Best-Value SLRs

Mid-range digital SLRs are the best value

Unless you're sure you want to use your digital SLR camera only on automatic settings, experts recommend starting in an "enthusiast" price range, where you get the most for your money. Canon usually dominates this middle ground, and this is certainly the case with the XSi.

Reviews say the new 12.2-megapixel Canon EOS Rebel Xsi (*Est. $700) outranks other digital SLR cameras in this price range by a wide margin, including the Nikon D80 (*Est. $1,300) and Sony Alpha 350 (*Est. $750). Known as the Canon EOS 450D in Europe, the Rebel XSi scores extremely high on autofocusing, color accuracy and overall image quality -- with improvements over all past Rebel digital SLRs. You can shoot at 3.5 frames per second in bursts of up to 53 shots in a row -- excellent for photographing sports or kids in motion. The Rebel XSi also provides all three of the latest features in digital SLRs: image stabilization, automatic sensor cleaning and Live View, which lets you preview images on the LCD.

Both the XSi's viewfinder and the 3-inch LCD are bright and clear, and editors at Popular Photography & Imaging find the Live View feature superb. Live View lets you compose your image without looking through the viewfinder -- especially helpful when using a tripod or shooting from a low angle. Optional grid lines help compose the image so the horizon is straight, and you can magnify any part to be sure it's in sharp focus. Because almost all regular point-and-shoot digital cameras use Live View, this feature makes the Canon XSi easier to use as a starter digital SLR. It causes a slight delay in autofocus but is a big help for manual focusing -- and you can turn it off for quick action shots.

The 18-55mm kit lens that comes with the Canon XSi has built-in image stabilization. This compensates for natural hand shake and camera vibration, and editors at Popular Photography & Imaging find it works better than the image stabilization built into competing camera systems priced under $1,000. Dust on the sensor is taken care of in two ways -- with a self-cleaning sensor plus software dust deletion.

The Rebel XSi is also the first Canon digital SLR in this price range to include a spot meter for better exposures in backlit or other high-contrast lighting. The 10.2-megapixel Nikon D80 (*Est. $1,300) used to edge out Canon on this score, because it has a spot meter and the earlier Canon Rebel digital SLRs did not. The D80 also used to beat Canon for autofocus in dim light -- but not the Rebel XSi. The XSi also includes an auto lighting optimizer for more detail in both highlights and shadows, and you can set it to automatically adjust the depth of field to put all your subjects in sharp focus.

Given the new features Canon has introduced in the XSi, the Nikon D80 now justifies its higher price only if you're firmly committed to a Nikon digital SLR system -- for example, if you already own lots of Nikon lenses -- because the D80 lacks Live View, sensor cleaning and image stabilization. You can buy Nikon image-stabilized lenses, but they're very expensive. The Nikon also has a smaller 2.5-inch LCD screen. Advantages are its weather sealing and ergonomics. The Nikon D80 also has two command dials to minimize the need to dig through menus, plus a top-mounted LCD display to view menus and settings. This is where the Canon XSi shows room for improvement as it requires browsing menus for most settings. However, reviews say the Canon XSi has a much better feel in the hand than previous cameras in this series.