topic Re: T7i vs SL3 in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

T7i vs SL3

Courage — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 22:14:18 GMT

Hello, needing some advice on which is better. My first (and only) camera is a Canon Rebel T3i. I've had it for the past 5 years. I have the 18-55 kit lense, 75-300 telephoto, and, gen 1(not sure if that's what it's technically called, but first iteration) 50mm 1.8. Since I got the nifty fifty, I really haven't used the other two lenses much. I was relatively content with my camera, until just recently. My dad recently picked up a 7D, and his auto focus is usable. Mine is so slow that it honestly is almost useless. We're planning some trips in the near future, and I'd like something that has a enough technology that I can put it on auto and just click away occasionally so I don't have to be MIA because I'm trying to take a picture... Maybe my auto focus settings are wrong, but I'm still kinda wondering about a new to me camera. I seem to end up taking pictures mainly in low light, so I'm wondering if either of those cameras would perform better than my T3i substantially? How much better would an 80D be if I could find one?

The SL3 I'm looking at just has the 18-55 kit lense and is $300 obo.

The T7i has the kit lense and the 55-250 which I've heard is a much better lense than my 75-300. That one is $400 obo.

Hopefully my rambling made sense. Looking forward to hearing any advice you guys have for a newbie!

Thanks in advance!

Courage

Re: T7i vs SL3

Tronhard — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 22:26:15 GMT

Hi and welcome to the forum:
If it is within your price range, I would go for the T7i, it is a much more capable camera. As always, if purchasing second-hand it should be from a reputable retailer, so check their credentials and definitely study the manual before you pick it up and run it through some tests.
Definitely the EF-S 55-250 STM is a good lens, and should be optically much superior to the 75-300.

If you don't want to be hung up struggling with the controls on vacation, definitely study the manual and really get to know the controls (they should not be too different from what you are used to), look at the table of contents and seek features you may not have seen before. You can get the manual here:

eos-rebelt7i-800d-im-en.pdf (c-wss.com)

You can also find a series of tutorials on the camera:
Michael the maven canon t7i - YouTube

Re: T7i vs SL3

Courage — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 01:28:25 GMT

Thanks so much for responding! I really appreciate it! I read online elsewhere that the T7i isn't a very big upgrade over the T3i. Is that true? Do you think I should hold out until a good deal comes along on maybe an 80D, 90D, or T8i?

Does the T7i do noticeably better in low light than the T3i?

Thanks again!

Courage

Re: T7i vs SL3

Tronhard — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 02:23:33 GMT

The T3i was released in 2011 and the T7i in 2017, that's a gap of 6 years and yes, it makes a difference. Absolutely, as my colleague Steve indicated you will get faster performance for focus from the T7i and since you apparently get a (assumedly) newer 18-55, and the much more capable 55-250, for a difference of $100, with that little we know, the T7i sounds like a good deal. The sensor is bigger and has a better dynamic range, the processor is better and it has a flip screen to assist with very low, or very high subjects.
However, if we delve into your issues let's look at your experience, what you shoot and what you intend to produce. Money can't buy you skill, just as the quote in my signature says. For example, here are some images I took with the T3i:
BC Legislature at Dusk Floatplanes, Victoria, BC The way ahead, Auckland, NZ Veysie

On the other hand, the following images were taken with the EOS 80D, roughly equivalent to the T7i.
Canon EOS 80D, EF 18-135 IS USM@72mm, f/8
It's more about the technique than the tech.

- How much do you actually KNOW about exposure? Do you understand the relationship between the 'Holy Trinity' of exposure controls: Shutter speed, Aperture and ISO?
- What kinds of subjects do you photograph: e.g. action images, street, architecture, portrait, wildlife. These are all different genres that call different exposure characteristics and often lenses. Given you said that you most use the 50mm f/1.8 that suggest not wildlife, or a lot of action outdoors, but more detail would be helpful.
- You said you want to be ready for trips in the near future. How soon is that and where are you going? What kinds of subjects do you anticipate photographing in these places? If you are talking about saving up for a more capable camera, how does that impact your trips?
- What mode do you generally shoot with Auto, P, Av, Tv, M or some other?

