Switching from Canon to Nikon

[Isteb]

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I have been shooting using Canon for more than two years with a year and a half of that being professional shooting (getting paid - there are plenty of definitions for 'professional' but let's stick with this one).

My first camera was a 450D. Then I started using a 30D and a 50D for my professional gigs. Bought a Sunpak flash and then some Yongnuo flashes and some Rx/Tx sets so I can use them all off-cam, decisions all inspired by Hobby's Strobist blog.

After a while, I've been hearing plenty of good stuff about Nikon. Ang latest news nga nadunggan nako from Canon is that they're coming out with the 60D and that it has a swiveling LCD and high-definition video capability. meh.

I mainly shoot studio portraits and product shots. I rarely shoot events and sports. Let's just say that money is not an issue right now.

Long story short: Should I switch from Canon to Nikon? I'm thinking of getting the old D300. Not D300s as I have no need for video capability, I have my own video cameras for that.

Mayta'g matabangan ko ninyo'g decide... Salamat daan

[arisarnado]

What good stuff from Nikon have you heard?

[Isteb]

quite a few things, but mostly it all boils down to sharpness.

I've seen photographs taken with a D80 (kit lens) by people who practically knew nothing about photography and were going autopilot but the results they came up with rivaled the sharpness of photos taken with a Canon L lens.

Unquestionable colors, unquestionable sharpness. Murag pareha ka tin-aw sa 1080p bluray nga salida; ma ehap man ang buhok

[arisarnado]

Ah yes. Agree ko anang saturation. Nakapansin pud ko ana nga mas saturated ang kuha sa Nikon keysa Canon especially D80... Nakamention to si Mike Manabat sa akoa sa una nga nice gyud ang colors sa D80 compared sa iyang mga bag-o na gears hehe :P (Wedding photog na xa)

Regarding sharpness, lisod man xa i-gauge gyud... kay depende man na xa...
Some factors would be:
1. Stopping down the aperture to the "sweet spot" of the lens (ie f/5.6, etc.)
2. Extra sharpening in camera
3. Using prime lens
4. Post processing sharpening

Para nako, wala gyud maka-rival sa kuha sa prime lens (contrast, sharpness)...

[Isteb]

well I can't remember the exact aperture the shooter used, pero the fact na iyang kuha from a Nikon kit lens kay pareha ra (or mas grabe pa) ug sharpness sa L lens sa Canon (24-105 f/4) speaks volumes. Unsa na kaha kung prime lens pa to gigamit...

As far as I know, wala man to'y post-processing involved kay the shots were taken straight from the camera, not even on-cam editing was done.

and naka mention pud to among instructor nga generally mas sharper ang mga shots sa D80 kaysa D90. Di daw siya sigurado kung sa shooter ba to or sa body gyud mismo...

So, should I switch to Nikon? I'm not trying to start a flame war, BTW. I love Canon but I know that both brands have their respective strengths and weaknesses. As a portrait photographer, I'm trying to decide if switching would be the smart choice.

[Chipmunk888]

@ isteb

lahi gyud og default configuration sa system sa nikon og canon. canon produces cooler temp'd photos while nikon produces warmer temp'd photos(of which people tend to conclude its more saturated). hilig tingale og mga init ang mga enhenyero sa nikon hehehe


about sa na mentionioned sa imo instructor, i have friends here who are owning nikon d80 pero wala koy na noticed like that(or basin libat cguro ko).

about sa glass, it is known nikon has unarguably great lenses. mao pod cguro reason why mahal ilang lenses compared to canon's.. probably mao ning ilang sweto buhaton since they started and specialized in optics making rather than camera body. sila mismo ga himo og lenses sa canon before. sila pod ga supply to militaries before in wwII with binoculars, sights, periscopes, etc.. murag mao ni ilang talent gyud, manghimo og bildo hehehe

about your prospect nikon dslr camera, the differences sa d300s over the d300 are:

- 8fps
- yes, hd video
- quite mode
- dual card slots
- bug-at gamay(murag dili ni advantage over d300, hehe)
- virtual horizon
- dedicated live view
- active d-lighting for impressive dynamic range cranked up to extra high then naa poy auto feature
- mini hdmi (i dont know if this is an advantage really ^^)
- faster a bit on acquisition, initializing, & tracking in focusing
- improved multi-controller button
- wider reach of built-in flash

if "gamay" ra difference sa price between d300 and d300s, get the d300s nalang.


but tried d300 from a friend here, lami gyud murag popcorn ^^


aris is right. there are lots of factors affect sharpness and those are he mentioned. but if we shall talk about canon's flagship lens (L lens) and nikon's flagship lens (N lens), tried both personally, the N(nano) lens is clear winner(makamatay lang ang presyo mao daghan mo prefer sa L lens).


by the way, im a nikon user. and the reasons why i choosed nikon due to its dynamic range, pixel pitch, tremendous in-camera features, impressive metering, and body ergonomics(murag bukton sa gwapa nga babae inig kupot nako).


about sa switching to nikon, depende ra gyud na nimo but since you mentioned that money is not an issue, then sulayi. mabaligya bitaw gihapon na nimo ang nikon equipments if dili ka ganahan hehehe





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[Isteb]

@chipmunk888

can I call you chip? hehe

thank you for that comprehensive, informative and very entertaining reply. if the Karma system were still existent I would have given you 10 positive karma already para ma happy pud ka.

if mura gyud bukton sa gwapa nga babae inig kupot, kiligon man pud tag huna-huna. excited na nuon ko. The only camera from Canon that gave me the same feeling was the 50D.

How much does a d300 cost nowadays? I've seen some kits being sold at 800 US$ pero basin na libat ra ko kay mura man ug barato ra kaayo. basin d3000 to akong nakit-an.

[teddyboy]

dont be too occupied on the specs alone...
try sumting how are really gonna use it

[Isteb]

most of my pictures are taken indoors in a studio, controlled light and all. One thing that really bugs me is that left alone, the 450D yields photos with red skin tones like a kamatis. Unless pabugnawon nimo imong white balance but that creates another problem.

puwa ra kaayo especially the shadow areas. I've fixed the problem by setting my red saturation to -2. pero di na ko kasalig kung accurate ba ang pag record nako sa reds.

Going to borrow a few Nikon bodies this week to shoot some products and portraits.

[Chipmunk888]

@ isteb


hahahaha^^


$800 only for a high-end DX format nikon body? barato kaayo na if true


yes, the canon 50D, although nipis siya og handgrip(for me kay dako ko og kamot), okay pod ang ergonomics, ive tried it in actual also. but i prefer 40D over 50D hehehe


i have friends also here using 450D pero wala may reklamo about reddish skintone on controlled light. dili kaha misconfiguration lang?


thats a good plan to actually test some nikon bodies para makita gyud ang katag



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