The Canon EOS Rebel T3i Review: Everything You Need to Know

When it comes to camera reviews, we here at VirtualPhotographyStudio aren’t too active, but every now and then, something catches our attention. A little while back we gave you a 6 photography project ideas for students and today we thought of recommending the camera to start your photography project with. This is our Canon EOS Rebel T3i review, so read on and take notes!

Canon EOS Rebel T3i Review

The new Canon EOS Rebel T3i is a beautiful camera. One of its most awesome features is the 3-inch LCD vari-angle screen that has one million pixels. The lens mount is Canon EF and accepts around 60 EF-S lenses. On the front it also has a 4-pinhole mic and depth of field preview buttons.

On the top, you’ve got the auto pop-up flash, the power switch, the mode dial and the ISP buttons. Also, the display and the jog wheel for menu adjustments are there.

Canon EOS Rebel T3i Review 1

The back of the Canon EOS Rebel T3i features a spectacular screen and a viewfinder with 0.85x magnification and 95% coverage. The four-way controller is very easy to use and access Picture Styles, AF, white balance and burst/self-timer. We can also see a tiny speaker on the back and a nice thumb rest.

On the right side of the Canon EOS Rebel T3i you’ve got the SD card slot and two doors that give way to A/V and mini-HDMI outs and inputs for microphones and remotes. On the bottom you’ll find the compartment for batteries and the metal tripod mount. The entire camera measures 5.2 x 3.9 x 3.1 and only weight 18.2 ounces for the body alone.

When you buy this camera, the box comes with more than just the camera body, naturally. It also comes with the kit lens of your choice (we had the 18-135 mm lens), a strap, body cap, battery, charger and the owner’s manual which is large enough to cause head trauma with. They’re saying that the battery will last you for 550 shots (without the flash) and 440 with the flash. Two CD-ROMs are also included in the box, one is the software instruction manual and the other is the Mac and Windows EOS Digital Solution Dish software.

The Canon EOS Rebel T3i has an APS-C CMOS sensor with 18 MP. This is the most powerful sensor the company is offering without having to buy their EOS 5D Mark II which costs around four times as much as this one, for the body only.

If you think that 18 MP isn’t enough for you, we’re telling you that it is. Even if you’re not a newbie, 18 MP is enough if you’re not planning to make enormous prints out of your photographs. Besides, it has 5164 x 3456 pixels, which is superb!

Canon EOS Rebel T3i Review 2

The 18-135mm zoom that comes with the camera is also pretty amazing and makes for an easy and carefree shooting. Colors are very accurate and the detail is truly excellent. We’ve tried to shoot a speeding car with this camera and thanks to the 3.7 fps burst mode, we’ve done it without any trouble.

The starting price for the Canon EOS Rebel T3i is $500.

In conclusion, the Canon EOS Rebel T3i is a spectacular camera that gives you great 18-MP images, full HD videos at 30 fps, 3.7 pfs at full resolution and it also has an amazing 3-inch LCD vari-angle screen. Unfortunately, the focus on video isn’t all that great and there is no burst mode in A+ auto. The price is quite alright, for what this digital camera has to offer, so we suggest that if you’re a DSLR newbie and you’re interested in getting a new camera in this price range, then you should choose the Canon EOS Rebel T3i!

Canon EOS Rebel T3i Review 3

Hope you enjoyed our review! Have you tried the Canon EOS Rebel T3i? Drop us a line in the comment section below and tell us a few things about it, we would love to hear from you!

Top Business Books For Photographers To Read Going Into 2012

Every year I read dozens of books. And while I read a variety of different genres, business books tend to be one of the largest. As I was looking back over some of the books I’ve read this year, I decided to put together a small list of books that are perfect for finishing up 2011 with and getting ready to build a strong, successful business in 2012.

How To Market to People Not Like You
By Kelly McDonald
While most marketing gurus argue that you should develop a niched market and target them exclusively, this book will show you how to step outside that box and concentrate on core values rather than demographics. By looking at core values, you can find similar marketplaces in a variety of different places. If increasing your client base in 2012 is a top priority, this may be the book to help you think in different ways.

Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds and Actions
By Guy Kawasaki
I love how Kawasaki writes – story like format that is easy and fun to read. This is a quick read that will help you think of your business and your customers in new ways. Enchantment is the art of influence and persuasion, and how it transforms the relationships all around you. Understand how to change your goals through the use of enchantment and you will quickly get into the hearts and minds of people that could be your biggest fans.

Think: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumbed Down World
By Lisa Bloom
While not technically a business book, this book is filled with information on why women are at the top of their game in education and career options, yet still struggle to get past the “looks” obsession. (Plus its a great read for the daughters in your life as well.) With today’s focus on celebrity media, plastic surgery and reality TV, the only way to move forward from here is to Think.

The Thank You Economy
By Gary Vaynerchuk
If you’ve noticed a change in the way people market their products and in the way they  buy, you’re not alone. Today’s world is controlled by a new set of communication rules. If you don’t understand the way people now make decisions, you’ll never succeed at business. This book is a great way to help you start out 2012 in a new way. While it won’t give you a detailed plan for using social media, it will provide a blueprint to why its the only way to succeed in the future.

The Personal MBA
By Josh Kaufman
This book starts with business fundamentals and works forward from there. With a unique look at concepts and skills, its an easy way to pick up the facts you need to succeed and put them into place immediately. It’s a book filled with complex principles written in an easy to read format. Perfect for the person that doesn’t have an MBA, yet really wants to succeed in business.

Evil Plans
By Hugh MacLeod
At first glance this may seem like a strange book to include in my Top Business Books list. It’s a book filled with cartoons. Yet look at its meaning and the message it delivers. This book is a manifesto on creativity, how to find it, and what to do with it to find success within your own small business. It’s a great book to pick up read one or two on a daily basis and really think about how to apply it to your own business model.

Real Time Marketing and PR
By David Meerman Scott
I’ve recommended his previous book, The New Rules of Marketing and PR before; in this follow up you’ll learn more practical steps to take your business into the future using online marketing strategies to your advantage. I love this book as it is filled with real world examples. Pick it up, open it up to any page, and you’ll learn something new you can directly apply to your business today.

If you’re looking at expanding your knowledge of operating a photography business, there are many options out there. While most are geared towards starting a business or becoming better at picture taking, here are a few that can help you understand and build a strong photography studio within the next few months.

The Photographers Blogging Book
30 Ways in 30 Days
Become a Top Wedding Photographer
What Do I Name My Photography Business?

How To Give Your Photography Business A Spring Cleaning

I love this time of year. The trees are flowering. The grass is turning green. And with the gorgeous 70 degree days, nothing is better than heading out and cleaning out the gardens, getting ready for a new year of living outside every chance we get.

While much of my weekends and afternoons are spent outside in the gardens right now, I’m also spending an equal amount of time on the inside, looking at my business.

Have you heard the phrase, “two steps forward, one step back”? I like to spring clean by keeping that phrase in mind.

If you spend any time in the garden, you know some things grow, and some things don’t. Especially in cold climates like Colorado, some things make it well over the winter months, and some things die out. We plant all summer long, then spend the springtime looking over the garden, evaluating what came back, and what didn’t. Sometimes it means pulling out old to make room for the new.

The same applies to your business.

Every year, I come up with new ideas, design new promotions, plan new products and services, and release a lot of new things to my clients and prospects. Some things stick. Some don’t.

But while its okay to try new things, you also have to take a step back occasionally and make sure things are running efficiently. Are there things you can change that would make your business even better? Can you add things? Delete things?

Review Your Goals

By now you know I’m a huge planner, and goal setting is a necessity to stay on track. I talk about it again and again.

Is There Any Such Thing As An Impossible Goal?

5 Questions That Will Make You A Successful Photographer In 2011

Do You Want The Photography Life Or The Photography Lifestyle?

While its good to set up goals on a regular basis, it’s also a good idea to review and change them along the way.

I’ve read books that show you how to set up 100 year goals. And I’ve also read books that state setting goals for anything beyond a couple of years is a hindrance, because things simply change too fast. My views fall somewhere in the middle.

I agree that to set up long term goals of several years can be difficult in today’s marketplace. Technology changes and becomes obsolete every few months. Yet you have to understand your long term plans in order to set things in place today. [Read more…]