Canon t3, Canon t3i, or Nikon d3100?

I'm an 18 year old girl who has a love for photography. I've been using a Sony DSC-HX1 and I'm ready for a DSLR.

The three cameras I've narrowed my search down to are the Canon t3, Canon t3i, and the Nikon d3100. And now I really can't choose between the three. I have basic knowledge on ISO and aperture and whatnot. The Sony camera I have now is pretty bulky, so I don't have an issue with bulky cameras. My original plan was to buy the Nikon and buy accessories with the extra money. But then people started telling me that Canon was "better".

So anyone who's worked with any or all the cameras, can you give me your input including pros and cons?

Added (1). If this makes a difference any, I'm into landscape and concert photography.

Too bad you did not include the Nikon D3200.It has the best performing sensor of the other three.

A photographer that's spent some money would probably tell you to get the cheapest camera body and invest most of your money on the lens you attach to it.

They're all great DSLRs. They'll all take photos. They'll all help you expand and grow in photography. T3 is the older model and T3i and D3100. There's almost no such thing as which camera is "better" at THIS level. Take any, roll with it. Don't get caught up in the hype. I've bounced back and forth between brands and get to know them and understand why people like this and that.

Some people need to spend more time taking photos than debating which brand is better. You'll be fine with any of the listed cameras. Go out and shoot!

T3i competes with D5100.

T2i sort of competes with D3100.

T3 also sort of competes with the D3100.

So T3i is the best of all, but it's just a T2i with an articulating screen, so if you don't do video get the T2i. D3100 on the other hand, is cheaper, has better AF in video and is lighter.

All fine choices. Between what you have listed, the Nikon D3100 uses a superior Sony image sensor. My way of thinking, that I will share with you, buy the best image sensor you can with your money, anything else you can work around.

If someone told you Canon was better, ask them for hard proof, point to something that can be proven. Nothing against Canon, I'd say this to anyone that said one brand was better than the other. Each system has its pro and cons, it's just a matter of going through information given out by fanboys, or people that give information, but only part of it.

ACE for example told you that the D3200 was the best. He left out the part where it isn't. 24 megapixels crammed into a sensor that isn't getting any bigger, and something had to give. Low light, high ISO performance is what gives. He points to DxoMark.com tests. Those test numbers don't tell you that higher pixel count sensors cheat the test for a higher score that's not really real.

So before you buy anything, look at Pentax and Sony as well, they can do things that no Canon or Nikon can do.

If you are looking at the T3i, you can probably get a Sony A57, a better overall camera, or a Pentax K 30. The Nikon D3100, and D5100 are good too, avoid the D3200 unless you plan on never shooting above ISO 1600, and even then… Nikon's D7000 is really good too, check out prices on used models, they should be dropping a bit because the camera is getting older, and the D600 just came out.

Across the board, Canon is falling behind Sony, Nikon and Pentax that are all using Sony sensors. Only two sensors we don't really know much about are the 6D, which should be pretty good for the money, and the 1D X which costs what a really nice used car does so it only applies to working pros. Bottom line, you have more research to do.