Upgrade time; Canon or Nikon?

I know, yet another "what brand should I get" type question. Only this one might be a bit different.

My current cameras are a few generations old. I own equipment from three different brands; Nikon, Canon and Panasonic. This is what I currently have:

Nikon :

-D200 body (my main body, lots of miles on it).

-D200 body (purchased new as a back up, never had to use it, only has about 50 shutter clicks).

- D1X body with buffer upgrade (lots of use).

- D1X with buffer upgrade (very little use, purchased originally as back up).

-SB 800 speedlight (used regularly)
-SB 800 speedlight (purchased as back up, hardly ever used)

Nikon AF Lenses:

-24mm 2.8 AF D
-35mm 2.0 AF D
-50mm 1.8 AF D
-85mm 1.8 AF D
-180mm 2.8 AF D
-300mm 4.0 AF S
-80-200mm 2.8 AF D
-17-55mm 2.8 AF S DX

Nikon manual focus lenses:

-24mm 2.8 ais
-35mm 2.0 ais
-50mm 1.4 ais
-50mm 1.8 ais
-105mm 2.5 ais

Canon:

-T3i body
-EF S 10-18mm 45/5.6 IS STM
-EF S 18-55mm 3.5/5.6 IS II
-EF S 55-250mm 4/5.6 IS II
-EF 75-300mm 4/5.6 III
-430 EX 2 speedlight

m4/3 Panasonic G5 body with two kit lenses.


It's time to upgrade as all of my cameras are old. The hassle of noise at any iso over 400 with my Nikon bodies is annoying. Nowadays I mostly shoot travel pics, wild life and ocassional non-pro sport events (football, baseball, soccer).

Two cameras I have narrowed down to because of features and price point (under $1,300) are the Nikon D7200 or the Canon 7D mark II. My maximum cash budget is only $1,300 and I prefer sticking with a new body. I am happy with a cropped sensor, so I don't have any desire (or money) to go full frame.

Based on what I own in terms of lenses, the logical choice would be the Nikon D7200. However, I am contemplating the possibility of a fresh start. The D7200 is completely unapealing to me in terms of ergonomics and features compared to the 7D mark II. For sports the 7D outperforms the D7200 in buffer space, metering and overall speed. The D7200 would make for a better travel camera, plus I can use it with all the lenses I currently own.

If I were to go with the 7D mark II, I would have to invest in at least one new lens (ideally a 70-200mm 2.8 L) to shoot some of the sports pics I do.

I like what I have read about the 7D mark II. Selling off some of my Nikon gear might get me a tad bit closer to being able to buy the 70-200mm 2.8, but not by much. I would still have to spend more cash than I would like.

Bottom line is that the d7200 isn't as appealing to me as the 7D mark II. One way or another I am planning on upgrading soon. I don't want to be stuck with buyers remorse with any of the two choices I make.

p.s. I only mentioned my m4/3 system, but I have no desire/intention on buying another m4/3 camera or lens again. I prefer to stick with either Nikon or Canon.

Suggestions?

You have a) more and b) better Nikon lenses than Canon ones - including an 80-200 f/2.8 which you'd need for the Canon, and for wildlife you have the 300mm for the Nikons compared to a couple of slower zooms for the Canons. The lenses (and the photographer) matter more than the body. I'd go with the Nikon.

Why not sell off some of the Canon stuff if you do, that would help the budget. If you were thinking of selling some Nikon gear to fund a Canon 70-200, why not sell some of the Canon stuff for a better Nikon body, or a standard zoom lens for traveling*?

* = I'd be happy to travel with the primes you already have but many people prefer zooms.

In any case, to me it looks like a Nikon would be your best bet.

Owain Shaw wrote in post #17797305
You have a) more and b) better Nikon lenses than Canon ones - including an 80-200 f/2.8 which you'd need for the Canon, and for wildlife you have the 300mm for the Nikons compared to a couple of slower zooms for the Canons. The lenses (and the photographer) matter more than the body. I'd go with the Nikon.

Why not sell off some of the Canon stuff if you do, that would help the budget. If you were thinking of selling some Nikon gear to fund a Canon 70-200, why not sell some of the Canon stuff for a better Nikon body, or a standard zoom lens for traveling*?

* = I'd be happy to travel with the primes you already have but many people prefer zooms.

In any case, to me it looks like a Nikon would be your best bet.

Thanks! Ironically I originally purchased the Canon outfit for traveling as my Nikon cameras were heavy/bulky. Prior to the Canon outfit I experimented with Olympus and Panasonic m4/3 as a lightweight alternative, but I never liked the low IQ compared to the bigger sensors of other dslr's.

Currently all I have in terms of available funds is $1,300. Any extra cash would have to come from selling off gear. I think that regardless of what camera choice I end up with though, I would still like to continue using the T3i outfit for travel. I feel less stress traveling with the T3i because if it gets lost, damaged or stolen it can be replaced at a very reasonable cost compared to any newer camera I might buy.

Thanks again. Your recommendation makes sound sense.

snegron wrote in post #17797334
Currently all I have in terms of available funds is $1,300. Any extra cash would have to come from selling off gear. I think that regardless of what camera choice I end up with though, I would still like to continue using the T3i outfit for travel. I feel less stress traveling with the T3i because if it gets lost, damaged or stolen it can be replaced at a very reasonable cost compared to any newer camera I might buy.

Thanks again. Your recommendation makes sound sense.

That too makes sense. If you weren't happy with the smaller cameras and the smaller Canon works for your travels then you should keep hold of it, I completely agree.

I do think the lenses you have make a Nikon upgrade more sensible - especially with a budget, even if you keep hold of the Canon gear for traveling. Good luck with your decision making.

