Canon EOS Rebel T3i versus Nikon D5100

So, I am an absolute beginner with regards to DSLRs. However, I would like to explore photography as a hobby more seriously (but still just for personal enjoyment). I'm trying to decide on an entry-level DSLR and having some trouble, so I'm turning to you wise folks for help.

 

I mainly will be using this camera for DD photo shoots and hopefully nature photography (birds, mammals, insects and so on).

 

I have some money in gift certificates for Amazon.ca, so other suggestions in the $700 range that are available there would also be welcomed.

 

My main choices right now are the Canon EOS Rebel T3i and the Nikon D5100. On paper, the Canon seems easier to use and has more MP. The reviews I've read seem to be mixed though. Can anyone lend me some insight?

Go into a store and see which fits your hands better and that you can understand without needing to read a manual. Buy that one.

 

Actually, do that for every brand you can find in-person - micro 4/3, Sony NEX, Samsung NX, Pentax - and see which one you like. All of these systems are capable of excellent results. That said, if you want "pro" equipment selection and support, you are pretty much stuck with Canon or Nikon.

I'm a Nikon shooter so I first should say that any suggestion I make would be pretty biased.

 

I first wanted to say to not be very worried about megapixels, anything over 7 or 8 really would be fine. The higher number megapixel rating isn't really that important unless you are printing road side billboard signs or something.

 

Canon and Nikon are the 2 "big boys" in the DSLR market now and you will end up with a great camera no matter which you pick. I'd suggest going to a store where you can hold each of them and see how they feel so you get something your comfortable with. I've heard a number of photographers say that it's hard to buy a DSLR that can't take beautiful pictures these days.

 

I prefer Nikon as they are a smaller more photography focused company and I've always like the sound of Nikon. haha Not really a technical reason but it was just what I liked. Maybe because I've had too many Canon printers that pissed me off over the years? HAHA

 

I'm not very familiar with the Canon T3i but I know the Nikon D5100 has really good low light sensitivity and low noise. It also has a flip screen on the back which I've heard people say they really love.

 

Whichever you get I'd strongly suggest getting a fast 50mm lens as soon as possible. This could be a f/1.8 or for a bit more cash f/1.4. The f/1.8 is about $100 and gives you some really beautiful images at a very useful focal range. Usually much better quality than the kit lens.

 

 

Finally (I'm too much of a wind bag!!!) I would suggest using only manual mode on the camera at first. It's a way to force yourself to understand exposure more and how aperture, shutter speed, and ISO play into things. It's not hard to understand and really lets you understand what's needed to get a good image.

 

Most of all, have fun!!!

I've never used a Canon so I am not sure if I can be of much help. I shoot mainly with a Nikon D5100. You can see some samples taken with the D5100 on my flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/juu-yuki/

 

I am a complete DSLR beginner X^X, all I know is that I like the camera and it does what I want it to do most of the time. MP is not that important unless you want to make giant prints, it takes up too much room on the computer and if you are mainly uploading the photos to use online I don't see a need for a lot of MP. Anyways, the camera body isn't that important, it's the lens that you want to invest on.

 

Sorry if I wasn't much help

Thanks for the feedback so far. Do any Canon shooters want to add their two cents?

I was with the same doubt, and decided for an Canon T3i.

 

I like more the way that Canon captures color. But the main factor for me was seeing an comparative in an Brazilian Photograph magazine, an in their tests the T3i was slightly best on them.

 

but, in the end, It depends of how you fell the camera. If you can, go to a store and try both in your hands.

 

I love my Canon T3i. And desire Nikon7000, so I am a little confusing...

I don't own a Nikon or Canon, anyway maybe you have already did a search and watch this. It may give you some nudges on which camera to get.

http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Canon_EOS_Rebel_T3i_600D_vs_Nikon_D5100_comparison/

 

Also have a look at the lenses for Nikon and Canon as this will be the deciding factor on which camp you enter.

Go into a store and see which fits your hands better and that you can understand without needing to read a manual. Buy that one.

 

I agree with this a million times. Go to a store and mess around with the cameras in person. The preference of Nikon vs. Canon is personal. Certain cameras models just "click" better with one person than the next.

 

The recommendation to consider lenses that are available to you is also a good one. If you think you'll want a lens that does X, and the best one is Canon-only, then you'll benefit from the Canon. It was an obvious choice for me to pick a Nikon because my friends have Nikons. We can all swap lenses. That's much better than needing to rent or purchase extra lenses--I can try before I buy, or avoid buying in certain cases.

I would agree with what others are saying about trying the cameras at a store.

