Cheap Price Canon EOS 5D Mark III 22.3 MP Full Frame CMOS with 1080p Full-HD Video Mode Digital SLR Camera (Body) for sale in USA
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Canon EOS 5D Mark III 22.3 MP Full Frame CMOS with 1080p Full-HD Video Mode Digital SLR Camera (Body)
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| Price: | $3,499.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details |
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Product Description
Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital SLR Camera - BODY ONLY 5260B002AA
Product Details
- Color: Black
- Brand: Canon
- Model: 5260B002
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 4.60" h x 6.00" w x 3.00" l, 1.90 pounds
- Display size: 3.2
Features
- Newly designed 22.3 Megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor, 14-bit A/D conversion, wide range ISO setting 100-25600 (L:50, H1: 51200, H2: 102400) for shooting from bright to dim light and next generation DIGIC 5+ Image Processor for enhanced noise reduction and exceptional processing speed.
- New 61-Point High Density Reticular AF including up to 41 cross-type AF points with f/4.0 lens support and 5 dual diagonal AF points (sensitive to f/2.8).
- iFCL Metering with 63 zone dual-layer metering sensor that utilizes AF and color information for optimizing exposure and image quality.
- EOS HD Video with manual exposure control and multiple frame rates (1080: 30p (29.97) / 24p (23.976) / 25p, 720: 60p (59.94) / 50p, 480: 30p (29.97) / 25p) with 4 GB automatic file partitioning (continuous recording time 29 minutes 59 seconds), selectable "All i-frame" or IPB compressions, embedded timecode, manual audio level control while recording, and headphone terminal.
- 3.2-inch Clear View II LCD monitor, 170° viewing angle, 1,040,000-dot VGA, reflection; magnesium-alloy body with shutter durability tested up to 150,000 cycles, enhanced dust-and-weather resistance, and updated EOS Integrated Cleaning system for improved vibration-based dust removal.
Editorial Reviews
From the Manufacturer
The Power to Create
Canon is proud to present the highly anticipated EOS 5D Mark III. With supercharged EOS performance and stunning full frame,
high-resolution image capture, the EOS 5D Mark III is designed to perform. Special optical technologies like the 61-Point High Density Reticular AF and an extended ISO range of 100-25600 (expandable to 50 (L), 51200 (H1) and 102400 (H2) make the EOS 5D Mark III ideal for shooting weddings in the studio or out in the field, and great for still photography. Advanced professional-level high definition video capabilities (that includes a host of industry-standard recording protocols and enhanced performance) make it possible to capture beautiful cinematic movies in EOS HD quality. A newly designed 22.3 Megapixel full-frame Canon CMOS sensor, Canon DIGIC 5+ Image Processor, and shooting performance up to 6.0 fps provide exceptional clarity and sharpness, even when capturing rapidly-unfolding scenes. Additional technological advancements include an Intelligent Viewfinder, Canon's advanced iFCL metering system, High Dynamic Range (HDR), and Multiple Exposure mode—all of which that help make the EOS 5D Mark III the perfect multimedia tool.
Brilliant Sensor, Supercharged Processors
22.3 Megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor
The EOS 5D Mark III features a newly developed Canon full-frame 22.3 Megapixel CMOS sensor that's designed 
from the ground up to create high resolution, perfectly detailed images with unprecedented speed and clarity. A full 24 x 36mm, the sensor captures 5784 x 3861 large individual 6.25 µm pixels and has a much-improved S/N ratio resulting in better images from the start. A new photodiode structure with an increased photoelectric conversion rate increases the sensor's sensitivity by approximately 2 stops over previous models, meaning higher ISOs with the lowest noise of any EOS digital camera. And a 2-line 8-channel simultaneous signal readout means speeds of up to 6.0 fps (RAW + JPEG) are possible!
14-bit A/D conversion, wide range ISO setting 100–25600 (L: 50, H1: 51200, H2: 102400)
The EOS 5D Mark III not only offers 14-bit signal processing for excellent image gradation, it delivers higher standard and expanded ISOs, and a score of new options to enhance shooting in varied and fast-changing lighting situations. With a standard range of ISO 100–25600, the EOS 5D Mark III represents a 2-stop increase in sensitivity over previous cameras. Thanks to the improved signal-to-noise ratio of the new sensor and powerful noise reduction, the EOS 5D Mark III can shoot at expanded sensitivities down to ISO 50 (L) and up to 51200 (H1), and even 102400 (H2)! Beyond the obvious advantages of its wide ISO range, the EOS 5D Mark III has automatic ISO settings, found on the dedicated ISO menu. Minimum and maximum ISO settings can be specified, as can a user-defined range, plus full auto and manual.
DIGIC 5+ Image Processor for enhanced noise reduction and blazing processing speed
For a whole new level of performance, the EOS 5D Mark III uses a DIGIC 5+ Image Processor. Working with two 4-channel A/D converter front-end processing circuits, and delivering speeds of up to 6.0 fps (RAW + JPEG), and the DIGIC 5+ Image Processor improves data processing performance and features new algorithms that promote greater noise reduction at higher ISOs. In addition to conventional image processing functions the DIGIC 5+ Image Processor offers real-time compensation for chromatic aberration in both still and motion images. With the power of this processor, speed improvements are noticeable from the instant the camera is turned on and the stunning results speak for themselves.
Canon's Most Sophisticated AF, Period
All new 61-Point High Density Reticular AF
The newly designed 61-Point High Density Reticular AF features an Offset Array Sensor (with staggering AF point arrangement) to deliver greater accuracy, no matter the situation. It offers multi-zone wide-area AF for better tracking, has 5 central dual cross-type points (f/2.8 diagonal), 21 central cross-type points (f/5.6 horizontal & vertical) and 20 outer cross-type points (f/4.0 horizontal), and is sensitive in extremely low-light situations (EV-2 for a central point with a f/2.8 lens).
The EOS 5D Mark III has a dedicated AF menu tab, so AF can be controlled without having to go through custom function menus. It also has 6 AF point selection methods (Spot, Single Point, Single + Adjacent 4 Points, Single + Adjacent 8 Points, Zone Selection, and Automatic AF Point Selection), plus a dedicated AF configuration tool for control of AI Servo AF III tracking parameters (tracking sensitivity, acceleration/deceleration tracking, and AF point auto switching).
Intelligent Metering, Fast
iFCL Metering with 63-zone dual-layering metering sensor
The EOS 5D Mark III features Canon's multi-layer 63-zone iFCL (intelligent Focus Color Luminance) Metering System that integrates the cameras AF system into its readings. By taking into account the color and luminosity surrounding the chosen AF point(s), this new system delivers an entirely new level of accuracy, especially in situations where the light changes quickly. The metering sensor enables evaluative, center weighted, partial and spot metering, plus offers 5-step exposure compensation for perfectly exposed images, every time.
Brilliant HD Recording on Demand
EOS HD Video with manual exposure control, multiple frame rates and selectable All i-frame or IPB compression
Addressing the requests of the pros and building on the unprecedented success of its namesake, the EOS 5D Mark III captures HD video with a level of sophistication on par with professional movie cameras offering phenomenal performance on a DSLR. It offers both All-I and IPB compression, supports H.264/MPEG-4 AVC High Profile, and automatically splits files greater than 4GB (FAT specifications) for extended recording without interruption. It offers the option of timecoding during recording only (Rec Run) or at all times (Free Run), useful for multi-camera shoots. It also features improved sound recording adjustment capabilities, offering 64-step volume control accessible through the Quick Control screen during video shooting, plus a dedicated headphone jack for convenience in shooting. The CMOS sensor's new drive system significantly increases image processor performance, reducing color artifacts and moiré (a common problem that occurs in scenes with horizontal lines), and ensures that the EOS 5D Mark III can record at a number of frame rates up to ISO 25600 in H mode.
| All-I | Compresses each frame. Although the file size is larger than IPB, each frame is not affected by the previous and next frames, making it suitable for editing and extracting frames. |
|---|---|
| IPB | Compresses the movie frame by referencing the previous and next frames. High compression is used, making it suitable for recording long movies. |
| Recording Time based on 8GB Memory Card | |
|---|---|
| Maximum Record Time | 29 min. 59 sec. |
| ALL-I Record Time | 11 min. at 1920 x 1080 |
| 12 min. at 1280 x 720 | |
| IPB Record Time | 32 min. at 1920 x 1080 |
| 37 min. at 1280 x 720 | |
| Resolution | fps |
|---|---|
| 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) | 30P (29.97), 25P, 24P (23.976) |
| 1280 x 720 (HD) | 60P (59.94), 50P |
| 640 x 480 (VGA) | 30P (29.97), 25P |
Incredibly Fast Image Capture
High-Speed Continuous Shooting
The EOS 5D Mark III combines fast 8-channel data readout from its 22.3 Megapixel CMOS sensor and the supercharged processing capabilities of its DIGIC 5+ Image Processor with a speedier shutter and mirror system to raise the performance bar for all digital cameras, capturing full-frame images and recording them fast to UDMA or SD cards stored in the camera's dual card slots. Ideal for fixed focus situations, the EOS 5D Mark III can shoot up to 6.0 fps (RAW + JPEG).
Phenomenal Performance in Any Condition
Magnesium alloy body with shutter durability and dust- and weather-resistance
For professionals who demand nothing less than the best, the EOS 5D Mark III is designed to perform superbly, even in the most treacherous environments, every time. The body is constructed of rigid, high-strength magnesium alloy for rugged performance and features a new grip design for easier finger placement and reduced hand fatigue. Its newly redesigned shutter has lightweight and carbon-fiber blades, and is rated to maintain up to 6.0 fps performance without compromise, for up to 150,000 cycles. The EOS 5D Mark III and accessories like the new Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E7A and GPS Receiver GP-E2 have extensive gasketing for improved dust and water resistance, even at their connection points.
Self Cleaning Sensor Unit
The Self Cleaning Sensor Unit featured in the EOS 5D Mark II has been optimized for the new EOS 5D Mark III to deliver even greater dust removal for clearer images. To prevent dust accumulation, the system removes particles adhered to the surface of the infrared absorbing/ultraviolet-blocking glass in a frontward direction by vibrating the glass with ultrasound. The particles are then absorbed by an adsorbent at the bottom of the unit; the unit itself is completely sealed for protection against external contaminants, and its front face of the low-pass filter 1 is treated with an anti-dust fluorine coating making it easier to remove damp or sticky dust particles.
Sophisticated Composition, Simply
Intelligent Viewfinder with Superimposed LCD
The EOS 5D Mark III's Intelligent Viewfinder offers a sharp, bright approximately 100% field of view with an approximate magnification of .71x, a viewing angle of 34.1° and a 21mm eye-point. With a new construction featuring aspherical lens elements, the viewfinder displays less distortions and color aberrations than previous models. It uses a transparent LCD to superimpose a customizable combination of focus points and gridlines directly over the image. The AF status indicator can even be directed to display within or outside of the viewfinders image area. With the intelligent viewfinder, unlike with other cameras, the photographer has the choice of seeing shooting information or looking only at the scene in front of the camera. The ability to effectively erase all shooting data and turn it back on with the touch of a button gives the photographer the opportunity to concentrate simply on looking and composing the photograph without distraction, a great advantage in numerous shooting situations.
A Screen with A View
3.2" TFT LCD Monitor
The EOS 5D Mark III's 3.2" TFT LCD monitor has 1,040,000 dots, anti-reflective construction and features Canon's Clear View II technology for bright, sharp display in any number of shooting situations. It's ideal for reviewing settings and images, as well as for shooting in Live View mode. In Live View, grid lines can be displayed in 9 sections, 24 sections, or 9 sections with diagonals, as can the dual-axis electronic level, which helps ensure accurate level by displaying both roll and pitch. For image review, the EOS 5D Mark III has a new, dedicated Magnify/Reduce button. While pressing the button, zooming in or out (up to 10x) is achieved simply by turning the Main Dial. Images can be protected or erased quickly, individually or in batches, and slideshows can be created with some or all images and can be sequenced by date, folders, movies, stills or rating. A feature guide can be accessed for the selected menu, providing detailed reference information whenever needed.
Expanding Creativity, Simply
New High Dynamic Range (HDR)
With its new High Dynamic Range (HDR) mode, the EOS 5D Mark III can merge 3 images of varying exposure, in camera, capturing a broad range of shadow and highlight detail and delivering an image with stunning tonal range. Adjustable to cover a range of ±3 stops, and with 5 different effect settings, HDR recording truly expands the parameters of the light and dark detail a camera can actually record, surprising viewers with the range of tones a photograph can accurately recreate.
Multiple Exposure Control
The EOS 5D Mark III offers a new multiple exposure mode for film-like image creation with the convenience of in-camera processing. It offers 4 different compositing methods for proper exposure and composition: additive, average, bright and dark. Multiple exposure shots can be taken in both RAW and JPEG shooting modes, previously captured RAW images can be used as a starting point, and cumulative results can be observed and corrected in real time on the camera's LCD screen. For multiple exposure captures of quickly moving subjects, the EOS 5D Mark III even has a specific continuous shooting multiple exposure mode.
More Control with More Controls
Improved handling with addition of new customizable controls
Reconceived based on the experience and feedback of professional users, the EOS 5D Mark III's new ergonomic design is more comfortable and intuitive than ever. With a refined and intelligent layout of all control buttons and dials, shooting settings can be made with just the right hand, and quick image check and image processing operations with just the left. The grip has been redesigned for easy holding both when shooting and when carrying the camera. The rubber skin coating is designed for all day comfort in the hand, and coats the cameras card slot cover as well.
For added convenience, flexibility and limitless, uninterrupted storage capacity, the EOS 5D Mark III has dual card slots, accommodating both a Compact Flash and an SDXC card. It has three recording modes perfect for a diverse collection of workflows. When set to Auto switch media, the camera switches cards as soon as one card is filled, a perfect setting for long shoots. The camera can be set to record separately, saving different file sizes or types to each card. And for extra security, the camera can be set to create an automatic backup by recording the same file to both cards simultaneously.
The EOS 5D Mark III features a dual-axis electronic level indicator that displays both vertical and horizontal tilt on the LCD monitor either alone or during Live View shooting, and can also be displayed in the cameras intelligent viewfinder.
For an expanded range of applications, the EOS 5D Mark III is compatible with Canon peripherals for wireless file transfers and GPS. The Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E7A attaches easily to the EOS 5D Mark III, supports 802.11 a/b/g/n, has a built-in Gigabit Ethernet connection, supports FTP mode with automatic resend, EOS utility mode and WFT server mode, and can time sync multiple cameras on the same network. Canon's GPS Receiver GP-E2§ connects via USB or Hot Shoe, is dust and water resistant, records latitude, longitude and altitude, has a logging function and an electronic compass to record movement and even has a GPS† time sync function, especially helpful when a project is shot among different time zones. The 5D Mark III's dedicated Battery Grip BG-E11 has buttons and a multi-controller and delivers seamless performance whether the camera is oriented vertically or horizontally. It accommodates 2 LP-E6 batteries or an included AA battery magazine, and is very helpful in counter-balancing large lenses when shooting handheld.
§ EOS 5D Mark III requires a firmware upgrade to be compatible with the GPS GP-E2, which will be available soon.
† In certain countries and regions, the use of GPS may be restricted. Therefore, be sure to use GPS in accordance with the laws and regulations of your country or region. Be particularly careful when traveling outside your home country. As a signal is received from GPS satellites, take sufficient measures when using in locations where the use of electronics is regulated.
More Features, More Capabilities
Peripheral Illumination Correction, Chromatic Aberration Correction, and Distortion Correction
The EOS 5D Mark III features a number of corrective tools to accommodate for the particulars of the lens used. Canon's lens peripheral illumination correction feature corrects light falloff in the corner of the image. Chromatic aberration can be corrected at the time of shooting with the 5D Mark III's Chromatic Aberration Correction tool. The new Distortion Correction feature corrects distortions such as curved lines by correcting for the characteristics of the particular lens used to take the shot so images that may have been distorted in the captured image appear straight. The camera has correction data for a number of EF lenses preloaded, and new lenses can be added to the camera's database via EOS Utility. The camera can even distinguish between different lenses of the same model using the serial number (with compatible EF lenses).
Auto Picture Style & Scene Intelligent Auto (A+)
The EOS 5D Mark III not only features a number of Canon's Picture Style settings but also a new Picture Style Auto setting that finely controls color tones for every composition based on information from the camera's EOS Scene Detection System. This can be an effective feature not only in normal scenes, where "standard" punchy contrast will be used, but also in nature and outdoor scenes, where the blues and greens will look more vivid without the need to switch the camera's Picture Style to Landscape.
In-Camera RAW Processing & JPEG Resize
The EOS 5D Mark III features state of the art in-camera RAW processing for quick conversion of RAW files to JPEG with control with control over size, brightness, WB, Picture Style, Auto Lighting Optimizer, Noise reduction, color space, distortion correction and more. Additionally, the EOS 5D Mark III features expanded Quick Control functions during playback like image protect, image rotate, rating, RAW image processing, resize, highlight alert, AF point and image jump, meaning a streamlined workflow can begin in the field.
Comparative Playback
The EOS 5D Mark III's comparative playback mode enables images to be played back two at a time, side by side. A tremendous, in-camera timesaver, comparative playback means images can quickly be enlarged simultaneously to compare focus, blur and noise, and can be individually rated, deleted or locked.
Trimming Function
For multi-format applications, the EOS 5D Mark III can shoot with an aspect ratio of 1:1, 3:2, 4:3 or 16:9 during live view shooting. With gridded overlays, images can be trimmed in-camera with the actual image file cropped in Canon's Digital Photo Pro software.
