I have the rebel xs and have bought a t3i.

[Kch1950]

Is the t3i a big step up? I got a 18-135 mm . Just wondering if I wasted my money getting a camera that was the same as I already had

[ebiggs1]

This is my opinion but if it makes you feel better about your recent purchase, here goes.  

I consider the Rebel XS as just an entry level Rebel. It takes good pictures but that about where it ends. The Rebel T3i on the other hand is an 'enthusiasts' camera. It has many pro camera features.

Next step is for you to learn how to put those features to work and make beautiful photos.

[TCampbell · Accepted solution]

It is a bit of a step up.  You're going from a 10 mp camera with a max ISO of 1600, to an 18 mp camera with a max ISO of 12,800.  You'll notice quite a jump in your ability to shoot in lower-light at higher ISO and still have reasonably low noise levels.

The T3i is no longer the top of the Rebel line (it was about 2 years ago) but the ISO performance of the latest Rebel bodies is not substantially different than the T3i.  It will probably seem to be a fairly substantial performance upgrade over your XS (particularly with image quality in low light).

[ColinGlover]

I fully agree with Tim.

Colin,

www.point-n-shoot.co.uk