whats so good about a pro camera??

[paigew]

Now that I (sort of) 'know' my camera (T3i). I am wondering what better, nicer, more expensive cameras have that mine doesn't. What is so much better about a professional camera than a entry level one? The only thing I can think of is higher ISO. So what else is different? Just curious :mrgreen:

 

[DorkSterr]

Faster AF, better ISO capability, faster FPS, better actuations...etc. just to name a very few. But to me what matters most is build quality.

 

[paigew]

Faster AF, better ISO capability, faster FPS, better actuations...etc. just to name a very few. But to me what matters most is build quality.

isn't it the lens that controls the AF speed?

 

[480sparky]

isn't it the lens that controls the AF speed?

Not always. Many bodies have focus motors built into them for focusing the lenses. And some bodies will inherently focus faster simply due to better AF design & programming.

 

[PapaMatt]

Well, that is a loaded question! my wife has a VW Bug I have a 2010 BMW, they both get us there but how?

 

[Kolander]

Two dial controls, bigger sensor, CLS flash...

 

[kundalini]

What is so much better about a professional camera than a entry level one?

The knowledge you gain from doing the required research to determine if you need a pro grade camera.

 

[Big Mike]

Faster AF, better ISO capability, faster FPS, better actuations...etc. just to name a very few. But to me what matters most is build quality.

isn't it the lens that controls the AF speed?

The lens motor, the size/weight of the lens elements...does play a part. But the 'brain' of the AF is a processor inside the camera. Also, the number, layout and type of AF sensors, is also something that is inside the camera, not the lens.

As mentioned, one of the biggest things that you'll notice when you go from an 'entry level' DSLR, to a mid or pro grade model, is the build and layout of the body. For example, on your Rebel, to change the aperture while in manual mode, you must press a button while adjusting the control dial. On higher end cameras, there are two (or more) dials, so that you don't have to push+turn. Higher end bodies also have more external buttons for quick access to the things we change most often. ISO, metering mode, AF mode, Drive mode, WB, etc. They may also have another LCD screen on top of the body, for quick viewing of the settings.
Yet another difference is the size & layout of the body. I don't like Rebels much, as they are too small for my hands. A battery grip can improve that, but I like the bigger bodies found on higher end cameras.
The build materials and quality is yet another difference. Higher end bodies have more metal and less plastic than your Rebel. They also have more/better environmental seals around the buttons & doors etc. The pro end bodies are designed to work in heavy rain if need be.
They are also designed with heavy use in mind. You'll often hear a pro camera described as a 'brick' or 'tank' because they feel very solid. A Rebel, in comparison, feels more like a toy.

Don't take my word for it. Go into a good camera store and pick up a 1Ds mkIII or a 1Dx, or a Nikon D3 or D4.

 

[jwbryson1]

I think high ISO capabilities and a better sensor are HUGE.

 

[Derrel]

A pro Nikon has the best viewfinder Nikon can make. It has the highest-spec'd set of core capabilities Nikon can make. It has the best AF system Nikon can make. It is as good a camera for its "niche" as Nikon can manage to manufacture. For example the "niche" would be a low-light/action/high ISO camera----the D3s. For a high-resolution, flagship level studio camera the D3x. Nikon has split action and studio up since the D1h-D1x days, followed by the D2h then and the D2x series (two iterations of each of those two models). I expect that there might be a D4x with a 36MP sensor for studio/fashion pros who demand every last single advantage that a pro Nikon can offer. A "pro camera" from NIkon is likely to be optimized toward a certain set of needs, and thus there are often two,different "sub-models" of each pro Nikon.

A pro Nikon is a fast-reacting camera; the shutter lag time is fast, the mirror return time is fast, the AF speeds are excellent, and the camera has DEDICATED CONTROLS for essential shooting parameters....like a dedicated external ISO button. It's hard to imagine how different a professional level, flagship camera feels and reacts until you have shot one and relied upon it for a few months. It is kind of like the difference between a .25 ACP pistol made in Chico,California and a Browning, Beretta, or Glock 9mm....like the difference between Gallo jug wine and $65 per bottle wine...like the difference between a 10-year-old Toyota and a band new Mercedes...ALL of these products do essentially the same "THING", but the manufacturing, design, capabilities, and degree of engineering and build quality are all vastly different from the low-end to the high end. Costco jeans and those $199 jeans your SO likes...you get the idea.

 

[paigew]

Faster AF, better ISO capability, faster FPS, better actuations...etc. just to name a very few. But to me what matters most is build quality.

isn't it the lens that controls the AF speed?

The lens motor, the size/weight of the lens elements...does play a part. But the 'brain' of the AF is a processor inside the camera. Also, the number, layout and type of AF sensors, is also something that is inside the camera, not the lens.

As mentioned, one of the biggest things that you'll notice when you go from an 'entry level' DSLR, to a mid or pro grade model, is the build and layout of the body. For example, on your Rebel, to change the aperture while in manual mode, you must press a button while adjusting the control dial. On higher end cameras, there are two (or more) dials, so that you don't have to push+turn. Higher end bodies also have more external buttons for quick access to the things we change most often. ISO, metering mode, AF mode, Drive mode, WB, etc. They may also have another LCD screen on top of the body, for quick viewing of the settings.
Yet another difference is the size & layout of the body. I don't like Rebels much, as they are too small for my hands. A battery grip can improve that, but I like the bigger bodies found on higher end cameras.
The build materials and quality is yet another difference. Higher end bodies have more metal and less plastic than your Rebel. They also have more/better environmental seals around the buttons & doors etc. The pro end bodies are designed to work in heavy rain if need be.
They are also designed with heavy use in mind. You'll often hear a pro camera described as a 'brick' or 'tank' because they feel very solid. A Rebel, in comparison, feels more like a toy.

Don't take my word for it. Go into a good camera store and pick up a 1Ds mkIII or a 1Dx, or a Nikon D3 or D4.

Thanks mike! You give the best explanations Now I see! I still love my little rebel, I'm sure it will be a few years before my upgrade

 

[jwbryson1]

Here's a good example. My friend is a pro photographer. He shot images of a couple flying into a tiny landing strip at night in a small airplane (Cessna 152). They got out of the plane and walked over to a tree with lights and ornaments on it. This was completely pre-arranged. The girl opened up 3 ornaments and the last one contained an engagement ring. My friend was hiding in the woods and was able to capture the plane flying in and their private moments together, plus the couple getting engaged. He shot the series at 10,000 ISO with his Canon 1Ds Mark III.

Try THAT with a DX sensor.

 

[480sparky]

Another thing that I don't see mentioned: Ability to record raw files.

 

[mjhoward]

Another thing that I don't see mentioned: Ability to record raw files.

His t3i will do that.

 

[paigew]

yes, my t3i does shoot in raw...though I have yet to try it out.