Canon v Nikon

Which DSLR?

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Judey

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Jude
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Hello, i am really struggling with the decision between the 2 DSLR'S, can any fellow users help me make this decision? I have saved to get a DSLR after using a standard digital camera and various apps to improve the visual images i take. This is a hobby not a profession, but need to make the right choice before i take the plunge...
 
Hi Jude,

The problem with polls like this is that you will get current canon users choosing Canon, and current Nikon users choosing Nikon.

My advice would be to go and handle a few to see what feels best in your hand. You may not like the layout of one brand but love it on another etc etc etc. To be honest, depending on your budget, you will find that offerings from both brands will be pretty similar, so its down to personal choice.

Good luck with your search.

Welcome to the forum.

Nick
 
As above. But what you would like to photograph and your budget would help others to give you some advice.
 
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A question that has been asked many times on here and frankly quite pointless. Go to a high street retailer and see what best suits you handling wise, there is very little if anything to choose between the two image wise. There are a few online reviews and comparison sites, this one here is quite comprehensive check them out and see if that helps. Asking here is just going to get polorized opnions, those who shoot nikon are likely to argue for nikon and canon shooters for canon

Edit: there are of course alternatives to Canon/Nikon you should look into those too
 
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as all of the above state, its not just what they do but how they feel that matters.

Get out and try them :)
 
Thanks everyone, i will do that as what you have said makes sense...sorry to have posted something that is probably often repeated.
 
Judey said:
Thanks everyone, i will do that as what you have said makes sense...sorry to have posted something that is probably often repeated.
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No need to apologise..

With some investment already in Canon gear, I would be now be quite unwilling to change to Nikon. I'm sure I would feel the same way if I was already a Nikon user. Both are very good systems, especially if good lenses are attached and they each have their strengths and weaknesses. Traditionally, Canon had the upper hand for sports hence all the big white lenses at football matches and motor racing tracks etc.. Nikon on the other hand used to be better at textiles/fabrics, so often seen for lifestyle mags and fashion. Right now there isn't much in it, so you aren't exactly going to 'go wrong' choosing either.

Hands on will be the best way for you to decide which you like best; how does the camera feel, what is the viewfinder like, how do the controls work, what does the options menu look like and how easy to navigate.

Canon and Nikon will make bodies with functionality to meet (even exceed) your needs and your budget. Same for lenses, though that extends to third party lens makers of course.

So think about how much you really want to spend, what you want/need to take photos of and whether you expect to grow your needs in any particular direction. That should help decide how much body you need and how much glass you need.
 
Although it has been mentioned previously, it's worth reitterating before you commit to purchasing anything.........

GO AND HOLD THEM!

The greatest difference between Nikon and Canon is the ergonomics. The remaining differences at novice level are slight.

When I bought my first DSLR, I was comparing the entry-level Nikon and Canon models of the time - D70 vs 350D. In terms of specs they were comparable, and I didn't have any particularly niche interests which would incline me towards one system or the other. So I went and handled both cameras in a local shop.

I found that the Canon felt totally intuitive to me. All the controls were in the right place and worked the way I expected them to. The Nikon was bizarrely unintuitive, with confusing menus and awkward controls - even down to the placement of the main control wheel, which I found really awkward to reach and use with my short fat fingers. So as soon as I'd handled the cameras the decision was a total no-brainer.

But - and this is the key point - I know people who made exactly the same comparison and reached exactly the opposite decision. It's a very personal thing. So don't trust any person or any review if it says one has better ergonomics than the other. The only person who can decide that for you is you.

And it's important to get this right because you're potentially buying into a system. Your first DSLR is unlikely to be your last DSLR, and within each manufacturer's range the cameras have a lot of shared DNA. So if you find you particularly do or don't get on well with a Canon DSLR, it's more than likely that you'll have a similar reaction to any other Canon DSLR.
 
I went to the shops intent on buying a Canon and walked away with a Nikon as it felt much better in the hand.

Be sure to try the other brands too, there really is no such thing as a bad DSLR and the Pentax ones are particularly good value.
 
Canyawn v nikyawn

They'll both take great pics in the right hands. Buy whatever you prefer.
 
