Ok Nikon or Canon mid level dslr?

[GnipGnop]

I'm going to second suggesting the K5. The Limited lens are incredible. Pentax makes amazing lenses for portrait use. The camera itself has specs that rival the Canon 5dMKII, 7d, 60d and D7000. It's not all about specs, but the Pentax is nothing to snuff at. It's even got a magnesium body and aluminum chassis, and is fully weather sealed and cold proof.

What's it like to shoot with though? In my opinion, the ergonomics and controls are much more well thought out on the Pentax as well. One scroll wheel near the shutter for shutter speed, one for your thumb for aperture, and hit one button with your shutter finger and the aperture wheel turns into ISO.

Control everything using only one button! Without taking your eye away from the viewfinder. Try doing that with a 60d/7d/5d/D7000.

 

[Forkie]

One MAJOR ergonomic difference between Nikon and Canon in the digital age has been the tremendous similarity between Nikon's enthusiast body controls and the professional systems, and Canon's polar opposite: professional cameras that operate NOTHING AT ALL like the enthusiast cameras operate. Canon's earlier 1-series bodies had what many would call "bad" control systems, and Canon has re-engineered the 1D series controls and operation methods twice, if my memory serves me correctly. Keith has been a Nikon user for quite some time. Nikon's design ethos has remained quite consistent for many years; here's an interesting web link: Nikon D4 designed by Giugiaro? | Nikon Rumors

Basically, there's a rumor out there that Giorgetto Giugiaro, the actual, NAMED, KNOWN designer of the Nikon F3 camera, has had a hand in designing a "new Nikon" body that has not yet been announced. Hmmmm....Giugiaro and his Italian design firm have designed every high-end Nikon body since 1980. As NikonRumours wrote, "His company Italdesign has designed almost every high end Pro Nikon camera since 1980 (F3, F4, F5, F6, D3). We know that Nikon is conservative and likes to work with the same people they have used in the past."

Huh...Nikon has employed one of the world's most renowned design firms to design camera body ergonomics and exteriors and controls??? The 800-person Italian design firm responsible for designs for Alfa-Romeo,Audi, BMW,Bugatti,Chevrolet,Ferrari,Fiat,Hyundai,Izusu,Ford,Lamborghini,Lancia,LOtus,,Maserati,Saab,and Volkwagon (to name just a FEW!!!) has also worked on basically every high-end Nikon body design since 1980...huh...

Pay a visit to NIKON's very own web site... Nikon | Imaging Products | Nikon D Technology THE POWER TO CHANGE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

where Nikon shows the D3s and the D300s side by side. An for those who do not know, the "red stripe" premiered on the FIRST Nikon Giugiaro designed....the Nikon F3...

As Nikon's own web copy states,

has a long history of collaboration that began with the design of the F3 in 1980, Nikon entrusted the design and basic modeling of the D3 series to legendary Italian industrial designer Giorgetto Giugiaro.
Nikon's principal requirement was that the design be suitable for the first flagship of its new FX-format series, a new form that works as a basic platform for the new Nikon digital SLR cameras family starting with the D3. The design was to combine the basic operability inherited from the D2 series with substantial improvements in operation."

That was a fascinating article. I agree with everything you've said about ergonomics/design.

One of the main reasons I'm sticking to Nikon with my upgrade to the D300s is because I've tried many Canons now, but you know the one thing I can't get used to? Simply the fact that the lens barrels twists the other way to zoom in and out and the exposure compensation is back to front.

It's that simple. I'm so used to twisting to the right to zoom with my Nikon, that I was missing shots with Canons!

 

[fsquare]

My suggestion is to start with a lower end consumer body in the Nikon and Canon range and start collecting pro level lenses slowly. No point in buying a D90 and DX lens then having to start all over again when you want to move up. Start with something like the D90 and a 50mm F1.4. Might not be the most convenient (using the 50mm for everything) but it's a great lens to start with.

 

[greybeard]

Deciding on a brand by comparing features and specifications is a lot of fun but can wear you out after a while and leave more confused. Needless to say, there big fans for Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, and Olympus, not to mention some less popular brands. I'm really pleased with my Nikon D5100. It came with a 18-55 kit lens but I also have a 50mm 1.8, 70-300, and 28-80mm that I used with my n80. These lenses mount and operate in manual focus mode just fine. Even my sb-28 Flash operates pretty well in Automatic mode. So I'm real happy with Nikon's dedication to keeping everything backward compatible. I'm not so sure about Canon though, they may be just as backward compatible as Nikon.

 

[Nikon_Josh]

I'm going to second suggesting the K5. The Limited lens are incredible. Pentax makes amazing lenses for portrait use. The camera itself has specs that rival the Canon 5dMKII, 7d, 60d and D7000. It's not all about specs, but the Pentax is nothing to snuff at. It's even got a magnesium body and aluminum chassis, and is fully weather sealed and cold proof.

What's it like to shoot with though? In my opinion, the ergonomics and controls are much more well thought out on the Pentax as well. One scroll wheel near the shutter for shutter speed, one for your thumb for aperture, and hit one button with your shutter finger and the aperture wheel turns into ISO.

Control everything using only one button! Without taking your eye away from the viewfinder. Try doing that with a 60d/7d/5d/D7000.

This is true, I am actually going to keep on promoting the Pentax K5 to people. In my mind Pentax are offering aot of value for money!

 

[fotomumma09]

This is true, I am actually going to keep on promoting the Pentax K5 to people. In my mind Pentax are offering aot of value for money!

I'm gonna head down the camera store tomorrow to play with the K5. I've been reading a lot and it looks impressive!

 

[manaheim]

What I am getting at, is the way a camera feels while in your hands makes a big difference IMO, some may feel too big/small or you might not like the way the buttons and gadgets are set up etc.

I did professional photography for 30 years and used a wide variety of cameras that had vastly differing control layouts, and shapes. I used cameas made by Minolta, Canon, Nikon, Mamiya, Rollei, Pentax, Olympus, Hasselblad, and a few others.

None of my photographs were negatively affected by the very wide range of ergonomics and 'feel' that all those various cameras that I used over the years had.

The 'feel' of a camera in my hands was about # 27 on my list of considerations. Features, functions, and performance usually occupied considerations 1 through 26,

Your statements get more and more wild by the day Keith, I know for a start I chose Nikon over Canon partly due to ergonomics and the feel of the camera. For me, Canon ergonomics do not feel right to me.

To say ergonomics are not important.. let me ask you this, would you like too use a Nikon D3000, where you have to dig through the menus to change the ISO??

I'm not sure those are ergonomics so much as a total lack of physical controls. Less buttons and more stuff in the menu makes the camera cheaper.

To the OP... standard rule as always, you buy the best camera you can reasonably afford while still reserving yourself enough room to buy the lenses.

Oh and don't feel you need to buy F2.8 glass, either. It's awesome stuff, but insanely expensive for someone who (I'm guessing) won't notice too much of a difference. My advice to people is generally not to buy better glass until you can tell why your existing lenses have issues enough that they get in your way.

 

[fotomumma09]

I'm gonna head down the camera store tomorrow to play with the K5. I've been reading a lot and it looks impressive!

So I checked out the K5 and was really impressed! The sales person who is a Nikon guy really recommended the Pentax too. Now I have to start saving my pennies! Thanks for your recommendations.