“But instead of re-using the 350D / XT’s 8 Megapixel sensor, Canon’s developed a brand new 10.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor for the 400D / XTi. This makes it Canon’s highest resolution digital SLR with an EF-S lens mount to date.”

Here was a neat point I should emphasize: The SSWF (anti-dust shake) can be overridden by half pressing the button on startup. Nice! It also does the Nikon reference frame trick for dust removal.

BTW, the difference between it and the D80 is $200, not $100. It is clear that the D80 is a much better camera:

- build quality
- worse digital-specific lens selection (in particular, no 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 VR)
- flash can command others remotely
- viewfinder is larger
- viewfinder is brighter (uses pentaprism)
- XTi doesn’t show ISO or metering in viewfinder
- XTi no monochrome LCD/backlit rear LCD is on too much (battery drain on an already weak Rebel XT battery). Interestingly they’re using the eye-start system that the A100 uses to conserve battery life so there might be a patent issue here down the road.
- XTi has no gridlines option (no biggy, but I use them)
- 14-27 frame buffer vs. 90-100 for the D80.
- I wonder the speed of the UI. The Nikon D200 is very fast (it’s no Casio, but it really makes a difference). I have no idea of the D80 or the 400D.

IMO, despite this the $200 is significant enough to a difference to a number of people. The Rebel XTi should sell a lot better. It’d be nice if the D50 got a minor update, and it will continue to outsell the Rebel XT, but I think a number of people will move to the Rebel XTi.

(Usually cheaper cameras outsell the more expensive ones by a lot.) If I had gobs of money and wanted a third body though, it would be the Pentax K100D, not the D50 or Rebel XT. Who thinks Pentax should make a mid-level pro body (a la D200, 30D, 5D)?

One thing I want to point out here is the removal of the non-backlit LCD (in order to go to 2.5″. The Nikon’s avoid this by having a top mounted LCD, but the compact size of the Canon precludes this.

I mention this because not more than one month ago, I saw a number of Canon photographers on the message boards dissing the Sony Alpha A100 because it lacks this non-backlit LCD. Now I’ll see those same people raving about how great the Canon 400D is. And this is despite the fact that the Sony A100 implementation is superior! The eyepoint AF system in the Sony turns off the main LCD when it detects your eye against the viewfinder.

This just goes to show you that you should evaluate things honestly instead of according to brand identity or you’ll be very big hypocrite.

As for me, I wasn’t a hypocrite by thinking the 10 megapixel Canon’s would be out next year, not this one: I was simply wrong.

OTOH, it means they’re ceding the entire budget market to the D50 and the *st DL (and corresponding Samsung rebadge) which are getting cheaper and cheaper. Sub $500 kits are going to look very attractive vs. a $1000 Canon EOS 400D.

I’m curious whether or not the Canon has a pentaprism and eyepoint that is like the 30D. I’ll bet that’s going to account for the majority of the cost savings right there. That’s going to make the D80 a superior camera in almost every way, for $100 more.

+: FEEL (all caps), viewfinder, 100 shot buffer (JPEG fine), fast writes to CF, spot metering, matrix meter, iTTL, top LCD
-: $100 more, weight/size, doesn’t meter with manual lenses

At this price point, I’d pay $100 more for the better viewfinder alone. Don’t you think?

Do you now if the 400D or the D80 have ISO readout in the viewfinder? That’s super important. How about if either have RGBL histograms?

So many questions… But the end result is competition is afoot again and APS-C is alive and stronger than ever.