Silent Shooting
For the first time in a 5D-Series camera, the EOS 5D Mark III offers a silent, low vibration shooting mode. By slowing down and muting the shutter and mirror reflex action, the camera is capable of handheld, virtually imperceptible operation for discrete shooting in more situations at speeds of up to 3 fps.
What's in the Box
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
221 of 240 people found the following review helpful.
Should you upgrade? Photo and video shooters, read and decide!
By David Siegfried
I was able to pre-order and the Canon 5D Mark III arrived on March 29th. I had mixed feelings when the press release first came out with the specs on the new Mark III. Several features that were high on my wish list didn't make it into the camera, but when I started seeing some of the image samples, particularly in low light, I knew I wanted it anyway.
I'm currently an owner of the 5D Mk II and the 60D and my expectations were that the Mk III would inherit many of the superior handling features of the newer 60D. I am an enthusiast and not a professional photographer but I do make my living shooting product photography for online sales. For pleasure I shoot nature, architecture, and the occasional portraits. I'm also an avid fan of DSLR video and the fact that these cameras can literally capture Hollywood quality footage with few modifications is a big deal to me and a lot of people in the independent cinematography community.
The much anticipated release of the 5D Mark III was a bit of a letdown to me initially. One of the things I LOVE about the 60D is the articulating screen. The articulating screen is so handy to have and a joy to use in situations where the camera needs to be at an odd angle, such as low to the ground, high above your head or in tight quarters. The other indispensable use for the articulating screen is shooting self-portraits and videos of yourself. As a one-man act, you can't shoot a video and also be in it at the same time if you can't see the screen! So I really couldn't believe it when Canon came out with the specs on the Mark III -- and NO articulating screen!? It's a feature that has been in the lower-grade 60D and T3i for over a year and a half already, and here we're paying three times the price of the 60D we don't get it? COME ON, Canon!
Canon's reason for not including an articulating screen to preserve weatherproofing. To remedy this I'm getting the Swivi 5.6" HDMI LCD Screen which is a giant 5" articulating LCD screen that even has FOCUS PEAKING (really cool). I guess I'm making lemonade out of the lemons in this situation. Another feature that didn't make it into this camera that has all the cinematographers grumbling is there is no clean HDMI output which would allow the uncompressed video footage to be captured on an external recorder. This feature would have made this a true high-end movie making machine to rival the $30,000 RED ONE and knock the socks off the Panasonic GH2 and even the AF100. For myself, not a deal breaker... but the Nikon D800 has this.
Probably the most vexing thing that did not make it onto my wish list is the elimination of the rolling shutter problem. It has been reduced a little, but it has by no means been eliminated, so the jello effect remains an issue and impossible to completely remove in post. And so far, there has been NO program that has been able to eliminate it entirely without creating additional artifacts (believe me, I've wasted untold hours trying them all). Rolling shutter has only been reduced by 20% or so and I won't be fully satisfied shooting video until we get the global shutter and eliminate this unprofessional looking artifact altogether.
Continuous autofocus during video? It's not even an option. The Panasonic GH1/GH2 have it, and do it well. And now the Nikon D800 can auto focus continuously during video recording too, and includes face detection to keep subjects in focus. The only option for autofocus with this camera whole shooting video is still the old way: press the AF-ON button, and you'll set a clunky, noisy, re-focus point. So don't think about replacing your camcorder yet. Shooting video with this camera remains a manual focus affair best handled with a rig and follow-focus setup... classically handled as a two-man operation.
Those are my three primary disappointments. Now the fun part: all the great things (and more) that DID make it into my wish list:
1. Live View focusing with half depress of shutter button. The Mk II had a really awkward way of focusing while in Live View mode. You had to depress the separate AF button on the BACK of the camera, then hold absolutely still while you moved your finger back to the shutter button, and then take the shot. The Mk III acts just like the 60D in that you half press the shutter to focus, just as it SHOULD, which is to say exactly like shooting with a viewfinder. And you no longer have to go into the menu and set Live View to Stills-Only in order to get Exposure Simulation: The Mark III has a handy dedicated movie/stills mode switch.
2. Better low-light performance. Nikon has been beating out Canon in high ISO performance since the D3, then the D3s, the D3x, and the D700. It's taken two product cycles for Canon to finally catch up. The Mk II was the low-light king when it came out, and still performs exceptionally well, but the Mk III takes it to a new level. My initial test shots show that ISO 12800 on the Mk III has about the same noise levels as ISO 6400 on the Mk II, but with better sharpness and improved color rendition. ISO 12800 is actually usable for high-quality work, whereas at ISO 25600 things start to fall apart--but still plenty good enough for smaller web images. These ISO settings will allow you to actually get the shot even at night in situations that were previously unthinkable. Most importantly, overall image quality in terms of dynamic range and the quality of the noise at high ISOs has been improved for both stills and video.
The claims were that ISO 25600 on this camera was going to be like ISO 6400 on the Mark II, a two stop improvement. The truth is that it's not. It's just about a one stop improvement, maybe slightly more, but that's still a significant achievement.
3. No megapixel escalation! I was relieved that Canon DIDN'T try to stuff 36 megapixels into the Mk III. They kept it roughly the same at 22mp. Way to go, Canon! It's been proven time and time again that more megapixels doesn't make for a sharper image, only larger file sizes. "More megapixels equals better image quality is what's known as "the megapixel myth" Cramming in more megapixels means a lower signal-to-noise ratio and less full well capacity for each photo site. At some point you don't get more detail with a higher pixel count; you just spread the detail around on more pixels. I hardly ever need 21mp as it is, and I am absolutely relieved not to be dealing with larger files because I often shoot RAW.
4. Exposure bracketing. The Mk II could only do 3 exposure bracket shots automatically; the Mk III can do up to 7. Bingo! But you have to go to page 316 in the manual under Custom Settings to read how. It's not even in the index and the main entry under Exposure Bracketing says it does 3 (the default) and doesn't even mention that it can do up to 7. There is also White Balance Bracketing (redundant if you shoot RAW), but unfortunately no focus bracketing (focus stacking). That would have thrilled me. (Focus bracketing/stacking function is available via the Unified Magic Lantern Firmware for the 550D/60D/600D/50D/500D.)
5. Chromatic aberration correction. A feature inherent to Nikon and Panasonic micro 4/3, it's about time Canon got it. But it's unclear whether RAW images processed with PhotoShop Adobe RAW already have this applied or not... and you have to load in lens profiles manually. I will have to experiment with this.
6. Improved White Balance settings. One of the major gripes I have with all cameras is the accuracy of the Auto White Balance. Sure AWB works fine outdoors in natural light, but in indoor light it's usually awful. Even the tungsten setting is rarely accurate. Invariably I've had to create custom white balance settings on all my cameras using a white card. But FINALLY, on the Mk III, not only is the tungsten setting accurate, even the Auto setting gives decent results indoors.
7. Electronic Level. The 60D has it on the LCD. The 5D Mk III now has it. But get this--the Mk III not only has a side-to-side level, it has a FRONT TO BACK level too! Great for architectural photography. And there's more--a grid overlay and electronic level in the VIEWFINDER. (Once again you must go into Custom settings to set a shortcut button to enable this.) This is way more than I was hoping for and Canon gets bonus points for this.
8. Quiet shutter. The shutter noise from "mirror slap" has been greatly reduced even in Standard mode, and there's a new "silent shooting mode" where you don't hear the mirror at all. This is something I've always wanted in an SLR, and was pleasantly surprised. I guess Canon WAS listening after all.
9. Auto ISO in manual mode. This is so cool. You can set the camera to M, set the exact shutter speed and f/stop that you want, and let Auto ISO choose the ISO for the correct exposure. Considering that this camera gives good results up to ISO 12800, this is a really great way to achieve the exact depth of field and stop motion effect that you want, and let the camera pick the right ISO. Couldn't do this in Mk II. Works with stills and video.
9. Full video exposure control. Speaking of videos, the ability to control exposure when shooting videos has been greatly improved. The Mk II was the camera that started the whole DSLR movie craze. I'm sure that Canon never imagined when they stuck this feature onto the Mk II as an add-on, that it would explode into the DSLR cinematography revolution that it has. But the Mk II was severely hampered by crude exposure control. Now, full manual control is available. Strangely though, only auto ISO is available in Av, Tv, and P. There are more shooting modes: 1080p at 24, 25, or 30 FPS and 720p mode now does 50 or 60 FPS, with two compression options,including an I-frame only compression for better quality suitable for grading.
A whole wave of enthusiasts use the Magic Lantern firmware patch that allows cinematographers to gain access to enhanced functionality like manual audio, zebras, focus assist tools, and more. The Mk III now handles a few of these functions naively such as manual audio (and a headphone jack), plus a video ISO range that goes to 12,800 with 25,600 as an option.
10. The 4GB video file size limitation. Finally, Canon has crossed the 4gb file size barrier and supports file spanning. Now clips can go as long as 30 minutes instead of 12. A big improvement, but come on... The Panasonic GH1 & GH2 have been able to shoot video with NO time limitation for years. Continuous shooting is a MUST HAVE for event videographers. Sorry, this wish-list item still doesn't make the full cut. Why do camera manufacturers hamstring this when it's obvious these cameras are capable of unlimited video recording? Thirty minute cutoff due to a European tax law... can someone fix this PLEASE?
There is much more... of course the completely overhauled complex AF system, primarily for action shooters, dual CF and SD card support, and in-camera HDR and other image combining effects...
Biggest annoyance: the AF point selection button no longer controls magnification in Live View and playback mode. This is a big pain when you want to use focus assist in Live View, because you can no longer just use your right thumb... you have to take your left hand from the lens to press the magnify button which is now on the left side of the LCD. I hate when they move a button from the perfect spot to one that is NOT ERGONOMIC. Workaround: You can assign Magnify to the `Set' button which is on the right (but not to the old button which would have been better).
So here's the big question: at list price of thirty-five hundred dollars, should you upgrade? My thoughts:
A. If you are primarily a through-the-viewfinder still photographer shooting in good light (outdoors and flash), it's rather hard to justify the extra cost. Many of us have barely scratched the surface of the creative possibilities of the Mk II, and in many ways this is not a major upgrade for traditional style, properly lit photography. This camera isn't going to make you a better photographer, though some of the new tools like the electronic level are quite handy.
B. Cinematographers: There's already a lot of carping and moaning in the video camps that this upgrade is a big disappointment. I think it's great for part-time video shooters like me, but it's missing a lot of features that the pros were hoping for. Of course if they want all those pro features they can buy the Canon C300 for $16,000. But current users locked into Magic Lantern are probably going to have to wait for Magic Lantern to catch up anyway. They've already got Magic Lantern for the T2i, T3i, 50D and 60D, so it's just a matter of time.
C. Low light / night photographers, action sports, theater and concert shooters, documentary videographers: This upgrade is a MUST! This camera sets a new benchmark for image quality in less than optimal light conditions. That one stop advantage, better color depth and dynamic range in existing light is important to these guys and gals. The image quality improvement in low light is very noticeable.
C. The rest of us. Many pros are going to want this model, if not now, eventually. The state-of-the art feature set is quite impressive; the handling improvement is modest. For hobbyists, the steep price may be difficult to justify. The Mk II is still a fantastic tool and unless you really need ISO 12800 this isn't going to give you significantly better images than you can already achieve with the marvelous Mk II.
My verdict: An enthusiastic Five Stars as a still photography camera; Four Stars overall due to the lack of three important features that have been available from Panasonic for several years already: articulating screen, continuous autofocus during video, and unlimited video recording time.
If you're on the fence about upgrading or even a first time buyer, I hope my review has been useful. Happy Shooting!
UPDATE 4-24-2012: Users have reported and Canon has confirmed that exposure value when shooting in extremely dark conditions may be affected slightly if the upper LCD backlight is turned on at the same time. People have been calling this a "light leak" issue but that is a misnomer. It's really a non-issue. See details in the comments section.
74 of 78 people found the following review helpful.
A home run for the 5D series, finally!
By J. Howell
I didn't rush to make a review of this camera, as I wanted to really put it through it's paces first. I won't try to list every feature or go over every bullet point (the above description does a fine job), but instead try to go over a few things which make a big difference to me as a 5D Mark II owner. For some background, I bought an original 5D in 2007, a 5DII in 2008 and have been working with these bodies ever since then. I also have experience with all of the Canon 1-series up through the 1DIII and 1DsIII. I currently log about 60,000 photos per year with the 5D Mark IIs as a professional wedding and portrait photographer. I shoot almost exclusively with fast L prime lenses in my work.
So after a week of solid shooting with the camera, here are the areas which are of note relative to previous 5D bodies:
**AUTOFOCUS**
AF is the elephant in the room here so I'll address it first. Good news, we now have a focusing system worth of it's price point. The AF system here is identical to that in the 1Dx and is THE most sophisticated AF system EVER put in any Canon body. It is superior to that in the 1DV and all bodies before it.
I have tested the AF point in servo and one shot mode with my fastest lenses. Speed, accuracy, and consistency have been exceptional and better than anything I have used before. AF gets the job done with zero drama. NO focus jitter, NO frontfocus, NO backfocus, nothing but near-instant, dead accurate focusing with all of my lenses. Even with my Sigma 85/1.4 (which gives my 5DII bodies absolute fits) is 100% accurate with no jitter on the 5DIII. Center AF point and all peripheral AF points are all usable with fast primes. With the 5DII you just use the center AF point and hope for the best (with often mixed results). You could forget using the outer AF points with fast lenses on previous 5D bodies. That has all changed now.
Just to see how far I could push it, I took my most difficult to focus lens (24/1.4 II), put it on the 5DIII, and tried to focus on my black lab in my dimly lit apartment. At a distance of about 2 feet I would able to lock focus on the dog's eye with the far left AF point at F1.4, 1/40, ISO4000. Think about that. I was able to focus on a black eye on a black dog in a dimly lit apartment at F1.4. The 5DII would have hunted all day long trying to do this, even with it's center AF point.
I could sit here and write a book on how happy this performance makes me. For what I do, if this were the only upgrade from the 5D Mark II, it alone would be worth of the $3500 price tag. That said, there is more...
**BUILD QUALITY**
It's hard to put my finger on exactly what changed, but the 5DIII just feels more substantial. It feels like a chopped down 1-series instead of a buffed up 10 series. The contour of the body has changed to fit your hand better. The rubber is also a new compound which is much grippier than before. The 5DIII feels much better to hold and use than the previous 5D bodies.
**SCREEN**
I wasn't expecting a big improvement here, but the screen is drop dead gorgeous. The height is about the same, but it's wider than that in the 5DII and fits the aspect of horizontal images perfectly now. The screen itself has better coatings which allow you to see it easier outside. The contrast, viewing angle, color, and saturation have all improved noticeably. It has a very similar look to a high end smartphone screen. This is a substantial upgrade from the 5DII's screen.
**IMAGE QUALITY**
Image quality is better than the 5DII, but not substantially so. Let me explain.
The 5DIII now natively amplifies the sensor data to ISO 25,600 whereas the 5DII only natively went to ISO 6400. This means that for anything higher than ISO 6400, the 5DIII is better. In RAW you are looking at an improvement of about 1/2 to 3/4 of a stop at high ISO. At lower ISOs, the noise level is about the same.
JPEG quality has improved much more though. The JPEG engine in this camera is staggeringly good and a solid 2 stops better at controlling noise at high ISO than the 5DII. It strikes the best balance of detail and noise control of any camera on the market right now. Note though that default NR in JPEG mode is fairly strong and that you will generally attain a better "look" from your files with the "low" NR setting.
As an aside, the nasty cross-hatch banding present in the deep shadows of 5DII files is now gone with the Mark III. There is still mild vertical banding, but it's similar to the original 5D and only visible when pushed heavily (3 or more stops).
**METERING**
I don't have any hard data on this, but I'm fully convinced the metering of the 5DIII is better than that of the 5DII. I find myself correcting with exposure compensation MUCH less now with the new body than with the mark II. Shooting with the two side the newfound metering accuracy of the mark III is very obvious. I found the 5DII metering very similar to the original 5D. The new 5DIII is much improved here.
**SPEED AND STORAGE**
Camera startup and operation is near-instant. Shutter lag and mirror blackout is now faster than before and leads to a more instant, responsive feel while shooting. This, combined with the vastly improved AF make for a radically different experience from previous 5D bodies.
Dual memory card slots mean you can now either backup your data to a 2nd slot *OR* you can "span" cards. Spanning means that once one card is full it will automatically swtich to the second card. SUCH a nice feature. I can't tell you how many times my card has filled up at the most inopportune moments and shooting stopped. No more.
Shooting speed is either 3fps or 6fps and the buffer is about 18 frames deep in RAW only with a fast CF card. You can shoot almost indefinitely in JPEG mode without hitting the buffer. For RAW I would recommend a 60MB/s CF card to take full advantage of the CF slot speed. The SD slot is slower, but still capable of about 30MB/s write speed.
**COLOR**
The 5D Mark II had a slight magenta color cast. This was easily correctable in post processing and wasn't a huge deal most of the time. I now report that color cast is gone and that the 5DIII's color is much more neutral. Skin tones in general look better due to the more neutral tone.
Additionally I have found auto white balance to be improved over previous 5D models. I've noticed that while post processing I'm having to correct color less with the 5DIII files than the 5DII files. This is very exciting, as it will save me a fair amount of time in post processing. Per usual, all of the cameras struggle under tungsten lighting. However, AWB is able to get color surprisingly close with anything that contains natural lighting.
**MENUS**
I would strongly advise reading the manual because there are a lot of new settings and options which won't be familar to 5DII users. There are also a LOT of different ways to set up your AF system, so a little experimentation is needed. In general, the menu system is more complicated that before, but this also allows a much greater degree of customization of the camera. In that regard, the 5DIII is much closer to a 1-series than before. Take the time to learn it and set it up correctly.
**MISC**
You now have the option to one-click zoom to 100% at your AF point. This means you can instantly check focusing with one button push. This saves a lot of time and frustration while shooting. There is also a "silent" shutter mode which only makes about 1/2 the noise as the standard shutter. You can do one-shot or 3FPS in silent shutter mode. 6FPS continuous is only available with the standard shutter mode.
Another brand new feature that's exciting is the ability to re-map buttons on the camera to perform other functions. The options are very extensive. One in particular I'm excited about is the ability to toggle one-shot with AI-Servo by clicking the DOF preview button (which is now on the right hand side of the camera, in perfect reach of your middle or ring finger). If you are shooting a still subject in one-shot and they start to move, simply push the DOF preview button and you're instantly in AI Servo mode. There is no need to move your hand, or even look away from the viewfinder. When you are done, simply release the button and you're back in one-shot mode.
**CONCLUSION**
Canon finally woke up with the 5D Mark III. The completeness of this refresh is hard to overstate, as there is no part of this camera that was left untouched from the Mark II. The overall experience of using the camera has been transformed to an entirely different level. You will be faster, better, and more efficient with a 5D Mark III relative to its predecessors.
The improvements here will most cater to those who shoot in demanding environments which require high ISO and fast, accurate autofocus. Canon basically fixed most every complaint anyone ever had with the 5DII while maintaining the things which made the 5DII great (resolution, image quality, small body).
The price of this body is probably about $500 too high compared to its primary competition - the $3000 Nikon D800, which is likely to annoy some people. Though individually they cater to different types of photographers and have different strengths over the other, overall these two cameras are comparable products. If you are starting from scratch or have minimal gear investment, the D800 is worth a hard look at. If you are heavily invested in one system or another, you would probably do best just to stick with your current brand. Both are fine cameras and you can't go wrong with either one.
86 of 97 people found the following review helpful.4.8 stars
By Coronet Blue
Some quick observations on the 5D3. Before I go further I should explain I'll be comparing vs. the 5D2 and second, if you need to know about video, I can't be of any help there.
Received camera body from Amazon on 3/23. Lots of new features (5D2 manual is 259 pages; 5D3 manual is 403 pages). For the work I do, I was looking for two improvements over the 5D2: Ability to bracket more than 3 shots and much lower noise. The first wish was granted. As you probably know, the 5D3 does 7 exposures. Nikons do 9, but 7 is almost always enough. Those who need more will probably have a Promote remote anyway. Noise? Well, the 5D3 images are cleaner but I wouldn't say dramatically so. With the default noise settings and long exp NR set on, I'd say it's 1 to 1.5 stops better than the 5D2. Now, with a little Noiseware or other NR, you can get very clean images at 12800 with very little loss of detail so I don't consider this a problem. I guess it was unrealistic to expect the 5D3 to match the very low noise of my D700 but it would have been nice.
It's true that nearly every feature on the 5D3 is an upgrade over the 5D2. Not all of these will result in better images but it's fair to say that the entire "feel" of the 5D3, the layout, viewfinder, displays are all nicer than the 5D2. The two things that may be game changers, IMO, are the shutter and the AF. If you haven't heard and felt the shutter on the 5D3, you're in for a treat. It isn't just quieter; there is much less kick from the mirror. Add the "silent" mode and, wow. I would not be surprised to see signs in the future that say "Please set your camera to silent mode". As for AF, I never had a problem with the AF on the 5D2 so I'm less impressed here. But if you shoot moving subjects, the 5D3 has it all--predictive, wrap around, sequential, selective. The manual devotes 45 pages to setting autofocus.
A small thing that I've been waiting for, a dual axis electronic level is wonderful. For some time, digital SLRs have had an "artificial horizon" that tells you if you are tilting the camera to the left or right. That's nice but in almost all imaging software, rotating an image takes just a second. What these left/right levelers don't tell you is if you are tipping the camera up or down which can be a real pain with a super wide lens. Well, problem solved with the 5D3.
The in-camera HDR is a mixed bag. Output is jpeg only and even at that, it takes awhile for the 5D3 to register the images. (This could be my cards which are Lexar UDMA 400x & Sandisk Extreme IV). Anyhow, it's a fun feature. This brings me to yet another interesting feature. Since the 5D3 has two cards (CF + SD) you can record different file types to each card. In other words, you could have a RAW-only card and a JPEG-only card. I haven't tried this but I presume this would mean that you could shoot everything RAW except in-camera HDRs which, being jpegs, would end up on the other card. I get requests for jpegs so now I can put them on one card while keeping an all-RAW card for myself. You can also have redundant cards for backup, sequential for extra capacity, etc. As with the autofocus options, the possibilities are endless!
So, to summarize. Pros: Better AF, 100% viewfinder with electronic grid (no more screens), better LCD, faster drive and processor, fabulous shutter/mirror, 7-stop bracketing, 2-axis level, somewhat lower noise and thus somewhat cleaner images vs. 5D2, two card slots, uses same batteries as 5D2. Cons: Still no built-in flash (yes, it's very handy), in-camera HDR so-so, mode knob still feels flimsy (and it locks now, so be careful). All in all, this is a very nice, refined camera and anybody trading up from a 5D2 will be happy. And if you do get a 5D3, the person getting your 5D2 will be happy as well.
Just a footnote. One thing that comes through loud and clear from these reviews is how very different people's needs are and how differently they use a camera. I can only explain how a product meets or fails to meet my needs. I would not dream of saying you do/don't need this feature or "read and decide" as if I was some sort of oracle. You know what is or is not important to you and how much you're willing to pay for it. The web has made everybody a professional and an expert but when it's your money, the only expert is you.
"CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.
Cheap Price Nikon D3200 24.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR NIKKOR Zoom Lens for sale in USA
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Nikon D3200 24.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR NIKKOR Zoom Lens (Black)
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| Price: | $749.00 |
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Ships from and sold by Roberts LP
3 new or used available from $699.00
Average customer review: (10 customer reviews)
Product Description
Don’t let the D3200’s compact size and price fool you—packed inside this easy to use HD-SLR is serious Nikon power: a 24.2 MP DX-format CMOS sensor that excels in any light, EXPEED 3 image-processing for fast operation and creative in-camera effects, Full HD (1080p) movie recording, in-camera tutorials and much more. What does this mean for you? Simply stunning photos and videos in any setting. And now, with Nikon’s optional Wireless Mobile Adapter, you can share those masterpieces instantly with your Smartphone or tablet easily!
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #42 in Camera & Photo
- Color: Black
- Brand: Nikon
- Model: 25492
- Released on: 2012-04-18
- Dimensions: 4.00 pounds
Features
- Wi-Fi Connectivity with adapter (not included)
- 24.2 MP DX-format CMOS sensor
- EXPEED III Image Processing
- Wide ISO sensitivity range
- One-touch Full HD 1080p movie recording
Editorial Reviews
From the Manufacturer
Take your photos and videos to the next level. Unrivaled 24.2 megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor for truly dazzling photos and Full HD 1080p movies in any light. Innovative Guide Mode to help you master the camera. HD-SLR power; point-and-shoot ease.
Take your photos and videos to the next level
24.2 MP DX-format CMOS sensor and EXPEED 3
Why do photos and videos shot with a Nikon HD-SLR look so good? It all starts with Nikon’s exclusive image sensors, and the D3200 has the most powerful CMOS sensor we've ever put in a HD-SLR at this level. Boasting an astounding 24.2 effective megapixels, it captures sharper, richer images—even in low light. Combine that with EXPEED 3 image processing, the processing power behind the acclaimed Nikon D4, for super-fast operation, exceptional image capture, in-camera filter effects and more. Your photos and videos will amaze even you.
Master the camera simply by using it
Guide Mode ensures success
It’s never been easier to create HD-SLR quality photos, thanks to the D3200’s Guide Mode. Learn the camera’s key features and controls while you shoot, and even get advice and sample images to succeed in difficult shooting situations. Guide Mode is easy to access and easy to understand. You're never shooting alone with the D3200.
Capture the best of every scene
Six Scene Modes and Scene Auto Selector
Experienced photographers optimize their camera settings for the scene they're shooting. With the D3200, optimizing your camera settings is as easy as turning a dial. Choose from six common Scene Modes like Portrait, Night Portrait, Landscape, Close up and more, for flawless results even in demanding circumstances. When using Live View, Scene Auto Selector automatically sets the D3200 for the most suitable Scene Mode for the situation. A highly accurate 420-pixel RGB sensor powers Nikon’s Scene Recognition System, which compares scene data against an extensive database to optimize the shot accordingly.
Create cinema-quality HD videos
One-touch Full HD 1080p movie recording with stereo sound
Nikon is committed to developing HD-SLRs that are not just superlative still image cameras, but superlative video cameras, as well. With a touch of a button, the D3200 starts recording Full HD 1080p video with full-time autofocus, manual exposure control and stereo sound. Its breathtaking 921,000-dot, ultra-high-resolution display makes it easy to frame, monitor and review your footage. Even record in super-smooth slow motion up to 60 fps! Unleash your inner cinematographer.
Get a new view of your world
Versatile AF-S Zoom-NIKKOR 18-55mm
Nikon’s renowned NIKKOR lenses have long been the choice of pros and serious photographers. Marvels of clarity, consistency, precision and reliability, they draw peak performance from Nikon HD-SLRs. The D3200 comes equipped with the AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-55mm, a versatile, high performance VR image stabilized lens. And when you're ready to expand your system and extend your creativity, you'll have your choice of over 70 legendary NIKKOR lenses.
Fast and accurate shooting
The D3200’s 11-point Autofocusing System is as fast as it is precise. Check your focus points, track your subject or shoot carefree right from the viewfinder. And when the action speeds up, simply aim, hold down the shutter and fire off approx. 4 fps at 24.2 MP resolution.
Wi-Fi Connectivity—Now you can easily get GREAT pictures on your smartphone
Using the WU-1a optional wireless mobile adapter you can now automatically send great images to your smartphone and even use your smartphone to remotely capture images from your D3200. With an easy to use app, now, when you can't wait to share that great shot, you don't have to. Share it to your smartphone in an instant.
Compact, lightweight and durable
Your D3200 is designed for comfort, intuitive use and durability. Its compact, lightweight and rugged body puts key controls at your fingertips. You'll never hesitate to bring along your D3200.
Dramatic low-light photos
The D3200's wide ISO range of 100 to 6400 allows for shooting in very low light without a flash or in very bright light with zoom, macro, fixed focal length or wide aperture lenses. For extreme low-light situations, set the ISO to Hi 1 and achieve ISO 12800 equivalent sensitivity.
All photography © Robin Layton
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
51 of 54 people found the following review helpful.Amazing camera - D800 replacement?
By Waikiki
Like many folks, I pre-ordered the D800 the same day it was available. Alas, Nikon has big-time blown the market analysis vs production vs. supply chain formula. After waiting 2 months, I have to leave the country before Nikon gets it's D800 act together. I needed a beat-up D90 replacement camera. The D3200 seemed like a decent place-holder, so I quickly ordered it before they were back-ordered too! Sure, the D3200 is DX, not FX. Sure, it is not nearly as flexible. Sure, it can only AF with newer lenses. BUT, you can buy about 4-D3200's for the price of a D800, AND it comes with a decent kit lens for $699!
The graphical-based menu system is geared more to beginners, which I am not, so I find it maddening. Most will love it. It is amazingly light weight - lighter than most lenses! It is very quiet. The AF could be faster, but it's plenty fast enough. When you dig deeper, you shockingly find that the D3200 has many advanced internal features from the highest-end cameras. The high-res LCD rear screen, the EXPEED 3 image processing engine, and a new 24MP sensor. The EXPEED 3 image processing engine allows the D3200 to perform at an altitude unheard of for a so-called entry level camera. Nikon's Active-D dynamic range enhancement at 4 frames per second requires substantial in-camera processing power. The amazing HD video offerings just wouldn't be possible without this pro-level image processing engine.
I bought this camera primarily for still photography. With the proper lenses & technique, the results are stunning. Low-light/high ISO performance is far beyond what you should expect at this level camera. Candle-lit face images are noise-free, and look great. Still life's on a tripod at ISO 100, have more resolution that ANY DSLR I have ever used, with very little shadow noise. In short, I might not accept my D800 when it becomes available. I might use the D3200 longer than I thought, (waiting for the 24MP FX D600 for $1999 later this year -- my guesses on price & stats & date)...or, just keep using the D3200. If it breaks (I'm hard on cameras), I'll just buy a new one.
Bottom line -- the D3200: super light-weight, very quiet, super high resolution (& low noise, high dynamic range, superb colors), incredible HD video with slow motion. It is no doubt THE most amazing DSLR value on the planet!
5/14/12 UPDATE: I've now shot 100s of images, using lenses from 11 mm to 600 mm. I've learned a lot. Super-high resolution cameras are a new arena for most of us. On the surface, one automatically thinks you will get images twice as sharp as before. Wrong. When you enter the hi-res camera stratosphere, photographic technique & lens choice are critical. While these high MP cameras are capable of amazing results, you have to work to get all this camera has to offer. Do not blame the camera if your initial results are less dramatically sharper than your old 6-8-12MP Nikon. It's probably you...
Set-up a table with clean background and a few artifacts on it. Use the sharpest lens you have, at f 8, on a sturdy tripod, perpendicular to the table, Shoot the scene with the in-camera flash on both old & new camera bodies. You will see the difference pretty easily when images from both cameras are compared side by side, enlarged to 100% on your PC monitor.
How does this translate to everyday casual shooting? Not easily. Sub-par technique still results in sub-par images no matter what camera is used. If you are a beginner looking for the best entry-level DSLR ever made, all of this won't matter much to you -- grab a D3200 and shoot away! Just note that the D3200 is capable of world-class imagery. If it takes more effort to take photographs of this caliber, it's a good thing -- the D3200 forces you to up your game to get there!
63 of 71 people found the following review helpful.5100 VS 3200: Good Job Nikon! (Still do not have RAW plug-in for LR/PS 64bit)
By J Sual
Just received this Camera today, and this is my preliminary Review (will update progresively).
Background: I have upgraded my Nikon Digital D100->D200->D90->D5100->D3200.
Okay, seemed I downgrade every single time, but actually not. (I also use D300, D3X, but those are different class of equipment). This path, is more for daily activity platform (lightweight).
D90 -> D5100: I actually considered to buy D7000, but chose D5100 simply because the price, and the articulated LCD because I use it 50% for Video. I am glad I did! D5100 image quality is SUPERB and on par with D7000. D5100 is lot FASTER than D3000 & D3100, but a little bit slower than D7000. From D90 to D5100, it has lots of improvement in image quality, low noise in low light, much better video (with 20 minutes max per session). The only drawback I can see, is the battery coverage is not long enough (on Video mode), but it is understandable, and the solution is add another spare.
D5100 -> D3200:
Other than the obvious layout design difference, the only thing I eager to know is the Low Light Noise!
So I am glad to report that IT IS COMPARABLE!
See my attached photo (The Costco Connection image) and judge yourself (both image are taken with the same setting at ISO 6400)
So, 3200 is a clear winner!
*** Update ***
I upload an image taken at ISO 12800 (Hi1). For me the image is very usable.
Will update the review in a couple of days, once I get the whole importance difference between 5100 & 3200 ...
*** Update After 200 shots ***
1. My copy of 3200 has slightly over exposure consistently (but not much, probably 1/3 ev, but I actually like slightly under exposed)
2. I noticed a slight improvement of Dynamic range. I take a shoot at an overcast day, but surprise how it can capture the clouds, the trees and shadows
3. An improvement in response. It is slightly faster than 5100, but not in the same level as D7000.
4. Smoother Mirror, and quieter. It is noticable (but not sure if this is consistent between model, or just batch/production variance).
*** Update in Video ***
The Video is also amazing. It is comparable to D5100, especially the color rendetion is great!
The low light performance is on par with D5100.
The addition of 720p 60fps, and the Manual Audio Level control + Stereo Audio Meter is a real plus for Video Maker, making this DSLR a good choice for Serious Video taker. I wish it has a headphone Jack, but probably too much to ask for considering the price level. The focus tracking in Video mode is also improved, not substantially but good enough to be considered. I did 4 songs video clip and really satisfied with the result. Both the end result and the operational experience are great. I use the 720p 60fps mode for this project, and really like the result.
I noticed slightly longer battery time, but not sure whether this is consistent or only slight production/batch variance. (*** Update: I finally found that It is a batch variance, because the other battery I have give me noticable longer running time ***).
The additional Audio Meter view (press Info several time in the live view mode), is a really good addition for me, especially while attaching external Mic for Video mode (see my image). Also the option to set the Audio Level (Mic Input) is very useful. I took 10 Video clips already, and use the Mic Input to capture the Audio from A Mixer. The audio quality is SUPERB!
For all the test, I didnt use the kit lens, but use Tamron 17-50 F2.8 VC.
31 of 34 people found the following review helpful.Nikon D3200 hits it out of the park!
By Mr. Chute
I was sceptical about the need for 24mp and what an entry level camera could do. I went to Hunts in Melrose MA and I took two shots with my 40mm 1x macro and 1 x distant on three bodies, the D40x, the D3200 and the D5100.
The D40x was crushed by both the other two cameras. The colour saturation on both the D5100 and the d3200 were on par but the D3200's resolution even blew the D5100 away!!
