Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Page updated: February 2010

Before you hunt down the best Canon digital SLR to satisfy all of your photographic needs, ask yourself this: how much are you willing to pay?

Canon digital SLR cameras fall squarely into 4 groups: consumer, semi-professional, professional and über-professional.

As you jump to the next level of cameras, the price jumps accordingly.

With the jump in price, you also get a lot more features that the pros expect but can be overwhelming to beginners and even intermediate photographers. It makes no sense to pay for a slew of features that you'll never use.

With a clear budget in mind (and a sense of your skills as a photographer), you'll substantially limit the number of Canon digital SLR cameras you have to compare.

digital slr guide

A Brief History of Canon Digital SLRs

The first Canon digital SLR was the D30, released in 2000.

It was a 3.1 megapixel camera that had its quirks but produced fantastic photos.

The biggest issue with the D30 was its low megapixel count, which meant that print sizes were limited.

Canon addressed this with the D60. This Canon digital SLR was very similar to the D30, but it featured 6.3 megapixels for larger prints.

Breaking the $1,000 Barrier

First-generation digital SLR cameras cost anywhere from $1,500 to $2,500. The technology was so new and advanced that you just couldn't find a camera for anything less than that.

Enter the Canon digital Rebel.

The Canon EOS Digital Rebel (also called the 300D) was the first digital SLR camera to be offered for less than $1,000.

Canon used the same body style as their popular line of Rebel film cameras, and gave it a digital interior. It was a huge breakthrough, and made the digital SLR accessible to many people on limited budgets.

Consumer Cameras

There's no denying it: Canon's consumer digital SLR cameras are immensly popular.

Canon is the clear leader when it comes to the digital SLR category, and their cameras always generate a lot of buzz in the professional reviews and user forums.

Canon's dominance in the digital SLR market started with the EOS Digital Rebel, and Canon continues to upgrade their line or digital Rebel cameras.

Now you can get your hands on the Rebel XT (350D), the Rebel xTi (400D), the Rebel XS (1000D) and the Rebel XSi (450D). Both the Rebel xTi and XS are part of the many 10 megapixel digital SLR cameras while the XSi is one of a limited number of 12 megapixel digital SLRs.

Canon EOS Rebel xTi (400D)
Release Date
October 2006
canon eos rebel xti 400d
Key Features10 megapixels, dust control, Picture Styles
UniquenessEasy to use, exceptional image quality
Great ForParents, travel
LevelBeginner
Avg. Kit Price$590 convert currency
CompetitorsNikon D80, Olympus E-410 and E-510, Pentax K10D, Samsung GX-10, Sony A100
The Rebel xTi includes a 10 megapixel sensor and a dust control system. The intuitive control layout on this camera make it very easy to use and it takes very high-quality photos when paired with the right lens. The xTi is one of the less expensive 10 megapixel digital SLRs you can buy.
Canon EOS Rebel XS (1000D)
Release Date
August 2008
canon eos rebel xs 1000d
Key Features10 megapixels, dust control, live view
UniquenessLightest Canon DSLR
Great ForParents, travel
LevelBeginner
Avg. Kit Price$460 convert currency
CompetitorsNikon D60, Olympus E-420, Pentax K200D
Compare prices for the Rebel XS at Amazon, Adorama or B&H Photo Video
Canon EOS Rebel XSi (450D)
Release Date
April 2008
canon eos rebel xsi 450d
Key Features12 megapixels, dust control, live view LCD
UniquenessCompact and light
Great ForTravel, spontaneous
LevelBeginner to Intermediate
Avg. Kit Price$650 convert currency
CompetitorsOlympus E-510, Nikon D80, Pentax K200D, Sony DSLR-A200
The Rebel XSi is the first Canon digital SLR to make the switch from Compact Flash cards to the smaller and lighter SD memory cards. The standard kit lens offered with the Rebel XSi is the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Image Stabilized lens: this means that the XSi has all of the top three features currently available in digital SLRs: dust control, live view and image stabilization.
Compare prices for the Rebel XSi at Amazon, Adorama or B&H Photo Video
Canon EOS Rebel T1i (500D)
Release Date
May 2008
canon eos rebel t1i 500d
Key Features15.1 megapixels, dust control, live view LCD
UniquenessHD Video Capture
Great ForFamilies
LevelBeginner to Intermediate
Avg. Kit Price$900 convert currency
CompetitorsNikon D90
The Rebel T1i follows a trend that began late in 2008 - digital SLRs with video. The 15.1 megapixel sensor can capture High Definition (HD) video that can be played on a widescreen TV via HDMI. The T1i also steals some features from the more advanced 50D, including face detection autofocus, Canon's Auto Lighting Optimizer and the "Creative Auto" mode.
Compare prices for the Rebel T1i at Amazon, Adorama or B&H Photo Video
Canon EOS Rebel T2i (550D) - NEW!
Release Date
March 2010
canon eos rebel t2i 550d
Key Features18 megapixels, dust control, live view LCD
UniquenessHD Video Capture
Great ForFamilies
LevelBeginner to Intermediate
Avg. Kit Price$900 convert currency
CompetitorsNikon D5000
The Rebel T2i 550D builds upon the HD video feature offered with its predecessor - the T1i. A new, wider, high-resolution LCD screen is paired with the ability to control video exposure manually, use autofocus during video capture and capture better audio through the use of an external microphone input. The T2i is also the first Rebel that is compatible with high-capacity SDXC memory cards, so you can shoot longer video segments.
Compare prices for the Rebel T2i at Amazon, Adorama or B&H Photo Video

Semi-Professional Cameras

The cameras in this category are for die-hard action photographers.

