Cannon v Nikon in respect to Portraits

[Ernicus]

I know a good photographer can take good pictures once learning whatever his tool is. And I'd rather not have the thread go in that direction.

Having talked to and seen some local photogs works, I am noticing that most of the portrait shooters use cannon. I am wondering about some of the pros takes on that here in our online community.

Am I just seeing a favored trend locally, or is cannon equipment better suited for portraiture? I am curious as to personal experience not read knowledge.

 

[Marcelle]

it is not the camera that makes the photo, it is the optics.
in portrait you choose a small tele, 85 or 105mm to get a blurry background
light is also very important
do you intend to take portrait in studio or natural light ?
anyway I would advise to get a decent reflector (like lastolite) or to make one by yourself, just for uncluttering the shadows

 

[Ernicus]

hrm....I didn't exactly say the body was the question. I guess I could have specified more the lenses...but since you dont have nikon lenses on cannon bodies, one would assume bodies are of topic.

and well...Yeah...lighting is important...so are reflectors....I am not sure what other qualifiers I should put out there so they are not brought up as an answer to a what I thought was a pretty basic question...Do Cannon setups favor portraiture over Nikon setups. I only ask because it is what I am seeing physically being used...not because of what has been told to me or what I have read or anything like that.

 

[Marcelle]

personally I had great results with my micro nikkor 105 in studio portraits but it is quite a hard lens
for now I use my canon 70-200 zoom and I am very satisfied about it
I guess you know the aperture rule for males and females in "classic portrait"
for women you use a big aperture to reduce the skin details while doing the opposite for men

 

[Overread19 7]

It's most likely a local trend - however Canon did have some head start for portrait work in the 5D camera body. In its time it was the cheapest fullframe 35mm camera body on the market and very much in a league of its own. Whilst its AF was nothing special, for studio and portrait work it gave the photographer a more affordable option to the fullframe market - so I can well see many who would have jumped on the bandwaggon and used it and gone for Canon (and as a result remained with the Canon line).


Honestly though, outside of some very specific requirements I doubt that there is any great Canon or Nikon bonus in portrait photography. Each brand has a very full line of highgrade lenses of both own and 3rd party brands on offer as well as lighting setups and the rest. Any brand preference is either going to be simple bias or might reflect very specific desires on the part of the photographer (eg somephotographers want a certain "look" that some lenses can give which others can't).

 

[Ernicus]

personally I had great results with my micro nikkor 105 in studio portraits but it is quite a hard lens
for now I use my canon 70-200 zoom and I am very satisfied about it
I guess you know the aperture rule for males and females in "classic portrait"
for women you use a big aperture to reduce the skin details while doing the opposite for men

I am not interested in this thread becoming a thread on the best way to shoot portraits. Sorry if that comes across as rude...but in both your replies you are giving advice on how to take portraits.

I am simply looking for personal experience of people having used both companies equipment and which they liked better and why, I have not met personally any nikon portrait shooters yet...so I'm very curious.

You also stated that you shot nikon and now cannon. So I'll ask...do you prefer Cannon and why or why not?

 

[Ernicus]

It's most likely a local trend - however Canon did have some head start for portrait work in the 5D camera body. In its time it was the cheapest fullframe 35mm camera body on the market and very much in a league of its own. Whilst its AF was nothing special, for studio and portrait work it gave the photographer a more affordable option to the fullframe market - so I can well see many who would have jumped on the bandwaggon and used it and gone for Canon (and as a result remained with the Canon line).

That makes sense...so the local trend could simply be affordability...I had not thought of that...I instantly went to looking into quality vs. price.

 

[o hey tyler]

I've never seen anyone shooting photos with a cannon... But I choose to shoot photos with my Canon cameras.

 

[Robin Usagani]

I've never seen anyone shooting photos with a cannon... But I choose to shoot photos with my Canon cameras.

I dont want to go to prison.

 

[orb9220]

Yep as mentioned by Overread Canon has deeper market pentration and much more advertising. As a results will see 3 or 4to1 kind of thing on canon vs. nikon. As Nikon had less choices for full frame. As both can deliver the goods with right glass and setup for lighting.

For me when it came to deciding went and handled both. As things like handling,feel button and menu layout can have a significant impact on an individuals use. Not that one is better than the other except in regards to the individual. And I prefered the ergonomics and button and menu layout on the Nikon significantly better for my style.

With Nikon coming out with Full Frame D600 and used D700 will make the choice harder for an individual.
.

 

[Trever1t]

OMG!!!! I bought the wrong gear!!!!

This thread is going to offer you what?

 

[2WheelPhoto]

OP, is this a Troll thread you're hoping goes out of con-Troll

 

[Ernicus]

OMG!!!! I bought the wrong gear!!!!

This thread is going to offer you what?

Insight on personal experience with the different brands that people have, as I have limited experience with nikon thus far and zero experience with canon.

It also answers a curiosity I had after seeing a lot of canon shooters lately doing portrait work and very little nikon.

Your reply, however, has offered me nothing.

 

[Ernicus]

OP, is this a Troll thread you're hoping goes out of con-Troll

I thought I was very clear in my question...

and where else to ask personal preference than on a forum with people who use the gear I am asking about....

screw it, I won't ask questions when I have thoughts or curiosities on here...I'll just hang out in the galleries and look at pictures like a good troll. You guys are being kinda being dicks lately.

 

[Ernicus]

Yep as mentioned by Overread Canon has deeper market pentration and much more advertising. As a results will see 3 or 4to1 kind of thing on canon vs. nikon. As Nikon had less choices for full frame. As both can deliver the goods with right glass and setup for lighting.

For me when it came to deciding went and handled both. As things like handling,feel button and menu layout can have a significant impact on an individuals use. Not that one is better than the other except in regards to the individual. And I prefered the ergonomics and button and menu layout on the Nikon significantly better for my style.

With Nikon coming out with Full Frame D600 and used D700 will make the choice harder for an individual.
.

That's why I chose my nikon over the canon I was looking at when I got mine...it just felt better, I figured both at entry levels were the same in regards to quality. I was just really curious seeing all the canon gear as of late.