Why Nikon on crime tv??

[WesternGuy]

Not sure if this belongs here, but...
One of the things I have noticed in the past few years is that all these CSI type show (Las Vegas, Miami, New York) and countless other police dramas (Law and Order, NCIS, etc.) all use Nikon cameras to photograph crime scenes. I have yet to see anyone using a Canon, or any other brand, to do this. Does anyone know why this is so?? What is it about Nikon cameras that make them better to do CSI type photos than any other brands?

Any insight that anyone can provide will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Cheers,

WesternGuy

[jetrim]

What makes Nikon better is that they pay the producers to have their products displayed along with providing the cameras free of charge for the actors to use. Last I heard the industry standard for this type of work was the Fujifilm IS Pro. This is where marketing/advertising is going in the future - ads that don't look like ads. This is the same reason that James Bond used to wear a Rolex, but in recent years has switched to Omega.

[Frog]

Jetrim is probably right. There is a lot of subtle advertising in tv and movies.
They'll be drinking a coke or pepsi, driving a certain make of car, etc. The makers are probably paying for them to use their product.

[Loupey]

Any time you see a recognizeable product, it was done so on purpose and because $$$ was offered.

Many years ago, every camera that was featured on shows had a black plate glued over the nameplate so that every camera was generic. Obviously Nikon's marketing and advertising group must feel that these "serious" shows deserve a big chunk of their budget.

I doubt that you'll ever see name brands on the more asinine shows and movies.

[OldClicker]

I notice a lot of Polaroids. - TF

[SmartWombat]

Product placement is important for the brand owners, and films or TV series with largest box office expectations or ratings will be able to charge a lot for it.

Like in Demolition Man - who won the restaurant wars? Bet it wasn't in the script but in the price they paid.

[another view]

Any time you see a recognizeable product, it was done so on purpose and because $$$ was offered.

That's it. It's called Placement as SW mentioned. I work in the world of lighting and I remember a story about this several years ago - one manufacturer paid a lot (undisclosed) of money to have an extra in the background walk thru the scene carrying a box of their product, with a very obvious logo on it. Doesn't matter if it's a bowl of cereal or anything else - money changed hands if you can recognize it.

The one that gets me is the MacBook Pro. I have one and love it, but it's used for so many ads with the Apple logo covered up. Funny thing is that sometimes it's used in ads for software that doesn't work on a Mac (apparently just photoshop a screenshot onto its screen)!

[mwfanelli2]

If we went by product placement, Apple Mac would be the best selling computer in the world!

[Loupey]

The one that gets me is the MacBook Pro. I have one and love it, but it's used for so many ads with the Apple logo covered up. Funny thing is that sometimes it's used in ads for software that doesn't work on a Mac (apparently just photoshop a screenshot onto its screen)!

A particular kid program that my daughter likes to watch often shows kids using a laptop that is obviously a Mac but instead of that trademark apple on the cover, there is a pear.

So it works in reverse too - shows wanting to look hip are deemed too low on the totem pole for the advertisers to offer any money.

[Loupey]

I may be getting way off the topic here but how many people remember when the show ER was seriously advertising for Gateway? It was before Gateway's money problems but in every episode, people in the background were seen carrying their trademark black-and-white "cow" boxes.

Soon afterwards, they upgraded all their monitors to LCD's with the Dell logo.

[WesternGuy]

Thanks for the insight folks. I can see Nikon supplying the equipment for free, but to pay additional $$$ on top - ??? - oh well, it is advertising!

WesternGuy

[Grandpaw]

And I thought it was because they had class, Jeff :thumbsup:

[another view]

obviously a Mac but instead of that trademark apple on the cover, there is a pear.

That's hilarious - well at least to an Apple fan-boy...

[freygr]

I have a friend which works in the CSI department, and he said "We don't use digital for crime since, film like it should be." Digital can be changed too easy!