better Investment", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

I stewed for quite a while trying to decide between the Canon Rebel XS and the XSI. They are pretty similar, with the XSI having a few advanced features, like the larger screen and the obvious increase in MPs. In the end I decided on the Canon Rebel XS under the justification that the 40% price increase over the Canon Rebel XS ($700 vs $500) just wasn't going to yield the same in added benefits. I was right. The camera bodies deliver such similar results that the $200 difference would be much better spent on better optics. While I was satisfied with the kit lens at first I quickly upgraded to a 50mm 1.8 and was stunned by the results (at $90 it's probably the best investment you could make for a lens). Overall Canon Rebel XS is a great starter camera and opens up a whole new world of professional looking pictures to the first time DSLR user. Don't get caught up in the megapixel war... 10MPs is plenty to yield good results. I know professionals who are using 1D MkIIs with 8MP and getting far better results than a rebel will ever get. If you're in the market for a DSLR for anywhere around this price, buy the XS and use the savings to buy some toys for it.

By ale ("Best for DSLR beginners", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

Like the others (or even you), I've done a lot of researches for the best DSLR for beginners. I've considered nikon D40, nikon D60, pentax K200D, and sony A300. It's true to try the actual camera and see where you're most comfortable with helps, I went to Best Buy to do this.

So why Canon XS, 3 key things that made me decide to get this one:

First and foremost, the price. It's almost the same as the Nikon D40 (other sites offer cheaper kits for d40 but you don't get the VR lens) but more funtions, cheaper than the Nikon D60 and more functions. As compared to pentax and sony, this is definitely cheaper and more lens options.

Second consideration is the fact that there is an adapter available in the market that can be attached to this camera so that it will be able to use nikon lenses. Try searching for Haoda.

Third and last is the actual shooting tests. I tried this, nikon d40/d60, and sony a300 at best buy. Used auto settings for all cam and my shots came out best with the Canon XS.

What's the drawback? Sensors were removed in the Canon XS model. Same sensors that is used for the remote shutter or for a flash to work away from the camera. No worries though, there are 3rd pary remotes that can work with the XS so you'll have remote shutter capabilities. As for the flash, you can always mount a flash that can work as the master flash (disabling the light) and have another flash as the slave flash so you have the same effect of having a flash work that is not connected on top of the camera.

I'm really happy with my choice, no regrets. Whenever I pick it up, it makes me want to shoot anything just to see how great the pictures it'll produce.

Be careful though, once you decide to buy this, spending starts for the accessories (memory, bag, cleaner, lens, etc).

As my friend would put it, 'don't think about it anymore, just buy it!' =)

By Luke M. Stopani ("Nice Camera", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

I am a professional videographer and artist and have been using Canon products for 6 years now. I have never had a problem with a Canon camera, and I have found that their design is to give YOU the control that you need, not what they assume you are going to use it for. 
Canon Rebel XS camera is intended for professional use, that is why it costs so much. You have control over pretty much anything and everything. It has an interchangeable lens. So you can use telephoto or macro (or even fish eye.) It has control over your autofocus nodes so that your target can be crisp and clear instead of your standard AF troubles.
The SLR means that anything you see through the viewfinder is exactly what is going to be imaged. So, no more of those point-and-shoot head chopping issues.
Canon Rebel XS is not a point and shoot. It lacks a lot of the useless junk... like the crummy video mode (what is the point of that anyway?) and the other pre-installed features that assume you know nothing about photography or just don't care.
With ISO mode used properly, you will never have another muddy dark picture (unless you are shooting in perfect darkness) or have those blasted-out "living on the surface of the sun" shots.
At 10 megapixels, the quality is great. It is high enough that you could produce a poster size before it starts losing integrity. (Higher mega-pixel cameras may come along, but this Canon Rebel XS will age well. I estimate that you will get a good 10 years out of this before it is obsolete.) I got this one because I did not want to pay for a bunch of features that I am never going to use. It is the lowest on Cannon's line of professional cameras, but it is a pretty darn good price. You can get an additional 2 Megapixels for $200 more. But if you are on a tight budget, definitely consider Canon Rebel XS.

Note: Make sure you buy a UV filter. This isn't really for the UV protection but because it is a cheap way of protecting your lens from scratches. Get it, and put it on right away.