The major advantage that they offer over the Rebel XT and xTi is an increase in shooting speed, allowing you to rip through photos in seconds. However, neither one of these cameras features the same number of megapixels as the xTi.

If you enjoy taking portraits and still life (where ultra-fast response is not required), you don't need one of these cameras - stick with the Rebel and save yourself the cash.

Canon EOS 40D
Release Date
September 2007
canon eos 40d
Key Features10 megapixels, dust control, 3 inch live view LCD, weather sealed
UniquenessFastest consumer DSLR
Great ForAction
LevelAdvanced to semi-professional
Avg. Kit Price$1,000 convert currency
CompetitorsNikon D300, Sony DSLR-A700, Olympus E-3
The Canon 40D can take 6.5 photos per second up to a maximum of 75 JPG images or 17 RAW. In addition to this blazing fast speed, the camera includes a completely updated 9-point autofocus, a fast image processor (to transfer photos to the memory card), Canon's dust control, and the addition of a live view mode on the camera's large 3 inch LCD screen. With a rugged frame and weather-resistant seals and gaskets, the 40D is designed for aggressive use.
Canon EOS 50D
Release Date
October 2008
canon eos 50d
Key Features15 megapixels, dust control, 3 inch live view LCD, wide ISO range
UniquenessMost megapixels
Great ForAction, Low light, Portraits
LevelAdvanced to semi-professional
Avg. Kit Price$1,320 convert currency
CompetitorsNikon D300, Sony DSLR-A700, Olympus E-3
The Canon EOS 50D is a digital SLR priced with amateurs in mind and packed with enough features satisfy the needs of professional photographers. The main enhancements over the 40D come in the form of a faster image processor (DIGIC 4), a wider ISO range (100 to 12800), an LCD with 4x more pixels than the 40D (for enhanced color and clarity) and a face-detection autofocus option. If you'd like to share your images at home, the 50D has an HDMI port that allows you to connect the camera to a flat screen TV.
Compare prices for the 50D at Amazon, Adorama or B&H Photo Video
Canon EOS 7D
Release Date
October 2009
canon eos 7d
Key Features18 megapixels, HD video, 19-point autofocus
UniquenessSpeed
Great ForAction, Low light, Portraits, Video
LevelAdvanced to semi-professional
Avg. Kit Price$1,900 convert currency
CompetitorsNikon D300s
Nothing is really left out of the new 7D: it can rip through 126 JPG images at 8 per second and can instantly lock on to skittish subjects with a new 19-point autofocus. Add an ISO range that goes up to 12800, and a bright, clear 3-inch LCD and you've got a noteworthy camera. But wait: the 7D can also capture Full High Definition (1080p) video clips, and you can autofocus AND adjust exposure settings while capturing video. Photographer / Videographers should definitely give this camera a look.
Compare prices for the 7D at Amazon, Adorama or B&H Photo Video

Professional Cameras

We've now crossed the border into the professional cameras.

Who are these for? People who make a living taking photos.

If you're not a budding photojournalist, professional studio photographer or someone with a lot of money to burn, then these are not the best cameras for you.

It's a complete waste to pay for these if you just want to leave your camera in AUTO mode.

Canon EOS 5D
Release Date
October 2005
canon eos 5d
Key Features12.8 megapixels, 9-point autofocus
UniquenessFull frame sensor
Great ForFilm SLR converts
LevelAdvanced to semi-professional
Avg. Kit Price$2,000 convert currency
CompetitorsNone
The key feature of the Canon 5D is that it is a full-frame digital SLR, which means that this camera has no crop factor. This Canon digital SLR captures the same field of view as a similar Canon film SLR camera.
Compare prices for the 5D at Amazon, Adorama or B&H Photo Video
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Release Date
November 2008
canon eos 5d mark ii
Key Features21.1 megapixels, 15 autofocus points, 3 inch live view LCD, HD video capture, dust control, enhanced dynamic range
UniquenessFull frame sensor, HD video capture
Great ForPhotographer/Videographer
LevelAdvanced to semi-professional
Body Only Price$3,450 convert currency
CompetitorsNikon D700, Sony A900
Advanced photographers and amateur hobbyists with enough money to burn may now rejoice: the camera that does it all has arrived. In addition to its full-frame 21.1 megapixel sensor (no crop factor), the Canon 5D Mark II can capture full High Definition (HD) video clips. Add on a 15-point autofocus system, dust control, 3 inch live view LCD, ISO range from 50 to 25,600 and the ability to capture an unlimited number of JPG images at 3.9 photos per second and you've got a camera that satisfies the needs of demanding photographers and videographers at the same time.
Compare prices for the 5D Mark II at Amazon, Adorama or B&H Photo Video

Canon Über Professional Digital SLRs

canon 1ds mark iii

Picture this: you're on a white sand beach on some tropical island, shooting an upcoming photo spread for New York's hottest fashion magazine.

Find that difficult? Then this category of Canon digital SLR cameras is probably not for you.

The sheer number of megapixels that they offer makes them ideal for magazine and advertising photographers, but fairly impractical for all the rest of us.

Since this web site is on CONSUMER digital SLR cameras, I won't include information about them here. If you'd really like to see what they have to offer, knock yourself out: find out more about the Canon EOS 1D Mark III or the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III.

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