I got a good deal on the trade in of my D40x and I am now the happy owner of a D3200 and I'm blown away with the image quality! I'm not sure what Nikon was thinging but this enty level dslr beats the 5100 on resolution which make me think it might also have better resolution than the D7000!!
I'm happy with mine and my advice to anyone interested is to test the various cameras and judge for yourself. If you want more bells and whistles and less resolution go with the D5100, however if you are like me and want the best image quality then go with the D3200.
"CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME."
Cheap Price Nikon D800 36.3 MP CMOS FX-Format Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) for sale in USA
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Availability: Temporarily out of stock. Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your credit card will not be charged until we ship the item. 4 new or used available from $2,999.00 Average customer review: (38 customer reviews) |
Product Description
Hold in your hands an HD-DSLR able to capture images rivaled only by that produced by a medium-format camera: extremely low noise, incredible dynamic range, the most faithful colors, the broadest tonal range. Meet the Nikon D800, a 36.3 megapixel FX-format D-SLR for professional photographers who require end results of the highest quality; who demand superior performance, speed, handling and a fully integrated imaging system. For multimedia professionals, 36.3MP means true 1080p HD cinematic quality video. The essential tool for today’s still and video professional, every photo will astound, every video will dazzle.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #29 in Camera & Photo
- Color: Black
- Brand: Nikon
- Model: 25480
- Released on: 2012-03-20
- Dimensions: 48.43" h x 32.28" w x 57.48" l, 1.98 pounds
- Display size: 3.2
Features
- Extreme resolution 36.3-megapixel FX-format (35.9 x 24.0mm) CMOS sensor
- Full 1080p HD broadcast quality video and minimized rolling shutter
- View simultaneous Live View output on external monitors and record uncompressed video via HDMI terminal
- Multi-Area Full HD D-Movie Video Recording Mode
- Comprehensive high fidelity audio recording and playback control
Editorial Reviews
From the Manufacturer
The Nikon D800
Every photo will astound. Every video will dazzle.
Hold in your hands an HD-SLR able to capture images rivaled only by those produced with a medium-format camera: extremely low noise, incredible dynamic range and the most faithful colors. Meet the Nikon D800, a 36.3 megapixel FX-format HD-SLR for professional photographers who require end results of the highest quality, who demand superior performance, speed, handling and a fully integrated imaging system. For cinematographers and multimedia professionals, 36.3 MP means true 1080p HD cinematic quality video. Inputs for stereo microphones and headphones, a peak audio meter display, DX crop mode to maximize NIKKOR lens selection and increase angle of view plus much more—the D800 is the essential tool for today's still and video professional.
D800 and D800E
Which is right for you?
Every Nikon DSLR camera uses an optical low pass filter (OLPF) in front of its sensor to slightly blur the image at a pixel level in order to reduce the occurrence of false colors and moiré that can appear when shooting repetitive and/or fine patterns. For the vast majority of photographers, the D800 provides an ideal balance between sharpness and effectively prevented moiré and false color, ideal for shooting using all file formats. D800E is a specialized camera that removes the "effect" of the OLPF, which results in a slight gain in sharpness and resolution and is recommended for studio and still life professionals but carries an increased possibility that moiré and false color will appear.
| D800 | D800E |
|---|---|
| Strikes an ideal balance between sharpness and preventing the occurrence of false color and moiré for consistent performance | Slight increase in sharpness and resolution with increased occurrence of false color and moiré |
Ideal for:
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Ideal for:
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D800 and D800E: Comparison of false color and moiré
With the D800E, false color and moiré may be noticeable when shooting repetitive and/or fine patterns. Enlarge
D800 and D800E: Comparison of resolution
Compared to the D800, the D800E reproduces textures with slightly higher resolution for sharper rendering and greater depth. Enlarge
What else is different?
Other than the very slight image quality differences described above, the D800 and D800E perform exactly the same. Focus speed, exposure metering, shooting speed, movie recording, accessory compatibility, control location and function, and all other aspects are identical.
Reveal every nuance, every detail
The 36.3 megapixel FX-format advantage
Wedding, commercial or landscape, the D800 is the ultimate 36.3 MP FX-format camera for creative genius. Witness tonal range and precision rendered to supreme clarity, depth and texture. Make poster sized prints without sacrificing detail. Explore creative opportunities with ISO 100 to 6,400 (expanded up to 25,600)—shoot from dawn to dusk. Experience Nikon's new Advanced Scene Recognition System featuring a 91,000-pixel RGB light meter capable of rendering unprecedented levels of accuracy to AF, AE, i-TTL flash control, face recognition and auto white balance. Nikon's new EXPEED 3 image processing reduces color phase shifts seen with lesser systems, producing more faithful colors and tones while managing massive amounts of data at breakthrough speed. With the D800 in your hands, achieve what was once unreachable.
Broadcast quality video
A full cinematic experience
Filmmakers, multimedia professionals and event photographers—record Full HD 1080p at 30/25/24p or 720p at 60/50p in AVC-HD format. Produce to your exacting vision when working in manual mode, controlling aperture, ISO, AF and shutter speed. Record uncompressed files via HDMI to an external recording device via HDMI. Widen production perspective using either Nikon FX or DX lens formats at Full HD 1080p and 16:9 aspect ratio. Attach headphones and check audio levels or monitor input via peak audio meters as displayed on the camera's LCD monitor. Microphone sensitivity can be adjusted in up to 20 steps. Remotely start and stop video. Simultaneously Live View footage on the camera's LCD monitor and external monitor during recording are possible.
Render every megapixel with precision
Fast, precise 51-point wide area coverage
Precise AF detection is critical to sharply render every pixel of the D800's massive resolution count. An improved 51- point AF system with 15 Cross Type AF sensors, versatile AF area modes and superb AF detection in even the dimmest lighting deliver immediate, pinpoint focus. Fast shot-to-shot time, full resolution frame rate up to 4 fps, 6 fps in DX crop mode using MB-D12 Multi-Power Battery Pack and ultra fast CF and SD card write times. For more productive workflow, high-speed data transfer using USB 3.0 is realized. For demanding professionals, the D800 responds immediately and precisely.
Versatile shooting, fluid operation
Streamlined ergonomic design puts critical tasks a touch away
Intuitive design makes D800 operation a thing of beauty. A streamlined ergonomic body allows critical photography and video tasks, including Movie Record, Live View, White Balance and Picture Control to be performed at the touch of a button. Confirm image capture and view menu options, histograms, video settings and more using the D800's super sharp 3.2-inch 921,000-dot LCD screen with 100% coverage. Anti-glare coating and auto brightness control ease of viewing, no matter the environment. Enlarge images up to 46x for on-the-spot focus confirmation. Magnesium alloy construction and environmental sealing make the D800 as comfortable in the field as in the studio.
EXPEED 3 image processing
Nikon's EXPEED 3 technology extends and assures breathtakingly rich image fidelity and reduces noise, even at high ISO's. EXPEED 3 is so powerful that it handles data-intensive tasks such as Full-HD video recording at 30p with ease.
Rich image previewing
The D800's 3.2-inch super-sharp 921,000-dot LCD monitor automatically adjusts LCD brightness and visibility according to your environment for bright, crisp image playback, menu adjustment and Live View shooting. Enlarge images up to 46x to make on the spot focus confirmation—crucial for high resolution shooting.
Expand dynamic range with built-in HDR
Create a single image revealing an extremely wide dynamic range, but with less noise and rich color gradation than ever before. Combine two exposures at up to 3EV.
Dedicated picture control button
The convenient Picture control button provides six preset options: Vivid, Monochrome, Neutral, Standard, Landscape and Portrait for stills and video while 9 customizable settings provide advanced, personalized color control.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
146 of 150 people found the following review helpful.A clear improvement over the already excellent D700
By M. Billon
I know that the D800 is not really the replacement model over the D700. Nevertheless, it did replace my old D700 and the D800 is, I believe, better suited for my photographic needs than the D700, i.e., studio, portraits, and landscape.
The D700 was and still is an outstanding DSLR. The D800 is of course better, but in a very perceptible way, which was quite a surprise to me.
I have done over 5000 shots since my purchase on 24 March. So far, no issues to report: no green cast from the LCD and no problems with the CLS system.
Nikon has really outperformed with this new DSLR and the clear improvements are:
- Much improved Dynamic Range, which was my main problem since my first DSLR
- Better colors straight off the camera: deeper and richer
- Better AF in low light
- Highly detailed photographs at full res, 100% magnification and also when down-scaling the photos.
Let's not forget a proper and useable HD video feature at broadcasting quality.
On the negative side (there has to be some):
- The zoom in and zoom out buttons are reversed from the old models, which is now more logical, but I am used to the old wrong way! it's a minor problem of course.
- D4 has backlit buttons, why not on the D800? This can't be that expensive to include.
- Very expensive Battery pack, this is a major drawback for me. But yes, the D800 is well priced at $3000. I just hate ridiculously priced accessories.
- still wonder the point of having 1 CF slot and 1 SD slot. 2 CF slots would have been superb. But I guess if you come from a SD card DSLR, that would be practical for you.
One crucial point that has to be considered when acquiring a 36MP DSLR: storage will be an issue. I just purchased a 4TB ext hard drive. A 14-bit RAW file (uncompressed) coming from the D800 will average 75MB.
I just shot a wedding, and I consider the D800 to be an excellent choice for the job. All the complains about shots being more blurry at 100% magnification are irrelevant. One has to be precise with his/her settings, at the right exposure and optimal shutter speed, results can be absolutely mind-blowing. And since most won't need 36MP for wedding photographs, down-scaling images will certainly eliminate slight camera-shake or noise.
One particular aspect that I appreciate is that my Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G is now tack-sharp at f/1.4. I had a front focusing issue with my old D700 even with the fine-tune option set to max. Since I'm no techie geek, I still don't understand why the D700 gave me problems with the 85mm.
Anyway, I used to be one of those people saying that digital photography will never replace film photography. The D800 has changed all that.
81 of 85 people found the following review helpful.Best in Class
By Emmanuel
...
See that my purchase is verified by Amazon. Below are my observations after one month of ownership.
Pros:
+ Resolution: Beautiful detail, just make sure that your lenses are up to the task.
+ Dynamic Range: Incredible, when shooting in lower ISO's it is near impossible to ruin a photo. Do an internet search for: "fred miranda d800 review Yosemite" to see real life comparisons.
+ Color: Adobe profiles are horrible, create custom profiles using a MacBeth chart with Adobe DNG profiler and the colors will amaze.
+ AutoWB: Excellent, much better than the D3/D700. *** See Tip Below ***
+ Low ISO: Having a true 100 ISO is godsend for on-location studio lighting setups.
+ High ISO: The D800 and LR4 do an excellent job in controlling noise. Using PS plugins a properly exposed image can print acceptable 6x9's at 12800 ISO (max for D3/D700's is 6400).
+ LiveView: The live exposure preview is a new and pleasant feature.
+ Build and Weatherproofing: I shot three weddings with this camera and all three had slight to heavy rain. The camera performed excellent in all occasions, as did my D3.
+ Handling: The auto ISO is easy to engage and the new position of the ISO button is more intuitive when looking through the viewfinder than on the D700. Like the D700, the D800 is extremely customizable.
+ Autofocus modes: S(ingle) AF point is very good for stationary subjects at close and far distances; 9 point AF: works well with close range subjects that move, but in long distance shots it may select a contrasty pattern on the shoulder and throw the eyes a bit out of focus; 3-D: tries to follow the subject based on color and it works quite well; Auto: looks for what it thinks it the closest face. It comes in handy when taking action photos with the camera overhead.
Neutral:
~ Handling: I prefer the AF switches of the D700. The magnification + - are opposite from the D700, a small irritation.
~ Exposure: Better than D3/D700, but far from perfect. Contrary to Nikon's literature, it struggles with backlit scenes.
~ Frames per second: I rarely shoot in continuous, and when I do, I have my D3/D700 set to CL (continuous low-speed) of 3 FPS.
~ Battery Performance: It can get me through a full day's shoot if I avoid extensive LiveView or WiFi use, otherwise I need to use a backup battery.
~ Autofocus: The AF is very similar to the D3/D700, good but could have been better. The center sensors are quick and reliable, the extreme corners work well, but they are not as quick and require high contrast subjects. For example, when shooting with the razor-thin DOF of the 85mm 1.4, slight rocking back and forth movements will cause plenty of out of focus shots. Set the camera on a tripod and the outer sensor works perfect on subjects with contrast. The center sensors are quicker at micro adjustments and compensates quickly for movements.
Cons:
- Software: Nikon software can produce excellent results, but it is clunky and slow.
- Handling: The mode selector button is awkwardly placed. I prefer the D7000 U1/U2 style custom banks.
- JPEG: Nikon has the worst jpeg engine; competitors like Olympus, Panasonic, and Canon put Nikon to shame. Although I would never shoot JPG, there are those that do, and this camera will let them down.
- Autofocus: 1.) All 51 points are still too centrally located 2.) No increase in cross-type sensors over the D3/D700 3.) All the cross-type AF sensors are in the middle. 4.) Like the D3/700, the outer sensors are near useless in low lit, low contrast situations.
- LiveView: There is a well reported bug when using LiveView at 100% viewing, although I am still able to focus, I heard that is a deal-breaker for many landscape shooters. I have no idea how people survived 100 years of film or shoot $20k+ Hasselblad's.
D800 resolution on tested lenses:
* Nikon 24-70 2.8 G: Center is good at f/4, excellent from 5.6-9; Corners good from f/5.6-9, OOF CAs are very high from F/2.8 to 5.0; works well for studio/fashion work
* Nikon 35mm 1.4 G: Center and corners are good from F/1.4-2.8, all excellent from F/3.6-11
* Nikon 50mm 1.8 G: Center and corners are good from F/1.8-2.5, all excellent from F/2.8-11
* Sigma 85mm 1.4: Center and corners are good from F/1.4-2.0, all excellent from F/2.5-9
* Nikon 85mm 1.4 G: Center is excellent and corners are good from F/1.4-2.0, all excellent from F/2.5-11
* Nikon 85mm 1.8 G: Excellent center and corners from F/1.8-9
* Nikon 70mm-200mm 2.8 G: Center is excellent and corners are good from F/2.8-4, all excellent from F/5-11
*** TIP *** Remove the dreaded Nikon green cast by shifting the WB Fine-Tune (pg. 149) 2 points toward Magenta on each setting, (Auto, Daylight, etc..) and enjoy perfect skin tones.
Summary:
Using proper technique, the images this camera produces are superior to the D3/D700 in every measurable aspect. Would I jump systems for this camera? If I owned a large collection of top-tier gear, NO! Otherwise, I would consider it if I was not too invested into another system. Does it equal or better Medium Format? There are differences in perspective, DOF, FOV, and CANNOT BE COMPARED.
Having shot Canon (FD, 630, A2, Elan II, 20D, 40D, 5D I &II, 1D's) Nikon (FM, F4, F100, D200, D300s, D7000, D700, D800, D3), Fuji (S3, S5), Mamiya (645, RB67), and Hasselblad (H4D-40), I know that they are excellent tools that are capable of creating amazing images. Pick the one that best fits your needs and enjoy the fine art of photography and avoid online forums. :)
465 of 521 people found the following review helpful.Unbiased Review of 5DmkIII vs D800
By se
I'm a Sony shooter with only a few lenses. I use to shoot Canon during the film days. I tested both the Canon 5D mkIII and the Nikon D800 and here are my results. I tested a 5DmkIII with a 24-70 f2.8 lens and a Nikon D800 (not D800e) with a 24-70 f2.8 lens.
High ISO:
About the same, except D800 has a lot more detail to work with. In Lightroom, I can save a higher percentage of ISO 6400 shots because the D800 has more detail. Canon seems cleaner initially in Lightroom but when the picture fits into a 24" 1920x1080 monitor or a 64" Samsung plasma TV, the Nikon looks a tad cleaner, noise less noticeable. I think the Canon looks cleaner in Lightroom because it is just a smaller picture. But displaying ISO 6400 shots on a monitor or TV, Nikon looks nicer in general. Both cameras at ISO 12,800 look awful and not recoverable in Lightroom. It might look acceptable as a really small pic but why the heck would you buy an expensive camera to display crappy looking pictures?
Frames per second:
Easy winner. Canon can shoot 6 FPS, Nikon 4 FPS. However, in practice I think 4 FPS is pretty good. None of these cameras are really Olympic style sports cameras.
Resolution:
Easy winner. Nikon's RAW files are more detailed, almost 3D like. I can't really explain it other than the pictures look more real. I can crop a photo to 1/3 it's size (12 megapixels) and it still looks stunning. I wonder how much better the D800e version is. I'll have to wait until my friend receives his to find out.
JPEG:
Easy winner. Out of the camera, the Canon JPEGs are phenomenal. The processing done is quite remarkable.
RAW:
Easy winner. If you shoot RAW, Nikon is it. Also there is an issue with the Canon with the color red. I think the color is overblown at times because all the details are loss and not recoverable in Lightroom. Not always but it has happened at least twice. The same photo on the Nikon kept all the details.
Autofocus:
About the same. Canon and Nikon have awesomely quick autofocus and I couldn't determine a difference. The only caveat is that Nikon focuses better in lowlight (without the autofocus assist lamp) and also the Nikon focuses when there is almost no light (with the autofocus assist lamp). Why the heck doesn't Canon include an autofocus assist lamp is beyond me. Also, Nikon's face detection is extremely useful because it focuses right on the eyeballs.
Flash:
Easy winner. Canon doesn't have built in flash. Nikon flash worked surprisingly well.
