Canon has recently announced the long awaited release of the EOS 450D Digital Rebel XSi. This would be Canons latest onslaught to dominate the entry level digital compact SLR camera category. And, it is a formidable piece of equipment. If this doesn’t get the Canon fanboys (and girls) overextending their lines of credit, then nothing will. It may even entice a few Nikon fans. Bold statement yes I know, but lets take a closer look at why the 450D Digital Rebel will be force to be reckoned with in marketplace.

The release of the 450D is basically an upgraded version of the Canon EOS 400D, which was of course an upgrade from the Canon EOS 300D. Being one of the best selling models in the Canon line, a major overhaul would have been crazy on Canons part, both from a sales number perspective, and a user experience perspective. They have however added several smart new features. Not the least of which being Live View.

Smaller sized camera designs are very portable, but usually affect ease of use and image quality in negative ways. The smaller a camera is, the smaller the controls are, which makes them harder to use. Single control buttons and wheels are often used for multiple functions which can increase user confusion. Smaller cameras often mean, that features like viewfinders get left off in the effort to add bigger LCD screens. Smaller often means zoom lenses are less powerful, and overall lens quality suffers. The most successful small sized cameras I like are the Canon SD1000 Digital Elph, and the Olympus Stylus 790SW.

Another thing not to get too excited about with the PowerShot A650, is the wide range of ISO formats available. While it’s true, that you can shoot up to 3200 ISO, in reality, any images at 400 ISO or above are going to be excessively noisy. Depending on the image subject, and what your going to do with the images you may be able to push your luck a little here.

The ultimate in image quality usually means big bulky SLR cameras with a case load of lenses and controlled lighting for different types of shooting environments. SLR photography also involves micro managing of all the various camera settings such as aperture, ISO settings, white balance, f-stop and so on. You really have to know what your doing. The Canon Rebel XTi Digital SLR, or the Nikon D40 are good cameras in this category that don’t break the bank.

So, as usual with most cameras, it really comes down to a personal choice. Some owners swear the A650IS is the most beautiful camera they’ve every owned. Others couldn’t wait to sell theirs on eBay. Fortunately for you, you know now exactly what the A650IS is capable of, and what is just out of it’s grasp.