By Lindsay Conkle ("In My Opinion", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

The Canon XS has been heralded as the "little brother" of the Canon XSi, and both are considered good entry-level DSLRs. However, the XSi is much pricier than the oft-forgotten Canon XS for such reasons as a couple more megapixels and a larger viewscreen, which is kind of a ridiculous reason to kick up the price two hundred dollars if you ask me.

I purchased my Canon Rebel XS a little under a year ago for six hundred dollars, and in the ten months I've owned it, it has proven its value time and time again. It is well-built, sturdy and compact but not excessively heavy, featuring simple controls, most of which can be adjusted while looking through the viewfinder. The image quality is great, though the kit lens is somewhat disappointing - for an extra bang to your photo I recommend the Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens.

Often the Canon Rebel XS is overlooked in favor of the XSi, but in my opinion the concessions you make for the step down (no spot metering, loss of two AF points, a slightly smaller viewscreen, two fewer megapixels, and the lack of a cool lowercase i) are well worth the drop in price. My Canon XS is serving me well and, I hope, will continue its terrific performance for many years.

By Farah Kostas "fkostas" ("Going from point and shoot to SLR", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

I started of with a $99.00 Kodak Easyshare, quickly outgrew it, then went to Canon S5. How I love my S5, but I outgrew it too.

Of course, the Canon Rebel XS is just the entry level for Canon's SLR cameras, but the difference between it and the advanced P/S cameras is very noticeable. Image quality is much smoother and sharper, especially using a shallow DOF. You can use the maximum ISO setting with little noise or image degradation. The body itself is petite and fits my small little meat hooks (hands) perfectly. No shutter lag. The difference is night and day for those considering the switch. You will be glad you did. I'm sure I will outgrow my baby Rebel too, but I will only have to replace the body.

The cons? The wide neckstrap is chafing. That's minor, of course. The kit lens has maximum aperture of 3.5, and seems soft. Everyone knows that, though. I have ordered a Sigma 17-70 2.8, which was reccommended as a far better everyday lens by an experienced photographer friend. Another con is lens envy: I knew the good glass is expensive, but I wasn't prepared to pay thousands of dollars for those big zooms I covet. Solution? Another photographer suggested I get a decent portrait lens, and rent a zoom. I only want it for a few days per year.

Bottom line, The Canon Rebel XS is entry level for amatuers interested in advancing in photography. I'm not getting into technical details, because I'm still a beginner, but I am quite satisfied with my purchase. Others will say to go with a more advanced body, but for me, I'm satisfied. People with small hands will like Canon Rebel XS especially, as it feels right.

By N. Clark "Yo, Teach!" ("Outstanding DSLR for the price", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

Canon Rebel XS is an excellent choice for those who are taking their first steps into serious (SLR) photography. The "basic" zones give comfortable starting point for new photographers; selecting one of these puts the camera in full automatic mode, akin to a point-and-shoot camera.

The Canon Rebel XS also has plenty of room for a new photographer to grow with 4 pseudo-manual modes, and full manual. Each of these modes, particularly manual, allows for much greater artistic expression and control than the automatic modes.

Another nice feature of the Canon Rebel XS is the extremely low noise when using higher ISO values. I tend to keep my camera in ISO100, but when I've needed to venture to ISO800 or ISO1600, I've found very little need to post-process for noise. The Canon Rebel XS works surprisingly well in low-light settings.

By virtue of being a Canon camera, it comes with E-TTL 2, which gives superb control of a hotshoe speedlight. The Canon Rebel XS, like other Canon cameras, also has excellent lens support. When I was camera shopping, I brought along some old 35mm lenses just to see if they would work - one Nikon (from 1977) and one Canon (from 1979). The Nikon (which happened to be a D90) refused to work with my 28-200mm Vivitar lens. The Canon Rebel XS, however, worked fine; it accepted the fact that I was willing to work with a fully manual lens. That compatibility can be very useful if you have some old lenses around, assuming you're willing to manually set aperture and focus.

The Canon Rebel XS is very, very light. I'm not sure whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. SLR cameras are inherently bulkier and heavier than point-and-shoot; the super-light plastic shell on the Canon Rebel XS leads me to believe that the case will most likely crack before the mirror gets knocked out of alignment. I do not recommend traveling with Canon Rebel XS without a good camera bag - this should be one of the first accessories you buy (along with a UV filter).

