Intro and maybe some advice: Hello all. My name is Gary and I'm a recovering.... Just Kidding! Actually I was into photography many years ago and did film developing and darkroom work.

horaceunit Loc: Delaware

Hello all. My name is Gary and I'm a recovering.... Just Kidding! Actually I was into photography many years ago and did film developing and darkroom work. I actually had a darkroom set up in a house I lived in. I've used medium format equipment (Bronika, Yashikamat) and my last 35mm film camera was a Canon AE1 although I also owned several Mintola cameras as well. I had a few point and shoot digitals and the last notable digital camera I had was a Minolta Dimage 7 that I used to take infrared photos with (using a filter on the lens). So best I can recollect I basically stopped shooting about 10-12 years ago except for cell phone pictures. Recently I started fooling around with a Canon Vixia HF R52 video camera which began some research into possibly upgrading and that led me to the surprising (for me) revelation that DSLR's (and mirrorless) cameras are actually way more popular for video creation than camcorders (who'd have figured that 15 years ago!?). So I am not a novice in the sense that I need to learn the basics of photography but I am a novice to digital photography. I still want to be able to "play" with video but I also figure if I'm going to attempt to jump back in I might as well get a DSLR. While I have researched mirrorless cameras at this point I have decided to stay in the DSRL realm at least for now. I am trying to stay in the $500 range although I would probably go a little higher. I have no equipment at all currently so not married to an eco-system. I'm leaning slightly toward Canon because of the (at least perceived) superiority of Canon's video capabilities. Not adverse to used and I am trying hard to stay away from grey market. I have narrowed down to three choices- Canon SL2 or T7i, and Nikon 5600. I have found used deals on all of these (mostly on ebay) that come in between $450- and just under $600. So considering that video is important but so is picture taking- and the ability to (hopefully) grow with a camera (and system) as well as be able to take a higher degree of manual control (the one thing that makes me hesitate with the SL2) I would sincerely appreciate any input anyone has to offer. Thanks in advance for any thoughts and thanks for letting me join up!

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

If you are going to go the Canon route for video, make sure whatever body you get has dual pixel stabilization.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Welcome to the forum.

horaceunit Loc: Delaware

rgrenaderphoto wrote:

If you are going to go the Canon route for video, make sure whatever body you get has dual pixel stabilization.

Both the T7i and the SL2 have the dual pixel stabilization. Thanks for the reply!

horaceunit Loc: Delaware

Longshadow wrote:

Welcome to the forum.

Thanks! I guess the photo bug can lay dormant for many years, but eventually it bites again!

broncomaniac Loc: Lynchburg, VA

The T7I is a fine camera but the very similar 77D has a top deck LCD for exactly the same cost.

horaceunit Loc: Delaware

broncomaniac wrote:

The T7I is a fine camera but the very similar 77D has a top deck LCD for exactly the same cost.

Huh! Something else to look at! For some reason the 77D didn't really pop up with any of my searches but I imagine that had to do more with how I searched more than anything else! Thanks very much for the idea!

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

horaceunit wrote:

Hello all. My name is Gary and I'm a recovering.... Just Kidding! Actually I was into photography many years ago and did film developing and darkroom work. I actually had a darkroom set up in a house I lived in. I've used medium format equipment (Bronika, Yashikamat) and my last 35mm film camera was a Canon AE1 although I also owned several Mintola cameras as well. I had a few point and shoot digitals and the last notable digital camera I had was a Minolta Dimage 7 that I used to take infrared photos with (using a filter on the lens). So best I can recollect I basically stopped shooting about 10-12 years ago except for cell phone pictures. Recently I started fooling around with a Canon Vixia HF R52 video camera which began some research into possibly upgrading and that led me to the surprising (for me) revelation that DSLR's (and mirrorless) cameras are actually way more popular for video creation than camcorders (who'd have figured that 15 years ago!?). So I am not a novice in the sense that I need to learn the basics of photography but I am a novice to digital photography. I still want to be able to "play" with video but I also figure if I'm going to attempt to jump back in I might as well get a DSLR. While I have researched mirrorless cameras at this point I have decided to stay in the DSRL realm at least for now. I am trying to stay in the $500 range although I would probably go a little higher. I have no equipment at all currently so not married to an eco-system. I'm leaning slightly toward Canon because of the (at least perceived) superiority of Canon's video capabilities. Not adverse to used and I am trying hard to stay away from grey market. I have narrowed down to three choices- Canon SL2 or T7i, and Nikon 5600. I have found used deals on all of these (mostly on ebay) that come in between $450- and just under $600. So considering that video is important but so is picture taking- and the ability to (hopefully) grow with a camera (and system) as well as be able to take a higher degree of manual control (the one thing that makes me hesitate with the SL2) I would sincerely appreciate any input anyone has to offer. Thanks in advance for any thoughts and thanks for letting me join up!

Hello all. My name is Gary and I'm a recovering...... (show quote)

Gary, Welcome to the forum and create some awesome images with whatever camera you use.

broncomaniac Loc: Lynchburg, VA

horaceunit wrote:

Huh! Something else to look at! For some reason the 77D didn't really pop up with any of my searches but I imagine that had to do more with how I searched more than anything else! Thanks very much for the idea!

And image stabilized video.

horaceunit Loc: Delaware

broncomaniac wrote:

And image stabilized video.

I see that now. Besides price the size and weight of the SL2 are pluses but both the T7i and 77D are really interesting too! Thanks!

MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

Welcome!

horaceunit Loc: Delaware

MikeMck wrote:

Welcome!

I'm feeling welcome! Thanks!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Welcome to our forum!

Some comparison sites -

Read comparisons and specs, and decide what features are important to you.
(Reviews) https://www.youtube.com/user/TheCameraStoreTV/videos
http://www.cameradecision.com/
http://cameras.reviewed.com/
http://camerasize.com/
http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM
http://snapsort.com/compare
http://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/cameras?utm_campaign=internal-link&utm_source=mainmenu&utm_medium=text&ref=mainmenu

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

Welcome to the forum.

CPR Loc: Nature Coast of Florida

Both cameras are fine but a comment on shooting video with a DSLR - they are not designed for it but will do it in a pinch. Great if on a tripod and shooting video of a speaker on a stage but a real pain if outside trying to shoot the kids playing in the yard. Can't see the screen in the sun and can't change the zoom without wiggling the camera. But, the video is great..................