topic Re: Newbie-eos rebel t3 in EF & RF Lenses

EOS Rebel T3 Lens Recommendations for Golf Photography

Seanpgolf101 — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 12:41:34 GMT

I currently have a stock Eos rebel T3. Near to photography. I would like to use it for golf course photography only. It would be mostly of the actual golf course. Still photos. I hear early morning or late at night at best times to shoot, I'm sure that will effect which lense. What lense(s) should I consider purchasing? Should I consider purchasing a used lense?

The camera is at least 7-8 years old, is this camera too outdated? Also, any help or guidance for additional education would be appreciated! Thank you so much!

Re: Newbie-eos rebel t3

deebatman316 — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 00:54:38 GMT

Your camera should work fine but its quite old now. What lenses do you currently have right now. Do you have a budget to spend on a lens. Your current camera will struggle with low light especially the AF system will too. If you plan on going with a new camera look into the EOS R series mirrorless cameras. DSLR cameras are NOT being further developed now. So a mirrorless camera is recommended now instead of a DSLR. Do you have a budget to spend on a new camera if you plan to upgrade.

Re: Newbie-eos rebel t3

Seanpgolf101 — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 01:18:54 GMT

the lense that came with it is a EFS 18-55 mm

says macro 0.25m/0.8ft

Re: Newbie-eos rebel t3

deebatman316 — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 12:01:56 GMT

What is your budget to spend on a lens. What exactly are you trying to shoot the golfers. Or the golf course itself. If it's the golf course itself a telephoto lens isn't needed. An ultrawide angle lens is needed then. The EF-S 10-22mm F/3.5-4.5 USM or EF-S 10-18mm F/4.5-5.6 IS STM lens would be best for this application. If you're taking pictures of the golfers it depends on how far you'll be from them. The EF 70-200mm lenses are good so is the EF 70-300mm F/4.0-5.6 IS II USM lens. So would the EF-S 55-250mm F/4.0-5.6 IS STM lens.

Re: Newbie-eos rebel t3

Tronhard — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 03:08:34 GMT

Hi Sean and welcome to the forum:

Much depends on your intent in terms of what you want to invest, how serious you are about the activity and what you will produce.
1 - If you have a budget it would be helpful to know what that is. This would include your total outlay for both camera and lens.

2 - Is your intent purely out of interest or do you hope to work semi or fully professionally in this area. The more serious you are about the activity, the more you will have to consider investing. For example, if you were to say your were working professionally, then you need to guarantee for your clients good images. That no only means capturing engaging images that are technically proficient, but having a back up for the capture and storage of those images: either by having two cameras, or a camera with dual cards.

3 - What are you going to shoot? When you say you are taking images of the golf course itself, are you doing so to record the design of the courses rather than the activities therein? I am thinking of someone studying or engaging in golf course engineering work per se, or is this for aesthetic reasons: i.e. landscapes on the theme of golf courses - either of which might be served by taking pictures when the sun is low to highlight the contours.

4 - What you are going to produce is significant too. This can range from images for publishing on social media, or on digital devices, through to high resolution images or prints. The investment in equipment is significantly greater for the latter.

Re: Newbie-eos rebel t3

f8_Rebel — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 02:47:24 GMT

It would seem that you want to take some landscape shots of golf courses. I would say to match what you've got, which is no slouch of a camera, just a little old, the kit lens would do a good job. You could go for the EFS 10-18 IS STM which is affordable and quite good. Or even the 24mm "pancake" lens could give good results. If you'd like to get closer, the EFS 55-250 IS STM is more than capable, and the EF 70-300. Lots of choices that would give good results. At those hours of the day a tripod is a must. Oh, and to get those deep greens and early morning blues I suggest a polarizing filter. Just my thoughts, golf courses are quite scenic at those hours.

Re: Newbie-eos rebel t3

Waddizzle — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 08:56:49 GMT

The standard camera kit lens, EF-S 18-55mm, that came with that model was not very sharp. Check the Refurbished section of the Canon USA Online Store. See if this is still in stock.

Re: EOS Rebel T3 Lens Recommendations for Golf Photography

Tintype_18 — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 12:48:16 GMT

The morning and evening are known as "the golden hours." I played golf and saw that courses offer a variety of settings. Courses in the Blue Ridge mountains of the Southeast contrast with the courses that dot the Low Country of the Myrtle Beach, SC, area. Lots of good info. Set a budget and go from there. BTW, are you considered a professional? If you take photos for pay, check with a CPA as your equipment purchases, travel expenses, etc. can be tax deductible. Just keep detailed records for the CPA and yourself.

