Problems with Rebel XS and What to Upgrade to?

[TaraK429]

Hi Thanks for the help in advance! My friend and I were taking pictures of our kids the other day. I use a Rebel XS, she uses a Rebel T3i. We had the exact same lenses on and all of our settings were identical! The ISO, shutter speed, white balance, aperture, everything was the same (even the lenses!), but her photos were coming out exactly how they should look, and mine were horrible and super dark! We were taking the photos at the same time and we were sitting right next to each other. Is this because her camera is much newer/better than mine? I looked online to compare the two and I couldn't find many differences. Any idea what was going on here?

Also, I've had this Rebel xs for about 4 1/2 years now, and I would like to upgrade asap. Budget isn't an enormous issue but I'd like to stay under 2k, but I don't know where to even start to find out what is best for me! I ended up with the XS cause it was a deal on Black Friday, and this time I'd like to really research and find what is best for me! I am not interested in taking video, I just would like to take awesome pics of my kids/dogs and beach shots! I have SEVERAL lenses for my xs (about 10!!) and I'd like to make sure they work with the new camera also, this is extremely important to me. Any help you can offer me would be awesome! I really appreciate your time in reading my post!

 

[TCampbell]

I'm suspicious that the settings, etc. were not actually the "same" and there may have been something overlooked.

If you both take a photo in PLENTY of light (e.g. think outside... sunny day) then neither camera will struggle to get that shot. You can both use ISO 100, f/16, and 1/100th and they should both appear to be about the same.

But in low light... her camera is going to exceed what your camera can do. When your camera is using it's highest ISO setting it'll have a lot of image noise... but HER camera will have considerably less noise at the same ISO setting and her camera will be able to using much higher ISO settings than your camera will allow.

Suppose you were both using auto ISO... her camera would do better while your camera would end up with a darker & noisier image. But keep in mind the two cameras would not _really_ be using the same setting ('auto' isn't a specific setting... it just means you're leaving it up to the camera to choose the setting. But the camera can only pick a setting within it's limits.)

 

[jaomul]

I assume if both your settings were exact that ye were comparing. If indeed your camera is giving trouble and you need to update, any crop canon dslr should be ok for your lenses (this may not be entirely true if some of your lenses are third party as some later models and older third party lenses are not always compatable). If your lenses are EF lenses any canon dslr can use them, if EF-S only crop 1.6 cameras can use them, (basically xxxxd, xxxd, xxd and the 7d).

2000 is quite a sum and without knowing your level or anything i am tempted to say that you don't need to spend that to majorly upgrade over your current camera. Could you post a list of your lenses and those here can give more informed advice. I would say though that the 60d sounds like a very strong contender for an upgrade

 

[Derrel]

The Nikon D7100 is the HOT, new consumer d-slr with amazing image quality, small size, and a very high-performance sensor. I see this was posted in the Canon section...did not see that when I posted. Still, that's my suggestion after you've already served an apprenticeship of 4.5 years with a Rebel, it's now time to step up to a camera that's truly an upgrade AND which has modern sensor technology, not 3-generations behind, old sensor tech in it, the way most of Canon's mid-line has been allowed to sag to. As Thom Hogan mentioned this week, Canon has allowed their APS-C cameras to just spin in Neutral, continually regurgitating basically the same-old, same-old 17.9 MP sensored camera, with zero innovation. All the T's and the i's in the names, and the Rebels and the long-running 7D and 60D....they're just coasting in the mid-segment.

 

[KmH]

The ISO, shutter speed, white balance, aperture, everything was the same (even the lenses!),

Same metering mode? Same Exposure compensation?

It sounds like your camera had some minus exposure compensation set.

There are many differences between a Canon XS and a Canon T3i
• image sensors (10 MP/18 MP
• image processors (DIGIC III/DIGIC 4)
• metering sensors (TTL 35-zone SPC/TTL 63-zone SPC)
• your XS does not have Spot metering mode. The T3i does.

just to point out a few of the differences

 

[goodguy]

Since you are already invested in 10 lenses then obviously you need to stay with Canon.
Canon currently is in a position that it is offering same old sensor in all its cropped sensor cameras, new cameras should come out soon so if you can wait I would say wait.

In your price range is the Canon 6D which is an outstanding full frame camera.
Check to see if your lenses work with full frame then that's the camera you want.

If you don't want to wait and will not go with the 6D then the only camera I think I would recommend is the T4i, its a good solid camera and I love its touch screen.