Why did I decide to go with the T3i instead of the new censor on the D5200?

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Ken1212

Well-known member
Well played with my new toy the T3i and wanted to share back my experience as a Nikon user for about 5 years.


Nikon is still struggling in making an aggressive dive into the videography market. I was one of the first buyers to get the D90 because of the 720p HD video (shortly after, Canon came out with the 7D), was it great not really. Now don't misunderstand me it was a great photo camera but not for video. Then came out the D3100 and I couldn't resist the improved video with 1080p. Great improvement but still handicapped. Later the D5100 came out and again I couldn't resist and bought one, but again it's still handicapped for videographers. Now when I was debating between the T3i and D5200, I was mainly concerned with video options. So the question is why did I decide to go with the T3i instead of the new censor of the D5200? Was it the price only (got the T3i with 18-135mm on sale for $699 plus tax at my local best buy store), no it was not. I would have gladly bought the D5200 with the 18-200mm if Nikon have not handicapped it again. Yes it has a slightly better sensor in low light, and yes it now has manual audio, but that's not enough. Also the DSLR camera I buy must have an articulated screen, that's why the full frame cameras at the time being are out of question for me.


So what is it about the T3i that I liked that Nikon does not have:


1. Complete manual control including aperture, with Nikon you have to stop recording to adjust aperture.
2. With Canon I can see my exposure changes in real time on the live view screen (just like a video camera). Not so with Nikon, after making your changes you must exist and re-enter live view each time to see picture quality/changes.
3. T3i has the light meter in live view, not so with Nikon, not even the new D5200.
4. The older T3i already had manual audio
5. No Histogram in Live view on D5200.


An added bonus for photography the T3i has a built in flash commander not so on the D5200, (this had nothing to do with my decision but wanted to share it.


By the way the above also applies to the new D7100 which I would have gladly bought if it did have the features I was looking for as a videographer. While Canon has to protect it's pro video lineup cameras, Nikon has no excuse. Nikon Simply if you are serious about us videographers you must not make us wait for years to get proportional new features. Can I take beautiful video with Nikon, Yes I can. However during some shoots I don't have the time to toy around with the camera to get proper exposure. I have already vested into three cameras and several lenses from Nikon, including stock lenses, 70-300mm, 50mm 1.8 and 35mm 1.8. I am going to sit on the T3i for now and wait before I make my biggest leap of investment with some serious lenses. I hope Nikon will listen instead of losing many of it's new base to Canon.


So Nikon why not fix the above and do a little more, you have nothing to loose and more to gain, unlike Canon with a pro Video camera line up. So how about Zerba and focus peaking as a starter. Would be nice to have that as a standard feature instead of using third party firmware such as magic lantern, oh did I mention magic lantern!!! It's all about picture quality and ease of use through proper tools. I like competition and haven't gave up on Nikon yet. Well that's my two cents for now.
 
Why did I decide to go with the T3i instead of the new censor on the D5200?

Well played with my new toy the T3i and wanted to share back my experience as a Nikon user for about 5 years.


Nikon is still struggling in making an aggressive dive into the videography market. I was one of the first buyers to get the D90 because of the 720p HD video (shortly after, Canon came out with the 7D), was it great not really. Now don't misunderstand me it was a great photo camera but not for video. Then came out the D3100 and I couldn't resist the improved video with 1080p. Great improvement but still handicapped. Later the D5100 came out and again I couldn't resist and bought one, but again it's still handicapped for videographers. Now when I was debating between the T3i and D5200, I was mainly concerned with video options. So the question is why did I decide to go with the T3i instead of the new censor on the D5200? Was it the price only (got the T3i with 18-135mm on sale for $699 plus tax at my local best buy store), no it was not. I would have gladly bought the D5200 with the 18-200mm if Nikon have not handicapped it again. Yes it has a slightly better sensor in low light, and yes it now has manual audio, but that's not enough. Also the DSLR camera I buy must have an articulated screen, that's why the full frame cameras at the time being are out of question for me.


So what is it about the T3i that I liked that Nikon does not have:


1. Complete manual control including aperture, with Nikon you have to stop recording to adjust aperture.
2. With Canon I can see my exposure changes in real time on the live view screen (just like a video camera). Not so with Nikon, after making your changes you must exist and re-enter live view each time to see picture quality/changes.
3. T3i has the light meter in live view, not so with Nikon, not even the new D5200.
4. The older T3i already had manual audio
5. No Histogram in Live view on D5200.


An added bonus for photography the T3i has a built in flash commander not so on the D5200, (this had nothing to do with my decision but wanted to share it.


