Calling camera gurus-need advice

[Dave S]

I have never really had a SLR camera. Now, I only have a small Sony Cybershot with Burst that only takes 3 pics then stops. It is 12 mp but I have to set it on 5 mp to zoom in enough when taking pics of riders.

A friend bought a Canon EOS Rebel T3 w/ lens kit 18-55. He has had it a month or two. He took it out on our boat and took a bunch of pics of me and they look awesome. He added a zoom lens for wakeboarding but used the 18-55 lens for surfing. He wants to now sell it and upgrade as he is contemplating starting and doing more professional photography work. He wants me to buy his Rebel T3. I would love a better camera but am wondering why he is selling it, is it a bad camera? He wants to sell it for almost half of what he bought it for just to unload it and get his next one. He has loaned it to me for a few days so I can take it home, use it and check it out.

Any thoughts? Buy it now? Turn and run?

I most likely would not buy a camera of this magnitude in the near future and have our 1st baby on the way. Marketing to wife-it would take better pics of the baby. I am trying to learn everything about it in the next few days to decide if I should buy it.

[Fiveflat]

How old is it? If it doesn't take video, that would be a good reason to pass. Whether you want to take video or not.
You'll also get tired of that kit lense once you get more experienced and want a higher quality lense.

Depending on how old it is and if it does do video, then half price should be around $350 max.

[jbort]

we have a Canon T2 w 70-270mm zoom lens and really like alot. We use for kid/family/general pics and sports activity vids (basketball/baseball)and school events. shoots real nice pics and vids. But:

its heavy - when shooting longer vids beyond 2-3 mins, it becomes tiresome to hold with no support like a monopod or tripod - its heavy/bulkier. If used in the boat and zooming alot then "jigglies" could be an issue. Vid file size are HUGE. Be ready with lots of BIG SD cards if shooting lots of vid or long vids. Battery life shooting vids is poor to midling. Get batteries and charger if doing lots. good luck.

I would definitely see if the seller would allow for weekend loan to tryout so u can see if u really like it. In retrospect, I would have gone for Canon PowerShot SX40 HS which does basically same stuff but cheaper/easier to use although no lens change capability.

[Nobody]

SLR's with video will be the thing of the future, but for now it's not quite there yet unless your spending big money. This camera would be all you need for fun family memories.

I'd go for it.

[Dave S]

The camera is less than two weeks old. He let me bring it home the last two nights from work and we are checking it out and taking picsl speaking of which, I will do that now and check back later. Thanks guys! Keep the oppinions coming. I am not opposed to a tri or mono pod. Heck I used a tripod for my sony cybershot and the timer when there was no one else to take a pic for us.

[shawndoggy]

I've been using a "big" point and shoot like Jbort suggests. For video it's kickass. I'd like to have some more manual controls for photos, but not necessarily pics of people riding because as jbort notes, those mofos get heavy.

I lust after the T3i kit every time we are at costco.

[Fiveflat]

Here's my video rig. It's a Canon T3i body only. I've been advised 100 times NOT to buy the kit. So I bought the 24-105 IS f4 lense with the body, and the shoulder rig for stability because video was my primary intention.

DSLR.jpg

I thinks it's fairly stable with video. Here's some video I took this past weekend and just put this movie together yesterday:

[Fiveflat]

By the way, if it's 2 weeks old, then it's gotta be the T3i. Half price? Buy it! Kit lense or not... Just keep in mind what half price really is

[Moki]

Big difference between the T3 and T3i. I have the T3i and love it! I have had 3 canon digital slr cameras and they have all been great, but the T3i is by far the best camera I have ever owned. The T3i allows you to take 1080p video, I used to lug around a digital camera and a digital video camera. Now I just need the Canon and get better videos than I did with my video camera. You can make professional quality videos like Fiveflat. I agree with him, get yourself a better lens. The kit lens does not allow the T3i to take as good as pictures as it is capable of.

I have this for every day use:
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...ns-Review.aspx

And this one for telephoto use:
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_2807020...ns.html?tp=279

A good lens will really make that camera great

[shawndoggy]

Here's my video rig. It's a Canon T3i body only. I've been advised 100 times NOT to buy the kit. So I bought the 24-105 IS f4 lense with the body, and the shoulder rig for stability because video was my primary intention.

[ATTACH]30178[/ATTACH]

I thinks it's fairly stable with video. Here's some video I took this past weekend and just put this movie together yesterday:

Great riding (like WOW, SRSLY!), but with all due respect, that vid could easily be shot on a nice point and shoot.

Sample of what my kids shot (handheld) with a panasonic fz35 last weekend (this is a very "home movie-ish" edit... not being submitted as an example of my editing skills or the riders' skills, but rather video quality):

BE SURE TO WATCH IN HD.

[talltigeguy]

Shawn dog! Is that some sort of big fish at the 39 second mark? You see it for just a split second in the wake right in front of the rider.

[shawndoggy]

more likely a log? Or a shark? That's weird (good eye)!

[Moki]

Great riding (like WOW, SRSLY!), but with all due respect, that vid could easily be shot on a nice point and shoot.

Sample of what my kids shot (handheld) with a panasonic fz35 last weekend (this is a very "home movie-ish" edit... not being submitted as an example of my editing skills or the riders' skills, but rather video quality):

BE SURE TO WATCH IN HD.

The difference will be seen if the video is displayed in 1080p. The Canon T3i will offer a better video over a point and shoot or an iphone due to a larger and better image sensor/processor and better lens. Most of the action videos like snowboarding and skiing are done with SLR Cameras, (more expensive than the Canon T3i) that you could not do with a point and shoot. But very nice quality for a point and shoot! I would agree that in the two comparisons the video quality is similar.

[Fiveflat]

but with all due respect, that vid could easily be shot on a nice point and shoot.

I agree. I'll be the first to admit my videos look amateur and that's because I am. That is only the second video I've taken with my DSLR and I'm learning the proper settings. Once I get setting dialed, there will not be much comparison.

[AZJC17]

I've got a T2i, and love it. From all accounts the 3i should be similar to mine, main exception being the flip out LCD of the 3i. Since it is a friend of yours trying to sell it and not something off Craigslist or Ebay, I'd feel better about buying it used. Plus with a baby on the way, it is a great investment. I really could not be happier with my Canon.