Started on the 4 October, so it's hardly likely that it's taken on a life of it's own yet.
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Canon vs. Nikon
- Thread starter mrcowdude20
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KGB
wait what? i would like to argue that both are leaned more towards beginners...depending on what camera you buy.
now op, judging from your responses i highly suggest you go to your local Best Buy/Future Shop and play with the cameras labeled "Nikon d5100" and "Canon t3i" these are both excellent cameras and will give you loads of growing room (as well as offering excellent video recording capability), chose which ever camera you like the best (based on look, how it feels, and how much you like it overall). i also suggest bringing a SD card and putting it in both cameras (don't worry they shouldn't care
however if i have judged you wrongly i would suggest playing with a d300s and 7d in a proper camera store and then go online (adorama.com, bhphotovideo.com both have excellent used sections) and order either a d100/d70 (for Nikon) or a 20d/30d(for canon) either are excellent and fairly cheep(and still give awesome results), then spend the rest of your funds on some really quality glass (50/35mm 1.8/1.4 prime 70-200 2.8 a wide angle zoom(2.8/4) possibly a fish-eye)
in any event after you master your camera think about buying more/better glass and later consider stepping up to a higher level camera body
welcome to the slr world
I simply feel like a Nikon D60 vs. a Canon t2i, the Nikon is more easily navigable and can be picked up on faster than the t2i.
Wow, 52 posts, half of them I don't get.... If anyone else responds, what is the difference between lenses? I only know that you can remove them and thats it.... I know, I'm stupid!
now totally off topic on my part but...
how does one get a white nikon lens?
is it special order? or limited edition? or luck?
i only ask because the grey/white versions look pretty cool
I've only ever seen them available in America and Japan. And I've only ever seen one in person, a white 70-200mm F/2.8 Zoom-Nikkor used by a plane-spotting Japanese tourist in Sydney. He happened to be in the right place at the right time. Although he and his friend spoke very little English, and me very little Japanese - I motioned to them to hurry up and get ready, they snapped a B747 in 'v pod' configuration, quite rare.
Anyhow - aside from that, the camera is what you make of it. I've used both Canon and Nikon. And both got good results, but I much prefer the controls and form of my Nikons over Canon. I have a lot more confidence in my Nikon equipment -v- the Canon stuff we have a work, which is down to familiarity with it and the controls/menus that suit me much better.
The difference of lenses is down to the individual specifics of each one. There is usually little to choose between the brands, but Nikon has some lenses that Canon doesn't have (yet on the market) or Canon has lenses that Nikon doesn't, etc.
Nikon has a 1200-1700mm Zoom-Nikkor that is still working on modern cameras, which is something Canon doesn't have, while Canon has the 800mm F/5.6L, which is a fantastic lens, etc.
Canon Canon Canon Canon Canon Canon Canon Canon Canon Canon Canon....
