New T3i owner--what would you do differently?

First time poster so hope I'm posting in the right place.

After a ton of research I've decided on a T3i which I should be getting next week. It will be with the 18-55mm kit lens. This is my first dip into the DSLR pool although I'm no stranger to photography and film but it has been a number of years.

Since the T3i (600D(?) why oh why did Canon use two different names?) has been in the wild for several years now, I thought I'd ask:

• "What would you do differently now that you have used the camera?
  
• What lens or lenses did you buy that you wished you hadn't?
  
• If you are using any vintage lens, what M42 or FD to EF adapter are you using?
  
• Do you use a flash or just up the ISO?
  
• What accessory have you bought that you just can't live without?
  

wildbill001 wrote in post #16526909
First time poster so hope I'm posting in the right place.

Since the T3i (600D(?) why oh why did Canon use two different names?) has been in the wild for several years now, I thought I'd ask:

• "What would you do differently now that you have used the camera?
  
• What lens or lenses did you buy that you wished you hadn't?
  
• If you are using any vintage lens, what M42 or FD to EF adapter are you using?
  
• Do you use a flash or just up the ISO?
  
• What accessory have you bought that you just can't live without?
  

One name in USA, one name everywhere else. Why? I don't know.

1. I would not change a thing I have done with the T3i. I would, however, buy a full frame model, now that I have some experience.
2. I'd keep all my lenses so far, I only have three, and I will add one or two more.
3. Don't bother with the conversion, I regret buying an adapter for my old FD lenses. The image degradation is so great, as to render the FD lenses useless on the EF mount.
4. I need to buy a flash, I really need to buy a flash. I use studio lighting for some shots, but did I mention, I need to buy a flash.
5. For landscapes, a Circular Polarizing filter is a must.

Good luck with your new T3i, I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

StillCrazy summed it up well, right up to "I need to buy a flash"-- me, too.
Lenses I would not buy again? The Canon 70-300 non-IS. Tough to get a good sharp image from this one.
Two accessories I'd suggest (along with the CPL already mentioned above);
This Book: http://www.amazon.com …=1-9&keywords=david+busch Like you, I have a solid background in film and then was away for "a number of years". Too big a number. This book has been great to help learn what the camera is doing so I can make it do what I want and when, conveniently. As well as what it does that my film cameras didn't do.
And I would also suggest a 6 (or so) stop neutral density filter. I find mine very useful.

I'm very pleased with just how much the T3i can do. While it will be replaced at some point, I will keep it as a very capable back up/ additional body.

get this and never look back-

http://www.amazon.com …ds=nifty+fifty+​lens+canon

wildbill001 wrote in post #16526909

• "What would you do differently now that you have used the camera?
  
• What lens or lenses did you buy that you wished you hadn't?
  
• If you are using any vintage lens, what M42 or FD to EF adapter are you using?
  
• Do you use a flash or just up the ISO?
  
• What accessory have you bought that you just can't live without?
  

-I would start a 365 project as soon as I got the camera. It increasing your learning curve exponentially if you're just starting out and don't understand the settings and what they do/affect.
-I would skip the 18-55 and get the 18-135 STM as my starter lens.
-Never used any manual focus lenses, the VF in the 600d isn't easy to use with MF.
-Both flash and higher ISO. Depends on the situation. You can get usable results at ISO 6400 with no flash once you get over pixel peeping, learn ETTL and processing, and understand not every shot will be printed at 20x36.
-photo editing software is the only accessory I can't live without

1. I bought a 6D and a 7D but I am keeping the T3i and will shoot it until it folds. It's one heck of a camera for the price and has made a lot of money for me.

2. Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM. Bought it for $100 at a Black Friday sale. Sold it two weeks later.

3. I use a lot of MF lenses on the T3i. Mostly Olympus, Tamron Adaptall and Vivitar to date. There is a lot of cheap glass that will go toe to toe with with the red rings. I like the Fotodiox's adapters with focus confirm but often rely on a knock-off Hoodman loupe. Forget the FD lenses unless you already have them, then get a reverse lense mount and use them for macro.

4. You are only going to be able to push the ISO so far before the image degrades. I have had good luck with Yongnuo 565's.

5. Decent bags. Old, heavy Manfrotto tripod and monopod. Knock-off Hoodman loupe which has a magnetized mount. Allows you to focus in live view using x10.

The aforementioned is just my opinion and may not reflect the opinion of other forum members

NCSA197 wrote in post #16527101
Lenses I would not buy again? The Canon 70-300 non-IS. Tough to get a good sharp image from this one.

Is there a 70-300 without IS?

As others have said, upping ISO does not compensate for not having a flash.

