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Nikon d3100 vs. canon t2i

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KnobJockey
Posts: 797 - Karma: 37

i would be using these for regular photography and a little bit of ski photography and filming which would be better?

Apr 16 2011 11:31PM
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.Ian.
Posts: 1568 - Karma: 72
There's been a lot of talk about comparing these two cameras. Most people tend to say Nikon for Photos, Canon for video. If I were you I'd go with the brand that you're friends have so you could buy lenses off them and stuff. If the Nikon is still a lot cheaper then the t2ii, like it was when I bought it I'd go with that. You should hold the cameras too and choose the one that feels better in you're hands too.
Apr 17 2011 12:10AM
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MACAQUE
Posts: 2811 - Karma: 696
^^^what he said.


But if you're gonna get serious about filming go with the t2i. For mostly photo go with the 3100. I have the D3100 instead of the t2i because I planned on doing more photography than filming, but now I'm much more interested in photography so I never shoot video. It's a great camera. Check out some of my shots with it here if you're interested in image quality etc. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jewced/
Apr 17 2011 1:29AM
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KnobJockey
Posts: 797 - Karma: 37
is the nikon still fairly good for filming? im assuming it would make a lot better movies than a go pro or a flip camera
Apr 17 2011 3:26AM
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HeadyTopper
Posts: 1170 - Karma: 97
go with the t2i, canons are amazing. I just switched from my nikon to a canon 7d.
Apr 17 2011 6:43AM
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.Ian.
Posts: 1568 - Karma: 72
The nikon is still great for filming. Have you checked out any of the video tests on youtube? I mean, you don't get the 720p at 60fps like you do with the t2i but the video quality of the d3100 is still great!
Apr 17 2011 12:50PM
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MACAQUE
Posts: 2811 - Karma: 696
Which Nikon did you switch from, and are you into more video or photo? Unless you made the switch from a Nikon D300S or up, saying you like the Canon more is pretty inaccurate.
Apr 17 2011 3:10PM
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TijmenDal
Posts: 4849 - Karma: 1,295
Nikon vs Canon is a bullshit debate if you ask me. Sure enough Canon is better for filming, but in the end it's all about who's using the camera. Few things why I chose for Canon: bigger community (like POTN) and thus more help/info etc., bigger second hand market, generally a bit cheaper glass and the video aspect as well.
Apr 17 2011 3:52PM
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MACAQUE
Posts: 2811 - Karma: 696
Yea pretty much. I chose Nikon because my dad has a ton of old Nikon lenses that I can use, and I like the feel and layout of Nikons better. And I like Nikon's AF better than Canon. Either company's cameras are equally capable of taking amazing pictures.
Apr 17 2011 4:12PM
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MN_Nice
Posts: 3824 - Karma: 56
Stick to the Nikon if you're only doing minor video. You'll get better lenses glass-wise from what people have said.
Apr 17 2011 5:18PM
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MN_Nice
Posts: 3824 - Karma: 56
And I'm actually a Canon guy saying this so there's no bias.
Apr 17 2011 5:19PM
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KnobJockey
Posts: 797 - Karma: 37
alright thanks everybody i think im gonna go with the nikon, but thanks for all the advice. one last question, does the nikon have a long shutter setting?
Apr 17 2011 5:23PM
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MN_Nice
Posts: 3824 - Karma: 56
Of course.
Apr 17 2011 5:23PM
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sector_6_films
Posts: 144 - Karma: 75
damn y would u switch over canon is boss. i have both the 7d and the t2i and i love both of them coulnt be happier
Apr 23 2011 3:28PM
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WillStart
Posts: 3955 - Karma: 3,192
wait what? he said he switched from a nikon to a 7D.
Apr 23 2011 4:11PM
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HeadyTopper
Posts: 1170 - Karma: 97
Click for larger image
Apr 23 2011 8:43PM
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Gretchen.
Posts: 1163 - Karma: 87
I just did a Nikon D3100 camera test the other day and for video here are some pros and cons I found:

Pros: Nikon makes some very nice lenses.
The video quality at 1080p and 24fps was very nice and clear.
The sound quality just off the camera was good.

