Camera Labs

I have read the reviews and watched the video for Nikon D5100 and Cannon Rebel T3 and I'm still not sure.

To start I'm a beginner, I'm looking for a camera to take pictures of my horses so I need to have multile frames per second and HD movies for the horses moving at the shows and the ability to edit the pictures and movies.

I'm looking at mid range pricing, thanks so much fort the help.

Kelly

Once you have narrowed the choices down by price and features you need to go to a shop and hold the cameras in your hand. If you have a quick look through most of the "which camera should I buy" threads you will see that the best camera is the one you feel most comfortable holding for hours on end and the one you can set up to perform how you want quickly.

You can buy the best spec camera in the World, but if you find it too cumbersome to hold or the menus to complex to navigate you will hate using it.

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Nikon D90
Nikkor AF-S DX; 18-105 f/3.5-5.6G VR, 55-300 f/4.5-5.6G VR, 35mm f/1.8G
Speedlight SB-700

http://keystrokesukimages.com

As a beginner, you'd also do yourself a great big favor by considering all options available to you, to ensure you end up with JUST the right camera for you. That means it would be prudent to also look at Pentax and Sony offerings - the KR from Pentax or the A55 or A580 from Sony - that fall in the same price range (or less). They're all fine brands with fine cameras, and all will meet the needs of almost any photographer - it's more a matter of getting the one that fits you best, feels the best in your hand, has the features you want the most, and has the least compromises that matter to you. In the entry-leve market where you are shopping, there could be some advantages in another brand that work for your needs. You mention fast frames per second and video, for example: both Pentax and Sony have entry-level models with faster fps than the two you mentioned, and if video is of high importance, you might consider it important to have a camera that autofocuses as fast as stills whle recording, such as the Sony A35/55/65 series cameras - something other DSLRs cannot do.

Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax - all fine DSLR makers - none 'better' than the other. Each just may have some specific feature, ergonomic trait, or compromise which make one of them a better match for your needs. Figuring out which one is just a matter of learning those features and which you want, and handling the cameras if possible to see which fit you well. Tuning out the preferences and recommendations of others is in the end better for you, because noone but you knows what your needs are and what camera is best for you.

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Justin Miller
Sony DSLR-A580 / Sony 18-250mm / Minolta 50mm F1.7 / Sigma 30mm F1.4 / Tamron 10-24mm / Tamron 200-500mm / Tamron 90mm F2.8 macro / Minolta 300mm F4 APO
Sony NEX5N / 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 / 55-210mm F4-6.3 / Pentax K adapter / Konica K/AR adapter / bunches o' Konica & Pentax lenses!

Galleries:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg

I definitely agree with trying a few options out in the flesh before buying. I ended up with a completely different camera to the one I had in mind after I'd held a range in the shop.

What about RELIABILITY? Which brand among Canon, Nikon, Sony and Pentax is the most reliable?

I was very close to choosing the Nikon D5100 until reading of some issues with it. Do the Canon T3i, Pentax k-r and Sony A65 have problems users have experienced that make them problematic for a new user?

And which takes the "best" still photos (sharpness, color saturation...)? Or is that too subjectice to quantify?

Thanks, everyone. This is a great forum.

With this range of bodies, perceived sharpness and image quality are far more dependent on the lens than the body. A soft lens will give you soft images almost regardless of how "good" the sensor is whereas a sharp lens on an entry level body/sensor will probably give you really sharp and crisp images.

Reliability is probably the thing I think about least with DSLRs despite the moving parts. I don't think there's such a thing as a bad DSLR/SLT, it's just a case of feature sets not being adequate, the body being uncomfortable to hold or the menu awkward to navigate through. I never heard about issues with the D5100 until your post. Could they be isolated incidents you'll find with just about any vendor or is it a specific issue that's occurred with many users?

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Bodies: Canon EOS 550D w/ Magic Lantern
Lenses: Tokina AT-X 116 Pro DX f/2.8, Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS, Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II, Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Accessories: YongNuo Speedlite YN-468 Flash, Neewer Macro LED Ring Light, Meike Battery Grip, YongNuo RF-602 Wireless Flash Trigger & Receiver YongNuo WR-128 Wireless Remote Control

I haven't heard any issues about the D5100 either. Reliability wouldn't be something to worry about IMO, I read somewhere that DSLRs have something like a 6-8% defect rate out of the factory, and if something IS wrong with it, just return it for a new one. If I were you, I'd be more concerned about ergonomics and how each one feels in you hands.

