Beginning looking for DSLR under $600, particularly eyeing Canon T3 or Nikon D3000

CBroadbent · Jun 28, 2011

Hi everyone!

I'm in my summer before entering college, where I will be majoring in graphic design and minoring in marketing. I know it's a competitive field out there, so I'm trying to sharpen my skill set and experience any way that I can. I know that being at least moderately skilled in quality photography could be a useful way to supplement the rest of my work-- plus, I really like it! I'm looking for an entry-level DSLR that's under $600, preferably even $550 or below. I'd like a fairly well-rounded, general camera, though I do tend to do more posed shots than anything else.

I've been researching and researching and Googling and Googling, but I still feel pretty swamped... After all my searching, the two that pop out most to be are the Nikon D3000 (which I've found for $460) and the Canon Rebel T3 (which I've found for $550). Does anyone have any thoughts on either of these? If the T3 is much better than the D3000, is it $100 worth of better? Does anyone have any ideas of what could get me even more bang for my buck? I'm specifically looking for cameras that come with a starter lens. I just want something that will give me good value and will allow me to grow significantly with it-- something that I won't "outgrow" too quickly, if possible.

Any advice is very much appreciated! Thank you!

EDIT - I am open to buying a used camera from a reputable dealer, but it's a little scary since I know nothing about the process and I'm not sure how I would go about picking out a lens to go with my body.

Kerbouchard · Jun 28, 2011

Is there any particular type of photography you are specifically interested in, other than 'posed shots'?

At the lower teir, there is virtually no difference between Canon and Nikon. Both make a good indroductory DSLR. The best advice you are going to recieve on this forum is going to be go to a local store and handle them both. Look through the menus and get a feel for the external controls. Pick the one that feels best in your hand.

The second best advice would be to consider saving up a bit more, reading a few books, and when you are ready, purchase something you can grow into instead of something that you may grow out of relatively shortly. Whether or not you will grow out of an entry level DSLR depends on your desire to learn, and how much you throw yourself into your hobbies.

I am a Nikon shooter and can't comment on the Canon T3, but knowing what I know now, I would have been nothing but frustrated with a Nikon D3000 and am glad that I didn't go that route.

CBroadbent · Jun 28, 2011

Thank you for your help! I'm particularly interested in portrait photography, but I want something that can perform well in other areas too, in case, say, I want certain photographs to enhance a design project.

In terms of finding something to grow into, where does that range start? Can you think of any suggestions of a camera that would fall in that mid-range, so I know what level I'd be looking for?

Kerbouchard · Jun 28, 2011

CBroadbent said:
Thank you for your help! I'm particularly interested in portrait photography, but I want something that can perform well in other areas too, in case, say, I want certain photographs to enhance a design project.

In terms of finding something to grow into, where does that range start? Can you think of any suggestions of a camera that would fall in that mid-range, so I know what level I'd be looking for?

In the Nikon range, it starts around the D90/D7000. I'm not as familiar with the Canon range, but I believe it is somewhere around the 50d/60d. I don't want to imply that you can't take good portraits with a D3000. You can. It just might be a bit more work or additional accessories.

For instance, on the D90, one of things I found invaluable that I didn't even think mattered when I bought it was that the on camera flash can be used to control an external flash. This let me experiment with off camera flash relatively cheaply. It has a focus motor, so it let me buy an older pro lens for around $300 so I could see what the difference is. There are a lot of small nuances that if you think you are going to pursue photography or eventually add things like prime lenses or flashes, then it makes more sense to go with a slightly higher level of body.

If you are the type of shooter who wants to buy a camera body and the lens that comes with it and never buy anything else, then few of the advanced features will apply to you and you will be fine with one of the entry level offerings.