Sorry, but another Canon vs Nikon question

kassad · Mar 12, 2011

I'm looking at a new camera. I have pretty much decided on a Canon 7d with 70-200 f2.8 USMII. But I'm having doubts about the the Nikon 300s. I'm looking to do mostly sports photography.

Can someone point me towards a comparison of the 19 point af system on the 7d and Nikon 51 point system on the 300s?

KmH · Mar 12, 2011

I don't know that there is a comparison anywhere, but here is information about Nikon's Multi-CAM 3500, 51-point auto focus module:

Nikon Imaging | Nikon D Technology THE POWER TO CHANGE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

cfusionpm · Mar 12, 2011

Here's the first thing I could find on the 7D's AF system: Canon EOS 7D Digital SLR Camera Review

GooniesNeverSayDie11 · Mar 12, 2011

Canon 7D vs Nikon D300

I think the 7D would be the right choice. Not just because I shoot one.

Whoops. Didn't see you said 300s. http://snapsort.com/compare/Canon_EOS_7D-vs-Nikon_D300S

I would still pick the 7D. And for some reason that link claims the 300s is weathersealed which is an advantage to the 7D, but the 7D is sealed as well.

kassad · Mar 12, 2011

Thanks guys, I'm to find out how the af tracking compares between the two systems.

GooniesNeverSayDie11 · Mar 12, 2011

Read below in the red. This was taken from here...Long Term Test: Canon 7D Vs Nikon D300s at The Phoblographer

The guy claims the D300s as the better AF due to one feature. However he was dumb and didn't realize the 7D has that feature also. He clearly states that the 7D would be the victor if it had that feature due to its AF abilities overall. Read the bold part where he explains his mistake. ( Which based on his original article at the bottom, would make the 7D superior. )

Both systems utilize different zones and areas to achieve focusing. To make a long story short, Nikon’s is smarter in full auto-focusing while allowing more maneuverability and faster access to settings on the fly in varying shooting situations. What’s its edge? For starters it allows to user to move the focusing points around using the back joystick. When a photographer is shooting, all that one needs to do is just move this point back and forth to the exact area that they want to focus on. A great example is sports, event or concert shooting. Also keep this in mind for when the kids are running around at the wedding reception.
Editor’s Note: After working with it on a photoshoot, I figured out how to unlock the previously said feature on the 7D. It’s something that most photographers would look past though, but works just as well as Nikon’s system. The fact that it is readily available on the Nikon though is very critical.
In contrast, one has to press a series of buttons on the 7D. If the 7D had allowed for the flexibility that the D300s did it would be game over. The reason for this is because of just how accurate and smart the zones and areas are to lock onto the subject that the photographer really wants to get.
Nikon fanboys can relax now.
Winner: Nikon D300s

kassad · Mar 12, 2011

GooniesNeverSayDie11 said:
Read below in the red. This was taken from here...Long Term Test: Canon 7D Vs Nikon D300s at The Phoblographer

The guy claims the D300s as the better AF due to one feature. However he was dumb and didn't realize the 7D has that feature also. He clearly states that the 7D would be the victor if it had that feature due to its AF abilities overall. Read the bold part where he explains his mistake. ( Which based on his original article at the bottom, would make the 7D superior. )

Both systems utilize different zones and areas to achieve focusing. To make a long story short, Nikons is smarter in full auto-focusing while allowing more maneuverability and faster access to settings on the fly in varying shooting situations. Whats its edge? For starters it allows to user to move the focusing points around using the back joystick. When a photographer is shooting, all that one needs to do is just move this point back and forth to the exact area that they want to focus on. A great example is sports, event or concert shooting. Also keep this in mind for when the kids are running around at the wedding reception.
Editors Note: After working with it on a photoshoot, I figured out how to unlock the previously said feature on the 7D. Its something that most photographers would look past though, but works just as well as Nikons system. The fact that it is readily available on the Nikon though is very critical.
In contrast, one has to press a series of buttons on the 7D. If the 7D had allowed for the flexibility that the D300s did it would be game over. The reason for this is because of just how accurate and smart the zones and areas are to lock onto the subject that the photographer really wants to get.
Nikon fanboys can relax now.
Winner: Nikon D300s

I have read that article. I'll admit I dismissed it after reading the authors note.

