Why Nikon?

[Chuck Tribolet]

Nikon has techs at the big events too. I think it was at the Calgary Winter
Olympics that a Nikon 300 f/2.8 went down the bobsled run and got the
mechanics messed up (optics was OK). Nikon gave the photog a loaner,
flew in parts, and the lens up and running again in a day or two.

There was a period when Canon had a lens jump with their USM motors
and VR, but Nikon has figured a way around those patents and that gap
has been closed.

Do remember that Canon has changed their SLR mount twice, Nikon never.
My 1971 50 f/2.8 works just fine on my D70. No AF (DUH) and I have to
use the histogram to the exposure right (no big deal).

At the present time, I have way too big an investment in Nikon glass to
switch. IF I were suddenly cameraless and lensless, I'd have a hard
choice today. A couple of years ago, I suspect I'd have switched to Canon.
Today, Nikon is back in the game and I'd probably stay with Nikon.

 

[seaducer]

Good stuff everyone. I appreciate the different perspectives of camera buyers. I think for UW photography, lens quality is much more important than speed. It makes sense to buy a camera that has more options and perhaps better quality in the lens department.

 

[gert7to3]

Canon and Kodak beat Nikon into production of 35mm sized sensors. Then Canon out manouvered Kodak at the top end of the field, and Nikon in the prosumer market. Canon has just done better marketing than Nikon lately.

There is a very big overhang from the film era where Nikon dominated professional photograhy for decades. Nikon is responding much better now, but this is a comeback situation.

As for legacy lenses are concerned, it makes little difference IMHO. The features incorporated into new lenses far outweigh the properties of older glass.

 

[blueeyz78]

Thank you to everyone for their posts. I have been looking at the Nikon D90 or D300 (price is a big issue). You all have answered some questions that I had. Again...Thank you

 

[Mariozi]

This is a good article, he's not an uw photo and I think he is a bit of on the D90 vs D300 thing focusing too much on image quality, where there is a very slight advantage for the D90 but forgetting other important stuff for us like viewfinder coverage, sturdiness, AF speed, camera operation speed and options...

 

[simonmittag]

I previously did not own either Canon or Nikon so I wasn't biased until I started doing research. From the books I read (Martin Edge, Alex Mustard), to the online reviews there seemed to be a huge bias towards Nikon for UW photography.

I decided for the D300 mainly because of it's superior low light performance, high ISO capabiliites and the lens options available at the time, like the 10.5mm fisheye.

Am very happy with the gear, however I have yet to see a Canon to compare.

Cheers,

Simon

 

[Zeeman]

This could have been more balanced if posted in general photography, but anyway, here goes.

I'm a Canon man, chose Canon (one N, not two), simply because there was a Canon rig for sale at an excellent price at the time I was looking.Had it been a Nikon, I would now be a Nikon man.

I feel Nikon make a better tool, as in, Nikon cameras always feel better made, heavier duty and so on. I think Canon has (maybe not so much anymore) had the advantage in some of the processing (ie - better high ISO performance).

When I was doing my research, I was really having a hard time picking between a Canon 400D/XTi, or a Nikon D80. In the end I decided to just buy the one I got the best deal on (I bought 2nd hand). I liked the idea of the lightest DSLR I could get, with a good lens selection. I travel a lot, and in SE Asia, where 32lbs (15kg) weight limits are common, every ounce helps.

Having said that, when I picked up a D80, it felt great in my paws, I loved the bigger viewfinder, and it just felt like a great camera to use.

In the end, it was 50/50, and a 400D setup came along, with a few lenses and an ike housing, at a price I could not refuse.

I also notice these days that, in general, a photographers photoshop/post-processing style can make a bigger difference to the pic than the camera does.

I tend to think Nikon has better lenses for UW. For instance, just the fact that there are no true fisheye for the many small sized sensors Canon applies on it's bodies, and no single lens that go to 1:1 on it's own while Nikon has some,...

Misinformation is bad, mmmkay?

Both Cameras have a good selection of lenses nowadays, you don't "HAVE" to buy a Canon or Nikon lens, Tokina does a 10-17mm fisheye that friends of mine with both Nikon and Canon use and swear by. I'm also pretty sure that the Canon 60mm macro and 100mm macro are both 1:1 macro lenses. The 100mm macro is 1:1 for sure.

As a side note, I went to an exhibition for Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year - Online gallery

I noticed the overall winner was taken with a Canon 300D(Rebel) which is old tech by any ones standards. I also noticed some great underwater shots taken by D70's...
this one with a D2X...
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats...ns/wpy/photo.do?photo=2397&category=6&group=1

It's not the camera.

Pick the tool YOU like to use.

Z...

 

[Mariozi]

It's not misinfo, it's old info.
When I started Canon's macros needed "life-size" converters to get 1:1.
And although you don't "have" to buy original lenses, most people "prefer" them to avoid unexpected problems. Like some Sigmas used to have, specially on Canon bodies not long ago.

In your own words, if you (talking to the D80):
"felt great in my paws, I loved the bigger viewfinder, and it just felt like a great camera to use."
Why didn't you: "Pick the tool YOU like to use."???

 

[Zeeman]

It's not misinfo, it's old info.
When I started Canon's macros needed "life-size" converters to get 1:1.
And although you don't "have" to buy original lenses, most people "prefer" them to avoid unexpected problems. Like some Sigmas used to have, specially on Canon bodies not long ago.

But by reading your comments, it sounds like current info. which it isn't.

In your own words, if you (talking to the D80):
"felt great in my paws, I loved the bigger viewfinder, and it just felt like a great camera to use."
Why didn't you: "Pick the tool YOU like to use."???

As I said, it was 50/50, the weight advantage and size advantage of the Canon was a big draw card, and also, from reviews I had read, it had slightly better high ISO performance.

As for it feeling great in my paws - when underwater, I use a housing, so how the camera feels doesn't really count as much. I do still prefer the bigger viewfinder of the D80, but, at the time when I had the money in my pocket, no one had a D80 rig they wanted to sell.

The cool thing about competition is,, no one stays at the top forever.

Z...

 

[Eskasi]

...Because Canon makes vacuum cleaners.....

Sorry, I could not resist. Check this news article out.... this is of course just a joke.... I think cameras are just tools....in the best of hands, any camera will take better photos than I ever could...
English Russia Canon Vacuum Cleaners