Digital BW, The Print

> For what I do the Rebel is good for about +3 and -3 stops -- 6 stops
total.
> Sure, the shadows can go on for longer, but the image quality is not
up to
> what I want (due to noise).  If I want to do any expansion of the
contrast
> in shadows, I'm making sure those shadows are not lower than -3
stops.
> 
Assuming the Rebel XT (350) is not very different from the Rebel
(300), you might find some benefit in trading shadow resolution for
dynamic range. Combining (averaging) pixels with your favourite noise
reduction algorithm, but only doing so in the shadows.  (I use Picture
Window's advanced sharpen together with luminance masks, for example,
but each to their own.)  From memory film resolution is so good in the
shadows so trading off resolution against noise may give acceptable
results.  Of course you perhaps tried this and rejected it already.

Ken