Upgrading camera & Can't decide

basinboi

basinboi

Member
I bought a canon t3i almost a year ago just to shoot skiing with. After using it I began to really enjoy photography and now I feel have reach the limitations of my camera and want that extra quality a nicer full frame camera would bring me. I have basically narrowed it down to a canon 6D or Sony a7. If anyone has experience will both and could let me know which is my best bet or any other options. Would be nice to stay with canon because of the lenses I want to keep, but I know about the Sony adapters so if anyone has experience with those adapters and which route would be better to go that would be appreciated. Thank you media and arts for teaching me most everything I know and +k to all who help.

1) What is your budget? How much money can you spend right away, and do you think you can get more money to invest in the future?

$750-900 and I will have more money to invest in the future.

2) What experience do you already have with cameras? Have you ever even used one before? Have you helped your friend out with his camera? Have you owned your own?

I know my way around my camera pretty well and help other friends out with theirs often. I also owned my own t3i.

2) What gear, if any, do you currently have? (tripod, old camera lenses, mics, etc)

tripod, x-grip, canon 17-40mm f4L & canon 50mm 1.8 are the only lenses I plan on keeping.

4) What are you planning to shoot and how do you want to use your camera? Are you going to use this with the sole purpose of shooting skiing? or do you think you might try other stuff as well (movies, documentaries, short films, etc)

I will use it probably for 70% photo and 30% video. shooting skiing and skateboarding and maybe some short films along the way.

5) Do you want a camera that you can hand to your friends, that could or could not have film experience, and let them shoot you? or will you be doing all the filming?

I'll be doing 90% off the filming.

6) When filming skiing, how do you tend to shoot? (follow cams, leave it on record on a tripod and hike, film from a tripod, etc)

mostly follow cams

7) What computer do you currently have/use to edit (if not currently editing, what would you most likely use)? If you can provide specifics, such as hard drive space, RAM, processor size, that would be great.

don't know specifics just a mac book pro that's a couple years old.

7) What program do you currently edit on? How familiar are you with it (1- just learning; 10- I can make tutorials and know the keyboard layout)

6 with photoshop skills and learning to use Lightroom currently.
 
Jumping from a t3i to a full frame is quite a jump, but certainly fine. I shot on a t2i for years; I now use a Canon 7D Mark II, which is an APS-C (crop sensor), but the tech on it is crazy awesome for shooting action sports/ skiing (10fps). I guess it depends what you're shooting.

If you have already invested in Canon lenses, then stick with Canon.
 
13613642:Michael_Thatcher said:
How do you feel you have reached the limits of your t3i?
Click to expand...

This. If you really feel that your camera is holding you back at this point then go ahead and upgrade but if it's not then stay with the t3i and continue to create and tell stories. I have had my Canon SL1 for 2 and a half years now with no plans of upgrading any time soon. I just really don't feel that my camera is what is holding me back and I want to focus on story and not learn how to use a new camera
 
The t3i can be pushed even further using Magic Lantern. I'd say get that and shoot on that for a bit. It really opens the t3i to a lot of new features.
 
He's shooting photos not videos you goons it doesn't take much to outgrow a t3i for photos

I'd take the 6D over the Sony for photos every time, but I'm really not a fan of mirrorless personally. The EVF and tiny body aren't for me. Still produce great images though.
 
I've used the 6d frequently over the last few years, and I've found that it's killer system. I haven't used the Sony so I can't compare on that front, but you won't go wrong with a 6d
 
Full frame is, obviously, a great camera body to get for yourself but you don't necessarily have to make such a huge jump at once to step beyond a t3i. I used to shoot with a t2i for years, hated the low light quality etc so I bought a Canon 70D and that camera is a work horse at a way more affordable price tag.

Someone years ago also gave me this great advice.

Camera bodies come and go, they are out of date as soon as you buy and away you go to purchase something else. Great glass, however, stays basically forever. A great lens can be the difference between a good photo and a fantastic photo. Sharp focus, compression, even quality of color can be derived from beautiful glass.

So my advice, take a baby step higher when you buy bodies, take giant leaps when you buy lenses. Eventually they'll meet and you'll be super happy.
 
The T3i isn't holding you back, it's you.

The 6D will demand better lenses.

But the Sony will demand expensive lenses, so expensive YOU WILL CRY.

Oh but you can buy legacy? Good legacy glass is so expensive YOU WILL CRY.

Oh but adapters are cheap? Good adapters are so expensive YOU WILL CRY.

Also the balance point is GONE.

Just keep shooting with that T3i.
 
I agree with Op about the limitations of the T3 body. I have had one since 2013, I started out on that camera and while I may not need to go straight to a full frame camera I am going to so that I do not feel the need to upgrade down the road or regret not getting something even better. The T3 leaves a lot to be desired, the reasons that are causing me to upgrade are its small image buffer, poor high ISO performance, low 12 Mega-pixel resolution, poor flexibility in filming, and its plastic construction. I love this camera but there are some definite things that I am beginning to need. for that reason I am looking at a canon 7D MkII or a Nikon D7100
 
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