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Should one have two camera systems? - Lens (price) issue ...

I

igmolinav

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Hi,

At the moment I have a Nikon camera. I was looking at a lens like this one:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/300490-GREY/Nikon_2147_17_55mm_f_2_8G_ED_IF_AF_S.html

Unavailable and around $400 more expensive than Canon's similar lens:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/425812-USA/Canon_1242B002AA_EF_S_17_55mm_f_2_8_IS.html

I had previously seen a similar issue between the brands, being Canon more expensive than Nikon. I just think it is the way it is.

Kind regards,

igmolinav : ) !!!
 
Well, you could, but it's going to be costly to have two different brands of camera, and equipment to support them.

Think of different batteries, memory cards, etc. Although memory cards are a bit silly anyhow since even Nikon uses CF or SD depending on the model of camera. 🙄
 
I think most people rely on a single lens type given the cost of lenses. I'd say many people may have multiple bodies but they're from the same manufacturer, i.e., Nikon, Canon, etc
 
Hi,

I have a Nikon D50 and part of my interest is to use other
non-Nikon lenses on it. I had thought on a D5100 but the
metering will not work with external lenses.

Another issue, is that I also planned on using a Tokina wide
angle lens. Partly to do architecture and real estate shots,
but also to do documentary work. The Tokina 11-16 mm.
f/2.8 will not autofocus with the D5100, only with the D50.

Perhaps I should give up the metering and the autofocus
altogether.

The lens, I previously mentioned to you is cheaper as a
Canon lens. People say the quality of the optics of that lens
is as good in Canon as it is in Nikon. I had gotten used to
the Nikon D50, even though I was a film Canon shooter
before. I am looking at the Canon EOS T3i, but if I buy it,
I'll miss the D50.

Thank you, kind regards,

igmolinav : ) !!!

P.S. When Nikon or Canon do announcements, they do
not necessarily bring the products to the market as well.
I read Nikon and Canon will have some announcements
as soon as January.
 
Last edited:
Rather than the D5100, could you stretch to the D7000? That will solve the issue of autofocus with non AF-S type lenses?

It's a damn good camera too.
 
MaxxTraxx said:
From the same manufacture I bet.
Click to expand...

yeps.. most professionals tend to stick to a single brand but many bodies.

Personally, since you already have the lenses on the Nikon brand, I would get a D7000, maybe even used from a reputable dealer like Adorama. Or even a D90 which also autofocuses with non AFS lenses.. D90 produces very nice images.

The Tokina lens is spectacular and very very crisp and sharp. But is it good for architecture... I don't know. It is wide but as far as I know it DOES have distortion.

----------
igmolinav said:
Hi,

At the moment I have a Nikon camera. I was looking at a lens like this one:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/300490-GREY/Nikon_2147_17_55mm_f_2_8G_ED_IF_AF_S.html
Click to expand...

By the way, I don't know what the obsession with that 17-55 is nowadays. It is very dated already. It i every good, no question but purely from image quality, other manufacturers have caught up or supposed that lens. I wouldn't be surprised if they would come out with an update soon on that. For Example the Canon version has IS, something that the Nikon lacks. I understand brand loyalty, I myself have only one 3rd party lens, but that lens does not really appeal to me and the Tamron 17-50 is also a spectacular performer where people are extremely happy with it and take awesome shots at a third of the price 🙂.
personal opinion, that's all..
 
Considering to switch brands because of one lens is stupid, there will always be that lens that »the other« manufacturer has and you want. If you're a Canon guy, perhaps you lust after Nikon's 14-24 mm. Or if you are a Nikonian, you'd like a small, light-weight, high quality 70-200 mm f/4 zoom for 600 €.

Also, the announcements by Canon and Nikon are rarely done concurrently. So if Nikon announces a new camera first, then Canon's equivalent camera looks older. But so what? You should free yourself from the silly gear lust and buy equipment when you need to. I upgraded from my D80, because I killed it on a vacation, plain and simple. I don't have the type of money to replace my equipment whenever Nikon decides to announce a new camera. And it'd be silly, my camera isn't one bit less capable, just because it is superseded by a new model.
 
From a photographer...

Hi,

I am a professional photographer, here's my thoughts on this camera/lens thing:

In the past I've owned 3 different SLR brands – Minolta, Nikon, Canon. In 2003 I switched to a Canon 5d because at the time I wanted "full frame". If a Nikon full frame had been available, I would still be with Nikon I guess.

Looking at the two big brands, I've noticed that Canon and Nikon often position their gear "between each other". Canon might have a higher Frame-Per-Second rate on one model, where Nikon might have higher resolution, or other features. Better/worse AF-system, bracketing,...
One model up or down (in price reange) it might be vice-versa.

