T3i 3x Crop Zoom Comparison

[Taky Cheung]

I very much agree the discussion what's the "real" focal length or not goes no where. FOV is what I care at this point and having the the extra zoom power to this standard zoom lens. On the same note, I wouldn't be too concern about the DOF as the 2.8 wide aperture already give me satisfactory result. I think for those including me who's happy with the 3x zoom wouldn't not mind not getting the DOF from a real 240mm F2.8 lens =)

Compared to the previous weddings that I have to carry the 17-55mm F2.8 and the 70-200mm F2.8L. Switching lens is always troublesome. I also worry people would be stealing my lens, or kicking it by accident if I have to leave me around. I am just happy to have 1 lens that can do wide shots as well as close up with just 3-button pressed, just like the cake cutting scene.

[James Donnelly]

Originally Posted by Taky Cheung

I very much agree the discussion what's the "real" focal length or not goes no where. FOV is what I care at this point and having the the extra zoom power to this standard zoom lens. On the same note, I wouldn't be too concern about the DOF as the 2.8 wide aperture already give me satisfactory result. I think for those including me who's happy with the 3x zoom wouldn't not mind not getting the DOF from a real 240mm F2.8 lens =)

Yes, I'm with you all the way. The DOF is not an issue for me. Actually there are benefits. Good reach in low light without the un-manageable DOF.

Just waiting for ML to mature before I trade up from the 550d

[Nigel Barker]

Originally Posted by James Donnelly

Just waiting for ML to mature before I trade up from the 550d

What do you feel that you need Magic Lantern for that would stop you buying the 600D? It already has manual audio levels & I have been shooting with the 5DII for over 2 years & haven't seen anything useful in ML that would make me want to put up with the bugginess of it.

[James Donnelly]

Originally Posted by Nigel Barker

What do you feel that you need Magic Lantern for that would stop you buying the 600D? It already has manual audio levels & I have been shooting with the 5DII for over 2 years & haven't seen anything useful in ML that would make me want to put up with the bugginess of it.

The fact that ML is already under development on the 600d means I don't have to choose, I just have to wait.

I can only comment on the 550d version, but I don't have a problem with bugs.

Things on a 550d with ML that I like:

Trap focus
Magic zoom
Focus peaking
RGB Histogram
Zebras
Kelvin WB
Audio monitoring
Crop marks

These are things I feel I wouldn't be without, but there are a few other things that I like to play with.

The manual Alex produces is an impressive read if you're interested.

As for the 5DII the work being done by AJ is also impressive, so if you haven't had a look already....

[John Wiley]

Originally Posted by Nigel Barker

What do you feel that you need Magic Lantern for that would stop you buying the 600D? It already has manual audio levels & I have been shooting with the 5DII for over 2 years & haven't seen anything useful in ML that would make me want to put up with the bugginess of it.

I too am eagerly awaiting ML for the 600D before I consider it. Without ML, I would not want to use my 550D on a professional shoot, particularly for a wedding where everything must be right the first time.

The audio with Magic Lantern is much better. You have a wider range of control as well as the ability to adjust and monitor it during recording - when it actually matters.

The histogram is unbelievably useful for me. I shoot a lot of surfing and becuase there is so much whitewater/glare the exposure meter is easily tricked and not to be trusted. The histogram, however, lets me know exactly where the highlights/mids/shadows are and gives me a better overall representation of my exposure levels.

I aslo use Kelvin WB to match cameras perfectly.

Magic zoom is also an awesome feature, letting me accurately adjust focus without having to stop recording to use the focus assist.

Other features I use regularly are the cropmarks, continuous recording, lens data (really helpful when setting up steadicam shots), and zebras.

I've never had any problems with bugs at all and have found it completely stable.

[Taky Cheung]

Continous recording would be the feature I love to have =)

[John Wiley]

It's not perfect continuous recording - there is a few seconds gap where it stops and restarts - but at least it means you can use it as an unmanned camera for weddings, rather than having to use a camcorder and try to match the footage later on. You can switch the LCD screen off too which saves battery power and prevents overheating.

[Taky Cheung]

I would just be happy even with the continuous recording if there's a few seconds lost. Hopefully it will be on ML for T3i.

[Nigel Barker]

I too would just be happy with just the almost continuous recording feature. I shall have to look at the 600D version of ML when it is mature. My only experience thus far has been with the AJS version for the 5DII & as far as I understand it this is a completely different piece of software sharing only the Magic Lantern name. My experience with that one is that it would hang every so often requiring hard reboot by removing the battery which is not something that I would want to happen in the middle of an event. I am still not convinced about the necessity of all the other bells & whistles as I don't find it that hard to get accurate focus or exposure on the 5DII without it but do have a couple of years experience. I don't know about the 550D/600D version but the peaking & zebras on the AJS version are not of the quality that I expect to find on a 'proper' video camera & I would rather do without them than have an ugly less than useful version even if it wasn't buggy.