No seriously CANON! Haha. I like Nikon but it feels totally not video friendly compared to Canon...Idk I pick up a Nikon DSLR and it feels like..an SLR..but when I pick up a Canon DSLR I feel a solid camera with a proven track record. I mean hell the company "accidentally" made the 5D MkII into a digital film making legend on pretty much any scale of budget. Their 7D is not slacking either and the 60D, 550D, etc. all keep up with the 7D in a very serious manner . Also I've dealt with Canon customer service and while I want to light my Canon printer on fire every time I've grabbed the phone instead they have helped me IN FULL HIGH RESOLUTION NON-BROKEN OUTSOURCED ENGLISH! Seriously...also they have a slightly higher cool factor Just saying'
No seriously CANON! Haha. I like Nikon but it feels totally not video friendly compared to Canon...Idk I pick up a Nikon DSLR and it feels like..an SLR..but when I pick up a Canon DSLR I feel a solid camera with a proven track record. I mean hell the company "accidentally" made the 5D MkII into a digital film making legend on pretty much any scale of budget. Their 7D is not slacking either and the 60D, 550D, etc. all keep up with the 7D in a very serious manner . Also I've dealt with Canon customer service and while I want to light my Canon printer on fire every time I've grabbed the phone instead they have helped me IN FULL HIGH RESOLUTION NON-BROKEN OUTSOURCED ENGLISH! Seriously...also they have a slightly higher cool factor
Just saying' well we have much to teach you
first things first their are two types of lenses:
zooms
primes (also called fixed focal length lenses)
now on to specifics of each
zooms:
zooms have two rings on the barrel of the lens. yes much like a gun the tube the glass lens elements are stored in is called a barrel (could also be a barrel as in a water barrel). most consumer zooms (what you will look at) start at 18mm this means that the lens is essentially 18mm from the sensor. since we are looking at what are known as cropped sensors cameras we have to multiply the focal length of the lens by 1.5(nikon) or 1.6(canon). this means that a 18-55 on a nikon camera gives in reality gives us a 27-82.5 and on a canon it gives us a 28.8-88. what does this mean to you? it means you can be a educated consumer. simply because a lens has a efs(crop) mount or a dx(again crop) format does not mean you don't have to multiply the focal length by one of the aforesaid numbers.
most zoom lenses in your price range will have what is called a variable aperture, this simply means that the amount of light admitted through the lens will change depending on how far you zoom. what does this mean to you? not much, most cameras today have excellent high ISO performance. ISO is simply a numerical rating of how sensitive the sensor is to light, if your shooting in auto modes this really wont affect you much.
choosing a zoom lens isn't rocket science. if you go nikon i recommend either the standard 18-55 or the popular 18-105 both are great lenses however the 18-105 gives you a nice extension into the telephoto range. this means that you can zoom in closer to your subject while staying in the same spot.
primes(or fixed focal length lenses):
these lenses dont zoom. they only have one ring. you may wonder "what good is having a lens with only one focal length?" the answer lies in some more technical aspects of photography, but for you it means that you can shoot and stop action (no/less blurry people movement pictures) indoors or at night far easer. these lenses really only become popular as you progress photographically, however if the thought of being able to shoot indoors without fear of having very blurry pictures appeals to you then i recommend either the canon 50mm 1.8 or the nikon 50mm 1.8. both lenses are quite good optically and both are fairly cheep (around $100). the aperture is the number after the focal length. the focal length is 50mm (remember its really appx 80mm on w/e camera you choose) and the aperture is 1.8, this is whats called a "large" aperture.
notes on aperture:
aperture is a strange beast and can confuse many new photographers
1.8 is known as a "large" or "fast" aperture
22 is known as a "small" or "slow" aperture
aperture is measured in "f stops" hence why you see a lens written as "50mm f1.8"
as a rule of thumb: the smaller the number the more light, the bigger the number the less light
have fun on your photographic journey
now totally off topic on my part but...
how does one get a white nikon lens?
is it special order? or limited edition? or luck?
i only ask because the grey/white versions look pretty cool
BH Photo sells some of the Nikon white lenses, but they are usually reserved for the telephotos.
Almost no change doesn't mean no change. In 2003, Canon announced the EF-S lens mount which is strictly for digital APS-C bodies. You can't mount an EF-S lens on EF bodies. Something to think about if someone starts off with APS-C and moves onto full frame.
Nikon's F mount has been around since 1959 and there are over 400 different Nikkor lenses that are compatible with it. DX and FX lenses are interchangeable with DX and FX bodies.
Which modern day Nikon AF lens will not autofocus on Nikon's entry level bodies? Here's a list of AF lenses that will autofocus and it's quite extensive.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nikon_compatible_lenses_with_integrated_autofocus-motor
i actually believe he as pointing out the lack of older af lenses and thier incapability to focus on the latest consumer dslrs.
example my af 70-210 uses a screw drive connection if i bought a d5100 or d3100 this lens would become essentially useless as it would be unable to auto focus (yes i realize i can manual focus and do so quite frequently however to a new user...)
though tbqh the af situation only affects buyers of used lenses
This.