I do all of my photography in RAW, and use Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop CS4 for my post-processing, so I can't comment on the Canon software bundle.

Do not let these reviews sway you between cameras; rather use them as a starting point for going to the store to get a feel for the camera. Hold the camera, see how it feels in your hand, how it performs, etc and then decide what fits your needs best. I've found, at least in the case of the Canon Rebel XS, that you can get it for 10%-15% less than at a retail store.

Canon Rebel XS has done nothing but impress me since I purchased it two months, and several thousand shots ago. The only other DSLR cameras I found in the "amateur" category that I found somewhat comparable were the Nikon D60/D90s and the Canon XTi.

By Nadya ("Great Beginner Camera", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

I just started getting into photography and wanted to get a good DSLR but i could not afford to spend over $500. I did a lot of research and came across Canon Rebel XS and no matter where i looked it has great reviews. Canon Rebel XS is a great camera i think for beginners and people who do this as a hobby like myself! the manual that comes with it is very useful. The lens that comes with the Kit it also great. I did some macro type photos and they came out great. The features are easy to use. I would defintely recommend this Canon Rebel XS!

By El Dorado ("Excellent camera for people starting on DSLR's", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

I think there are plenty of reviews here for someone to look at on the Canon Rebel XS. Needless to say here is my opinion.

I bought Canon Rebel XS as we have a new baby. Had this camera for about a week and can't stop taking photos. Simply excellent picture quality.

I choose to go with the Canon Rebel XS instead of the Xsi. After reading quite a bit, everyone says that the lense is the most important thing for teh camera. Save the $$150 compared to the XSi and invest it in good lenses. For a starter like me, I felt that the Canon Rebel XS was more than sufficient. And so far I have been happy. My primary purpose is indoor shooting.

I would recommend the following additional items:

1. F1.8 Canon 50mm lense - excellent for portraits. Great Depth of Field
2. Flash with bounce/diffuser - the one with the cameras is pretty harsh if you are trying to take portraits.
3. TelePhoto - I haven't got this yet but may be after I save some money.

The only cons I would say on the Canon Rebel XS - The build is not that great, a plasticky feel like other say. But, everything else is good.

By Darren M. Burke "dMb" ("I love this camera", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

I am definitely a novice who just got tired of using compact pocket type digital cameras and getting bad pictures (usually due to the shutter delay).

I know nothing really about photography but I like the size and weight of Canon Rebel XS. Some reviews suggest it is too expensive for its features but for me the size, weight and supports SD memory were very important. Quality of the images are amazing (well I think they are!) but I may need to tweak it a bit as the images are huge (3MB+).

I am sure as I get better with photography I may start to notice deficiencies but in the meanwhile I am happy with my Canon Rebel XS.

By K. Adams "Shopaholic" ("Great SLR for Amateur Photogs!", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

Canon Rebel XS is definitely a must-have for anyone who cares about the visual quality of their pictures. It can be adjusted to be as creative or simple as you want it to be, and it's easy to learn how to use on the creative side. I spent a good 2 hours going through the functions and settings, and then just starting playing with it. I used it a lot over the holidays, and I'm learning how to compose my pictures and take better looking shots with just a couple of quick adjustments on the fly. The price and accessories included with this in the kit make it a must have purchase, which will be a good long-term investment. I highly recommend buying a good telephoto lens as well, because the kit lens is only good to about 30 yards. All in all, Canon Rebel XS is a great value and investment.

By K4RIS "KK" ("USER FRIENDLY 100% - Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP DSLR 12-2009", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

