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  1. #1
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    Nikon to Canon DSLR - Time to Switch?

    I'm sure this has been much discussed, so apologies for startin a new thread. But after reading the EOS 5D reviews, it really has me thinking it's time to give up on Nikon - much as I hate to say that being a dedicated Nikonian for about 30 years now. I'm very impressed with the D200, but more and more I hear fulltime pros (I'm semi-pro) saying Canon has just wiped the field out in digital SLR. Better images, better and larger sensors, better noise control, etc.

    So what's the thought out there? I hate to give up my Nikon gear, especially my lenses, but 5 years from now I don't want to look back and say I wish I'd just made the plunge now and gone over to Canon.

    Much obliged!

  2. #2
    Learning more with every "click" mjs1973's Avatar
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    Re: Nikon to Canon DSLR - Time to Switch?

    Welcome to the forum. I don't know that I would make that kind of a switch or not if I were in your shoes. (I'm a Canon shooter) Nikon just anounced they are going to stop production on all but two film bodies so they can focus their efforts on digital. With that annoncement, I would think Nikon will be developing more great products in the future and it would be worth the wait.
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  3. #3
    Letting you see the world the way I do. @lex's Avatar
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    Re: Nikon to Canon DSLR - Time to Switch?

    Nikon rules and the D200 is faster and all around better than the 5D(except for the megapixels) but nikon pictures are better!
    D300,D80,D70,D40
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  4. #4
    Captain of the Ship Photo-John's Avatar
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    Really?

    Quote Originally Posted by @lex
    Nikon rules and the D200 is faster and all around better than the 5D(except for the megapixels) but nikon pictures are better!
    Why? Does that mean the pictures I take with my Nikon are better than the pictures I take with my Canon?
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  5. #5
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    Re: Really?

    I wouldn't jump ship on Nikon just yet, I think you will see that they will come out with something that is in competition to the 5D, the megapixels will increase and the fullframe sensor will appear as well. Someone always has to be first with something but doesn't mean the other players are in there with their own equipment projects in the wind as well. Watch out for I think all new cameras in the next 6 months.

  6. #6
    Be serious Franglais's Avatar
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    Nikon vs Canon strategy

    Quote Originally Posted by mcgroup53
    I'm sure this has been much discussed, so apologies for startin a new thread. But after reading the EOS 5D reviews, it really has me thinking it's time to give up on Nikon - much as I hate to say that being a dedicated Nikonian for about 30 years now. I'm very impressed with the D200, but more and more I hear fulltime pros (I'm semi-pro) saying Canon has just wiped the field out in digital SLR. Better images, better and larger sensors, better noise control, etc.

    So what's the thought out there? I hate to give up my Nikon gear, especially my lenses, but 5 years from now I don't want to look back and say I wish I'd just made the plunge now and gone over to Canon.

    Much obliged!
    Nikon's pro strategy is quite clear:
    - a low-end model for less than 2000$, APS-sized sensor, 10MPix today, maximum 16Mpix next generation
    - a high-end model for less than 5000$, 24x36 sensor in 2007, maximum 20MPix next generation
    - future generations will concentrate on noise and dynamic range rather than more pixels

    Canon's have released so many overlapping models with different sensor sizes that I can't say what their strategy is except "Let's get back to 24x36 as soon as possible".

    The D200 is an average sensor in a brilliant body (the 10Mpix Sony sensor will appear in a host of bodies from Pentax, Minolta, etc and should even appear in the D50 and D70 replacements one day).

    The 5D is an exceptional sensor in an average body. What pro could put up with a 90% viewfinder? The D200 is ahead on metering, flash, autofocus - and it's 50% cheaper. And how often do you need to go beyond 800ISO? The 5D is too expensive for high-end amateurs and too amateurish for pros. My guess is that the 30D release next month will only make this more obvious.

    Charles

  7. #7
    Erstwhile Vagabond armed with camera Lionheart's Avatar
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    Re: Nikon to Canon DSLR - Time to Switch?

    Quote Originally Posted by mcgroup53
    I hate to give up my Nikon gear, especially my lenses, but 5 years from now I don't want to look back and say I wish I'd just made the plunge now and gone over to Canon.

