Canon or Nikon DSLR?!?

sjm · Post by **sjm** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 9:52 am

Need some advice here please... I'm looking at getting a new DSLR. I recently bought a Canon G12 'bridge' camera which is excellent - so good in fact that it's sparked me up about getting a new DSLR as well! I've got an old Nikon D50, which still takes great photos, but I want to get something more upto date now (I guess the D50 is about 5 yrs old now, so things have moved on a bit!)

I've short-listed the Canon EOS 60D or Nikon D7000. Love the look/ feel of the Canon 7D but not sure I can justify the extra money... I'd be buying on a 'body only' basis and then getting a lens (as opposed to taking the kit lens). Has anyone here got experience across these models/ any views at all?

Thanks in advance,
Simon

Gary71 · Post by **Gary71** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 10:23 am

Nikon

Canon make photocopiers don't they?

Gary71 · Post by **Gary71** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 10:26 am

To be honest though either option will be just fine. Chose the one you prefer once you've had a decent play in the camera shop. If you already have Nikon then you may feel more comfortable with that and any lenses you have will fit.

D7000 is nice, but Nikon D800 is the camera of the moment though...

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 10:38 am

sjm wrote:Love the look/ feel of the Canon 7D but not sure I can justify the extra money...

The justification for the extra money is that the 7D is a full frame camera, what you see through the viewfinder is what you get.
It's actually great value for money when you compare it to the top end Canon range, very similar performance, Magnesium alloy
body, fast continuous shooting and weather and dust proofed to pro level which is why a lot of pro's are using them.

HTH's

markh · Post by **markh** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 11:31 am

I have the D7000 - I think it's a great camera. Easy to use, fast, great low light performance and not too expensive.

I'd love to go full frame but I can't justify the £1000+ extra over the D7000 to go for the D800. But if you want full frame then the Nikons are expensive.

A D7000 and a Nikon 35mm f1.8 will produce fantastic pictures.

sjm · Post by **sjm** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 12:50 pm

Thanks all - interesting to hear your comments Mark as an owner. I've been out today and handled an EOS 60D (Nikon 7000 not in stock - maybe that shows they're selling more of them!?!), and it seemed great - although I wasn't convinced by the 'dial lock'.

I'll read a few more reviews and wait until I can handle a D7000 before deciding. Either way it seems like both will produce great photos I guess

Anta · Post by **Anta** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:39 pm

I think the Nikon shortage is more just that....they are in short supply through less being made.

I am an ex-pro Nikon film camera addict but for various resons have ended up with Canon both DSLR and Compact. Last straw was buying a high end compact recently and the Nikon was out of stock for months, Canon you can take today sir. The G12 which by the way if anyone wants a nice point and shoot which can also go manual is an amazing bit of kit. I fancied the Nikon as it had a quicker shutter response but if you can't buy em!!

In any event at the level you are looking at you will not be dissapointed, my dad has the full frame Canon and I have to say if you are in for the duration that's the boy.

sjm · Post by **sjm** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 10:07 am

Interesting - thanks Anta. I've since found out that the Nikon 7000 is made in Japan and that area was hit with floods, hence no supply for many weeks. Can you explain (to a novice like me!) what the big advantage of "full frame" is? Is it simply that what you see through the viewfinder is what you get?!? I would have thought that was pretty much the case anyway? (I realise I am probably being extremely thick with this answer....)

Bruce M · Post by **Bruce M** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 11:02 am

Best I can figure out, the full frame thing is partly habit as that is what traditional users know, partly the electronics (bigger sensor, more light hitting it) and partly optics (many years of experience building lens for those focal lengths).

One big difference is short depth of field. With a big sensor the angle of view is bigger with the same focal length lens. A smaller sensor effectively takes a crop. So with full frame, you are using a longer focal length for the same view. This increases the hyper focal distance (point where everything is effectively at infinity) and narrows the DOF. To many photographers, the shorter DOF is desirable.

anglophone1 · Post by **anglophone1** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 3:31 pm

Full frame= same size sensor as original 35mm film=bigger file= higher quality.
Otherwise APS size sensor= about 1/2 size sensor=smaller file=not as high quality.
Neither will be low quality.

Bruce M · Post by **Bruce M** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 4:17 pm

Even if the resolution isn't higher the sensor will have better low light performance, more dynamic range and better colours as each pixel gets more light. So image quality should be better (at least that's what Canon says.

)

Northy · Post by **Northy** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 5:21 pm

I've been going through exactly the same thought processes as you. I've also got an old D50, with a few lenses. My current thinking is to get the D7000, over the D90. I'm interested in using it for video, so that is a priority too. I had a play around with the D3100 recently and it felt really cheap. I don't think the D5100 is that much different, so I'm not sure I'd go for that either. My old D50 feels better built than the D3100 did.

If I had the dosh I'd go for a Canon 5D MK 2 or 3 - but I don't. So it's likely to be the D7000 for me.

Barwaut · Post by **Barwaut** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 8:44 pm

I still think that Canon makes the better lenses.

Body wise, the choice doesn''t matter.

johndglynn · Post by **johndglynn** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 10:42 pm

Barwaut wrote: Body wise, the choice doesn''t matter.

Haha, what? Tell me more about this idea.

I love full frame - way to go even with a used body (D700 maybe). Remember if you go full frame then you need lenses to match, or just one to start. Fast 50mm prime is cheap and enough to keep you busy for a while.

You can rent cameras: maybe try your shortlist out. Buy the one that makes you smile when you put it to your face.

sjm · Post by **sjm** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:35 pm

After much faffing, reading articles, checking forums etc and handling a few cameras I ended up blowing my budget and bought an EOS 5D Mk II, which came with a superb 24-105 'L' lens in a kit! First impressions are thatI love it - I collected it the day before we went off for a weeks holiday so had plenty to read one the plane and loads of chance to get used to handling it while away. The main difference I've noticed so far is the ability to shoot in lower light without a flash, the image stabiliser works very well on the L lenses, and of course DOF is very different. It is way beyond my abilities at the moment, but I'm looking forward to learning how to use it. Now my next question: what's the best photo software to use? I'm thinking of Photoshop Elements 10? Seems simple enough.

Any tips please or recommendations? Thanks in advance

DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker