T7i vs SL3

[Courage]

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

[Tronhard]

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

[Courage]

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 

[Tronhard]

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?

[Courage]

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 

[Tronhard]

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.

[Courage]

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. 

[Tronhard]

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.

[Courage]

Looking forward to working on it.

[stevet1]

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