Re: Newbie-eos rebel t3

Seanpgolf101 — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 12:53:31 GMT

Thank you for the time to answer my question. I would like to spend less than $1,500. This would just be as a hobby. I am looking to shoot golf courses and not necessarily golfers swinging.

Re: Newbie-eos rebel t3

Seanpgolf101 — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 12:57:02 GMT

1) Budget around $1,0000$1,500

2)This would just be as a hobby, maybe start an instagram page and post golf course photos to it. I would like to shoot landscape, golf course and not action shots or golfers swinging.

3) Landscape

4)Social media possible or personal prints.

I have been reading I need to get a tripod. Are tripods interchangeable? For example, if I just get a better lense for my existing camera can I use the same tripod for a further down the road upgraded camera. Do you have any recommendations for tripods?

Re: Newbie-eos rebel t3

Seanpgolf101 — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 12:59:17 GMT

Thank you for your time to respond. I will look into those lenses. Which specific filter(s) should I be researching? Can you recommend any tutorials online for landscape (golf) photography?

I would like to invest in a tripod. Are tripods interchangeable? For example, I get a tripod for my existing camera, will it be compatible for newer Canon cameras?

Re: Newbie-eos rebel t3

Seanpgolf101 — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 12:59:40 GMT

Thank you for response. I will look into this one, thank you!

Re: EOS Rebel T3 Lens Recommendations for Golf Photography

Seanpgolf101 — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 13:01:01 GMT

Thank you for kind response. I am an avid golfer and unfortunately have to have hand surgery. Would love to dabble in golf course photography, landscape and not action shots of golfers swinging. It would just be a hobby and possibly an instagram page. Thanks again!

Re: EOS Rebel T3 Lens Recommendations for Golf Photography

ebiggs1 — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 15:42:22 GMT

You don't need any additional lens. What you have will work just fine. Just because cameras get old, who doesn't, does not mean they aren't any good any longer. It will work today as well as it ever did. Try what you have first before you think you need something more.

BTW, I would definitely not buy that 24mm pancake lens. 😕

Re: EOS Rebel T3 Lens Recommendations for Golf Photography

ebiggs1 — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 15:53:31 GMT

" I hear early morning or late at night at best times to shoot,..."

These times of the day can be challenging to take photos. Depending on how much light is there. Very best outdoor shooting is overcast or defused sunlight. Noon time and bright Sun can be problematic too.

Your Rebel T3 is limited in high ISO performance. This make low light shooting more challenging.

Re: Newbie-eos rebel t3

f8_Rebel — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 16:41:43 GMT

Seangolf101:

A circular polarizer essentially takes reflections out of the light entering the lens and acts to deepen the colors. They rotate in a ring so you can adjust the amount of polarizing from none to full. There are a lot of them out there. I personally use Hoya and Tiffen filters, which are affordable and do the job fairly well. You can spend a lot on these, but you don't have to, to get some got results.

I can't think of any specific tutorials at the moment. Though, I did type in a "google" search and some interesting tutorials, and hints came up. Start there and see where it leads.

Tripods are pretty much universal. You will have no concerns with compatibility. I have a tripod and monopod that fit the old Canon A1 film camera as well as a DSLR and Powershot.

Happy shooting! and watch out for golf balls 🙂

Re: Newbie-eos rebel t3

kvbarkley — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 16:56:52 GMT

The 10-18mm is too wide for a polarizer - the effect is too narrow for shots of the sky.

Re: Newbie-eos rebel t3

Tronhard — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 19:52:22 GMT

Thank you for clarifying with your answers, especially as regards your intentions. Honestly, as Ernie says, I would suggest sticking with what you have, with the possible exception of the pancake lens that Bill (Waddizzle1) suggested.

As regards a polarizing filter. They are really only effective in dealing with reflections off water - when one wants to see into the water rather than what is reflected on it, or to intensify colours when the sun is at right angles to the lens - usually most often at midday. Using such a filter costs you about one stop of light and for early morning/evening shots, you don't want that.

