http://www.dcresource.com/news/newsitem.php?id=3370

10.1 effective Megapixel CMOS sensor
New dust reduction system: 1) ultrasonic waves blast dust off the low pass sensor; 2) low pass filter split into two parts to keep the dust further from the sensor; 3) front of low pass filter now has anti-static charge
Users can also create a "dust map" (Canon calls it Dust Delete Data) for dust that just won't go away; this information is saved in metadata, and the bundled Digital Photography Professional 2.2 software can remove it from your photos
2.5" LCD display (with 230k pixels)
LCD info display has gone away; shooting info now shown on LCD; when you put your eye to the viewfinder, the screen goes dark automatically
Improved burst mode compared to Rebel XT: now takes up to 10 RAW or 27 JPEG images (still at 3 fps)
Inherits the Picture Styles menu and RGB histogram from the EOS-5D and EOS-30D
Same body design (and colors) as Rebel XT -- very hard to tell them apart; compatible with all Rebel XT accessories, including the battery grip
Still uses DIGIC II processor and CompactFlash
USB 2.0 High Speed supported
Ships mid-September for $799 body only or $899 with the same 18-55 EF-S lens that comes with the Rebel XT

The Rebel XT will be around for the rest of the year. Its price will drop to $699 body only or $799 with the kit lens.

Some samples:
http://web.canon.jp/Imaging/eosdigital3/eosdigital3_sample-j.html

...and the ausies got a cute and clever little countdown scheme going too...
http://www.canon.com.au/eos400d/

Rob Galbraith's preview...
http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=7-7897-8492

I don't know why my other post before this one was removed, perhaps somebody thought I was posting area 51 stuff or something...???
Well, it's really real ya'll.

Why on earth would they remove the status LCD off the top?
That's a bit of necessity if you ask me.

A lot of other little interesting things about this camera are coming to light. It's priced pretty low when compared to the D80, in fact, it isn't much more expensive than the D50.

Pretty interesting...

Bah. I want something to bring down the prices of the 30D and 5D. This won't.

Oh yeah, good spotting the removal of the status LCD. Forget me ever getting this.

impressive spec i must admit...for me now its a tossup between this and the 30d....
ive got a 5d body on its way... now to find some decent lenses...

If you've already got a 5D as your main camera, I don't see any reason to spend the extra 400 or 500 on the 30D over the XTi.
Plus, you'll need that extra cash for some high quality L glass to take full advantage of the resolving power of the 5D.

Bah. I want something to bring down the prices of the 30D and 5D. This won't.

Oh yeah, good spotting the removal of the status LCD. Forget me ever getting this.

Oh I don't think so at all. I have a 300D ("had" actually...shot over 30,000 over the last 3 years and it finally died) and my wife has the 350D. Personally, I found that little strip of an LCD display to be a huge nuisance on both models. I want to play with a 400D first, but it sounds like that status info will be moved down to the LCD screen, which can light up on demand just like the older display.

"shot over 30,000 over the last 3 years and it finally died"

wow.. thats not all that much... what maybe 40-50 weddings or so?? not very impressive IMO... heres hopign the 400d lasts a little longer..
as for teh 5d, i totally hear you... my issue is budget and versatility though, and i havent seen much of the 30d that the 400d cant do... Im only going with spec, but more than likley im probably missing something here... a good comaprison chart would do me wonders right now.. lol

...I found that little strip of an LCD display to be a huge nuisance on both models. I want to play with a 400D first, but it sounds like that status info will be moved down to the LCD screen, which can light up on demand just like the older display.
Eh, I just realized Canon never put a status LCD on the top of their camera, it was always right above of the larger LCD ::slaps forehead, cries to self:: so I guess it does make sense to just remove it, assuming that the extra use put on the larger LCD doesn't put too much of a drain on the battery.

Aside from that, there are still a number of other little pesky issues that make the XTi seem amateurish when compared to the D80.
Don't get me wrong, the XTi's IQ appears to be very impressive, particularly when reviewing Canon's samples with L(lust) glass.
IQ is the bottom line, and if that's good, then what could be wrong?
Well, for 200 dollars less than the D80, it feels so incredibly right…and you are getting equal to arguably better IQ…what is the catch...?

I think that once people go out and pick up these cameras, and hold them up to their eye and tinker with them a bit, fire off a few shots, ask a few questions, carefully review the comparisons, they'll really want the Nikon, but many will still end up picking the Canon - simply because it's less money, and most people getting an intro DSLR are on a tight budget, and that tends to take precedence over anything else.

Having an XT here at the house, I'm glad they're doing away with that LCD strip. There's nothing on it that can't be displayed on the primary LCD screen, and if getting rid of it allows for a larger primary LCD screen without changing the bosy dimensions then I'm all for it. This is a smart move on their part in my opinion.

oo la la, you have an XT at your house? and an H1?? can i come over, pleeeeease!!!?

must make field trip to local camera store.....

