If you owned Canon, why did you switch to Nikon and to the ones to went Nikon to Canon?

Question

I am trying to decide whether to get a Canon Rebel XTi or a Nikon D80. I have not had that many cameras before but I owned a Canon Rebel Ti for over 5 years. I am very satisfied with it. I want to ask those who have been Canon loyalists, why they decided to switch to Nikon. Also to those who were Nikon loyalists, why did you switch to Canon? I am trying to decide what to do.

Answer 1

Boy, this is an interesting question. I gave it a star and I can't wait to read what all the usual suspects have to say. I will even stay out of the argument and enjoy the comments.

I say that it's interesting, because what we USUALLY get is simply, "Which brand is better?" and this does not require much thought in an answer. In fact, it prompts me to post one of my boilerplate answers so I can move on.

The truth is, everyone is right. While it is no secret that I am a Nikon user and a big fan of Nikon, we are all mature enough to recognize that the way the camera feel to YOU is very important. I have a Nikon D200 and my wife hates it. It's too heavy for her. She loves her D50, though, and she can keep up with me quite easily. I showed the D200 to our neighbor - a very petite lady of 4'11" - she loved it so much she went out and bought one. She has to actually lean backwards to balance while she holds the thing, but it feels "rock solid" to her and the controls match her hand position. This will help her be a better photographer more than any whistles and bells than Nikon chose to use that Canon ignored. Or vice versa.

When you make this kind of purchase, you have to feel the camera in your hands. Clavestone (who must feel like a candle in the darkness sometimes) is correct when he says, "I Nikon vs Canon is alot like Coke vs Pepsi. Some of us don't follow the trend and like RC Cola or even Coffee to get our caffeine." I'm sure he does better with the Pentax than he would with the Nikon or Canon just because it feels right to him. He switched from Nikon film cameras to Pentax digital. I swtiched from Pentax film cameras to Nikon digital. I started out with Exakta, but soon had a Pentax Spotmatic. I used Pentax film cameras from about 1968 (and my dad's prior to that) to the present day. I held out and held out, hoping that my dear Pentax would become a serious player in the digitial world, but they are very conservative and I couldn't wait any longer. Actually, I hated Nikon cameras and had a real bias against them which went back to their trash marketting from the 60's, so it was hard for me to even try one. I overcame my bias and now I love Nikon digital SLR's.

I can tell you all of the reasons I like Nikon better than Canon, but they are really very personal reasons. You can click on my icon and read any number of my previous responses to see what I think about that technical stuff. In fact, I guess I can't resist totally. Here's a link to what is now my stock answer and it has a link to a review that compares the two cameras you mentioned: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiG00eHyd0oq5b.X7J.jiULzy6IX?qid=20070113133139AAHWJY0

But... since you sound like a serious and considered shopper, you need to take matters - and cameras - into your own hand and go visit Mom'n'Pop at the camera store and see what you think.

Answer 2

Both companies make great cameras and lenses. If you have a couple of Canon AF lenses, it probably makes the most sense to stick with Canon.
People that switch from Canon to Nikon and (more commonly in recent years) from Nikon to Canon are people that NEED a specific feature that the other brand doesn't have. This is mostly the case with professional bodies. I use a semi-pro Nikon D200, but I must admit that at the moment Canon has a better professional camera than Nikon does.
When you compare the XTi to the D80, you have two cameras that are pretty evenly matched. The real world advantages of the D80 are:
* It has a larger body (which is not so much an advatage... it's more that the tiny grip on the XTi is a DISadvantage)
* It has a larger viewfinder
* It has a spot meter
* It has a better control layout - you don't have to dive into the menu so often.
So really, you pay extra for a couple of things that make the D80 a more pleasant camera to use. The performance and image quality is practically identical. In my opinion - and the reviews agree - these little things DO justify the price difference.
One final thing, the XTi will magnify your current lenses by a factor 1.6. So your 50mm lens effectively becomes an 80mm lens on the XTi, etc.

Answer 3

I switched from Canon to Nikon in the early 90s. Nikon cameras just feel better in my hands, and the controls seem more logical. But at the time, I didn't have thousands tied up in Canon glass.

If you do have some nice Canon lenses, then I would stay with Canon. If not, I would suggest going to a camera store and handling some cameras from both to see what you think. Canon probably has a bit better high ISO performance, Nikon (my opinion) has better glass and a better feel.

Really, this debate has been going on for years, and it's actually sort of silly. Either system will work, and both are only as good as the person behind the lens.

Answer 4

Canon is ahead in the digital game, no question about it.

Every time Nikon seems to be closing in (like with the D200 and D80) Canon pushes the throttle and leaves them behind again.

If you look at the functions available on the new 1D MkIII you'll see that in a few months the gap that was becoming smaller will open up again.

If you already own some gear, be it Nikon or Canon, you can't go wrong sticking to that brand.

I'm not a loyalist, but I think Canon's current offering is much better.

http://www.photo.net/photos/ifeito

Hope this helps!

Ignacio

Answer 5

I am a long time Nikon user and have lots of Nikon lenses, but if I was starting out now, I would probably buy into the Canon system instead. - Canon has these advantages:

- Its a much bigger company than Nikon. This has enabled Canon to produce cameras with the newest features faster.

- Canon completely resigned its lens mount when it went to autofocus, which has given the company an advantage in lens design. - The opening on the camera is larger on a Canon SLR- than a Nikon and all Canon autofocus lenses have the focusing motor inside the lens. (as opposed to inside the camera).

- Only Canon makes a digital camera with a full frame (35mm size) sensor - Nikon has no plans to make one. (This may not be important to you if you are thinking of buying an entry level Digital SLR.)

On the other hand, Nikon has some good things going for it: Just about any Nikon lens made in the past 25 years will fit a Nikon D80 - including many fine non-autofocus lenses. (However the meter will not couple to non-autofocus lenses - but if your picture is either too light or too dark, its easy to shoot another picture. Many older Nikon lenses are available on the used market.

Answer 6

If you have glass in Canon I wont. I would stay with one brand and stick to it. I like the XTi more than the D80 because well I dont think its worth an extra $300 for the D80 for just the body. Sure it has a spot meter but I can get a 30D for about the same price as the D80 with a lens. Mostly personal prefrence too.

Answer 7

Well.... I didn't switch to Canon but I switched from Nikon film (1994-2001) to Pentax *ist D (2001-2006) and Pentax K10D (2006-current).

Pentax was the only one that offered aa battery compatibility (all Pentax bodies until K10D), and tether shooting (which I use alot).

Now all DSLR's can tether shoot (usualy costing $50-$150 for the software) and K10D has gone to lithium ion battery. So now it a closer even feild.

The Nikon vs Canon is alot like Coke vs Pepsi. Some of us don't follow the trend and like RC Cola or even Coffee to get our caffene.

my 2 cents
Eric

Answer 8

I have a DL-9000 Motor Drive. Red Eye Reduction, 35mm.50mm Focus Free Lens.
I like it, it takes very sharp Photos.
I did not switch to Cannon, I still have my Polaroid Land Camera, but I can no longer find Film for the Polaroid..
I had a 1950s Nikon 35mm with a 50mm Lens, and a 70mm for Landscapes. I gave it to a friend that said it looked neat.
I liked the Nikon, I like the Cannon.
I have no idea about Digital photography, they are neato, no film to buy, overexpose,develop.

Answer 9

I've shot with Pentax for 30 years.

You name it, I've probably handled it (including many you've never heard of) and among my collection are both Canon and Nikon SLRs - I've never found either particularly impressive.