What Camera for College Photo + Skiing

suup

suup

Active member
***TLDR: should I get a Canon T3i

howdy digital artists of NS

I'm taking Photo 2450 This semester and Want to invest in a better camera. I have my moms old Nikon D40 right now. It worked for learning the basics on, but its dogshit compared to the recommended rigs for this class. i.e

"Required Equipment & Materials

-Digital SLR with a “normal” lens or normal range zoom lens, capable of full manual controls and RAW image capture; at least 12mp file size (ie, a Canon Rebel T3i-T7i or better; Nikon D3500/5300/5500 or better; Sony Alpha family, Pentax K70/KP"

In addition to using this camera for class, I want to start shooting some skiing in the future

1. Id preferably want to spend under $300 but could spend more if necessary.

2. I know the basics of manual settings. have taken a few photo and editing classes in HS.

3. as for gear I have a tripod and the Camera stated earlier. (nikon 18-55mm lens) *

4. Not entirely focused on shooting skiing but probably hike and tripod and some follow cams

5. I personally have a MacBook Pro 2012 2.4GHz 15 that I upgraded with 16gb ram and 500gb ssd.

6. I have Photoshop, Final Cut Pro. Id say I'm about a 5/10 in photoshop expertise and a 3/10 in Final Cut.

So what low budget rig would you recommend for a mid level photo course, that would be adequate for filming a little skiing?

Where would you recommend buying from?

whats a good deal?

what should I stay away from?

are Refurbished cameras good?

Thanks if you actually read all this

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A canon t3i is super out dated in a lot of ways but it still will get the job done. Not sure what t6i’s are going for these days but might be worth checking out
 
Canon 7Ds are really cheap now that the MKII came out. I have one and love mine, its a professional body and is built like a tank while the T3i feels like a plastic toy. The RAW buffer is much better on it too which is good for shooting park where you need to spray a bunch of frames and you can pick the best of the trick. I personally like the Canon system as there are tons of aftermarket products and lenses that fit the body and you can even rent really nice L-Lenses for a special shoot.

I would also invest in the $10 a month Adobe photo subscription. Lightroom is far better than photoshop for organizing the editing photos, especially if you are going to shoot RAW. Lightroom is also great because you can batch edit and export which saves a bunch of time. Personally, I would avoid buying a camera unless you can inspect it in person first unless it was factory refurbished with a good return policy. Ask what the shutter count is as the shutter does wear out but the actual number before failure varies quite a bit and is more based on if the camera took a beating or not.

Also, check out the B&H youtube educational series. There are really good lectures and pretty much everything I learned about photography I learned from them.
 
13982880:SuspiciousFish said:
Canon 7Ds are really cheap now that the MKII came out. I have one and love mine, its a professional body and is built like a tank while the T3i feels like a plastic toy. The RAW buffer is much better on it too which is good for shooting park where you need to spray a bunch of frames and you can pick the best of the trick. I personally like the Canon system as there are tons of aftermarket products and lenses that fit the body and you can even rent really nice L-Lenses for a special shoot.

I would also invest in the $10 a month Adobe photo subscription. Lightroom is far better than photoshop for organizing the editing photos, especially if you are going to shoot RAW. Lightroom is also great because you can batch edit and export which saves a bunch of time. Personally, I would avoid buying a camera unless you can inspect it in person first unless it was factory refurbished with a good return policy. Ask what the shutter count is as the shutter does wear out but the actual number before failure varies quite a bit and is more based on if the camera took a beating or not.

Also, check out the B&H youtube educational series. There are really good lectures and pretty much everything I learned about photography I learned from them.
Click to expand...

thanks for the help man. definitely looking into the 7D
 
Within your budget I would look at either a used 7D or a used d7100 from Nikon. Neither is a great option for video, but they will both do the job. One major advantage of the Nikon would be the ability to use some of their older glass. (and to continue to use your 18-55, its not the best lens but it covers a useful range and isn't so bad stopped down). (there is quite a lot of it). I personally prefer the Nikon, but I shoot a significantly larger amount of stills than video. For video the magic lantern firmware hacks for canon added a lot of nice features. (zebra striping, audio levels, and focus peaking being the three i remember using the most)

If you wanted to stretch your budget a little more i would look at a used 5d or 5d mkII, but if you do stretch your budget you are better off spending more on better lenses, a flash for stills, or audio equipment for video.
 
i have an sl1. its definitely a beginner camera but i think that it will do exactly what you are looking for. Its ready small and you can get a pancake 24 mm or 50 mm lens and with either of those on, you can pretty much take it anywhere. It is super light, shoots up to 18 mp and can shoot RAW. since its so small and light, you can easily fit it into a backpack for school or skiing
 
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