Nikon D3200 vs Canon T3i

[btlphotobykel]

OK so here is the question that my wife and I have. We have started a photograghy business here in New York and shoot mostly portrait photos. We have done so much research on both cameras and can not figure out which one to purchase. We want great picture quailty, but don't want to have to wait for the camera to catch up with the next shot because we shoot a lot of young children and it is hard to get that just right shot when they are all over the place. We know that we should never choose just on the MP. We have read every review that we can find and all the tech talk points to the Nikon but most of our friends say Canon. We are so lost on which one to chose, and to be honest it is getting frustrating we just want to make our clients happy with the pictures that we take. Can someone please help Thank you

 

[thebustos]

If you want high frame rates, I'd take a look at the Sony SLTs. They have a translucent mirror which deflects a third of the light up to the phase detection sensor in the roof of the camera, allowing the rest to pass through to the main sensor. This allows for full time phase detction AF, fast frame rates, focus peaking as a visual aid when manual focusing, and for you to be able to see your shot results in the EVF and back LCD before you take it. The A57 and A65 shoot at 3fps and 8fps in normal continuous shooting and 10fps in continuous advance priority AE mode (12fps on the A77) all in full resolution with great IQ. The drawback of the SLT design is that it doesn't perform as well in low light as the Canons and Nikons, due to the light that is directed to the PDAF sensor. But I don't feel that they do horrible. You can use up to 800 or 1600 ISO with little problem, which is high as I think it would work for your purposes, though i've used up to 6400 ISO at times.

If it's only between the Canon and Nikon, I'd probably go with the Nikon because of better low-light performance and higher resolution.

 

[KariIceland]

btlphotobykel wrote:

OK so here is the question that my wife and I have. We have started a photograghy business here in New York and shoot mostly portrait photos. We have done so much research on both cameras and can not figure out which one to purchase. We want great picture quailty, but don't want to have to wait for the camera to catch up with the next shot because we shoot a lot of young children and it is hard to get that just right shot when they are all over the place. We know that we should never choose just on the MP. We have read every review that we can find and all the tech talk points to the Nikon but most of our friends say Canon. We are so lost on which one to chose, and to be honest it is getting frustrating we just want to make our clients happy with the pictures that we take. Can someone please help Thank you

To be honest when you have started a photography business & you do not know what camera to purchase and you choose a BEGINNER model, I can't help but have no faith in your business succeeding no offense meant, however you want great picture quality? that depends on YOU not the camera. The camera is a tool like a hammer is to a builder, if you don't know how to use it then you are not going to get great results.

And I would personally recommend the Nikon but even more so that you do not go into this business when you apparently do not know anything about it.

 

[FrankieJ]

btlphotobykel wrote:

OK so here is the question that my wife and I have. We have started a photograghy business here in New York and shoot mostly portrait photos. We have done so much research on both cameras and can not figure out which one to purchase. We want great picture quailty, but don't want to have to wait for the camera to catch up with the next shot because we shoot a lot of young children and it is hard to get that just right shot when they are all over the place. We know that we should never choose just on the MP. We have read every review that we can find and all the tech talk points to the Nikon but most of our friends say Canon. We are so lost on which one to chose, and to be honest it is getting frustrating we just want to make our clients happy with the pictures that we take. Can someone please help Thank you

In the spirit of trying to be a voice of realistic expectations, let me see if I understand this correctly: You have already opened a Photography business which leads one to believe that hopefully one or more professional photographers are responsible for performing photographic functions for paying clients.
But yet we are writing in to an internet forum to ask what tools to purchase to perform the professional tasks that you have started a business to provide? Also we are torn between two, two year old, low-cost, beginner-level, warehouse-store camera kits? In the hopes that one will give an advantage in getting lucky and capturing "a moment" by chance instated of by experience and skillful timing.
That's a lot of irony to swallow. Sort of like opening a restaurant, THEN writing in to internet forums asking which spatula makes a meal good enough to satisfy your clients? While ignoring the fact that the spatula isn't responsible for the end results as much as the user of the tool.

In other words, especially if you're their customer, you'd like to think that the people who collect money for performing a function would know enough about their craft to know what tools they need without asking strangers on an internet forum.

Gear selection? How about a Canon 5DIII and some prime portrait glass?

As a working professional it pains me to see posts like this from "checkbook photographers" who think that quality results are something you purchase, not develop over time like every other artist or skilled craftsperson.
I'm glad you and your wife didn't think it would be neat idea to open a Dental practice or laser eye clinic.