    Much obliged!
    So don't give up on your Nikon gear. It's not the gear. It's the vision that makes the image. I'm a Canon shooter as far as serious gear is concerned, but I pack my Panasonic Fz-5 for most outings, and as awful a camera as it is, I manage to get decent shots out of it. Knowing your gear and how to get the most out of it is more important than having the best yadayadayada. Just my two bits...I love my Canon gear (1D mk II, and a wide variety of "L" lenses), but honestly, I doubt that it's any better than Nikon equipment. Creative vision is 90% of the image making process imho.
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  8. #8
    Captain of the Ship Photo-John's Avatar
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    Re: Nikon vs Canon strategy

    Charles-
    Where did you get this:

    "- a high-end [Nikon] model for less than 5000$, 24x36 sensor in 2007, maximum 20MPix next generation"

    I had begun to think that Nikon had no plans to ever make a full-frame sensor. And since their image quality continues to improve along with sensor technology, maybe it doesn't matter. If there has been some sort of announcement or someone has spilled the beans, I'd like to know. I don't remember anything in the last press release about full-frame sensors.
    Photo-John

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  9. #9
    Check out our D300 Pro Review! deckcadet's Avatar
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    Re: Nikon vs Canon strategy

    Quote Originally Posted by Photo-John
    Charles-
    Where did you get this:

    "- a high-end [Nikon] model for less than 5000$, 24x36 sensor in 2007, maximum 20MPix next generation"

    I had begun to think that Nikon had no plans to ever make a full-frame sensor. And since their image quality continues to improve along with sensor technology, maybe it doesn't matter. If there has been some sort of announcement or someone has spilled the beans, I'd like to know. I don't remember anything in the last press release about full-frame sensors.
    There have been at least two direct and official announcements that they are developing FF currently, but I don't know of any official announcement that says ' guess what we'll have in 2k7? FF!'
    However, there are a few leaks every now and then and the general idea is the next major pro line will have a FF camera in it. Probably go like the D2 series: H model (DX) first, then later the FF model.
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  10. #10
    Be serious Franglais's Avatar
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    Nothing official

    Quote Originally Posted by Photo-John
    Charles-
    Where did you get this:

    "- a high-end [Nikon] model for less than 5000$, 24x36 sensor in 2007, maximum 20MPix next generation"

    I had begun to think that Nikon had no plans to ever make a full-frame sensor. And since their image quality continues to improve along with sensor technology, maybe it doesn't matter. If there has been some sort of announcement or someone has spilled the beans, I'd like to know. I don't remember anything in the last press release about full-frame sensors.
    This certainly isn't official information. It's my interpretation of rumours I've seen buried in quiet corners of the French magazines. There were two independent snippets recently:

    - Nikon are working on a full-frame DSLR for release in 2007
    - DSLR's based on 24x36 technology will reach maximum 16MPix for APS-sized sensors and 20MPix for 24x36 (due to optical limitations I guess). Future improvements will be in dynamic range and noise rather than number of pixels.

    My guess is that this sort of information comes from the manufacturer engineers who drop by the magazines from time to time and talk about what they're working on. Having a prototype doesn't mean that it will turn into a product, however. I seem to remember reading that they had several different solutions for the D2X including a full-frame sensor, but finally the 12Mpix APS-sized sensor was the best compromise. And there were rumours about the D90/D200 for 18 months before it became a reality.

    I just put the information together with what I observe as pricing tendencies and guessed at the strategy.

    BTW have you noticed how Nikon and Canon have stopped competing head-on? In the good old days they used to have exactly equivalent models priced about the same(D100=10D D70=300D). No longer. Take prices in France:

    Nikon D50 = 700 Euros
    Canon 350D = 850 Euros
    Nikon D70S = 1100 Euros
    Canon 20D = 1500 Euros
    Nikon D200 = 2000 Euros
    Canon 5D = 3300 Euros
    Canon 1D Mk2 = 3800 Euros
    Nikon D2X = 4500 Euros
    Canon 1Ds Mk2 = 8000 Euros

    My guesses:

    1. Canon will have to do something about the D50 (most of my friends who were still using film SLR's have just bought a D50).
    2. If the 20D replacement has a 10Mpix APS sensor in the 5D body then the price will stay the same as the 20D
    3. What to say about the 5D, which was the original subject of the discussion? It's obviously a technical success but I have doubts about it being a comercial success as well..

    Charles

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