1) Canon Rebel XS is user friendly right out of the box. From full auto to different user definables, pleasure to use, intuitive; great entry level and now very affordable.
2) Photos look great on the computer. Pop the SDHC memory card out (you provide that) and upload via card reader; or connect camera straight into USB connection - works great. I use a Mac OS X 10.4.11 and no issues.
3) The Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR is a faster photo taking camera then ANY of my point and shoot cameras. Hands down.
4) Reviewing images is easy with direct button review and trashing any pics you didn't like takes seconds - so nice. Easy to manage memory space.
5) Has more menu options than most people will need - certainly more than I will need.
6) Memory card SDHC type is compatible with other cameras, very useful.
7) Buttons are in all the right places, a pleasure because for more experienced amateur photographers, I found that it seems finally that the buttons are now where they make sense to be.
8) Disregard other reviews saying grip is "petite" I have large hands and it works fine. Thumb has a perfect spot to hold and the index finger hits the button perfectly.
9) No comments on included software; Canon web site appears very user friendly. Be sure to check support section for notices. Site appears very up to date.
10) No comments on Battery Life - batteries are batteries.
11) MY FAVORITE FEATURE? Favorite menu option is the multiple shot timer - you define how many shots for the timer for family pics, and away it goes - simple but beautiful.
12) MY HARDEST CRITIQUE? It's a tedious detail, and all SLR cameras have it to some degree, but the external flash mount sticks out a bit and as you slide camera into a camera case/bag it has a tendency to hang up - maybe one of you readers could invent a little plastic cap that slides on there so it is smooth ? Otherwise it is hard to find something I don't like about this camera as a non-professional photographer (in this price range).

Canon Rebel XS is best camera I have ever had my hands on as an amateur photographer - it will be with me a long time. Enjoy it!!!

By jgfb415 ("Awesome Camera for an entry-level", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

I spent weeks reading through both user and professional reviews and comparing it against similar 10 megapixel cameras, super zoom cameras and even 12 megapixel cameras and this one beat them all out hands down. Yes even the XSi of the same brand

Not only is the price right but this an ideal camera for those just starting out in the DSLR world like me. The controls and menus are simple enough that you can start taking pictures just about out of the box. If you are feeling adventurous and want to get into the creative side of the dial those aren't all that hard to get a hang of either. Still this isn't the best part.

The best part in my opinion is the spectacular image quality that comes out of an entry level DSLR. Even when you have to turn the ISO up the image doesn't have much noise.

Sure it only has a 2.5 inch screen, a 7 point AF system and doesn't shoot that fast in raw but at least in my opinion those downsides are negligible.

By A. Bannigan ("Love it", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

I love this Canon Rebel XS. After consulting various friends with different Canons and other digital SLRs, I decided not to go top-of-the-line for the body and use the difference in price to buy an extra lens. After all, as one of my friends put it "the lenses last forever, the bodies don't". The extra features on the XSi are overkill for the average photographer, I think, and this camera takes lovely photos and is easy to use. Another lens with a bigger zoom is really a must, but the 18-55mm lens is a nice general purpose lens.

By Nicki ("Great camera", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

We're very happy with this Canon Rebel XS. We are beginners as far as photography is concerned, and there is plenty to keep us busy learning with this camera. The menu is pretty user-friendly - I was playing around with settings and able to understand what I was doing within the first little bit. The battery is great - charges quickly and lasts a long time. The camera feels well-built but is not too heavy. It's a great size, easy to carry around. Probably my most favorite things about it are how quickly it turns on and is ready to shoot pictures, and how fast it is in between pictures - I can take pictures over and over as fast as I want. Also, Canon Rebel XS's picture quality is awesome. For example, I took a picture of my husband and son at the base of a waterfall we had hiked up to. When we reviewed the pictures and zoomed in on the waterfall, we discovered that the camera had captured detail on hikers way up the side of the waterfall that you can't even see in the picture at full size. Overall, we're very very happy with Canon Rebel XS, and if we had to do it all over again, this would be the one we picked. It arrived very quickly with everything well packaged. We couldn't be happier!

By Irish Lady ("Great camera", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

Having taken this to the Caribbean and taken a lot of pictures, I now feel I can rate Canon Rebel XS. I'm coming off a point and shoot to the DSLR, so I had a lot to learn, but found it easy and enjoyable. I checked it out for size and weight before buying it, comparing it to Sony A series and Nikon D40 and D60. I think it beat both in those two areas. It carried easily through the jungles of Jamaica and Cozumel. It took great pictures while slightly swaying on a cruise ship and the pictures came out very clear. It even went to Hell and back (the Bahamas) and was such a good camera. I did all this on a 9 day trip and barely used any of the power in one charge of the battery. Learning to size the pictures down to a 5x7 format for emailing took me a little time, and having to do it for every picture I'll want to send may be a little irritating, I still think that the clarity and detail will make for very good large-size prints. I love how the portrait setting took such good shots of my grandkids and friends, giving their skin a beautiful quality. All in all, a wonderful camera I'll have fun learning inside and out.

