T3i is great. Are you getting it with the 18-135? Cuz that would be a nice start.

 

I will be getting the standard lens, 18-55mm for now and will order the 50mm 1.4 and 50mm 1.8 once I get used to the camera.

 

^^^ Typo
Just the 1.4 bro, wont need the 1.8 once the 1.4 is ordered

 

I do recommend reading up on f stops, exposure, iso, shutter speed, and the likes. Having a 50mm 1.4 and a 50 mm 1.8 would be redundant to the max.

 

Ah ok. Cool. I'll get that once I learn how to use the camera and be comfortable with it.

 

Best advice I got when buying my first SLR camera many years ago. When you pick a system (Nikon or Canon) you are making a commitment on brand. Once you have a collection of lenses most likely you will stay with that brand long term. Put the model you can afford in your hands from both companies, how do they feel? Now put the best in your hands (D3 for example) how does it feel. If in both cases you pick the same brand then they will have the ergonomics you like. You have made your choice.

On what model to buy, buy the least expensive model that offers the best low light sensor available. Get used to that body and use the hell out of it, then start buying only the best glass you can for the focal length needed. If you want something in the 70-200 range, don't buy the cheap lens today ($400), save your money and buy the pro level 70-200 2.8 VRII ($1500) (don't know Canon models to use as an example and dont care to learn). For a very long time I was shooting a $1500 lens on my $300 D50 body, best decision I ever made was to buy that lens and not the D100 body at the time. The glass you buy will always be the best quality and give you sharp images, bodies come and go.

Some of the sharpest lenses out there are old manual focus glass from the 70's and 80's. Buy the best glass every time and you will save money in the long run! Well at least with Nikon you will, with the nicer bodies you can use any glass that Nikon has made in the last 50 or so years...I think Canon changed mounts a while back so you might want to do a bit of research on older Canon lenses before you buy. With Nikon you can buy some great used glass from many years ago and they are sharp as a tack.