DSLR Camera

nefilmgroup

nefilmgroup

I'm considering buying a DSLR camera. Right now all I have is an HVX. I wanted to spend no more than $500 and get something that comes with a standard 50mm lens for this price.

Is this possible? And does anyone have any suggestions on what type I should get? So far I've been looking at the Canon Rebel T3i.
 
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Hi nefilmgroup - I would save myself some money and get a $350 Canon EOS M with the 18-55 kit lens (or the with the 22mm f2.0, if you want a faster lens and don't need a zoom).

You'll get a smaller, lighter camera, autofocus, a 30 minute clip length limit (instead of the T3i's 12 minutes) and a touchscreen - all for for less money than the $573 T3i.

Add a $145 Canon EF to EOS M adapter and, for less than $500, you'll have a very capable video camera and access to the full range of Canon lenses.

Here are a couple of examples of what this little camera can do:

http://vimeo.com/55604121

http://vimeo.com/53493795

Hope this is helpful,

Bill
 
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brunerww said:
Hi nefilmgroup - I would save myself some money and get a $350 Canon EOS M with the 18-55 kit lens (or the with the 22mm f2.0, if you want a faster lens and don't need a zoom).

You'll get a smaller, lighter camera, autofocus, a 30 minute clip length limit (instead of the T3i's 12 minutes) and a touchscreen - all for for less money than the $573 T3i.

Add a $145 Canon EF to EOS M adapter and, for less than $500, you'll have a very capable video camera and access to the full range of Canon lenses.

Here are a couple of examples of what this little camera can do:

http://vimeo.com/55604121

http://vimeo.com/53493795

Hope this is helpful,

Bill
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I'm sorry but I would advise the OP to completely ignore what you just said..

the canon eos M is one of the worse cameras iv ever used, its not even worth £100 its a pile of rubbish,

get the t3i instead, trust me..
 
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brunerww said:
Soory that you had a bad experience, but a lot of people disagree. It is the #1 selling compact system camera on Amazon US as of this post.

Cheers,

Bill
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sales don't make a camera better? its just more saleable im sure there are more eos m sales than red cameras, does that mean its better? no..

that camera is not better than the t3i, even as a photography camera its a pile of rubbish.. Professional reviews display the facts as so.

http://snapsort.com/compare/Canon-EOS-M-vs-Canon-T3i as an example of specs.

this doesn't even let in the fact that magic lantern is on the t3i making it even better.
 
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ChimpPhobiaFilms said:
Just because a camera is a number #1 selling camera, does not mean it is professional. People buy it because it is cheap and easy to use. A T3i or GH2 with a good lens or two would be a better place to start.
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I've owned the T2i, have shot with the T4i, and still have a GH2 sitting on the shelf. These are great cameras, and are better than the EOS M in many ways. But nefilmgroup said he wants "to spend no more than $500" for his first DSL camera and lens, so I recommended something that would both fit his budget and allow room for growth.

I wasn't a big fan of the EOS M at its introductory price - but at $349 (with lens), and with the 2.0.2 firmware upgrade, it is a very good value for the money and shooters are doing very nice work with it (please watch at 1080p):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6oMiKFiO-A


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jouuh5D23nk


Now that the folks at Magic Lantern have enabled RAW on the M, it is an even better deal.

Cheers,

Bill
 
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First question is why do you need a camera? Everyday shooting? Or are you going to make films to submit to fests?
Are you going to upgrade to Mark 2/3 in the future? Or go a different route?

T3i is a nice piece, but it is far from anything decent it has just waaay too many limitations, so think about your long term strategy.

Also you can always rent/find a friend with a better equipment!
 
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I have been using the Sony NEX-5N ($560) with the 18-55mm and the 55-210mm tele lens ($350). When I was considering buying the T3i, I bought this camera instead and I personally like the layout and quality better. You don't have to be limited to just Canon DSLR's either; you can think outside the box and not have to do what everyone else is doing.

All in all, the most important part is getting your film(s) made and shooting with whatever camera suits you best.
 
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I have had the Canon 600D / Rebel t3i for almost 8 months now and I have been extremely happy with it ever since. I've shot three shorts on it, one being my own, and have even had them showcased on large projected screens, and I can not get over how sharp and suprisingly-beautiful the image quality is.

I have to admit, I'm in love with my Canon 600D.
 
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8salacious9 said:
sales don't make a camera better? its just more saleable im sure there are more eos m sales than red cameras, does that mean its better? no..

that camera is not better than the t3i, even as a photography camera its a pile of rubbish.. Professional reviews display the facts as so.

http://snapsort.com/compare/Canon-EOS-M-vs-Canon-T3i as an example of specs.

this doesn't even let in the fact that magic lantern is on the t3i making it even better.
Click to expand...


Snapsort also said "Snapsort recommends the Canon Rebel T4i. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a mirrorless interchangeable-lens with a entry-level DSLR."

And isn't that what the OP is asking about? An entry level, cost effective DSLR that doesn't have high priced options that are going to suck the life out of a wallet full of credit cards?
 
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When you are just starting out or making a major equipment change, forget about the camera body itself as a deciding factor. You are buying into a photographic system. EVERYTHING needs to be taken into consideration. The classic expression is that you buy camera bodies but you invest in glass (lenses) and accessories. As a still photographer, I was very happy with my Nikon system. However, once I decided to get into film-making, I switched to Canon. I completely divested myself of all of my Nikon gear and started over from scratch with Canon stuff. The reason is that, at the time, Nikon didn't have anything usable in the video market and just about everybody I knew personally was rocking Canon. By buying into the Canon system it allowed me to borrow lenses and accessories from friends. Then there is the question of working with other indie filmmakers. If everybody else has Canon (or Nikon, Sony, Panasonic, etc) and you are the odd man out, you are at a disadvantage unless you have the budget to bring every single thing that you might need. Just because I like so many others shoot on Canon does not mean that I am telling you that it's the best/only way to go for you. Take the body out of the equation and figure out what system will work best for you and your needs in your location then purchase a body within that system.
 
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