Canon EF-S vs Nikon DX

[meheranandk]

I wish to purchase a DSLR in the near future. I am confused as to whether I should purchase a Canon or a Nikon. I am looking at a range of around $1000 for my camera and I am aware that, as a consequence, I can only look at cropped frame bodies. I've been reading photography literature for a few weeks now and I do know that even though I will not become a professional photographer with a studio (I am an engineer pursuing photography as a hobby), I am highly interested in shooting landscapes and HDR shots of them in particular. And I wish to excel at that. I know for a fact that Canon EF-S lenses will not work with a full frame body while on the other hand, Nikon DX lenses will work with an FX body. If I were ever to get a Canon full frame body, I'd have to throw away my old lenses. The trade-off seems to be that the Canon lenses are a lot more affordable. I am just getting into photography now and I do not even know if I will ever need a full-frame body. I'd be really grateful if someone could give a recommendation in this regard or give me a link to an older post on this forum which might cover this issue. Thanks.

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[bhop]

DX Lenses will technically work, but you won't get the full resolution so they're not really useful on a FX body, which means you'd have to trade them up anyway if you ever do upgrade to FX.

[o hey tyler]

Okay, there's a huge misconception in this post. You will not have to "throw away" your EF-S lenses if you go to a full frame body. You'll SELL them, and they'll retain their value as well as you take care of them.

Nikon bodies DO let you use DX lenses on a FX camera, but the sacrifice is using only half of the resolution of your image sensor. Lets say you get a D700 after you upgrade from a DX body... If you use a DX lens, you'll have 6mp images to work with. It wouldn't really matter for a hobbyist, but you wouldn't want to shoot weddings in crop frame mode I'd reckon.

If you're just getting into photography, you DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT need a full frame body. They're a big investment to make for someone who isn't even sure if they're going to stick with photography. My suggestion would be to buy an entry level Canon, or the least expensive Nikon with a built in focus motor. Probably a D90.

[Markw]

Honestly, though, why are you worried about this? You CAN use your DX lenses on your FX body, but you will lose resolution, as stated above. But, if you buy a DX camera, and use FX lenses from the get-go, and you decide to go with FX bodies later, you won't have to trade off any of your lenses. It seems like you know everything you need to know. Now it's just time for you to decide. You'll find yourself that you're most likely going to be buying mostly FX lenses when you get more serious anyhow.

Just my $.02.
Mark

[Overread]

Also many who upgrade to fullframe often keep their crop sensor camera, so its not like those EFS lenses will go to waste, they just end up on the crop sensor camera with you having to add one or two more lenses to complete your fullframe capable setup.

In the end either canon or nikon are solid choices - you're doing the right thing in looking at the whole of the product on offer and coming to a conclusion about which brand is most likely to give you the equipment you want at the prices you want. Do remember that there isn't one subject/topic/situation that one company can shoot that the other can't.

[jake337]

First question is your budget. Does the $1,000 include lens? Or are you going with a body that comes with a kit lens?

Let's say you go with Nikon. You can purchase (almost every, example:invasive fisheyes)FX lens and the will mount. Pre-Ai lens will mount with modification. The body you purchase will define which lens will meter on it.

You could get a used D90 and a tamron 14mm f2.8 asph for just over $1,000. If you shop around for awhile you may find the D90 for under $600.



National Camera Exchange: NIKON D90

Nikon Autofocus 14 F2.8 TAMRON ASPHERICAL D INTERNAL FOCUS SP (GEL) WITH CAPS, CASE, 35MM SLR AUTO FOCUS SUPER WIDE ANGLE LENS - KEH.com

[Derrel]

Nikon has typically held the edge over Canon in the number of frames possible in auto-bracketing, as well as having a full FIVE f/stop range for exposure bracketing, which IMHO, gives Nikon the edge over Canon for people who wish to do HDR-type photography. The reduced-coverage lenses, like the EF-S lenses Canon offers, and the DX lenses Nikon offers, are fine for use on crop-sensor bodies. Most of them are quite affordably priced as well; the "best" lenses are, for the most part, the full image circle lenses from Canon and Nikon.

Canon does have cheaper lenses. If you want cheaper lenses, Canon is a viable option. The ergonomics on their cameras are kind of wonky, but you can get used to a half-assed system with a bit of practice, and if you don't know any other system, you'll never realize how screwed up it is. The low-end Canon's are kind of cheezy, and so are the low-end Nikons. Something in the mid-priced, mid-tier areas is probably going to last the longest, and have the most potential for photographer growth and development. Be aware: new cameras are just around the corner...buying anything "now" is kind of walking up to the arena within the the last five minutes of the basketball game...and buying a ticket for full price...

[o hey tyler]

The ergonomics on their [Canon] cameras are kind of wonky

Which I may point out to the OP, is pure Ken Rockwell-esque personal opinion.

I find ergonomics on Canon DSLR's just fine. Especially the xxD and the xD line. <---- Also personal opinion.

[KmH]

......or the least expensive Nikon with a built in focus motor......

All of Nikon's current DX lenses, except the $700 - AF DX Fisheye-NIKKOR 10.5mm f/2.8G, and most of the 3rd party lens makers DX equivelent lenses have a focus motor in the lens.

The Nikon lenses that don't have an auto focus motor in them are pretty much all FX lenses. Note too that most those that don't have a focus motor are last generation pro grade lenses and are still kind of expensive. Notable exceptions are the $130 'nifty-fifty' AF 50 mm f/1.8D and the $170 AF 70-300 mm f/4-5.6G, but thsoe 2 are about it as far as inexpensive Nikon lenses that don't have a focus motor in them.