Vudoo was going on about how great it was that Nikon's lens mount hadn't changed (implying that there's good compatibility with older lenses). But there isn't good compatibility at all... a newbie is going to be buying a low end camera and being disappointed that all the great AF lenses they're seeing on eBay won't autofocus.
Autofocus isn't always need for everything. For video I don't even want autofocus on my lens in the even I bump it....for macro focus type stuff manual focus...I don't really see why people complain about manual focus half the time...now if its a sports game with fast moving guys coming directly at you (side ways is ALLOT easier as focus is relative to the viewing distance which doesn't change unless he starts moving side to side which is likely) a 7D loaded with a fast lens is going to get that shot like Jack Bauer takes out terrorists (aka fast and clean). Also autofocus is nice when your using a DSLR in a casual point and shoot situation; No one wants to hold a pose why you rush your focus, punch in your ISO, appeture, focal length, etc.... Pulling focus is an art don't get me wrong but if you take the time to practice with your DSLR compulsively instead of just taking it out only when you need to manual focus will be second nature....When I got my camera like I do with all my new toys is use them...ALLOT, people may call it obsessed but I call it dedication and they wonder why I manage to learn so much content in so little time. Nothing kills me worse than someone walking around with a $1500 DSLR set up that gets out of the house maybe a couple of times a month...
oh yes, no doubt! i agree with you 110% manual focus is an art, it can be tricky but once mastered gives you so much more ability with your camera. that being said most novice users are likely not to have a $1500 dslr setup and even if they do in most cases they will prefer to auto focus because they lace the care for the art, or for the thinking necessary with slr photography they simply want to get a shot, and good for them. dedication to your hobby(passion, job, etc) is admirable, and commendable, unfortunately their are those that would rather spend money on lovely gear i could only dream of and then simply use it only in auto mode, essentially throwing away their money.
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Canon Canon Canon Canon Canon Canon Canon Canon Canon Canon Canon....
No seriously CANON! Haha. I like Nikon but it feels totally not video friendly compared to Canon...Idk I pick up a Nikon DSLR and it feels like..an SLR..but when I pick up a Canon DSLR I feel a solid camera with a proven track record. I mean hell the company "accidentally" made the 5D MkII into a digital film making legend on pretty much any scale of budget. Their 7D is not slacking either and the 60D, 550D, etc. all keep up with the 7D in a very serious manner . Also I've dealt with Canon customer service and while I want to light my Canon printer on fire every time I've grabbed the phone instead they have helped me IN FULL HIGH RESOLUTION NON-BROKEN OUTSOURCED ENGLISH! Seriously...also they have a slightly higher cool factor
haha!
not trying to rag on you or anything (i dont mind canon)
but speaking from the other side of the fence, 90% of canons efforts are in marketing (hence the "cool" factor) whereas 90% of nikons efforts lie in engineering(meaning quality quality quality).
any nikon i have piked up i "feel a solid camera with a proven track record" and with any canon i "feel a solid camera with a proven track record".
however with sony.....
in any event i picked nikon simply cause it fits my hands, CLS is awsome, compatibility is great, its af system is nice, and high iso works well!
nikon d100 ftw!
now totally off topic on my part but...
how does one get a white nikon lens?
is it special order? or limited edition? or luck?
i only ask because the grey/white versions look pretty cool
You know I've seen Nikon DSLR in colors too. I want to say the D40 and D3100 have colored models. As for the lenses some exist. You have to shop around. Maybe some of the more popular camera shops will have them.
For most bodies, you need post-AI lenses to not break the minimum aperture leaver, meaning post ~1979.