Definitely the Nikon, you have the most gear there. Consider the full frame D610, a little more expensive but FF is superior in my experience (I shot crop professionally for years, 40D/7D before moving to D700). Only one of your lenses is DX.

tim wrote in post #17797647
Definitely the Nikon, you have the most gear there. Consider the full frame D610, a little more expensive but FF is superior in my experience (I shot crop professionally for years, 40D/7D before moving to D700). Only one of your lenses is DX.

About a year or so ago I went to a local electronics store and got to handle the D600 and D7100. I was impressed at how much better the D7100 felt in terms of build quality compared to the D600 .

Going full frame has crossed my mind (especially because all the lenses I own are FF except for the one DX lens I own). I simply can't truly justify spending over $2000 on a camera body (I like the D750). Maybe a few years ago when I was shooting weddings I could, but that chapter has ended for me. I mostly shoot travel, occasional sports and wildlife now . Definitely no money shots. ☺

Normally I'd say with a blank slate, go Canon for wildlife or sports, Nikon for landscapes and low light event photography, and anything elses it's a bit of a wash.

But given your lens collection, and extensive use of the D1X, I'd say Nikon.

"D1x, That's a name I've not heard in a very long time... a long time"

With what you already own, go Nikon.

snegron wrote in post #17797963
About a year or so ago I went to a local electronics store and got to handle the D600 and D7100. I was impressed at how much better the D7100 felt in terms of build quality compared to the D600 .

Going full frame has crossed my mind (especially because all the lenses I own are FF except for the one DX lens I own). I simply can't truly justify spending over $2000 on a camera body (I like the D750). Maybe a few years ago when I was shooting weddings I could, but that chapter has ended for me. I mostly shoot travel, occasional spirts and wildlife now . Definitely no money shots. ☺

D610 is newer, but much the same I think. I know my D700s are well build, and the D800/810 are well built, but I've never handled a D610. Maybe you should think "robust enough for what I need" not "the most robust".

tim wrote in post #17797972
D610 is newer, but much the same I think. I know my D700s are well build, and the D800/810 are well built, but I've never handled a D610. Maybe you should think "robust enough for what I need" not "the most robust".

It's not so much that I need a more robust camera body; I need a camera with decent weather sealing and a somewhat sturdier build quality. Reason is I live in Florida. The humidity levels here are high throughout the entire year. I have had cameras fail on me due to shooting in highly humid conditions. Also lost two prime lenses to fungus build up on the interior of the lens elements. I keep all my equipment in a dry area with multiple desiccant/silica gel packs.

The D600 at the time was not as well weather sealed as the D7100. Maybe the D650 is equally as weather sealed as the D7200, not sure, I haven't done much research on the D650.

I know the D750 is pretty awesome. If (when) my D700s fail that's what I'll go to.

Update:

Today I went to the local big box retail electronics store to see both camera bodies in person.

I held the Nikon D7200, D610, D750 and the Canon 7D II. Of the 4 cameras, the 7DII felt the best followed closely by the D750. I did not like the light, plasticky feel of the D7200 and D610 compared to the solid feel of the 7D II. For some reason I remember the original D7000 feeling heaftier than the D7200.

I'm sure I am mistaken, but the D7200 didn't feel as solid as the specs indicate it should. It is probably a tough , well built camera with great weather sealing, but it felt so much like a D5000 series camera to me.

7DII is the pro crop body. The 7D is the camera that finally made me sell my Canon gear (and I had a LOT) due to focus issues. D750 is probably the best combination of performance/value for a wedding/portrait camera around today, and it's very versatile. Can't really comment on crop bodies, to be honest once I bought my D700s a few years ago I stopped looking at cameras and concentrated on creating great photos - I found the Nikons super reliable and dependable, compared with my older Canons.

No need for a Canon/Nikon debate of course, it's what works for the individual. Nikon just works better for me.

tim wrote in post #17798583
7DII is the pro crop body. The 7D is the camera that finally made me sell my Canon gear (and I had a LOT) due to focus issues. D750 is probably the best combination of performance/value for a wedding/portrait camera around today, and it's very versatile. Can't really comment on crop bodies, to be honest once I bought my D700s a few years ago I stopped looking at cameras and concentrated on creating great photos - I found the Nikons super reliable and dependable, compared with my older Canons.

No need for a Canon/Nikon debate of course, it's what works for the individual. Nikon just works better for me.

Thanks again! Looks like there are so many opinions all over the place with the 7DII; some swear by it, others complain about soft focus/poor low light performance.

The last "semi pro" body I purchased was a Nikon D200. Even today it still feels solid; more so than any of the cameras I tried out today at the electronics store. My ancient Nikon D1X feels bulletproof compared to my D200! I guess I have been away from newer cameras for awhile as all these newer cameras feel so light ( in a plastic sort of way). I don't mean that in a derrogatory way; I am probably from the old school mentality that equates weightier/more metalic bodies with better build quality. Could also be I had really negative experiences with several Nikon D70's several years ago as none of them lasted more than a few months.

I did like the feel of the D750 today though. The deep grip felt great in my hand. The tilting rear panel was also a nice feature . Problem is that body is $500 over budget for me at this time. While I liked the way the D750 felt, it wasn't "love at first sight/feel" for me as with the 7D II.

Despite how great that 7D II felt, I am leaning more toward Nikon for the logical reasons you mentioned before (owning more Nikon than Canon glass). Most likely I will go for the D7200 despite how I didn't like the feel/build quality. I'll cross my fingers and hope it will last me awhile at least as long as my D200's did! ☺

Sell the T3i and all the Canon glass and buy yourself a D750.