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Image sharpness - using a small aperture, will help increase sharpness and depth of field in a photo. Each lens has a different "sweet spot," f-stops usually found in the mid-range that produce the sharpest images.
Custom white balance - Use a custom white balance to obtain more natural looking colors when taking photos inside. It is very easy to set with the XSi [manual page 90].
High ISO - To get the best possible results when shooting at high ISO settings, expose well and avoid underexposure. This is true for any camera, not only the XSi.
Simulate ISO 3200 - switch the camera to ISO 1600. Set Exposure Compensation to -1. As a safety net, shoot RAW so you can make necessary adjusts when editing.
Continuous shooting does not work when High ISO Speed Noise Reduction is enabled.
When AF Lock is enabled, the XSi won't focus automatically when you half-press the shutter release button. You must press the (*) button to focus [More info]
Increased noise - when using Highlight Tone Priority mode, there will be an increase in noise in dark areas. The problem is worse when using HTP to photograph high contrast scenes.
Format memory card - to keep your memory card so it provides optimal performance, do a low level format on a regular basis. I generally do a low level format once a month.