Canon Digital Rebel XTi

I am studying photography and hoping to get into freelancing or photoshoot-type work, so a few months ago I decided to upgrade from a point-and-shoot camera to a DSLR. After researching the brands, I decided on this model, the Canon Digital Rebel XTi. It is smaller and lighter than other DSLR cameras on the market, and has a slightly lower price. It takes photos up to 10.1 megapixels, which is perfect for both the serious amature and beginning professional, as I am. I purchased it bundled with two lenses, and if you can go this way, do it - you'll usually save $100 or more. It is also compatible with the new Canon DSLR lenses as well as the old SLR ones, so you can save money on lenses buy buying used older ones or hunting down bargains.

The camera comes with a neck strap, which really helps with portability. Because it is a DSLR, it isn't a camera you can just toss in your bag - so it isn't appropriate for all situations. However, if you can carry it, it's perfect for almost any type of photo setting. It comes preprogrammed with several settings for different types of photos - portrait, landscape, sports, etc. which is great for someone like me who has little photography experience and is moving from a simple model. It also comes with all the manual settings you could want, so you can set shutter speed, aperture length, etc. to get the perfect photo. The focus is neat, it uses red dots in the viewfinder to tell you where the focus lies in the picture, so you can choose what you want the main subject to be. The view screen is quite large, allowing you to review photos easily and delete as necessary.

Issues I've found with it that it often has difficulty with white balance, and photos can turn out slightly red if you're not careful. I haven't quite figured out how to do manual white balancing yet, but once you learn it you should be able to correct this problem. And with any DSLR camera, certain photo settings will result in blurred photos without the use of a tripod. It's also a bit of a transition as the screen in the back allows you to view taken photos and adjust settings, but it cannot be used as a viewfinder - I often find the screen getting dirty from rubbing on my nose when I shoot. And occasionally there are focusing difficulties, sometimes it can't quite figure out where the focus should be, so sometimes you need to move around a bit. It also has a pretty big learningcurve for people who have never used an SLR before, but that is expected with any model.

Overall, I love this camera. It's the perfect size for me, I am quite small and I love to shoot on the go so the smaller size and lighter weight are perfect. The picture quality is fabulous, and with practice you can take photos comparible to the pros - maybe even become one!