A DSLR for a beginner.

[MegaMind]

What's your budget?
30K (+/- 2K)

Camera type?
DSLR

How much zoom do you want/expect?
18-55mm lens as a start

Do you care for manual exposure controls?
Yes

What will you be shooting with this camera?
Spirited riding(motion), landscapes, some indoor party, night shoots.

Will you be shooting mostly indoors/low light and/or action/sports?
yes

Video?
Yes

Do you have any particular model(s) in your mind?
Canon 600D & Nikon D5100

Any brand preference? Like/dislike
None

From where will you be buying?
Online

 

[sujoyp]

Bro there is just one major difference between D5100 and 600D ....
D5100 feels better in hand and 600D have better video

soo if video is more preffered then get 600D ...but remember the limitation of video in dslr ...only 15 mins max ....and more video may just heat up the sensor and damage it

Just go to a local shop and hold both in hands...see the placement of button, weight, grip, lcd etc and decide

 

[MegaMind]

Sorry for leaving the thread lately, thought i would continue the thread.
This camera was for my brother, now he left for LA and planning to get one there.

He has narrowed down to canon rebel t5i(700d). Is it a good deal or should he look further?
Budget: $900 (max.)
Requirements: as mentioned above

 

[nac]

To me 700D, 100D are over priced for what they offer.

 

[MegaMind]

To me 700D, 100D are over priced for what they offer.

But the touch screen adds much better focus, right?

Also the price diff. of 600d & 700d is $150.

 

[sujoyp]

Nac its selling for 750$ which is around 45-46k ...I think its a good deal if you compare the price in India ...There is almost no DSLR in 40-50k range

Spoiler

A D7000+18-55 kit lens for start will be awesome...but a bit old combo

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A touchscreen will not help you anyways...are you going to shoot pics in live view that by looking at the screen ....

in that 150$ you can get one more lens if you want

 

[nac]

^ I am not talking about the price diff between India and US. I mean, that touch screen and faster focus when using STM doesn't justify the price.
For 45k, you can get 60D. Something I feel worthier than 700D for 45k

 

[sujoyp]

I agree nac ...700D is just an amateur DSLR and spending 45k on that is not worth that much ... but 60D is inferior to D7000 ....then why not D7000

 

[raja manuel]

While I haven't used a touchscreen Rebel myself, I've heard very good things about the ease of using the touchscreen to change settings. And these guys aren't noobs, some of these are very experienced photographers who came through the film age.
There's more to the 700D than just touchscreen and on-chip PDAF. You also get all 9 AF points as cross type with centre AF point as dual cross type, 4-shot noise reduction, and 5 fps burst. How useful these will be depends on the use, but they are present on the camera.

 

[sujoyp]

raja it maybe useful for changing settings ...but what else ...when we shoot we rarely look into our screen..Phase detection autofocus is useful again I think in live view ...9 cross type is great for a medium level dslr...5fps is also good ....its definitely good upgrade from a 600D

 

[The Incinerator]

D5100/5200/5300 they are all good,not bad. The EOS 700D is revolutionary. You have to use to know why Im saying this. First its that awesome sensor and fast focus with STM lens in low light and live view which none of the Nikons can achieve,its a given. Secondly that touchscreen and UI makes any camera look from the stone age.The Touch UI is so intuitive that only if you use it will know what Im conveying,its one thing to use button for cross navigating menus and its another to just touch on that option.In full manual things really get lightning quick. And then with Canon you have the option to add on the super sharp L series lens which us a big plus since we all know what a game changer those lens are. The focus points is already mentioned.The other thing is flash photography.The Canon will let you add slave/remote flash option which the Nikon wont.The Nikons dont have hard buttons for WB and ISO! You dont get DOF preview too in Nikon but you get all of them in the Canon.Handling wise I feel the Canons are better atleast for me since I find the Nikons body small and painful for prolonged use.The placement of buttons is also far superior in a Canon,single hand navigation is breeze.

 

[nac]

Raja, 700D is pretty much an entry level model. 50k+ for an entry level model.... that's too much.