By the way the above also applies to the new D7100 which I would have gladly bought if it did have the features I was looking for as a videographer. While Canon has to protect it's pro video lineup cameras, Nikon has no excuse. Nikon Simply if you are serious about us videographers you must not make us wait for years to get proportional new features. Can I take beautiful video with Nikon, Yes I can. However during some shoots I don't have the time to toy around with the camera to get proper exposure. I have already vested into three cameras and several lenses from Nikon, including stock lenses, 70-300mm, 50mm 1.8 and 35mm 1.8. I am going to sit on the T3i for now and wait before I make my biggest leap of investment with some serious lenses. I hope Nikon will listen instead of losing many of it's new base to Canon.


So Nikon why not fix the above and do a little more, you have nothing to loose and more to gain, unlike Canon with a pro Video camera line up. So how about Zerba and focus peaking as a starter. Would be nice to have that as a standard feature instead of using third party firmware such as magic lantern, oh did I mention magic lantern!!! It's all about picture quality and ease of use through proper tools. I like competition and haven't gave up on Nikon yet. Well that's my two cents for now.
 
I get a D5200 one month ago for replace and upgrade my 3 years old 550D.
Why I choose Nikon D5200
- Absolutely free aliasing and moiré. (just with this, I prefer D5200 to canon T3i or T4i)
- At 100 ISO, Dynamique Range (EDIT) is much much better (for raw still DR is around 13,5 stops (2 stops more than T3i)
- better H264 codec : coder type is CABAC vs CAVLC for T3i
- better skin tone render


And your two first point isn’t completely right.
I use old nikon AI or AIS and I can change aperture with the ring aperture during a shoot.
In Manuel Mode I see my exposure change in real time.
Sorry for my bad english.
 
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I think the biggest reason NOT to get D5200 is the bloody effing square that sits bang smack right in the middle of the picture. No way to turn it off apparently, you can only move it to a corner. But then if you want to zoom-in the view, you will be zooming into that corner.
 
Ken1212 said:
So Nikon why not fix the above and do a little more, you have nothing to loose and more to gain, unlike Canon with a pro Video camera line up.
Click to expand...
I'm also wondering what's up with Nikon. They don't even produce a consumer camcorder to compete with. I'm getting a b cam to go with my 60D till the 70D is released and it's going to be a Canon 600D. My client picked up a camera to have along and unfortunately they didn't listen to me and bought a Nikon D7000 which doesn't even shoot 25p in full HD, only at 720p. I looked over and the menu is very complected.
Nikon has a great opportunity but doesn't seem to care.
 
Bruno that's all nice and dandy, I waited five years for Nikon to add the basic features I talked about. Now go ahead and turn your D5200 on and start changing exposure, nothing happens to your video on the screen, you don't even have the light meter in live view to guide you. You must exit and re-enter each time you make a change to view live changes. Now if you have lots of time to waist to get a proper exposure then it might not be a big issue. But if you shoot live events like myself, you just can not afford to loose precious time. Now, I love Nikon cameras and really enjoy them for photography, but need something more user friendly for live events videography as that's what I do. Canon knows how to do it, even though they too hold back on some features because they want to protect their pro line up cameras. However, I believe Nikon will come through but I hope sooner than later, because for someone like me once I start investing in the pro line up lenses it will be tough to exit that brand.
 
Now go ahead and turn your D5200 on and start changing exposure, nothing happens to your video on the screen, you don't even have the light meter in live view to guide you. You must exit and re-enter each time you make a change to view live changes.
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I don't understand. On my D5200, video on the screen change in real time when I change exposure. Exactly the same way on my 550D. I make right exposure like this. I always turn shutter speed to 1/50 and turn ring aperture on my lenses or/and change iso. And I see what happen in real time on my screen for make the right choice for get the right exposure. I work always in Manual mode. On D5200 you need turn the wheel on M and you need choice in menu : video manual :ON.

EDIT : Ok I check and I understand. If you turn the wheel on M and you don't in menu video manual : ON, you're right no change on the screen when you adjust ISO or aperture, but if you change choice in menu. video manual : on. The screen change in real time you're exposure adjust.
 
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Ken1212 said:
So what is it about the T3i that I liked that Nikon does not have:

1. Complete manual control including aperture, with Nikon you have to stop recording to adjust aperture.
2. With Canon I can see my exposure changes in real time on the live view screen (just like a video camera). Not so with Nikon, after making your changes you must exist and re-enter live view each time to see picture quality/changes.
3. T3i has the light meter in live view, not so with Nikon, not even the new D5200.
4. The older T3i already had manual audio
5. No Histogram in Live view on D5200.
Click to expand...
Most of your claims are unfounded:

1. True, you cannot change aperture while shooting video. A moot point, since I'd never do this anyway.
2. False, the D5200 shows the results of all manual adjustments on the LCD in Live View mode.
3. False, the D5200's matrix light meter is fully active in Live View mode.
4. Irrelevant, the D5200 has manual audio controls as well.
5. True, the D5200 lacks a real-time histogram in Live View mode.
 
