Anyone else frustrated with Canon?

[Derrel]

It has not improved you as a photographer

It has improved my capabilities, tremendously. Unlike the 5D, which struggled with f/4 lens to focus well, the D3x kicks ass with ANY AF lens I pop on it.

Here's another idea: You and I do a 50-kilometer race from your favorite pub to your partner's favorite weekend getaway spot's pub. I will ride your green street bike. YOU will ride MY vintage 1975 Honda Mini-Trail 50cc motor bike. Yes, 50cc--a whopping two-ounce displacement.

Who will win? Now, keep in mind, my Honda mini-bike has a three-speed automatic, and tops out at 27 MPH.

Yeah...I thought so...

 

[gsgary]

It has not improved you as a photographer

It has improved my capabilities, tremendously. Unlike the 5D, which struggled with f/4 lens to focus well, the D3x kicks ass with ANY AF lens I pop on it.

Here's another idea: You and I do a 50-kilometer race from your favorite pub to your partner's favorite weekend getaway spot's pub. I will ride your green street bike. YOU will ride MY vintage 1975 Honda Mini-Trail 50cc motor bike. Yes, 50cc--a whopping two-ounce displacement.

Who will win? Now, keep in mind, my Honda mini-bike has a three-speed automatic, and tops out at 27 MPH.

Yeah...I thought so...

The 5D has never held me back or missed a shot due to the AF or with my 1Dmk2's, im finding manual focus with the Leica better so going backwards 30 years for me was better

 

[Derrel]

These "new sensor" cameras like the 5D-III, D7100, D3x,D600,D800 are simply AMAZING tools. The first time I picked up a 5D-III with the re-positioned controls I thought, "God...this feels like a pro Nikon." Gone was that $389 EOS Elan body that the 5D Classic and 5D-II had. Gone was the old, clunky, 9-point AF. Instead, they souped up the sensor, beefed up the AF, and made one heck of a camera. The 5D III could easily have been named something else. It's whole new thing.

Back to the OP's issue: being disillusioned by Canon. I can understand that. The camera companies have products, and once in a while, other companies offer competing products that make Product X or Y seem "anemic", or "sub-par", or "non-competitive". Believe me--I KNOW the feeling. Nikon seriously lagged behind Canon for multiple generations. Right now, the 6D versus D600 is one specific, head-to-head area where Canon's design ideas are different from the direction Nikon went. The Canon offers wireless connectivity and direct uploading, which is something that many "techie" and social media photographers might like.

"We try harder, we're number 2, so we have to try harder." Nikon has been vigorously discounting and cutting prices, and has been inching upward closer to Canon in sales. Still, I think maybe the OP ought to give the 6D a chance. YES, it is a "simplified" camera, with no pop-up flash, no flash commander, and so on. But it's got a good sensor. I personally think of it as the 5D-II Lite. On the other hand, if he's really disappointed, he could switch brands. The thing is: a few years ago, a 6D would have been a home run camera; what is making it not one is 1) the 5D Mark III, and the Nikon D600 and D7100.

I enjoy the tools of the photo game. Camera talk is fun. There are many different options in today's marketplace. For the hobbyist with less than 5 lenses, I can see switching systems as being not that big of a deal.,

 

[runnah]

I think people tend to get way to hung up on tech specs. Chances are you're not going to push the boundries on any of the hang ups you mentioned at least to the point of not being happy with the result. I mean is a few AF points really that big of a deal at the end of the day? Is super High ISO going to mean the difference between a **** photo or an award winner?

Frankly I am using a camera that is 6 years old, not by choice, but I've learned to live with the shortfalls and adjust accordingly. I like to think I make pretty decent photos and the camera honestly doesn't leave me wanting for much except full frame and that is a giant tech leap.

 

[Overread]

Better gear works better and produces - at a technical level - better results.

Better gear also reduces the working limitations present on a photographer by the gear itself.

Each photographer will have their own set of working conditions that they operate within - some will reach a point where improvements in technical advance are no longer giving large or much gain since lesser gear has already reached a point where it meets the photographers requirements. Other photographers will have greater ranges of working situations and thus gear improvements will extend them.

Better hardware won't make you a better artist - but it will allow you greater artistic freedom to explore and work with. That increased ability and reduced hardware limit MIGHT let you play more and thus experience more and thus lead to improvements in artistic quality - however its only as a byproduct of improved experience.

 

[goodguy]

In a world where only Canon exists the 6d is a great camera. However nikon exists and the d600 just shows what the 6d could have been.

I think I understand what you are talking about.
Canon does make good cameras but to me it looks like Canon is acting like it has no competition, like its the only camera maker in the world.
Lots of variety out there and Canon needs to show the world again what it really can do and how good its cameras can be.

I think the 6D is a great camera but for sure its got its flaws and in many ways the D600 has few advantages over it.
If thats a deal breaker for you or not is only for you to decide.