Re: T7i vs SL3

stevet1 — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 01:53:19 GMT

Courage,

I know a guy who has a T7i, paired with an 18-135mm IS USM Nano lens. His pictures are among the best I've ever seen.

At the time I upgraded, my choice came down between an SL3 and a T8i. I went with the T8i.

I've seen pictures I liked and when I learn that they were taken with the T3i, I was surprised. It's still a very capable camera. If $400 is what you have available to spend, investing in a 55-250 is good idea, I think. Your autofocus is going to be a lot faster.

Steve Thomas

Re: T7i vs SL3

Courage — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 02:19:32 GMT

Thanks for your detailed responses.

I had a couple really good friends (that I've sadly fallen out of touch with) that kind of explained it to me. I wouldn't say though that I've mastered it. They basically said to run my apiture 1 stop above lowest, and then to lower shutter as far as possible without it getting blurry, and then use my iso to brighten it up the rest of the way. I've been experimenting lately though with higher iso's. Not sure if I have all that correct, but that's kinda how I was taught low light shooting.

I enjoy landscape photography, and I've dappled in portraits, but I'd say alot of detail shots, like a water drop on a leaf, or some little mushrooms in some moss. I haven't had much success with wildlife, as I haven't been pleased with the results that my 75-300 have produced.

We're probably going to the Oregon coast in the next month or two, so I'd like to get some good ocean shots, maybe sunsets if there are any good ones, that kinda thing for this trip.

I typically keep it on manual. I don't know if that's the best practice or not, but I enjoy being able to dial it in to be what I have in my head, not that it always works out though... hoping though that if I do upgrade, I'll be able to through it on auto sometimes for when I want to quickly record a memory, with out having to dial it in (I'm not good at it, so it can take a while lol).

Thanks again!

Courage

Re: T7i vs SL3

Courage — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 02:21:46 GMT

Glad to hear that!

Sometimes I'm amazed at what cameras were used to capture certain pictures.

That T7i sees pretty appealing since it comes with that 55-250.

Re: T7i vs SL3

Tronhard — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 02:34:44 GMT

Thanks for responding...
My first suggestion is to get the camera off M mode and shoot in Av mode, and set your ISO to Auto. By doing so you have taken two of the three elements out of having to be set and the camera will do its best to give you a decent exposure, leaving you to concentrate on Aperture - which controls what is in focus and thus what you are telling the viewer to concentrate on. I am suggesting this in the need to speed you up.

So, first of all try those settings on your T3i and see how that works for you, it should help. The other thing is that the lenses have a massive difference in the quality of your images and investing in better glass will long outlast the camera bodies - they change fairly frequently: lenses far less often.

I have just added to the post I made previously with example images from both eras of cameras the 80D being roughly equivalent to the T7i.
Definitely, better lenses such as the 18-55 and 55-250 lens will, just themselves, improve your images. The sensor on the T7i has more resolution, better dynamic range and should handle noise better than the T3i, although that is still a reasonably capable camera.

Still, in the meantime, let's solve the issue of your speed in getting the shot, even just using the 50mm lens -take a bunch of images in different light and settings and see how you go.

Re: T7i vs SL3

Tronhard — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 02:54:34 GMT

Absolutely, as a single walk around lens the 18-135 is a brilliant optic, but the combination of 18-55 and 55-250 is still an excellent choice - it will give the OP more aperture range, and it's available with the T7i. These were all taken with the 55-250, hand-held, available light. The first two in brutal mid-summer, midday light of a Māori dance group - to cope with the light I dropped the ISO down and shot with a very high shutter speed that also froze the movement. The bird was actually shot through a rather grubby double-glazed window!

60D, 55-250@105mm, f/7.1, 1/1000sec, ISO-200 EOS 60D, 55-250@155mm, f/7.1, 1/1000sec, ISO-200 EOS 90D, 55-250@250mm, f/8, 1/400sec, ISO1250

I still retain an 80D and the 18-135 USM version, the combination just has a great feel to it - even though I have much newer and more capable cameras it still takes great images - remembering it's very like the T7i.

Re: T7i vs SL3

stevet1 — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 03:13:23 GMT

Courage,

Where did you see a T7i coupled with a 55-250mm lens for $400?