 

[DanCee]

btlphotobykel wrote:

OK so here is the question that my wife and I have. We have started a photograghy business here in New York and shoot mostly portrait photos. We have done so much research on both cameras and can not figure out which one to purchase. We want great picture quailty, but don't want to have to wait for the camera to catch up with the next shot because we shoot a lot of young children and it is hard to get that just right shot when they are all over the place. We know that we should never choose just on the MP. We have read every review that we can find and all the tech talk points to the Nikon but most of our friends say Canon. We are so lost on which one to chose, and to be honest it is getting frustrating we just want to make our clients happy with the pictures that we take. Can someone please help Thank you

If you already opened one, what camera do you use currently? I'm not a pro but these 2 cameras are entry level camera.. they do fine, but you might want to consider a more pro level camera (regardless Nikon or Canon). This will help you to capture proper picture, especially with kids running around, you need fast and accurate AF which belong to pro grade cameras. Other than that high quality glass play an important role as well. Just my 2cents

 

[beagle1]

btlphotobykel wrote:

OK so here is the question that my wife and I have. We have started a photograghy business here in New York and shoot mostly portrait photos. We have done so much research on both cameras and can not figure out which one to purchase. We want great picture quailty, but don't want to have to wait for the camera to catch up with the next shot because we shoot a lot of young children and it is hard to get that just right shot when they are all over the place. We know that we should never choose just on the MP. We have read every review that we can find and all the tech talk points to the Nikon but most of our friends say Canon. We are so lost on which one to chose, and to be honest it is getting frustrating we just want to make our clients happy with the pictures that we take. Can someone please help Thank you

I think Canon offers a better image quality but if you have started a photography business then you are currently using a system so stick with that, you should also know that with portraits lighting and lens are more important (and more expensive) than the camera.

 

[btlphotobykel]

Thank You for your realistic $.02. No where in my post did I say that we were PROS yet, as a matter of fact we are very much entry level and may I add it is not the tool that makes one a pro. I think you may have read way to much into my post. Typically one starts at the bottom and with time and practice becomes great. I see that you started out on top and good for you, thats great! You are one reason why we do not join forums like this. There is no CC, only hate. Have a great day!

 

[btlphotobykel]

Thank You for your realistic $.02. No where in my post did I say that we were PROS yet, as a matter of fact we are very much entry level and may I add it is not the tool that makes one a pro. I think you may have read way to much into my post. Typically one starts at the bottom and with time and practice becomes great. I see that you started out on top and good for you, thats great! You are one reason why we do not join forums like this. There is no CC, only hate. Have a great day!

 

[FrankieJ]

btlphotobykel wrote:

Thank You for your realistic $.02. No where in my post did I say that we were PROS yet, as a matter of fact we are very much entry level and may I add it is not the tool that makes one a pro. I think you may have read way to much into my post. Typically one starts at the bottom and with time and practice becomes great. I see that you started out on top and good for you, thats great! You are one reason why we do not join forums like this. There is no CC, only hate. Have a great day!

I have re-read your original post and my reply - and I stand by it.

You should know your craft before charging people for your services, example - Opening a Business.
Most would agree with the above statement, fair enough?

In my book, knowing your craft means that you have some internal notion of what tools you want and need.

I have been shooting 36 out of my 49 years, far from starting out at the top, I'm not sure why you thought that my photographic experience was at it's start? Weird...

Valuable advice section --> Look here for some affordable options for gear, Canon Refurb.

When people ask for CC, what they mostly mean is that they are confused and want a lot of hand-holding. Well there is no Santa Claus granting wishes here, just real actual unpaid people, spending a few minutes to post. It's unrealistic to always expect answers to your queries to be silver-plattered to you with kid gloves. I mean come on, what are we here, toddlers? Toughen up, hear what's been said to you, it's called tough love. And if you think words in little white boxes on an internet forum page are tough on you, then you are in need of much more life experience - life in the real world is much tougher. Good luck with your venture.

 

[btlphotobykel]

I have re-read your original post and my reply - and I stand by it.

You should know your craft before charging people for your services, example - Opening a Business.
Most would agree with the above statement, fair enough?

In my book, knowing your craft means that you have some internal notion of what tools you want and need.

I have been shooting 36 out of my 49 years, far from starting out at the top, I'm not sure why you thought that my photographic experience was at it's start? Weird...

Valuable advice section --> Look here for some affordable options for gear, Canon Refurb.

When people ask for CC, what they mostly mean is that they are confused and want a lot of hand-holding. Well there is no Santa Claus granting wishes here, just real actual unpaid people, spending a few minutes to post. It's unrealistic to always expect answers to your queries to be silver-plattered to you with kid gloves. I mean come on, what are we here, toddlers? Toughen up, hear what's been said to you, it's called tough love. And if you think words in little white boxes on an internet forum page are tough on you, then you are in need of much more life experience - life in the real world is much tougher. Good luck with your venture.

