Listen if you are coming from a point and shoot don't even read the negative reviews, just get this camera and enjoy. The negative or neutral reviews are mainly from whinny wanna be "experts", Canon haters, and some real pros who have more demands and are sometimes difficult to please. I mean seriously who scrutinizes the very edge of a photograph for flaws in 10% or less of the shots? All I want to know is, did I capture the moment I was looking for in that middle area in better detail and clarity than my trusty canon point and shot? Yes? Then good, done, i'm happy.
The only thing I suggest is don't treat this like a small point and shoot, its more delicate, keep it safe, get a bag for it, don't drop it in the diaper bag, etc etc. In short just bring it out for special occasions and keep it in a safe place when you are done shooting. Use the neck strap!! Buy a cheap point and shoot for the crazy moments. For example use the cheap P&S for the party and break out the dslr for the... Read more

The T3 is in the bottom of the entry level line up, but it performs very well. In terms of picture quality when compared with higher end models all the way to the 60D, it is difficult to determine any differences between them.

The biggest sacrifices are ergonomics and features like frames per second and flip screens, but I have to tell you that it is a great starting point for any enthusiast wanting to discover DSLR photography. ISO 6400 is really helpful when compared with models like the XS which Canon stop showing in their website; the XS was Canon's entry level before the T3 but it only had ISO 1600 (useless). ISO 6400 with Photoshop Lightroom 3 makes unwanted grain a thing of the past.

The camera is small and convenient; I recommend buying the body only and getting and upgraded lens instead of using the 18-55 kit les that comes with it. Good quality pictures come from high quality lenses, so save the money from the kit lens, and buy an upgraded lens like the... Read more

I was extremely pleased with the photo quality. It was very easy to use. I specifically went for this because of the price. I was comparing this with T3i, although are differences like resolutions, HD video quality this one suited my needs and also this year they are selling at a very good price.

Best bet if you need entry level DSLR and fine with 780P videos. I did lot of research and finally ended up with this when compared to Nikon / Sony etc.