Canon Powershot SX50 HS vs Canon T3 vs Nikon D3100?
All of these are around my budget ($400). Please don't recommend any other cameras espically above the 400 mark.
Powershot SX50.
Personally i prefer Canon T3 since i like its design style. But objectively Powershot SX50 is way better than the other two listed by you in terms of the quality of photos.
I recommend Nikon D3100 due to its advanced features as compared to T3 and sx50 and its high image quality with reliable performance. D3100 is a 14.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens.
Here is what professionals say about D3100, I hope it will help your decision:
http://www.amazon.com/...O8YQUXB6Y/
Here are some features which makes clear why to go for D3100:
D3100 shoots higher resolution Full HD (1080p) video but at a lower frame rate
The D3100 has a slight edge (0.3 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance
It Supports 24p films
Around 10% better image quality than T3
It has a video auto focus option which automatically focuses shooting video and detect contrasts
D3100 has 11.3EV dynamic range which is 0.3 f-stops more than T3
It has a self cleaning sensor which removes dust from the sensor automatically, avoiding spots in photos
D3100 has 14.2MP resolution which capture around 20% more detail in your photos than T3 and has 11 focus points which set focus accurately within the frame
Among the three I would go for the D3100 but if budget is limited, I would go for this without skipping a heartbeat.