Beginner, Canon T3 or upgrade?

[provencowgirl]

I have been taking pictures since I was a kid on a SLR and I have had my Canon T3 for quite a while. I have a Canon kit lens, 55-250 STM and Canon 50mm Macro. I love the T3 but I am wondering if I should upgrade the body. I take a lot of pictures and I am just wondering if I should stick with it or upgrade to a newer Canon camera body.

I take photos of Animals ( wild and pets), people, nature ( flowers, scenery) and moving subjects the most.

 

[jovince3000]

I personally have the t3I camera body as my main (and only) camera body and I have had no problem in almost any kind of situation with it. If you haven't had any problem with it with what you are doing, I'd recommend keeping it.

Although, for macro shoots, if you are in a controlled environment it might not be a problem for you, but I often rented a 5D for his ISO capacity for when I was out of the studio and doing macro in nature. As the light is often an issue when shooting macro.

You might also have problem in other low light situation with the limited ISO capacity with the Rebels, I personally never go over 800 because bad chromatic aberrations, stuck pixels and un-bearing noise start appearing past this.

Ideally speaking, you may want something better if you have the budget, but if the problem I mentioned above never happened to you or you never felt like you've reached the camera's limit OFTEN when shooting common situation you're in. I'd recommend sticking with it.

Hope that help.

 

[provencowgirl]

Thank you that really did help! I have ran into low light problems that do require me to go over the 800 ISO which does suck because the pictures noise appear like you said but if I go under the picture just doesn't come out either.

 

[jovince3000]

I'm glad I was of help. I totally know where you're coming from. The best thing you could do is using a tripod and slow down the shutter speed in those moment when you're able to control what you're shooting. Sadly, in cases like indoor sport shooting and nature macro shooting ( to only name those two ), reducing shutter speed will lead to unwanted softness and blur in the image. Sadly (again, a lot of sadness here) there's no solution to that other than renting ( like I did up-till now) a camera body that has high ISO capability or bearing the harshness of life and putting your cents in a jar until you're able to buy it. You can also buy a faster lens ( that is, has wider aperture ) that will help, but that often happen to be in the same price range so I just recommend getting the body instead.

If you're finding yourself often in those low-light situation where you're grinding your teethes and roar at the sky, begging to have had a better camera. Yes. You might want to upgrade.

By the way, yes. I did roar at the sky a couple of time. Which is why I'm having this Jar. That wasn't a spur of the moment joke. *sigh*

 

[provencowgirl]

Well at least I know I am not the only one going through this! I just may have to start putting my cents in a jar.

 

[beagle100]

Thank you that really did help! I have ran into low light problems that do require me to go over the 800 ISO which does suck because the pictures noise appear like you said but if I go under the picture just doesn't come out either.

I don't know about the T3 but with the Canon 60D I can go up to ISO 6400 and beyond (just use a little PS "Neat Image" !)

Canon 60D

ISO 3200

 

[soufiej]

When you discuss image quality, there is probably no perceptible difference between your camera and a new Canon DSLR. Unless you are looking to do giant sized prints, maybe. Pixel count has gone up but that won't always impact your image quality. The Canon processor has been upgraded since your camera and that would make some slight difference. On a purely objective level, I see the sensor as a CD sitting on a shelf. Without a processing device, what do you get from a CD sitting on a shelf? The processor is, IMO, mainly responsible for the technical merits of the system yet the system can be no better than the CD/sensor allows. Keep in mind, most of the image quality comes from the processor once we remove the human element of photography*. Even then, there's still a lot of software between you and a finished print. Then realize the consumer level camera you own and the camera you would likely buy is marketed to a very broad base of users. The sensor and processor have improved but have those improvements really brought better quality for your use is the question to ask.

I'd put my money into better lenses/filters and keep the T3 if those were my choices. The only real world drawback to that scheme is whether you wish to remain a Canon user for the next decade or so. Once you've invested in a reasonable supply of Canon lenses, it's more difficult to break away from Canon in the future. A few of the other manufacturers have been gaining ground on the old standards and offer some very interesting alternatives. I'm personally not impressed by numbers alone so I am not seeing several of these companies as anything other than johnny come lately's trying to grab the less informed buyer with on paper specs. If I had the money and the desire for a new camera, though, I might be looking at the Fuji X100T right now. Keep the Canon as your all 'round DSLR along with the fixed lens Fuji as a team. Where Canon, Nikon, Sony, etc, have gone to great lengths to make their consumer level cameras rather sterile and robotic, the Fuji, by all accounts, is a camera which gets the shooter involved again in the process of taking great photos. Certainly, just handling a Canon/Fuji, Nikon/Fuji, Sony/Fuji, etc makes an impression. You'd have to do the same for yourself to see whether I'm right or wrong on that.

A few features have been added to the Canon line up which can make the process of taking a photo more efficient. The SL1's touch LCD screen is, IMO, very helpful even if it is fixed rather than articulated. With a nice compact body and a single focal length prime lens (the new 24 mm and the 40 mm primes are nice quality for not gobs o'cash), the SL1 can make for a very "pocketable" camera you can take virtually anywhere. Image quality though is more dependent on your capabilities than on the SL1's technical improvements over your camera.