I try to buy whichever camera offers me the features I want and best image quality for my budget

The feel of the camera is not something that worries me as I would learn to live with whichever I chose ,but a lot of people do like to decide based on the ergonomics
 
what you intend to use it for? , and I think sonys have a nice hand feel
 
A Canon vs. Nikon poll will tell you nothing. Which Canon? Which Nikon? There are differences within brand too. I'd rather have a Canon 5D MkIII than a Nikon D3200, and I'd rather have a Nikon D800 than a Canon 1200D.

Ignore what people in here say. They'll just be brand loyal and recommend what they have.

Go to a store... pick them up test how they feel in the hand.

Also.. get something that offers decent manual control... with TWO command dials - one for aperture, one for shutter speed. Don't arse about with stuff that has one dial, as you invariably have to press a button, and then dial in a value. This means you can't set a shutter speed and aperture at the same time. Why "beginner" cameras only have one dial is beyond me as it's a barrier to taking full control of the camera. Both have decent cameras with great manual control. Canon do a little better here, as decent manual control comes earlier in the range with the EOS 60D, whereas Nikon's offerings start to offer it with the D7100, which is much more expensive.
 
Pookeyhead said:
Ignore what people in here say. They'll just be brand loyal and recommend what they have.
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Pretty sweeping statement that and not accurate to boot..
 
Have a play and see which you prefer, but it's also worth looking at what lenses are available for each and their prices (including 3rd Party).
 
GeeJay57 said:
Pretty sweeping statement that and not accurate to boot..
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Absolutely. I've shot Nikon for years and am highly critical of their current pro lineup - they're making a lot of bizarre decisions and their are gaping holes in the lineup. I don't think they have a general purpose pro-DSLR that rivals the 5DIII.

I had reasons for choosing Nikon but have no doubt that if I chose Canon I'd be every bit as happy.

My advice; try out the cameras in your price point (not limiting to Nikon/Canon alone) and buy whichever feels best.
 
I'd go second hand and get one of each. Then get an engineering shop to cut them both in half and bond the left half of the Canon to the right half of the Nikon and vice versa - then you'll have a Canik and a Nican and the best of both worlds!
 
droj said:
I'd go second hand and get one of each. Then get an engineering shop to cut them both in half and bond the left half of the Canon to the right half of the Nikon and vice versa - then you'll have a Canik and a Nican and the best of both worlds!
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Except you'd actually have a Can on and a Nik on.

Just saying.
 
Standard answer is try both and see what you prefer.
Geek answer is get a Sony because they have the best sensor.
Rich geek answer is sod that, get a Leica.
 
Another factor in the decision process, I suggest you look at the range of lenses and their prices. Seems to me better lenses come at a slightly lower price with Nikon. Eg compare prices on 24_70 and 200-400.
You probably don't want either of those at the moment but as has been said you may do in the future and you are buying into a system.
 
GeeJay57 said:
Pretty sweeping statement that and not accurate to boot..
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It's a distinct danger.. best to just use what fits best in your hand, and what you find most intuitive. There's really no such thing as a bad camera these days.
 
Canon V Nikon is probably like Ferrari V Lamborghini. Then a Nissan GTR comes past them both with it's fancy electronics and tricks. I'll call the Nissan Sony!
 
Do Nikon print the model number on their straps as Canon do? Very handy for thieves and snobs.
 
who's turn is it to buy the popcorn :lol:

As mentioed go and hold them , and also don't neglect Sony and Pentax , and indeed CSC systems like Olympus and Panasonic
 
Whenever I see such a thread name, I also think it may be somebody just trying to create a ruckus. But I also remember how when I got back into DSLRs, I was asking myself (and all of my friends) the same question. I just didn't do it publicly in a photo forum. So, I can understand the question, although of course it is impossible to answer.

On a humoristic side note, when I was taking photography more seriously many years ago, both Canon and Nikon were newcomers most people considered to be so-so. A few years later we noticed that the well reknowned camera brands we trusted had meanwhile been bought by some Japanese camera maker :) so things can change faster than we think.

I'm pretty sure in just two or three years the market will have changed, I'm already watching Olympus M43 with great interest.

In order to also give some information to the thread starter - I can add to what was said above: I had a Canon at first, and it did take nice pictures. My reason for switching to Nikon was that I noticed that the pictures I take need a lot of Dynamic Range and other parameters related to light and colour detail. So I started comparing sensor data and found out that the latest Nikon sensors currently offer more in that department than Canon's sensor. I purchased a Nikon and am happy with it.

