Need advice on 1st DSLR purchase and lens

[theraven871]

Is there much of a difference between the Canon T3 and the T3i?

 

[Gavjenks]

Am I to understand that Canon and Nikon lens' are not interchangeable?

Since nobody seemd to have directly addressed this:

No, they are certainly not just trivially interchangeable (you couldn't take one off and put it on the other camera straight up in either direction).

However, Nikon lenses can be cheaply used on Canon bodies, with no optical drawbacks, via the use of a mechanical converter for the lens mount (~$70 for a decent basic one). However, you will be limited to manual focus and manual aperture. Since modern digital nikon lenses do not have aperture rings, this means those lenses will be extraordinarily difficult or impossible to use. Although I believe there is actually an adapter that lets you control aperture manually for G-series lenses, but I've never tried it.

In other words, if you use an adapter, you're pretty much restricted to older full manual lenses with aperture rings, and then of course manually focusing them.

And as for the reverse, Canon lenses CANNOT be used on Nikon bodies at all. There are adapters, but they need to add extra lenses to optically modify the image to allow focusing at infinity (you can't focus at infinity otherwise since the Nikon mount is physically further from the sensor). These lenses will degrade the quality of your image some degree no matter what, even if very well made. And the cheaper ones will butcher your image quality.

 

[Derrel]

I would buy a cheap Canon and a modest zoom lens and see how you like it. The T3i that brunerw above suggests is about the price point I'd say to shoot for. The Canon system has ample lens and equipment choices for portrait/people, nature/landscape, and macro. As Gavjenks points out, Nikon mount lenses can be used on Canon EOS bodies (with some limitations in convenience/metering/focusing). The current adapter that allows G-series Nikkors to be used on Canon bodies runs about $119 or so from FotoDiox, and is well-made, and fits very nicely. It gives basically 7 click-stopped aperture settings that are repeatable. I bought one, and am pleased with it.

I think the T3i and 18-135 would be a nice start for you. Add a Tamron 90mm AF-SP macro lens.

 

[theraven871]

It seems to me that there is no critical reason why I should choose one camera over the other.
I have heard of zero issues with either and it would seem that it completely boils down to preference.

Not only that, but since I plan to purchases several lenses; I will most likely be "locked in" to whatever brand I initially choose.
With this in mind, perhaps I should be asking which of the higher end DSLRs people prefer between these two brands?

 

[theraven871]

Am I to understand that Canon and Nikon lens' are not interchangeable?

Since nobody seemd to have directly addressed this:

No, they are certainly not just trivially interchangeable (you couldn't take one off and put it on the other camera straight up in either direction).

However, Nikon lenses can be cheaply used on Canon bodies, with no optical drawbacks, via the use of a mechanical converter for the lens mount (~$70 for a decent basic one). However, you will be limited to manual focus and manual aperture. Since modern digital nikon lenses do not have aperture rings, this means those lenses will be extraordinarily difficult or impossible to use. Although I believe there is actually an adapter that lets you control aperture manually for G-series lenses, but I've never tried it.

In other words, if you use an adapter, you're pretty much restricted to older full manual lenses with aperture rings, and then of course manually focusing them.

And as for the reverse, Canon lenses CANNOT be used on Nikon bodies at all. There are adapters, but they need to add extra lenses to optically modify the image to allow focusing at infinity (you can't focus at infinity otherwise since the Nikon mount is physically further from the sensor). These lenses will degrade the quality of your image some degree no matter what, even if very well made. And the cheaper ones will butcher your image quality.

This was very helpful information. Thank you!

 

[theraven871]

Also, if it makes any difference, my father is currently shooting with a Canon EOS 6D

If you decide to upgrade to a full frame 5D or 6D later, your EF-S glass will be unusable.

This was good to know, thank you!