What is with Nikon's crazy numbering system?!

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Set_Nights

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If the wiki article is anything to go by then it is all over the place?

Canon's are nice and simple ;)!

The two may not be directy comparable but is it roughy correct to say:

Nikon D3000/D3100/D3200 = Canon 1000D/1100D

Nikon D40/D40X/D50/D60/D70/D5000/D5100 = Canon 300D-650D

Nikon D70/D70S/D80/D90/D7000 = Canon 10D-60D

Nikon D100/D200/D300/D300S = Canon 7D

Nikon D700/D800 = Canon 5D mki/mkii/mkiii

Nikon D3/D3X/d3S/D4 = Canon 1D mki/mkii/mkiii/mkiv

So does Nikon not have an equivalent to the Canon 1DX? What did Canon have to offer in the range before the 7D?
 
Canon's system is simple

It goes something like:

XD - Professional
XXD - Semi pro
XXXD - Prosumer
XXXXD - Amateur

So the less X is higher up, were as Nikon is like, pick a number!

Generally though, Canon seems to have a better marketing strategy. Just look at the Red Ring idea.
 
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If you shoot nikon.......you just know......you don't need red rings, L plates and lots of zeros to know where you are.
Canons marketing is much better, but it is just that...marketing

I don't want to be marketed to, I just want the best stuff..:D
 
Raymond Lin said:
Canon's system is simple

It goes something like:

XD - Professional
XXD - Semi pro
XXXD - Prosumer
XXXXD - Amateur

So the less X is higher up, were as Nikon is like, pick a number!

Generally though, Canon seems to have a better marketing strategy. Just look at the Red Ring idea.
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Nikon's is fairly simple. They've just changed up as they've run out of numbers. Its not hard to understand really :D

I'm not sure about marketing strategy being better. Red ring may be true, but theres a nice gold one on Nikon's pro lenses. The ability to focus is better then a red ring for marketing any day ;)
 
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Raymond Lin said:
Canon's system is simple

It goes something like:

XD - Professional
XXD - Semi pro
XXXD - Prosumer
XXXXD - Amateur

So the less X is higher up, were as Nikon is like, pick a number!

Generally though, Canon seems to have a better marketing strategy. Just look at the Red Ring idea.
Click to expand...

I understand Canon's, I'm a Canon user :p... it is the Nikon numbering that has me baffled :suspect:!
 
Set_Nights said:
I understand Canon's, I'm a Canon user :p... it is the Nikon numbering that has me baffled :suspect:!
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I don't get what's complex about nikons. You got it in you first post
 
boyfalldown said:
I don't get what's complex about nikons. You got it in you first post
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Nikons numbering system confuses the hell out of me as well, the numbers just jump all over the place and doesn't seem to be any linearity in the different ranges, at least with canons system you can look and think well I can't afford the latest 60d so i'll go for an earlier model so that will be the 40d or the 50d, Nikon I would be totally lost lol
 
ljphil78 said:
Nikons numbering system confuses the hell out of me as well, the numbers just jump all over the place and doesn't seem to be any linearity in the different ranges, at least with canons system you can look and think well I can't afford the latest 60d so i'll go for an earlier model so that will be the 40d or the 50d, Nikon I would be totally lost lol
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the only skip in linearity was d90->d7000 and d50->d5xxxx when they ran out of numbers :thinking:. I guess they'll be more to follow though
 
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If you actually look at Nikon's. current line up, they are going the way of Canon.

D3200, D5100, D7000 - Consumer Level or APS-C
D700, D800, (D600?) - Semi Pro or FX
D4 - Proper more money than sense Pro. - FX

I haven't included the D300 because that's rumoured to be replaced by the D600 which will be a cheap body FX camera. So it slots right in there.

Maybe if Canon didn't release so many similar cameras every year, they wouldn't need all those numbers... :)
 
iamchrisphoto said:
If you actually look at Nikon's. current line up, they are going the way of Canon.

