Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS - EOS 1000D

As I reported here last month (Rebel XS rumors), the Digital Rebel XS is real and Canon have officially released information on it. The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS will be known as the EOS 1000D outside the USA.

It appears to be something of a hybrid of the Digital Rebel XTi and Digital Rebel XSi and looks like it will be sold for around $200 less than the XSi, though at the time of writing Canon USA haven't officially announced a price. I'm guessing the XTi will probably be dropped from Canon's lineup, though I haven't yet seen any official comment on that yet either. Canon USA's website still shows the XSi, the XTi and even the XT as current models - and they haven't added the XS yet.

According to one report, this week's annoucement was a non-specific global one just to let everyone know about the camera. Canon USA reportedly won’t announce specifics about the U.S. versions pricing or availability until July 8. Best guess on the price is probably around $600 (more likely $599.99) for the body and $700 (more likely $699.99) for the kit with the 18-55IS lens.

Canon Japan now have a page on the 1000D - http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/eosdigital5/index.html

• Sensor - The XS has a 10MP sensor, just like the XTi, but smaller than the 12MP sensor of the XSi
• LCD - The XS has a 2.5" sensor like the XTi, the XSi has a 3" LCS
• A/D - The XS is 12-bit like the XTi, the XSi is 14-bit
• Liveview - The XS has the same Liveview system as the XSi
• AF zones - The XS has 7. Both the XTi and XSi have 9. The XS AF system seems to have come from the earlier XT (eos 350D).
• Continuous shooting - The XS can do 3fps like the XTi. The XSi can do 3.5fps
• Image Processor - The XS uses the Digic III like the XSi. The XTi uses the digic II
• Spot metering - Neither the XS nor XTI have it but the XSi does
• Highlight Tone Priority - The XS and XTi don't have it, the XSi does.
• Memory cards - The XS follows the XSi in a move to SD/SDHC cards.
• IR remote - The XS is no longer compatible with the RC-1 IR remote.

Overall I'm not really quite sure of what to make of the Digital Rebel XS. Obviously it's aimed at users who don't want to pay the price of the XSi ($800), though at only $200 cheaper ($550-$600?), it's still far from the cheapest DSLR on the market and some of the competition offers body based stabilization included in the price.

For example the Pentax K200D 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with Shake Reduction plus 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens sells for around $675 - and it doesn't ever need an image stabilized lens. Presumably the Digital Rebel XS will be offered with the EF-S 18-55/3.5-5.6IS kit lens for a price somewhere around $650-$700, but to get stabilization, you have to buy stabilized lenses (if they are available).

I guess basically, the XS is an XTi with Liveview added, and it looks like it will sell for around the same price. You can get a Digital Rebel XTi with an EF-S 18-55/3.5-5.6 for around $685. If the XS sells with the IS version of the kit lens for around the same price, then it's a decent alternative. I had thought Canon might make the XS a real "entry level" DLSR with a price closer to $400, but I was wrong!

Here are the most complete specifications I've found so far:

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS / 1000D

Note: Canon Japan have now published a little more detailed spec sheet at http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/eosdigital5/specifications.html