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Thoughts on Canon Rebel t3i-t6i series (1 Viewer)

ebwilderae

Well-known member
Have been using the Canon Powershot sx50 for a few years now. Sometimes it takes fine pictures but it is chancy and terrible doing autofocus in a tree/bush with branches, etc. trying to find the bird.
Went birding with a fellow using Canon Rebel T3i with 75-300 mm zoom and he seems to get some great shots with rapid fire which I have come to lust for. I have not found anything yet in this forum on these cameras - as you can see I am trying to stay pretty cheap.
Would appreciate any discussion of moving from the Powershot to this entry level DSLR. Thanks.
 
I’ve been using a Canon Eos 550 for several years now which came under the Rebel banner in the USA. The camera takes some great photos if used right, and often great photos through trial and error. I’d recommend whichever the latest models are available, a quick look on Amazon suggests the Uk model is the 600d. Mine has been surprisingly tough having been dropped several times, handles damp conditions well, no issues with sand or dust yet. Actually the camera makes me appear to be a far better photographer than I actually am and I’ve realised a lot of my earlier bird pics were over edited.
 
Once I was using one of these entry level Canon EOS (= Rebel in the US) with a 75-300mm Tamron. The birds were always too small... Finally I moved into the other direction, bought a Canon SX50 and was much happier as a birder for about four years (before I got a Nikon V2). So I wonder what you liked so much in the Rebel T3i... it is true that focusing on a bird in dense foliage works much better with a DSLR. Manual focusing and the optical viewfinder are a pleasure. Also, you'll locate the bird faster, as the SX50's view is so much narrower. But all these "advantages" in my view were rather a disadvantage for birding. Not to mention the shutter noise...

I did enjoy the combination of a Rebel T3i with a 400mm prime lens + 1.4x Kenko teleconverter - a very nice bird watching experience. Once I pressed the shutter the bird was usually gone though.
 
Good food for thought and much appreciated. I will get a chance to actually use the t3i tomorrow evening [had just been next to it before] so that should better inform me. The current 6i with 24mgp up from the previous version's 18 might be a better play. Although - and just part of my general ignorance on these matters - since the sensor is no larger, might it be a problem with that many more pixels in the same size area?
 
Good food for thought and much appreciated. I will get a chance to actually use the t3i tomorrow evening [had just been next to it before] so that should better inform me. The current 6i with 24mgp up from the previous version's 18 might be a better play. Although - and just part of my general ignorance on these matters - since the sensor is no larger, might it be a problem with that many more pixels in the same size area?

I had only used two earlier Canon EOS models, the 450D (12 megapixels) and the 650D (18 megapixels). The model that you mention, T6i (called the 750D here), with its 24 megapixels allows more cropping, so the final image will be better. As you say, more pixels on the bird. - That doesn't change the fact that the size of the bird in the viewfinder remains the same. For me it was too small to enjoy watching the action in the field. But tastes differ.
 
I have the 750d which is great but I prefer the 60d that I had previously (lost it in the woods)...
The 750d doesn't have custom settings for one.
 
I also use the 750D(T6i) and love it.

You can get the 55-250mm lens for about $150 which will give you a bit of extra reach, but ultimately you'll probably get a taste for it and want a longer lens, which is the position I find myself in now in looking at a $1500 lens.
 
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