Looking to upgrade

Hi everyone,

i am new here and just wanted to get some advice.I got the Rebel T3 as a present few months ago and i like it but i am ready to see what else is out there for me.I take photos of bike races and soccer games/food/pets.

I have the 18-55mm lens that came with the camera and the 70-300mm.What would be a good upgrade for me to invest in and any suggestions about the 50mm f1.4 lens?

Thanks a lot

No doubt 70-200. F 2.8 ... This has got to be in your bag

Welcome to POTN...You don't mention any budget constraints and many suggestions could have high $$$ tags, so you might wish to include a $ limit...Also would be nice to know your experience level and willingness to learn...Some cameras also have a steep learning curve.

Welcome!

You should say what your budget is. I think you should invest in lenses You've only had your T3 for a few months you say, so unless you feel you have vastly outgrown the capabilities of your DLSR, you could stick with that and put money towards some nice glass

I'm pretty new to Canon,my first SLR camera.I always used just a pocket camera and wanted something like the rebel to start off with.I'm looking into taking classes and learning more about the settings,etc.
One of my friends has the 7D and T3i and her images are amazing,she uses the 55-250mm.
I have been taking photos of my husband's cycling races,some images come out hazy and some are great so i have a long way to go.I wouldn't mind spending $2000.00 to invest into a camera that i will use for few years

Thanks

For shooting fast moving sporting events such as cycling, I suspect that you might need something with better AF capabilities than the T3.

I think that the 7D would serve you well here. T3i is not much better, if at all, than the T3...Another possibility in your budget would be the T4i, which does have slightly upgraded AF capabilities.

Or you could do, as Christina suggested and upgrade your lens collection while you attend your classes, and leave decisions about body upgrades for later when you know more about what you want and need.

You definitely will need a better AF system (not that the T3 is horrible). A camera body like the 7D will certainly hold its own for shooting soccer games and bike races. You can easily pick one up used under $1K. The 50mm f/1.4 is also a excellent, fast lens.

-Nick

You want a fast, relatively short prime for the food. You want a long zoom for the sports (is the 70-300 working?). The pets, maybe both.

Adding a prime to your existing zooms is probably a good move.

Velogirl22 wrote in post #15040611
I'm pretty new to Canon,my first SLR camera.I always used just a pocket camera and wanted something like the rebel to start off with.I'm looking into taking classes and learning more about the settings,etc.
One of my friends has the 7D and T3i and her images are amazing,she uses the 55-250mm.
I have been taking photos of my husband's cycling races,some images come out hazy and some are great so i have a long way to go.I wouldn't mind spending $2000.00 to invest into a camera that i will use for few years

Thanks

The kit I have in my signature is working out great for me. I'd like the 70-200 f2.8L ISii, but the non-IS I have already costs 1/2 as much, and has allowed me to get some amazing captures. A 7D or a 1D MkIII would be great bodies in that $1000-$1200 range, and the 70-200 f2.8L used would wrap up your $2k budget, and keep you busy for a couple years before you need much else.

I'd say to sell the 70-300 to help with buying a used 70-200 and a used 1D3 or 7D (or sell it after you have the replacement).

For cycling, you're going to end up using that kit lens on the T3 for a while for up-close shooting. You can keep the 70-200 on the sports body, and change cameras quickly depending on your conditions.

For soccer, I planned on swapping cameras for up-close shooting, but the up-close stuff never came, and I just used the 70-200 the whole time

If you buy this stuff used, then there's no penalty for mistaken purchases, and you can just sell the stuff off in 3 months and try something else.

Velo ...just a quick questions ...are you shooting manual or on a preset ... do you use the metering.

I think that is your answer. Your friend is getting amazing images with a lens cheaper than yours. A lot of folks, when they start out, think that if they are getting disappointing results early on, they can solve the problem by buying more expensive equipment. Ain't so. If you are disappointed now, you will probably be disappointed after spending more money.

In order of importance, the quality of your images will be determined by (1) you, (2) a distant second, your lenses, and (3) a more distant third, your camera body. I suggest that you take those classes, read, and practice. Once you know how to control the camera, how to deal with lighting, and how to process your files, you will see a huge increase in quality. It takes time, but there is no way around that.

Yes, better equipment will help you out, but you won't know what to buy until you have had more experience and learn where your current equipment is holding you back. So have patience, practice, and have fun.

