Please Help Me Pick A Camera!!!

jennimilam · Dec 20, 2011

I am very new to the photography world & am trying hard to research a camera. However sense I know nothing about it, I am having a hard time commiting the money into a camera when, like i said, I know nothing about it!!

I have done a little research & talked to a few people & keep coming back to the Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP.

So, I am desperately asking for suggestions! & w/ your suggestions I ask that you dummy it down as much as possible, bc again like I said, I KNOW NOTHING!!

Thanks in advance!

philvenphoto · Dec 21, 2011

You might take a look at the Nikon D5100 and D3100. Both are beginner level DSLRs and have lots of features to grow into. Both are available with lens kits and can be had for under $1000 as a kit.

Joey_Ricard · Dec 23, 2011

Canon EOS series you can grow with and share lenses when and if you decide to upgrade.

kamerageek · Dec 23, 2011

Canon or Nikon really comes down to personal choice for a beginner. The thing to keep in mind is that once you pick a brand, you will probably commit to it for a long time to come as you add gear to and upgrade your kit over time.

The best advice I can give you is go visit a local camera store; not a big box electronics store. Pick out a few cameras you like and play with them. Consider how the cameras feel in your hands and how well you can read the information in the viewfinder and manage the controls. Ask the sales staff in the store to help you with basic tasks like setting the focus point and turning the internal flash on and off.

You'll likely buy a kit (a camera body and a lens). Make sure the kit you choose comes with a quality lens. The store staff should be willing to help you with this choice as well. You'll probably get more and better lenses over time, but your first lens is important. Make sure it provides enough zoom range for what you want to photograph. The last kit I bought came with a 17-85mm lens and it was versatile enough for the photos I was shooting at the time. Consider whether you need shake reduction (IS for Canon, VR for Nikon).

Picking a camera is a big decision is you are going to seriously pursue photography. It's hard to give you a good perspective in a forum if you're just starting out.

Good luck.

APHPHOTO · Dec 24, 2011

Read,read and read some more. Its amazing how much you can learn by reading replies from questions. Know the terminology of photography and their accessories. The more you know, the more you will understand it in making a body, lense choice. Just remember when you decide on brand, you'll be with it for a long time as it becomes an investment. When deciding on lense choice, buy good glass because they will interchange as you upgrade to a better body.Good luck.

argieramos · Dec 26, 2011

If you want great Image quality and cheap price, I would suggest the Nikon D5100. T3i sensor is outdated and not that good in todays standard. but it also depends on how good you are as a photographer. I would also suggest Sony SLT cameras that has built-in IS in the body, unlike Canon and Nikon that IS is in the lens and very pricey. Sony DSLT also use Minolta lenses which are cheaper than Nikon and Canon lenses, but as good or better in performance

brooknooga · Dec 26, 2011

I just pi

brooknooga · Dec 26, 2011

I just ordered the d5100 after weeks for research and waiting for a good price. The other contenders: T3i, Gh2 (if you can find one) and older used D90. I got the d5100 for 649.00 refurb, which was a great price and came with the kit 18-55 mm lens. I'm now looking to buy either a used prime 35mm 1.8 or used 50mm 1.4 lens. I see myself being the resident photographer in the family and don't mind carrying gear so figure spending the extra money I saved on the camera to drop on a decent lens to build on. Any suggestions from the veterans?

Dillard · Dec 26, 2011

I LOVE the 35 1.8, great lens!

xzoup · Dec 26, 2011

I use a canon 7D, I will probably wait and see what canon comes up with nextbefore I buy again. If I were to switch brands I would probably go with a nikon 7000, I tested one out and the image is great but it doesn't feel as beefy and sturdy as my canon and the auto focus or shutterspeed seems slower. I'm just use to canons and the canon controls.