I need to make that field trip too, because what I don't have at the house is a really good lens for the Rebel XT. I borrowed a 28-135 IS USM from a friend and managed to get several photos published with it... now I want one of my own, it's a great multi-purpose lens.

"shot over 30,000 over the last 3 years and it finally died"

wow.. thats not all that much... what maybe 40-50 weddings or so?? not very impressive IMO... heres hopign the 400d lasts a little longer..

No? Well that model has an estimated shutter life of around 25-30K cycles, so if looked at it like that then I did actually get my money's worth. This is, remember, an entry-level dSLR. By no means a professional model at all. This is aimed at the general public, and most people who have one don't shoot parties every week like I do (or did), so it was relatively easy to go through all 30K in 3 years. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, I believe the FILM Rebels were rated to be about the same.

I borrowed a 28-135 IS USM from a friend and managed to get several photos published with it... now I want one of my own, it's a great multi-purpose lens.

I highly recommend the 17-85 IS USM lens. With the 1.6x crop factor of the XT's sensor, it comes out to be right at about the same as the 28-135 IS USM.

The 400D status panel/LCD is actually pretty cool. All that 2.5" real estate allows for more displays and more legible displays such as:

- Shutter speed is shown as "1/xxxx"
- Aperture finally has an "F" that precedes it. Hoo-ray!! I've always hated that Canon never puts an "F" in front of the F-stop, unlike Nikon and others.
- ISO is always displayed. Double hoo-ray!!

The VF also has a proximity sensor that turns off this LCD whenever you put your eye to the VF.

Speaking of viewfinders, D80 VF vs Rebel VF (http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y228/WICKEDPIXEL/photography/viewfindercomparo.gif)

Actually, I'm probably going to catch some flack for this, but I personally like the smaller viewfinder. It makes for easier framing, IMO. When your eye has to account for a larger one, you begin missing things in the corner of your eye. I have to admit that if it were any smaller, I would probably not like it, but you get the idea.

Well Kent, I won't throw any "flack" at you, but I will say you're probably the first person I've ever heard say that they prefer a smaller viewfinder.
That's definitely a first for my ears...errrr eyes. :)
To each his own.

I need to make that field trip too, because what I don't have at the house is a really good lens for the Rebel XT. I borrowed a 28-135 IS USM from a friend and managed to get several photos published with it... now I want one of my own, it's a great multi-purpose lens.


uh-oh! be careful getting started down that road! i hope you can afford it! one morning, you will wake up having spent as much on one lens as you have on a good hi-def camcorder. then you will know you have the disease.

the must-have full frame lens is the 16-35mm...for the rebel, the 10-22mm sigma. those babies are sick!

Well Kent, I won't throw any "flack" at you, but I will say you're probably the first person I've ever heard say that they prefer a smaller viewfinder.
That's definitely a first for my ears...errrr eyes. :)
To each his own.

If having a smaller viewfinder does not equal a drop in quality, then I'm for the smaller viewfinder. If to have greater image quality means I have to have a larger viewfinder, then I'm all for that instead. I'm more for the end result rather than the present-moment in using the equipment. But I find that it makes for easier framing, seriously. I use less of my peripheral vision and more of my central vision to get the framing I'm looking for.

the 10-22mm sigma. those babies are sick!

Actually, that's 10-20. I've got that lens and I LOVE it. Canon makes the 10-22. I will admit that the Sig has a bit more barrel distortion than the Canon, but it's easily fixable using the lens correction feature in Photoshop CS2.

by the looks of this, for the $1000 difference between it and a 30d, its going to be a tough choice...

I mean, i really dont see the differences in performance when tossing the two

any thoughts??

Shorter shutter life on the XTi. It's entry level, aimed at people who want the SLR advantage with digital, but not someone who shoots weddings or something else where they shoot 20,000 photos (maybe less) per year or so.

Actually, that's 10-20. I've got that lens and I LOVE it. Canon makes the 10-22. I will admit that the Sig has a bit more barrel distortion than the Canon, but it's easily fixable using the lens correction feature in Photoshop CS2.
I've got that baby as well. Good for landscapes, good for street.

Pulled the Xti out of the box today at work, feels the same as a black XT (those of you who have touched a new rebel know what i mean, that gritty sandpaper-like grip) i hate the fact it doesnt have the screen on top...bigger screen looks nice but is kinda worthless IMHO. Seemed a bit faster than the XT, but again, Canon has the tendency to disappoint with new products this year for some reason (read: that worthless upgrade to the 20D, entire elph line) with the exception of the pleasant suprise of TWO replacements to the GL2...

Overall seems like a good deal with being 899, and getting 2 more megapixels for only 100bucks more than the XT, but I'm much more interested in the D80 (which if any of you want, I'll pull out of the box tomorrow and play around with) except for the whole SD card thing