Cons: The camera body was very light and small, which didn't help with steady shots.
The viewfinder and screen are smaller and on a sunny day I had trouble getting some of my shots focused right (manual focus).
Using manual settings in video mode is a huge pain.  If you plan to shoot on auto, which is fine, then there is no issue, but switching settings in video mode takes forever. 
Apr 23 2011 11:23PM
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erikK
Posts: 3245 - Karma: 2,328
How so?
Apr 24 2011 1:57AM
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Gretchen.
Posts: 1163 - Karma: 87
I'm not sure if you have ever shot with Nikons?  What I meant to say was switching manual settings in photo mode takes forever.

I currently have a Nikon D80 along with some video cameras and the D80 has a small settings screen on the top of the body of the camera.  There are two dials, one each for aperture and shutter speed and a button for white balance.  The D3100 has its manual settings inside of the menu screen on the main screen of the camera and with only one dial you can quickly change one setting but you have to hold a button and use the dial to change the other.  This might not sound like much but when you are shooting skaters or something on the go its kind of a hassle.

On top of that (this all might just be me having never used the camera) I had trouble getting the manual settings screen to come up and in video mode I had to change my settings, exit video mode, and then reenter video mode to see the difference on live view (unlike the D7000 where it happens instantly in the live view).

I'm not a video expert but here in the link to the video test using auto and manual settings, no color correction, and 1080p 24fps.  Also on my channel is a D5000 test and the videos for the D7000 and D90 tests will be up soon.

I'll try to embed but I can't usually get it to work, so here's a link: http://vimeo.com/22176426

<object width="400" height="225"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=22176426&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=00adef&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=22176426&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=00adef&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="225"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/22176426">The Sounds of Skateboarding. (Nikon D3100 Test)</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/gpearl">Gretchen Pearl</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
Apr 24 2011 8:47AM
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MN_Nice
Posts: 3824 - Karma: 56
Very nice videos!
Apr 24 2011 11:01AM
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kootenayklaus
Posts: 3914 - Karma: 2,179
In my opinion, Canon is the way to go. Both companies make DSLR's so granted you're going to get awesome quality from both, but as someone who does a lot of filmmaking myself, my 60d is the perfect DSLR for my needs. Excellent photography, great interface, quickly able to switch settings such as ISO and such, and doing a side by side with the Nikon D7000, the only thing the D7000 has on it is the 100% view finder and the two SD slots. With the T2i and D3100, the T2i is EASILY the best route to go.
Apr 24 2011 11:09AM
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Obie.
Posts: 1741 - Karma: 3,646
why would you have both?
Apr 24 2011 12:40PM
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.cam.
Posts: 1852 - Karma: 48
A-cam And B-cam
Apr 24 2011 1:13PM
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207
Posts: 8969 - Karma: 3,846
Get the T2i, and this is coming from a Nikon guy.

The T2i takes just as quality photos as the D3100, the fps rate for continuous shooting is nearly the same.

For Video: D3100-1080p/24fps vs. T2i-1080p/30fps
D3100-720p/30fps vs. T2i 720p/60fps

The ISO on both cameras is the same, (expandable to 12,800) and the T2i has 4 more megapixels than the D3100.
Apr 24 2011 1:18PM
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Gretchen.
Posts: 1163 - Karma: 87
Thank you sir
Apr 24 2011 3:19PM
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WillStart
Posts: 3955 - Karma: 3,192
the T2i also shoots at 1080p/24p, which is much better than 1080p30p
Apr 24 2011 3:22PM
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MACAQUE
Posts: 2811 - Karma: 696
You also forgot to mention that the ISO performance on the D3100 is worlds better, and that the AF system is far more consistent. Yes, I've spent a lot of time using both cameras. Nikon makes better glass as well. To the person saying changing settings on a Nikon is a pain, how do you think so? I find it much easier to adjust ISO, shutter speed, and aperture on a D3100 than a t2i. You hold down a button with your index finger, and spin a wheel with your thumb. What's difficult about that?
Apr 24 2011 3:28PM
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WillStart
Posts: 3955 - Karma: 3,192
this past summer i worked a shoot with a T2i and some sort of Nikon that took video (if not the D3100, it was another nikon that was better than the D3100). we shot at the same ISO, but holy shit the nikon footage looked fucking terrible compared to the T2i footage, even all the Nikon guys were admitting it


