Canon VS Nikon

[The Chemist]

I'm a Canon guy. My first digital camera was a Canon Powershot G2, and my first dSLR was the original generation Digital Rebel. I switched to Olympus for a time after that, but when they pretty much abandoned the mid-range SLR market and switched their focus to mirrorless, I decided to go back to Canon with the 7D.

I did look at the Nikon D7000 when I was shopping for my 7D, but I found that I much preferred Canon ergonomics. I'm sure Nikon makes great cameras, but for me I prefer the feel and operation of Canon.

[M II A II R II K]

Originally Posted by QuantumX

What did you have before? What model is your Nikon?

L610.

As for the last one I don't think Nokia counts, but before the last breakage it was Sony.

[bulliver]

I use Nikon, but that's because the first DLSR I happened to purchase was a Nikon, not because I think Nikon is better than Canon. They are both basically the same, other than some minor things. They each leapfrog each other in terms of performance and features, sort of like AMD and Intel did in the microprocessor wars.

My advice...go to the store, and whatever your budget is, hold the camera in that price point from both Nikon and Canon in your hand and buy the one that feels better, because in the long run that will be the only discernible difference between the two systems.

[diskojoe]

Originally Posted by bulliver

I use Nikon, but that's because the first DLSR I happened to purchase was a Nikon, not because I think Nikon is better than Canon. They are both basically the same, other than some minor things. They each leapfrog each other in terms of performance and features, sort of like AMD and Intel did in the microprocessor wars.

My advice...go to the store, and whatever your budget is, hold the camera in that price point from both Nikon and Canon in your hand and buy the one that feels better, because in the long run that will be the only discernible difference between the two systems.

Sound advice.

Also if you have photog buddies then buy what they use so you can borrow lenses.

[Jimby]

Nikon D300S is my main camera, but I just bought an Olympus 26 X optical zoom, 14 mp, for $180 CDN on the Shopping Channel.
It just arrived in the mail today and it is a pretty good little camera. It is a little too bulky for a shirt pocket which is the only downside.


The River by LUMIN8, on Flickr

[Surrealplaces]

I use a DSLR, but I don't really have that much of a preference. I used a Canon S2-IS for a few years,, and it was a great camera. I also really like my Nikon.....

As a side note, I've read up on the comparisons, and have looked closely at pics that compare the two, and I don't really see a difference. Any differences are minor.

[RyanD]

I've wielded a Nikon D5000 and now have a Canon T3i. There are hardly any differences minus the obvious firmware. I have just as good of photos as I did with the Nikon, just had to get used to the Canon ways and camera settings.

[DLLB]

Just got a Canon 650D (T4i) and I love it.

[rawocd]

It really is up to personal prefrence. My choice was made easier because I was given a free canon body years ago and used the money I was going to spend on a body on lenses. Had that not happened, I'm not sure if I would have gone with canon or nikon. I love my 7D, but more than that I really love the glass I've gotten over the years.

The important thing to remember is your buying into a system of tools that after you become used to become an extension of your arm. I no longer pause to find anything on a canon body because its learned. On the other hand, I used my friends D90 the other day, and had to fumble for everything. She has to do the same thing when she borrowed my 7D. For that reason, I always suggest friends new to the field to get canon only because when they come to me with questions I can actually be helpful.

If I were starting all over, knowing what I know now, I'd do more research into lenses than bodies. Over the years you will go through several camera bodies, but unless there is a drastic change you will still be buying and using your old EF/EFS lenses for cannon and their equivalent for Nikon.

So, in reality its not a question of which is better, or perhaps even a question of what feels better in your hand as that will change(I for instance couldn't stand that canon 50D in my hand, but the 7D and 20d both felt great). Instead its a question of what people around you will be used to using and therefor be able to help with. I'd hazard a guess that anyone already familiar with a DSLR enough to not need help has bought into a lens system.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by The Chemist

...
I did look at the Nikon D7000 when I was shopping for my 7D, but I found that I much preferred Canon ergonomics. I'm sure Nikon makes great cameras, but for me I prefer the feel and operation of Canon.

I much prefer the Nikon ergonomics - Nikons have always felt like *cameras* to me, which Canons have always felt like *electronics* to me (even in their last film cameras). And I just prefer the feel of a camera. Realistically I'm sure I could use either and be happy, but the feel of the Nikon just makes more sense to me.

And that's what it really comes down to. Nikon and Canon has similar performance characteristics and similar operations, but the way they are laid out and how they're used differs enough that often one makes more "sense" than the other to different people.

So try them out at a store and see which one makes the most sense to you, which one can you figure out how to use most easily without resorting to the manual? Which one can you reach the controls you value most while looking through the viewfinder?

If you don't have a preference after that, then figure out which lenses you want and buy whichever one costs the least when you factor in the body and lenses you want.