Canon canon canon

[liquidmistletoe]

Photographer friends: A friend of mine posed this question on my facebook wall. I'm a Nikon gal, so I don't know but I know some of you are Canon people! Any suggestions would be helpful :)

PHOTO FRIENDS: Thinking about investing in a DSLR. I am a Canon guy right now and looking at the Rebel series. I don't plan on using it professionally,

Comments

[cp]

Well, I can't say I've touched a Rebel since my first dSLR, which was a Rebel XT--only the second entry in that line! Anything from the T2i up will provide excellent image quality on par with any other modern dSLR, of course--the main refinements look to be in the video functionality, and the T3i/T4i added an articulating LCD if he/she thinks that might come in handy. Same megapixel count between the T3i and T4i, but the T4i jumps to a Digic 5 processor, which means slightly better high-ISO performance and a jump to a maximum ISO of 25,600 (though I generally consider anything above 6400 or so on an APS-C camera to be gimmick/absolute last resort settings, noisy as they tend to be). Interestingly, the T2i actually does a little better than the T3i in noise at ISO 800-1600, but the T3i looks to be a little better thereafter. That said, I wouldn't expect that there's really a big subjective difference between any of those 3 models until ISO 3200 or so.

So I guess my in-a-nutshell answer would be: buy the newest model that's a good deal and/or comes with the best lens. I understand the new 18-135mm zoom kit lens that's available with the T4i is pretty decent optically, offers a nice versatile zoom range from wide-angle to short-telephoto, and has a very good image stabilizer. He/she should try to toss in the extra $100 for a Canon 50mm f/1.8, though. Can't beat it for the bucks, and frankly I'd rather have a nice fast prime than a high ISO setting anyway!

[liquidmistletoe]

Awesome! Thanks so much, I knew I could count on you :D I've passed along the information.

18-135mm kit lens?! Sometimes I wish I'd gone Canon... but once you get sunk, it's a little too late (unless you have loads of money!)

[cp]

No problem! And yes, it certainly can be! Another LJ friend of mine is a wedding pro who recently switched from Nikon to Canon, so he posted the prices of everything (and gear porn when it all arrived). It definitely added up! He sold all his Nikon stuff to offset the cost, so I think he ended up coming in at about what he'd have spent to upgrade his Nikon gear. But still, it was impressive to see an order of that much gear at once!