Excellent photographic tool for the amateur or semi-pro

There are tons of data, features lists, reviews and descriptions for the Rebel XTi on the internet or newstands.
Rather than replicate this same material ad nauseum, I will relate my own personal experiences in using this camera.

I find this to be among the best 'cross-over' cameras for the amateur requiring more features and capability than a point and shoot cam, and the more experienced photographer desiring a standby camera to complement more professional endeavors. More on that later.

I ended up selling the standard kit lens for better quality Canon lenses.
I purchased two IS (image stabilization)Canon lenses after doing a great deal of reading on the experience of professional testers and photographers.
I have the 17-55mm IS/AF 2.8 zoom for everyday picture-taking, mostly at close to mid range. Portraits, family photos, flower shots, pets, etc. A fast enough lens to work well even with some limited light and no flash with indoor shots. And still a good lens for outdoor shots of any kind. This is an excellent lens, approaching the finite quality of the L series Canon optics.
I also purchased the 28-135mm lens 3.5-4.5, a great walk around lens for those trips to the big city, or for landscape shots in the country. It is 'short' enough to catch that occasional close up portrait or group photo.
Image Stabilization is a huge benefit to all photographers.
But especially those who like to do a lot of telephoto shots, or those with less steady hands who do not want to miss out when those once in a lifetime shots come up. While this lens is about half the price of the 17-55 lens, quality is quite similar. Neither lens will let you down.
It would seem I have a lot of 'overlap' between the two lenses from 28mm to 55mm. But I consider this a very popular range for everyday shots, and I can cover this range with either lens I happen to be using at the time.
Just remember to turn IS off if you plan to use a tripod. It is possible to damage the internal mechanism if you don't.
Personally, even with the added cost up-front, with a camera of this caliber, I would rather stick with Canon lenses. Decide for yourself. As a photographer your ability still still exceeds the differences between any two good lenses.
Keep in mind, once you decide to invest in better lenses, you can easily double or triple the cost of the camera with just one or two options. For some, it might be best to keep the kit lens until you feel fully confident to expand your hobby.
Of course the trade off is you are working in the digital realm. So wasting pictures is not even a consideration while you 'learn the lens'.

I find the viewfinder on the small side, but most ambient light is well controlled when viewing.
Like many, I would have preferred having the original image prior to shooting also show up on the nice big 2.5" display.
Especially for over the head shots, etc.
This a small compromise, and considering there is no such feature on the best film cameras, it is hardly a significant omission IMO. You can do trial and error for those off your eye shots, and preview the picture on the display. Ok, you just made a bad shot during trial & error. Big deal. Again, no film is wasted, do it again until you have it right. Remember professionals take numerous pictures of the same image to get it 'right'. And they often expend many rolls of film and in some cases with only end up using a few images. Patience and diligence have their rewards.

The layout of the controls is nice, the ergonomics placing the most needed controls close to your fingertips.
I would have preferred a larger hand-grip, but I often use an optional battery-grip which works very well for vertical shots, but does add noticeable weight to what is an amazingly light body for all the features that are included in the XTi. On the plus side it provides lots of battery power for all day shooting. Battery life with the single camera battery is not bad. Allowing you at least 300 shots before needing a charge.

The ability to manipulate the quality and even orientation of an image before downloading is a great feature as is the self-cleaning sensor to only mention a couple. The 'instant on' feature is also a very big plus!

Lens changing is a snap. Make sure you do this under the best conditions where there is little to no risk of dropping a lens or introducing excess dust into the camera.

The flexibility of this camera is amazing. From the novice to the expert you can learn everything there is about taking good pictures and use only those features necessary to expand your horizon. The most reserved will likely start out with the camera as a point n' shoot set on Auto.
From there you can explore depth of field or different shutter speeds by using aperture or shutter preferred settings, etc.
By the time you have become fully versed in the camera, you have also become a more experienced photographer. This alone is much more important than the ultimate sharpness of one lens over the other, or which camera has the most pixels.

I would also recommend looking at the Nikon and Sony entries in this range. Any of the three should be provide splendid photos and great features to make your hobby more pleasurable. Get the one that feels most comfortable to you.

I like the Canon best, but nothing is perfect. I do like Canon's support and availability of accessories as well as documentation for learning more about photography.

I would highly recommend the remote control (Canon RC-1) for remote shooting, the Opteka battery grip (which is less expensive than the Canon device and appears identical in function as well as construction.)

And don't forget a good case for protection. I like wrap over the shoulder bags or napsacks for comfort where I can reach and pull out the camera ready to go, with an additional lens or flash also in the bag. The 'Slinger' bag from Adorama.com is a super deal.
By the way, The Canon 430 model flash is excellent. I doubt many would ever fully exploit the capability of the much more expensive 580 model to make it worthwhile.

Lastly the Digital Field Guide by Charlotte K. Lowrie on shooting with Canon EOS cameras. It is an invaluable resource from a prominent professional that will take you into photography well beyond the camera.
Happy shooting!