Consider shooting in misty or drizzly conditions (with the latter, make sure you protect your camera from moisture). The light filtered through trees in misty conditions can offer great images; and sunsets, while initially exciting, can become a cliché if overdone. See work by: (27) Courtney Victoria - YouTube and Courtney Victoria Photography - Outdoor Photographer. Courtney is a bit of a character with a wicked sense of humor, so still with the dance sequence to get to the photography - it's worth it. Simon Baxter is a respected woodlands photographer (27) Simon Baxter - YouTube. His images can be found at Simon Baxter Photogaphy

Tripods can be useful and they come with mounting plates that incorporate universal screws that mount into the base of your camera, so a tripod should fit any normal camera.

Yes, eventually when you have shot for a while, you will likely outgrow your current setup, then consider what is available in the market. Likely, you will go for one of the R-series bodies and lenses, but that may be a while away and you can save up for a bigger budget. In the meantime, use what you have (given the lens suggestion) and learn how to make the most of your gear. Equipment without skill is a wasted investment.

I would suggest that you consider a couple of things to bring you up to speed with using a conventional camera.
Consider the following video: by National Geographic photographer Chris Bray
(27) Learn Photography - Simple, Practical - Free Photography Course 1/10 - YouTube

Also, consider joining a local camera club or photographic society - the folks there are usually very happy to share with new members.

Re: Newbie-eos rebel t3

Seanpgolf101 — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 19:42:30 GMT

Awesome thank you so much. I will definitely watch those tonight

Re: EOS Rebel T3 Lens Recommendations for Golf Photography

amfoto1 — Sat, 24 Jun 2023 19:16:41 GMT

Maybe you bought it 7 or 8 years ago, but the Rebel T3 was introduced in 2011... so the model is 12 years old (and it is known as an EOS 1100D outside N. America).

There's nothing at all wrong with a T3 other than it was a pretty basic entry-level model made by Canon when it was introduced and digital cameras have come a long, long way the last 10 or 12 years. DSLRs like the T3 are being phased out and mirrorless like the Canon R-series are taking their place.

A Rebel T3 probably would have come with an EF-S 18-55mm lens that's not the greatest. Does it even have Image Stabilization? Does the front barrel rotate when it focuses, making it difficult to use with polarizing filters? Is it rather noisy when it autofocuses?

Are you shooting golfers or golf courses? Scenic shots or action shots?

And what are you planning to do with the photos?

These questions determine what lens(es) you might choose and whether or not you should be looking for a new camera, as well. And, of course, it depends upon your budget.

EDIT: I see you have answered many of my questions.

You have a choice of getting more lenses for your existing camera or jumping over to the new mirrorless system of cameras and lenses. Canon DSLR cameras and EF/EF-S lenses like yours are gradually being phased out. The four year old R-series cameras and their lenses are replacing them. You can use EF/EF-S lenses on the R-series via an adapter, but you cannot use RF lenses on EF/EF-S mount cameras like yours. EF and EF-S lenses (and the cameras that use them) have been made for over thirty years. There are a lot of them on the used market and still a reasonably good selection to buy brand new, if you prefer.

Mirrorless cameras have some serious advantages over your 12 year old DSLR. They will handle low light shooting quite a bit better, both with more usable high ISO and with an electronic viewfinder that can be very helpful trying to shoot in low light conditions. They also have much more advanced and effective autofocus that's able to work in considerably lower light conditions. Mirrorless also can be lighter weight and more compact than DSLRs (although your particular camera is already fairly light and compact). .

My recommendation:

Right now the Canon R10 with RF-S 18-150mm IS STM lens is available for $1279.. comfortably within your budget. This is an APS-C camera, same as your T3, except the new camera is 12MP... twice the resolution of your camera. The R10 also has an ISO range 100 to 32000, where your camera's is 100-6400. The R10 also has a somewhat larger viewfinder (electronic) and a larger, articulated, much higher resolution rear Touchscreen LCD. For much of what you want to shoot you won't need high frame rates, but if you ever want to capture golfers in action the 12 to 15 frames/sec the R10 can do may come in handy (compared to the 3 frames/sec with your T3). Plus, the AF system of the R10 has over 600 points covering almost the entire image area, compared to the 9-point system in your T3 that are clustered in the center oval (where only the single center point is a higher performance type).

The lens included in that kit is also a solid step up for you. I suspect your 18-55mm isn't Image Stabilized, where the RF 18-150mm does have IS. The R10 doesn't have in-camera (sensor based) stabilization, but the lens provides optical stabilization assistance to make steady shots... handy to have in low light when slower shutter speeds may be necessary. Of course there's also the much greater range of focal lengths into the moderate telephoto range.

