Switching to Nikon - So many questions!

hyakuhei

hyakuhei

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Robert
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For some time now I've been consdiering the switch to Nikon, I'm sure all Canon togs go through this from time to time but I keep coming back around to the same old issues.

I prefer the Nikon bodies, they seem somehow better orientated to a photographer. Take for example Auto-ISO which is so much better implemented on Nikon, you can control the range of the ISO band etc. Nikon also seem to be more responsive in reacting to user feedback, often adding new features to firmware rather than just fixing bugs.

So, At the moment I have the following setup:

Canon 50D + 3rd party grip
Canon 24-105 F4/L
Canon 80-200 F2.8/L (The older, black model)
Canon 300 F4/L
Canon 550EX Flash

So lets call that £1930 in total (Based on realistic s/h prices)

I shoot three main types of photography: Weddings, Events and Aviation. The 300 prime is for the aviation, needs to be top quality. The AF servo needs to be spot on for this.

The other lenses and flash are used for Weddings and Events.

My main gripe with Canon recently is that there is little to impress me, features like auto-iso are ok but could have been so much more. I wonder about the AF in the current prosumer bodies too...

Thanks for taking the time to read this far. This is a serious request for info. I have a few friends who shoot Nikon and I've had the chance to play with the D300 and the D2x but only for short periods. If I wanted to swap to Nikon and my budget is £2k what are my options and would you think it worth the swap?

Thanks Again - Rob
 
To be quite honest you're going to struggle on that budget to replace all the kit you have now. That 24-105 Canon is a lot better than the 24-120 Nikon from what I hear. A 300/4 AFS is gonna cost £500+ A D300 will be just short of a grand. SB800 or SB900 will be £250-350 so you're up to the budget nearly and you haven't even got a standard lens yet ( which for weddings will need to be the 24-70 IMO )

Pete
 
OK quick check on WE.

D300 + 17-55 - £1679.99
SB-900 - £318.07
300/4 AFS - £772.99

Total £2771.05

Pete
 
bottom line is that you cant switch systems on resale value alone, you need to have some cash to top up the difference in this case nearly another £1000
 
I suppose it depends mainly on whether you want to get a set of lenses that do the same range as currently? Because, as stated above, the canon 24-105 is far superior to the nikon equivalent. I think for £2k, you wont get the same kit as you have currently, not without spending more.

Possible options:

Nikon D90 Body - ~£650
Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8 (Second hand) ~£600 ish
Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D AF ~£400
Nikon SB600 flash ~£125
Nikon 300mm f/4D AF-S ~£800

The body is awsome. It need no intro imho. The 17-55 I can vouch for. Epic lens. It could be substituted for the 16-85mm to suit your previous lens better and save cash, but it's not f/2.8 glass. The 80-200 f/2.8D is outstandingly good. Not lightning fast to focus, but sharper than a sharp thing with sharp teeth. CHEAP for what you get. SB600 is an awsome flash. Not a commander, like the 800, but who cares?! :) I have no experiance with the 300mm f/4D, but from what I hear, it's an awsome lens.

If you could live without some kit however, a D2Xs or a D300 and 17-55mm will set you back somewhere around £1700-1900, but is an epic setup.

Hope that helps :)
 
Going from 50D to a D90 is probably a step down though, plus you'd have to factor in buying SD cards as the 50D uses CF.

Also for weddings you really want a better body, and I'd say a better flash. I have an SB600 and it's used entirely as a wireless slave, the SB800 is a lot better.
 
i took this step 6 months ago selling all my canon equipment for nikon i got the going rate but still had quite an amount to put to to regain the amount of gear i had.

i went from a 30d,70-200 is f2.8,28-135 is,17-55 is, 105 f2.8 macro,430ex flash, battery grip,1.4 and 2x converters,3 spare battries.

to d300, 70-200 f.2.8 vr,16-85 vr,battrygrip,sb900 flash,1.7 converter. the rest i am still aquiring.

question is was it worth it in the long run, answer NO but i have already taken the step.

think carefully before taking the plunge.
 
Thanks for the replies guys I guess I'll just keep sending angry emails to Canon about the auto iso
 
icecavern said:
Going from 50D to a D90 is probably a step down though, plus you'd have to factor in buying SD cards as the 50D uses CF.

Also for weddings you really want a better body, and I'd say a better flash. I have an SB600 and it's used entirely as a wireless slave, the SB800 is a lot better.
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Fair points chap.
 
I see you currently own a Canon 50D. Surely you can't have owned that long. wouldn't it have been better to have switched to Nikon when you bought your last body rather than changing now?

I am a Nikon user and never plan to change but even Nikons aren't perfect so you'll have issues with whatever you use if you are trying to get absolute top quality images. I'd say stick to what you have or take the leap to an FX body.
 
skipper said:
question is was it worth it in the long run, answer NO but i have already taken the step.
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That's interesting. Can I ask why you decided to switch to Nikon in the first instance? Was it for a particular set of features or just wanted to try something new, perhaps?
 
