Nikon vs. Canon
This has been a very popular discussion world-wide on the web, and different photographers have a different view. However, I have decided to make an unbiased balance between the pros and cons of Nikon and Canon in general.
Camera body
Build and appearance
Nikon and Canon bodies differ greatly in their outer appearance. Nikon has a more squared look, and Canon has a more rounded streamlined look. Nikon keeps the older edgy-body design like the film cameras, and has an appearance not particularly appealing to people nowadays. Canon's rounded design has been a big evolution since the old film design, and this new look is mainly to attract girls' attention.
Body grip
This feature is extremely difficult to compare; some like Nikon's button layout and grip, and some like Canon's. Anyway, I will say what I feel. When it comes to the grip, I admire Nikon for this. When I am holding a Nikon DSLR, I love their soft rubbery grip, which makes it pleasant to hold for hours and hours. Canon grips are just too hard for my taste. It actually hurts when holding onto it for too long. The figure-like dented shape of Canon's grip neither provides a better grip.
User friendliness
In general, people say that Canon DSLRs are more user-friendly just because they have fewer buttons than Nikon does on the body. Well, I don’t agree. By having more buttons on the exterior, it saves you time from navigating through pages and pages of menu just to change one thing. The buttons on Nikon camera bodies are just in the right place for you to press. What’s more? I especially like the classification of Nikon menus, divided into 5 or 6 main groups, and further classified into a, b, c, d, e…. Anyway, this is just a personal preference. You may differ from me greatly. You might like messing around with menus more than shooting.
Image sensor: format, megapixel, ISO performance, metering
Image sensor formats
Nikon has formats of full frame (35mm sensor), called FX, and APS-C (1.5x crop), called DX.
Canon has annoying formats of full frame (35mm sensor), APS-H (1.3x crop), and APS-C (1.6x crop).
APS-C sized sensors are smaller than full frame 35mm sensors, therefore giving you a crop. It means that which ever lens you put on that camera, you will have to times the marked focal length by 1.5x or 1.6x. Canon is being a cheap ass here, making their APS-C sized sensor smaller than Nikon, giving more crop (not necessarily good), and cheaper in size. The annoying thing about Canon is number of different formats they have. In the Canon 1D MKIV, Canon has put in a new APS-H sized sensor, giving 1.3x crop. Choosing lenses in the Canon range is difficult due to this.
Megapixel (mp)
Canon is trying to attract beginners' attention to their high number of megapixels; 18mp in the Canon 550D! Let me tell you, megapixels does not mean anything. Unless you do poster prints to fit onto the IFC II, 8mp is the most you will need. Having more megapixels in a sensor means more noise in high ISO, and this is why Canon never performs well in high ISO. The only time when megapixels come in is when you shoot wildlife, cropping into images where your lens couldn't reach that far. Next time you buy a DSLR, remember to ignore the salesmen when they are telling you how many megapixels there are in the camera.
ISO performance and Metering
It has been well-known that Nikon has better image sensors than Canon do, even though Sony makes them. We can tell by looking at their high ISO performance and their advanced system of matrix-metering. Just take an example: the Nikon D3s (upper left image) vs. the Canon 1D MKIV (upper right image). The Nikon D3s has won the 2010 TIPA Best DSLR Professional Award for this outstanding performance. To be mentioned is that Nikon in general has a better auto white balance control than Canon, and this is due to their accurate metering as well.
Video feature
However, when it comes to video taking, the obvious winner is Canon. Their well-developed full HD feature conquers the world. Nevertheless, we should never considerate the video feature as first priority when it comes to buying a DSLR; you are buying a camera, not a videocam. You may, however, think that it is an extra bonus to have in your camera, but just don’t use it too often as it eats up the shutter life rapidly, fast enough to have it changed in less than two months. Up till now, the Canon 550D features the best video quality and options at the least possible price.
Flash system
Nikon is a must win here. Their sophisticated CLS flash system allows you to set wireless flashes to different groups and places, and fire them all the same time. Want to change the flash settings? OK, go into the camera menu, click a few exposure stops button, and voilà, there you are. You don’t even have to get up and walk around flash after flash, pressing buttons to change their output.