By Sarah Lynch-Walker ("Great for a Serious Beginner", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

The Canon Rebel XS is an incredibly nice intro for a post-point-and-shoot photographer. The manual is explained quite well (even managing to simplify the concepts of f-stops and shutter speeds), and the camera itself is clever enough to generally get it right when set to Program (auto) mode.

For a DSLR, the camera isn't overly heavy, and I haven't felt it to be cumbersome in the variety of shooting situations in which I've used it.

The Canon Rebel XS's screen is a nice size, and the playbacks seem to mimic the color quality of the RAWs relatively faithfully.

One of my few complaints is with the amount of software provided. While this may seem a bit silly, the number of programs seems superfluous, as many of the functions of one are echoed in another. With my first two or three file transfers, I was sometimes confused as to why or whether I needed three of their provided programs open at once just to view my images.

Overall, the Canon Rebel XS is a quality DSLR, and I'd recommend it to anyone starting out in serious photography.

By Joseph Allen ("Canon XS Rebel SLR Digial Camera", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

As a long time professional Videoographer, I find little time to enjoy working with fillm cameras. When my old SLR got dropped I finally broke down and got a state of the art entry level camera in digidal. Who needs all the bells and whistles if you know how to use a camera? they are all her in spades and show a lot of fore thought. There are things I would have never thought of putting on a camera, post work yes just not on the camera. It is for all who think they are going to grow into the photo job field, and will make a lot of money if the tallent is there. If not it is a low cost camera and will not break the bank if the tallent dos'nt show up later in life. I love this Canon Rebel XS and would not want the next level up, it was more than I would ever use, I'm never going to be Jimmy Olsen, so I will keep the Canon Rebel XS, thank you Canon it is great.

By Vinay Patil ("Canon XS much better than the rest!", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

The Canon Rebel XS is a beginner's delight for many reasons. First, it comes with good kit lens (18-55 mm with Image Stabilizer). The kit lens is said to be one of the best in the entry level SLR's. Secondly, it has 10.1 megapixel CMOS sensor and DIGIC III processor and it shares an interface with almost every current Canon DSLR all the way up to the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III. The pictures come out highly detailed, noise-free and sharp. The camera is light weight (but doesn't feel cheap or fragile) and memory slot holds SD/SDHC card which are much lighter, cheaper and faster than the old CF card which some other SLR's require. It has a decent battery life (400-500 shots per charge).
From 12 modes on the dial, 7 modes are called Basic modes which have auto settings. Depending on the mode you select from it the camera will select the best settings for you, so that you just point and shoot. The other 5 modes are for creative photography where you can tweak different camera settings (metering, white balance, shutter speed, flash etc.) to suit the image. In these 5 modes you can also use the live-view, so that you click pictures looking at the LCD-screen (with 5X or 10X zoom).
Another fact you should seriously consider if you're a beginner to the SLR photography: Canon Rebel XS has a 7-point AF system, compared to 3-point AF in Nikon D40/D60. A point focus system gives you the option to select a specific area in the whole frame to focus, it's especially useful when you're taking a Macro pictures and want to create a sharp image of the area/object you select by AF and a good blur (Bokeh) on the surrounding parts of the frame. Even though a 7-point AF in Rebel XS is lesser than a 9-point AF in SONY A200K, it still comes out better than SONY when you count other features in the Rebel XS. There is so much more scope for being creative using this camera.
Many people have made a huge hue-n-cry that the Rebel XS does not having a spot metering. But in my use I still haven't found the desperate need of it. The Rebel XS has "partial metering' which reads approx. 10% of the viewfinder at center and you can recompose the image to your liking by adjusting the aperture setting and shutter speed in Manual mode, if necessary.
If you are considering photography as a serious hobby then I suggest you to consider this camera. Once you get this camera you should start saving money to buy good Macro, Ultra-wide and Telephoto zoom lens then you will see what wonders this camera can do. In addition, Canon has a large collection of SLR lens that you can choose to fit this camera. So, for a price range between $450-470 this camera is a steal!
But if you're still in doubt, then please read the complete review at: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos1000d/ and also go to the nearest Best Buy or local camera store to compare the performance of Canon Rebel XS with Nikon D40/D60, Olympus E-420, Pentax K200D and SONY A200K.
One accessory I would recommend is the Canon XS/XSI Digital Rebel Kit with Case, 58mm UV Filter and LP-E5 Li-ion Battery

By T. Bux ("A great camera for the price. You need a DSLR.", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

Canon Rebel XS is a great camera for the money. It offers affordability, function, and great shots at a wonderful price point. For a bit more than a full featured point-and-shoot, you can get an equally full featured DSLR.

