Purchasing a canon t3...advice?

[07Vios]

I shot my friends' wedding in the middle of a Yosemite tourist spot (yeah, made taking and framing pics very hard) using a Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 (which had a slight front focus problem with my particular T2i body, at that time, the only lens I had was the 18-55 kit lens). Here are a few of shots to show you how a T2i is (linking from my facebook, so the image quality is degraded):

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Wow...those are still really good. But what if I were to use a nice flash? Would that help? Im 16 so i cant afford the t2i just yet

Thanks, honestly, out of all the pictures I took for their wedding, I think I only liked one (of my friends, not of things like rings and the like), which wasn't either of those two. The ring shot was decent, but I couldn't get it to stand up if I wanted that particular page of the bible to show.

As for using a flash, not all churches will let you use flashes. So your only choice would be to crank up the ISO and/or use a fast lens.

 

[Danny_511]

Honestly, no offense, just trying to help you avoid getting flamed. Your not ready for weddings.

If it was for me, no offense taken. However, if it was for me, how would you know if I was ready for weddings? Have you seen my work?? Just because I dont want to spend 700 on my first dslr doesnt mean I don't know what im doing. Im just tired of using my co-workers.

 

[Danny_511]

I shot my friends' wedding in the middle of a Yosemite tourist spot (yeah, made taking and framing pics very hard) using a Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 (which had a slight front focus problem with my particular T2i body, at that time, the only lens I had was the 18-55 kit lens). Here are a few of shots to show you how a T2i is (linking from my facebook, so the image quality is degraded):

View attachment 37493

View attachment 37494

View attachment 37495

Wow...those are still really good. But what if I were to use a nice flash? Would that help? Im 16 so i cant afford the t2i just yet

Thanks, honestly, out of all the pictures I took for their wedding, I think I only liked one (of my friends, not of things like rings and the like), which wasn't either of those two. The ring shot was decent, but I couldn't get it to stand up if I wanted that particular page of the bible to show.

As for using a flash, not all churches will let you use flashes. So your only choice would be to crank up the ISO and/or use a fast lens.

I got a f/1.4 that was handed down to me by one of my co-workers for being the new guy

 

[07Vios]

Wow...those are still really good. But what if I were to use a nice flash? Would that help? Im 16 so i cant afford the t2i just yet

Thanks, honestly, out of all the pictures I took for their wedding, I think I only liked one (of my friends, not of things like rings and the like), which wasn't either of those two. The ring shot was decent, but I couldn't get it to stand up if I wanted that particular page of the bible to show.

As for using a flash, not all churches will let you use flashes. So your only choice would be to crank up the ISO and/or use a fast lens.

I got a f/1.4 that was handed down to me by one of my co-workers for being the new guy

I'm assuming a 50mm f1.4? That can work. My friend uses that lens, and borrows my 85mm f1.8 when shooting wedding gigs. Some churches will make you wallpaper and say you have to stay at the walls and cannot go anywhere else to shoot. Pretty stupid, but some churches do have that rule. So those lenses won't work, unless you crop a little. At that point, you'll probably need a 70-200mm f2.8 lens and a strong flash (if they will allow that).

 

[Danny_511]

Thanks, honestly, out of all the pictures I took for their wedding, I think I only liked one (of my friends, not of things like rings and the like), which wasn't either of those two. The ring shot was decent, but I couldn't get it to stand up if I wanted that particular page of the bible to show.

As for using a flash, not all churches will let you use flashes. So your only choice would be to crank up the ISO and/or use a fast lens.

I got a f/1.4 that was handed down to me by one of my co-workers for being the new guy

I'm assuming a 50mm f1.4? That can work. My friend uses that lens, and borrows my 85mm f1.8 when shooting wedding gigs. Some churches will make you wallpaper and say you have to stay at the walls and cannot go anywhere else to shoot. Pretty stupid, but some churches do have that rule. So those lenses won't work, unless you crop a little. At that point, you'll probably need a 70-200mm f2.8 lens and a strong flash (if they will allow that).

Dude I really appreciate the help...

 

[07Vios]

But for outdoor weddings, I think a T2i or a T3 would be sufficient. I'm assuming you'll be shooting paid gigs, so I would go no lower than a T2i. A T4i or 60D might be better choices since they have cross-type points for all AF points whereas the T2i only has a center cross-type. So I'm going to assume the T4i and 60D will autofocus quicker and more accurately than the T2i if you use an AF point that's not the center. But the T4i and 60D are more expensive. Lowest I've seen a refurbed body go was mid to high 500's for both.

 

[07Vios]

I got a f/1.4 that was handed down to me by one of my co-workers for being the new guy

I'm assuming a 50mm f1.4? That can work. My friend uses that lens, and borrows my 85mm f1.8 when shooting wedding gigs. Some churches will make you wallpaper and say you have to stay at the walls and cannot go anywhere else to shoot. Pretty stupid, but some churches do have that rule. So those lenses won't work, unless you crop a little. At that point, you'll probably need a 70-200mm f2.8 lens and a strong flash (if they will allow that).

Dude I really appreciate the help...

No problem =D

 

[Danny_511]

But for outdoor weddings, I think a T2i or a T3 would be sufficient. I'm assuming you'll be shooting paid gigs, so I would go no lower than a T2i. A T4i or 60D might be better choices since they have cross-type points for all AF points whereas the T2i only has a center cross-type. So I'm going to assume the T4i and 60D will autofocus quicker and more accurately than the T2i if you use an AF point that's not the center. But the T4i and 60D are more expensive. Lowest I've seen a refurbed body go was mid to high 500's for both.

