DSLR Recommendation

[Tinelement]

Thanks gents!

I purchased local today!

[One Shot]

I purchased the T4i and just got the kit lens that came with it....but I don't like it. I am new to this so it made it hard to decide what I wanted and didn't want. I dont like the auto focus on the lens, i'd rather do it manually and when you are shooting a video with the AF on it is pretty loud and can be heard in the video. I'm thinking about taking the camera back and going with the other lens..18-135mm or whatever it is I cant remember. The kit lens doesn't have enough zoom.

Tinelement - Keep us posted how you like the camera. I'm wanting to personally do more wildlife photography and the little point and shoot cannon with the 20x zoom is working out alot better as of right now. Ya its a point n shoot and i'm sure its gonna be pretty limited to what I can do with it but it was like $200 vs an $800 camera that cant take the photos in distance without a pricey lens. But I will say the T4i takes good photos so far and I do like it.

[Fentonite]

Pulled the trigger on this package deal for the wife's Christmas present (Canon T3i, plus stuff). She's not a photographer, but I'm hoping she'll adopt the hobby. I think she'd be good at it. If she's not psyched, there may be a camera for sale soon...
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0062MYUXS/..._M3T1_ST1_dp_1

[Aloha_Shooter]

I dont like the auto focus on the lens, i'd rather do it manually and when you are shooting a video with the AF on it is pretty loud and can be heard in the video. I'm thinking about taking the camera back and going with the other lens..18-135mm or whatever it is I cant remember. The kit lens doesn't have enough zoom.

I don't like where the 18-55 kit lens cuts out either but you can set it to manual focus if you want. Just slide the switch on the left side of the lens from A to M. You can also change HOW the camera selects focus points. The Rebels have an incredible diversity of programming options. I think you'll be pleased with the results if you swap for the package with either the Canon 18-135 or Tamron 18-270.

[kwando]

99% you should use center point focus.... Don't let the camera pick the focus

But when you step up to USM AF you will be spoiled by how quiet and fast lenses with USM are

[centrarchidae]

99% you should use center point focus.... Don't let the camera pick the focus

THIS, but I'll go one step further.

99% of the time, don't let the camera do any of the actual thinking at all. If you put it in full automatic exposure mode (green box) or automatic white balance, it'll set the white balance and the aperture and the ISO (analogous to a film's ASA rating) and the shutter speed to something that it thinks is appropriate to the average of every shot anybody will ever take.

That's how you end up with sunsets where the sun is the only thing not blown out, the color all screwed up, etc. The sooner that you start trying to be smarter than the camera, the sooner that it'll actually happen. You just need to shoot a lot and then look at your pictures and ask "What did I do here, and do I like the result?" The nice thing about digital is, you don't spend five bucks on a roll of Kodak Gold and another ten bucks on Walgreen's turning it into prints in order to do the trial and error thing.