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Sean&Karen
Guest
I would like to know what everyone thinks about the Canon and Nikon brand Digital SLR. We are looking at a 30D or a 5D for Canon and Nikon D200.
Input is more then welcome!
Input is more then welcome!
This subject can become heated.
A few years ago (late 1990's) it was easier to answer for me personally. I used to have a page explaining it (lens motor in lens/body, Canon had optical image stabilization, Nikon didn't) - but it doesn't matter as much now. Nikon has ultrasonic motor lenses, vibration reduction.....
Really, the question is going to be what works best for you. It kind of also depends on what you are shooting.
I've heard that generally the Canon CMOS sensor handles low light high ISO shots better (less noise) than the Nikon Sony CCD.
If you like really really wide angle pictures - the 5D does not have a crop factor with any lens, while the 30D and D200 have similar crop factors.
Try out both in the store. Which feels better in your hand? Which controls do you prefer?
Maybe the store will let you bring your own compact flash card and take sample shots and then review them at home. That's what is going to matter the most - which one takes the pictures you like most.
A few years ago (late 1990's) it was easier to answer for me personally. I used to have a page explaining it (lens motor in lens/body, Canon had optical image stabilization, Nikon didn't) - but it doesn't matter as much now. Nikon has ultrasonic motor lenses, vibration reduction.....
Really, the question is going to be what works best for you. It kind of also depends on what you are shooting.
I've heard that generally the Canon CMOS sensor handles low light high ISO shots better (less noise) than the Nikon Sony CCD.
If you like really really wide angle pictures - the 5D does not have a crop factor with any lens, while the 30D and D200 have similar crop factors.
Try out both in the store. Which feels better in your hand? Which controls do you prefer?
Maybe the store will let you bring your own compact flash card and take sample shots and then review them at home. That's what is going to matter the most - which one takes the pictures you like most.
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idarknight
Member
I agree with everything that has been said so far. The camera that you should get is the one that feels best in your hands (both will hurt a bit in the pocket 
).
One thing you might want to keep in mind - if you have two cameras that are tied in everything but price for you, I would go with the one that is cheaper and get better "glass". All three cameras are great and have loads of room for most everyone to grow into.
). One thing you might want to keep in mind - if you have two cameras that are tied in everything but price for you, I would go with the one that is cheaper and get better "glass". All three cameras are great and have loads of room for most everyone to grow into.
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Sean&Karen
Guest
Well right now I have a Canon Rebel SLR from a few years back. I have a telephoto lens and a canon flash for it as well. I also have a Canon SureShot digital camera. It is only really a great point and shoot camera for me, but at the time it was very expensive. I would love to upgrade to a Canon 30D and have all my options finally covered. I just hate dragging around so much stuff around Disney. I just wanted to know before I invest more money if I should entirely switch brands, but right now Canon seems to be my best bet if I don't want to spend a lot more money on lenses and a flash.
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idarknight
Member
"Sean&Karen" said:
If you are Canon now, you might as well stay Canon. If you want to "slim" your gear down, think about getting a fast prime (50mm 1.8 or 1.4). This, combined with your tele should be enough to cover the dark rides and then just about everything else. You should be able to find a camera bag to hold those two bits without being overly bulky. Remember that flash photography is really restricted on many rides.
On my coming trip to Disneyland, I'm going to be using a $4M Home (Crumpler) to hold my walk around zoom and my 50mm1.8. The bag itself is not much bigger than a lunchbox.
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I also agree with everyone else. For what you level of slr you are considering, both brands will give you the same great pictures. Get the brand that feels the best to you. I chose Nikon because I already have all my lenses from the past twenty years. BUT, I have got to tell you I bit the bullet and bought the elusive Nikon 18-200 VR. VR has changed the way I carry my camera. I now carry NO bag, NO tripod, NO other lens!! I use this combo from sunup to just past sunset. Most of Disney is bright enough for me to handhold my camera with no shake. I can hold the camera up to 1 1/2 seconds with decent results. I can hand hold up to a second and get great results.