Okay,

CC is not asking for Santa to grant magical wishes or anything like that but what we were asking is about a camera and you shot off at the mouth about how you think that we should not be in the business. Yes we are just starting off and we were looking at a camera that fits us not for someone like you to come along and tell us that we are going to fail. As far as charging people, we are not. We are getting our name out there as well as our work. We are also learning and growing each day. Until we feel that we have reached a point to charge people, then we will. My wife is fine tuning her craft, and no matter what tools you have, a good photographer must have the eye and they heart to capture what really matters. As far as life lessons, we are not 18 years old.... I am Retired Military, been deployed six times, and my wife has taught Kindergarten as well as worked directly with the military. We also have four children, so as far as life lessons go I would say we are not to far behind you...

It seems in your 36 years of photography you have forgot what matters most, compassion and the love of the art...

Our post was looking for advice on cameras, as well as opinions on the two styles of cameras in the beginner's forum so why would someone of 39 years experience be writing in this forum. We did not want your advice on weather or not we should be doing this or not and to be honest with you don't really care what you think. Oh and by the way we posted pictures of a recent shoot that we did, take a look at them and then tell us what you think. We appreciate your time in this matter and wish you continued success in all that you do.

 

[KCook]

So your business plan is an unorthodox one, that may have been TMI here ;-)

The Canon 70D has just been released, so there are now some deep discounts on used or refurbished 60D cameras. For a Canon, I would try very hard for one of those, over the T3i (in a heartbeat). There likely are similar deals on older Nikon, I just don't follow Nikon. Linkys for more on the old Canon vs Nikon question, that largely leave out business plans -

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3255061

If starting fresh, Canon or Nikon? Which has the best lineup in lenses, bodies and lighting?

Hello, First off, I am not trying to start a flame topic nor an open discussion between fanboys and such... I was just wondering... If someone has 0 investment in lenses and bodies and is starting fresh at a DSLR setup today, not regarding which particular model to purchase, what system would...

www.dpreview.com

which one canon or nikon ??!!

Dear all, I'm new to photography world and I'm looking to buy a camera which is good built quality and its a keeper and can be used for everything like still images and sport and kids playing and shooting birds, video recording and etc , and I made some research and asked around, but I don't...

www.dpreview.com

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www.dpreview.com

Kelly Cook

 

[TTMartin]

Nothing wrong starting with a Canon T3i for a portrait business, or the Nikon D3200 for that matter.

Here's a video that gives a good (though now slightly dated) overview of the Canon line.

Canon 6D, 5D Mark III, 7D, T3i, 600D, 5D Mark II ULTIMATE Review and Comparison

The small technical differences between Canon and Nikon are just that small and for portrait photography for the most part meaningless. Canon has a slight advantage in low noise at high ISOs, Nikon has a slight advantage in dynamic range. Neither of those will have any meaning for your portraits, where you can control the lighting (even outdoors).

The thing that will have the most impact are things like lenses, flashes, etc.

Go to a store, look at both cameras, decide which one feel best to you.

Being in New York you have access to good cameras stores like B&H and Adorama.

I like Canon as a system because I think in the long run they end up being less expensive, when you start looking at good lenses and flashes. But, both are really close, so go with what feels best to you.

Also, don't be too concerned with the posts that say you need the latest full frame camera and expensive lenses. Canon's current line of consumer STM lenses have image quality that matches the most expensive lenses from just a few years back. Also entry level dSLRs equal or exceed pro dSLRs from 5-10 years ago.

 

[Limburger]

My opinion is that you're looking for a slightly more advanced model.

Go to a store and handle the already mentioned 60 and 70D or even 7D, on the Nikon side of things I'd check the D7000/7100.

Your own photoskills and lightingskills will be more important than the cameramake.

In case you already know what FL's you will be using you also can compare lenses before deciding on a make of camera.

Buying a body that feels intuitive will yield in more good shots.

 

[btlphotobykel]

Thank You very much! Your feedback is appreciated!

 

[btlphotobykel]

Thank You for your feedback and also the links! It is appreciated!

 

[btlphotobykel]

Thank You for your feedback, it is very much appreciated!

 

[Globemstr3]

I'll tell ya what, (Retired AF guy here) I do alot of photography as a hobby. I'm not a professional yet but like you I'm getting very close to turning that corner. Thankfully like you, my income wont depend on that initially. You dont need to spend a lot of money on cameras today to achieve what you want to do. So both cameras are great choices! I like Nikon DSLR's and Canon point and shoots thats just me. I would highly consider the Nikon D3100 though vs the D3200. I say that because you can pick them up at dirt cheap prices now, new in the box! Take the other money and invest in a quality prime portait lens, and a quailty tripod. Its in the glass, not the camera. With the right glass you can take great award winning photos with the Old D40 a 6mp camera. People have done it for years! Rest assured though they didnt do it with a kit lens very often. Good Luck! Oh, and take a look at Lightzone for your post processing software, its FREE and I think you will love it.