A t4i? I wish...but im saving up. A t4i or a 60d is at the top of my list

 

[07Vios]

But for outdoor weddings, I think a T2i or a T3 would be sufficient. I'm assuming you'll be shooting paid gigs, so I would go no lower than a T2i. A T4i or 60D might be better choices since they have cross-type points for all AF points whereas the T2i only has a center cross-type. So I'm going to assume the T4i and 60D will autofocus quicker and more accurately than the T2i if you use an AF point that's not the center. But the T4i and 60D are more expensive. Lowest I've seen a refurbed body go was mid to high 500's for both.

A t4i? I wish...but im saving up. A t4i or a 60d is at the top of my list

5D3 would be the top of my list, but that won't be for a long time since I gotta pay off my student loans now that I graduated.

 

[Justman1020]

Honestly, no offense, just trying to help you avoid getting flamed. Your not ready for weddings.

If it was for me, no offense taken. However, if it was for me, how would you know if I was ready for weddings? Have you seen my work?? Just because I dont want to spend 700 on my first dslr doesnt mean I don't know what im doing. Im just tired of using my co-workers.

The reason I say your probably not ready for weddings, is because a t3 as I said, is an entry level camera. It's not something I would use at a wedding. Ever. Why? Because of the ISO performance. The lack of features. Exc.
wedding photographers spend thousands of $ on their gear because they know that they need certain Lens's. they know how to predict what is coming next in a wedding. They know how fast pace weddings are. The advice you will recieve is "volunteer to help someone shoot a few weddings...see what it's like."
As I said no offense, but I'm trying to keep you from being flamed. That's what happens when people say well,
I have (insert entry camera) and I got hired to shoot a wedding for 3500$..."

 

[Justman1020]

But for outdoor weddings, I think a T2i or a T3 would be sufficient. I'm assuming you'll be shooting paid gigs, so I would go no lower than a T2i. A T4i or 60D might be better choices since they have cross-type points for all AF points whereas the T2i only has a center cross-type. So I'm going to assume the T4i and 60D will autofocus quicker and more accurately than the T2i if you use an AF point that's not the center. But the T4i and 60D are more expensive. Lowest I've seen a refurbed body go was mid to high 500's for both.

A t4i? I wish...but im saving up. A t4i or a 60d is at the top of my list

5D3 would be the top of my list, but that won't be for a long time since I gotta pay off my student loans now that I graduated.

responsibility sucks eh? Haha

 

[o hey tyler]

Unless you're planning dropping at least $3k on glass, I would put weddings on the back burner for the time being. The T3 with no supplementary flash and mostly kit glass with the exception of "the f/1.4" that your buddy lent/gave you would not be anywhere near adequate to shoot a wedding. You really would want a full frame camera too.

 

[Danny_511]

Unless you're planning dropping at least $3k on glass, I would put weddings on the back burner for the time being. The T3 with no supplementary flash and mostly kit glass with the exception of "the f/1.4" that your buddy lent/gave you would not be anywhere near adequate to shoot a wedding. You really would want a full frame camera too.

Yeah...we've got a few shoots planned and ill be getting about 200 each one. Ill use my t3 for that and save up for something special lol

 

[cynicaster]

For most day-to-day uses the T3 is a great bang for your buck, and a great introduction to DSLR. It was my first DSLR and I used it for over a year before trading it up for a T3i.

It’s very important for me to stress that the reason I switched up had nothing whatsoever to do with image quality or megapixels; it was simply because there were a few features missing from the T3 that I really wanted. If those features weren’t important to me, I’d still be using the T3 today.

The main missing feature for me was wireless flash. The T3’s pop up flash will not wirelessly trigger other speedlights, and the T3i’s will, so now I no longer have to always have my 580EX-II on the camera as a wireless master. In that sense, in getting the T3i, I sort of feel like I got a new flash with it, because now I have two off-camera flashes to work with (the other is a 430EX).

Other omissions on the T3 include:

• No external microphone jack for video
• Video is 720p only
• No spot metering
• No articulating LCD
• The hard/smooth plastic shell with no “grip” material makes it feel a bit cheap

There are probably others, but these were the first that came to mind.

Personally, I couldn’t possibly care less about video-related features, but they’re important to some people.

PS—I know some people are probably thinking it’s silly to even bother moving from a T3 to a T3i, but I got such a good deal on the T3i that I only came out a few measly dollars behind after selling the T3. Totally worth the negligible investment for the incremental improvement I received.

 

[Danny_511]

For most day-to-day uses the T3 is a great bang for your buck, and a great introduction to DSLR. It was my first DSLR and I used it for over a year before trading it up for a T3i.

It’s very important for me to stress that the reason I switched up had nothing whatsoever to do with image quality or megapixels; it was simply because there were a few features missing from the T3 that I really wanted. If those features weren’t important to me, I’d still be using the T3 today.

The main missing feature for me was wireless flash. The T3’s pop up flash will not wirelessly trigger other speedlights, and the T3i’s will, so now I no longer have to always have my 580EX-II on the camera as a wireless master. In that sense, in getting the T3i, I sort of feel like I got a new flash with it, because now I have two off-camera flashes to work with (the other is a 430EX).

Other omissions on the T3 include:

• No external microphone jack for video
• Video is 720p only
• No spot metering
• No articulating LCD
• The hard/smooth plastic shell with no “grip” material makes it feel a bit cheap

There are probably others, but these were the first that came to mind.

Personally, I couldn’t possibly care less about video-related features, but they’re important to some people.

PS—I know some people are probably thinking it’s silly to even bother moving from a T3 to a T3i, but I got such a good deal on the T3i that I only came out a few measly dollars behind after selling the T3. Totally worth the negligible investment for the incremental improvement I received.

So, since there's no spot metering, does that mean I cant do silhouettes?