Canon Rebel XS offers ease of use for beginners to the SLR market but also has a full feature set that even experienced photogs would love to have.

I'm not going to get into all the features here, you can read them above on Amazon's product page, but I will tell you that they are there to help you get the most of your shot. You can, of course, control exposure, shutter, and aperture, but you can also control white balance and color modes with a push of a button.

At high ISO speeds you can shoot indoors without a flash, your pictures will turn out beautiful and perfect every time. What once you would need a 80a or a neutral density filter for you can now do with a few brief menu options on the Canon Rebel XS.

Another great feature is the live view feature where you can use the LCD screen to see what the camera sees. This is so you won't have to look through the viewfinder and especially useful when doing tripod work.

Also the EF-S mount on Canon Rebel XS will also accept your older EF lenses, though EF-S lenses won't fit on your EF mount camera.

Overall Canon Rebel XS is a great camera. It offers wonderful features, price, and takes great pictures. So why don't you move up to a DSLR and start taking great pictures instead of just good pictures.

By Qookie Queen ("Excellent choice for 1st digital camera", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

I finally took the plunge into the digital age and bought this Canon. I've several lenses from my older SLR Rebels and liked that they would work with this camera body. Canon Rebel XS is a perfect introduction to digital photography.
The automatic modes almost do everything for you and pictures turn out great. The pictures I've taken so far in Manual have come out beautifully as well and there are plenty of options in the manual modes for experimentation; my favorite is the sepia and b/w filters. It's been able to take pictures in lower light settings without a tripod than I'm used to with film SLRs; the only drawback I haven't figured out yet is that it seems to lighten the scene (spread the available light?) over the entire picture at times more than I would like for some shots. I haven't played around much with the metering though so that might be the fix. t
Thanks to my old computer, I did need the included software to download my pics to my PC. The pictures came out sharp with great color (even with the kit lens) and none of the dirt specks of film.
I do wish I had purchased a lens strap; I finally lost the cap somewhere in Las Vegas after four months of use. I haven't snagged another one yet from my other Canon kits, but one will probably fit since the ring size is the same. And I'll get a strap this time.

By Rainy Storm ("Absolutely Amazing!!!", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

First please note, this is a low-end DSLR, which means it's not for Pros. Canon Rebel XS is my first DSLR, got it for a month. The image quality definitely pops. I've been mostly using the full auto mode and they already look amazing. it has plenty of manual controls. A few things that are slightly disappointing are that the ISO only goes up to 1600 and my point-and-shoot type camera goes up to 3200, and it does not shoot video of any kind (the new rebel shoots 1080p video, it's about twice the price of this one). But after seeing the improvement in image quality, it is all worth it! I can take a picture of a random thing around the house and it looks better than real life!

Pros:
-Price (only about $100 more than a high-end point-and-shoot)
-Picture Quality
-Shooting speed (no more waiting between pictures!)
-Battery Life (only charged it once so far, still no need to recharge yet. I've taken about 300 pictures, about 25% of them with flash, and that includes an 1-hr shooting session on the beach without turning off the camera)
-All the manual control a beginner needs
-OSD (clear on screen display you can virtually start without reading the manual)
-Live-view helps taking pictures at an angle or position you cannot look into the viewfinder (though some shortcoming associated with it, read 'cons')

Cons: (which are all compensated with the low price!)
-NO video capture of any kind
-Live-view isn't what I thought it was (I thought it was like a point-and-shoot style digital camera's display, but if you're using autofocus, you will need to focus with live-view OFF and then turn on live-view, because with it on, the camera loses its autofocus function)

Bottom Line: If you love photography and is a beginner and you don't care about video capturing, don't think, buy the Canon Rebel XS kit!!!

By J. Dugdale "JD" ("Rebel XS", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

Received the camera on time, Canon Rebel XS is a great camera and is easy to use. It has taken some great action shots and still shots. the only down fall is taking pictues in the dark. Even with the flash pics don't come out, a seperate flash stand fixture would be needed but how often do you take pictures is extreme low light. I also wish this was able to record vidoes. Other than that, Canon Rebel XS is a fantastic camera saved over 50 bucks going through Amazon, it has take some great shots and I highly recomend this camera to anyone. There are other web sites that were much cheaper but are scams. They try to sell you insurance and other items that are not needed Amazon is the way to go. The product is what it is and no false advertizments.