Dynamic Range:
Easy winner. Nikon knocked it out of the park. I got a lot less blown highlights with shots with white clothing and more realistic blue skys. Also, there is a lot more headroom on both the highlights and shadows on the Nikon when editing in Lightroom. How did Nikon have better shadows and highlights! They have to share some of that technology!
Video:
Suprisingly about the same. I would have thought that Canon's lead in video would maintain. Surprisingly, the Nikon's video was just as awesome as the Canon. Nikon's video has a bit more detail and is definitely a little sharper than the Canon. I didn't test Nikon's uncompressed HDMI out, although it seems to be a useful feature (this is like RAW HDMI output for video). Canon should adopt uncompressed HDMI out also.
Price:
Easy winner. Why anyone (who doesn't already have Nikon or Canon lenses) would buy this Canon for $500 more than the Nikon would need to think twice. I can see why the Nikon is selling so much better than the Canon, at least on Amazon.
Comfort:
Both about the same weight. Both feel nice in the hand. Canon possibly slightly more comfortable if you have bigger hands. Nikon maybe more comfortable with smaller hands. Both are fine though.
USB transfer:
Nikon wins with USB 3.0. Skipping the card reader altogether by just plugging in the camera to the computer is convenient. Also the transfer speed is much much faster than Canon's older USB 2.0. This saves a lot of time.
LCD Screen:
Canon has slightly better screen in direct sunlight (LCD facing up towards the sun). Nikon is better when the LCD is not directly facing the sun. Nikon's screen is crisper and more 3D like.
Weatherproofing:
My last day of shooting was in a light mist/drizzle. I was shooting both cameras again for about 20 minutes when the Canon 5D mkIII developed some fogging inside the viewfinder screen. I could not wipe it away as it seemed to be inside the camera. I could no longer take pictures normally without live view. Nikon didn't have this problem and I continued to shoot the rest of the day with the Nikon in the same wet conditions without issue. I had planned to shoot at least 2 weeks with both cameras so this was definitely a bummer.
Lenses:
Both Canon and Nikon's 24-70 2.8 lenses are great. I would say the Canon 24-70 2.8 is just a tad faster on focus. Nikon is slightly sharper in the corners. Both Nikon and Canon seem to have a very comparable lens assortment (although my wallet won't be happy buying so many new lenses!)
Well, after using both cameras for about a week, I kept the Nikon D800 and returned my (possibly water damaged) Canon 5D mkIII. Both are phenomenal cameras but D800 has definitely outclassed the 5D mkIII in this round. Maybe Canon will come back strong with its next version. It definitely has some catching up to do.
Thanks for reading my review and I'll also post this on the Nikon D800 and Canon 5D mkIII review page. Best of luck to all you photogs and enjoy these phenomenal cameras!
Cheap Price Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS APS-C Sensor DIGIC 4 Image Processor Full-HD Movie Mode Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch Clear View Vari-Angle LCD and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens for sale in USA
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Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS APS-C Sensor DIGIC 4 Image Processor Full-HD Movie Mode Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch Clear View Vari-Angle LCD and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens
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| List Price: | $799.99 |
| Price: | $749.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details |
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com
89 new or used available from $619.00
Average customer review: (404 customer reviews)
Product Description
The Canon 5169B003 includes the EOS Rebel T3i Digital SLR Camera and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS type II Lens. This camera and lens will help photographers who are looking for an easy-to-use camera to create their next masterpiece. The next in a long line of phenomenal compact DSLRs, the EOS Rebel T3i continues the Rebel tradition of easy operation, compact design and no-compromise performance. Featuring Canon's newest DIGIC 4 Image Processor and an 18.0 Megapixel CMOS Image Sensor plus cutting-edge technologies like Full HD video recording, Live View shooting, Wireless flash photography and even a Vari-angle 3.0-inch LCD monitor, the EOS Rebel T3i offers the best of EOS photography in a compact package.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #2 in Camera & Photo
- Color: Black
- Brand: Canon
- Model: REBEL T3i Kit
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 7.99" h x 9.02" w x 5.98" l, 1.10 pounds
Features
- 18.0 MP CMOS sensor and DIGIC 4 Image Processor for high image quality and speed
- ISO 100 - 6400 for shooting from bright to dim light
- Vari-angle 3.0-inch Clear View LCD monitor (3:2) for shooting at high or low angles and 1,040,000-dot VGA with reflection reduction
- Video Snapshot features for enhanced video shooting options
- Comes with camera body, EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Type II lens, eyecup, wide strap, USB cable, AV cable, battery, and charger
Editorial Reviews
From the Manufacturer
High Resolution Still Capture
18.0 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor and DIGIC 4 Image Processor for high image quality and speed.
The EOS Rebel T3i has an 18.0 Megapixel CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor that captures images with exceptional clarity and tonal range and offers more than enough resolution for big enlargements or crops. This first-class sensor features many of the same new technologies as used by professional Canon cameras to maximize each pixel’s light-gathering efficiency. Its APS-C size sensor creates an effective 1.6x field of view (compared to 35mm format).
DIGIC 4 Image Processor
The Canon DIGIC 4 Image Processor dramatically speeds up the entire EOS Rebel T3i DSLR’s camera operations for intuitive operation and offers improvements in both fine detail and natural color reproduction. It works in concert with the EOS Rebel T3i DSLR’s CMOS Image Sensor to achieve phenomenal levels of performance in nearly any situation.
Amazing Results, No Matter the Light.
ISO 100 – 6400 (expandable to 12800) for shooting from bright to dim light.
The EOS Rebel T3i features an expanded ISO range that makes shooting possible in situations previously unthinkable without flash. With an ISO rating up to 6400 (expandable to ISO 12800), along with the DIGIC 4 Image Processor's improved noise-reduction technology, creative possibilities abound. Combine the EOS Rebel T3i with one of Canon's EF or EF-S lenses with Optical Image Stabilizer and the shooting possibilities for both movies and stills expand even further.
HD Dreams Come True.
Improved EOS Full HD Movie mode with manual exposure control, expanded recording [1920 x 1080 Full HD video at frame rates of 30 (29.97), 24 (23.976) and 25.0 frames per second] with new Movie Digital zoom and Video Snapshot features for enhanced video shooting options.
The EOS Rebel T3i does not just shoot video clips, it offers the enhanced ease-of-use, image quality, smooth frame rates and adaptive exposure compensation necessary in a professional video-making tool by boasting the most advanced EOS video capturing features to date: When Full HD (1920 x 1080) is set, you can use Movie Digital Zoom to magnify the center of the image by 3–10x while at the same time maintaining gorgeous Canon Full HD image quality. With the Video Snapshot feature, the EOS Rebel T3i DSLR will capture short video clips (of 2, 4 or 8 seconds) then combine them automatically into one video file as a snapshot or highlights “album.” With no editing needed after shooting, the compiled video is perfect for sharing online or displaying directly on an HDTV via the camera’s HDMI port.
In addition to a number of different recording size and frame rate modes, the EOS Rebel T3i enables easy manual control of exposure, focus and Live View features and even allows for in-camera editing. The large CMOS sensor and compatibility with over 60 lenses provide a wealth of depth-of-field options. And it’s all as easy as the press of a button — the EOS Rebel T3i has a dedicated Live View/Movie Recording start/stop button that gets the shooting started fast.
Three Recording Sizes
Full HD Video is captured at 1920 x 1080 resolution at 30p (29.97), 24p (23.976) or 25p frames per second, for up to 4GB per clip. Video are saved as .MOV files and can be viewed in Full HD with HDMI output. Other recording sizes include HD at 1280 x 720 (50p/60p (59.94) fps) or SD/VGA at 640 x 480 (30p (29.97) and 25p fps).
Vari-angle 3.0-inch Clear View LCD monitor (3:2) for shooting at high or low angles and 1,040,000-dot VGA with reflection reduction using multi coating and high-transparency materials for bright and clear viewing.
The EOS Rebel T3i features a bright, high resolution, flip-out Vari-angle 3.0-inch Clear View LCD monitor for shooting at a variety of angles. By simply rotating the monitor, you can hold the camera directly overhead for above-the-crowd shots at concerts, or hold the camera at a low angle for kids and pets. By rotating the LCD monitor fully, the EOS Rebel T3i becomes the ideal camera for self-portraits. The EOS Rebel T3i freely enables easy angle adjustments even if the camera is mounted on a tripod or has a battery grip attached.
Model used is not EOS Rebel T3i and is used to illustrate vari-angle feature only.
With 1,040,000 (dots/VGA) pixels for spectacular detail, the advanced, smudge-resistant monitor includes high transparency materials plus anti-reflective and water-repellant coatings to provide clear and bright viewing. Superb for reviewing, editing and deleting photos or composing new images in Live View function, the Vari-angle Clear View LCD monitor is also the perfect means for accessing camera settings like ISO, metering modes, AF Point selection, the horizontal Electronic Level and flash options.
Automatic Scene Analysis for Standout Color.
New Scene Intelligent Auto mode and Picture Style Auto incorporating the new EOS Scene Detection System to capture beautiful scenes with ease.
The EOS Rebel T3i DSLR’s new Scene Intelligent Auto mode unites five Canon digital camera technologies – the new Picture Style Auto, plus Automatic Lighting Optimizer, Automatic White Balance, Autofocus, and Automatic Exposure –into a powerful new feature for photographers. Using the advanced EOS Scene Detection System, the camera automatically analyzes the image, taking into account faces, colors, brightness, movement and contrast. Scene Intelligent Auto then chooses the enhancing features to deliver maximum impact. Blues and greens are more vivid, “hot” colors are more fiery, and skin tones are smooth and truer to life.
Intelligent Scene Analysis for Superb Exposure.Enhanced metering with a 63-zone, Dual-layer metering system for accurate metering between exposures, and 9-point AF system utilizing a high precision, f/2.8 cross-type center point.
The EOS Rebel T3i features a sophisticated, 63-zone Dual-layer sensor designed to complement the 9-point AF system. By taking into account the color and luminosity surrounding chosen AF points, this system delivers an advanced level of accuracy for better results even in difficult lighting situations. Since the metering sensor has a color measurement function, exposure errors and focus errors caused by different light sources are minimized; the EOS Rebel T3i gives stable exposure from shot to shot in situations where light changes, such as in a theater or concert hall. This makes the EOS Rebel T3i ideal for scenes with extreme difference in brightness such as brightly lit scenes or backlit scenes; the camera balances exposure of the main subject at the background, and exposures are not overly influenced by bright areas in the shot. Since the EOS Rebel T3i provides high-speed X-sync (“X-sync” means the fastest shutter speed that can synchronize with a flash burst at the moment the shutter is fully released) up to 1/200 sec., the range of photographic expression is dramatically increased, allowing the EOS Rebel T3i to be used with confidence in bright scenes or dim.
63-zone Metering System
Express your creativity with advanced imaging features like Basic+ function, Multi-Aspect function and Creative Filters.
Basic+ is a new creative imaging feature that makes it easy to create the image effects you want. It can be set with the Quick Control screen in Basic Zone modes. Basic+ provides two options:
Shoot by ambience selection
Based on the Picture Style and its parameters (sharpness, contrast, saturation, and color tone), the exposure compensation and white balance correction are adjusted to attain the selected ambience. You can also can also select the strength of the ambience effect.
Shoot by lighting or scene type
Although the actual parameter set is the white balance, the settings are expressed in more understandable terms.
The Multi-Aspect Function of the EOS Rebel T3i lets you express an image in one of three ways by matching the aspect ratio to each scene. In addition to the camera’s standard 3:2 ration, the Multi-Aspect Function includes a 1:1 ratio that creates the sensation that the viewer's gaze is focusing upon the center of the image. At the 4:3 ratio, you get nearly the same aspect ratio as a regular TV or a 4:3 computer display. The 16:9 aspect ratio provides a wide look, much the same as HDTV.
The EOS Rebel T3i incorporates five in-camera Creative Filters so you can artistically manipulate scenes without the aid of an outside computer. Soft Focus lends a dreamy, romantic aspect, while Grainy Black and White gives a dramatically gritty, hard-bitten look. Miniature Effect creates an illusion in which expansive subjects are seemingly reduced to doll-house-like proportions, and Toy Camera Effect recreates the colors and softness rendered by cameras with a plastic lens, an effect often sought after by art photographers. Fish Eye Effect mimics the “Fisheye” lenses that are favorites of professional photographers for their quirky, convex perspective.
Never Miss a Moment.
3.7 fps continuous shooting up to approximately 34 JPEGs or approximately 6 RAW.
The EOS Rebel T3i can shoot up to 3.7 frames per second (fps) for up to approximately 6 consecutive RAW files or approximately 34 full-resolution JPEGs. Shooting at speeds of up to 1/4000 sec., the EOS Rebel T3i can capture even rapidly-unfolding scenes with ease.
Photography Made Truly Easy.
New Feature Guide offers short descriptions of each function and Quick Control screen for easy operation.
The Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR demystifies great photography by including an in-camera Feature Guide. Appearing on the camera’s LCD, the Feature Guide displays a simple description or advice for the respective function. It is displayed in each shooting mode, during Mode Dial operations, and for Quick Control screen functions (during normal shooting, Live View shooting, movie shooting, and playback). The Feature Guide appears automatically during Mode Dial operations and when a function is selected on the Quick Control screen.
Flexible Storage with Memory Cards.
Compatibility with SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards.
The EOS Rebel T3i uses popular SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards. Compact, inexpensive and available in increasingly large capacities, SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards are a perfect complement to the EOS Rebel T3i DSLR’s compact and lightweight body design.
Additionally, the EOS Rebel T3i is compatible with Eye-Fi* SD cards, which are outfitted with a Wi-Fi transmitter (IEEE 802.11b/g) and an internal antenna for wireless, high-speed transfer of images. With an Eye-Fi card installed, the EOS Rebel EOS Rebel T3i can display the Eye-Fi’s connection status and error notes with ease, for fully functional wireless uploading of images directly from the camera.
*Canon cameras are not guaranteed to support Eye-Fi card functions, including wireless transfer. In case of an issue with the Eye-Fi card, please consult with the card manufacturer. The use of Eye-Fi cards may not be available outside the United States and Canada; please contact the card manufacturer for territory availability.
The Best Optics for the Best Images.
Compatible with the full line of Canon EF and EF-S lenses.
EF Lenses
The EOS Rebel T3i is compatible with all Canon lenses in the EF lineup, including compact and lightweight EF-S lenses, ranging from ultra-wide angle to super telephoto lenses. Canon lenses employ advanced optical expertise and micron-precision engineering to deliver outstanding performance and deliver beautiful results. Special technologies like the Canon Image Stabilizer technology in select lenses helps to minimize the effect of camera shake, effectively adding up to four stops of light. With a dizzying array of lenses perfect for travel, sports, still life and everything in between, photographers can truly maximize the quality and performance of their EOS Rebel T3i with superlative Canon optics.
Flash Photography
With a flash sync speed of 1/200 of a second, the EOS Rebel T3i also features the acclaimed E-TTL II flash metering system. With any of the flashes in the EX Speedlite line, E-TTL II provides reliable flash output whether shooting fill-in flash pictures in sunlight, or using flash in total darkness. With E-TTL II, the exact same 35-zone metering sensor used for measuring ambient light is also used for flash metering — giving even finer metering command of the image area. If you prefer a broader area for flash metering, there’s a menu setting to change to “Average” flash metering — where the entire 35-zone area is measured evenly for flash exposure. Additionally, the EOS Rebel T3i has a Speedlite transmitter built-in for convenient, full-featured wireless control of EX-series Speedlite flashes set as slave units.
The Canon Speedlite 430EX II is the ideal step-up accessory for powerful flash shooting with the EOS Rebel T3i. It has excellent flash power (maximum guide number of 141 ft./43m at ISO 100), and is the perfect way to get great flash pictures when you can't get right up to the subject. The 430EX II is also great for bounce flash, with its tilting and swiveling flash head. It automatically zooms the flash head to cover lenses ranging from 16mm up to 105mm or longer with the EOS Rebel T3i. Of course, it works with the camera to provide full E-TTL II automatic flash exposure. And the 430EX II has a powerful AF-assist beam, which allows the camera to autofocus even in total darkness on subjects as far as 32 ft. from the camera.
Speedlite 430EX II
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
2607 of 2639 people found the following review helpful.Choosing between the T3i, T2i, 60D and 7D
By dojoklo
The Canon Rebel T3i takes the consumer level dSLR a couple steps closer to the mid-level Canon 60D with the addition of the rotating rear LCD screen, remote flash firing, and in-camera processing features. The already highly competent, older Rebel T2i already shared many important features with the 60D (and even features of the semi-pro 7D) including the 18 MP sensor, 63-zone exposure metering system, high ISO performance, HD movie capabilities, and Digic 4 image processor. With these new upgrades, it might make it even more difficult to choose between them. But there are some important differences.
