I upgraded from a Canon XTi to the Camera 500D.

Is there a radical difference in quality? Frankly, no. I've very successfully enlarged my XTi 10.1 megapixel images to 20" x 30" at my local Sam's Club and they are very clean (taken at 100 iso). Will the 15 megapixel enlargements to 20" x 30" be any better? Perhaps - but will it really be noticeable? Probably not.

But, there are some real reasons to upgrade:
Much better noise control. The noise at 400 iso on the Camera 500D is probably like the noise at 200 iso on the XTi, 800 on the Camera 500D is probably like 400 on the XTi, etc. So much better noise control is great.

The additional options on the self-timer setting is nice. The Camera 500D allows you to tell the camera to wait 10 seconds before shooting, but also to take a prescribed number of shots in a row - perhaps 2, perhaps 6, or even 10. Quite nice if you're trying to put yourself in a group picture - the camera will happily fire off 10 pictures in a row.

Auto exposure compensation is a bit easier to set.

The menus are easy to work with - better than the XTi.

The screen is much better. Its larger size and better resolution really helps you review photos.

I propose that a great photographer will get great photos out of either the XTi or the Camera 500D - and the quality will not be particularly noticeable even when enlarged to something like 20x30. And of course a bad photographer will get bad photos out of each camera.

So, upgrading is a great thing if there are some bells and whistles that make your life easier.

Don't upgrade because of the difference between 10.1 mp and 15 mp. It really won't make a big difference in all likelihood.

Don't upgrade just for video. The video quality is nice, but its pretty tough (at least for me) to get any video that's really good. Possible? Yes. But I'll probably have to work quite a bit harder than I want to.

When all is said and done, the price/performance ratio is really good on this camera. Great performance at a great price.

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You Can See My Lens for Canon EOS 500D On www.squidoo.com/Camera500D-Rebel

For more great tips and necessary information on similar topics by the author, read his guides on EOS500D.ueuo.com