T3i question

N

nateanderson

New member
Hey everyone! I'm hopefully buying my first DSLR (t3i) next week (or whenever it comes out :|) and this website looked like a great resource, so I joined!

But, I was wondering if I could get some advice from those more familiar with DSLR shooting than I.

I noticed on Amazon the T3i is selling with the 18-55 for $899 or body only for $799. I also noticed I can buy the Canon 50mm for $121. I've heard the 50mm is far better looking than the 18-55. Is this true? Could I get by by just buying the body and 50mm? Or, would I be crippling myself by not having the 18-55 kit lens?

Thanks!
 
The 50mm 1.8 is a decent lens, looks good, but it will limit you on range if it's your only lens. There are mixed reviews on the kit lens - some love it and some hate it. All depends what you'll be doing. I use a Canon 50mm 1.4 and a Tamron 10-24. I have the kit lens as well but I don't ever use it. Save some money and put it towards a better zoom lens if you can.
 
Yeah...I agree with Kit. Save your money for a fairly fast zoom with a decent range. You won't find a mega zoom that has a fast aperture, but you should be able to find a 17 or 18 to around 50 or a bit more that's 2.8 or faster. Another option would be to get a set of 3 primes One at 20 or 35, one at 50, and one at 85. I priced 3 of the non L Canon's out at around $1200 (total) - all of them were 2.0 or 1.8. Lots of lowlight and shallow capability, a usable range, and great reviews on every lens.
 
Even a cheap, bottom end prime lens ("prime" means fixed focal length, no zoom) is better than most all zoom lenses -- and that includes most all the Canon "L" zooms.

So, yes, that F/1.8 will DESTROY that kit lens. And, yes, if it was me -- I would absolutely not buy the kit lens. Several years back when I bought the 5Dm2 -- I bought it with the 85mm f/1.8. Some time later when I bought the 7D -- I bought it with the 50mm f/1.4. So, yes, if your budget only permits one lens in that price range -- get the 50mm f/1.8.

Optically, that f/1.8 delivers. But, it is built rather cheaply and the tiny manual focus ring can be challenging. If you're patient and gentle with it -- only goons like me will be able to differentiate its images from either the f/1.4 or f/1.2. Optically, your T3i will be an entirely different camera with that 50mm as opposed to the notably mediocre stuff you'll get from that kit lens.

If you can afford it -- the step up to the 50mm f/1.4 is a good move.

Relative to the world of zoom lenses -- the general rule is that the smaller the zoom range the better the results. Vast range, all purpose zooms are all crap.
 
Horrible information being given here. First and foremost NO ONE can say that a prime lens is better than the kit lens as EVERY lens has it's time and place.


The kit lens is only $100, based on price alone and the fact that it has IS is reason alone to own it. A 50mm prime is very different than an 18-55mm kit lens with IS


The kit lens with light is a very good lens , also the 18mm allows for some wide shots which is basically impossible with a 50mm prime. To the op you need to do some serious reading and understand what different focal lengths and apertures on these lenses truly do.

You can buy a 50mm prime and the kit lens for $200, which I can almost promise you will be the least expensive modern lenses you ever buy.
 
life4eva said:
Horrible information being given here. First and foremost NO ONE can say that a prime lens is better than the kit lens as EVERY lens has it's time and place.


The kit lens is only $100, based on price alone and the fact that it has IS is reason alone to own it. A 50mm prime is very different than an 18-55mm kit lens with IS


The kit lens with light is a very good lens , also the 18mm allows for some wide shots which is basically impossible with a 50mm prime. To the op you need to do some serious reading and understand what different focal lengths and apertures on these lenses truly do.

