[LouCypher]

sAs someone who sells cameras for a living I deal with both models daily. At $600 you probably paid what is reasonable for the Xsi since it only features a few moderate improvements over the XS.

At full price I usually will steer people towards the XS because those 2 extra megapixels only really matter if you are planning on doing larger prints or doing a lot of cropping and want to see more detail. The 7 point vs 9 point autofocus and 2.5 vs. 3 inch LCD are also fairly moderate improvements but they can make some difference.

End of the day it comes down to lenses and both cameras give you the same ability to really get the most out of your pictures if you can build up a decent selection of lenses.

Liveview to me is a feature I dont look for simply because im used to shooting through a view finder. For those who really want the liveview it really isnt the most special thing about this camera, more of a gimmick since the technology is now there to include liveview in the consumer level DSLRs.

All this being said you really cant go wrong with either camera, and be sure to take advantage of shooting in the manual modes if you dont already. The level of control you get can open up to so many different styles of photography without having to invest in expensive gear or glass.

Edit: As a side note the company I work for also offers a free lesson with every camera you purchase. Dont want to solicit anything here but I know my company will top the future shop experience when you buy a camera for sure.