If you are considering the Rebel T3i vs T2i, the Rebel T3i is replacing the T2i. Since both cameras share the same 18 megapixel sensor and Digic 4 processor, both the T2i and T3i will create images with exactly the same image quality, produce the same low light/ high ISO performance, shoot at 3.7 frames per second, and have nearly the same size and build quality. They are both offered with the same 18-55mm kit lens (with some minor cosmetic differences on the new T3i kit lens). The T3i is very slightly larger and heavier due to the addition of the rotating rear LCD monitor. And that is one of the biggest differences between the two cameras. Do you want and need a vari-angle rear screen or not? The other major difference is the ability of the T3i to remotely control multiple off-camera flashes. Like the 60D and 7D, you can use the built-in flash of the T3i to trigger other Canon Speedlites. Some other minor additions to the T3i include the Scene Intelligent Auto Mode, which is a feature borrowed from point and shoot cameras. When in Auto mode, the T3i will make a determination of what type of scene you are shooting - close-up, portrait, landscape, etc. - and automatically configure the camera settings accordingly. However, if you want to use a powerful and costly digital SLR as a point and shoot, you should probably save the money and just buy a nice, high quality point and shoot like the Canon S95. Other additional but not essential upgrades include the in-camera processing Creative Filters, and the ability to choose different image size ratios and to rate your images. (Helpful hint: press the Q Button while in image playback and you can access features like rating, rotating, and Creative Filters.) There is also a marginally helpful Feature Guide which gives brief descriptions of various settings and some additional video features like Video Snapshot, which you can use to shoot short video clips that are automatically joined together into a video, with music.
Canon Rebel T3i vs. 60D vs. 7D
Sensor and Image Quality: All three cameras share a very similar sensor and 18 megapixels, and so their image quality will be virtually the same. All are capable of taking professional quality images.
Exposure Metering: The three cameras all share the latest 63-zone, dual-layer exposure metering system and 4 metering modes. That means they will all determine the exposure virtually identically and enable you to take properly exposed photos in most every situation, including difficult back-lit scenes. The size of the areas metered for Partial and Spot metering vary slightly between the cameras, but that isn't anything critical.
Autofocus: The T3i shares a similar autofocus system to the 60D, with 9 focus points and three auto focusing modes. However the 9 AF points of the 60D are more sensitive than those of the T3i: all are cross-type in the 60D, only the center is cross-type in the T3i. The 60D autofocus system is much less complex than the sophisticated AF system of the 7D with its 19 AF point system and its additional Zone, Spot, and Expansion focus modes. These various modes address how you want to deal with and group the numerous AF points. Plus the custom settings of the 7D allow one to customize how the AF system works - how it tracks subjects, how it deals with objects that come between you and your initial subject, how quickly it responds to these changes of possible subjects that are at different distances from you, etc. However, if you are not an avid sports photographer, a wildlife shooter, or someone who understands, needs, and will use the elaborate features of the 7D AF system, then this shouldn't sway you.
Construction: As you can probably figure out from the prices, each camera is not built the same. The T3i has relatively strong construction of a stainless steel frame with polycarbonate body. The 60D has a stronger and lighter aluminum frame and polycarbonate body, but not as strong as the 7D's magnesium alloy construction. The 60D also has some amount of weather sealing - more than the T3i, less than the 7D. But for most users, including even those using the camera daily or in travel situations, the construction of any of these cameras is far more than good enough, strong enough, and durable enough.
ISO: Since they all share a very similar sensor, the ISO sensitivity and performance at high ISO settings is virtually the same for these three cameras. But don't take my word for it, don't be swayed by pixel peepers on forums, instead check out the camera sensor tests at dxomark to verify this. As you can see, they all share the exact same overall score, and show very similar performance.
Controls: As with construction, the buttons and controls vary with these cameras. Unlike the T3i, the 60D and 7D have nearly every control an advanced photographer needs on the exterior of the camera and they also have the top LCD panel and rear Quick Control Dial that are not on the T3i. With all the cameras, any controls can also be easily accessed with the Q Button and Q Menu or in the other menus on the rear LCD monitor. The top buttons of the 60D set only one setting each, so this is less complicated than the multiple-setting buttons of the 7D. Canon has removed the white balance (WB) button on the 60D that the 7D has, but that isn't a big deal - use the Q Menu. Another change on the 60D is that the Multi-controller has been moved from the thumb joystick like the 7D and 50D and placed in the middle of the rear Quick-control dial. This doesn't change how it functions, and should just be a matter of getting used to the difference. If you plan on using your camera on Auto or Program most of the time, then the controls of the T3i are more than sufficient for your needs. If you work in Av, Tv, or M modes and need quicker and more direct access to your controls and the additional top LCD screen to view and change your current settings, then you need to consider the 60D or 7D over the T3i.
Menus and Custom Functions: These allow for greater control over customizing how the camera functions. The T3i has less Menu and Custom Function setting options than the 60D, and the 7D has yet a few more than the 60D. These settings enable you to customize the operation, function, and controls to work how you want them to, including things like exposure increments, peripheral illuminations correction for lenses (fixes dark corners), tweaking how the autofocus system operates, setting more precise white balance settings, and customizing which button does what. There are ebooks such as my Canon T3i Experience - The Still Photographer's Guide to Operation and Image Creation With the Canon Rebel T3i / EOS 600D and Your World 60D - The Photographer's Guide to Operation and Image Creation with the Canon 60D which walk you through all of the Menu settings and Custom Function settings so that you can set up your camera to work best for how you photograph, and also begin to learn to master all the advanced features, settings, and controls of these powerful dSLR camera.
Wireless Flash: Like the 7D and 60D, the T3i incorporates wireless flash triggering. This allows you to trigger multiple off camera flashes at different output levels. The T2i does not have this feature.
Articulating LCD Screen: The big new feature that the 60D and T3i have that the 7D and T2i do not is the articulating rear LCD screen. This may prove useful for videographers, as well as for setting up compositions while the camera is on a tripod, for macro use, or for using it from unusually low or high vantage points. Some users will be able to avoid buying an expensive angle finder because of this feature. There is also an electronic level in the 7D and 60D, visible in the viewfinder, rear LCD, or top LCD.
Viewfinder: The T3i has a pentamirror viewfinder with 95% coverage of the actual resulting image. The 60D has a large, bright pentaprism viewfinder with 96% coverage, not quite as nice as the nearly 100% view of the 7D pentaprism.
Processor: The T3i shares the same Digic 4 processor as the 60D. The 7D has dual Digic 4 processors. However, if you don't need to shoot dozens of continuous images, you probably won't notice any processing speed issues.
Continuous Shooting Speed: The T3i can shoot 3.7 frames per second. The 7D can shoot a blazing 8 frames per second, in which the photos barely change from frame to frame. The 60D can shoot a respectable 5.3 fps which is actually a more useful rate. If you need the extremely high fps for sports, wildlife, or other action shooting, get the 7D. If not, don't be swayed by this excessive feature.
Memory Card: The T3i and 60D use the SD memory card. The 7D uses the CF card.
Battery: The T3i and T2i use the smaller LP-E8 battery with less capacity than the LP-E6 battery used by the 60D and 7D.
Size and Weight: The T3i is smaller and lighter than the 60D, which in turn is smaller and lighter than the 7D. Go to a store and hold them to get a better feel for their size, weight, and feel. The 60D and 7D "feel" like the more substantial cameras that they are. A nice improvement of the T3i is that its hand grip area has been modified, and has a different feel than that of the T2i - the area where the thumb rests is contoured differently and has a nice channel for the thumb, which allows for a much more secure one-hand-grip of the camera.
AF Microadjustment: The 7D has this feature, the 60D and T3i and T2i do not. This allows you to adjust the focus of each of your lenses in case any of them are slightly front-focusing or back-focusing.
Locking Mode Dial: This is a new feature for a Canon dSLR, only on the 60D, that keeps the Mode dial from accidentally rotating. A nice touch.
Full HD video: Of course they all offer this capability. Note that this is not video for your kids' parties and soccer games. It does not have continuous autofocus while shooting, as a camcorder does. It is not designed for that kind of use, but rather for serious videographers who typically manually focus. You can adjust autofocus while shooting by pressing the shutter button or the AF button, but it may have a less than desired looking result and unless you are using an external microphone, the autofocusing sound will be picked up. The T3i has the digital zoom feature in video, which allows for nice smooth zooms while filming.
Flash Sync: the 60D and T3i do not have a PC sync flash socket to plug in PC sync cords for off camera flash use. The 7D has this. However, they all offer wireless remote flash capability with the built in flash as a commander.
Ease of operation: While beginners may find all the buttons, controls, and menus of any dSLR difficult and confusing at first, the menus and controls of the T3i and T2i are pretty basic and simple to learn for a dedicated user. The additional controls and menus of the 7D and 60D are all quite intelligently designed, intuitive, and straightforward for the more advanced user. Again, have a look at helpful guides such as my Canon T3i Experience - The Still Photographer's Guide to Operation and Image Creation With the Canon Rebel T3i / EOS 600D and Your World 60D - The Photographer's Guide to Operation and Image Creation with the Canon 60D to begin to learn to master all the advanced features, settings, and controls of these powerful dSLR cameras.
963 of 985 people found the following review helpful.Busy Mom/The Family Photographer - T3i a great intro dSLR
By W. Edwards
I am not a camera expert, but rather, I'm a busy mom who likes to take pictures and who adores my subjects. This, then, is a review from a busy mom/amateur's point of view.
MY GOALS/EXPECTATIONS:
I have always been a photo fiend, taking my camera everywhere and pulling it out at any opportunity. While I'd gotten to a decent level of archiving important moments with my point-and-shoot cameras over the years, I wanted to take my photography to the next level. I was inspired by my brother-in-law's photos of his kids to take the dSLR plunge. But I knew (and still know), very little about professional photography. I wanted to start taking better photos right away. But I also wanted to have room to grow as a photographer and a camera that would grow with me.
I also wanted the focus to stay firmly on my family - while I was willing to invest some time and care into the camera, I didn't want it to become like a pet I had to constantly watch over. While any dSLR takes some care and consideration, I've found the T3i has been an excellent camera for me and I've been quite pleased with it.
PROS:
* VERY USER FRIENDLY: The auto mode (or auto without flash, my favorite) is highly forgiving, taking fantastically sharp images, true to color. They look so clear that I feel I'm capturing as close to real life as I've ever seen before in a camera.
* FAST: While I sometimes go in for trying out new modes and manual settings, I often leave the camera in auto or auto-sans-flash mode and just click away so that I can at least capture a moment before it's gone. I then play with manual settings if my kids stay still long enough for me to try something new. My previous cameras always had a horrible delay for the autofocus (the only mode they usually had), meaning I nearly always lost the moment when the toddler was on the move. The t3i is so ridiculously fast that I can snap multiple pics in the time one picture took before.
* BEAUTIFUL PICTURES: This kind of goes without saying at this tier of camera, but the pictures are just amazing quality. Coming from the land of point-and-shoot, I'm pretty blown away. And I know I'm only touching the tip of the iceberg for what's possible.
* BEAUTIFUL VIDEO: This is the nice new feature of the t3i. I wasn't sure I'd want or need the HD video. But hey, when you've got it, you use it. I've gotten some amazingly clear footage of the kiddo playing in the park with daddy and I'm so glad we went for the model with that feature.
* BIG, CLEAR DISPLAY: It's really easy to see what pics you've just taken and adjust your photo-taking accordingly. Just by seeing what I've gotten, I'm able to try again and improve a shot almost immediately.
* CLEAR MENUS/ABILITY TO IMPROVE: The interface on this is so intuitive that I've been able to learn a lot without even cracking open the manual (though that manual is my new reading material). The entry point for a new user is just a step up from normal photography - the possibilities, however, are nearly endless.
* NICE KIT LENS: For all that photographers get into new and better lenses, the kit lens on this is really nice and easy to use. I think it will hold us for a good long while before I get to be more of an expert. It gives me the range of zoom and focus I need for now.
* EYE-FI COMPATIBLE: WOW. I cannot even tell you how much this busy mom loves this feature. If you get an eye-fi card, your pictures can be set up to automatically upload to your computer whenever you are within range of your synched wireless network. My husband set up a SmugMug account and the eye-fi capabilities. I take pics to my heart's content while out on walks, in the park, etc., and come home, then leave the camera on (auto-shut off after 8 minutes) to upload the pics. I can then tag and sort pictures later at my leisure. For a busy mom, this is amazingly useful. I don't have to take time out to upload the pics - the camera does that for me.
* BATTERY LIFE (for common use): So far, the battery we bought for the camera lasts very well during normal photo-taking. It's just a standard Canon battery for the rebel line and it charges quickly. Even when taking pics like a mad-woman, it lasts through a shoot. HD video eats it up more quickly, so be warned. Still, I rarely run out of juice during the day so long as I pop the battery into its charger in the evening. However, uploading is another story (See below in cons).
Those are just the first few things I love about this camera. Here, however, are the...not cons, really, just challenges for a busy mom:
CHALLENGES:
* dSLRs ARE EXPENSIVE, DELICATE, BIG AND BULKY:
And busy parents' lives have enough precious and delicate things to worry about - namely, the kids. No getting around it - you can't just toss a dSLR into a pocket and go. I'm in a quest for a good bag/carrying solution (heh, yeah, wish me luck with that.) and I'm trying to get used to having one part of my brain keeping an eye on the camera as well as keeping the majority of my focus on the kids. When I'm in photo-journalist mode, it's no problem, but switching back to mom-mode is the hard part. I've already seen the camera knocked onto the ground (a very short distance onto very soft ground, so it was okay, but still, the experience practically gave me a heart attack) and once, when bending over, I caught the toddler on the temple with the kit lens (She sobbed. I felt so awful!) This thing requires constant awareness to both the camera AND the kids when using it. I'm quickly adjusting, but if you're not totally committed to learning to use and love the dSLR, you may want to stick to really good point-and-shoot camera if you're a busy parent.
^ That's really the big one.
* BATTERY LIFE (when uploading pics via eye-fi): Uploading pictures by eye-fi seems to eat the battery alive. It appears that the camera won't autoshutoff when uploading, so this morning, after a few hours of uploading big, glorious pictures to my SmugMug account, the battery finally ran out of juice. I wish there was a plug-in mode or some sort of docking-station I could plug the camera into when I return home. If it's only a few pics, they upload and the camera shuts itself off. But if it's a bunch of pics (and when the weather's nice and the lighting's good, I take a lot of pics), the camera requires a battery recharge just to finish uploading my pictures.
* SWIVEL SCREEN WORRIES: I find that the swivel screen, while hugely useful, is something I constantly worry that I'm going to snap off. However, you can keep it closed with the screen facing in(a nice feature) or tuck it onto the camera with the screen facing out. I also find if I'm looking out of the eye-piece, I leave cheek smudges all over the screen when its facing out.
* MANUAL-MODE GOOFS: Some of my manual mode forays have been less than stellar. I've taken a shot - set up so nice, focus just perfect, subject just so... only to find out I left it in white-balance adjustment for indoors and I was outdoors so the whole picture looks like I dipped it in blue. I've learned to take pics in auto-mode first before experimenting too much. I also learned to check the screen a LOT before proceeding.
SUMMARY: While the dSLR has required me to make some adjustments for including it in my busy life, I really love this camera, am pleased with the investment, am inspired by its ease of use, and I LOVE the pictures I've gotten of my family.
5 STARS: And so I give it 5 stars - my whole point in buying a nice camera was to make and preserve FAMILY memories - and the t3i records those memories beautifully - in .jpg, raw, or HD video - with a minimum of dSLR fuss.
*** UPDATE: about 6 months later ***
STILL AWESOME: I totally stand by the above review. If anything, I've come to adore this camera even more than I did when we first got it. When baby #2 arrived, the quality of pictures that we got far surpassed the pictures from the first baby's photo shoots. I'm truly pleased with this investment, as the pictures we get are lovely, clear, true-to-light/true-to-color, and just capture the memories so well. Really, this is EXACTLY what I was hoping for as an amateur photographer/mom.
GOT BETTER:
Battery Woes: We invested in an A/C adapter for the camera and now no longer eat the battery alive when leaving the camera to upload pictures via the Eye-Fi connection. It's a little annoying to have to swap over to the A/C and then back to a battery all the time - I would rather have a charging station of sorts - but it works and it means I stick the battery in the charger so it's almost always ready to go.
Ease of Use: I adjusted to using this thing pretty quickly. I invested in a LowePro FastPack 250 and it works nicely as a diaper-bag/day bag/camera bag. Not the most attractive purse, but it works well. I'm much better at being ready for any photo situation now.
Swivel Screen: No problems to report. I just leave it screen out all the time.
SAME: Awesome camera all around. Truly, truly impressive. There might be higher tiers of quality out there, but for what I use in following the kids around, this captures amazing shots quickly. Love it.
GOT (just a little) WORSE:
Eye-Fi Annoyance: This is going to differ from person to person, but our Eye-Fi stuff has had some kinks to work out. The card we bought required several updates lately, then we had to change SmugMug account stuff, but the changed password meant Eye-Fi couldn't upload. Blah, blah, blah, I'm sure most of the problem is ME not getting the changes my hubby made. Still, Eye-Fi is usually automatic, but from time to time, it requires maintenance and understanding from all parties uploading stuff. Just be warned, it isn't so automagical as I hoped it would be.
Other than that ^ though, awesome camera. I'm truly loving it. On the whole, a Lotta camera for Low maintenance.
141 of 146 people found the following review helpful.Canon T3i vs Nikon D5100
By Kevin Luo
I am a Nikon owner for years now trying to switch to Canon. After receiving this camera for a few days, I can now give a list of the differences between this T3i and the Nikon counterpart D5100.
1. T3i has 4 buttons on the back defined to be used to control "AF", "White Balance", "Drive Mode", and "Picture Control", plus a dedicated ISO button on the shoulder, and a focus point selector on the top right corner of the back, which is great, and also the main reason I am trying to switch to Canon. For D5100, you have to go deep into the menu.