You can buy a 50mm prime and the kit lens for $200, which I can almost promise you will be the least expensive modern lenses you ever buy.
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I don't see how there is horrible information being given. The kit lens is fine for certain things, but the primes I'm talking about are much better quality, faster, have better focusing rings, etc etc. They cost a bit more money but not L series kind of money. Everybody has their own opinions about lenses and yes the kit lens is a good value, but I seriously doubt that investing in a decent set of well built primes is horrible information, just a different approach.
 
pulpfiction007 said:
I don't see how there is horrible information being given. The kit lens is fine for certain things, but the primes I'm talking about are much better quality, faster, have better focusing rings, etc etc. They cost a bit more money but not L series kind of money. Everybody has their own opinions about lenses and yes the kit lens is a good value, but I seriously doubt that investing in a decent set of well built primes is horrible information, just a different approach.
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There is a reason that Zoom lenses exist, if you are doing a live event you can forget about using a prime unless you feel like running around like a mad man. Lets just say you have a 20mm prime lens on your camera and something happens at 50mm that you need to capture, it's not going to happen...... With that zoom lens you are now able to do it.

If you are on a movie set with unlimited time than prime lenses make sense, but for live events or those that need to be done rite now, zoom lenses are Gold. Try mounting a 20mm lens on a car mount and then the kit lens, that kit lens with IS is going to help you a lot more. I can go on and on with examples here. My most important point though is No One lens does it all, but if you are going to be in a situation that you cannot change lenses, a zoom lens will be the best option time and time again.
 
life4eva said:
There is a reason that Zoom lenses exist, if you are doing a live event you can forget about using a prime unless you feel like running around like a mad man. Lets just say you have a 20mm prime lens on your camera and something happens at 50mm that you need to capture, it's not going to happen...... With that zoom lens you are now able to do it.

If you are on a movie set with unlimited time than prime lenses make sense, but for live events or those that need to be done rite now, zoom lenses are Gold. Try mounting a 20mm lens on a car mount and then the kit lens, that kit lens with IS is going to help you a lot more. I can go on and on with examples here. My most important point though is No One lens does it all, but if you are going to be in a situation that you cannot change lenses, a zoom lens will be the best option time and time again.
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Understood...that makes sense! I guess I've gotten so used to people buying these cameras for narrative, I forgot about the other situations. Personally for live situations, I still prefer my HFS200 for just these reasons. Excellent zoom, OIS, and predictable boring old deep focus!
 
pulpfiction007 said:
Understood...that makes sense! I guess I've gotten so used to people buying these cameras for narrative, I forgot about the other situations. Personally for live situations, I still prefer my HFS200 for just these reasons. Excellent zoom, OIS, and predictable boring old deep focus!
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Precisely. Thanks for the info everyone. I actually have a HFS100 that I would use for live events as well. Because of this, I don't think a zoom lens is necessarily crucial for me. Ultimately, however, I expect I'll end up investing in both.
 
life4eva said:
Horrible information being given here. First and foremost NO ONE can say that a prime lens is better than the kit lens as EVERY lens has it's time and place.


The kit lens is only $100, based on price alone and the fact that it has IS is reason alone to own it. A 50mm prime is very different than an 18-55mm kit lens with IS


The kit lens with light is a very good lens , also the 18mm allows for some wide shots which is basically impossible with a 50mm prime. To the op you need to do some serious reading and understand what different focal lengths and apertures on these lenses truly do.

You can buy a 50mm prime and the kit lens for $200, which I can almost promise you will be the least expensive modern lenses you ever buy.
Click to expand...

life4eva said:
There is a reason that Zoom lenses exist, if you are doing a live event you can forget about using a prime unless you feel like running around like a mad man. Lets just say you have a 20mm prime lens on your camera and something happens at 50mm that you need to capture, it's not going to happen...... With that zoom lens you are now able to do it.

If you are on a movie set with unlimited time than prime lenses make sense, but for live events or those that need to be done rite now, zoom lenses are Gold. Try mounting a 20mm lens on a car mount and then the kit lens, that kit lens with IS is going to help you a lot more. I can go on and on with examples here. My most important point though is No One lens does it all, but if you are going to be in a situation that you cannot change lenses, a zoom lens will be the best option time and time again.
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Umm, I believe I already said that.

Kit Hannah said:
The 50mm 1.8 is a decent lens, looks good, but it will limit you on range if it's your only lens. There are mixed reviews on the kit lens - some love it and some hate it. All depends what you'll be doing. I use a Canon 50mm 1.4 and a Tamron 10-24. I have the kit lens as well but I don't ever use it. Save some money and put it towards a better zoom lens if you can.
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I love how people love to jump into threads and go "wait wait wait, everyone here is wrong, THIS is how it is". Everything you just said is something that's already been covered and there is not "horrible information" being given at all. Nobody said "you must only have prime lenses". The OP never specified what he would be doing with the camera, so people were giving their general lens thoughts on how THEY use them. Its a discussion forum for crying out loud.

