Canon XT vs XSi
The Canon EOS Rebel XT (called Canon 350D in some regions) and the Canon EOS Rebel XSi (labelled Canon 450D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2005 and January 2008. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The XT has a resolution of 8 megapixels, whereas the XSi provides 12.2 MP.
As their names suggest, both the Canon EOS Rebel XT and the Canon EOS Rebel XSi belong to Canon's Rebel line of DSLR cameras. This range of APS-C cameras, which started out with the Canon EOS Digital Rebel in 2003, has been a big commercial success and the backbone of Canon's dominance in the digital camera market. The popularity of the Rebel cameras is the result of them inheriting much of the sensor and shooting technology from earlier released professional DSLRs, while being sold at a much more budget-friendly price point. The strong brand reputation of Canon and the comprehensive EOS system of compatible lenses and accessories further contributes to the appeal of the Rebel cams, including the Canon XT and Canon XSi. Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS Rebel XT and the Canon EOS Rebel XSi? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.
Body comparison
The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon XT and the Canon XSi. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The XT can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the XSi is only available in black.
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon XSi is notably larger (6 percent) than the Canon XT. However, the XSi is slightly lighter (3 percent) than the XT. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the XT nor the XSi are weather-sealed.
The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.
Concerning battery life, the XT gets 400 shots out of its Canon NB-2LH battery, while the XSi can take 500 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E5 power pack.
The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.
Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon XT | 127 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 540 g | 400 | n | Feb 2005 | 899 | ebay.com | |
2. | Canon XSi | 129 mm | 98 mm | 62 mm | 524 g | 500 | n | Jan 2008 | 799 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 20D | 144 mm | 106 mm | 72 mm | 770 g | 700 | n | Aug 2004 | 1,499 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 30D | 144 mm | 106 mm | 74 mm | 785 g | 750 | n | Feb 2006 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon 40D | 146 mm | 108 mm | 74 mm | 822 g | 750 | n | Aug 2007 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon 77D | 131 mm | 100 mm | 76 mm | 540 g | 600 | n | Feb 2017 | 899 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon Rebel | 142 mm | 99 mm | 72 mm | 649 g | 400 | n | Aug 2003 | 899 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon T1i | 129 mm | 98 mm | 62 mm | 520 g | 400 | n | Mar 2009 | 799 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon T3 | 130 mm | 100 mm | 78 mm | 495 g | 700 | n | Feb 2011 | 449 | ebay.com | |
10. | Canon T4i | 133 mm | 100 mm | 79 mm | 575 g | 440 | n | Jun 2012 | 849 | ebay.com | |
11. | Canon T6i | 132 mm | 101 mm | 78 mm | 555 g | 440 | n | Feb 2015 | 749 | ebay.com | |
12. | Canon T6s | 132 mm | 101 mm | 78 mm | 565 g | 440 | n | Feb 2015 | 649 | ebay.com | |
13. | Canon XTi | 127 mm | 84 mm | 65 mm | 556 g | 370 | n | Aug 2006 | 799 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The XSi was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 11 percent) than the XT, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.
Sensor comparison
The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.
Technology-wise, the XSi uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 3) than the XT (DIGIC II), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.
While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the XSi offers a higher resolution of 12.2 megapixels, compared with 8 MP of the XT. This megapixels advantage translates into a 24 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the XSi has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 5.19μm versus 6.41μm for the XT). However, it should be noted that the XSi is much more recent (by 2 years and 11 months) than the XT, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.
The resolution advantage of the Canon XSi implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the XSi for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 21.4 x 14.2 inches or 54.3 x 36.2 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 17.1 x 11.4 inches or 43.4 x 28.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 14.2 x 9.5 inches or 36.2 x 24.1 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon XT are 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm for good quality, 13.8 x 9.2 inches or 35.1 x 23.4 cm for very good quality, and 11.5 x 7.7 inches or 29.3 x 19.5 cm for excellent quality prints.
