Advice on entry level dSLR

shootingrubber · May 2, 2011

Hello,

I am looking to purchase an entry level dSLR camera. I used to own a Sony A200, but I sold it and am looking for something a bit better, but I am also on a budget, as I am a student. I was looking at the Sony A33, but I was wondering what you guys thought of that. I was also looking at the Canon T3i, but that is more expensive than the A33. I like the A33 because of it's fast 7fps shooting, full HD video, and it seems to perform pretty well for higher ISO settings.

So, what camera choices would you recommend for me on a budget (like under $800 CAN)?

Thanks!

Light Guru · May 2, 2011

LOTS more lens options with the Canon.

analog.universe · May 2, 2011

I just really like canon, so that's my recommendation. The T2i is cheaper now that the T3i came out as well... still a great camera.

Digital Camera Resource Page | Unbiased Digital Camera News and Reviews has pretty good reviews with ISO performance samples and what have you

reedshots · May 2, 2011

the Canon is the better camera and unless you are shooting high speed soprts/action the fps should work.

shootingrubber · May 2, 2011

But what camera gives you the better bang for your buck? The A33 has 7fps, while the T3i only has 3.7fps. Like I said, I had a Sony before and I was happy with it, but I am open to new suggestions as well.

EDIT: Which camera performs better in low lights without flash?

analog.universe · May 2, 2011

Is high speed shooting what you will do most with it?

I really think about the camera body as fairly transient technology... the glass is where quality is had and lost as far as equipment, and as said, Canon is compatible with a wide range of awesome lenses.

Light Guru · May 2, 2011

"bang for the buck" should be MUCH lower on your list of priorities when choosing equipment. Performance, reliability, features, lens selection among others are things I would look at before "bang for the buck"

shootingrubber · May 2, 2011

Well my last Sony dSLR was extremely reliable (never had one problem with it), and it performed extremely well given the class of camera it was. These new SLT camera's from Sony are really attracting to me because they seem to have high performance, and I love the feature set on it. Also you can get many used old Minolta lenses for the Sony A-series that are extremely reliable, such as the f4 70-210 beercan lens (which I used to use with my old A200).

Open to more suggestions...

EDIT: Also, I am a student on a budget, so take that into consideration as well. I like that my local shop has a "deal" going on for the A33, $699.99 for the camera, lens, and SD card.

TheHabit · May 3, 2011

Go with what you know man, but canon and nikon offer alot of lenses. This is good because if you are professional you know friends who have canon and nikon glass which you will be able to share with one another. That is fine, unless your like me and don't like sharing your things

.

The backwards compatibility, and in-body stabilization on the sony, make it worthy of a look in my opinion. I like being able to use any of my old pentax lenses on my body since they also have in-body stability. No matter what you get though, its gonna get the job done.

shootingrubber · May 3, 2011

TheHabit said:
Go with what you know man, but canon and nikon offer alot of lenses. This is good because if you are professional you know friends who have canon and nikon glass which you will be able to share with one another. That is fine, unless your like me and don't like sharing your things .

The backwards compatibility, and in-body stabilization on the sony, make it worthy of a look in my opinion. I like being able to use any of my old pentax lenses on my body since they also have in-body stability. No matter what you get though, its gonna get the job done.

I also like the continuous auto focus in video mode. I am going to look at some of these cameras tomorrow at my local shop. I think it is between the A33, and T3i. The EVF may be a deal breaker for me as I have always used OVF's. I will definitely let you guys know tomorrow.

analog.universe · May 3, 2011

Sweet, good luck!

shootingrubber · May 3, 2011

Ok I am still not sure about the EVF, so tomorrow I am going to compare the T3i, D5100, and A33. As far as I can tell, the only advantage to the A33 is the burst shooting. Any last pieces of advice on which of these cameras I should go for?

shootingrubber · May 3, 2011

So I went to the store, but haven't bought anything yet. There is a T2i open box for $799, and the T3i is $999 with a bag, SD card, filter, and extra battery. The D5100, at a different store is $899, but I liked the feel of the Canon's better. All of these are with the basic kit lenses. I am not sure what to do. Should I get the $799 T2i (mind you it's not absolutely brand new), or the T3i with all those extras?

analog.universe · May 3, 2011

Do you like the bag? Is the filter of any respectable quality? How much would the battery and memory cost otherwise? The open box thing wouldn't phase me as long as it came with the same warranty. You just need to decide if you're getting $200 more worth of stuff in the other package. In most cases no filter is better than a crappy filter.

shootingrubber · May 3, 2011

So basically the guy at the store misinformed me about what actually comes as extras with the T3i. There are two stores and both offer different deals.

Anyways, the first store it comes with a Lowepro Apex 140, and a Sandisk Extreme Pro 8 GB Class I. Here is the link to that one: Canon Rebel T3i 18.0MP DSLR Camera Kit with 8GB SDHC Memory Card and Camera Bag : Digital SLR Packages - Future Shop

The second store offers the T3i with a bag, filter, and extra battery. Here is the link to that one. Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18MP DSLR With 18-55mm IS Lens Kit and Accessory Kit : DSLR Packages - Best Buy Canada. This one comes with what is so called the T2i/T3i accessory kit. Here is the link to that (the bag, UV filter, and battery): Canon T2i/T3i Accessory Kit : Digital Camera Kits - Best Buy Canada.

Let me know which you guys think is the better deal. I think the first store offers the better deal for my needs... BUT I am not sure if that is worth the extra $200 to me because of the open boxed T2i. I do like the swivel screen though lol. Too many decisions......