first DSLR - looking at T3i.. but what else should i look at?

[theregoesjb]

I think im settled on canon, I have always liked my canon power shots and my dad has a canon eos XT that i like.

I have been looking at the T3i but have also seen the 60D, T2i, and T3. Obviously id love to be convinced to spring for the 60D but id love to hear some rational opinions on the real value differences from anyone who is more familier with canons lineup.

This is my first DSLR and I plan to buy the body only and probably get the canon 1.8 50mm lens to start myself off with. I do design work and a nice camera is always more helpful but this is primarily a hobby, so a part of me thinks going for the T3i is already going a bit higher end than i need. But because its a hobby i dont see myself upgrading the body anytime soon. So maybe it makes more sense to spend more on the body now, which is what draws my attention even further up the line to the 60D for higher fps and battery life (the rotating adjustment dial would also be nice).

This may not be a purchase i make very soon, depending where i end up on researching different cameras i could wait another 6 months to just wait for newer models to be released or current models to drop in price.

One of my problems looking at these is the price difference between them. the T3 is about 370.00 then the T2i at 600, the t3i at 660, and the 60D at 870(800 refurb). it seems so easy to look at the t2i and say why not spend another 60$ on the T3i but at the same time maybe spending 200$ less on the T3 is just fine for me?

i appreciate any opinions!

 

[ISO]

What will you use it for? I got the t2i 2 weeks ago, it's awesome, I've been on a cheap P&S for years, manual control is heavenly.

The t3i only has a few "Extras" compared to the t2i, wasn't worth the extra dough in my case.

 

[jaomul]

It's hard to recommend you a camera here.Also you seem to have your research done so this might be of limited use. If your hobby includes shooting sports etc I would count the t3 out simply because of its ability to not shoot to many shots in sequence(if you decide raw) also it does not (I think) have spot metering which i like for contrasting light subjects.However if you like day to day stuff it will be fine

The t2i is nice (from experience),while the t3i is pimped t2i, if the rotating screen is worth 60 its the better option. For the price diff I would choose the newer model which has some internal photo editing options also.

Is the 60D worth the extra money? if you have big hands it is, if you shoot sports or fast moving subjects (kids as well) I think it is. It has a better focus system which helps you take more keepers and has a more friendly user experience.
Its probably not nice to hear but getting everything right, you probably wouldn't be able to tell which camera took a shot. The expensive ones don't necessarily have better image quality

 

[theregoesjb]

right now i have a canon powershot SX130 is. I had the SX120 is before that. Great cameras for a P&S and has full manual plus 12x zoom but limited in low light i think. I use it mostly for taking outdoor pictures, either landscape around new england or architecture, or whatever i come across, usually things I think would make a great picture, haha. For work i take site photos, mostly waterfront/coastal stuff. I think i can rule out the 60D pretty easy.

 

[analog.universe]

The biggest difference between the 60D and T3i is the interface, they both have the same sensor. The 60D is physically larger however, and covered in dedicated controls. To access the same controls on the T3i, you need to either use button combinations or get into the menus. Additionally the viewfinder on the 60D is much higher quality. In the end you can take the same quality shot with both of them, but for the extra $100 or whatever it is, the decision was a no brainer for me. The interface on the 60D makes it a much much more usable camera. The T3i feels like a lot of compromises were made to make it small, not even to make it cheap. (as it's not actually even much cheaper)

 

[dylanstraub]

What will you use it for? I got the t2i 2 weeks ago, it's awesome, I've been on a cheap P&S for years, manual control is heavenly.

The t3i only has a few "Extras" compared to the t2i, wasn't worth the extra dough in my case.

I'll have to second that. When I looked closely at the specs I couldn't justify purchasing the T3i at a higher price when I could buy the T2i for 150.00 less (used in very good condition).

 

[Mike K]

I haven't compared the ones you're considering (except by reading reviews) but LOVE my 60D. Post #3, above, is a good comparison. I think the only thing that might make me happier would be a full frame camera. At the rate prices are dropping maybe I'll do that in a year or two.

 

[12sndsgood]

althought im not familar with the cannon line. your way of approaching things is similar to mine. if its a hobby and you dont think you will feel the need to upgrade down the line i would say go for the higher end line. that is what i normally do. this time for some reason i didnt do that and after a year or so im allready wanting to upgrade.