The Canon EOS Rebel XT has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The Canon EOS Rebel XSi offers exactly the same ISO settings.
Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.
For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon XT | APS-C | 8.0 | 3456 | 2304 | none | 21.8 | 10.8 | 637 | 60 | |
2. | Canon XSi | APS-C | 12.2 | 4272 | 2848 | none | 21.9 | 10.8 | 692 | 61 | |
3. | Canon 20D | APS-C | 8.2 | 3504 | 2336 | none | 21.9 | 11.0 | 721 | 62 | |
4. | Canon 30D | APS-C | 8.2 | 3504 | 2336 | none | 21.5 | 10.8 | 736 | 59 | |
5. | Canon 40D | APS-C | 10.1 | 3888 | 2592 | none | 22.1 | 11.3 | 703 | 64 | |
6. | Canon 77D | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.6 | 13.3 | 971 | 78 | |
7. | Canon Rebel | APS-C | 6.3 | 3072 | 2048 | none | 21.0 | 10.8 | 544 | 55 | |
8. | Canon T1i | APS-C | 15.1 | 4752 | 3168 | 1080/20p | 21.7 | 11.5 | 663 | 63 | |
9. | Canon T3 | APS-C | 12.2 | 4272 | 2848 | 720/30p | 21.9 | 11.0 | 755 | 62 | |
10. | Canon T4i | APS-C | 17.9 | 5184 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 21.7 | 11.2 | 722 | 62 | |
11. | Canon T6i | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/30p | 22.7 | 12.0 | 919 | 71 | |
12. | Canon T6s | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/30p | 22.6 | 12.0 | 915 | 70 | |
13. | Canon XTi | APS-C | 10.1 | 3888 | 2592 | none | 22.1 | 11.0 | 664 | 62 |
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The XT and the XSi are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (95%), but the viewfinder of the XSi has a higher magnification than the one of the XT (0.54x vs 0.49x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon XT and Canon XSi in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.
Camera Model |
Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots) |
Control Panel (yes/no) |
LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots) |
LCD Attach- ment |
Touch Screen (yes/no) |
Max Shutter Speed * |
Max Shutter Flaps * |
Built-in Flash (yes/no) |
Built-in Image Stab |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon XT | optical | n | 1.8 / 115 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
2. | Canon XSi | optical | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | n | |
3. | Canon 20D | optical | Y | 1.8 / 118 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
4. | Canon 30D | optical | Y | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
5. | Canon 40D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 6.5/s | Y | n | |
6. | Canon 77D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
7. | Canon Rebel | optical | n | 1.8 / 118 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 2.5/s | Y | n | |
8. | Canon T1i | optical | n | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.4/s | Y | n | |
9. | Canon T3 | optical | n | 2.7 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
10. | Canon T4i | optical | n | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
11. | Canon T6i | optical | n | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
12. | Canon T6s | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
13. | Canon XTi | optical | n | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
The XT writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the XSi uses SDHC cards.
Connectivity comparison
For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS Rebel XT and Canon EOS Rebel XSi and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon XT | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
2. | Canon XSi | Y | - / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
3. | Canon 20D | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 1.1 | - | - | - | |
4. | Canon 30D | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
5. | Canon 40D | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Canon 77D | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
7. | Canon Rebel | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 1.1 | - | - | - | |
8. | Canon T1i | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Canon T3 | Y | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
10. | Canon T4i | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
11. | Canon T6i | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
12. | Canon T6s | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
13. | Canon XTi | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - |
Both the XT and the XSi have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The XT was replaced by the Canon Xti, while the XSi was followed by the Canon T1i. Further information on the features and operation of the XT and XSi can be found, respectively, in the Canon XT Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon XSi Manual.
Review summary
So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon XT or the Canon XSi – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.
Advantages of the Canon EOS Rebel XT:
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2005).
Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS Rebel XSi:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (12.2 vs 8MP), which boosts linear resolution by 24%.
- Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 3 vs DIGIC II).
- Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.54x vs 0.49x).
- Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (230k vs 115k dots).
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (3.5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Longer lasting: Gets more shots (500 versus 400) out of a single battery charge.
- More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (11 percent cheaper at launch).
- More modern: Reflects 2 years and 11 months of technical progress since the XT launch.
If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the XSi is the clear winner of the contest (9 : 1 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.
How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon XT and the Canon XSi place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.
In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the XT or the XSi perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.
Expert reviews
This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.
Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon XT | .. | 80/100 | .. | + + | o | .. | Feb 2005 | 899 | ebay.com | |
2. | Canon XSi | .. | + + | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2008 | 799 | ebay.com | |
3. | Canon 20D | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Aug 2004 | 1,499 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 30D | .. | + + | .. | + + | o | .. | Feb 2006 | 1,399 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon 40D | .. | + + | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2007 | 1,299 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon 77D | 4.5/5 | .. | 4/5 | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2017 | 899 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon Rebel | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Aug 2003 | 899 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon T1i | .. | + + | .. | 74/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2009 | 799 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon T3 | .. | 80/100 | .. | 69/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2011 | 449 | ebay.com | |
10. | Canon T4i | 4/5 | + + | .. | 77/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2012 | 849 | ebay.com | |
11. | Canon T6i | 5/5 | .. | .. | 75/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2015 | 749 | ebay.com | |
12. | Canon T6s | 5/5 | + | .. | 77/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2015 | 649 | ebay.com | |
13. | Canon XTi | .. | + + | .. | + + | o | 4/5 | Aug 2006 | 799 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
Specifications: Canon XT vs Canon XSi
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
Camera Model | Canon XT | Canon XSi |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Digital single lens reflex |
Camera Lens | Canon EF mount lenses | Canon EF mount lenses |
Launch Date | February 2005 | January 2008 |
Launch Price | USD 899 | USD 799 |
Sensor Specs | Canon XT | Canon XSi |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Format | APS-C Sensor | APS-C Sensor |
Sensor Size | 22.2 x 14.8 mm | 22.2 x 14.8 mm |
Sensor Area | 328.56 mm2 | 328.56 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 26.7 mm | 26.7 mm |
Crop Factor | 1.6x | 1.6x |
Sensor Resolution | 8 Megapixels | 12.2 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 3456 x 2304 pixels | 4272 x 2848 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 6.41 μm | 5.19 μm |
Pixel Density | 2.42 MP/cm2 | 3.70 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | no Video | no Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 1,600 ISO | 100 - 1,600 ISO |
Image Processor | DIGIC II | DIGIC 3 |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 60 | 61 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 21.8 | 21.9 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 10.8 | 10.8 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 637 | 692 |
Screen Specs | Canon XT | Canon XSi |
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Optical viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 95% | 95% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.49x | 0.54x |
LCD Framing | Live View | |
Rear LCD Size | 1.8inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 115k dots | 230k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Fixed screen |
Shooting Specs | Canon XT | Canon XSi |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | Phase-detect AF |
Continuous Shooting | 3 shutter flaps/s | 3.5 shutter flaps/s |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 50 000 actuations | 100 000 actuations |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | Built-in Flash |
Storage Medium | CF cards | SDHC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Single card slot |
Connectivity Specs | Canon XT | Canon XSi |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | no HDMI | mini HDMI |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | no Wifi |
Body Specs | Canon XT | Canon XSi |
Battery Type | Canon NB-2LH | Canon LP-E5 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 400 shots per charge | 500 shots per charge |
Body Dimensions |
127 x 94 x 64 mm (5.0 x 3.7 x 2.5 in) |
129 x 98 x 62 mm (5.1 x 3.9 x 2.4 in) |
Camera Weight | 540 g (19.0 oz) | 524 g (18.5 oz) |
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