2. T3i can trigger external flash, D5100 can't.
3. T3i has White Balance Shifts with the Custom White Balance, Nikon D5100 Customer White Balance is a one shot setup.
4. T3i's image quality seems to be a little better than D5100. Especially the LCD is brighter and looks great.
5. T3i can work with any Canon lens, D5100 only works with AF-S lenses due to the lack of a body motor.
6. D5100 has Distortion Control, before and after shoot, T3i doesn't.
7. D5100 has Color Balance adjustment after shot, T3i doesn't.
8. D5100 has Straighten feature, T3i doesn't.
9. D5100 has Perspective adjustment, T3i doesn't.
10. D5100 makes smarter decision when shoot in P, A, S modes, while T3i frequently makes you shoot in weird combinations like "1/320, ISO3200, f22"...
Common issues:
1. When shoot in bright sunlight, both tend to produce yellowish images, that's more like a common issue of CMOS sensor. I have never had a problem with CCD cameras, but I have experienced the same issue with all the CMOS cameras including Nikon D7000, Nikon D90, Nikon D300s.
2. Live Mode focuses very slow on both (Nikon is slightly better).
* The 18-135 lens is a pretty sharp IS lens, the IS works as great as Nikon's VR does. However, this 18-135 is only like 20-135, compared to the Nikon 18-200 VR.
Overall, both cameras are good entry level cameras. T3i will be a better choice for a more advanced user.
Update on July 13, 2011:
11. D5100's battery lasts much longer, almost 50% longer. T3i's battery is smaller and the LCD is brighter.
12. T3i's White Balance Bracketing is both ways. D5100 is only between Amber and Blue.
13. D5100 has HDR feature which sometimes maybe useful.
14. D5100's power switch is located in a perfect position. T3i's is a little awkward.
Cheap Price Nikon D3100 14.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens for sale in USA
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Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours 80 new or used available from $424.95 Average customer review: (391 customer reviews) |
Product Description
Nikon's affordable, compact and lightweight D3100 digital SLR features a high-resolution 14-megapixel CMOS DX sensor, high-quality 3x NIKKOR 18-55mm VR image stabilization zoom lens and intuitive onboard assistance including the learn-as-you grow Guide Mode.Capture beautiful pictures and amazing Full HD 1080p movies with sound and full-time autofocus. Easily capture the action other cameras miss with a fast start up time, split-second shutter release, 3 frames per second shooting and 11-point autofocus.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #13 in Camera & Photo
- Color: black
- Brand: Nikon
- Model: 25472
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 3.78" h x 2.91" w x 4.88" l, 1.30 pounds
Features
- 14.2-megapixel DX-format CMOS image sensor; 3-inch monitor with One-Touch Live View shooting and movie capture
- Includes 3x 18-55mm Zoom-NIKKOR VR Image Stabilization lens
- Full 1080p HD Cinematic Video with full-time autofocus and sound
- Easy-To-Use Nikon Guide Mode with intuitive controls and on-board assistance
- Capture images to SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards (not included)
Editorial Reviews
From the Manufacturer
Nikon's affordable, compact and lightweight D3100 digital SLR features a high-resolution 14-megapixel CMOS DX sensor, high-quality 3x NIKKOR 18-55mm VR image stabilization zoom lens and intuitive onboard assistance including the learn-as-you grow Guide Mode.
Capture beautiful pictures and amazing Full HD 1080p movies with sound and full-time autofocus.
Easily capture the action other cameras miss with a fast start up time, split-second shutter release, 3 frames per second shooting and 11-point autofocus.
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Capture pictures and make movies in near darkness with an ISO range of 100 to 3200 (expandable to 12800-Hi2). EXPEED 2, Nikon's new image processing engine, assures breathtakingly rich image quality, managing color, contrast, exposure and noise.
One-touch Live View and movie recording lets you see the action on the 3-inch monitor and the Scene Recognition System automatically chooses the ideal settings.
You can also select from 6 Automatic Exposure Scene Modes: Portrait, Landscape, Child, Sports, Close-up or Night Portrait for stunning results in otherwise challenging conditions.
Active D-Lighting restores picture-enhancing detail in shadows and highlights.
A built-in pop-up flash is ready for those times when there just isn't enough light and in-camera image editing allows creative freedom and effects, without the need for a computer.
Nikon D3100 Highlights
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Delivers beautiful photographs and prints well beyond 20 x 30 inches.
Includes 3x 18-55mm Zoom-NIKKOR VR Image Stabilization Lens
Included lens offers the legendary NIKKOR optical quality and fast, accurate autofocus for vivid color, striking contrast and crisp detail and VR image stabilization to ensure the sharpest hand-held pictures and movies.
Full 1080p HD Cinematic Video
Features full-time autofocus and sound; record cinematic-quality movies in Full 1080p HD format (1920 x 1080 pixels).
Easy-To-Use
The D3100 features Nikon's Guide Mode with intuitive controls and on-board assistance helping you take better pictures every step of the way.
Compact and Lightweight Design
Beautifully styled--ready to go wherever life takes you.
Split-second Shutter Response
Eliminates the frustration of shutter delay, capturing moments that other cameras miss.
Fast 11-point Autofocus System
Delivers razor-sharp pictures.
ISO sensitivity 100-3200, expandable to ISO 12800 equivalent
Delivers exceptional results, even in the most challenging low-light situations.
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3-inch monitor
Features One-Touch Live View shooting and movie capture.
Scene Auto Selector
Lets the D3100 decide the best mode to match the shooting situation when using Live View.
EXPEED 2
Nikon's new image processing engine assures breathtakingly rich image quality, managing color, contrast, exposure, noise and speed.
Scene Recognition System in Live View
Automatically optimizes exposure, autofocus, and white balance, allowing you to obtain beautiful photos without the hassle of making complicated camera adjustments yourself.
6 Automatic Exposure Scene Modes
Just set the Mode dial to Portrait, Landscape, Child, Sports, Close-up or Night Portrait for stunning results in otherwise challenging conditions.
Active D-Lighting
Restores picture-enhancing detail in shadows and highlights.
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Picture Control
Choose from Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, or Landscape to apply a personal look and feel to your pictures.
Automatic Image Sensor Cleaning
Ultrasonic process and exclusive Airflow Control combats the accumulation of dust in front of the image sensor, safeguarding image quality shot after shot.
Built-in pop-up flash
Perfect for those times when there isn't enough light.
In-camera Image Editing
Allows creative freedom, without the need for a computer, offering easy editing functions.
Compatible Lenses
- AF-S and AF-I: All functions supported
- Type G or D AF NIKKOR without built-in autofocus motor: All functions except autofocus supported. IX NIKKOR lenses not supported.
- Other AF NIKKOR: All functions supported except autofocus and 3D color matrix metering II. Lenses for F3AF not supported.
- Type D PC NIKKOR: All functions supported except autofocus and some shooting modes.
- AI-P NIKKOR: All functions supported except autofocus and 3D color matrix metering II.
- Non-CPU: Autofocus not supported. Can be used in exposure mode M, but exposure meter does not function.
What's in the Box
D3100 digital SLR camera body; AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens; EN-EL14 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery, MH-24 Battery Charger, DK-5 Eyepiece Cap, DK-20 Rubber Eyecap, AN-DC3 Camera Strap, BS-1 Accessory Shoe Cover, BF-1B Body Cap, ViewNX 2 CD-ROM
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
1414 of 1443 people found the following review helpful.Nikon D3100 VS. D300 VS. D700
By Michael Allebach
For the cost of this camera, I don't think you can get anything better. The low light performance is off the charts. As a wedding photographer I regularly shoot with Nikon's high end professional equipment and I was amazed how close this camera is to a pro camera. Now let me get specific. In order to compare I took a look at 100% files out of each camera I own.
Which camera excels Nikon D3100($Cheap) VS. D300($1600) VS. D700 ($2,700):
* Lens = The D3100 is the only camera that comes with a lens at it's normal price
* ISO Performance = Tie between D3100 and D700! (It could be Nikon's new processing but the JPEG looks fantastic I was shooting D3100 on 6400iso with very little noise at all)
* Low Light Focusing = D700
* Focus Speed = D700
* External Buttons & Controls for Pros = D700
* Menu Navigation = D3100
* Ease of Use = D3100
* Megapixel = D3100 (14.2)
* Sensor size = D700 (Much more important than megapixels but I won't get into this)
* Can use older lenses with functionality = D700 & D300
* Video = D3100 of course! 1080P video looks amazing.
* Frame Rate = D300 at 6 photos a second
* Weight = D3100 (light as a feather)
* Ergonomics = D700 (big enough for all my finger)
Lens:
The lens is a kit lens, it will work outside but not so great in low light. The Vibration Reduction will help indoors but Vibration Reduction can't stop a child or pet in motion indoors. Consider buying a 35mm 1.8dx AFS for around $200 and you will be super happy with this camera.
Video:
I purchased the 3100 specifically to shoot video, so I put on Nikon's brand new 85mm 1.4g Nano lens and shot video with it. The lens costs more than double the camera but I wanted to see how the 1080P video looked. It has the look of a cinematic movie. After the 85mm, I put on Nikon's 50 1.2 manual focus lens and was able to take very cinematic video in manual mode. In order to make it brighter or darker you either need to use a really old lens like the 50mm 1.2 and hit the AE-L (auto exposure lock) and twist the aperture to change exposure. Or you can hit the AE-L button when you get the exposure you like. Its not a perfect system but it works well for me. Inside the menu options you can change the AE-L button to hold the setting until you reset which is helpful.
Jello Cam (What's not so great):
This camera still suffers from the "Jello Cam" look in video if it is not on a tripod and you are shaky. The video can look like jello if moved too quickly. Use a monopod or tripod when shooting to avoid this. I'm not sure if a faster video frame rate 60fps would help - but at 24 and 30 it can suffer badly.
Conclusion:
This is an amazing deal! Unless you make most of your income from photography or have a stockpile of old lenses (this camera can only autofocus with AFS lenses) then this camera is the must have camera of the year. If you have good composition skills and an eye for light you can take photos worthy of a magazine with this. Seriously, you won't regret buying this camera. When you do, do yourself a favor and buy an additional Nikon AFS lens that has a maximum aperture of 2.8, 1.8 or 1.4. These lenses will take better portraits and deal better in low light than the kit lens.
336 of 341 people found the following review helpful.D70 Upgrade
By J. Douglas
I recently updated my DSLR collection to the Nikon D3100 from the Nikon D70. There are good reviews out there that you should check out. However, I would like to share some of my first impressions.
Pro:
-Better image quality and lower noise at high ISO with the D3100
-MUCH MUCH lighter, which will be nice when traveling
-Larger LCD screen
-11 focus points, including 3D focus which tracks the motion of the subject or camera.
-1080p Video
-14 megapixels
-2nd Generation DSLR
-Quiet, quiet, quiet
Cons:
-No bracketing option. Not a huge deal since I only bracket once a year
-Cannot use my old 50mm 1.8 lens. I knew this before purchasing the camera.
-As of 10/1/2010, Camera RAW for the D3100 is not supported in Photoshop or Lightroom. Need to shoot .jpg + RAW or use Nikon Capture NX2 for RAW files. That should be updated soon, so not a big deal.
-Can hear the lens focusing when recording video.
-No depth of field preview.
-Can't use wireless remote
I'm an amateur photographer and this camera meets my needs. I love the fact that it's small and light, with great quality images. If I were a serious photographer and had more money to spare, I would wait and check out the D7000, which appears to have phenomenal specs. I'm happy with my purchase and I highly recommend this camera.
170 of 170 people found the following review helpful.Takes excellent pictures and gets out of the way while doing it
By Macauley86
This Nikon D3100 is a phenomenal deal for non professionals, the rest of us people that want to take family and travel shots. I've owned DSLRs since 2004, starting with a Nikon D70 and then moving to D40, D200 and Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black) and Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only). Those are all excellent cameras, but this Nikon D3100 is better than all of those in one crucial area, the area that matters: it takes excellent pictures without having to fiddle with the settings between shots. Yes, the other cameras are better in other respects: They have more buttons to change settings without delving into menus, they are bigger (is that a plus?), heavier (another plus?), and have better specs (1/500 flash sync speed for D70 and D40), but in the end I would have to fiddle with the settings to get the best results: change the white balance, fiddle with the ISO (my Canons would default to ISO 400 for flash shots, why? Who knows. That meant disabling auto ISO and choosing ISO settings manually), the exposure (+0.7 indoor, 0 outdoor), and so on. D200 was noisy at higher ISO, D70's pictures tended to be cool (i.e. not warm), 40D had cool custom buttons (C1, C2, C3, very cool), but I found its ergonomics worse than XSi or any Nikon; why place the on/off switch at the bottom of the body? Who knows. Fortunately, new Canons have fixed this).
This D3100 also makes the D3000 and D5000 obsolete. The D3000 is slow and noisy at high ISO. The D5000 only shoots 720p (not 1080p), no autofocus in movie mode, less resolution. Old technology.
What sets the D3100 apart from all the other cameras above is this: set the camera in P (program) mode, auto white balance, -0.3 exposure compensation, slow flash sync mode (for people shots), auto distortion correction on (great!), auto chromatic aberrations correction on (great!), and you are set; now you can concentrate on the only aspect of photography that matters: composition, i.e. framing your shot in the best possible way. There must be a photography mantra that says, "thou shalt buy the D3100, and the D3100 will set you free." Now this is if you shot jpeg. If you shoot raw, you can then use a program like DXO, Aperture 3, or Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 to further play with the pictures. My workflow with the XSi was to shoot raw, then use DXO to batch process all the pics according to two settings: people (low contrast, no saturation added) and landscape (contrast, saturation, etc.). DXO would then batch-remove lens distortion, chromatic aberrations, vignetting, apply custom curves, change white balance when necessary, and apply its (almost magical) auto lighting settings to make the shots pop. For now DXO does not have a custom module for the D3100 (still too new of a camera), so I'm shooting jpeg for now. Once DXO adds the module for the D3100, I'll takes shots in both raw and jpeg fine and compare the jpegs straight out of the camera with the raw images processed with DXO. I'm curious to see the comparison.
This is great, not only for you, but also for your non-photographer spouse; my XSi took phenomenal shots, but I had to know how to set it. Can you imagine me going to my non-photographer wife and say, "okay, when you take indoor shots of our kids, set the camera on A mode (Canons expose for ambient light in A mode and adjust flash for fill, that's great), +0.7 exposure compensation, ISO 400 or 800, white balance on cloudy, and shoot." My wife was lost at "okay." Sure the custom modes on the 40D would have helped, but the 40D is old technology; can it take 1080p video? I didn't think so. Plus, what lens are you going to use with the 40D? The 17-55 IS? Great lens, but who wants to spend $1,000 for a non-weather sealed 17-55 dust collector (google Canon 17-55 and dust)? Will 17-55 be enough for your telephoto shots? Your kids' baseball games? Didn't think so. What about the Canon 18-200? Sub-par quality, noisy, overpriced.
Back to the D3100. Auto white balance (the second most important thing after composition) works great, even indoor (no cloudy setting necessary), the only changes are extreme situations (outdoor shade, or indoor fluorescent or tungsten lights at night, but that is true with every camera. Why that is is beyond me; can't they make smarter cameras that account for these situations as well?); movie mode is excellent; yes, the mic is mono, but that's okay for family use (and that's why you buy this camera; if you are pro, you landed on the wrong page); if you really want to push it, you can use this camera for video, your iphone/ipod touch for audio with an app like FourTrack, and then sync video and audio in post with the excellent Singular Software Dual Eyes program. Your choice. Matter is: DSLR video can look awesome if used the right way, but keep in mind its limitations: jerky camera horizontal panning will give you the infamous jello effect (courtesy of the CMOS sensor), so pan slowly. You'll also have to play with autofocus vs manual focus settings sometimes; I've used the camera in autofocus; it has worked great so far.
What lens(es) should you use with the D3100. You should sell the (excellent) 18-55 that ships with the camera. Quality is good, but not enough reach. You can sell it for $140 or so. Take the money and use it toward a more useful lens. What lens? The target market for this camera is moms and dads that want to take shots of their kids; even advanced amateurs like me don't want to travel with a camera bag full of primes and heavy zoom lenses that you have to swap every 10 minutes; this is 2010 (almost 2011), for crying out loud; choose a single zoom and enjoy life and photography; I would use the excellent but underrated Nikon 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR ED Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras, the excellent (but expensive) Nikon 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX ED VR Nikkor Wide-Angle Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon DSLR Cameras, or my choice, the jack-of-all trades, the Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S ED VR II Nikkor Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon DX-Format Digital SLR Cameras. Yes, yes, if you check sites like Photozone, they will tell you that the optical quality of the 18-200 is not as good (or consistent) as the 18-105 or the 16-85, but it's good enough for moms and dads bitten by the photography bug. A great shot of your kid at 200mm is better than no shot with either of the other two lenses. The optical superiority of the 16-85 disappears at 135mm or 200mm, simply because it can't do it. The 16-85 and the 18-200 are about the same price. The 18-200 will set you free. It won't help you if your kids play baseball at night (too slow), but you'll have to live with it, unless you are willing to drop $2,000 on a Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II AF-S Nikkor Zoom Lens For Nikon Digital SLR Cameras. Sure, we'd all like a 16-300 VR VIII lens with a 20-stop VR reduction, constant 1.4 aperture, with optical perfection, weighing only 500 gr. and below $1,000, but alas our engineers are not as good as the random mutation and natural selection that gave us our eyes ;-0
My settings:
Display mode: detailed photo info > check RGB histogram and data > Done (why? You want to check if you are clipping the red, green, or blue channels)
Transition effects: OFF
Set picture control: portrait (for people shots)
Landscape: for, well, landscape shots: increase sharpness to 4 (D3100 shots are unsharpened by default)
Image quality: raw + jpeg fine (or jpeg fine, if you don't want to mess with raw)
White balance: auto (I played with the settings to A1, A2, A3, but images were to yellowish for my taste, as if my kids had jaundice). Auto works fine
Auto ISO: on
Min shutter speed: 1/30 (1/15 if you have steady hands)
Max ISO: I set 800, you can push to 1600 or even 3200 (your choice)
Standard ISO: 100
Active D-Lighting: on (it works well)
Auto distortion control: on (Great)
Movie settings: 1080 24p. You can also do 720 at 30p for less jerky movements
Info display format: i prefer classic black (your choice)
Auto info display: off
Image comment: your choice. I have my name, copyright (haha), and phone number
Beep: off (please)
AEL-AFL button: I only lock exposure, not focus.