Quick note:
I'm currently playing with a D5200. All my lenses are vintage manual primes. If that's what you're using, all of this aperture setting issues don't apply to you. The only improvement I would like to see with regards to the UI would be a live histogram or waveform (it's a pain to have to take a still to look at its histogram; it was the same with the Canons originally, but ML solved that).
 
Thank you guys for the corrections as D5200 owners. I am going to make a trip to my local best buy and see if the live view exposure correction are in real time without having to exit, I know this is not on the D5100. Now other than the dial where do you change the menu setting to manual video? Do you have to do any menu changes to get the light meter in live view? If Nikon added those two features then they are surely coming through.
 
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Im still learning the 5200 but so far i love it. For your shoots the t3i is prob best so sounds like you made a good decision. My friend has a t3i and both are excellent cameras so i think it comes down to preference and how you use it etc. I debated on getting the t3i but for my uses i dont regret the 5200 at all.

You cant go wrong with either camera.
 
Okay so I went to best buy and played around with the D5200. It's true that you can see your live view changes in real time but only for the shutter (which is usually set to 50 or 60 for video). The f-stop would not work in manual mode in live view, please tell me they made a change in the menu and I missed something!! With my D5100 I can change f-stops in live view, I can not see the exposure changes on the screen but non the less I don't have to exit live view to change aperture. With the D5200 you now have to exit live view to change aperture in manual setting. So with D5100 you could not change aperture while recording, now with the D5200 you can not change aperture while recording or while in live view mode, sounds crazy but true. D5200 owners correct me if I am wrong. I am not trying to put Nikon down, I am just hopping they would listen and fix these problems.
 
BobbyMurcerFan said:
I think the biggest reason NOT to get D5200 is the bloody effing square that sits bang smack right in the middle of the picture. No way to turn it off apparently, you can only move it to a corner. But then if you want to zoom-in the view, you will be zooming into that corner.
Click to expand...
So it looks like this?
 

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Picked up my 600D B-cam . 3x crop is really great. I think I'm going to ditch my 60D and get another 600D or maybe 2 more. These cameras are so frickin cheap and I could really use 3 cameras on my next race.

Here is what I shot last week with 1 60D plus the GoPro on car cams /

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRWWUonQyM4
 
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Ken1212 said:
The f-stop would not work in manual mode in live view, please tell me they made a change in the menu and I missed something!! With my D5100 I can change f-stops in live view, I can not see the exposure changes on the screen but non the less I don't have to exit live view to change aperture.
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No, this has been documented countless times, you can't actually change the lens aperture with a non-manual lens on any of the Dxxxx Nikons in Live View mode, no matter what the LCD read-out says. The D5200 works the same as the D5100 - you can change everything except aperture and see the effects on exposure in Live View. The major difference is that the D5200 allows you to set manual exposure in video modes, while the D5100 does not.
 
Bruno Chansou said:
I get a D5200 one month ago for replace and upgrade my 3 years old 550D.
Why I choose Nikon D5200
- Absolutely free aliasing and moiré. (just with this, I prefer D5200 to canon T3i or T4i)
- At 100 ISO, Dynamique Range around 13,5 stops (2 stops more than T3i)
- better H264 codec : coder type is CABAC vs CAVLC for T3i
- better skin tone render


And your two first point isn’t completely right.
I use old nikon AI or AIS and I can change aperture with the ring aperture during a shoot.
In Manuel Mode I see my exposure change in real time.
Sorry for my bad english.
Click to expand...

I really hope youre not talking about the video, here. You cant be serious?
 
I own a D3100 and a D5100 and both allow me to change f-stops in live view when not recording, the d5200 is a set back as far the aperture is concerned. You must not be a D5100 owner!
 
I really hope youre not talking about the video, here. You cant be serious?
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I don't know if I'm serious, but I'm really impressed by the D5200's Toshiba sensor.
DXOMark give 13.9 Evs for D5200 vs 11.5 Evs for 600D. OK I know it's for still. But video it's not very far. https://www.dropbox.com/s/7cwnstut3qbxzjw/D5200%20DR.jpg?v=1rc-s
Look the picture here. It's not a still. It's a frame of my FCPX timeline after grading. What do you think about DR. I use a 550D during three years. You can't get this DR with a Canon.
 
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