Plaese Help... Need thoughts on DSLR Camera

I was settled on the t3i until i read about the nikon d3200

http://snapsort.com/compare/Canon-T3i-vs-Nikon-D3200

 

Let me also add that if you're buying an SLR because you want to get into photography, and learn the tricks.... might as well spend a little extra money and buy a decent camera. Personally, I wouldn't recommend anything with more than 2 numbers and a 'D' unless you're referring to the D200 or D800. You'll find that with the cheaper cameras, you'll hit their limits quickly, and those limits are not much farther than a point and shoot these days.

 

Keep in mind that the wide the range of the zoom lens, the poorer the optics are going to be, within a given price range.
Wider zoom means more glass, which means less light and more potential for distortion.

Don't overlook the factory refurb units from places like Adorama. My 55-200 and one of my flash units are factory refurb and if a seller were dishonest, they'd be able to sell them as new. Nearly half the price of new and come with all OEM packaging.


I'm running a Nikon 55-200, and the kit lens from my D3100 which is an 18-55.

The 18-55 is really ideal for pretty much everything. It is rare that I pull out the 55-200, but I don't do sporting events.

I took this one last night. Had I had a more comfortable location and position, I likely could have dialed in the focus a bit better, but there was a bit of a haze in the sky, so I am pleased with this.
Exposure was 1/250, F5.6, 200mm, ISO100.

This is actual-size, cropped down from the original 4608x3072 to 592x403 with no resizing. I did convert it to B&W and tweak the contrast/brightness a touch...

 

The D3100/3200 are great entry level cameras, and are all the casual guy needs if he is just looking for a good replacement for a point-and-shoot with better lens and flash options and exposure control.

I moved from the point and shoot to the 3100 after getting home from Carlsbad Caverns and finding that the entire trip was a waste.
The images looked good on the LCD in the preview, but seeing them full size, MAYBE 5% of the shots came out halfway decent.
The auto-focus was off, the metering sucked, and when using the flash, the thing wouldn't even throw 20ft.


Getting serious? You will likely outgrow the 3200 and will find that you want to move up to the 7100. Decision time... do you have an older child that you might want to give the 3200 to in a couple of years?


On flash units... stick with the units made for your camera.
I started with a Sigma, and while it worked great for direct, when I went into bounce mode, the camera would meter as if the flash was not even there and everything was washed out.
I picked up a used Speedlight 800, and a refurb'd 400... both of those work perfectly in bounce mode.
The Sigma has been relegated to backfill status on the remote.

 

Lool.
Nikon is better!
No! Canon is better!
"You ain't squat if you're shooting with a crop sensor!"

It was only a matter of time before it turned into a shit show.

 

Now i'm getting even more indecisve about it, i've out grown my point and shoot cannon and kodak and i think that i would take a long time to get used to all the features of the d3200. I just know that i may not need to have 1080p video capability but i want to have it for the money. I think that the 3200 would be fine for my needs. But am open to any more ideas....$500-600 on a camera is also new to me so i'll be a while before i make a move. Hope the OP can figure somethings out for himself from these posts

 

Where's the shit show?

People have their preferences, and those preferences are going to line up with the products that they use.
I'm not going to badmouth Canon because my most recent experience with them is my old T3 (which wasn't even made by Canon).
IMHO, for video work, Canon absolutely beats Nikon based on my experience with Nikon and examples of video I've seen from Canon (including Act of Valor, shot on the 70D).

The OP deserves to hear the opinions of actual owners.

 

I wasn't referring to you Rich. You are probably the only one in here that is backing your opinion up with actual knowledge, and not bagging on another product.

 

I don't see the shit show either? :shrug:

I've played with plenty of Rebels in the past, never been a fan. I am a Nikon guy myself, but only because of the menu layout. Canon 30D is a great camera and have quite a bit of experience with it.

 

What's your budget? What are you going to be shooting? Landscapes/Portraits/Candids/Nature/Action/Kids/etc... Are you going to be shooting video at all?

Whoever said Ken Rockwell is the best for reviews.... You're much better off going to dpreview.com for reviews and tests.

EDIT:

If you truly care about image quality, you'd be better off with a Nikon D3200 or Canon T3i with quality glass instead of the kit lenses.

For example:

Nikon D3200/Canon T3i
Tokina 11-16 2.8
Sigma 18-35 1.8
Nikon/Canon 70-200 f/4 (VR or IS)

That's a more expensive kit, for sure. However, a D3200/T3i with the Sigma 18-35 1.8 will have sharper images than a full frame camera with a 18-55 kit lens on it.

I would go with a D3200 or T3i, Sigma 18-35 1.8 and a 50 1.4 prime of your choice. Then when you have the money, go for the Nikon or Canon 70-200 f/4 with image stabilization.

ALWAYS invest your money in glass, not camera bodies.

 

Ken is a good resource to accompany other resources.

 

For starters, this quote is from his "About" section on the website...

This website is my way of giving back to our community. It is a work of fiction, entirely the product of my own imagination. This website is my personal opinion. To use words of Ansel Adams on page 193 of his autobiography, this site is my "aggressive personal opinion," and not a "logical presentation of fact."

Other things to read about Rockwell...

1. http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=471204&highlight=rockwell

2. http://www.anthonyhereld.com/buyer-beware-ken-rockwell/

3. http://www.redbubble.com/people/lig...ake-ken-rockwell-with-a-massive-grain-of-salt

4. http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=346458&highlight=rockwell

5. http://www.craigwasselphotoart.com/...raphy_Advice_Be_Careful_Who_You_Listen_To.htm

6. http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/comment/109495

The list goes on. That is what I found in the last 10 minutes of searching on google. Just go on photography-on-the.net/forum and search "rockwell".

He may have SOME credible information on there after you weed out all of the opinionated bs...but for beginners, it is not a good website to be learning from.