The Canon EOS Rebel XS camera is the successor to the XTi as the entry-level model in Canon's Rebel line of digital single-lens reflex cameras. Essentially, the XS is an XTi in the body of an XSi with changes here and there. Some of the camera's basic features stayed the same: the 10.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, the 3 frames-per-second rate on continuous shooting, the standard 18-55mm lens, and the 2.5-inch LCD screen. The cameras differ in other areas, in some cases significantly.
Continuous Shooting Capacity
The old XTi could create up to 27 JPEG images or 10 raw files with continuous shooting. The XS allows unlimited JPEGs from continuous shooting--or, rather, the number of JPEGs is limited only by the capacity of the memory card you're using. The tradeoff is that the XS can only handle six raw files in a continuous shoot.
Live View
Most users of point-and-shoot cameras simply use the LCD display as the viewfinder. Digital SLR cameras, however, were slow in adding this "live view" feature, and the display could only be used to view pictures after they were taken. The XTi didn't offer live view. It's included in the XS.
Autofocus Positions
This is the one area where the XS is arguably a downgrade from the XTi. Multiple autofocus points allow you to compose pictures in which the focal point is somewhere other than the center of the image. The XTi offered nine autofocus point, but the XS has only seven. According to CNET, Canon shifted to the seven-point autofocus to keep the price of the new camera roughly the same as the XTi.
Weight
At 450g, or almost exactly 1 lb., the Rebel XS is aout 12 percent lighter than the 510g XTi.
Battery Life
The XS uses the LP-E5 rechargeable battery pack, which offers a significantly longer life than the NB-2LH used in the XTi. According to The Digital Picture's review, the XS battery is good for about 600 photos on a charge, or 500 with the flash set at 50 percent. The old battery had a life of about 500 photos, or 350 with flash. Remember that battery life with any camera plummets when you have live view engaged. Use live view all the time on the XS, and you'll be lucky to get 200 photos on a charge.
Tags: Canon Rebel, live view, about photos, battery life, continuous shooting