[James Donnelly]

Originally Posted by Nigel Barker

I too would just be happy with just the almost continuous recording feature. I shall have to look at the 600D version of ML when it is mature. My only experience thus far has been with the AJS version for the 5DII & as far as I understand it this is a completely different piece of software sharing only the Magic Lantern name. My experience with that one is that it would hang every so often requiring hard reboot by removing the battery which is not something that I would want to happen in the middle of an event. I am still not convinced about the necessity of all the other bells & whistles as I don't find it that hard to get accurate focus or exposure on the 5DII without it but do have a couple of years experience. I don't know about the 550D/600D version but the peaking & zebras on the AJS version are not of the quality that I expect to find on a 'proper' video camera & I would rather do without them than have an ugly less than useful version even if it wasn't buggy.

It would probably change my view if I had the lock ups. The fact is, I've not once had to take the battery out.

Maybe if I had your experience, or maybe your eyesight, I wouldn't feel the benefits of the exposure and focus assistance tools, but they really do help me, even with a 3x loupe.

But the audio monitoring is really a must have for me.

The other point is that it's always growing and developing, and it seems more and more developers are being attracted to contribute. I love the fact that the possibilties of the camera can expand while you own it, rather than always needing a better camera. Not only that, but you can get involved and steer things a little yourself.

For example, I asked Alex if an RGB histogram would be possible when at the time there was only the luma one available. 3 days later, it was done and released, with the help of some of AJ's existing code.

[Keith Betters]

As much as I hate to admit it, I have to agree with Nigel on this one. My t2i does lock up every so often, to where you have to take the battery out. But the bad part is, if it is recording when that happens, then you completely lose the clip.

I was shooting a high school graduation 3 weeks ago, and then bam, the screen goes black. I have to take off the quick release plate and remove the battery. what made matters worse was, it was about 4 minutes into recording a new clip when it happened. I guess it doesnt close out the clip when it hangs like that. But whatever the reason, I completely lose that 4 minutes of footage because it will not play back in the computer at all.

I love some of the features of magic lantern, but as I move to the t3i, I may not install Magic lantern on it when it comes. Which is a shame but that hanging up and loosing footage aint going to work for me!!!

[Thanh Nguyen]

You guys have to look at this way. The ML firmware is to assist you and it not for you to rely on it. You know from start that "use at your own risk" so when you do some major shoot and you need reliability you should have not use it but rather us the original firmware. I love how the ML run on 5D2 from the card and not permanent so it only a few second to change your mind about yeh or ney on ML for that shot. Like the gh1 hack it freaking crazy reverse engineer but everything come at a price it the users choice to know when to use it

[Nigel Barker]

If I cannot rely on ML 100% getting the shot then I would prefer never to rely on it for focus & exposure & just practice my own camera skills.

[James Donnelly]

Originally Posted by Keith Betters

As much as I hate to admit it, I have to agree with Nigel on this one. My t2i does lock up every so often, to where you have to take the battery out. But the bad part is, if it is recording when that happens, then you completely lose the clip.

I was shooting a high school graduation 3 weeks ago, and then bam, the screen goes black. I have to take off the quick release plate and remove the battery. what made matters worse was, it was about 4 minutes into recording a new clip when it happened. I guess it doesnt close out the clip when it hangs like that. But whatever the reason, I completely lose that 4 minutes of footage because it will not play back in the computer at all.

I love some of the features of magic lantern, but as I move to the t3i, I may not install Magic lantern on it when it comes. Which is a shame but that hanging up and loosing footage aint going to work for me!!!

I agree with Nigel on this too. As I said, if I had the lock ups, I would ditch it. It's interesting that some get this while some don't. I guess the only variables here are the version you use and the card you use.

Originally Posted by Nigel Barker

If I cannot rely on ML 100% getting the shot then I would prefer never to rely on it for focus & exposure & just practice my own camera skills.

I can totally see your point of view. I am a low budget amateur film maker, not an event videographer (too stressfull for me), so I may have a different perspective.

[Nigel Barker]

To return to discussion of the 3x Crop Zoom. I shot a wedding yesterday with the 600D & Canon 17-55 F/2.8 & found the feature really useful that gave me great close ups of the couple & celebrant from where I was at the back of the room. The articulated screen was great when the congregation all stood & blocked my view as I could lift the camera above their heads. The IS is really good on the lens too. I was also very pleased at how good the audio was. We were recording sound from wireless lav on an H4N & a shotgun on a Canon XF305 so weren't even thinking about recording on the 600D but the sound was good & rich from the internal microphones with little or no hiss or pumping even though I assume it was on auto levels.