Evaluation:  
Conclusion: great book!
Review: This book is a glorified manual.. which is exactly what one needs if they have a good photographic eye, but are not sure how to work the camera with their artistic angle... Lots of details and pictures! Love this book!
Evaluation:
Conclusion: More readable than the manual
Review: Most of the information I found in this book was similar to the manual but in a format that made it easier to understand.
Evaluation:
Conclusion: Dave Busch's Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi/450D Guide to Digital Photography
Review: Helpful in clarifying the manual furnished with the camera. Unfamiliar terminology is sometimes used in this guide as it is in the manual. Believe it would be improved with a little more "how to" prose.
Evaluation:
Conclusion: Style of writing subpar
Review: Busch's Xsi Guide is comprehensive, covering many topics in greater detail than the manual. However I found his writing style to be extremely bland. Granted, I understand this is a technical manual of sorts. But even still, Busch's writing skill is average at best. A wide reader of books may instantly feel annoyed once they delve into the first few pages of the book, as if they are in for a boring ride.
I find it akin to the level of writing found in those e-books online you can purchase on topics which include Get Rich Quick, Gain 10 pounds of muscle in 2 weeks, Winning the Lottery, etc.
Maybe I'm just being picky, but I always found 4.5 star-Amazon-rated book purchases to be a very entertaining and educating read. This one was not.
Evaluation:
Conclusion: Very helpful supplement to the manual
Review: As one reviewer put it, this is a glorified manual - but that is the strength of this book, and I recommend it highly to beginners, intermediate users and anyone who is "manual challenged." The book goes beyond the manual, however, in discussing lighting, for example, lenses, maintenance, and updating the firmware. None of this additional material is going to do anything for a professional or an advanced amateur, but will be very helpful to all us lesser photographers.
A new Canon XSi user, I wanted to change a camera setting on several occasions, could not find the instructions in the manual or locate the menu item or button, but promptly got the help I needed in this book. I don't go anyhwere without it.
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