My accessories:
67-to-77 ring adapter (if you have the 18-105 lens)
72-to-77 ring adapter (if you have the 18-200 lens)
77mm haze filter. I use the best, The B+W 77mm UVA (Ultra Violet) Haze MRC Filter #010 one. You don't want to use a cheap fIlter on top of a $350 or $650 lens.
77mm circular polarizer fliter; again I use the best, the B + W 77mm Kaesemann Circular Polarizer Coated Glass Filter. This filter is for your travel shots. It will make blue skies bluer and will remove reflections from that gorgeous Maui ocean. This is an expensive filter at $180 or so; you don't have to get it right away, unless you are going to Maui soon.
Why 77mm filters? Because you don't want to go nuts buying filters of different sizes for your lenses. If buy the 67mm filter for your 18-105 lens and later decide to upgrade your lens to the 72mm 18-200, you are screwed. It's cheaper to buy a $5 lens ring adapter to 77mm and use 77mm filters. It'll keep you sane too.
Remember why you purchase this camera: you want to enjoy photography; enjoy it then.
Cheap Price Canon EOS Rebel T3 12.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with 18-55mm IS II Lens and EOS HD Movie Mode (Black) Sale in USA
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Canon EOS Rebel T3 12.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR with 18-55mm IS II Lens and EOS HD Movie Mode (Black)
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| List Price: | $549.00 |
| Price: | $499.00 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details |
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com
92 new or used available from $394.75
Average customer review: (222 customer reviews)
Product Description
The Canon 5157B002 includes the EOS Rebel T3 Digital SLR Camera and the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS type II Lens. This camera and lens is perfect for photographers ready to make the move to digital SLR photography. The EOS Rebel T3 delivers beautiful photos and video, speed, simplicity and fun. It features a 12.2 Megapixel CMOS Image Sensor and Canon DIGIC 4 Image Processor for richly detailed images and quick camera response. It has Canon's amazing 63-zone, dual-layer metering for accurate exposures and features Canon's Basic+ function, HD video recording and Live View shooting, plus a convenient in-camera Feature Guide.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #1 in Camera & Photo
- Color: Black
- Brand: Canon
- Model: REBEL T3 BLACK
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 3.94" h x 3.07" w x 5.12" l, .44 pounds
Features
- 12.2 MP CMOS sensor and DIGIC 4 Image Processor for high image quality and speed.
- ISO 100 - 6400 for shooting from bright to dim light.
- Improved EOS HD Movie mode with expanded recording and with in-camera video editing options.
- High speed, reliable 9-point AF system utilizing a high precision, f/5.6 cross-type center point.
- Enhanced metering with a 63-zone, Dual-layer metering system for accurate metering between exposures.
Editorial Reviews
From the Manufacturer
| New Technology for Outstanding Images. 12.2 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor and DIGIC 4 Image Processor for high image quality and speed. Canon’s CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor captures images with exceptional clarity and tonal range, and offers the most pixels in its class. It offers many of the same new technologies to maximize each pixel’s light gathering efficiency that were first seen with the professional EOS-1D Mark III model. It’s an APS-C size sensor (22.2 x 14.8mm), and there's an effective 1.6x increase in the lens's marked focal length when attached.
DIGIC 4 Image Processor
Excellence from Dawn to Dusk. ISO 100 – 6400 for shooting from bright to dim light. With a broad range of ISO settings, the EOS Rebel T3 enables shooting from sunrise to sunset and helps ensure capture of the finest detail. With enhanced high-sensitivity optimization, subjects can be captured clearly and easily at high shutter speeds without flash, with minimized blur and noise. In bright scenes, especially long exposures in daylight, optimal exposure can be achieved with a fully open wide-diameter lens, no dark filter needed.
High Definition Made Easy. Improved EOS HD Movie mode with expanded recording [HD: 30p (29.97) / 25p], and with in-camera video editing options. The EOS Rebel T3 DSLR’s expanded repertoire of technologies includes shooting video in brilliantly clear, exactingly sharp high definition for playback on your HDTV! Shooting at 1280 x 720 at 30 (29.97) or 25 frames per second, HD video can be taken immediately through the EOS Rebel T3 camera’s intuitive operation and layout. Parameters for white balance and picture style are already set — just grab and go! Incredible AutoFocus.High speed, reliable 9-point AF system utilizing a high precision, f/5.6 cross-type center point. The EOS Rebel T3 has a high-precision, 9-point AF system utilizing a high-precision, f/5.6 cross-type center point. The 9-point AF system uses both normal and high-precision focus depending on the aperture and available light. The 9 focus points can be chosen automatically or manually selected.
Accurate Metering for Perfect Exposure. Enhanced metering with a 63-zone, Dual-layer metering system for accurate metering between exposures. The EOS Rebel T3 features Canon’s newest Dual-layer sensor, with 63 zones. By measuring not only the amount of light, but also taking into account color and luminosity, this new system delivers a very high level of accuracy for better results every time. Since the metering sensor has a color measurement function, exposure errors and focus errors caused by different light sources are minimized; the EOS Rebel T3 gives stable exposure from shot to shot in situations where light changes, such as sports on a cloudy day, or indoor holiday scenes.
Speedy, Precise Operation. 3.0 fps continuous shooting up to approximately 3 JPEGs or approximately 2 RAW. The EOS Rebel T3 operates with such effortless speed that operation is nothing short of intuitive. With instant startup times, speedy autofocus and minimal shutter lag, the EOS Rebel T3 is one of the fastest cameras available today. It can shoot up to 3.0 fps (frames per second), in bursts of up to approximately 3 JPEGs or 2 RAW files, so you won’t miss a shot.
See the Image on a Large LCD with Live View Function. 2.7-inch wide TFT LCD monitor (230,000 dots) with Live View function for improved viewing. The EOS Rebel T3 has a huge, bright 2.7-inch TFT (thin film transistor) LCD monitor with 230,000 pixels and a viewing angle of 170°. It’s perfect for Live View composition or viewing camera settings like AF, ISO, Metering, AF Point selection and flash options. And the maximum brightness of the EOS Rebel T3 DSLR’s LCD monitor is about 30% greater than its predecessor, which is a big benefit when you’re using the camera in bright sunlight. Live View Function
Make Your Images As You See Them. Express your creativity with ease using advanced imaging features like the new Basic+ function, Quick Setting function and Creative Auto. Basic+ is a new creative imaging feature that makes it easy to create the image effects you want. It can be set with the Quick Control screen in Basic Zone modes. Basic+ provides two options: Shoot by ambience selection: Shoot by lighting or scene type: The EOS Rebel T3 DSLR’s Quick Control screen gives you instant access to the most common settings, all in one place! It’s a great way to quickly confirm or change settings while you’re shooting. The Quick Control screen is particularly useful when you’re shooting from a tripod or monopod, with the camera at eye level, because it eliminates the need to view the LCD data panel on top of the camera while changing settings. For beginners looking to expand their photographic horizons, the EOS Rebel T3 offers Creative Auto mode. While basic settings are based on full automatic operation, shooting guides on the LCD screen enable you to make corrections based on simple to follow guidelines. In essence, with Creative Auto mode, you can learn about photography while taking stunning photographs. Photography Made Truly Easy. New Feature Guide offers short descriptions of each function and Quick Control screen for easy operation. The Canon EOS Rebel T3 DSLR demystifies great photography by including an in-camera Feature Guide. Appearing on the camera’s LCD, the Feature Guide displays a simple description or advice for the respective function. It is displayed in each shooting mode, during Mode Dial operations, and for Quick Control screen functions (during normal shooting, Live View shooting, movie shooting, and playback). The Feature Guide appears automatically during Mode Dial operations and when a function is selected on the Quick Control screen. Speedy, Wireless Image Capture and Transmission. Compatibility with SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards. The EOS Rebel T3 uses popular SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards. Compact, inexpensive and available in increasingly large capacities, SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards are a perfect complement to the EOS Rebel T3 DSLR’s compact and lightweight body design. Additionally, the EOS Rebel T3 is compatible with Eye-Fi* SD cards, which are outfitted with a Wi-Fi transmitter (IEEE 802.11b/g) and internal antenna for wireless, high-speed transfer of images. With an Eye-Fi card installed, the EOS Rebel T3 can display the Eye-Fi’s connection status and error notes with ease, for fully functional wireless uploading of images directly from the camera. *Canon cameras are not guaranteed to support Eye-Fi card functions, including wireless transfer. In case of an issue with the Eye-Fi card, please consult with the card manufacturer. The use of Eye-Fi cards may not be available outside the United States and Canada; please contact the card manufacturer for territory availability. Shooting Made Easy Compatible with the full line of Canon EF and EF-S lenses. EF & EF-S Lenses What's In The Box:
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
807 of 819 people found the following review helpful.A great little DSLR worth your consideration.
By S. Vogt
You will probably read a lot of reviews of this camera that are rather dismissive of its look, feel, and feature set. And while I cannot defend the lack of a rubberized handgrip... spend any amount of time with this camera and you will find it simple, yet competent little DSLR which gets the most important thing right.
The camera has a glossy plastic finish which doesn't exactly exude quality or make it feel like a high-end camera. But construction on this camera is very tight. The plastic is light-weight but its not flimsy like you would expect. There is no rubberized handgrip, which I think was a mistake to omit this on this camera. Especially since its predecessor (and its competitors) have them. Outside of that, the hand grip is a very nice size. The one upshot to the lightweight plastic is that the camera feel very light with the kit lens attached.
One thing you have to watch out for is that the camera feels very out of balance when attaching a heavier lens. The Canon EF-S 18-200, while a good performer optically when paired with the T3, feels way too front heavy. And this will be true with a lot of the pro-grade Canon lenses that you attach to the T3.
The buttons and menu system have the typical degree of straight-forwardness found in most Canons. Canon's menu system is easy to learn and navigate through. That makes the T3 a good candidate for a student or someone that wants to learn photography in general and wants a camera they can grow with. Of course it offers full Auto mode but when you're ready to try and manipulate the more advanced manual controls, the Canon Rebel T3 is about as unintimidating as they come. It's also a great entry into the DSLR realm for hobbyists currently using an advanced point and shoot (and can be found for almost the same price as some advanced point and shoots).
With the exception of burst shooting, this camera's performance is excellent. Excellent start-up, shot-to-shot, and autofocus performance. It has 9 autofocus points compared to its predecessor's 7 points. I do not reccommend this camera as a budget action shooter. It has a slow continuous burst rate (2.7fps) and a very limited buffer. If you need a budget action shooting DSLR, your best bet is the Pentax K-r.
The camera comes with a nice, chunky battery which delivers excellent battery life. The viewfinder is 95% coverage and I found it to be satisfactory, some people say its really cramped but personally I think it's alright. The screen resolution is rather low at 230k, but in real-world use it's not as bad as you would think, and somewhat viewable in direct sunlight. I think both the viewfinder and the LCD are of better quality than the ones found on the Nikon D3100. And overall, the T3 is faster and more fluid than the D3100. After having shot with both cameras, I personally think the T3 is more enjoyable to shoot with... despite the D3100's better plastic and more advanced spec sheet.
The camera ships with the standard 18-55 kit lens but I suggest buying the kit which includes the additional 55-250 lens. While I do not like the kit lens performance when paired with the Rebel T2i & Rebel T3i, I think when it's paired with the T3 it's a bit of a different story. The lower end kit lenses have an easier time resolving detail on the T3's 12 megapixel sensor vs. the 18 megapixel sensor on the T2i/T3i. So, do not let a salesperson or anybody else say that the image quality on this camera is inferior solely on the basis that it has a lower megapixel count than its linemates. However, when you put a higher-end lens on the T2i/T3i, they do trounce the T3 when it comes to resoliving detail (not in noise performance though).
That said, overall, the image quality is excellent. Detail capture is good, metering is excellent, exposure is excellent, dynamic range is pretty good, color reproduction is punchy without being cartoonish and oversaturated. The ISO performance is excellent. Excellent performance up to and including ISO1600. One minor quibble is that the JPEGS come out just a tad soft. But they respond well to a little bit of in-camera sharpening or of course you can shoot in RAW as well. But overall, a very impressive performance from the T3.
The movie mode, while delivering solid video quality, is rather limited. It's 1280x720 HD and there are very limited manual controls. It's more like something you would use for quick clips rather than longer videos or movies. I think the Rebel T2i/T3i or EOS 60d are better choices if you're equal parts into videos and photos as they have far better video modes than the T3 does. But if you're main interest is stills photography, this probably won't matter much to you.
The Rebel T3 may not be the sexiest camera around but it is a simple, enjoyable camera to shoot with that delivers nice results with minimum effort and it appeals to a broad range of folks from DSLR newbies, to hobbyist, to even professionals looking for a light-weight backup to their higher end gear. At its current price, it is a great value and I highly reccomend it.
229 of 232 people found the following review helpful.Great bang for the buck
By W. Stewart
I think the camera is an amazing buy for the money. I was able to unpack the contents & begin shooting good pictures IMMEDIATELY, using the fully automatic settings & the included partially charged battery. You will however, need to supply an SD Card as this is not included, not even a small one.
The menu was a LITTLE confusing at first, but I quickly got the gist of things and am taking good pictures with the camera. Having used the full-auto settings and just dabbling with the advanced settings, I'm very pleased with the purchase and I think anyone who is either new to DSLR cameras or who doesn't want to spend over $1000 for a 'pro' or 'prosumer' DSLR will also be very happy with it right out of the box... or ANY of the T series cameras for that matter.
If you're going to be shooting in RAW (or like I do in RAW+L) I recommend getting AT LEAST a 16GB card, if not a 32GB card. The included battery is a champ. It lasts a good long time & charges quickly. I was going to get a 2nd battery, but I don't think it's necessary at this time as it lasts for several hundred shots. The manual says it takes 2 hrs to charge a fully depleted battery, but the math doesn't work out that way. The included charger is portable & charges the included 860mAh Li-Ion battey at a 580mAh rate, so a full charge should be about 1.5hrs. I'll have to time it when I need a full charge & have the spare time to check it every 10 mins or so beyond the 1hr mark.
Only a few negatives:
* When using the fully automatic settings indoors the white balance is just a little off, but this is fairly common w/all brands in the entry-level range. It can easily be corrected in photoshop, or by manually choosing one of the white balance lighting scenarios (incandescent bulb, fluorescent, or sun) depending on your situation. My outdoor shots look great on full auto settings.
* Having not used an SLR type camera in a NUMBER of years (I've never owned a DSLR), I found that the manual it comes with is not very thorough, and neither is the larger PDF manual on the included CD. However; it's not Canon's job to teach you photography and therefore I think the manual is just adequate. The only real trouble I had was trying to figure out how to attach the included eyepiece cover when shooting on a tripod w/studio lighting using auto exposure settings... it's not explained anywhere. You need to slide off the cover that is there already (the eye cushion) and slide on the cover... duh! Cripes O Mighty! They explain how to attach the camera strap (like you really need to read that...), but not the eyepiece cover?! Those experienced with SLR photography don't need any more, those totally new are covered by both the instuctions & the quick-start guide; but, those in-between won't find the info they're looking for here... get this book: Canon EOS Rebel T3/1100D For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))
* There is no memory card included. Even a tiny one would be appreciated for the completely new user to start shooting right away when buying the 'kit' version. It may be the 1st D-SLR for the majority of it's purchasers, but it's probably not anyone's 1st digital camera in general.. so you probably have one of these lying around already.
* A textured grip would be nice, but like the exclusion of a memory card, this is helping to keep the price down on this puppy.
In summary:
Is it a good camera for the $$: Yes, 5/5
Is it a good camera in general: Yes, 4/5 (auto white balance could be better, textured grip would be nice)
Is the 'kit' worthwhile: Yes, 4/5 (including even a tiny SD Card would be nice for the camera newbie)
Good instructions: Barely, 3/5
Would I buy it again: YES
Recommend to a friend: YES
Overall rating: 5/5
Bill
201 of 212 people found the following review helpful.Love it!
By nakiska
I purchased this camera a few days ago and I've had nothing but FUN with it! Aside from my simple Kodak Easyshare point and shoot, I had a Canon EOS Elan 7 (35mm) and had been wanting to switch it over to Digital for several years. The longer I waited, the better the camera's got and more affordable they became.
I decided on the Canon T3 mostly because of the affordable price. (Nearly 1/2 of the T3i) I felt like I was getting a very good value for my money. I was right!
This camera takes amazing photo's! Clear, crisp, true color.
It's very easy to use, right out of the box.
Fit's all my old lenses and the remote from the Elan 7
All the advanced manual settings I could want topped with the instant gratification of seeing how the settings affect the picture instantly.
This camera allows you to use live screen shooting which so many people like these days and it takes HD video.
The 12 megapixels is plenty even when enlarging OVER 11 x 14".
For a lower end Canon DSLR, it's a huge value for the money. This camera is an excellent choice for the hobbiest/enthusiast.
I am SOO glad I purchased it!
Nakiska