The RF-S 18-150mm also uses "STM" or "stepper motor" autofocus drive. This is both faster and quieter than the "micro motor" drive probably used in your EF-S 18-55mm. Golfers appreciate quieter and you might, too!

Something still lacking in the new Canon R system is a truly wide angle lens for APS-C cameras, which will probably be desirable for golf course photography. 18mm is only moderately wide on your camera or the R10 (whether it be with your current lens or with the RF 18-150mm). Eventually I'm sure Canon will produce an ultrawide RF-S lens... hopefully something like the excellent EF-M 11-22mm they made for their M-series mirrorless in the past. In the meantime I would recommend getting a used or refurbished Canon EF-S 10-18mm IS STM lens and an EF-to-RF lens adapter. Those lenses can be found used for around $200 and the adapter costs $99. This "budget" superwide is quite capable, compact and lightweight. An adapted EF-S 10-18mm paired with the RF 18-150mm will give you a compact, convenient, yet very wide ranging kit that should cover most of your needs very well. And you'll have even more options in the future if you need them.

Note: An alternative to the EF-S 10-18mm is the Canon EF-S 10-22mm. It's an excellent lens, too. In fact, it's a bit better built and has an even faster USM autofocus drive motor. However, it is larger, heavier and tends to cost more. It also doesn't have IS like the 10-18mm does.

I would recommend getting a quality, multi-coated Circular Polarizing filter for the 10-18mm (or whatever ultrawide you buy). I believe that lens uses 67mm diameter filters. This filter will make your golf course images really pop with blue skies, puffy white clouds, rich green foliage and more. You may also want to get a 55mm C-Pol eventually, to use on the RF-S 18-150mm. However, I think a polarizing filter will be most useful on the ultrawide, initially. I also recommend you get the matched lens hoods for each of the lenses (might be included if you buy used). Those are sold separately, but I consider them an essential accessory.

The SD memory cards you use with your T3 now will also work in the R10. You might want to get a spare LP-W17 battery for the R10, which is different from the battery your camera uses. The R10 gets fewer shots per charge than your DSLR... approx. 400 versus 700. This is typical of mirrorless cameras, which use more power due to their electronic viewfinders (but the benefits of those viewfinders outweighs the need to carry one or more extra batteries).

This would give you a very good kit going forward and get you up to date. While your T3 has done its job, it's time to retire it! And, don't take my word for it. Do some searches for reviews and see what you think of the suggested items above. You'll find a lot of info out there. I really like Bryan Carnathan's The-Digital-Picture website, where he has extensively reviewed almost everything Canon for the past 20 years or more.

Lastly, hold off on the tripod for now. While I am a big believer in using a tripod when it's practical, it may be problematic on a golf course. A tripod is used to steady shots when shutter speeds are slow, of course. But a secondary, and to me a bigger benefit is that using a tripod forces the photographer to slow down and think about their shots. It makes for better images. HOWEVER... it's been my experience that other folks on a golf course might not appreciate someone slowing things down!

But to answer your question... yes, tripods are mostly "universal". While there are a variety of types of tripods and tripod heads, most fasten to the camera (or a collar on the lens) with a 1/4" screw or with a quick release platform & plate that fastens to the camera with a 1/4" screw. ("Arca-Swiss" style quick release are the most ubiquitous by far, supported by many manufacturers.) Wait for a while, save up and invest in a quality tripod. A good one can last a lifetime. Cheap, flimsy tripods get replaced often and are false economy. As a broad, general rule I recommend budgeting about $400 minimum for a tripod. (I have one tripod that cost me about that much... around 1978... that I still use today "in studio". Another I have used for 20+ years cost me far more than that, but is lighter and better for "field use".)

P.S. I'm really not knocking your old 12MP camera... I started out my switch from film to digital with a 1.5MP camera, graduated a few years later to 6MP and then 8MP before getting into higher resolution cameras. In fact, I still extensively use two 20MP that are backed up by a pair of 18MP cameras. The R10's 24MP would be another step up for me, too. But I already have another 24MP camera (an M-series) and I'll probably go with the R7 instead. That's a 32.5MP APS-C camera, but is significantly over your budget by the time you get a good lens to use with it.

***********

Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7DII (x2), 7D(x2), EOS M5, some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
FLICKR