 

[Overread]

An additional point - chasing the best bodies is a war where you don't get to win. Canon was top a few years back - Nikon is now top - heck in a year or two SONY or PENTAX could be top. If you invest heavily in photography and try to chase "the best" bodies you'll lose. You'll end up spending a fortune every time to either add a new slew of gear to your setup or you'll lose as you keep trading one setup for another.

Think long term - think a few years because your flash units, lenses, etc... are all easily going to last you years if you've bought quality options. If you've still got entry level gear or cheaper options then yes you are in a much stronger position to say "ok the other company is better for my needs - I'll switch".

Also consider how strong your limits are - are you just chasing tech specs or are you really in serious need of the camera with the better features?

 

[gsgary]

It has not improved you as a photographer

It has improved my capabilities, tremendously. Unlike the 5D, which struggled with f/4 lens to focus well, the D3x kicks ass with ANY AF lens I pop on it.

Here's another idea: You and I do a 50-kilometer race from your favorite pub to your partner's favorite weekend getaway spot's pub. I will ride your green street bike. YOU will ride MY vintage 1975 Honda Mini-Trail 50cc motor bike. Yes, 50cc--a whopping two-ounce displacement.

Who will win? Now, keep in mind, my Honda mini-bike has a three-speed automatic, and tops out at 27 MPH.

Yeah...I thought so...

i don't have a green bike, 1 is silver 1 is yellow and it is not the speed that you get there it's the fun you have getting there its the same with photography i'm more into the low tech now, no meter, no AF

 

[runnah]

Better gear also reduces the working limitations present on a photographer by the gear itself.

I am waffling on this one. While yes that is technically true, I also think its a bit of a cop out.

I think in a way its not making the user work/think hard enough to get the desired result. I mean I am racking my brain to try to come up with a scenarios where I could not overcome technical limitations by thinking outside the box or just using what I do have to my advantage.

 

[Derrel]

I get that gary, low-tech, rangefinder, no meter, film--it's good stuff!!! Cheers!

 

[gsgary]

In a world where only Canon exists the 6d is a great camera. However nikon exists and the d600 just shows what the 6d could have been.

I think I understand what you are talking about.
Canon does make good cameras but to me it looks like Canon is acting like it has no competition, like its the only camera maker in the world.
Lots of variety out there and Canon needs to show the world again what it really can do and how good its cameras can be.

I think the 6D is a great camera but for sure its got its flaws and in many ways the D600 has few advantages over it.
If thats a deal breaker for you or not is only for you to decide.

It would be a crap world if Canon made a camera that did exactly the same as Nikon and had the same spec

 

[gsgary]

I get that gary, low-tech, rangefinder, no meter, film--it's good stuff!!! Cheers!

All i want now is an M9P or Monocrom

 

[Derrel]

Better gear also reduces the working limitations present on a photographer by the gear itself.

I am waffling on this one. While yes that is technically true, I also think its a bit of a cop out.

I think in a way its not making the user work/think hard enough to get the desired result. I mean I am racking my brain to try to come up with a scenarios where I could not overcome technical limitations by thinking outside the box or just using what I do have to my advantage.

There are many scenarios today where having one of the "new-sensor" cameras allows available light action shooting with no flash, at shutter speeds and f/stops that were simply UNTHINKABLE for my first 30 years in photography. When you move from a camera that is around #275 on the DxO Mark sensor performance scale to one in the Top 10, you realize that the camera actually was a HUGE, huge limitation, in many different scenarios.

What has happened is that the "new-sensor" cameras have literally MOVED the boundaries of what is now technically possible, and EASILY-shot, and which was only a DREAM even 20 years ago.

 

[goodguy]

In a world where only Canon exists the 6d is a great camera. However nikon exists and the d600 just shows what the 6d could have been.

I think I understand what you are talking about.
Canon does make good cameras but to me it looks like Canon is acting like it has no competition, like its the only camera maker in the world.
Lots of variety out there and Canon needs to show the world again what it really can do and how good its cameras can be.

I think the 6D is a great camera but for sure its got its flaws and in many ways the D600 has few advantages over it.
If thats a deal breaker for you or not is only for you to decide.

It would be a crap world if Canon made a camera that did exactly the same as Nikon and had the same spec

Agreed!

 

[runnah]

There are many scenarios today where having one of the "new-sensor" cameras allows available light action shooting with no flash, at shutter speeds and f/stops that were simply UNTHINKABLE for my first 30 years in photography. When you move from a camera that is around #275 on the DxO Mark sensor performance scale to one in the Top 10, you realize that the camera actually was a HUGE, huge limitation, in many different scenarios.

What has happened is that the "new-sensor" cameras have literally MOVED the boundaries of what is now technically possible, and EASILY-shot, and which was only a DREAM even 20 years ago.

Oh for sure, but in this case I am talking about a 6 year old camera. I just think we've gotten to the point where most DSLR made within the last 5 years are still pretty damn good and now it's just minor incrimental increases in things like MP, ISO, and AF.

At the end of the day it's going to be very very few people out there who are hitting the wall in any shape or form with most modern high end DSLRs.