The camera alone runs around $800 new.

A 55-250mm IS STM lens runs about $300 new.

A T7i is definitely an upgrade to your T3i.

I would echo what Trevor said. Put your camera in Av mode and auto ISO for a while.

Take note of what the camera set for your exposure in various lighting situations. I shot that way myself for a long time, and the 55-250 was the only lens I had.

Down the road, you'll have a better idea of what settings you want to select for yourself in Manual mode.

Steve Thomas

Re: T7i vs SL3

stevet1 — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 03:16:24 GMT

Trevor,

I was lucky enough to be gifted an 18-135, and it stays on my camera about 90% of the time.

Steve Thomas

Re: T7i vs SL3

Tronhard — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 06:04:35 GMT

Definitely with Steve on this. You might be able to get a lot more benefit from using your current camera, with upgraded lenses. However, the first step is to get your shooting methodology sorted and then we can look at the gear.
Yep, the 75-300 is pretty mediocre, at best. The 55-250 would be a reasonable replacement, or if you can find one, the EF 70-300 has more reach, but all of the versions of it are great optics. See my post on that range:
70-300 Canon Lenses In-Depth Analysis - Page 4 - Canon Community.
If you prefer shooting at the shorter range, the 50mm might work well as is, but if you don't need the reach of the 55-250 and want an excellent walk-around lens, the 18-135 STM or USM versions are excellent and you can get some great close-up shots with that lens.
Canon T3i, EF-S 198-135 USM@ 105mm, f/7.1, 1/250sec, ISO-800 Canon 80D, EF-S 18-135mm@135mm, f/8, 1/2000sec, ISO-200, hand-held

Re: T7i vs SL3

Tronhard — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 03:27:03 GMT

Good fortune indeed! I had 3 of them 2x STM and 1xUSM, I sold the STM versions but still have the other.

Re: T7i vs SL3

Courage — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 05:36:11 GMT

I'll switch to Av mode and see it that helps. I really had never thought of that.

I'm amazed that some of those pics were taken with a T3i! Good job.

So it it sounds like most of my problem is with me, the photographer, but switching to that T7i and the newer lenses would be helpful.

Re: T7i vs SL3

Courage — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 05:37:34 GMT

Definitely going to put it in Av mode and do some shooting.

It's a used camera on Facebook Marketplace.

Re: T7i vs SL3

Tronhard — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 05:38:10 GMT

Well, let's say that the easiest and cheapest thing is to work on technique and then we'll look at the gear side of things.

Re: T7i vs SL3

Courage — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 05:40:27 GMT

That's incredible that you took the bird picture through a window! Any tips on what you did make it look so clear? I've never had much success shooting through windows...

Re: T7i vs SL3

Tronhard — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 05:53:04 GMT

I use quite specific settings that you may, at some time consider:
I use a thing called Back Button Focus, which separates the focus from the shutter button. This allows me to react very quickly to focusing situations and not re-focus as I am taking a photo. For a reference video on this see this one from Canon Australia: note that this includes a feature called Servo Autofocus.

As well as that, I use single-point focus, set to be in the centre of the image area.
Then I use single point metering. Evaluative metering, the default option, tries to average out the exposure for the whole image area, but that might not work in the event of a lot of contrast, or a very bright subject (like a polar bear) or a very dark subject (like a black bear). In the former situation the image would tend to be under exposed, while the latter it would be over exposed.
By using single point exposure, I can select a point that is a mid-grey, which is what a sensor looks to emulate and lock that in. I can assign this to the * button on the back of the camera - see custom controls in your manual.
So, when I take a photo, I do the following:
Point at a mid-grey point and tap the * button to lock the exposure.
Point at my subject (an eye for example) and tap to lock focus for a still object, but hold for a moving one.
Recompose and press the shutter button to shoot.

With practice this is a very fast method of shooting.

Re: T7i vs SL3

Courage — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 05:57:17 GMT

Just went and read that post you linked, seems like it'd be a great lense to have in my kit!

I'm definitely going to take your advice about trying Av mode, hopefully tomorrow.

Re: T7i vs SL3

Tronhard — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 05:58:48 GMT

Good for you. Go for it!