We're taking a First Look at the Canon Digital Rebel XTi. It's a 10-megapixel SLR that is a successor to the 8-megapixel digital Rebel that we've long recommended.

This new Rebel retains everything we liked about the old model, including fine performance at high ISO settings--the ones you might use for low-light, sports, or other challenging situations.

And Canon's added several new improvements.

It's borrowed a more sophisticated, 9-point autofocus system from pricier Canon SLRs. And you can shoot many more photos in a burst--up to 27 high-quality images, compared with 14 on the old model. The display is bigger and menus are easier to navigate.

It also has one of the most comprehensive systems to clean away dust that can cause blemishes on the image.

The lens that comes bundled with the camera delivers very good images. But when we tested with a better Canon lens we got even better results.

CR's take. This new digital Rebel is a worthy choice in an affordable SLR, especially if you already own lenses that fit it--that is any lens that has an EOS mount. If you don't own one of those lenses, consider spending a few hundred dollars extra for a lens that's better than the one that's included if you buy the kit.