Canon Digital Rebel XT camera
The Canon EOS digital Rebel XT is good for someone wanting to make the jump from a
simple point-and-shoot to a more advanced and powerful
digital SLR with
interchangeable lenses. It can be used in either automatic or manual focus mode.
Power Switch and Basic Control Locations - the on-off switch, mode
dial and shutter release are all on the right side of the camera bodies’ top. There are
also two buttons in the upper-right corner that let you select the focus point and lock
the exposure. Most of the shooting adjustment & setting controls are on the right side of
the camera back and the main LCD menu and playback controls are on the left side. The
four-way pad buttons adjust the ISO, auto focus, white balance, and metering mode
settings. The camera will shut itself off automatically after 5 minutes to save power.
Mode Dial – Like most SLR cameras, the mode dial allows you to switch between
the industry standard shutter exposure modes and scene options: portrait, landscape,
close-up, motion (sports), night portrait or flash off. You can also adjust the white
balance mode for: flash, shade, cloudy, daylight and fluorescent or tungsten lighting.
Inserting/Removing the Media Card – as this is not a brand new design,
it uses a larger CF (compact flash) media card. To remove, with the camera in your lap
facing down, pull the textured cover on the right side of the body marked “CF Open”
towards you with your finger. The cover will slide up and hinge over exposing the edge
of the media card. Push the small black tab in and the card will slide out. Installation is
the reverse making sure the small opening holes in the card face inward. There is a
small red light in the body lower side of the back of the camera (see red arrow
below) that blinks when the card is successfully inserted and recognized by the camera.
You can save images in both raw and high-quality JPEG file but not TIFF format an you
can also save them on a Microdrive.
Auto Focus Setting
– with the mode dial set to auto (green square), the
camera lense will automatically adjust itself. Until you’ve experimented a bit this is the
best way to start out using this camera, especially with our typically under lit conditions
in the Seattle area. Once more familiar, you can change settings to what that does to
your images.
LCD Screen
– the upper portion of the LCD screen shows the battery strength,
number of shots left, etc. The lower part of the LCD screen works with the buttons and
pads explained below.
Left Side Controls and Four-Way Directional Pads - the top MENU
button allows you to change the image quality, red-eye setting, and beep. If you toggle
with the AF button on the right side of the LCD screen, you can switch to the next
setting which controls image protection, rotation, print order, etc. The next toggle (tool
+ arrow up + 1) controls date/time, auto brightness, file numbering and the final
toggle position (tool + arrow up + 2) language, video system and printer
communications.
The INFO button shows the date/time image taken, review time, media card usage, ISO
setting, After a shot is taken, it also displays the shutter speed, ISO setting of actual
shot, quality, etc. The JUMP button allows you to jump to a previously taken shot and
the ARROW button key below allows you to see that info again until the next show is
taken. The (TRASH CAN) symbol button allows you to see erase the card or delete
individual images. See 2nd image above for button locations.
The Four-Way Directional Pads that are to the right of the main LCD screen work in
conjunction with the left side buttons. The upper ISO pad and lower WB pad allow you
to scroll up or down through the menu settings. After you’ve scrolled to the uppermost
setting bar (which has the red camera, blue review and two orange tool settings)
you can use the left (Symbol of a Camera) and right AF pads let to scroll from side to
side. The center SET button finalizes each setting that you’ve changed.
Battery Removal/Replacement
- the Rebel XT uses a Canon NB-2LH
lithium-ion battery pack, the same as on many of its point-and-shoot cameras.
It’s
located in the bottom of the main body on the right side below where the media card is
located. To remove, with the camera again in your lap but with the lens facing you
(camera upside down), push the tab on the cover marked “Batt. Open” away from you
with a finger. The cover will hinge up exposing the edge of the battery. Push the small
red-orange tab on the left side and the battery will pop up slightly. It takes two fingers
or turning the body over to get the battery to actually slide out. Installation is the
reverse making sure that the three metal contact points on the battery are facing down
into the body. The battery will only go in one way so do not force it. Like with the
media card, there’s a small red light on backside of the body of the camera (see red
arrow in image above) that blinks when the battery is successfully inserted and
recognized by the camera.
Installation/Removal of Auxiliary Flash Unit
- UW Rebel XT #1 also
has a Canon/Speedlite 430EX auxiliary flash unit in the kit. It mounts in a slot on top of
the main camera body. To install, gently push forward in the slot unit it clicks, and then
tighten the thumbwheel clockwise with your finger until the flash unit is secure and
stable. Removal is the reverse once the thumbwheel has been loosened.
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Please Note: Information included within this purely reference article is from the Canon Rebel
XT owner’s manual from the Canon USA website:
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=DownloadIndexAct/
as well as from here:
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/canon-eos-digital-rebel/4505-6501_7-31309326.html
Information from both was condensed and simplified for space and personal knowledge inserted
in several areas of the cameras operation like basics of the LCD menus, media card and battery
removal as well as flash unit install/removal.
Reference pictures are from:
http://www.seowebsitepromotion.com/images/canon_rebel_xt_350d_med.jpg
(front-upper view)
http://images.digitalcamerainfo.com/images/upload/Stock-BlkRebel-XT-BACK.jpg
(back view)
http://www.letsgodigital.org/images/producten/909/testrapport/005-A_CANON-EOS-350D.jpg
(card removal – image cropped and red arrow added)