Help deciding on a camera and lens

kalin0121

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I love photography and have been thinking of purchasing a DLSR for over a year now. I didn't realize how difficult it would be on my budget. First I couldn't decide between Nikon or canon. I have decided on canon unless anyone has advise on why I should go with Nikon. Now I'm trying to decide between the EOS T3i or the EOS T2i? Should I purchase one that comes as a kit or body only? What lenses are best? I like to photograph kids, animals, landscape, and some macro like small insects and stuff. What are the best generic lenses?
My budget is no more than $1000
Thanks for any help you can give!!
 
Welcome to the forum.

Not a whole lot of difference between entry level Nikons and entry level Canons.
Probably, the best thing to do is just to buy the kit with whatever 'kit' lens is comes with. They aren't the best lenses, but they are still a good match for the camera and a good starting point that won't cost you an arm and a leg.

After you use the camera & lens for a while, you'll have a much better idea if you want or need something else or something different.
 
Big Mike said:
Welcome to the forum.

Not a whole lot of difference between entry level Nikons and entry level Canons.
Probably, the best thing to do is just to buy the kit with whatever 'kit' lens is comes with. They aren't the best lenses, but they are still a good match for the camera and a good starting point that won't cost you an arm and a leg.

After you use the camera & lens for a while, you'll have a much better idea if you want or need something else or something different.

Thank you! Do you know what the best generic lens brand is?
 
Big Mike said:
Welcome to the forum.

Not a whole lot of difference between entry level Nikons and entry level Canons.
Probably, the best thing to do is just to buy the kit with whatever 'kit' lens is comes with. They aren't the best lenses, but they are still a good match for the camera and a good starting point that won't cost you an arm and a leg.

After you use the camera & lens for a while, you'll have a much better idea if you want or need something else or something different.

Thank you! Do you know what the best generic lens brand is?

The best generic lens brands are Sigma and Tamron but like Mike was saying, get the kit lens that comes with the Canon or Nikon. You will love it. They are not real expensive. Usually less than $200, sometimes only $100 purchased with the body as a kit. It will be a respective Canon or Nikon lens. It will have very good image quality. It might just be all you'll ever need. A lot of advice here at TPF is pro advice from pro's. They like the best stuff, the expensive stuff.
 
flatflip said:
The best generic lens brands are Sigma and Tamron but like Mike was saying, get the kit lens that comes with the Canon or Nikon. You will love it. They are not real expensive. Usually less than $200, sometimes only $100 purchased with the body as a kit. It will be a respective Canon or Nikon lens. It will have very good image quality. It might just be all you'll ever need. A lot of advice here at TPF is pro advice from pro's. They like the best stuff, the expensive stuff.

Thanks great advise!
 
Start with the kit lens see what you really shot the most. Between the 2 I personally like the Nikon specs more but not the handling just don't fit me like the canon's do.
 
I am a Canon user and one of the things with the entry level Nikon's is you don't have a focus motor in the body so you have less choice of lenses if you are looking at older lenses nor do they meter through the lens like the higher end Nikons. While all the Canons do both of these. Also the Canon mount allows for adapting most 35mm and quite a few medium format lenses. This can open a whole different world for you. I love using older lenses, granted you have to manual focus them and stop down to meter, but I have some beautiful lenses that I can't afford their modern equivalents. Also the Nikon lenses are more expensive than the Canon equivalents. Other than this - whichever you are more comfortable with. Just my opinion.
 
dennisgg said:
I am a Canon user and one of the things with the entry level Nikon's is you don't have a focus motor in the body so you have less choice of lenses if you are looking at older lenses nor do they meter through the lens like the higher end Nikons. While all the Canons do both of these. Also the Canon mount allows for adapting most 35mm and quite a few medium format lenses. This can open a whole different world for you. I love using older lenses, granted you have to manual focus them and stop down to meter, but I have some beautiful lenses that I can't afford their modern equivalents. Also the Nikon lenses are more expensive than the Canon equivalents. Other than this - whichever you are more comfortable with. Just my opinion.

Thanks! Do you know if old 35mm minolta lens can be adapted to fit a canon?
 
Honestly, you can get just about anything to fit a Canon. Even nikon! (Yes, there is a $200 adapter to fit Nikon lenses on a Canon! I doubt you'll ever need it anyways but, well, it's there) I highly reccomend Canon, but I am a little biased, because everyone in my family shoots Canon. Also, if you don't mind getting a lightly used camera, you could probably find a reeeally nice camera on eBay dirt cheap. I bought my 20D on eBay for like $250... Almost brand new. Got 2 decent lenses pretty cheap too. Honestly, I suggest you do what I did; get a 20D-40D on eBay for under $400, and have enough money leftover to get a couple nice lenses and a good flash!

Note: my 20D doesn't have a lot of features of newer cameras (its almost 8 years old!) But honestly, they aren't necessary for good pictures. This thing works great, its reliable, and it gets good pictures. You don't need any of the "fluff" that newer cameras have like video and other such nonsense (chances are, you'll hardly use it)

Best of luck to you! :)
 
The T2i is on sale at Amazon with the 18-55 IS lens for $615. I just got mine. There are better lenses available but the kit lens is a good starter. That's why it's the kit lens! The T3i is @100$ more and the only diff is the swivel screen. How often do you plan to use live view shooting? Most never do it. That's p&S stuff. Plus the swivel seems like it might be the first piece to break on the 3.
 
Beast95 said:
Honestly, you can get just about anything to fit a Canon.
You don't need any of the "fluff" that newer cameras have like video and other such nonsense (chances are, you'll hardly use it)
Best of luck to you! :)

Do you know what i would need to adapt old minolta lenses to a canon?
Thanks!
 
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Thanks for all the advise! Im leaning towards canon because of the feel. The Nikon feels heavier in front (I guess because of the Nikon lens being heavier than canon lenses).

Now I'm trying to decide on:
Canon EOS T3i or T1i?
I left out the T2i because there is only about a $100 price difference between it and the T3i. However there is a significant price difference between the T1i and the T3i. I'm not much into video but like the option. Is it worth it to go ahead and go with the T3i or should I go with the T1i and use the money saved on a new lens due to my budget ($1000)?
 
Hampster said:
Plus the swivel seems like it might be the first piece to break on the 3.

I also thought the same thing about the swivel screen. Seems like one wrong move and you end up with a broken or wobbly screen.
 
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I would suggest to go for T3i against T1i. I use articulate screen often when you are taking shots in a crowded event at an angle. However, agree it would be prone to damage, but to think of that, one can be careless enough to drop the camera too.....
Would feel to choose the most recent piece among the given budget & technology as you will not be swapping the bodies frequently.
Enjoy your shots.. Canon over Nikon in this segment is definitely a Yes....
 

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