I hate to break it to you though, life4eva, but prime lenses ARE better than zoom lenses at their given focal length for image quality, sharpness and DOF. The zooms have an advantage as an all purpose lens when you 1) Don't have time to switch lenses, 2) Can't afford a set of primes, 3) when zooms are necessary. And believe me, I love zooms. But to say that people are giving horrible information is absurd.

And I will take it even one step further. DSLR's for video are not ideal for live events anyways. People make them work, sure, and can obtain great results, but if anyone is buying a DSLR strictly for live events, they need to look at cameras with much easier live workflows.
 
Kit Hannah said:
Umm, I believe I already said that.



I love how people love to jump into threads and go "wait wait wait, everyone here is wrong, THIS is how it is". Everything you just said is something that's already been covered and there is not "horrible information" being given at all. Nobody said "you must only have prime lenses". The OP never specified what he would be doing with the camera, so people were giving their general lens thoughts on how THEY use them. Its a discussion forum for crying out loud.

I hate to break it to you though, life4eva, but prime lenses ARE better than zoom lenses at their given focal length for image quality, sharpness and DOF. The zooms have an advantage as an all purpose lens when you 1) Don't have time to switch lenses, 2) Can't afford a set of primes, 3) when zooms are necessary. And believe me, I love zooms. But to say that people are giving horrible information is absurd.

And I will take it even one step further. DSLR's for video are not ideal for live events anyways. People make them work, sure, and can obtain great results, but if anyone is buying a DSLR strictly for live events, they need to look at cameras with much easier live workflows.
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What are you talking about? When did I ever say that a zoom lens provided better quality or worst than a prime lens? Secondly horrible information was given here as people were basically saying the kit lens provides horrible image quality when that simply is not true. Finally you need to think real deep into the world of live events. You can be doing a wedding reception, night club, sporting event...... These are all places where a Zoom lens would be an excellent choice. There are very nice sharp and excellent zoom lenses as well,

Canon 16-35mm
Canon 24-70mm / f2.8
Canon EF 24-105mm
Canon 70-200mm
Canon Eos 17-55


Just to name a few. I love primes as well as Zooms and no one can deny the benefit of having both.

Look at this footage shot with a "Zoom" lens on a 5d, simply beautiful






Try doing this with a 200mm Prime and it would simply be impossible without some form of a rig or stabilization and even though No One can deny the fact this footage looks amazing for a so called "Zoom Lens"
 
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life4eva, I was never against zoom lenses and I didn't see anyone who was. Nobody is saying you're wrong, but there wasn't horrible information being given either, that was my point. Cheers man :beer:
 
To the OP, just get the kit lens. It is what I did when I was new to the 7D over a year ago. If you haven't worked with these kinds of lenses before (like I hadn't), just get the inexpensive kit lens and use it. You will come to understand focal length, aperture (how fast or slow it is) and the importance of image stabilization. In the case of a kit lens, there is a switch you turn on and off that will make the image smoother, but when you have a prime lens, you have to seriously weigh it down or stabilize it to recreate the same kind of smoothness. (there is of course more to it than this simple explanation, but for the sake of being brief...)

Once you understand what you like and don't like about the kit lens, then spend big money on prime lenses and whatever you want. You can always turn around and sell the kit lens with minimal monetary loss, but you'll probably find yourself keeping it, just like I did with my 18-135mm kit lens...

I did also buy a 50mm f/1.8 lens like many people do, and so if you can swing it, go for it. But for an extra $100 you can get a pristine new 18-55mm lens (should be a newer version with the T3i) and learn with that. Glass is horribly expensive. Don't buy stuff blind. Wait and shoot with the "inferior" learning lens and then make the investment.
 
Guys... the OP is agonizing over spending an extra hundred bucks. How many weeks/months will it be before he drops $500-$1500 on a recommended zoom? If he could afford one now, I doubt he'd be asking you whether to get the kit lens or not.

