“Comparing a digital camera and a smartphone camera is like comparing a diamond to a potato.” said Triton TV Production and Choir teacher Robert Lathrop.

As a teacher who deals with different types of technology daily, Lathrop appears to know what he is talking about.

We live in an age that has become dominated by technology and its growing capabilities. Although digital cameras have been around for some time now, new features continue to be added and help expand the possibilities for aspiring photographers and filmmakers.

           The Canon EOS Rebel T5i can definitely open new doors for photographers who have a specific vision they want to capture, but there is also a more affordable option that may offer almost the exact same results. This other option is known as the Canon EOS Rebel T3i

    Many kids today have some type of smartphone that has a camera. With social media apps such as Snapchat and Instagram, photos can be taken and shared with the world in less than a minute. The question is: Do smartphone cameras have just as much quality as high-end digital cameras? While smartphone cameras may be improving at a snail’s pace, they most certainly do not have the same quality and value as that which goes into Canon’s camera lines. The EOS Rebel line is no exception.

                iPhone 7                                                         Canon EOS Rebel T5i

             (imore.com)                                                               (imore.com)

So which EOS camera is better? If you want to step into the world of digital filmmaking but you have a limited budget, which will be right for you? What any major camera obsessed nerd will find is that there are not many differences that jump out at you when you examine them both. They both have the same number of megapixels (18), they both have an adjustable viewfinder (twistable and turntable screen), they both have many of the same camera modes (Portrait, Landscape, E.T.C) and they both look identical on the outside, minus the T3i and T5i labels.

The ISO (camera’s sensitivity to light) is much higher on the T5i. The T5i has an ISO of 100 to 12,800 as opposed to the T3i’s 100 to 6,400. If you want to capture photos or film but do not have enough natural light to capture a clear image, ISO will help to save you. A lower ISO should be used when in a low-light environment to help brighten the image. You generally should not use ISO when in a very bright environment unless you want your pictures and video to be very grainy. The T5i is superior here as when used correctly the ISO is much more powerful and can produce great results.

The little differences between both of these cameras will be a big deal to some and make no difference to others. The T5i viewfinder is touchscreen and will present a convenience advantage over the T3i. If you want to select a mode or adjust your camera settings it will be much easier and less time consuming on the T5i. The viewfinder is also almost 360 degrees twistable which is a step up from the T3i. The bigger differences like the ISO range will really concern more professional photographers.

Aside from the price, those are really the only differences. The T3i is listed at $599 from Canon’s website. The T5i is listed at $799. If you are looking into getting a camera from Canon, the best option would be the T3i unless you are willing to pay an extra $200 for some mild changes and improvements.