 

[Limburger]

Globemstr3 wrote:

I'll tell ya what, (Retired AF guy here) I do alot of photography as a hobby. I'm not a professional yet but like you I'm getting very close to turning that corner. Thankfully like you, my income wont depend on that initially. You dont need to spend a lot of money on cameras today to achieve what you want to do. So both cameras are great choices! I like Nikon DSLR's and Canon point and shoots thats just me. I would highly consider the Nikon D3100 though vs the D3200. I say that because you can pick them up at dirt cheap prices now, new in the box! Take the other money and invest in a quality prime portait lens, and a quailty tripod. Its in the glass, not the camera. With the right glass you can take great award winning photos with the Old D40 a 6mp camera. People have done it for years! Rest assured though they didnt do it with a kit lens very often. Good Luck! Oh, and take a look at Lightzone for your post processing software, its FREE and I think you will love it.

--
Mark

Well my point about more advanced models is that they have better ergonomics.

Pitty if you'd find out you need it and need to buy a seperate trigger/reciever to get that to work. The Canon's (not sure about the Nikon's) give you this option by IR from the pop up flash.

With one off shoe flash you already can play with three lightsources (pop up,off shoe flash and envirenmental).

This is absolutely worth having a look at before deciding what to buy.Can't imagine wanting to improve your portraitskills and leaving flash out of the equation. This wireless flash feature is really nice to have.

Example,works on T3i as well.

Another with a nice result using only one off shoe flash

One on bounce flash

--
Cheers Mike

 

[Globemstr3]

Limburger wrote:

Globemstr3 wrote:

I'll tell ya what, (Retired AF guy here) I do alot of photography as a hobby. I'm not a professional yet but like you I'm getting very close to turning that corner. Thankfully like you, my income wont depend on that initially. You dont need to spend a lot of money on cameras today to achieve what you want to do. So both cameras are great choices! I like Nikon DSLR's and Canon point and shoots thats just me. I would highly consider the Nikon D3100 though vs the D3200. I say that because you can pick them up at dirt cheap prices now, new in the box! Take the other money and invest in a quality prime portait lens, and a quailty tripod. Its in the glass, not the camera. With the right glass you can take great award winning photos with the Old D40 a 6mp camera. People have done it for years! Rest assured though they didnt do it with a kit lens very often. Good Luck! Oh, and take a look at Lightzone for your post processing software, its FREE and I think you will love it.

 

[Limburger]

Globemstr3 wrote:

Limburger wrote:

Globemstr3 wrote:

I'll tell ya what, (Retired AF guy here) I do alot of photography as a hobby. I'm not a professional yet but like you I'm getting very close to turning that corner. Thankfully like you, my income wont depend on that initially. You dont need to spend a lot of money on cameras today to achieve what you want to do. So both cameras are great choices! I like Nikon DSLR's and Canon point and shoots thats just me. I would highly consider the Nikon D3100 though vs the D3200. I say that because you can pick them up at dirt cheap prices now, new in the box! Take the other money and invest in a quality prime portait lens, and a quailty tripod. Its in the glass, not the camera. With the right glass you can take great award winning photos with the Old D40 a 6mp camera. People have done it for years! Rest assured though they didnt do it with a kit lens very often. Good Luck! Oh, and take a look at Lightzone for your post processing software, its FREE and I think you will love it.

--
Mark

Well my point about more advanced models is that they have better ergonomics.

Pitty if you'd find out you need it and need to buy a seperate trigger/reciever to get that to work. The Canon's (not sure about the Nikon's) give you this option by IR from the pop up flash.

With one off shoe flash you already can play with three lightsources (pop up,off shoe flash and envirenmental).

This is absolutely worth having a look at before deciding what to buy.Can't imagine wanting to improve your portraitskills and leaving flash out of the equation. This wireless flash feature is really nice to have.

Example,works on T3i as well.

Another with a nice result using only one off shoe flash

One on bounce flash

--
Cheers Mike

I hear ya Mike and agree with you and Yes Nikon offers the same thing. What puzzles me is how your post was directed at me? LOL. I was only recommending a camera Im used too not trying to setup a portrait studio. Although I think I could on the cheap but thats not my cup of tea.

--
Mark

Hi Mark,

I just tried to give some extra info to what you said. Sure you can take good portrait pictures with an entry level dslr (they are that good).

Replying to your post keeps it a little more coherent and easier for the OP to interpret and decide.

I hear your point as well.

--
Cheers Mike