D3200, D5100, D7000 - Consumer Level or APS-C
D700, D800, (D600?) - Semi Pro or FX
D4 - Proper more money than sense Pro. - FX
Click to expand...
Wrong, Nikon clearly state the D700 and D800 are professional cameras as is the D300S

Nikon Professional services also list those 3 models as professional models
 
Set_Nights said:
Nikon D3/D3X/d3S/D4 = Canon 1D mki/mkii/mkiii/mkiv

So does Nikon not have an equivalent to the Canon 1DX?
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The Nikon D4 is the current Nikon pro model most likely to be seen on the sidelines, and used by sport photographers.

It would be the competitive product to the 1Dx (if and when Canon finally release it).

If you had to try to compare the pro models over time then allowing for overlaps caused by different product release dates:

Canon________Nikon
1D___________D1
1D MKII/n_____D2/D2x
1D MKIII______D2Xs/D3
1D MKIV______D3/D3s
1Dx__________D4

1Ds MKIII_____D3x

Nikon didn't have a FF digital model until the D3/D3x and so there really isn't an equivalent model to the 1Ds or the 1Ds MKII. Likewise Canon didn't have a FF sports/press body until the 1Dx arrives but the D3/D3s firmly competed with the 1D MKIII/IV
 
joxby said:
If you shoot nikon.......you just know......you don't need red rings, L plates and lots of zeros to know where you are.
Canons marketing is much better, but it is just that...marketing

I don't want to be marketed to, I just want the best stuff..:D
Click to expand...

It wasn't an argument over which is better. Both are obviously great systems :). I'm solely talking about the numbering system because as a non-Nikon familiar user I fould it rather confusing!

boyfalldown said:
I don't get what's complex about nikons. You got it in you first post
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That was with a bit of guess work :p, the wiki article doesn't line up with mine and it was far more all over the place :cuckoo:.

simonblue said:
Does it matter :D
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Nopes :). Life would be mighty boring though if I only concerned myself with things I absolutely needed to know ;)!

meonshore said:
The Nikon D4 is the current Nikon pro model most likely to be seen on the sidelines, and used by sport photographers.

It would be the competitive product to the 1Dx (if and when Canon finally release it).

If you had to try to compare the pro models over time then allowing for overlaps caused by different product release dates:

Canon________Nikon
1D___________D1
1D MKII/n_____D2/D2x
1D MKIII______D2Xs/D3
1D MKIV______D3/D3s
1Dx__________D4

1Ds MKIII_____D3x

Nikon didn't have a FF digital model until the D3/D3x and so there really isn't an equivalent model to the 1Ds or the 1Ds MKII. Likewise Canon didn't have a FF sports/press body until the 1Dx arrives but the D3/D3s firmly competed with the 1D MKIII/IV
Click to expand...

Thank you, that is very informative :).
 
As with a lot of Nikon marketing-related things the numbering system seems almost to have been an afterthought, however it only really became "confused" when the D40, replaced the D50. The reason for the step back may have been the omission of the motor and top lcd, making the D40 a "lesser" model than it's predecessor, but that's just a guess.

The Nikon system goes thus...

Pro

D1(and X)>D2(and S and X)>D3(and S)>D3x(not a replacement but different sensor)>D4

Semi-Pro FF

D700>D800(and E)

Semi-Pro

D100>D200>D300(and S)

Prosumer

D70(and S)>D80>D90>D7000 (as the D100 name had already been used)

Consumer (to distinguish from Entry level)

D5000>D5100

Entry Level

D50>D40>D40x(different sensor to D40, not a replacement)>D60>D3000 (As D70 etc had been used) >D3100>D3200
 
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Flash In The Pan said:
As with a lot of Nikon marketing-related things the numbering system seems almost to have been an afterthought, however it only really became "confused" when the D40, replaced the D50. The reason for the step back may have been the omission of the motor and top lcd, making the D40 a "lesser" model than it's predecessor, but that's just a guess.

The Nikon system goes thus...

Pro

D1(and X)>D2(and S and X)>D3(and S)>D3x(not a replacement but different sensor)>D4

Semi-Pro

D100>D200>D300(and S)

Prosumer

D70(and S)>D80>D90>D7000 (as the D100 name had already been used)

Consumer (to distinguish from Entry level)

D5000>D5100

Entry Level

D50>D40>D40x(different sensor to D40, not a replacement)>D60>D3000 (As D70 etc had been used) >D3100>D3200
Click to expand...


What happened to the D700/D800/D800E?
 
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