Canon vs. Nikon

I apologize if this has been covered before. This is my first post here as I'm new to this forum stuff. I originally owned a Nikon F100 (film), traded it in at B&H for the D100. I was quite disappointed with the quality of pictures right out of the D100, especially indoor shots. After processing in Photoshop (which I'm a neophyte at using) they were much better. I traded in the D100 and all my nikon glass for the Canon 10D, bought the 70-200 IS, and 17-40 and a macro, all canon. When the 20d came out, I sold the 10 immediately. While I love the improvements in turn on speed, etc, I feel that the Nikon had much more intuitive controls, such as the ability to protect and unprotect a picture without delving into the menu. Also, why no spot metering? I could go on. The ability to erase an image was much quicker on the Nikon also. I do love Canon lenses though and will stick with it.

Sounds like you've answered your own question. Besides what kind of answer did you expect in a Canon forum? I pick and have always picked Canon over Nikon, even in my film days.


Mark

There is no perfect camera. Never has been and I highly doubt we ever see one.

So, MDJAK, what exactly is/was your point?

Actually, Canon digitals have always been more user friendly than Nikon ever has. That goes for the point-n-shoots as well. Have you ever tried setting the different flash modes on a CoolPix 5400? Talk about corn-fusing! It took three of us and about a half hour to finally figure it out.

Canon has always been known for listening to the consumers' needs and wants, then applying most of those improvements in the new models. Nikon has never listened to consumers and keep putting out their own complicated, old technology digital cameras.

It will take you a little time to adjust to the Canon layout, but once you get used to it, you'll love it.

Chops: I'll agree in a heartbeat. Nothing is less friendly than the system you're going to.

Example: Going from a MAC to PC or PC to MAC. Either route sucks.

Your brain is programmed and the fingers point-n-click where they need to. Change the format and users complain.

Case in point: Last year I upgraded from a 10D to a 1DMKII. The toughest part was getting used to the freaking menus! At first I was thinking, "Why the hell did Canon make these menus so freaking hard to get through?" And then it made sense that there are some options that need a second opinion before making the switch.

There were several options on the 10D that "magically" changed on their own, or so it seemed. Actually, it was so easy to change options on the 10D, between the two wheels, that many times I was changing settings I never intended to.

Anyway, now being used to the 1-series menus, I really appreciate them.

I guess my point, which I obviously did not make well, was that I liked the controls on the nikon better. And I am quite used to the Canon now. I do, however, feel that the picture quality is superior on the Canon.

After reading all of your replies, no one touched on my specific points. I could have made more, but it's been quite a while since I had the D100 and thus have forgotten some nuances.

So, what about my point regarding no spot metering?

What about protecting pictures? Suppose you are going through pictures and want to delete those you've protected? It's quite cumbersome. On the Nikon, the protect button was right on the back.

What about rear curtain synch? Also more difficult to access.

I've probably gotten off on the wrong foot here, but it was not my intention. I take pictures for many sports teams in my local high school and have had them published in the local newspaper, which is quite a thrill. I'm looking forward to the start of the high school wrestling season with the 20d. I just got done shooting the varsity swim team meets and cross country track.

MDJAK: You're not going to get this Canon-Clan to bash our own equipment. Maybe that is not your intention. Maybe you are a troll and it is your intention.

Nevertheless, we are used to Canon menus so it's not some big deal to click here and spin there to get to what we need to do. It becomes second-nature.

If I grabbed a Nikon and trudged through its menus I am sure I'd swear that Nikon was the anti-Christ.

Canon IMHO has a better digital system while Nikon has a better Film system. You can't really compete wite with Canons 1D MKII and the 1Ds II sensor. Nikon's F6 is really somthing else, somthing I have yet to see from Canon.

My Canon has spot metering...

Really.. some aspects of the Nikons controls do make more sense... many of us Canon shooters have set up focus to work with a rear thumb button as opposed to the shutter.. just like an F5...

But Canon holds all the cards where it counts.
Digital evolution on the whole,. image quality, lens choices,. speed, pixel count etc..

That's one of those features that Canon (unfortunately) has reserved for their expensive 1-series professional cameras. I would love to have a spot meter on my 10D...

I don't care, I never use that function. Are you using it frequently? Why do you think this is useful?

That's also one of those settings I almost never touch, so I don't mind that it's somewhere between the custom functions.

Different people use different features, so the optimal user interface is different for different people. Canon could make a button for every single feature, but then you'd have a camera full of buttons and before you know it you're pressing the wrong one.... (I've read that the Minolta DSLR is like that - full of buttons).

I wish that Canon would put the ISO setting in the viewfinder on cameras in the two-digit series (20D, etc.) - that's again one of those things they've only implemented in the 1-series cameras until now.

It would also be nice if there would be a button to reset the camera to user-definable default settings - I often have to check a whole list of settings (ISO, AF mode, drive mode, metering mode, exposure compensation, etc...) to make sure I didn't leave something on a wrong setting... we've already discussed leaving the camera on ISO 1600 by accident in the forums....

CyberDyneSystems wrote:
many of us Canon shooters have set up focus to work with a rear thumb button as opposed to the shutter.. just like an F5...

CDS, am I missing something here, please explain

N

neil_r wrote:

CyberDyneSystems wrote:
many of us Canon shooters have set up focus to work with a rear thumb button as opposed to the shutter.. just like an F5...

CDS, am I missing something here, please explain

N

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I guess many users here are not familiar with the Nikon functions, so they can't really comment on them.

I also had a Nikon 601 (but only mediocre glass) and it took me some time to change to the 'Canon way' on my G2, but I think it was worth it. I will follow the 20D route.

Best regards,
Andy

Sir, I can most assuredly inform you that I am not a troll. I am in no way bashing Canon. I LOVE my 20d.

This is only the second forum I've ever contributed on, the other being VWVORTEX.COM, regarding my other passion, my 2004 Volkswagen Touareg. I have almost 2,000 posts on there. I invite you to view some and you will see that I attempt to be a serious contributor, at times injecting levity into what can be very technical discussions. I also hosted the first "Egg" (Touareg) Get Together, inviting over 20 complete strangers to my house. There have since been these around the country as a result.

I would die for the 1Ds Mark II, but alas college tuition for my three children get in the way.

I apologize to all above who viewed my posts in the wrong light. It was just something that bothered me after trading in the Nikon and I wanted to discuss it. Actually, the replies have been very helpful to me.

MDJAK: Good to hear you're here for good. I also used to cruise the VWVortex forums when we had our Jettas. Moved up to a TT, considered the Toureg, but these photo forums keep me way too busy these days.

One note on the second curtain synch. I just set my camera that way and leave it. I also never protect my photos as I rarely erase on the fly. And I have the MKII so have spot metering there. There are workarounds on the prosumer cams that are okay, but it's not a deal breaker.

As a sidenote: We have had a serious influx of newbies here and many of them have been trolls, so it's good to hear you're not from the dark-side. Welcome to the forums and we look forward to having you here.

Thank you, Jim. And my name is Mark, by the way.