Bookmark & Share
Expert Recommendation
.
Overview
While not as flashy as some competitors, the Canon Rebel XT possesses best-in-class image quality and provides all the features you need to take great portrait photos of children and pets.
My Best In Class Pick
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT (Body Only)
Though a little outdated compared to other SLRs, the Canon Rebel XT is a classic budget camera that packs in all the useful features for a portrait camera, and still has the best image quality in its price range.
Like most SLRs, the Rebel XT’s short shutter lag lets you snap photos at an instant instead of waiting crucial milliseconds and missing the shot. Bundled with a Sigma 18-200 lens which provides a 29-320mm (11x) equivalent range, this setup will cover the traditional 50-200mm portrait range, as well as offer wide-angle possibilities to get more creative.
What sets the Rebel XT apart, however, is its Canon CMOS sensor and extraordinary high-ISO ability. In low-light situations (anywhere indoors or at-night) where you’ll need to utilize a high ISO to keep moving children and pets from becoming blurry messes, no other camera in this price range can deliver images as clean and detailed as the Rebel XT.
Comparison with Nikon D40 (with 18-135mm Lens)
Compared to the Nikon D40, the Rebel XT comes in at a slightly higher cost, mostly on account of its far more versatile 18-200 lens. Beyond cost, the Rebel XT is superior to the D40 in just about every way - it has better high ISO ability for low-light portraits, about the same shutter lag, and unlike the D40 will give you room to grow as a photographer if you want to learn more later.
Comparison with Sony Alpha DSLR-A200 (with 18-70mm and 75-300mm Lenses)
Compared to the Sony A200, the Rebel XT is bit pricier, mostly because of its far more versatile all-in-one lens solution (the A200’s two-lens setup requires you to switch back and forth). Beyond cost, the Rebel XT is much better than the A200 in the high ISO department, producing much cleaner photos in low-light situations where you want to freeze the subject motion of your kids and pets.
Pros
- +Outstanding high ISO quality
- +Versatile 11x zoom
- +Low shutter lag
Where to buy
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT (Body Only)
-
Best Price:
$599
See It »
- $599 - $1099 Compare Prices »
Recommended with
-
Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras$319.00 @ Amazon.com
- Highly Recommended at DPReview.com
- Dave's Pick at Imaging-Resource.com
- Rated Excellent by CNET.com
Comparing My Best In Class Pick with Other Good Choices
| Product |
 |
2
 |
3
 |
|
| Customer Rating |
 
(from 525 reviews)
|
(from 14 reviews)
|
(from 72 reviews)
|
|
| Price | $599 - $1099 | $999.95 | $645 - $849 | |
| Size (W x H x D) | 5.0 x 3.7 x 2.5 in. | 5.0 x 3.7 x 2.5 in. | 5.2 x 3.7 x 2.8 in | |
| Weight (without batteries) | 17.0 oz | 16.6 oz | 18.8 oz | |
|
?
Close
Min Focal Length (35 mm equivalent)
The 35 mm equivalent focal length is a measure that indicates the angle of view of a particular combination of a camera lens and the sensor size. The term originates from the time when the vast majority of photography was done with 35 mm film. On any 35 mm film camera, a 30 mm or less lens is considered a wide-angle lens.
|
29mm | 27 mm | 27mm | |
|
?
Close
Max Focal Length (35 mm equivalent)
The 35 mm equivalent focal length is a measure that indicates the angle of view of a particular combination of a camera lens and the sensor size. The term originates from the time when the vast majority of photography was done with 35 mm film. Larger max focal lengths make distant objects appear more magnified.
|
320mm | 200 mm | 450mm | |
| Optical Zoom | 11x | 7.5x | 16.5x | |
|
?
Close
Image Stabilization Available
Image stabilization features are designed to reduce the blur that results from normal, minute shaking of a lens due to hand-held shooting. However, image stabilization does not prevent motion blur caused by the movement of the subject or by extreme movements of the camera.
|
Yes | No | Yes | |
| Battery Life | 400 shots | 470 shots | 750 shots | |
| Important Portrait Features | ||||
| High ISO quality | Superb | Average | Poor | |
| Shutter lag | Good | Good | Good | |
| People/Pet Portrait Rating | Superb | Good | Average | |
Nikon D40 (with 18-135mm Lens)
The D40 is Nikon’s entry-level DSLR, providing a cheap no frills camera that offers most of the capabilities of an SLR camera, but omits several key advanced features.