I suppose this may just be a case of the grass being greener... I do like my 50D and the high MP is great for cropping aviation shots.

The aviation stuff I do provides the least revenue but is the most fun! Either system could handle the other stuff I do with ease I'm sure. I tend to do a lot of low level aviation stuff where they practice in the Valleys. Its like motorsport but faster and you'll get perhaps 10 cars all day!
 
got a bit disalusioned with the 30d's reliability i was forever having power problems that they could not find the cause off as it was so intermitant it always seemed to happen when needed the most so i decided to go over to nikon have not looked back since the down side being the cost off replacing all the lenses. i would recomend the d300 to anybody thinking of buying a new camera and the 70-200 f2.8 vr is second to none.
regrets are all down to cost only.
 
The only flaw I can see in this cost-to-change scenario is that most posters are quoting prices for new Nikon gear to replace secondhand Canon stuff. Looking at it that way it is never going to be a financially viable swap.

Substituting used Nikon gear for the new stuff and I'd reckon the difference would be minimal, maybe £100, if that.

One thing puzzles me though, I read a comparison between the 50D and the D300 recently and the 50D came out as being the superior camera, only just, but superior nonethless :shrug:
 
Flash In The Pan said:
One thing puzzles me though, I read a comparison between the 50D and the D300 recently and the 50D came out as being the superior camera, only just, but superior nonethless :shrug:
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Clearly not by anyone trying to shoot fast moving subjects I suggest!

Which of course is exactly what the original poster was getting at, the 50D's lack of AF improvement was what caused me to jump ship.

Worth it? Maybe... AF is definitely far superior.

Cost me more? Yes, but I considered the swap to be the equivalent of upgrading to a 1D MkIII and actually I ended up with a load of gear I never owned before (flash, decent glass etc) it was far from a disaster.

I always maintain that fast moving subjects are that curve ball in photography. Its not like doing anything else really. AF is king, full stop. And I'd maybe add shutter lag as the next most important thing....
 
Flash In The Pan said:
The only flaw I can see in this cost-to-change scenario is that most posters are quoting prices for new Nikon gear to replace secondhand Canon stuff. Looking at it that way it is never going to be a financially viable swap.

Substituting used Nikon gear for the new stuff and I'd reckon the difference would be minimal, maybe £100, if that.

One thing puzzles me though, I read a comparison between the 50D and the D300 recently and the 50D came out as being the superior camera, only just, but superior nonethless :shrug:
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I agree on the costs - I'd be looking at S/H prices. AS for the better body I think it depends very much on your intended usage.
 
If you are that piddled off with the AF performance why not consider a 2nd hand 1 series. AF on those is as good as it gets, bulletproof build quality and you can use all your existing glass which, as some have pointed out, is better performing than the Nikon equivalent.

Don't we bleat on about glass before bodies a lot on here?
 
Glass can be as good as you like but its still not going to improve dissapointing AF performance.
 
Rob, you know I am a canon Man:), and shoot low level in the loop like yourself using a 120-300-2.8 + 40D.

Went down South Wales today, picked up a mint D300, just on 3000 actuations, a 3 month old 16-85mm lens, like new. 2X 8GB sandisk extreme IV CF cards.
all for 900.

Just shows what can be found, if you look hard, one way of keeping the cost down.


The D300 is for a Holiday point and shoot Camera. :) !!!!!!!!!!!

If you want a play mate, your only 5 miles from me, you are welcome.

Martin
 
Xup said:
Rob, you know I am a canon Man:), and shoot low level in the loop like yourself using a 120-300-2.8 + 40D.

Went down South Wales today, picked up a mint D300, just on 3000 actuations, a 3 month old 16-85mm lens, like new. 2X 8GB sandisk extreme IV CF cards.
all for 900.

Just shows what can be found, if you look hard, one way of keeping the cost down.


The D300 is for a Holiday point and shoot Camera. :) !!!!!!!!!!!

If you want a play mate, your only 5 miles from me, you are welcome.

Martin
Click to expand...

Now THAT - sounds like a plan :-D

Congrats on the good find :thumbs:
 
icecavern said:
To be quite honest you're going to struggle on that budget to replace all the kit you have now. That 24-105 Canon is a lot better than the 24-120 Nikon from what I hear. A 300/4 AFS is gonna cost £500+ A D300 will be just short of a grand. SB800 or SB900 will be £250-350 so you're up to the budget nearly and you haven't even got a standard lens yet ( which for weddings will need to be the 24-70 IMO )

Pete
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Not wishing to speak out of turn, but I must say that I'm rather heartened by the lack of fanboy-ism here. On many of the other forums I've seen, users of the 'other' system would be chiming in, telling the OP that changing is the only way to go. I'm glad that there's a lot of sense spoken here.
 
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