Looking for a Camera Recommendation

[Dakota]

Comparing Canon to Nikon is a lot like comparing Chevy to Ford. It's all in the preferences. Photography is not about the camera or the maker.

I handle Nikons every day, but I wouldn't own one. I currently have 2 Canon DSLRs. My preferences in the Canon is it is a lot more user friendly. I can control both of my cameras without having to take my eye away from the view finder, and I can control them with just one hand. My experience with Nikon is the controls are on both sides of the body, where Canon has the more popular setting adjustment controls on just one side. My T3, which is a little bit of a lesser version of the T3i, has captured a lot of my more popular photographs. It doesn't have the biggest sensor, nor does it handle low light very well, but it still did the job.

Both makers are about the same to change out the lenses. Just one push of a button and turn it.

I had the Canon EOS Rebel XT - loved it but it is outdated, hence the reason I sold it on ebay.

My husband handles Nikons everyday and he prefers the Nikon over the Canon but like you said, it is all in preferences.

I bought the Nikon D3100 14.2MP Digital SLR Double-Zoom Lens Kit with 18-55mm and 55-200mm DX Zoom Lenses in a package deal paying less than $500 for all whereas the Canon Rebel in the t3 package only gets you 1 lens (18-55mm) and cost $100 more... so GW also has to consider how far he wants to dig in his pocket... because even after coughing up the money to buy the camera and len(s) you still need an extra battery, storage/flash card and maybe even a bag.

SoMD_Fun_Guy,

I bought my camera with the same thoughts you had in mind and I love the fact that I can get close up - take wide angle - etc. with my Nikon but because I'm a very busy person anyway... and don't have time to fiddle with too many details, I shoot a great deal on auto focus. These 2 pics are just shot on auto focus w/my Nikon.

 

[somdfunguy]

Love my T3i

 

[GWguy]

Went to the various local stores to see what they had. After picking them up and handling a few different makes, there is no doubt that the Canon fits my hand and feels far more comfortable than the Nikon. Shutter trigger is more sensitive than I'm used to. LCD screen is easy to read (a big plus if I don't have to switch to reading glasses like i do now...)

Right now, the best deal looks to be BJs. Most have the camera with one lens for about $850-$900. BJs has a package with two lenses, a 18-55mm and a 55-250, 16Gb card and case for $1000. Haven't found a better deal on separates or packages on line anywhere yet. Most of them have the 18-135 lens.

BJs also had the T3i and T4i. I could save a few $ by getting the T3i. T4i didn't rate as well as the T3i and T5i.

 

[somdfunguy]

Got mine from Amazon for 600 with two lenses

 

[FireBrand]

Went to the various local stores to see what they had. After picking them up and handling a few different makes, there is no doubt that the Canon fits my hand and feels far more comfortable than the Nikon. Shutter trigger is more sensitive than I'm used to. LCD screen is easy to read (a big plus if I don't have to switch to reading glasses like i do now...)

Right now, the best deal looks to be BJs. Most have the camera with one lens for about $850-$900. BJs has a package with two lenses, a 18-55mm and a 55-250, 16Gb card and case for $1000. Haven't found a better deal on separates or packages on line anywhere yet. Most of them have the 18-135 lens.

BJs also had the T3i and T4i. I could save a few $ by getting the T3i. T4i didn't rate as well as the T3i and T5i.

I have preferred Canon for 40 years. Nikon may be good cameras but the
Nikon snobs who beat their chests are self deceived and way off base !

 

[GWguy]

Done. Did more research on the lenses and the multitude of differences in the Canon lens line. The 18-135mm is considered a "general use" lens, and is good, but designed to cover a wide range of uses. The 18-55mm and the 55-250mm are more specific, lighter, shorter. I was actually surprised at how light the 55-250 is. All the lenses offered had IS (Image Stabilization), some optional lenses did not have IS.

BJs was a good deal, so I went with their T5i package. Been a while since I've had an SLR and a camera with so many options, going to take a while before the settings become 2nd nature.

Came with just about everything I need, but another battery will be nice.

I appreciate the inputs here. Thanx.

 

[bcp]

You think bike guys are bad.. get Nikon and Canon owners together..

Nikon is by far the better camera BTW....

I have a Sony a-300 that I was seriously happy with

till I bought the daughter her Nikon D-3200,
In order for me to get the color out of my pictures that she gets with hers, I have to go to Photo Shop or something.
The speed is much faster too on the Nikon.

 

[desertrat]

Very happy with my Canon 40D. Fast response from button push and a bunch of pix per second in speed shooting. The Rebels are really nice now, but I wanted the features I mentioned and a metal frame. It is really about the lenses and the type of pix you want to take.

I have just stuck with Canon because I am familiar with them and have some lenses.

 

[bcp]

Very happy with my Canon 40D. Fast response from button push and a bunch of pix per second in speed shooting. The Rebels are really nice now, but I wanted the features I mentioned and a metal frame. It is really about the lenses and the type of pix you want to take.

I have just stuck with Canon because I am familiar with them and have some lenses.

If you already have the lenses and they will still work on the new Canons,, thats kind of a no brainer.

 

[desertrat]

If you already have the lenses and they will still work on the new Canons,, thats kind of a no brainer.

Yep.

Wait..are you calling me fat?

 

[GWguy]

If you already have the lenses and they will still work on the new Canons,, thats kind of a no brainer.

Yes. Old ones do work on the new bodies, but might not take full advantage of the features. New lenses are not necessarily backward compatible.

16Gb card, pics at low res will take over 10,000 pictures! High res is about 550. Looking to get a 64Gb card, that should hold me for a while.

 

[bcp]

Yes. Old ones do work on the new bodies, but might not take full advantage of the features. New lenses are not necessarily backward compatible.