 

At the end of the day its you that will be using it and you need to feel comfortable with it in your hands as they are not light weight. They both have very similar specifications and accessories available so I would choose what feels best for you.

 

Also both Nikon and Canon have very good and similar third party support when it comes to lenses, flashes, and other accessories. I personally use Pentax SLRs and while I would not change now, had I known that they were not as well supported it may have swayed me when I bought my first one. You can save a fair bit of money when you do not have to buy from the actual manufacturer.

 

Actually if you have small hands, the Pentax cameras may be worth considering as they are small made.

 

But once again try them, one will feel just right and the controls will fall under your fingers.

 

good luck with your purchase

both are gut units. when i bought my 5100 3 months ago. the store advisor told me that if you are going for pictures only then the nikon is the better choice. if you want to make videos as well then get the canon since the nikon autofocus makes some noise. its not that loud but is noticable. but like other users say just go to a store and try it out

It was an obvious choice for me to pick a Nikon because my friends have Nikons. We can all swap lenses. That's much better than needing to rent or purchase extra lenses--I can try before I buy, or avoid buying in certain cases.

 

This is a great idea as well, sharing lenses can be fun if you have that option. Plus, the Nikon/Canon sides have a friendly little "war" similar to Microsoft/Apple. Both are really great products but we love teasing the other side when we get the chance since they are the 2 big players when it comes to DSLRs.

 

As for movies it's something to consider. I have the Nikon D7000 which does HD video pretty well and being able to put different lenses on can give you some cool video shots but it's worth mentioning that filming with a DSLR body in your hands isn't that easy. It's not physically designed to well for long term video shooting and many people like to use some type of video rig to make taking video easier and more stable.

 

You can get cheap ones such as this one from Cowboy Studio:

http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-Shoulder-Support-Camcorder-Camera/dp/B0036NMQ7S

 

These aren't needed if you use a tripod or don't plan on doing a lot of video but I figured I'd mention it. There is a whole world of DSLR video shooters and they have a ton of gear you can get if interested.

I've shot a little bit of both. A Canon from the weatherdecks of a US Navy warship, taking pictures of other ships and boats from literally miles away. Although the pictures came out well, I was overall not entirely comfortable with the way the camera handled (I don't remember the specific model, just that it was an earlier 1D). The camera belonged to one of the ship's intel teams that I was a member of and was almost always used with a 100-400mm APO lens with a 2x APO Teleconverter attached to allow for the shooting distances we needed.

 

I don't recall which models I've Nikon I've tried, but I wasn't happy with the handling there either, something about the manual focusing threw me off. I was shooting an indoor basketball game in shutter priority mode with ISO manually pushed to 3200 since there was no real auto mode on that model for shooting fast indoor action with crappy light and a kit lens and not using a flash so as not to blind the players... Overall the person who wanted the pictures was quite happy with them. I think it was a D3100 . Of interesting note, I manually focused the entirety of the game because the auto-focus could not keep up with the speed of the game through the kit lens. The camera belonged to a friend of mine who was supposed to photograph the game, but wanted to play, so I offered to photograph the game for him. I ran up and down the court to keep up with the action while nursing a badly sprained ankle. It was a lot of fun. lol

 

I've generally been very pleased with Sony's SLT offerings and currently use one. It's what's "comfortable" for me, all the settings are where I reach for them, and I was able to customize the few that were not.

 

I picked up the Fujifilm X-Pro1 today, which is quite different to use and seems like it'll be fun. The Hybrid Optical Rangefinder/Electronic Viewfinder is quite interesting.

 

 

Finding the right camera for you is really about playing around with them until you find the one that feels right for you and takes pictures that you are pleased with. Whether you end up with a DSLR, DSLR, Mirrorless Compact Interchangeable Lens type, Point and Shoot, Prosumer compact, or simply using your phone, it's all in how you use it and how you want it to handle.

 

I know I'm probably not much help with the specific thread question, but hopefully this helps at least a little.

I just found that there is a video review between these 2 cameras at cameralabs.com:

 

http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Canon_EOS_Rebel_T3i_600D_vs_Nikon_D5100_comparison/

 

I watched a lot of these vids before I bought my first Nikon, they can be very helpful.

Chiming in again.

 

Basically, buying a camera is like buying a doll. We can talk about the finer points (eyes, facial features, joints, default clothes, etc.) but in the end, the only question that matters is, "Do YOU like her?" If you do, to hell what anyone else says, right?

