My concern is when people pick up this DSLR in the store and handle it and then handle the D3100, they will automatically assume the D3100 is a better DSLR simply on the body construction alone. The plastic body feels (and is) cheap. And that, unfortunatley, will be hard to overcome for a lot of people. No textured grip is an unfortunate omission. At the entry-level, you don't expect full weather-sealing or magnesium alloy body but most others (Pentax K-x, Nikon D3100) at least are constructed of somewhat better materials and have a textured hand grip. The one plus side to the glossy-plastic body is that it makes the DSLR very lightweight. In fact, it probably is the lightest DSLR I've shot with.
The controls are pretty straight-forward on this camera. And I always like Canon's menu system, very intuitive. It has plenty of auto controls for newbie photographers but of course has a full manual suite of controls so it's perfect for students or folks in general who want to learn photography and want a camera they can grow with. In terms of the performance, this DSLR impressed me. Overall operation is very quick, shot-to-shot times are decent, and the autofocus is very fast. I have worked the with D3100 as well... and can safely say that the Rebel T3 outperforms it on almost all fronts (I'm sure I'll catch hell from the Nikon folks for that).
The viewfinder is 95% coverage and isn't the greatest but I found it to be satisfactory. And despite the relatively low screen resolution of 230k, I found the screen somewhat viewable in direct sunlight and better than the one on the D3100. Again, it's not wonderful, but not as bad as some I've seen (the worst was the Pentax K-x). They've also upgraded the AF system from 7 points on the Rebel XS to 9 points.
One move that was very smart on Canon's part was to keep the megapixel count at a modest 12 megapixels. And interestingly enough, it seems to work better with the supplied kit lens than some of the higher-end siblings. The combination of the kit lens and the 12 MP sensor leads to some very impressive image quality (especially if you bump up the sharpness a little bit in the camera settings) - and this camera will happily shoot with Canon's low-end lenses with some very decent results. One complaint I do have is, because of the light-weight plastic construction of the body, it tends to be out of balance with the longer, heavier lenses. I noticed this when I attached the EF-S 55-250 lens on it. It may not be a dealbreaker for everybody, but some people might find this irritating. Colors are very punchy but not to the point of over-saturation. I won't confidently say it's better than D3100 for image quality, but it at least matches it. And for the most part you can get clean images from this DSLR up to ISO 1600, which is impressive.
As far as the movie mode goes, it's only 1280x720 HD but actually the video quality is excellent. However, the manual controls are very limited. If you're equal parts into photos and movies, I would consider the Rebel T3i or 60d over this one though, as those have far more extensive manual controls for video shooting.
So overall, if you're able to overlook the rather cheap plastic construction, this is a very formidable entry-level DSLR that is suitable for both newbie photographers, and even pros looking for a light-weight companion to their regular gear.
Canon EOS Rebel T3 12.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with 18-55mm IS II Lens and EOS HD Movie Mode (Black)I purchased this camera a few days ago and I've had nothing but FUN with it! Aside from my simple Kodak Easyshare point and shoot, I had a Canon EOS Elan 7 (35mm) and had been wanting to switch it over to Digital for several years. The longer I waited, the better the camera's got and more affordable they became.
I decided on the Canon T3 mostly because of the affordable price. (Nearly 1/2 of the T3i) I felt like I was getting a very good value for my money. I was right!
This camera takes amazing photo's! Clear, crisp, true color.
It's very easy to use, right out of the box.
Fit's all my old lenses and the remote from the Elan 7
All the advanced manual settings I could want topped with the instant gratification of seeing how the settings affect the picture instantly.
This camera allows you to use live screen shooting which so many people like these days and it takes HD video.
The 12 megapixels is plenty even when enlarging OVER 11 x 14".
For a lower end Canon DSLR, it's a huge value for the money. This camera is an excellent choice for the hobbiest/enthusiast.
I am SOO glad I purchased it!
Nakiska
For the price of the camera, you wouldn't really expect much. However, that is completely false. For the small price, this camera really packs a big punch. It was a no-brainer for me to choose Canon for my first DSLR. Every single camera I've ever owned is a Canon, and I've never been disappointed. This camera is great for the beginner photographer, and even for the more advanced photographer. It's a breeze to learn how to work all of it's functions and most importantly, it delivers such amazing quality photos. The kit comes with a 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 image stabilization lens. Even with a moderately wide aperture, the lens performs exceptionally well under low-light situations. I will eventually grow out of this lens, but for now it's doing well for me. I feel like as I grow in my photography, this camera will grow with me and last me years to come. One of my goals is to become a freelance photographer. I have many many years before I get to that point, but right now, this is a good starting point.
I had some doubts about this camera when I looked online, but when I handled it for the first time, I was very impressed. Since my photography focus is horses, it was important to me to have a camera with no shutter lag and instantaneous recovery time between shots, which the T3 has.
I also purchased a 55-250 IS zoom lens, a UV filter to protect the lens, and a class 10 Sandisk Extreme SD card. They have worked very well together and I haven't experienced any problems. The kit lens has enough zoom for most indoor shots, but outside, I nearly always use the 55-250 zoom lens instead.
The battery life is great. I can take several extensive photoshoots before having to charge the battery. I use the manual settings more than the auto settings because I can set the AF points for more creative shots. The photo quality is great and images are sharp with good color (assuming you focused properly. :) )
The video quality is very good at its original size but decreases significantly when displayed on a larger screen. One drawback is that once the recording is started, you can't zoom or change the focus. But it does have audio - although of medium quality.
The onscreen interface was really helpful for me as an SLR newbie because each setting is briefly explained on the screen when settings are changed. The kit manuals are helpful and explained everything I needed to get started. I miss the textured grip, but find the smooth rubber easy to clean when I get dirty hands with the horses. The battery and card slots are on the bottom of the camera which means you can't set it down while it is open, but that's a relatively small issue.
Overall, I've been extremely satisfied with the Canon Rebel T3 and would recommend it for first-time SLR owners like me. - Canon'
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