I shot an interview with an NFL hall-of-famer the other day, used my DSLR as a 2nd angle. They wanted to shoot some stills to use for a life-size standup. I was using a 100 2.8 Nikon prime on my Canon, and stuck the kit lens on the thing. The shot was printed at 6' tall. it looked fine, shot at 5.6 or so.

My wide lens for video is a nice Nikon zoom. But I shot a lot of plates and effect shots in downtown Dallas with no permit (and no rig), and just used the kit lens, easier than a Nikon adapter to deal with on the run. Footage looked great and it was all keyed.

For $100, the kit's an unbeatable value - especially if you blow your wad on the camera. I sense a lot of you guys just want to list the glass you own. Yeah, tell the dude to go with the 50mm, and how many weeks or months will he be shooting at (effectively) exclusively 75mm?

Any of you guys done a stop-by-stop test of the kit lens? With video? Get over yourselves, when you see an OP (labeled junior member, which may mean he's new at all this) worried about a hundred bucks, why not give him some useful advice? (And yeah, "primes rock" is useful advice as well, but be a little balanced. A kit lens is better than no lens, and I'd say better than just a 50, especially if you don't have a bunch of paying clients standing in line).
 
With the T3i at $799 and 60D at $899 (Body) I would seriously consider the 60D for an extra hundred. The controls are much better.
If the controls on the T3 are the same as the T2 every time you change your f-stop you will have find and hold the correct button on the back and turn the finger wheel on the front. There are 3 buttons on the back in a group so you have to look at them to select the right one.
Very fidgety and after 10 months shooting every day it never became second nature. If you fail to keep pressure on the rear button your shutter speed will change.
Just a poor design having to find 2 controls for one operation.
The 60D just turn the rear wheel for aperture, turn the front wheel for shutter speed. The rear wheel design is the same as the 7D and 5D.
If your budget is low the 18-55 will get you through till you get more cash.
 
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Michael Carter said:
Guys... the OP is agonizing over spending an extra hundred bucks. How many weeks/months will it be before he drops $500-$1500 on a recommended zoom? If he could afford one now, I doubt he'd be asking you whether to get the kit lens or not.

I shot an interview with an NFL hall-of-famer the other day, used my DSLR as a 2nd angle. They wanted to shoot some stills to use for a life-size standup. I was using a 100 2.8 Nikon prime on my Canon, and stuck the kit lens on the thing. The shot was printed at 6' tall. it looked fine, shot at 5.6 or so.

My wide lens for video is a nice Nikon zoom. But I shot a lot of plates and effect shots in downtown Dallas with no permit (and no rig), and just used the kit lens, easier than a Nikon adapter to deal with on the run. Footage looked great and it was all keyed.

For $100, the kit's an unbeatable value - especially if you blow your wad on the camera. I sense a lot of you guys just want to list the glass you own. Yeah, tell the dude to go with the 50mm, and how many weeks or months will he be shooting at (effectively) exclusively 75mm?

Any of you guys done a stop-by-stop test of the kit lens? With video? Get over yourselves, when you see an OP (labeled junior member, which may mean he's new at all this) worried about a hundred bucks, why not give him some useful advice? (And yeah, "primes rock" is useful advice as well, but be a little balanced. A kit lens is better than no lens, and I'd say better than just a 50, especially if you don't have a bunch of paying clients standing in line).
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Thanks for the help, guys. And yes, Michael, I am new to DSLR shooting :). Just bought the T3i kit for now (should arrive on Fri!!), but will definitely be looking at the other glass that y'all suggested in the future.
 
you'll get solid use out of the kit lens for sure...and like someone said -- it's a great learning tool. no need to drop lots of loot on spiffy lenses....yet!
 
The 18-55 is actually a great lens, and the one that comes w/ the T3i is the first "II" version. Learn to shoot with that. Learn the limitations. Then see if you want to up to a 17-55 2.8 or some L glass.
 
Id say tamron 17-50 2.8 vc and a 50mm 1.8 for everyone starting out on a cropped sensor. Then build from there. Although I have bought many lenses since these I always seem to end up using these the most.
 
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