 

Here are a few assorted "finer points" (subject to my biases):

• Pros most likely will use either Canon or Nikon. They have the largest body, lens and accessory selections, the largest presence (retail, rental and secondhand markets), and generally the fastest repair turnaround. It's not completely wrong to think of them as Windows and Mac. (And Nikon 1 as iOS. )
  
• Micro 4/3 is the most popular small system. It has a good body and lens selection and is served by two companies (Olympus and Panasonic). Call this Android in our OS metaphor.
  
• If you have friends or family in a certain system already, it is a good idea to match them if you are system-agnostic yourself.
  
• If you can afford it, buy accessories. While kit lenses are cheap and decent, you will get more out of a system camera by actually using it as a system. In particular, shooting dolls can benefit from the addition of a 50mm f/1.8 lens (or similar), a bounce-capable flash and an inexpensive 3-section tripod (~$20). Other useful things to have are a spare battery and a wireless remote.

The Canon Rebel T4i will be out soon, adds improved AF and video AF. Should be quite good.

 

For the record, I shoot Canon, but don't really have much brand evangelism to push aside from that plug. Sorry if I disappointed you.

 

EDIT: Oh wait! I do have evangelism! There's a Canon loyalty program, a Canon USA refurbished section, an online learning center and Digital Photo Professional software included free with all Canon DSLRs.

You never know until you try it out.

 

^ Above statement is true. But have you actually considered Sony?

 

I'm being critical here because I had used all types of camera before and I must say, if you want the "nice colour" feel, you can go for Sony because Sony produces the best colour processor ever. Trust me on this because Sony is getting more amazing with their cameras, like their NEX. You can give a shot on NEX too. With NEX you can mount adapter to mount DSLR lenses, including Nikon lenses too.

 

AF is NOT a problem with mounting for Sony lenses. With Carl Zeiss lens, I can assure you ultimate combo. The NEX 5. Amazing noise handling and compact.

 

Oh, cheap too.

 

I don't favour Canon because when I heard their Full Frame doesn't support their Cropped lens, I literally laughed. My bad.

 

Nikon is in favour of their F-Mount all the time. Nikon thinks about their customer too. Some of the good old lens is really amazing. Fantastic. So yeah.

 

Give Nikon or Sony a try first. Canon can wait.

 

Sony SLT line is also amazing too. Like seriously, where can you find cheap camera besides Sony?

 

EDIT: Colour wise, I give Sony > Canon > Nikon.

 

Hasselblad has the best colour producer in this world. 16-bit colour depth is fantastic. I uses Hasselblad because of the colour depth, but not the Megapixel madness.

Thanks everyone. I took the plunge and ordered the Nikon. Hopefully I'll actually be able to work it!

Thanks everyone. I took the plunge and ordered the Nikon. Hopefully I'll actually be able to work it!

Yay that's good news.

Congrats on ordering the new camera, and I'm not just saying that because it's another coming to the Nikon side.

 

 

DSLRs can be a bit scary at first with all the buttons, knobs, and switches but you get used to them quick enough. My best advice is, if your not very familiar with exposure than get that down first. Knowing why to adjust shutter speed, aperture, or ISO can help you know how to take good photos and not just hope you get lucky.

I was deciding between these two cameras as well, and ended up picking the Nikon D5100. I'm really happy with it but I'm still learning how to shoot properly with it.

I was deciding between these two cameras as well, and ended up picking the Nikon D5100. I'm really happy with it but I'm still learning how to shoot properly with it.

 

Cool, let's learn together!

I was deciding between these two cameras as well, and ended up picking the Nikon D5100. I'm really happy with it but I'm still learning how to shoot properly with it.

 

Cool, let's learn together!

I can create a thread about shooting. LOL

Cool, let's learn together!

Sounds like a good idea! I've been shooting with the Program setting so far, but started playing around with the Aperture Priority mode.

I can create a thread about shooting. LOL

That's not a half-bad idea actually. Us novices could use some tips from the more experienced people around.

Cool, let's learn together!

Sounds like a good idea! I've been shooting with the Program setting so far, but started playing around with the Aperture Priority mode.

I can create a thread about shooting. LOL

That's not a half-bad idea actually. Us novices could use some tips from the more experienced people around.

Ok cool. So Immah setup a thread about basic then.

Stopped by a store today on other business and to see how the two felt in my paws.

 

There was that one video review that said that the D600 (same as the T3i?) is a bit more chunky than the d5100, and I can verify that.

 

Personally I also found out for sure what I suspected, that I'd probably need the battery grip just to have a proper hold on the D5100 if I manage to scrape up enough money for it, while the canon might just barely pass as is, but still would prefer some extra grip surface on it still.