Stuck between Canon Rebel XSi and Sony A350

I have been trying to decide which digital camera I should upgrade to. I have the original 35mm Canon Rebel, have used this since it first came out. I love this camera and have just started having problems with it. This camera has been through sand, rain and snow! I started digital with just a small Kodak Easy Share and use those prints with Photoshop. I am looking to upgrade to something that can take better action shots. Money is a factor and I would like to at lease get a good 8x10 size photo out of some of them. I was sure I wanted another Canon until I went to Best Buy and the clerk showed me the new Sony A350. Of course he had a great sales pitch and now I am more confused. I do have a telephoto lens ( 85-300 I think ) for the Rebel which I am told will work with the digital, but I also have a couple of old lens from a Minolta that I was told will work with the Sony. HELP!!!!

James is terribly misinformed. First, its Carl Zeiss manufactured glass, not Leica (Panasonic and Leica are partnered), and not just monikered (which implies a licensed name, not manufactured by the original). Specific lenses are manufactured by Zeiss, the rest are Sony or Minolta. Second, "just an improved Minolta" implies Minolta was a third rate manufacturer, which is not the case, but that is a discussion for another time. Suffice it to say that most "in the know" photographers know that Minolta made as good or better bodies and lenses as Canon/Nikon, with firsts in autofocus, eystart, and area metering systems. Third, Canon designs and produces its own CMOS sensors, which are in the XSI. Sony builds chips for P/S cameras by Canon, but I'm not sure thats even the case anymore. Really the only accurate statement in your answer is "Bodies come and go, but lenses are where images are made or broken." The advantages of the 350 are : faster auto focus, especially in Live view mode, where Sony's viewfinder sensor leaves Canon / Nikon in the dust, In Camera Image Stabilization (why pay a premium for IS/VR lenses when any lense can be IS on the Sony?), Higher resolution, moveable viewscreen (really cool and very sharp), and a very well thought out menu and control layout. Having said that, Canon is still recognized as the leader in SLR technology, and are often"first to market" with tons of very cool features. It's a tough call, but if you have some good Canon lenses, stick with the Canon, the XSI is a great camera and you'll love it. If all you have are some basic kit lenses, seriously consider Sony because over the course of the next few years Sony will become a dominate player in the SLR market. They've already shown that with their current crop of SLRs.

Thanks Steve, you saved me the trouble of responding. I have had 20 years of experience with Minolta Dynax and the Minolta brand is in no way 2nd class! I also have a Sony alpha 350 and I find it excellent. I also have a Dynax 5D (the Maxxum in America) as well as two Minolta film cameras I use for transparancies (505 si and 300 si as a spare body) I have never been disappointed!. Whatever James chooses, let it not be on the basis that Minolta/Konica/Sony don't cut the mustard....because they most assuredly do!

Sorry I meant whatever Lisa chooses!

i have two alpha cameras the 100 and the 350 i would not change them for any others . i do weddings portraits nature and various things the picture quality is excellent . i would also put my photos against any others ive won endless competitions soon as you say there were taken on a sony alpha some look down there nose .