Lenses
Lenses are equally important to camera bodies. Photographers even say that the lens is the other couple of the camera. Both companies produce quality lenses, so it is rather difficult to decide between which company make better ones. Canon has be a bastard and changed their lens mount in 1987, from the FD mount to the EF mount, which is used nowadays in digital bodies. This means that any lens made before 1987 will not mount onto a digital body. However, Nikon has kept their lens mount the same since the introduction of AI lenses, and you can still mount them onto the digital bodies you can buy nowadays! It is very true that Nikon lenses are usually sharper than Canon equivalents, thus a higher price, so let's look at them in details.
Wide angle lenses
Nikon has the reputation of producing crisp wide angle lenses. The Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 is a good example. Canon has nothing like this in their lens range.
Normal (zoom) lenses
Still, in this range of lenses, Nikon wins Canon by a tad. When comparing normal zoom lenses, the common 24-70mm f/2.8, Nikon has won comfortably at both 24mm and at 70mm at f/2.8. The horrifying news now comes. Sigma, a third party lens company, produced a same 24-70 f/2.8 HSM (2nd hand available) lens, and it even won Canon at 70mm for more than half the price! For more information regarding this topic, please click here!
When both Nikon and Canon 50mm f/1.8 are put side by side, the Nikon still wins streets ahead of Canon. Mind you, this lens is no expensive stuff. It costs only about HKD800.
Telephoto lenses
Yet again, Nikon wins cozily with its 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II (more details). Yes, the Canon also released a 70-200 II IS USM, but still lies under the Nikon in terms of chromatic aberration correction, distortion and overall image sharpness.
Super-telephoto lenses
Finally, Canon wins. Their continuous update of 300mm f/2.8, 400mm f/2.8, 500mm f/4 (more details), 600mm f/4 and 800mm f/5.6 easily beats Nikon. In April 2010, Nikon released their new version of 300mm f/2.8II 200-400mm f/4II, but Nikon is still acting too slowly to compete with Canon in this range.
Conclusion
Nikon and Canon take different routes in terms of their product releases. Nikon has a perspection of quality, and Canon has a perspection of value. Nikon has little amount of newly designed lenses, but all of great quality. Canon has loads of newly designed lenses, but some are absolute crap. To surprise some of you, try checking out Nikon AI and AI-s lenses. You will be amazed by their number and quality.
So, after all I have said, a simple conclusion can be made: if you are serious about photography, go Nikon. If you are too interested in video features and want a Canon because everybody else has a Canon, go Canon.
But remember, buy what will suit you, not follow what others buy.
Camera body
Build and appearance
Nikon and Canon bodies differ greatly in their outer appearance. Nikon has a more squared look, and Canon has a more rounded streamlined look. Nikon keeps the older edgy-body design like the film cameras, and has an appearance not particularly appealing to people nowadays. Canon's rounded design has been a big evolution since the old film design, and this new look is mainly to attract girls' attention.
Body grip
This feature is extremely difficult to compare; some like Nikon's button layout and grip, and some like Canon's. Anyway, I will say what I feel. When it comes to the grip, I admire Nikon for this. When I am holding a Nikon DSLR, I love their soft rubbery grip, which makes it pleasant to hold for hours and hours. Canon grips are just too hard for my taste. It actually hurts when holding onto it for too long. The figure-like dented shape of Canon's grip neither provides a better grip.
User friendliness
In general, people say that Canon DSLRs are more user-friendly just because they have fewer buttons than Nikon does on the body. Well, I don’t agree. By having more buttons on the exterior, it saves you time from navigating through pages and pages of menu just to change one thing. The buttons on Nikon camera bodies are just in the right place for you to press. What’s more? I especially like the classification of Nikon menus, divided into 5 or 6 main groups, and further classified into a, b, c, d, e…. Anyway, this is just a personal preference. You may differ from me greatly. You might like messing around with menus more than shooting.
Image sensor: format, megapixel, ISO performance, metering
Image sensor formats
Nikon has formats of full frame (35mm sensor), called FX, and APS-C (1.5x crop), called DX.
Canon has annoying formats of full frame (35mm sensor), APS-H (1.3x crop), and APS-C (1.6x crop).
APS-C sized sensors are smaller than full frame 35mm sensors, therefore giving you a crop. It means that which ever lens you put on that camera, you will have to times the marked focal length by 1.5x or 1.6x. Canon is being a cheap ass here, making their APS-C sized sensor smaller than Nikon, giving more crop (not necessarily good), and cheaper in size. The annoying thing about Canon is number of different formats they have. In the Canon 1D MKIV, Canon has put in a new APS-H sized sensor, giving 1.3x crop. Choosing lenses in the Canon range is difficult due to this.