Apr 24 2011 3:46PM
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Gretchen.
Posts: 1163 - Karma: 87
I gave a pretty long description above about why, and I haven't spent much time using Canon's so I wasn't comparing the Nikon D3100 to the T2i but rather to other Nikons.
Apr 24 2011 4:55PM
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207
Posts: 8969 - Karma: 3,846
Will Start, yeah I know 24p is way better, I was just saying they have 30p too.

SteezeMonger, the ISO on the D3100 isn't that much better, and if you ML a T2i isn't it the same. Nikon does make better glass, but you can use nikon on canon. Adjusting settings on a Nikon ISN'T a pain.
Apr 24 2011 5:05PM
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WillStart
Posts: 3955 - Karma: 3,192
oh word. based on the fact what you were also saying 720p30p vs 720p60p (and i agree that 720p60p is better), i thought you may have been one of those people who thinks higher frame rate is always better, even if its 30p vs 24p
Apr 24 2011 5:13PM
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207
Posts: 8969 - Karma: 3,846
of course not! If I had a T2i and wasn't shooting action I'd shoot 24p it looks more like real film.

If I had a T2i it'd be:

Action: 60p
Everything else: 24p
Apr 24 2011 5:38PM
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MACAQUE
Posts: 2811 - Karma: 696
To the guy that said D3100 footage is shit compared to t2i footage, I agree 100%. If you're serious about video, don't go with Nikon.

And ISO is wayyy better on Nikons. As I said, I've logged quite a few hours on both a D3100 and a t2i.


But OP, why are you comparing a t2i to a D3100? A more accurate comparison would be a D5100 to a t2i.
Apr 24 2011 7:49PM
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WillStart
Posts: 3955 - Karma: 3,192


what i'm saying is we filmed at night, canon and nikon at the same ISO, and the nikon looked grainy and terrible compared to the T2i.
Apr 24 2011 7:54PM
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MACAQUE
Posts: 2811 - Karma: 696
As I said, Nikon video is shit. You have no manual adjustments at all. For photos, Nikon ISO performance is better. I can try to find some comparison charts in a little bit. You can't argue with hard data.
Apr 24 2011 8:21PM
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erikK
Posts: 3245 - Karma: 2,328
no
Apr 24 2011 9:33PM
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WillStart
Posts: 3955 - Karma: 3,192
you have to realize you never said ISO for photos. you just kept saying it was better. so for all i knew, you were talking about videos too
Apr 24 2011 10:07PM
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erikK
Posts: 3245 - Karma: 2,328
That video posted earlier of the skate park in this thread looked pretty good. What manual adjustments do you have for video on a Canon that you don't have on a Nikon?
Apr 24 2011 11:26PM
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WillStart
Posts: 3955 - Karma: 3,192
that's because it was filmed in daylight. you won't really be able to tell in daylight. also, a big reason why people say nikons video is shit is because of the lack of manual features, resolutions, and frame rates
Apr 24 2011 11:41PM
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erikK
Posts: 3245 - Karma: 2,328
Oh I took the way he said it as a general statement. I guess I'm missing something in terms of Nikons lacking manual features. The only thing I see see that Nikon lacks is 60p, which I don't find very useful for anything other than slow motion.
Apr 24 2011 11:52PM
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MichSteeze
Posts: 536 - Karma: 12
i am also looking at the nikon d3100, just because it is cheaper, price i found locally was $590.00 with kit lens.
May 3 2011 3:13PM
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