Canon EOS Rebel XTi / 400D

The Rebel XTi, sold as the 400D in some markets, is a compact DSLR from 2006. It pairs a 10.1 megapixel APS-C sensor with Canon's EF-S mount, so it accepts the lenses made for that system. At 556 grams and about 127 by 94 by 65 millimetres, it slips into a small bag without much weight.

Using one is a simple, stills-first experience. There is no video, no live view and no wireless transfer, so composing happens through the optical viewfinder and copying files requires a physical connection. Everything about that feature set points toward still photography.

The 10.1 megapixel APS-C sensor yields files sized for everyday prints and web use, though that resolution limits heavy cropping or large-format output. Our modest 41/100 optics score draws on these and other specification limits, placing the camera in the bottom 7% of cameras in our database for optics.

Burst shooting tops out at three frames per second, alongside nine autofocus points and a top shutter speed of 1/4000 second. That combination works well for portraits, landscapes and general walk-around photography, but it will feel slow for sports or birds in flight.

Sensitivity runs from ISO 100 to 1600, a range that copes with daylight and reasonably lit interiors. Once the light fades, the ceiling is low, so plan on wider apertures or flash in the evening. There is no stabilisation in the body, so steady technique or a solid support matters at longer focal lengths.

This camera does not record video in any form. It is a stills-only body: there is no movie mode, no frame rate to configure and nothing to transfer to a video editor. Anyone who needs motion files alongside photographs will have to use a separate device.

There is also no built-in timelapse function, so a frame sequence would need to be triggered and assembled by hand rather than set running in the camera. That adds work for anyone interested in interval photography.

Without live view, nothing on the back of the camera previews a scene, so framing happens entirely through the optical pentamirror finder. That is consistent with a body designed purely around still photography.

Our limited 17/100 features score reflects a small, low-resolution screen alongside several missing features. The built-in flash still gives a quick burst of fill light for backlit portraits, and the hot shoe accepts an external flash unit.

The 2.5 inch LCD carries 230,000 dots and neither moves nor responds to touch. Because live view is missing, the screen only plays back what you have shot, and it is small enough that you will zoom in when checking focus.

With no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, nothing connects wirelessly, and remote control from a phone is not an option. There is no GPS either, so geotagging would need another device, and the unsealed body should stay out of rain and blowing dust.

Storage comes on CompactFlash cards, Type I or II, rather than SD. If your existing cards are SD, they will not fit here, so plan for a CompactFlash card and a compatible reader.

There is a single card slot, so there is no option to write a backup copy of important frames as you shoot.

Battery life is rated at 370 shots on the NB-2LH pack, a rating rather than a promise of real-world endurance, so a spare battery is wise for longer days. It does not charge over USB, so pack the dedicated charger. Our limited 21/100 score reflects the single slot, the 370-shot rating and the absence of USB charging.