Megapixel (mp)
Canon is trying to attract beginners' attention to their high number of megapixels; 18mp in the Canon 550D! Let me tell you, megapixels does not mean anything. Unless you do poster prints to fit onto the IFC II, 8mp is the most you will need. Having more megapixels in a sensor means more noise in high ISO, and this is why Canon never performs well in high ISO. The only time when megapixels come in is when you shoot wildlife, cropping into images where your lens couldn't reach that far. Next time you buy a DSLR, remember to ignore the salesmen when they are telling you how many megapixels there are in the camera.
ISO performance and Metering
It has been well-known that Nikon has better image sensors than Canon do, even though Sony makes them. We can tell by looking at their high ISO performance and their advanced system of matrix-metering. Just take an example: the Nikon D3s (upper left image) vs. the Canon 1D MKIV (upper right image). The Nikon D3s has won the 2010 TIPA Best DSLR Professional Award for this outstanding performance. To be mentioned is that Nikon in general has a better auto white balance control than Canon, and this is due to their accurate metering as well.
Video feature
However, when it comes to video taking, the obvious winner is Canon. Their well-developed full HD feature conquers the world. Nevertheless, we should never considerate the video feature as first priority when it comes to buying a DSLR; you are buying a camera, not a videocam. You may, however, think that it is an extra bonus to have in your camera, but just don’t use it too often as it eats up the shutter life rapidly, fast enough to have it changed in less than two months. Up till now, the Canon 550D features the best video quality and options at the least possible price.
Flash system
Nikon is a must win here. Their sophisticated CLS flash system allows you to set wireless flashes to different groups and places, and fire them all the same time. Want to change the flash settings? OK, go into the camera menu, click a few exposure stops button, and voilà, there you are. You don’t even have to get up and walk around flash after flash, pressing buttons to change their output.
Lenses
Lenses are equally important to camera bodies. Photographers even say that the lens is the other couple of the camera. Both companies produce quality lenses, so it is rather difficult to decide between which company make better ones. Canon has be a bastard and changed their lens mount in 1987, from the FD mount to the EF mount, which is used nowadays in digital bodies. This means that any lens made before 1987 will not mount onto a digital body. However, Nikon has kept their lens mount the same since the introduction of AI lenses, and you can still mount them onto the digital bodies you can buy nowadays! It is very true that Nikon lenses are usually sharper than Canon equivalents, thus a higher price, so let's look at them in details.
Wide angle lenses
Nikon has the reputation of producing crisp wide angle lenses. The Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 is a good example. Canon has nothing like this in their lens range.
Normal (zoom) lenses
Still, in this range of lenses, Nikon wins Canon by a tad. When comparing normal zoom lenses, the common 24-70mm f/2.8, Nikon has won comfortably at both 24mm and at 70mm at f/2.8. The horrifying news now comes. Sigma, a third party lens company, produced a same 24-70 f/2.8 HSM (2nd hand available) lens, and it even won Canon at 70mm for more than half the price! For more information regarding this topic, please click here!
When both Nikon and Canon 50mm f/1.8 are put side by side, the Nikon still wins streets ahead of Canon. Mind you, this lens is no expensive stuff. It costs only about HKD800.
Telephoto lenses
Yet again, Nikon wins cozily with its 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II (more details). Yes, the Canon also released a 70-200 II IS USM, but still lies under the Nikon in terms of chromatic aberration correction, distortion and overall image sharpness.
Super-telephoto lenses
Finally, Canon wins. Their continuous update of 300mm f/2.8, 400mm f/2.8, 500mm f/4 (more details), 600mm f/4 and 800mm f/5.6 easily beats Nikon. In April 2010, Nikon released their new version of 300mm f/2.8II 200-400mm f/4II, but Nikon is still acting too slowly to compete with Canon in this range.
Conclusion
Nikon and Canon take different routes in terms of their product releases. Nikon has a perspection of quality, and Canon has a perspection of value. Nikon has little amount of newly designed lenses, but all of great quality. Canon has loads of newly designed lenses, but some are absolute crap. To surprise some of you, try checking out Nikon AI and AI-s lenses. You will be amazed by their number and quality.
So, after all I have said, a simple conclusion can be made: if you are serious about photography, go Nikon. If you are too interested in video features and want a Canon because everybody else has a Canon, go Canon.
But remember, buy what will suit you, not follow what others buy.
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