Very Pleased with Camera

I purchased the Canon Digital Rebel XT when it first came out. Going from a point and shoot to a DSLR was a big step for me. I am a 4 foot 11 inch female so I was concerned about the size of the camera. I found this camera to be perfect for me and easy to hold. I have male friends who also own this camera though and also find it easy to hold and not too small for their larger hands. It fills my needs exactly as it should. Since that purchase I have I become a very serious photographer going into the realm of portrait and landscape photography. I find that this camera still fills my needs. I recommend shooting in raw for larger prints however as 8.2 megapixels can be a little on the smaller size in resolution for poster size prints if shot in jpeg format. I have not had any issues with this camera. Although it does not have self cleaning sensor, I find this not to be an issue for me and if it ever did become an issue, many local photography shops will clean the sensor for about $25.00 (which is a small price to pay when you rarely have to use it – and for me….never). In addition, if you are to purchase this camera, I highly recommend that you do NOT purchase it with the standard kit lens (the 18-55 lens). That lens is garbage in my opinion. The images were soft and that just will not do! Therefore, I recommend purchasing it with the 17-85 IS lens. Although there are other higher quality lenses out there, with a much higher price tag, this lens suited my needs perfectly until I upgraded to a higher priced lens. The image stabilization is fantastic! I feel every lens should have this feature as it is indispensable! Since having this lens, I refuse to purchase any lens that does not have this feature. All in all, this is a great camera for those wanting to delve into the world of DSLR. The cost is right and the lens is right to get you started!