Cannon Rebel T3i vs Nikon 5100

[4HOLIDAYS]

I am looking at these 2 cameras and wanted to get some of your expert opinions.

The Cannon has18-55 lens,as well as the 55-250mm lens with it.

The Nikon has 18-55 and 55-200 with it.

Both are sets with bags, cables, etc and are about same price. $900

I've had a Panasonic Lumix PnS this last yr and will keep as a second,a fuji Xp for underwater,beach...this will be to hopeully just keep getting better pics.

I've read some reviews but would apprec any thoughts from Disers that may use these in real life or have exp with the.

Thanks!

 

[photo_chick]

Nikon people will say Nikon, Canon people will say Canon here. You can nitpick the features, like the T3i has some features that will help you if you do studio work, but really, you can't go wrong either way. Go to the store and play with them both. See which one feels better in your hands. Which one has buttons that are easier for you to use. That kind of thing.

 

[HPS3]

I agree with Photo Chick. I don't think you can go wrong with any new DSLR. It definitely comes down to how it feels in your hands(size, button layout). If you like the size of a smaller camera, don't count out the mirrorless offerings from Oly, Panasonic, Sony, Pentax, and Samsung. I switched from a D5100 to a Sony Nex 7 and really love it. It's small yet still has the same sensor as the top APS-C DSLR offerings. Just go to the store and check them all out.

 

[4HOLIDAYS]

I have held them and they feel about the same to me.

I saw way, way more Canon around people's necks on vaca last time, but at a concert where DH and I were in front section with photographers, most seemed to have Nikon. We just thought it was interesting. I also have a friend who is starting to get paid for photo work who swears by Nikon. I a just afraid this may mean they will be less consumer friendly, or more expensive to buy lenses.

What to do, what to do...

 

[Experiment_626]

I also have a friend who is starting to get paid for photo work who swears by Nikon. I a just afraid this may mean they will be less consumer friendly, or more expensive to buy lenses.

Nah … you'll find they're generally on par with one another, given models at similar price points. And if you look here: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/searc..._PRICE_2|0&N=4288584247+4291315846+4291570227 you'll see the lenses are pretty close as well — it's a custom search at B&H for Canon and Nikon SLR lenses sorted by price.

I'm a Nikon guy, but Canon makes excellent cameras as well. I don't know how much it means in the real world, but one thing I like about Nikon as a company is this: Of all the big companies that make DSLRs, only Nikon is primarily a camera company — i.e., they do have some other, somewhat related product lines, but they live and die by camera and lens sales. Thus (at least this makes sense to me), they will throw nearly all their resources behind making cameras as good as they can. If Canon somehow lost all their camera sales (not going to happen, of course), it would be a blow, but the company would survive. Same with Sony and the other companies. Probably not so with Nikon. Some consider that a plus, and some don't. I see the logic behind both positions, but I'm in the former camp rather than the latter.

SSB

 

[meanpc]

I have held them and they feel about the same to me.

I saw way, way more Canon around people's necks on vaca last time, but at a concert where DH and I were in front section with photographers, most seemed to have Nikon. We just thought it was interesting. I also have a friend who is starting to get paid for photo work who swears by Nikon. I a just afraid this may mean they will be less consumer friendly, or more expensive to buy lenses.

What to do, what to do...

This is not a terrible point. I used to see nothing but the big white Canon L glass on the sidelines of sporting events. Now you see plenty of black Nikon tubes, and sometimes more Nikon than Canon.

 

[Tiger926]

We just bought the Nikon over the T3i for a few reasons: a bit lighter, bigger telephoto lens and price. Got a great price as the telephoto lens was over $150.00 off, so it worked out to be a great price for the camera with 2 lenses. We liked the feel of the 5100 a bit more in our hands, and liked the bigger range on the lens for the price, so that is why we chose it over the Canon.

Both cameras are so close, so you can't go wrong with either one, but we still are waiting on ours to come in as it's on order, so I can't speak from experience yet! LOL!

Best of luck OP in your camera search, Tiger

 

[Cafeen]

Both cameras are so close, so you can't go wrong with either one

Pretty much this. The only differences are control layouts and feel in the hand now a days (well, the only ones you'll notice, I'm sure there are some fine details that go one way or the other).

For me, as a Canon shooter, if I could do it over again, I'd go with the Nikon. Really only because they have an inexpensive (~$200) 35mm f/1.8 available that Canon doesn't offer (there is the 30mm Sigma for ~$500... or the 24mm L series in the $1.2k range ).

Again though, that one lens is basically the only reason that I'd prefer Nikon over Canon (well, also depending on how the Nikon feels and controls). Everything else is pretty much a wash in my book.

 

[meanpc]

Pretty much this. The only differences are control layouts and feel in the hand now a days (well, the only ones you'll notice, I'm sure there are some fine details that go one way or the other).

For me, as a Canon shooter, if I could do it over again, I'd go with the Nikon. Really only because they have an inexpensive (~$200) 35mm f/1.8 available that Canon doesn't offer (there is the 30mm Sigma for ~$500... or the 24mm L series in the $1.2k range ).

Again though, that one lens is basically the only reason that I'd prefer Nikon over Canon (well, also depending on how the Nikon feels and controls). Everything else is pretty much a wash in my book.

Have you tried the Canon 28mm/f1.8? Its my favorite lens.

 

[Cafeen]

Have you tried the Canon 28mm/f1.8? Its my favorite lens.

Nope, but it's still not much cheaper than the Sigma (~$470) . My photo budget right now is down in the dumps. When it recovers, I'll have to do some review checking to see the differences between the two.

 

[bob100]

I agree with Photo Chick. I don't think you can go wrong with any new DSLR. It definitely comes down to how it feels in your hands(size, button layout). If you like the size of a smaller camera, don't count out the mirrorless offerings from Oly, Panasonic, Sony, Pentax, and Samsung. I switched from a D5100 to a Sony Nex 7 and really love it. It's small yet still has the same sensor as the top APS-C DSLR offerings. Just go to the store and check them all out.

right, go to a store and check them out. I'm a Canon fan but all the DSLR's will give you good pics.

 

[Frantasmic]

My own personal opinion is that Canon is better at the entry level through the first level of the prosumer. Nikon is better with mid prosumer and above. I don't have anything to base that on.

 

[4HOLIDAYS]

Thanks for all the replies! If only they would le me try each for a week first....

 

[meanpc]

Just went and looked at the specs for the Nikon 5100. One big feature that jumped out at me: full time autofocus for movies. If you plan on using video mode more than a little, this is a feature you need to investigate. The T3i does not have it, but the T4i does.

I own the T3i, and love it, but that feature would shift me towards the Nikon if all else were equal. Having to constantly manually focus in video mode can be a real pain.

 

[Pixel Dust]

Just went and looked at the specs for the Nikon 5100. One big feature that jumped out at me: full time autofocus for movies.

I have a D7000 and the full time auto focus for movies is nothing to write home about. It's great for outdoors and well lit indoors. Otherwise it hunts around a lot and more frustrating than useful. This is one of the things, on a very short list, that a point & shoot does better.

The movie focusing system is completely different than the one you would use through the viewfinder and that's why there would be a difference in performance or lack of it on other cameras. If I do video I switch it to manual focus.

 

[Morganpics]

I just bought the Nikon D5100 package you are looking at. I have only had it 2 days, so the learning curve is still on the uptick. I have a Nikon N50 which I truly enjoy, so didn't really think about going to another brand. I just wanted to say if you deal with Sam's Club, that same package is $799 until June 29. Good luck with whatever you decide.