[meheranandk]

@Everyone: Thank you all for your replies. This should help me make a more educated choice while making my purchase.

[Derrel]

The ergonomics on their [Canon] cameras are kind of wonky

Which I may point out to the OP, is pure Ken Rockwell-esque personal opinion.

I find ergonomics on Canon DSLR's just fine. Especially the xxD and the xD line. <---- Also personal opinion.

Have you ever owned a Nikon? it's kind of amusing...I'm sure the answer is no...the editorial staff of Popular Photography magazine pointed out a few years ago, when reviewing a new Nikon, that although they were Canon users, that they all "preferred" the ergonomics of Nikon cameras. Ouch--that's gotta sting!

The two brands are vastly different ergonomically. VASTLY different in control ethos. Try picking up a Canon, and turning it ON and taking a photograph using ONE HAND. Oh, wait, Canon requires two hands for that most-critical operation...one to hold the camera, another to turn it ON. Hilarious!

Or, take your 100mm f/2.8 Canon macro lens and put it in to manual focusing mode, and while actually focusing using your left hand, try hitting the Depth of Field Preview button to see what the stopped down focus looks like as you manipulate the focusing ring focus....oh...chit...that can not be done on Canon cameras...the ergonomics of the basic design is so screwed up that the focusing hand cannot manipulate the focusing ring AND run the DOF preview at the same time...that's BAD ergonomics.

The 4-button, dual-function-on-each-button concept...all very "1986". Bad ergonomics for serious users. Designed for an "end-user", AUTO-mode customer...a green boxer type. Same dual-function, yo-yo-ing between aperture and shutter over two controls,depending on metering mode...no display of ISO through the finder in many EOS models..ouch!

Personal opinion...no, not quite: personal preference created by by actual ownership of both Canon and Nikon cameras....and your opinion is based on???? What, exactly? I find it interesting that the Pop Photo editorial staff a few years back admitted that even as Canon owners, they preferred the new Nikon's ergonomics over their own brand...

[Overread]

*can easily turn on and take a photo with just one hand - 7d or 400D 0 heck its easier with the 400D to do that one handed. The only part that is hard is changing the mode, for which both canon and nikon have the dial placed over on the right (an annoying position) on their semi-pro - again the 400D (the little entry level rebel) I can even change modes one handed.


As for reviewers - eh they always suck up to whichever company pays the rates and the ads . But I find Canon erganomics easier by far - heck I tried using a Nikon once - couldn't get my head around it at all (which says something that most people - once set in their ways can't get used to "the other side" that easily - esp if they've no burning reason to use the other sides gear.

[Derrel]

Oh, you "tried using a Nikon once"...

Hilarious! I actually OWN two Canons and OWN multiple Nikons...but you "tried one once"...hilarious....you must have quite a bit of experience in Nikon ergonomics then...

[o hey tyler]

The ergonomics on their [Canon] cameras are kind of wonky

Which I may point out to the OP, is pure Ken Rockwell-esque personal opinion.

I find ergonomics on Canon DSLR's just fine. Especially the xxD and the xD line. <---- Also personal opinion.

Have you ever owned a Nikon? it's kind of amusing...I'm sure the answer is no...the editorial staff of Popular Photography magazine pointed out a few years ago, when reviewing a new Nikon, that although they were Canon users, that they all "preferred" the ergonomics of Nikon cameras. Ouch--that's gotta sting!

The two brands are vastly different ergonomically. VASTLY different in control ethos. Try picking up a Canon, and turning it ON and taking a photograph using ONE HAND. Oh, wait, Canon requires two hands for that most-critical operation...one to hold the camera, another to turn it ON. Hilarious!

Or, take your 100mm f/2.8 Canon macro lens and put it in to manual focusing mode, and while actually focusing using your left hand, try hitting the Depth of Field Preview button to see what the stopped down focus looks like as you manipulate the focusing ring focus....oh...chit...that can not be done on Canon cameras...the ergonomics of the basic design is so screwed up that the focusing hand cannot manipulate the focusing ring AND run the DOF preview at the same time...that's BAD ergonomics.

The 4-button, dual-function-on-each-button concept...all very "1986". Bad ergonomics for serious users. Designed for an "end-user", AUTO-mode customer...a green boxer type. Same dual-function, yo-yo-ing between aperture and shutter over two controls,depending on metering mode...no display of ISO through the finder in many EOS models..ouch!

Personal opinion...no, not quite: personal preference created by by actual ownership of both Canon and Nikon cameras....and your opinion is based on???? What, exactly? I find it interesting that the Pop Photo editorial staff a few years back admitted that even as Canon owners, they preferred the new Nikon's ergonomics over their own brand...

I haven't owned a Nikon, but I have a friend with an entry level Nikon (D5000, to be exact), and I've used it quite extensively when tutoring her. If you want to talk ergonomics, I can, and have turned on my 5D and taken a photo with one hand. Not at all difficult. It was in manual mode as well. But also, what amount of photographers would buy a DSLR to use it one handed? Kind of a stupid way to try and prove a point. Proper camera holding technique requires you to support a SLR, or DSLR body with both hands. Surely you know this, D.

Some people like Mac, some people like PC. I prefer the ergonomics of Canon. What does it matter? It's personal opinion in the end anyway. You should know better than to state opinion as fact when the subject is as subjective as how something feels in your own hands.

[Overread]

Oh, you "tried using a Nikon once"...

Hilarious! I actually OWN two Canons and OWN multiple Nikons...but you "tried one once"...hilarious....you must have quite a bit of experience in Nikon ergonomics then...

Yep
Also I lied - I think I tried it twice overall