Differences With XT and XTi?

I would really like to know the differences in the XT and XTi.. I know, I looked up the reviews and things, but I'm very new to dslr cameras/photography and am looking topossibly buy one of these. I think I'm leaning for the XTi, but if the differences are minimal, I would get the XT. I am looking to shoot just about everything, not much landscapes, but I'd like to shoot people, animals, capture action, objects-- things like that.

The simpler the explanation, the most helpful, haha.

Thank you all <3

Xti has the 30D focusing system, where the XT does not. Also the self cleaning is very nice, after 6 months or so of owning mine I havent had to clean it.


Tho personally, If I were in the market to buy a camera again I would go with a used 30D rather than the XTi. I love my XTi, but I find myself fumbling over the controls often and I want finer ISO adjustment that the XXD series offers.

Image quality should be similar between the XT and XTi, I just opted to go for the higher quality AF system as the big seller for me.

I have both (I kept the XT as a backup). The only differences that matter to me are:

- XTi focussing system is superior, especially for fast (f/2.8 and better) lenses
- XTi LCD screen is bigger. I didn't think it would matter, but I find it makes the camera just a little nicer to use.
- If you're into shooting JPEGs rather than RAW, and don't want to do much post-processing, the XTi has picture styles which the XT doesn't. OK, I lied - this one doesn't matter to me as I only shoot RAW.

Okay, thank you guys! I thought the XTi seemed a little better. Hmm, I might look into the 30D. Is it really that much better than the XTi? Thank you so much, once again!

Cheiri wrote in post #5733485
Okay, thank you guys! I thought the XTi seemed a little better. Hmm, I might look into the 30D. Is it really that much better than the XTi? Thank you so much, once again!

If convenience is important--Yes!

Cheiri wrote in post #5733485
Okay, thank you guys! I thought the XTi seemed a little better. Hmm, I might look into the 30D. Is it really that much better than the XTi? Thank you so much, once again!

In terms of image quality, no.

It's bigger and heavier, which most people seem to like, although it's the reason I didn't get one. It has slightly better controls, a faster continuous shooting rate and a larger viewfinder.

gcogger wrote in post #5736313
In terms of image quality, no.

It's bigger and heavier, which most people seem to like, although it's the reason I didn't get one. It has slightly better controls, a faster continuous shooting rate and a larger viewfinder.

Ah, thank you. I went and helf some cameras at a store, and the xti really fits very well in my hands. It's comfortable. I don't think the faster shooting rate or larger viewfinder would really bother me. Thank you <3

I'm new at this whole thing, so my way of telling you will lack some knowledge, but...

I am part of three friends who have an XT, XTi, and XSi. I have used all 3 of our cameras (although, obviously I've used my own XT the most). I will say the larger viewfinder is very nice, but I also wanted to throw this out there... There is something about the XTi (and I'm assuming XSi) that makes it autofocus better in the dark. My friend and I were shooting side-by-side, aiming at the same spot, same setting, and mine was hit or miss. I ended up switching it to manual focus just so I could get the shot (bad idea... my shots came out blurry!)

I bought the XT just b/c I'm on a tight budget and needed something quickly (I'm going to Africa in a month) and as cheap as possible, but I definitely would upgrade to the XTi, XSi, or 30D if I had the money for it. As it is, it's like buying a puppy... you think the initial investment is the big part of the purchase, but it's all the "extras" that keep adding up! (I already discovered last night that I need another lens to cover the 55mm-75mm range!)

ETA: I also have a friend who has a 20D, 30D, and 40D but he hasn't let me get my hands on them, yet.

Jimmer411 wrote in post #5733119
Xti has the 30D focusing system, where the XT does not. Also the self cleaning is very nice, after 6 months or so of owning mine I havent had to clean it.

Tho personally, If I were in the market to buy a camera again I would go with a used 30D rather than the XTi. I love my XTi, but I find myself fumbling over the controls often and I want finer ISO adjustment that the XXD series offers.

Image quality should be similar between the XT and XTi, I just opted to go for the higher quality AF system as the big seller for me.

I agree that the image quality should be similar. The image quality of the XT is actually very good.

I like the larger LCD on the XTi. The Rebel (series) cameras use the menu so often for control that the miniscule XT screen really bothers me.

That said, I would recommend opting for a refurbished 30D at Adorama ($640 with free shipping) rather than any of the xxxD series cameras. The 30D is, IMO, heads and shoulders above the xxxD series bodies. Better size, better controls, a larger viewfinder and a faster burst speed.

Thank you both for your repiles, they're all shifting me towards different camera, haha.

And I held the XTi at a store on several occasions, and compared with bigger cameras, I really liked how it fits in my hands. I don't have very large hands, so the bigger cameras are a struggle to even hold comfortably. I think I'm still leaning mostly towards the XTi, but I will read up some more on the 30D. Thank you guys again.