Little improvement in Canon entry level DSLR s over the years Canon Rebel EOS 1200D-300D Talk Forum Digital Photography Review

You can use the dp site's side by side comparison page to look at your camera vs any other on a strictly numbers based evaluation; Side-by-side camera comparison Digital Photography Review

* "Add to that the little known fact that about 90% of our digital image is created by our processing software 3…"; The Optimum Digital Exposure - Luminous Landscape


Getting started with MagicLantern for Canon T3

Canon DLC Article Back-Button Auto Focus Explained

 

[provencowgirl]

wow beagle100 that photo is awesome!

wow thank you soufiej, you have given me a lot to think about and take into consideration. Those links were such a major help!

Thinking I may just stick with my T3 for now and continue to buy lens

 

[Derrel]

While Canon Rebel owner after owner talks about the ISO 800 ceiling and the limits that puts on real-wolrd shooting, Nikon crop-body owners are talking about and enjoying the freedom they find in having a modern sensor with usable ISOs in the 6,400 to 51,200 ranges (mostly for small, B&W images at 51k).... seriously...the Rebel series is using sensor technology that was developed in 2007 and 2008, then premiered in 2009, and which was iterated basically unchanged for five successive camera models...

The other thing: the small-finder, pentamirror cameras have much worse viewfinder images that the more-advanced cameras that use more costly, all-glass pentaprism viewfinder systems. There are many shooting situations in which a bigger, crisper, and significantly clearer viewfinder image has actual benefit to the photographer. A good example in the miniaturized Canon SL-1...OMG, the viewfinder on it is atrocious. Same with the mirrorless Sony A6000--looked at the Sony yesterday extensively, and the viewfinder in it...sucks. No other word for it...it sucks.

 

[jaomul]

You don't say if you shoot raw or jpeg. One thing that has improved on newer Canon models is jpeg processing. You may find if you shoot raw that other than resolution, your t3 will likely hold up well against newer Canon cameras, as mentioned above there hasn't been to much change in Canon sensors for a while, though the new 70d and 7d2 have some improvements.

If you only shoot jpegs I think you will see an improvement if you upgraded to a newer camera. It is often said that put your money in glass. Certainly that is true, good lenses bring the best out in any camera, but I think this statement was more true in film days. Camera tech is getting better all the time.

I suggest you look at the 60d, I still see them going cheap. That should give you a relatively low cost upgrade that should see improvements in jpegs, as well as a better to use camera.

You could also try processing raw shots if you don't already. Lightroom and various other software have better noise reduction set ups than most cameras.

 

[provencowgirl]

I shoot jpeg but I will try raw shots. Though I will still take a look at the 60d as well.

Out of curiosity though as I have always owned Canon camera's, how do Nikon DSLR's hold up against canon?

 

[jaomul]

I shoot jpeg but I will try raw shots. Though I will still take a look at the 60d as well.

Out of curiosity though as I have always owned Canon camera's, how do Nikon DSLR's hold up against canon?

This is asked over and over. Just know they both do good cameras. You have 3 lenses that will be useless if you swap brands, and you'll have to learn Nikon menues instead of canon

 

[Overread]

I shoot jpeg but I will try raw shots. Though I will still take a look at the 60d as well.

Out of curiosity though as I have always owned Canon camera's, how do Nikon DSLR's hold up against canon?

My impression is that at present Nikon has the better sensors for noise performance. Thing is 5 or so years ago it was Canon who was THE best in sensors and Nikon couldn't keep up. So as you can see it changes and it can change very fast. That's why chasing the latest brand isn't always the best battle.



I would say the best thing is to sit down and write down clearly what you feel is wrong with your current setup. What you feel you're missing shots for; what you dislike; what you would like to do that you feel you can't etc....
Also write about what is good; what you like and what your system does for you.

The idea is to put your criteria on the table clearly. To ascertain what you feel your weaknesses are - to show a few photos; get a little feedback and start to see which area of equipment would be the best to invest into (taking into account your budget as well - even if its only a rough value).

It could be a new camera body is just what you need; or might be a new lens will give you a bigger gain; or flash; or a tripod; lighting reflectors etc...


PS - your cameras MAX ISO is the highest ISO it goes to. Not 400, not 800, not 1600. If your lighting means that you need to go higher on the ISO to get the aperture and shutter speed you need for a good exposure - then take the ISO higher.

Yes higher means more noise; but a good exposure will have less noise at a higher ISO than an underexposed photo at a lower ISO which is then brightened up in editing.

Many people get hooked on the "keep the ISO low" advice and coupled with a lack of understanding high ISO noise reduction workflow its very easy to get into a rut where you think your camera just can't do high ISO. In truth I find that the best thing is to chuck the "keep the ISO low" advice out the window when starting out.
It's good advice, but its secondary advice to take into account when you've the choice to change the ISO; rather than primary advice which dictates the choice first. Instead I'd put more weight into aperture and shutterspeed; then read tutorials on high ISO noise reduction and sharpening.

 

[provencowgirl]

Thank you both. I was just curious as to how Nikon holds up but I will always be a canon person ( brand loyalty what can I say)

I like the idea of showing some photo's and getting feedback. I feel it is also nice to get opinions as you may not see something someone else might as well, like you said, they can help point out if it looks like a body upgrade would help, lens, tripod, etc.

So glad I found this site!! Thanks all, I will take your advice Overread! As well as try my hand at raw shoots.

 

[provencowgirl]

And I just thought about this, when I bought my T3 it had been a display model at a store since it had came out, is that something I should take into consideration? I have had it for about 6 months and it was on display from the time it came out till I bought it.