Canon EOS Rebel T3

 

Announced in February 2011 along with the more fully featured Rebel T3i, the EOS Rebel T3 slots into the middle of Canon's entry-level DSLR lineup based on MSRP. The T3 features a 12.2 megapixel CMOS sensor and improved DIGIC 4 processor, a nine point auto focus (AF) system with a single center cross-point sensor and a 100-6400 ISO sensitivity range.

 The Canon 5157B002 includes the EOS Rebel T3 Digital SLR Camera and the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS type II Lens. This camera and lens is perfect for photographers ready to make the move to digital SLR photography. The EOS Rebel T3 delivers beautiful photos and video, speed, simplicity and fun. It features a 12.2 Megapixel CMOS Image Sensor and Canon DIGIC 4 Image Processor for richly detailed images and quick camera response. It has Canon's amazing 63-zone, dual-layer metering for accurate exposures and features Canon's Basic+ function, HD video recording and Live View shooting, plus a convenient in-camera Feature Guide. 

Pro:

Con:

Good ergonomics; varied button-shapes make it easy to operate by feel Solid build for a plastic-bodied camera Generally good image quality for its class Reasonably wide sensitivity range for an entry-level model Excellent detail from RAW files Accurate color Creative Auto mode replaces photo jargon with easily-understood terminology Generous exposure compensation range Peripheral Illumination Correction reduces vignetting Highlight Tone Priority works well to protect highlights Auto Lighting Optimizer works well to improve exposure in some situations Very good battery life High-def movie capture with single AF operation during capture

Control dial is very stiff, and not ideally angled for comfort Flash button is easy to miss, since it lacks a screen-printed label New viewfinder has slightly less magnification, much narrower diopter adjustment range Very warm auto white balance when shooting indoors Burst speeds lower than typical from competing entry-level cameras Even slower burst shooting in raw mode, positively glacial in raw+JPEG, with small to nonexistent buffer depth No in-camera correction for chromatic aberration or geometric distortion Weak flash, by SLR standards No spot metering No ultrasonic sensor cleaning Minor chroma noise and demosaicing errors in fine detail such as hair Doesn't support a portrait / battery grip

Overall, the Canon Rebel T3 offers a fairly compelling package for amateur photographers looking to step up to their first SLR, and some existing Rebel owners may also find the T3 to be a worthy upgrade. More experienced shooters, however--especially those who tend to shoot exclusively in raw format--will want to look at alternatives with greater burst-shooting performance. To be fair to Canon, though, they're not really the target market for this camera. For the entry-level buyer wanting to step up to an SLR for the first time, the Canon T3 offers a pretty compelling package.