That's the best time to learn to manually focus. A few years ago, I advised a friend to get a D40 for his first DSLR. After owning the camera for a few weeks, he wanted to get some images of his step-daughter's track meet. I lent him my 80-400VR (which pretty-much stays lent out, I think I've shot with it twice in the last 5 or so years) and after two minutes of "here's how you focus," he went off to shoot. He got about an 80% keeper rate his first time shooting track and field and was quite happy with the results- no split screen focusing and just the D40's little dot indicator- not the arrows on the higher-end models.
Paul
the difference between your friend and most new users is that:
a) he obviously knows what he wants to get out of an slr system and you tought him how to get it
b) he cares enough about his pics that he will manual focus, as opposed to letting the af "take care" of everything
i wrote a fairly long winded post thats above yours on this topic
I stated the exact same thing in a previous post, but firestarter got upset with my facts.
By the way, it's not just buyers of used lenses. I have talked to film photographers who are concern about their existing lenses working on DSLRs.
Please point out where I used the word great or even implied that one lens mount is better than another. Everything I have said is a fact and you are just channeling your own feelings. And once again, please tell me of one Nikon AF-S lens that will not auto focus on Nikon's entry level DSLR body.
By the way, since you pointed out that Nikon's entry level DSLRs do not have an auto focus engine in the body, you may want to know that none of Canon's current DSLRs have an auto focus engine in the body.
Nikons are leaned more towards beginners and Canons are leaned more towards professionals.
I feel like the Nikon UI is easier to grasp than the Canon's, but that the Canon's UI gives you more liberty.
Definitely go with a Nikon. (I'd recommend Nikon D60, sells for about $450 used, $600 new)
Rubbish. Ever hear of the Nikon D3S, or D3X, or even the D700? The D3S is considered the standard by which ALL DSLR are measured against when shooting in low light or or fast action....
exactly
however canon has provided some class leading slrs as well
im more a nikon guy
to each his own is what we need to remeber
I can only speak to Canon lenses but, starting off, if you get a crop body, you'll want to look at the EF-S mount lenses. They're the cheapest of the Canon lenses and most are pretty good for the newbie/intermediate photographer. Stay away from the 75-300 lenses. If you want a good all around lens, look at either the 28-135 or the 18-200 lenses as those are pretty good beginner lenses to start off with. Personally, I'd go for the 18-200 as you'll get a decent mix of focal lengths.
The L series lenses are the most expensive of the Canon lenses. These can be identified by the red ring on the front of the lenses. L series lenses come in both black and white color bodies. The black body L lenses are expensive. The white body L lenses are insanely expensive so you can ooh/aah over those later on.
Um not really- he's still as clueless as most newbies...
b) he cares enough about his pics that he will manual focus, as opposed to letting the af "take care" of everything
i wrote a fairly long winded post thats above yours on this topic
He didn't have a choice, I wasn't going to lend him the 400/2.8
My points are that (a) beginning is the BEST time to learn to MF and (b) it's not all that difficult- some of us were shooting SLRs in elementary school before AF existed- if an 8 year old can do it, an adult purchasing their first DSLR should be ok.
Paul
Probably because he still had the standard "kit" lens still on it. I actually went out and purposely sourced this exact camera for myself. I love it. They are still available very cheap on craigslist (sub $250) range. It also can handle most of the bumps and bruises quite well.
To the OP..I say pick up a nice used Canon DSLR on craigslist and start playing around. Select a better walk around lens and you'll be very satisfied.
To the OP, I say pick up a Nikon D3100 or D5100. While you may not have a million lenses that Canon produces, in many cases you won't need them. I am currently using the "trinity" lenses from Nikon (14-24mm, 24-70mm, and 70-200mm. All f2.8) and I can tell you that there are not many lenses in the consumer range that can reproduce the clarity, speed and performance. Get yourself the Nikon 18-200 VRII, and you are all set with a decent lens that will cover most of your needs. Hope this helps.
Sorry, but anyone blaming a kit lens on a bad photograph is like a workman blaming his tools.
A DSLR is a very difficult item to pick up from scratch and take good pictures with. However, it's a very easy item to pick and up and start taking utterly awful photographs.