However, if you don't take pictures which require the maximum available in the DR department and related factors, a Canon may be the better choice, depending on what you need. If you e.g. want to do Astrophotography, a friend of mine tells me Canon practically owns that market. And his 5DIII takes beautiful pictures, both day and night.

Your really have to define your requirements, and then compare the cameras based on these requirements. Some of the advice above refers to the handling of the cameras, I personally find the tech specs more important, as I found both the Canon and the Nikons I have don't handle that differently.
 
I am a Nickon fan.. I am not an expert in photograph still a primary learner.
 
AchimT said:
Your really have to define your requirements, and then compare the cameras based on these requirements. Some of the advice above refers to the handling of the cameras, I personally find the tech specs more important, as I found both the Canon and the Nikons I have don't handle that differently.
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the controls on the back are completely different - i'm not saying that one is better than the other, but as a long term canon user I find the nikon system very difficult - i strongly suspect that if I'd been shooting nikon for 15 years i would find canon similiarly awkward (admittedly i'm reffering here to the xxD and up - the base models all have awkward and unitutive controls imo - its one of the things that get cut when you build down to a price)

Tech specs on the other hand are much of a muchness - theres not much difference in megapixelage, or firmware, or AF etc - I've heard it said that nikons handle high iso better in terms of noise, but then ive never had an issue with that on canon -in fact in both systems there is a greater variation in tech spec between models in the same system than there is between comparable models in the two systems
 
big soft moose said:
the controls on the back are completely different - i'm not saying that one is better than the other, but as a long term canon user I find the nikon system very difficult
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Exactly. I find Canon's layout utterly baffling and without sense, yet others love it and feel the same about Nikon. This is why I said, ignore everyone in this thread: Go and make your own mind up.
 
Funny how the people who start these threads never seem to come back. I wonder why :exit:
 
Because their work here is done :)
 
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Nawty said:
Funny how the people who start these threads never seem to come back. I wonder why :exit:
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They did come back about 20 posts ago, with an apology for asking such a question....
 
GeeJay57 said:
They did come back about 20 posts ago, with an apology for asking such a question....
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indeed - and when they don't its often because the partisan squabling has scared them off
 
big soft moose said:
indeed - and when they don't its often because the partisan squabling has scared them off
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Yep.. Same thing happens when someone asks the Gibson vs Fender question on other forums I frequent..
 
A LesPaul sounds very different from a Strat, though, and also the playing is very different with the curved fretboard of the Strat vs. the flat one of the LesPaul (not sure I'm using the proper English term here, but you probably know what I mean) ;)
 
AchimT said:
A LesPaul sounds very different from a Strat, though, and also the playing is very different with the curved fretboard of the Strat vs. the flat one of the LesPaul (not sure I'm using the proper English term here, but you probably know what I mean) ;)
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Exactly. It's different strokes for different folks. In the end, Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Pentax et al all make very competent cameras. They each have their pros and cons, they each have a certain feel and some are more expensive than others. The user must decide what they like/need/want and make a choice. I've grown to like my 20D and 50D, so will stick with Canon, but others may have a different opinion.

As for Les Paul vs Strat, the term you're looking for is fretboard radius which is one of the many differences between them. As you say Strats tend to have a smaller radius. Mine is 7.25" compared to the 12" radius of my Les Paul, compared to the 9" radius of my Telecaster. They are all great guitars, much better than I am as a guitarist..
 
Nikon_Nick said:
Hi Jude,

The problem with polls like this is that you will get current canon users choosing Canon, and current Nikon users choosing Nikon.

My advice would be to go and handle a few to see what feels best in your hand. You may not like the layout of one brand but love it on another etc etc etc. To be honest, depending on your budget, you will find that offerings from both brands will be pretty similar, so its down to personal choice.

Good luck with your search.

Welcome to the forum.

Nick
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I agree with this, when I started I tried a few cameras and picked a Canon so I stuck with Canon.

Not sure if this is true but I met my insurers at the Photography Show and they said that most people who have all their gear stolen or damaged switch to try the other brand!
 
Mrrikki said:
Not sure if this is true but I met my insurers at the Photography Show and they said that most people who have all their gear stolen or damaged switch to try the other brand!
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Or... Many people who want to switch brand fabricate an insurance claim so that they don't have to face the costs of switching.
 
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