16Gb card, pics at low res will take over 10,000 pictures! High res is about 550. Looking to get a 64Gb card, that should hold me for a while.

Have you tried shooting in RAW then working it in Photoshop then converting back to JPG?

 

[bcp]

Yep.

Wait..are you calling me fat?

Depends, do you become violent to those that call you fat?
You know Im afraid of any confrontation

 

[GWguy]

Have you tried shooting in RAW then working it in Photoshop then converting back to JPG?

Playing with it... don't have Photoshop, but the camera came with Windows editing software which does raw editing and conversions. Need to install it.

 

[desertrat]

Depends, do you become violent to those that call you fat?
You know Im afraid of any confrontation

I am not a violent person. I just get sad. Not really, if the foo ####s wear it.

 

[GopherM]

I've been shooting with the T3i for over a year. I have lugged it to Europe, Canada, Florida and all around. It is nice and rugged and I have been happy with the shots it produces. I have the 18-55 and the 55-250 zooms and both are excellent lenses. As one person pointed out, when you focus, the barrel end of the lens rotates as well so not only the polarizer turns but if you are shooting with the butterfly type of sun shade attached (instead of the conical) you have to realign it, especially if you are shooting at the wider angle settings.

The other thing I like are the added features you can get by running the Magic Lantern (3rd party) software on the camera. It opens up an entire new spectrum of settings and features.

 

[GWguy]

I've been shooting with the T3i for over a year. I have lugged it to Europe, Canada, Florida and all around. It is nice and rugged and I have been happy with the shots it produces. I have the 18-55 and the 55-250 zooms and both are excellent lenses. As one person pointed out, when you focus, the barrel end of the lens rotates as well so not only the polarizer turns but if you are shooting with the butterfly type of sun shade attached (instead of the conical) you have to realign it, especially if you are shooting at the wider angle settings.

The other thing I like are the added features you can get by running the Magic Lantern (3rd party) software on the camera. It opens up an entire new spectrum of settings and features.

Software that runs on the camera? Have to look into that.

I'm impressed with some of the programmed setups. Like if a subject is backlit, the camera takes 2-3 shots, averages different portions of the pictures and composites them in a split second.

They might have changed the 18-55mm lens a bit. Mine does not rotate the front of the barrel when you focus either manually or auto. Any filters screwed into the end of the lens are not affected by the focus. The 55-250 does have that issue and will make using a polarizer a challenge.

 

[itsbob]

Done. Did more research on the lenses and the multitude of differences in the Canon lens line. The 18-135mm is considered a "general use" lens, and is good, but designed to cover a wide range of uses. The 18-55mm and the 55-250mm are more specific, lighter, shorter. I was actually surprised at how light the 55-250 is. All the lenses offered had IS (Image Stabilization), some optional lenses did not have IS.

BJs was a good deal, so I went with their T5i package. Been a while since I've had an SLR and a camera with so many options, going to take a while before the settings become 2nd nature.

Came with just about everything I need, but another battery will be nice.

I appreciate the inputs here. Thanx.

Lenses are all about the "speed of the lens"

the lower the f-stop, generally the better the lens, but also the higher the price.

Also research Canon lens models.. Nikon (and I'm sure Canon is the same) has, I believe, three or four different class of lens.. From the kit quality 18-55mm that you can get for a $100-200 to an 18-55 that will cost you over a $1000.. With that when you find a lens with a low f-stop, they are generally from the higher level of quality.

For example, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007Y794O...hich_Canon_sports_action_telephoto_lens.shtml

Amazon.com: Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras: CANON: Camera & Photo

Most would assume the 70-300mm zoom would be more expensive than the 70-200mm..

You can have the BEST camera body, but pair it with a cheap, or kit lens, then you are not getting the best results..

 

[czygvtwkr]

Lenses are all about the "speed of the lens"

the lower the f-stop, generally the better the lens, but also the higher the price.

Also research Canon lens models.. Nikon (and I'm sure Canon is the same) has, I believe, three or four different class of lens.. From the kit quality 18-55mm that you can get for a $100-200 to an 18-55 that will cost you over a $1000.. With that when you find a lens with a low f-stop, they are generally from the higher level of quality.

For example, Amazon.com: Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras: CANON: Camera & Photo

Amazon.com: Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras: CANON: Camera & Photo

Most would assume the 70-300mm zoom would be more expensive than the 70-200mm..

You can have the BEST camera body, but pair it with a cheap, or kit lens, then you are not getting the best results..

It's not really the low f-stop, it is the consistant low f-stop throughout the lenses range. Its easy to build a lens that has a low f-stop at its shortest but quickly loses light the longer the focal length becomes. There are also better coatings on more expensive lenses that do things like get rid of purple fringing. The clearness of the lens at the edges also is a big one, many kit lenses are soft around their corners but the good ones, like Canon L's, are tack sharp corner to corner. The cheap lenses are often decentered, being sharp on one side of the lens but soft on a very big portion of the lens on the other side.

 

[czygvtwkr]

Software that runs on the camera? Have to look into that.

I'm impressed with some of the programmed setups. Like if a subject is backlit, the camera takes 2-3 shots, averages different portions of the pictures and composites them in a split second.

They might have changed the 18-55mm lens a bit. Mine does not rotate the front of the barrel when you focus either manually or auto. Any filters screwed into the end of the lens are not affected by the focus. The 55-250 does have that issue and will make using a polarizer a challenge.

People often misuse polarizers, if you have a pretty wide lens the sky will be different colors on one side vs the other. The polarizer is best used 90 degrees out from the sun if the sky is in your picture. I found out the hard way and ruined some otherwise nice pictures by having sky that went from deep sky blue to almost white on the other side.