Now personally I love my mini-softbox for my flash. But in any case I would start with a flash on the hotshoe with some type of diffuser. Even the plastic things that fit over the flash help.

For pets/people I would also thing about some kind of setup to get the flash off the hotshoe. I use Novaflex stuff which is pricey, so I'm not sure what the best budget options are for that. It makes a huge difference though. I just did my kids portraits and just used ambient window light and a flash with mini softbox off to the side of the camera and they really looked pretty decent.

Personally I thought the 18-55 was a decent lens and I used it for wide-angle landscapes quite a bit before I upgraded. The worst thing about it for landscapes is the rotating front element when using filters (CPL or grads). I have not used the 18-135 though, but I think it is quite a bit more (the 18-55 goes for $80 used).

xarqi wrote in post #16528206
Is there a 70-300 without IS?

A small typo; should read 75-300mm 1:4-5.6

I won't call it junk, but there are better choices.

Naming of products can be a cultural thing. Remember the old Datsun 240Z. In Japan it was referred to as the Nissan Fairlady Z. At the time America's were hung up on numbering schemes and Japan used words.

NCSA197 wrote in post #16528492
A small typo; should read 75-300mm 1:4-5.6

I won't call it junk, but there are better choices.

Most would, and there certainly are.

I started with a Rebel XT (a few generations prior to your new t3i), and wouldn't necessarily do much differently, but will say what I DID do, and would recommend. Both have been stated above.

Get the 50 1.8. It is a no-brainer. It's cheap, sharp, and a great way to get familiar with depth-of-field and bokeh.

Get a flash! This is the number one way to improve your indoor shots (and some outdoors). Get a simple flash (I got the Yongnuo yn-467, if I was you now though, I would get the yn-468, or the 565 EX, about $85 and $115 respectively). Mount the flash, point it towards the ceiling, and be amazed at how much of a difference it makes.

Congrats, and good luck with the new toy!

NCSA197 wrote in post #16527101
StillCrazy summed it up well, right up to "I need to buy a flash"-- me, too.
...snip...
Two accessories I'd suggest (along with the CPL already mentioned above);
This Book: http://www.amazon.com …=1-9&keywords=david+busch
...snip...
And I would also suggest a 6 (or so) stop neutral density filter. I find mine very useful.

...snip...

Nice call on the book. Got it last night and it seems to be chock-full of info that I would not find in the user-manual.

Any recommendations on a decent flash? I used to own a Vivitar 283 (yes, I'm that old) but I know that won't work with DSLRs

Also started looking at ND filters. Not sure I will need those yet but putting them on the list.

mongoosemc: Any suggestion as to adapters? There is an almost overwhelming plethora of choices for just an M42 to EOS (chipped, un-chipped, brass, alum, etc. etc.) not to mention adapters for the Olympus OM, Nikon, etc. Once I get the hang of the kit-lens I'm thinking a few of the older screw-mount lens, which are still dirt-cheap, would be fun to work with. In fact I have a line on a Vivitar 200mm 3.5(I think) for $30. Which I think would be my first "vintage lens" purchase.

Canon nifty fifty is very close to the top of the list (kinda nice that my birthday is in late January ).

Those Yongnuo flashes look really interesting. I was shocked yesterday at the local big-box stores to see flash units that were almost as expensive as the camera. Those look more like what I will get soon.

Thanks for the comments. Keep 'em coming. This is all very good info for me.

Bill W

wildbill001 wrote in post #16526909

• "What would you do differently now that you have used the camera?
  
• What lens or lenses did you buy that you wished you hadn't?
  
• If you are using any vintage lens, what M42 or FD to EF adapter are you using?
  
• Do you use a flash or just up the ISO?
  
• What accessory have you bought that you just can't live without?
  

Bill W

1. Got into DLSR with the XTi in 2006 after shooting film previously, then shot sporadically here and there so I always was kind of rusty. I would have had less hiatus from shooting

2. None. Each lens I've had served its purpose as I progressed. Even the 75-300 III (carried over from my film kit) which I couldn't even unload for $35, lol - so it's still sitting around somewhere, replaced with a 70-300 IS USM and looking to sell it and upgrade that a 100-400L in the near future.

3. N/A

4. As others stated, ISO doesn't compensate for flash. Flash, on and off camera, allows much finer control of lighting. I use ISO instead of flash when I am too lazy to put the flash on and it's bitten me a few times.

5. A good, sturdy, solid tripod with a decent bullhead. Went to Iceland with a cheap tripod which couldn't withstand high winds, ruining some long exposures; will not make that mistake again. Also, my GND filters. Both of these have contributed tremendously to improving my images.

Congrats and welcome back