Canon aimed to upset the SLR applecart again with the introduction of a new Digital Rebel, which will join the existing model beneath the $1,000 mark.
The new EOS Digital Rebel XT will be offered in March with a lens for an estimated $999, and without a lens for an estimated $899. It will ship in black or silver. Canon will keep the older Rebel in the line and lower its price to $799.
The new 8-megapixel XT is smaller and faster with more creative controls than its sibling, Canon said. It works with the company’s line of EF lenses.
The camera offers a simultaneous RAW/JPEG burst mode and can capture 14 full-resolution JPEG images at three frames per second (fps). It can also capture up to five RAW files or four RAW/JPEG images at 3 fps.
Additional features include 12 user-selectable exposure modes, and new user selectable metering and AF modes, flash exposure compensation control and custom function control. The camera has a 7-point autofocus system and is PictBridge-enabled.
The XT will employ Canon’s DIGIC II processor, which the company credits for reducing the camera’s start-up by a factor of 10 vs. the previous Rebel. The processor also contributed to the unit’s reduced power consumption, allowing it to use a smaller battery than the original Rebel.