No matter what brand you get, I suggest looking at VR or IS lenses! EVen if you get a cheaper body so you can get the lens, like I did (Nikon D80)
No matter what brand you get, I suggest looking at VR or IS lenses! EVen if you get a cheaper body so you can get the lens, like I did (Nikon D80)
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gary
Member
both brands are good, in fact i really consider them equal now, there was a time a few years ago when canon had the edge in autofocus and image stasbilized lenses, but that's old history now
i voted canon but that's only because at the time of my digital move i was already invested in quite a bit of canon L glass, so staying in canon made sense to me
try the 30d and the xti, see which fits your hands and shooting style better, get that one and then build a collection of good glass, in a couple of upgrade cycles or 5 years when the price of full frame drops, you'll be set with the glass, remember high grade glass, kept in good shape holds it's value a long time, and it doesn't lose it's ability to take great photos, it can last for many camera years
gary
i voted canon but that's only because at the time of my digital move i was already invested in quite a bit of canon L glass, so staying in canon made sense to me
try the 30d and the xti, see which fits your hands and shooting style better, get that one and then build a collection of good glass, in a couple of upgrade cycles or 5 years when the price of full frame drops, you'll be set with the glass, remember high grade glass, kept in good shape holds it's value a long time, and it doesn't lose it's ability to take great photos, it can last for many camera years
gary
Even at 1/2 second, that's pretty impressive !
As for brands, all I've ever used in the DSLR world is a Canon. I'd say I was pretty much "brand committed" the day I took my first snaps with my 70-200 L lens. Beaaaa-uuuuu-tiful.
The only reason I went Canon DSLR is because (a) at this time last year, the Rebel XT was far superior to anything Nikon had out and (b) my first digicam was a Nikon Coolipix 950, and I had to send the thing back for servicing three times for the same problem (with the lens getting stuck). Maybe it was a freak accident, but it (along with their unwillingness to fix it on their own dime) was enough to cost Nikon all my future business.
As for brands, all I've ever used in the DSLR world is a Canon. I'd say I was pretty much "brand committed" the day I took my first snaps with my 70-200 L lens. Beaaaa-uuuuu-tiful.
The only reason I went Canon DSLR is because (a) at this time last year, the Rebel XT was far superior to anything Nikon had out and (b) my first digicam was a Nikon Coolipix 950, and I had to send the thing back for servicing three times for the same problem (with the lens getting stuck). Maybe it was a freak accident, but it (along with their unwillingness to fix it on their own dime) was enough to cost Nikon all my future business.
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Jeff Fillmore
Member
I use a Nikon myself but used Canon back in 35mm SLR days- they make fine products as well. My biggest problem with Nikon has been availability on the lenses and even camera bodies I want.
As for a full frame- I am not so sure I am all for that myself. I'm sure the image quality may be better but get ready for your 200mm lens to be 200mm again. No more of this 200mm (300mm equivelant at 35mm)
As for a full frame- I am not so sure I am all for that myself. I'm sure the image quality may be better but get ready for your 200mm lens to be 200mm again. No more of this 200mm (300mm equivelant at 35mm)
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Kelly Grannell
Member
I used to use both but due to my shooting style (high ISO is an absolute must) I have no choice but to go with Canon.
I have 4 canon cameras (film and dig) and a bevy of lenses but I can't help but feel the Nikons are sexier.
canon is a massive company and so they have both the size and resources to bring out technology first (image stabilization in lens, diffractive optics....) but a Nikon f6 (film) is a thing of beauty. Canon's cameras are far more.......workmanlike.
nikon also allows you to use the large back catalog of nikon lenses so you can find cheaper used lenses out there. canon generally has more stuff at cheaper prices (the rebel xti is like 500$ without a lens)
the camera no longer matters. what you are buying is a lens system. since the kit lens is, comparatively speaking, not that good you should upgrade when you have the cash. and good lenses are expensive but usually worth the investment.
so i don't think you need to try out the camera so much as a camera+lens combo. you might like the 30D but put the 70-200L on it and you might not like the way it balances.