By Pamela ("The best camera I've ever had", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

I could not ask for a more perfect camera, I was even able to get my husband to use it (he never takes pictures) We bought the Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black) with an extra battery,while on vacation, & it quickly took the place of our digital Kodak cameras.

By Kristina M. Blakla "Kristina" ("Love this camera!", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

I recently upgraded to the Canon Rebel XS from a Canon 35 mm camera, and I love it. The picture quality is amazing, and the camera works well with my 5 year old telephoto lens. I would highly recommend this Canon Rebel XS for those who are just starting out, or would like to learn more about photography. It's been my hobby for many years, and now that I have a digital camera I can experiment more with the manual settings (experimenting with a film camera can get quite expensive!).
My only objection is the live view mode - it only works when you are in the creative modes, not the automatic settings. This is not a huge deal, as you just look through the view finder. I do like to see on the LCD screen the picture as I'm getting ready to take it, but again, this is minor in comparison to all the wonderful features of Canon Rebel XS!

By R. Schmidt ("Excellent Quality Camera for the $$$", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

The Canon Rebel XS is an excellent quality camera for the price (I paid $477.44). But read the fine print because you may be sacrificing a feature that is really important to you. Here is what you are sacrificing for a substantial price reduction: 1) video, 2) a slightly larger screen, 3) spot metering, 4) no IR sensor (so you can't use a wireless remote), 5) a nicer grip. To me those things weren't that big of a deal, and I was better served putting the $$$ into buying lenses, etc.

By A. Ivey ("great entry-level DSLR", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

I've had my Canon Rebel XS for about a month, and I'm in love with it. I upgraded from a Canon point-and-shoot after becoming more serious about photography. I researched for quite a while, and I found that while the XSi seemed to be the best choice for a first DSLR, the price difference didn't make the jump seem worth it. (I'm a poor college student and I wanted/needed a camera for a class, so I didn't have a lot of money to save up.) One of my flatmates and another friend both have Canon Rebel XSi's that I've played around with, and I can honestly say that I'm just as pleased with mine.

The other reviews make extensive notes on the features, so I won't bother with that, but I will say the only drawback (well, to any canon product) is the software. If you have a Mac, don't bother using it and import through iPhoto.

By Robert Rubenking "Rabbi Bob" ("Blown Away...", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

After damaging my second Canon AE-1P in the middle 1990's, I switched to an entry level digital camera that did not always satisfy my needs. However, my new Canon Rebel EOS XS not only satisfies my needs for a competent camera, but it blows away anything I have ever even tried in a comparable price range. My expectations were more than satisfied.

With my old Canon AE-1P's, I had to take 14-20 rolls of 35mm film with me whenever I went overseas, along with an extra battery --- just in case. And the cost of developing and printing all those photos was a real budget beater. And with our 5.2 mp entry level digital camera, while it was easy to recharge it in its own camera dock, nevertheless, the recharging dock was somewhat bulky, and we had to take a number of memory sticks with us or be careful that we had enough exposures left to get all the photos we wanted. However, my new Canon Rebel EOS XS came with its own battery recharger (a fraction of the size of a single deck of playing cards), and the 4 GB memory (purchased locally)is way beyond comparison with everything I had tried previously.

We took the new camera on vacation, a few weeks ago, and were blown away by its performance. It made no difference whether we had day light, low light, or no light. The functions and variable ISO settings were more than enough to handle anything from bright light to low light, and the pop up flash took care of everything in the dark...

By D. Civil "Honesty" ("The best camera for this amazing price", from amazon.com canon rebel xs eos-1000d reviews)

The Canon Rebel XS is a very well built camera, easy to use, with all the features that I need in a camera. The EF-S 18-55mm lens is a wide angle lens and works very well. This camera takes 3 frames per second great for any kind of event. The Canon Rebel XSi which is a more expensive camera has more megapixels and a wider screen that's all. For the money saved the Canon Rebel XS is a winner. I have researched all the DSLR cameras on the market and this one is truly the best for the price. The minute I opened the box I knew I had a winner.