KmH · Dec 27, 2011

argieramos said:
If you want great Image quality and cheap price, I would suggest the Nikon D5100. T3i sensor is outdated and not that good in todays standard. but it also depends on how good you are as a photographer. I would also suggest Sony SLT cameras that has built-in IS in the body, unlike Canon and Nikon that IS is in the lens and very pricey. Sony DSLT also use Minolta lenses which are cheaper than Nikon and Canon lenses, but as good or better in performance

The T3i image sensor is as current as the D5100 image sensor, is not outdated, and is indeed up to today's standards.
The T3i was launched 2/2011, and the D5100 was launched 4/2011.

In-the-camera IS, like Sony and some makers use, has both advantages and disadvantages compared to in-the-lens IS like Nikon and Canon have.O
ne of the primary disadvantages of moving the image sensor itself (in-the-camera IS) is that the image projected to the viewfinder is not stabilized. Another disadvantage of in-the-camera IS is the image projected to a phase-detection autofocus system is not stabilized.

Sony bought Konica Minolta's camera business in 2006. The older Minolta lenses that can be used on a Sony DSLR today cost about the same as the older Nikon and Canon lenses that can be used on Nikon and Canon cameras. Nikon has not changed their lens mount since 1959. Canon has had several incompatiable lens mount designs in the same time frame. Since 2003 Canon has had 2 lens mount designs, the EF (introduced in 1987) and the EF-S (2003).

Be aware that Sony inherited a non-standard flash unit hot shoe design from Konica Minolta limiting the choice of hot shoe flash units and hot shoe accessories.

KmH · Dec 27, 2011

The Nikon 35 mm f/1.8 lens is an inexpensive consumer grade lens.

Nikon AF-S 35mm F1.8G DX Lens Review: 4. Conclusion & samples: Digital Photography Review

Conclusion - Pros

Excellent image quality when stopped down just a little

Fast and accurate autofocus with full-time manual override

Generally attractive rendition of out-of-focus regions ('bokeh')

Resistant to flare

Low price

Conclusion - Cons

Slightly soft and low in contrast wide open

Lateral chromatic aberration somewhat higher than traditional 50mm 'standard' primes

Prone to purple fringing and bokeh chromatic aberration, most visible at large apertures

argieramos · Dec 28, 2011

KmH said:
The T3i image sensor is as current as the D5100 image sensor, is not outdated, and is indeed up to today's standards.
The T3i was launched 2/2011, and the D5100 was launched 4/2011.

In-the-camera IS, like Sony and some makers use, has both advantages and disadvantages compared to in-the-lens IS like Nikon and Canon have.O
ne of the primary disadvantages of moving the image sensor itself (in-the-camera IS) is that the image projected to the viewfinder is not stabilized. Another disadvantage of in-the-camera IS is the image projected to a phase-detection autofocus system is not stabilized.

Sony bought Konica Minolta's camera business in 2006. The older Minolta lenses that can be used on a Sony DSLR today cost about the same as the older Nikon and Canon lenses that can be used on Nikon and Canon cameras. Nikon has not changed their lens mount since 1959. Canon has had several incompatiable lens mount designs in the same time frame. Since 2003 Canon has had 2 lens mount designs, the EF (introduced in 1987) and the EF-S (2003).

Be aware that Sony inherited a non-standard flash unit hot shoe design from Konica Minolta limiting the choice of hot shoe flash units and hot shoe accessories.

Canon T3i was released this year, but the sensor itself is old. It is using the same sensor found in 7D. I guess it is not that old, but the fact remain that it perform poor compare to the sensor found in today's top performing APS-C cameras IQ-wise (Sony a580,NEX-7, Nikon D7000,D5100, Pentax K-5)

Advantages of lens IS are it work a bit better and stabilized in VF. I dont see how it affects the phase-detection AF system though. Care to explain a bit more?

Advantages of in-body IS are; Cheaper lenses compare to their IS counterpart and any lens you use with the IS camera will become Image Stabilized lens.

Be also aware that there are hotshoe adaptor for Sony/Minolta. It is not a problem