The Canon f4/24-105L IS (for full frame) was, for a very long time unmatched by Nikon. I couldn't live without the 24-105: image stabilized, it's a great walkaround lens for travel. One example: Nice for some candid low-angle shots, at 24mm and 1/4 second from street level, to get blurred traffic / car lights.
Now Nikon has a 24-120 lens. And sometimes I wish Canon had one too 🙂
BUT!!!! Just because of that, I won't change systems.

Regarding cameras:
The reason why professionals usually have 2 cameras is: to have a back-up. I just can't afford my camera breaking whilst I'm doing a job –*an unhappy customer won't come back.
Or (for journalists): each body is equipped with a different lens. 24-105 on one camera, 70-200 on the other camera. Other than that, you don't need more than one camera.

So: Have a look at what you really need (not what you want) in terms of frames-per-second, weight, megapixels,... and then buy a camera that fits your needs. Then look at what kind of work you want to do & buy 1-2 lenses. Journalistic work or street photography – go wide-angle. Wildlife – go tele & macro. If you go tele: different lenses have VERY different focusing speeds. For example, Canon's 2.8/70-200 is way faster than their consumer f4-5.6/70-300.
Then stick with the system & buy new glass whenever you can afford it. I know photographers who shoot with very old lenses, but buy a new body every 4-5 years (some even more often).
 
Hi,

Thank you for your messages : ) !!!

I only have the Nikon D50 body. The lens it came with was hit so many times. It went totally kaputt some six months ago after five years of fun. The D50 is amazing, 6 MP is more than enough for an 8 x 10", (never printed one), and web applications. My pictures taken this 2012 may need 8 x 10", (A4), or a bit larger. The camera body is alone, that is why I consider the change to another brand. That is also why I am eager to hear about any announcement, so I don't miss any new product news that could be good for me.

With the Nikon kit lens, (18-55 mm.), at 18 mm., I always needed to go wider than 18 mm., (or 27 mm. in FX format), but I couldn't. I liked that the 11-16 mm. f/2.8 from Tokina was as wide as I needed it. My main use is not architecture, but real estate pictures. At wider focal lengths, it is ok if the image is a bit distorted. Important is that people may be able to get a better perception of the photographed interior space of the property being rented and/or sold. At 24-25 mm. the lens will be used for documentary purposes in still and video.

At the moment, other than that lens, I don't think I need another one. I already have an 80 mm. and a 120 mm. macro from an independent manufacturer to be attached via an adapter. Wishfully, I would have a 17-55 mm. f/2.8 and a midrange macro lens, (a lens between 35 mm. and 60 mm).

Thank you, kind regards,

igmolinav : ) !!!
 
OreoCookie said:
Considering to switch brands because of one lens is stupid, there will always be that lens that »the other« manufacturer has and you want. If you're a Canon guy, perhaps you lust after Nikon's 14-24 mm. Or if you are a Nikonian, you'd like a small, light-weight, high quality 70-200 mm f/4 zoom for 600 €.

Also, the announcements by Canon and Nikon are rarely done concurrently. So if Nikon announces a new camera first, then Canon's equivalent camera looks older. But so what? You should free yourself from the silly gear lust and buy equipment when you need to. I upgraded from my D80, because I killed it on a vacation, plain and simple. I don't have the type of money to replace my equipment whenever Nikon decides to announce a new camera. And it'd be silly, my camera isn't one bit less capable, just because it is superseded by a new model.
Click to expand...

Best post ever.....
 
Hi,

Considering to switch brands because of one lens is stupid, there will always be that lens that »the other« manufacturer has and you want. If you're a Canon guy, perhaps you lust after ...

... Also, the announcements by Canon and Nikon are rarely done concurrently. So if Nikon announces a new camera first, then Canon's equivalent camera looks older. But so what? You should free yourself from the silly gear lust and buy equipment when you need to. I upgraded from my D80, because I killed it on a vacation, plain and simple. I don't have the type of money to replace my equipment whenever Nikon decides to announce a new camera. And it'd be silly, my camera isn't one bit less capable, just because it is superseded by a new model.
Click to expand...


Neither do I have a lot of money. I am trying to maximize my options.

I think it all depends. I am not a full time photographer, but when I
opened the thread I mentioned that the Nikon lens price was more
expensive. Perhaps, in this situation, it may have been smarter to get
a Canon lens, and with the remaining 400 to buy an older EOS body,
that may have had a higher ISO than the 1600 of the D50, and/or some
more megapixels than the 6 MP that the D50 has. However, For the job
I did last week, I borrowed a camera and a lens.

I try to be aware of many announcements. For computer gear, or photo
equipment, or other things. I may not always be able to buy. Sometimes
I would like to and can, other times I can't.

Thank you again, kind regards,

igmolinav : ) !!!
 
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