planning upgrading from t3i

[iphonemaster93]

Hey guys!

So I've had my t3i for a while and I think I'm hitting the limitations in the t3i in terms of what I'm doing now. I've had the camera for about 1-2 years (was given to me as a xmas gift) and up until now, I've done automotive photography, nature photography, as well as portrait photography. I thought that the T3i was already a good enough camera for me to suit my needs but I realized I might need more now but I'm not sure. One night, I was doing rolling shots with a few buddies of mine and noticed in post processing, that there was a ton of grain in most of the pictures if I turned up the shadows (was shooting in betwen 1/10-1/20th of a second at F8.0 at 3200ISO. What are the benefits of upgrading from a T3i or do I just need a better lens? I was thinking of going to either a T4i or a T5i but at the same time, I want to go for a full frame sensored camera but I don't know if the types of photography I'm doing right now require such an advanced camera such as the 5D MkII  or if the t4i/t5i will be good enough. Also, do the lenses for the T3i work for the 5D MKII or do I have to purchase new lenses for it? I'm guessing the lenses for the T3i are compatible with the T4i and the T5i. Thanks!  

[ebiggs1]

Although the correct exposure is best, I don't agree 'totally' with Alan Myers about over-exposure.  A better key word and technique would be 'bracket'.  This is where you take several, 3 or more, shots.  Most cameras, certainly the 7D Mk II can do this seamlessly.  

I, as mostly a wedding and/or event photographer, avoid over-exposure like the plague.  Like Bob from Boston says, blown highlights or washed out areas area total loss.  There simply is no info there.  So, if you miss correct exposure, under is usually better.

Learn to use bracket exposure and post editing.  Good post editing is critical and can be a bigger part of the photo than either you or the camera.

Photography is always the total package.

[iphonemaster93]

could you do bracket exposure without a tripod? or it has to be on a tripod? I've tried it before in broad daylight with my car but it didn't work too well with the T3i doing it handheld. 

[ebiggs1]

You don't need a tripod.

It depends on the camera but some shoot 3 or 5 shots, whatever, when you press the shutter button. You really don't even know any difference.  Some make you press it three, or five, times and then they reset for more or normal.  I never had a T3i so I am not sure how it does this but it will do it.

If it is a stationery subject you can do the bracketing yourself, manually. <--- I know, out of the box thinking here.

[RobertTheFat]

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@iphonemaster93 wrote:

could you do bracket exposure without a tripod? or it has to be on a tripod? I've tried it before in broad daylight with my car but it didn't work too well with the T3i doing it handheld. 

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In the simple form of bracketing, you take several exposures at different settings and use the one that gave the most accurate results. You need a tripod only if some of the exposures used shutter speeds too slow to be hand-held (and then only for those exposures).

But there's a more complex type of bracketing, used in high-dynamic-range photography, in which you take several exposures at different settings and combine them in post-processing. (The theory is that each exposure will get some part of the image right, and the algorithm that combines them will sort it all out.) Since the post-processing software has to align the various images with each other, it's important that each cover exactly the same area and be shot from exactly the same position. For that you need a very stable tripod.

[iphonemaster93]

sorry guys, I've been incredibly busy these past few weeks ever since my last post but I've got a LOT of pictures with the 7DII. I will post them but I just haven't gotten a chance to. Also, what ND filter would you guys recommend? I've got one that requires a holder on the lens itself and it's a hassle to setup so I plan on switching to a screw on one. Recommendations? Thanks! 

[TCampbell]

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@iphonemaster93 wrote:

Also, what ND filter would you guys recommend? I've got one that requires a holder on the lens itself and it's a hassle to setup so I plan on switching to a screw on one. Recommendations? Thanks! 

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I use B+W brand round screw-on filters and have these in 2-stop, 3-stop, and 10-stop densities (0.6, 0.9, and 3.0).  Also keep in mind that a circular polarizer may reduce light by as much as two stops (I hate to declare a specfiic amount because you'll notice the light changes as you rotate the filter... but it can be that strong -- but wont always be that strong.)

I always buy filters with good anti-reflective coatings to reduce the chance of ghosting (reflections off the internal side of the filter that the camera will image.)

I do use slide-in filters too... these are more common with gradient neutral density filters because you want to control where the gradient line starts cutting light.  An advantage to the slide-in filters (even for regular non-grad NDs) is that all you need is the correct size adapter ring to mount the filter holder on the lens.  When you buy thread-on filters they need to be the correct diameter for the lens and if you own multiple different lens diameters ... that creates a new problem.  BUT... if you buy thread-on fitlers based on the largest lens thread diameter needed, you an buy "step up rings" to adapt them to other lens (just be warned that if you use step-up rings on a smaller lens, you may not be able to mount the lens hood.

[iphonemaster93]

I actually just tried doing some long exposure landscape shots with a cheap 2, 4, and 8 stop ND filters (filters came with the lens I bought off of someone, they seemed cheap) and they didn't help at all. Swapped them out with a slide in ND filter but the bottom half of the picture ended up being super overexposed while the top half was incredibly underexposed XD. I might just stick with purchasing some screw on ND filters but what's stopping me from purchasing is the price..I actually just purchased a canon 10-22mm at the end of last week haha.

[TCampbell]

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@iphonemaster93 wrote:

I actually just tried doing some long exposure landscape shots with a cheap 2, 4, and 8 stop ND filters (filters came with the lens I bought off of someone, they seemed cheap) and they didn't help at all. Swapped them out with a slide in ND filter but the bottom half of the picture ended up being super overexposed while the top half was incredibly underexposed XD. I might just stick with purchasing some screw on ND filters but what's stopping me from purchasing is the price..I actually just purchased a canon 10-22mm at the end of last week haha.

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This sounds like the slide-in filters are actually "Gradient Neutral Density" filters (GND).  These filters are rectangular and are tinted only on one half -- the other half is clear.

These filters are typically used for landscape photography where the sky is often bright (especially near sunrise/sunset) and the foreground landscape is often considerably darker.  They allow you adjust the filter in the holder so that you darken only the sky and leave the foreground unaffected to create a more balanced exposure.

[ebiggs1]

"... I bought off of someone, they seemed cheap) and they didn't help at all."

As you become more and more profiecent with PS, you will find that any filter is of less and less value.  Some PS gurus say, no filter is of any use any longer.  I am not quite there, yet, as I do see some value in ND, polarizers and protect filters.  Albeit of little value.

Cheap filters have no value at all. Period!

[iphonemaster93]

I'm still learning hehe 😄 I was going to purchase colored filters but then after I got CPL and and the slide in ND filter, I realized that the colored filters weren't neccessary, and that it was possible through PS but just like you said, I'm just not anywhere near that skill level yet. I just recently got into heavy editing with PS and LR and I still have a lot of types of photos I want to achieve in shooting. I did succeed in finding the Light Effects under render with my photo being in 8 bit mode but I'm unable to use it in 16 bit or 32 bit mode.