A lot of your success will be determined mainly by you- and your measure of what success is. Really though, you should primarily work on getting some better lenses initially- but also - be stern in a commitment to using your camera routinely. For example, the 50mm f/1.4 lens would be a good starting point to start with- be sure to stop it down some for better sharpness- for example- but it would make a fine lens to start out with. this would have been the end of my post- had I not looked at the actual specs of the t3.

OK, not a fan of the T3 model- but I am sure that it's got limits just like each and every other model out there. The T3 is handicapped to some degree- more so than the t3i- which is kind of handicapped when compared to a better camera like the 7D. When you start running into the limits- is when you should consider upgrading the body... for instance, your center AF sensor is f/5.6 sensitive- which means that as the t3's best AF sensor- it is only as good as the worst sensor on the 7D !. In normal daylight- this is not necessarily going to be a limitation- but it certainly will be in lower light. Question: Am I being too blunt here or is it better to know what the limits of this camera is before saying that it cannot be the body ? I think not. Let's face it- slapping any lens such as a f/2.8 lens on it and thinking it will focus better- is probably a pipe dream. Everyone out here that has had a better body generally knows that the standard center cross type af sensor is generally the most accurate- and the one in the T3 is only as sensitive as the outer points on a t4i or 7d or 60D. You also have a MP limitation.. If you are framing your pics the way you want- without having to resort to heavier cropping- then 12 MP should be more than enough. If you find yourself cropping, then having a higher MP will help to a degree.. The kit lens- 18-55mm some love it- some hate it. Quality wise- it's OK- but that is about it. Stop it down some- and it's a bit better- but it's still just a cheap kit lens.

Really, if it were me- the first thing I would do would be to swap out the body. But I would want to know how to "cheat".. For example, the 7D is an excellent camera with an established reputation. It's a sporting camera- meant to capture action. It's got a sophisticated AF system- probably more than what most people need- but one of the key points of its AF system is the All cross type AF points- which helps when tracking fast moving subjects. The t3i, for example, in contrast has a 9 point, cross point in the center only- with the center being f/2.8 sensitive. the other AF points on the t3i are sensitive to f/5.6, and only sensitive to contrast in a direction perpendicular to the AF sensor. Even with a t3i, and its center point- being more sensitive- you will get better and more consistent focusing in lower light- and when using it for tracking in AI servo- using just the center point- it can do a fairly good job..

The only other crop I would consider- would be the t4i- as it has all 9 cross type AF sensors- with the center f/2.8 sensitive. It's AF system is not as sophisticated as the 7D, but it is cheaper, lighter, has a swivel screen useful for a number of things, and is generally good enough for most starting out- not too complicated- but not to simplistic where you reach its limits too quickly either. The lens to get with this camera is the 18-135 IS STM lens- puts the 18-55 IS to shame, IMO.

The decision to replace the body for you should really focus on where its weaknesses lay- and whether or not you will be attempting to shoot where it's weakest- i.e. hitting its limits.. From the specs, the t3 is more of a daylight camera - more suited for bright conditions. If that's what you shoot in mostly- use it - you already have it.. Get better glass- for image quality, DOF, bokeh, etc.. If you shoot and start hitting, say - 1600 & 3200 ISO in order to achieve decent shutter speeds- it's probably time to replace it.. I think at that point- your body is handicapped..


Current cameras, I would recommend;
7D.. T4i with the 18-135 STM lens (certainly better than the 18-55 IS ). I'd go with these because the 7D is the best crop camera Canon makes for sports (tracking, etc.. ). The t4i is a lower cost alternative- packed with features.. The 60D is an alternative- but in a lot of ways- the t4i is a mini-60D+, with the t4i being a newer model- I'd take that over the older 60D.

Lenses I would consider.. 50mm f/1.4 - certainly. A prime is good for everyone to at least try.. Different.. Canon 15-85 (mainly because of your camera's tending towards daylight anyways) - certainly. You would be able to use this and know that it's not your equipment holding you back under most cases.

Other things; Canon 420 EX II for an external flash... Whole new world once you get an external flash- best investment you can make- period.

Beyond that- I'd really say that your body is too limited to NOT think that it is not a limiting factor- at least in some respects.


That's my opinion.