Spoiler

We're talking about 4/5/6 fps in DSLR. But many of the compact shoots 10 fps and better. Isn't that better?

 

[The Incinerator]

Its a great buy with the 18-55 STM for for Rs 44500 in the US IMO. Its not entry level at all ,theres 1100D ,1200D,600D, then comes the 700D! No matter what you cannot deny the engineering gone in to that sensor for improving focus in live view and even through the VF in low light too over any previous generation EOS/Rebel/Kiss or the Nikons.

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Its not true at all thats its only for video its fast even normally,the 18-135 stm with 700 D is real fast.

 

[sujoyp]

Live view and touch focus is useless in simple language ....and we are talking about DSLR and not P&S here where one needs to compose picture looking at the screen ......I just give no importance to quality of touch interface nor awesome live view.

And L lens comon its nothing special ...even nikon have lenses with golden ring around it which are the costlier ones ....no point for this too

All new superfast STM lens only help in videos...nothing great in other ways

yes regarding number of hard button...nikon have strangely reduced it on D5300 ...

handling and button is personal...I dont find canon great in that

lastly for that money I can get a D7000+18-55 which have far superior body...many more buttons, much better viewfinder...many more focus points...better metering...why not get that instead

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Ok read some article about STM lenses ...its the next gen technology ...but mainly help in video

These models are designed to complement the existing range but eschew the firm’s ultrasonic AF motors, which were designed to refocus quickly with large movements then make smaller focus corrections. This tends to result in irregular, hesitant focus movements that’s of little consequence with stills but is a somewhat unsettling experience during video-capture.

In conjunction with guide bars, the stepping motor moves the focus lens using a lead screw and rack which results in very smooth, precisely controlled movements (in the order of microns) and is especially beneficial during AF tracking during video capture. With no gears (found on the firm’s Micro USM motors, for example), low operating noise is another advantage.

 

[The Incinerator]

Just try one in real world the 700D/70D with a STM,its not just videos/live views its fast even with the viewfinder. About touchscreen,we didnt really needed one in cellphones unless apple proved it otherwise,its the same here.Who likes to choose menu options with up down right left keys,its plain cumbersome,when you just touch on the feature you want and alter.You cant deny touch is simpler.Its even sweeter with that intuitive UI.Canon L lens are superior in many categories over a comparable nikon,for eg the 100mm and the 400mm.Its a known fact.
The D7000 is relatively old camera and out of stock with most sellers,and in amazon us it is 775$ for body only!

 

[nac]

You're right Inci. Most of the people (including and esp. me) who haven't used a particular model. But still post a comment based on the information they know. On the other hand, comments from the people who have used it can have a real say in it.
And... I guess there is always room for Canonian/Nikonian debate

 

[srkmish]

As per the reviews i have read, D5300 low light performance was better than 700d. I was leaning towards nikon. I have to do more research before my next purchase

 

[The Incinerator]

Above 6400 ISO,yes I found the Canon grainier yes,but tell me who goes that high,3200 is the limit. I had posted a snap which I took in Thailand last month with my 600D at night with the Kit lens of some palace there,am yet to see any grain or noise!The 70D is even better with the new sensor in low light as I read somwhere, DP maybe.So in real world again its a non point. Yes I whole heartedly agree agree to the point had the purchase been made in India D7000 would have been a better buy any given day.Had Canon priced The 700D between 42 & 45 K in India it would have been awesome just because of the way it focuses almost like mirroless when coupled with those STM lens.Its a big step forward innovation wise and Nikon is yet to catch up in that segment in that regard IMHO. Even with VF its snappier ,I would again stress on that,its just not videos.Visit a Camerena Store and check ,they will let you as long as you want to ....good people

 

[srkmish]

Cool. Do you have a link to your photography page?

 

[The Incinerator]

*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/cameras-camcorders/182225-buying-dslr.html

Here had posted some,ill create a flikr page soon.

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Ill post some Birding shots today evening that I had taken with a borrowed Tamron lens and Tripod from a friend. Those birding shot were taken in Jan/ Feb with a 600D and Tammy.