one other thing about the lenses. its worth buying at least one "legendary" lens. Canon has the 135/2, the discontinued 200/1.8. Nikon has the 85/1.4. there are others but these are some lenses that, for whatever reason, are the cream of their crop. the most important part of the entire system is the lenses so you have to like 'em. no reason to buy a 4000$ camera and then have a 100$ 3.5-5.6 zoom lens in front of it. photography is an expensive hobby but when you get those special photos, and you'll see them immediately, its worth it.
if a camera is too small for your hands, try it with the battery grip. I am definately going to buy the rebel xti grip, the camera is too small in my hands and big lenses make it top heavy. my elan 7 was a whole new camera with the grip.
canon is a massive company and so they have both the size and resources to bring out technology first (image stabilization in lens, diffractive optics....) but a Nikon f6 (film) is a thing of beauty. Canon's cameras are far more.......workmanlike.
nikon also allows you to use the large back catalog of nikon lenses so you can find cheaper used lenses out there. canon generally has more stuff at cheaper prices (the rebel xti is like 500$ without a lens)
the camera no longer matters. what you are buying is a lens system. since the kit lens is, comparatively speaking, not that good you should upgrade when you have the cash. and good lenses are expensive but usually worth the investment.
so i don't think you need to try out the camera so much as a camera+lens combo. you might like the 30D but put the 70-200L on it and you might not like the way it balances.
one other thing about the lenses. its worth buying at least one "legendary" lens. Canon has the 135/2, the discontinued 200/1.8. Nikon has the 85/1.4. there are others but these are some lenses that, for whatever reason, are the cream of their crop. the most important part of the entire system is the lenses so you have to like 'em. no reason to buy a 4000$ camera and then have a 100$ 3.5-5.6 zoom lens in front of it. photography is an expensive hobby but when you get those special photos, and you'll see them immediately, its worth it.
if a camera is too small for your hands, try it with the battery grip. I am definately going to buy the rebel xti grip, the camera is too small in my hands and big lenses make it top heavy. my elan 7 was a whole new camera with the grip.
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Kelly Grannell
Member
agreed. A grip is a must especially if you take a lot of vertical pics. I remember detaching the vertical grip at WDW on the days we don't plan to take photos of the characters and especially with my wrist problem, after a couple of dozen vertical shots, I wished the vertical grip was attached to it
From then on, the vertical grip is virtually bolted to the camera.
From then on, the vertical grip is virtually bolted to the camera.
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mainstreet1997
Member
What a great topic. As some of you know Im looking into gettnig a DSLR with my rebate check (well part of it anyway). Im torn between a Nikon D60 (cant afford the D80 with the lens kit and the Canon Rebel XSi.
Thanks for the input everyone!
Katie
Thanks for the input everyone!
Katie
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Whatever one feels better to you in your hand, that you like the way the lens zooms and/or focuses. If you can hold off a month, rumor has it the D90 will be announced in June, so D80 prices may come down if you are interested in that.
But one odd thing that came up is that Canon switched the Rebel series to SD cards from CF like the others, so both of those that you're looking at use the same memory card.
Nikon's D40 and D60 can only use the more recent Nikon lenses to autofocus (has a built in lens motor). i.e. the Nikon 50/1.4D will not autofocus on one of those. The Rebel will work with any AF EOS EF lens. But that is why the third-party manufacturers have been updating their own lineup to add a motor. Sigma's new 50/1.4 will work with the D40/60, and Tamron just updated two lenses with motors as well.
Did you look at the Sony offerings?
But one odd thing that came up is that Canon switched the Rebel series to SD cards from CF like the others, so both of those that you're looking at use the same memory card.
Nikon's D40 and D60 can only use the more recent Nikon lenses to autofocus (has a built in lens motor). i.e. the Nikon 50/1.4D will not autofocus on one of those. The Rebel will work with any AF EOS EF lens. But that is why the third-party manufacturers have been updating their own lineup to add a motor. Sigma's new 50/1.4 will work with the D40/60, and Tamron just updated two lenses with motors as well.
Did you look at the Sony offerings?
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mainstreet1997
Member
Thanks Roger for the info. I for one am happy that Canon switched tot he SD card (my sis got me a 1 GB SD card for Christmas that also works with my phone) . Also thanks for the advice about possibly waiting until June. Im pretty much waiting until my rebate check comes anyway!"Roger" said:
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