What are the Nikon equivalents to 1D Mk III, Canon 5D Mk II and 7D?

[Griffey]

I'm looking at purchasing a used older generation DSLR body on eBay.

I'm familiar with Canons and am considering the following as candidates:
Canon 1D Mk III
Canon 5D Mk II
Canon 7D

The issue is, my company's photo studio uses Nikons and I think Nikon would be the more practical choice in my situation, allowing me to experiment with and sign out their lenses for jobs.

That said, I'd like to find out what the Nikon equivalents (particular models, marks) are for each of the above Canon bodies. Flagship Nikons in that league. The usual suspects.

Criteria: Can be purchased $700 to $1200 used on eBay, 10+ Megapixels, Live View, Full Frame or APS-C
Not really interested in Nikon's equivalent of the Rebel or a refurbished starter pack.

Trying to get a good short list together of used DSLRs to present to my mentors and I'm in the "doing homework" stage (forums, YouTube shoot outs, eBay completed listings pricing). I'd like to see what Nikon has to offer on that level. Any insight would be great, as I'll be showing my list to my mentors and let them guide me from there.

I'm going to be using this to shoot for print (studio portraits, occasional newspaper centerpieces and a local magazine).

 

[Derrel]

Canon 1D Mark III...hmmm...a $4,900 crop-frame (1.3x) camera that cannot focus on still targets for $hi+...hmmm...cannot think of a Nikon equivalent for that...that's a Canon exclusive offer. Nikon never had a pro camera that could not focus worth a damn...of course you COULD buy a used Nikon D3 for $1500 or so, or a D3s for maybe $2,200 or so, and get a camera that will absolutely NAIL focus, and have Full-frame as well as 1.2x crop ratio, AKA 5:4 or "8x10" capture as well as smaller crop options in-finder/in-camera as well. Both the D3 and D3s have the flagship-level build and weather sealing and the higher frame rates of something like a 1D Mark III, but unfortunately they tend to focus properly on STILL targets AND moving targets, so neither of those is "quite" equal to the Canon 1D-III...

The Nikon D4 is 16 megapixels on FF, and would also be more or less a 1D Mark III equivalent body, but unfortunately one with a killer-accurate and deadly autofocusing system...so the built-in excuse for not coming back with "the shot" is not there...in the camera...

Canon 5D Mark II...Nikon D600. Reasonable equivalent. Pretty close in most ways.

Canon 7D...Nikon D300s would be 'similar'. Both are crop-bodies, 1.6x and 1.5x respectively.

Oh, just re-read your post...you want $700 to $1200 bodies!!! Kind of ghetto. Anyway, anything "in print" made with a halftone does not demand much in the way of MP count...the halftone screening process sublimates a LOT of detail. Just buy a brand-new Nikon D90 for $599 from Adorama right NOW, or a refurbished one from Nikon for $499, and get a decent lens or two. Keep in mind that prices in actual, walk-in RETAIL camera stores are often wayyyyyyyyyy below the prices on eBay or on the web, due to a much smaller potential pool of buyers, and an assortment of economic factors related to the how and why people sell off cameras and lenses.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

LIke comparing a line of nice dump trucks to Porsche's line up!

 

[KmH]

Nikon doesn't do marks.

 

[Rafterman]

Buy a D7000 body for $900 or get the just-released D7100 body for $1200. They're both VERY close to the Canon 7D in capability and specs. Getting something from Nikon that's close to the other two Canon bodies you mentioned will cost you more than your budget of $700-$1200.

 

[desmondlewissmith]

No mention of the Nikon D3X in comparison. It's a incredible camera with great range and fast focus.

I've been waiting for full frame since the D1x and can begin to say how happy I am with my D3x camera.

 

[sandollars]

LIke comparing a line of nice dump trucks to Porsche's line up!

LOL! That's brutal!!

 

[Derrel]

Scott Kelby did a three-day Tampa Bay Times seminar, during which he shot a lot of indoor hockey using the Nikon D7100 and the soon-to-be-released 80-400mm AF-S VR Nikkor zoom lens. This video review makes the new D7100 sound like a VERY well-designed, high-perfoming APS-C body. It's highly doubtful that the Canon 7D can keep up with it, imaging-wise. The sensor in the 7D is aged.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

^^^^ He lives here!

 

[DCerezo]

Just get a D600... It's a better camera than most Canons on the market right now. Sad, but true.

 

[gsgary]

Just get a D600... It's a better camera than most Canons on the market right now. Sad, but true.

Bull****