The D40’s minimal shutter lag allows you to react quickly to snap a photo of any situation, instead of being slowed down by a long shutter lag. While not quite as long of a range as other setups, the Nikon 18-135 lens provides a 27-203mm (7.5x) zoom range that covers everything from creative wide-angle shots to more traditional portraits in the 50-200mm range.
The D40’s high ISO ability is average for an SLR - the D40 will definitely let you take blur-free photos in low-light situations, but compared to other cameras the images may look blotchy and lack detail. The D40’s greatest weakness, however, is its lack of an in-camera autofocus motor, which will prevent users from autofocusing with a number of Nikon lenses, including its best beginner portrait lens, the Nikon 50mm f1.8. If you plan on simply taking snapshots and never upgrading to newer equipment, the D40 will be a fine fit. If you think you may be interested in learning more photography or eventually graduating to more advanced portraits beyond the simple snapshot, you’re better off looking elsewhere for a camera you can learn and grow with.
Comparison with Sony Alpha DSLR-A200 (with 18-70mm and 75-300mm Lenses)
Compared to the A200, the D40’s offers a slightly more convenient 18-135 all-in-one lens lens, although overall it has less range than Sony’s two lens setup. The D40’s high ISO ability also lets it perform much better in low-light situations. The one disadvantage of the D40 is its incompatibility with some Nikon lenses, limiting your options if you ever decide to become more serious about photography.
Pros
- +Good high ISO quality
- +Low shutter lag
Cons
- -Incompatible with some Nikon lenses
Where to buy
Nikon D40 (with 18-135mm Lens)
-
Best Price:
$999
See It »
- Highly Recommended at DPReview.com
- Dave's Pick at Imaging-Resource.com
- Rated Very Good by CNET.com
Sony Alpha DSLR-A200 (with 18-70mm and 75-300mm Lenses)
A fairly recent release, the Sony A200 is a full-featured SLR at a budget price. The A200 packs all the necessary features for a good portrait camera, and has a few nifty extras as well.
The A200 has a quick shutter lag, allowing the camera to be quick and responsive for any spur-of-the-moment shots. The A200 comes bundled in a two-lens package with an 18-70 and 75-300 lens - between them, the setup offers a huge 27-450mm (16.5x) range, covering just about any portrait perspective you might want to try out, from close-range wide-angle photos to more traditional medium distance, 50-200mm range shots. However, the two-lens setup makes the camera bulkier and less convenient, since you’ll have to switch lenses whenever you want to cover a different range.
A unique feature the A200 offers is an in-camera image stabilization system that effectively reduces camera shake with all lenses. It’s not critical for children and pets that move a lot anyway, but it can still be helpful for those low-light situations when you’re zoomed in all the way.
The main drawback of the A200 is its below-average high ISO performance.. The A200 tends to exhibit significant blotchiness and grain at high ISOs, making it less-than-ideal for shooting fast-moving kids and pets in low-light situations.
Pros
- +Huge 16.5x zoom range
- +In-camera image stabilization
- +Low shutter lag
Cons
- -Poor high ISO quality for a DSLR
- -Two-lens package bulky, inconvenient
Where to buy
Sony Alpha DSLR-A200 (with 18-70mm and 75-300mm Lenses)
-
Best Price:
$645
See It »
- $645 - $849 Compare Prices »
- Highly Recommended at DPReview.com
- Dave's Pick at Imaging-Resource.com
- Rated Very Good by CNET.com
How It Works
You tell us your budget, intended uses, and desired features. We show you personalized recommendations from unbiased experts to quickly identify the best digital camera for you.
Advertisement
How to Pick Digital Cameras
- For Travel Photos
- For Photos of Children or Pets
- For Action or Sports Photos
- For Photos in Low Light