One thing to consider is that the Pentax k-r has been discontinued, so it probably won't be supported via firmware updates in the future. That being said, you may be able to snag one for a good price.

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-Evan

Gear: 7 Nikon Nikkor AI-S and AF-S lenses, SB-700 flash, Nikon D7000, Nikon FM, variety of accessories

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."
- Ansel Adams

Thanks on the input regarding reliability. I have seen similar numbers (6-8%) in Consumer Reports. Just wondering whether certain brands might have a stellar reputation for durability.

As far as issues with the D5100, several reviewers on Amazon report the camera just stopped working after a couple of months and one guy mentioned many similar complaints at the "dp forums". Also there was a problem with memory card compatibility.

I am having a hard time comparing the D5100 to the upcoming Sony Nex-7. I realize the Sony is not yet available (though imminent) but there are numerous reviews on the web. Does anyone have an opinion whether the Sony can match the Nikon? Specifically, what about IQ?

Since they are so different in design there doesn't seem to be any direct comparisons. Can the compact, mirrorless Sony compete with the Nikon?

Did they go into specific details or talk about contacting customer support for a replacement or refund?
If not, I suspect there could a jug of Kool-Aid next to them that's almost empty. I acknowledge that you will invariably find a few bad apples in the batch but if people are just acting like keyboard warriors instead of trying to resolve the apparent problem with the camera, I would have to question how truthful the review is.

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Bodies: Canon EOS 550D w/ Magic Lantern
Lenses: Tokina AT-X 116 Pro DX f/2.8, Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS, Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II, Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Accessories: YongNuo Speedlite YN-468 Flash, Neewer Macro LED Ring Light, Meike Battery Grip, YongNuo RF-602 Wireless Flash Trigger & Receiver YongNuo WR-128 Wireless Remote Control

Here's one of the reviews, posted November 13,2011:

"I had my Nikon D5100 for three months of moderate use when it just stopped working. The display screen went black though the physical mechanism still worked. The photos taken are all pure black, as if the light sensor burned out but everything else worked. I haven't dropped it or subjected it to any extreme conditions. I was in the middle of shooting about 20 pix when it just went black. I've sent it back to Nikon for repair.

When I bought the Nikon D70, it broke down, too, after about a year of use. Nikon repaired a defective circuit board for free, though I had to pay $35 in shipping charges. It took about six weeks to get the camera back.

I've been using Nikons for forty years. The film Nikons were tanks, which held up well for long periods. These two digital SLR Nikons are a different story. They broke down even with gentler care and encased in silicone armor. I think Nikon has some sort of quality control problem with its digital cameras. It's very unusual for an electronic product to fail within the first year and incredible that two would fail in a row. I can't trust Nikon anymore to deliver a reliable product that I know will be there when I'm taking once in a lifetime images. Nikons are no camera to take on a wedding or a foreign vacation."


Any thoughts on the Nex-7?

Sure: from what I've read so far, it seems to be the best NEX yet. Too bad there aren't any really high quality Sony E-mount lenses yet apart from the superb 24/1.8 (Sony/Carl Zeiss). Sure, the kit lens is a decent piece of glass, but still...Hopefully Sony won't wait too long with its 'G' class E-mount standard zoom.

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Sony α77V/VG-C77AM/α350/18-70/70-400 G SSM/NEX-5/18-55 OSS/Lowepro Pro Trekker 600 AW/CompuTrekker AW/Nova 140 AW/Street & Field gear/Toploader Pro 75 AW. And a huge wishlist...

My photos on Flickr...

That could be a couple of unfortunate isolated incidents. I'm sure the same is true of my camera model and of many other brands but you may not have seen comments on them.

Of course it's your money and your decision what to buy but if you allow what could be a few isolated reported failures to put you off buying something, you'll never buy anything.

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Bodies: Canon EOS 550D w/ Magic Lantern
Lenses: Tokina AT-X 116 Pro DX f/2.8, Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS, Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II, Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Accessories: YongNuo Speedlite YN-468 Flash, Neewer Macro LED Ring Light, Meike Battery Grip, YongNuo RF-602 Wireless Flash Trigger & Receiver YongNuo WR-128 Wireless Remote Control