Formatted · Mar 12, 2011

The D300s will have better AF than the 7D.

The D300s uses the same AF module as the D3, which is on a par if not faster than the 1D MK IV, which in turn is better than the 7D.

kassad · Mar 12, 2011

Formatted said:
The D300s will have better AF than the 7D.

The D300s uses the same AF module as the D3, which is on a par if not faster than the 1D MK IV, which in turn is better than the 7D.

Based on what test criteria?

kassad · Mar 12, 2011

Sorry Formatted I just realised my reply comes off as disrepectful.
What I'm looking for would more controled test enviroments. I've played around with display models in a local shop. I thought the 7d 70-200 f2.8 usm II combo was able to hit the focus on the single center point faster and with less hunting than the 300s 70-200 f2.8 vrII combo. I'm really looking for testing on moving subjects which I couldn't do in the store.

Thaash · Mar 12, 2011

kassad said:
Sorry Formatted I just realised my reply comes off as disrepectful.
What I'm looking for would more controled test enviroments. I've played around with display models in a local shop. I thought the 7d 70-200 f2.8 usm II combo was able to hit the focus on the single center point faster and with less hunting than the 300s 70-200 f2.8 vrII combo. I'm really looking for testing on moving subjects which I couldn't do in the store.

ask the shop assistant to run around the shop, or pull out a gun tell everyone to run out, just make sure to use the right trigger when taking the pictures with a camera and a gun in your hands

table1349 · Mar 12, 2011

Does this help?: Digital Photography Review

Formatted · Mar 12, 2011

kassad said:
Formatted said:

The D300s will have better AF than the 7D.

The D300s uses the same AF module as the D3, which is on a par if not faster than the 1D MK IV, which in turn is better than the 7D.

Click to expand...

Based on what test criteria?

Hope that helps!

kassad · Mar 12, 2011

gryphonslair99 said:
Does this help?: Digital Photography Review

Your link isn't working for me.

Derrel · Mar 12, 2011

kassad said:
Sorry Formatted I just realised my reply comes off as disrepectful.
What I'm looking for would more controled test enviroments. I've played around with display models in a local shop. I thought the 7d 70-200 f2.8 usm II combo was able to hit the focus on the single center point faster and with less hunting than the 300s 70-200 f2.8 vrII combo. I'm really looking for testing on moving subjects which I couldn't do in the store.

Using that type of testing procedure, one,single centrally-located AF point, Canon bodies of various models have established a pretty good track record of fast focus acquisition. But that is NOT the way to use a modern Nikon to its full advantage; Nikon has 3-D RGB Color Matrix light metering AND focusing...ignoring 50 out of 51 AF points on a modern Nikon is not the best way to maximize the camera's AF performance. There's a fundamental difference between an older, color-blind Canon camera that cannot discern color, and the last 30 or so Nikon models, each of which have 405 to 1,0005 to 2,016 Red Green Blue color-sensing pixels to 1) measure the color of the first selected AF point or group of points that the shooter aquires focus on and 2) to be able to follow that subject as it moves across the frame, or up and down the field of play/flight/racing.

I'll simplify this: Canon has established excellent one-shot focus acquisition using one,single AF point. Nikon has established excellent one-shot focus acquisition using a small group of AF points (3,9,11,21 points, depending on the particular body), and Nikon has developed superior Autofocus TRACKING over long sequences--when used by people who UNDERSTAND how the Nikon AF systems are DESIGNED TO BE USED. So basically, that means Canon shooters who do not have a clue of how to employ a multi-area AF system often futz up Nikon "tests", as do ignorant Nikon users whose experience and constant suggestion is "use the center AF point only". The web is filled with a number of brief side-by-side comparisons by people with an agenda, OR people who just simply have absolutely no IDEA of how advanced AF systems have become. It's almost as if these shooters, most of them older and more-experienced, simply have no fricking idea of how much better an AF system can work when it is operated the way it was designed to be operated. These are the same people that will trust a flash meter reading implicitly, but are afraid of learning how to work a modern, AF d-slr that uses modern, AF lenses.