JC56 Loc: Lake St.Louis mo.

I've had a super zoom nikon p100 then p500 for the last year.......they were good starters...but its time to buy a big person camera.......my favorite subjects are flying birds and other assorted critters (I hate photographing people)........I know the basics.......rules of thirds... modes.....iso..... etc.....etc...........I'm thinking Canon T3 with a 18-55 and 75-300 mm kit lens......... Thoughts and suggestions welcome. Need to keep it under a 1000 or my wife will kill me!

BuckeyeBilly Loc: St. Petersburg, FL

JC56,
I'll throw in my 2-cents worth. If you can spend up to $1000.00, I would recommend getting a Nikon D5100 over the Canon T3, especially since you're already familiar with how Nikon arranges its menu on cameras. But here is the main reason why: the sensor. The Nikon has a VERY GOOD sensor in it, one that's actually made by Sony, and it's even the same sensor as what is found in the D7000. A company called DxO Labs does extensive testing on camera sensors and you can see the results on the link I'll give you. But, as a teaser, the D5100 is ranked at #14---out of 151 cameras tested! By comparison, the T3 is ranked #82. What's more, right now with the Christmas season here, you can find good deals on camera packages; in fact, I saw a package deal with 2 lenses on Ritz camera's website for about $1000.00, and they are usually higher than a lot of camera stores. But even if you can only get the kit lens because of needing to save money, I think the D5100 would be a much better choice. Just my opinion...and by the way, I own 2 Canon cameras and 2 Fuji cameras, and I say that just so you know I'm not biased towards Nikon.

http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Cameras/Camera-Sensor-Ratings

JC56 Loc: Lake St.Louis mo.

Thanks for the information.

MtnMan Loc: ID

Be sure to check out snapsort.com. You can browse cameras and then compare the details on your leading candidates.

I recently bought the Nikon D51000 kit at Costco and think it an anawesome camera and a fabulous deal. Alas I saw yesterday in the store they have raised the price $100...probably for Christmas.

Regards,
Larry Leach

MtnMan Loc: ID

I paid under $1000 (before tax) for the Nikon D5100 with both an 18-55 mm and a 55-300mm. They now wanted $1049 for that kit.

The D3100 is a couple of hundered less and almost as good. But I learned later that the sensor in the D5100 is exactly the same one as in the signifcantly more expensive D7000. My daughter-in-law bought the D3100 the same time I bought my D5100. She is very happy with it and actually takes better pictures than I do...a natural talent, I guess.

Here's the more detailed snapsort link comparing the T3i and D5100.

http://snapsort.com/compare/Canon-T3i-vs-Nikon-D5100


Regards,
Larry Leach

Nikon_DonB Loc: Chicago

I bought the Nikon D3100 from cameta.com and am estatic with the quality of the images it produces. It came with the 18-55mm kit lens and I added the 55-300mm zoom to the package. This is an awesome camera for the money. As said here before, the camera is just the tool,.....it's the photographers eye that makes most of the difference.
Get the Nikon D3100 with the 300mm zoom and you will be thanking us later, while havin a few bucks left for extra mem. chips. Check out cameta. They have some great package deals.

Nikon_DonB Loc: Chicago

Just as a courtesy for you I just checked cameta for you and the whole set is available for $989. Everything you need to get started and have a good arsenel of equipment. And NO I don't work for cameta. I'm just very impressed with their deals and they have great customer service as I've witnessed before. Good Luck and Merry Christmas.

http://www.cameta.com/Nikon-D3100-Digital-SLR-Camera-18-55mm-G-VR-DX-AF-S-Zoom-Lens-61177.cfm

SteveR Loc: Michigan

The only problem that I find with those two lenses is that you'll need to be changing them all the time. If you can choke up about $500 more, get the Nikon 28-300 zoom. It will cover just about everything you'll shoot and you won't be changing lenses. I only recently bought a Tamron 10-24 wide angle that I use on vacation.

JC56 Loc: Lake St.Louis mo.

I live in the St.louis area...our local shop is called creve coeur camera....they are great people who always help and never press you to buy. I will go over and check out the 3100. Dumb question it says the 300mm lens has an optical zoom of 5.5.......does that mean I can take a photo at 1650? I like to take bird and animal photos so I need a lot of zoom.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

For birding you may want to get something that goes up to at least 400mm. With the multiplication factor of 1.5 on amateur level DSLRs, this translates into 600mm. A converter will give you added multiplication if needed.

JC56 Loc: Lake St.Louis mo.

hey all thanks for the help. here is how i'm leaning please fell free to tell me I'm a dumb ass.
1. D5100 it has remote cabale capcity more pixs and a better sensor.

JC56 Loc: Lake St.Louis mo.

oops ole feeble fingers stikes again.
2. go with a higher end lens 300mm but with a 5.5 optical zoom.
3. If two is not a good option what does a decent 400mm cost?

SteveR Loc: Michigan

Check out the 100-400 zoom. It's a bit pricey, but if you're shooting birds you'll like it.

country Loc: back woods

Really like this website, thanks

MtnMan Loc: ID

Hi,

Yeah. I thought I was in good shape with my 300 mm on my D5100...which is like a 450 mm film lens.

I took shots of some elk up the road yesterday and even though I felt pretty close had to crop in to get the type of pic I was looking for. Birds are a lot smaller than elk. ;-)

Regards,
Larry Leach

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