Which Camera Nikon D300s or Canon 7D

[sanjeed1407]

i'm going to state this at the outset, i'm a nikon shooter.
BUT

the above poster is full of $hit and has no idea what he is talking about.
talk about spewing misinformation.
i'd ask you to back up your comments but i know you can't, so i am going to call you out on them.

Rotten garbage.

 

[emh]

I'm obviously late to this thread and I like a good Canon-Nikon fight just as much as anyone else. I'm also very much a newbie at this photography stuff, so maybe I'm totally off here, but...

To me, it seems the OP plans on spending a bit too much of his/her budget on the body. On a $2500 budget, wouldn't it make a lot more sense to get a sub-$1000 body (say a D90 or a 50D) and spend most of the money on a couple of decent lenses, maybe a good flash, filters etc.?

 

[CxThree]

EMH, that's the changing world of cameras we see today. Last year, I would have agreed with you 100%. However, the new bodies have such great highISO performance and the AF ssytem on the Canon is leaps above older bodies. It's a bit harder to decide on where to invest. I wind up using my F4 lens way more than my 2.8 now days.

 

[Harpy]

the 16-85VR is a better lens than the Canon 18-135 for sure.

I AGREE! Have both camera's and i prefer the Canon. The quality of your pictures is better

 

[sanjeed1407]

I think the summary is - Canon EOS 7D is a good camcorder while Nikon D300s is a great DSLR.

 

[cfusionpm]

I think the summary is - Canon EOS 7D is a good camcorder while Nikon D300s is a great DSLR.

Except the 7D is also an absolutely fantastic DSLR too.

 

[CxThree]

I shoot with both of them. They both are great. I would be happy with either one if forced to use only one.

I would suggest you go with the one that feels right in your hands. Menu layour, button placement, etc. Which one feels more natural to you.

You really cannot go wrong with either one.

 

[sanjeed1407]

Anyone wanting to start off still photography for outdoor and action shots has many choices for a great DSLR. Out of all, Nikon D300s delivers the best results.

 

[cfusionpm]

Anyone wanting to start off still photography for outdoor and action shots has many choices for a great DSLR. Out of all, Nikon D300s delivers the best results.

This is based on... what? Smaller resolution? Slower burst rate?

As written by CameraLabs:

Nikon’s D300s is without a doubt the main rival for the EOS 7D. In the past Canon and Nikon used to pitch many of their DSLRs in-between each other, so you’d have, say, the EOS 50D roughly sandwiched between the D90 and D300. But with the EOS 7D, Canon’s aiming for the same high-end cropped-sensor market as Nikon’s D300s – and with similar pricing, both cameras are absolutely going head-to-head.

There’s certainly a lot of similarities between the two rivals. Both have tough build quality, APS-C sized CMOS sensors, 100% viewfinders with roughly the same apparent size (the 7D’s fractionally greater magnification off-set by its fractionally smaller sensor), both have 3in screens with VGA resolution, built-in wireless control of flash guns, HDMI ports, on-demand LCD graphics in the viewfinder, external microphone jacks for their movie modes, electronic levelling gauges, metering systems which take colour information into account, and shutter blocks rated at 150k actuations. Both models also sport HD video capabilities, very fast continuous shooting and sophisticated AF systems, but it’s the fine detail within each where the differences really emerge.

Starting with the most obvious difference though, the EOS 7D boasts 18 Megapixels to the D300s’ 12 Megapixels. When equipped with a decent lens, the 7D certainly can resolve more detail than the D300s, and despite having 50% more pixels in total, the noise levels are actually quite similar at the lower end of the range. You can see a full report in our results section.

In terms of comparing numbers though, the 7D has more than just higher resolution in its favour. It has double the maximum sensitivity (12800 ISO versus 6400 ISO), slightly quicker continuous shooting (8fps versus 7fps for the bodies alone and the advantage of maintaining this for 14-bit RAW files when the D300s falls in speed), and the choice of HD video resolution and frame rates, when the D300s only offers 1280x720 fixed at 24fps. The 7D also comes with free remote control software.

In its favour, the D300s boasts dual memory card slots allowing you to record duplicate images to both cards for instant backup, or RAW files to one and JPEGs to the other for easier management. It also features much better exposure bracketing (up to nine frames compared to just three on the 7D), a built-in intervalometer and many more auto-focusing points (51 versus 19) although it’s lacking the 7D’s zoning and other innovative AF options.

Ultimately while the dual card slots, 51 AF points and exposure bracketing are definite advantages over the EOS 7D, the Canon is better-featured overall. But at this level a great deal boils down to personal preferences on ergonomics and brand loyalty, not to mention existing investments in lenses and accessories. As such we expect the D300s to remain a big seller despite its toughest competition yet. One thing’s for certain: Nikon no longer has the high-end APS-C market to itself."

Canon EOS 7D review: verdict, 7D vs 50D vs 5D Mark II vs D300s | Cameralabs

So they're about equal, but the Canon has a higher res sensor and faster burst rate that can shoot for more shots, while the Nikon has more auto bracket options, dual card slots (though not both CF...), and more autofocus points (though fewer cross type points, and fewer AF selection modes).

With the Canon and some good glass, you'll be able to get off more shots per second and be able to crop them tighter if needed, thanks to the higher res images. And the great new AF system ensures shots are well tracked. Sounds absolutely perfect for "outdoor and action" photography. :thumbup:

 

[Mbnmac]

I'd be inclined to listen to any side of the story if it wasn't being given with pseudo-intellectual BS and backhanded compliments.

To the OP; as all have said, go try em for yourself, as has been shown by all the 'facts' in this thread, there is no real 'better' every time a new lens or camera is made, it'll be better than the other recent model, whoever's it is.

I'm in a similar situation, and settled on a nikon d90 as I like the feel way more than a canon, it fits nicer, do yourself a favor and don't get caught in the pissing matches of people trying to justify why they bought the camera they did

 

[sanjeed1407]

I met a veteran outdoor pro photog recently who worked in NY as a freelancer. He emphatically declared - for good images 80% contribution comes from the photog and 20% from gears. So, no need to give a damn to which gear you use, if you know photography; even a point & shoot will get it for you.

 

[AlexL]

Just to throw off all the argument here and I'll declare Sony the overall winner of DSLRs.

 

[zwdb08]

I shoot with a canon 20d and a ef300L , and i have shot with people using a D300S and the pictures when reviewed in camera looked superior on the d300 and it was using a 200-500 tamron, also it seemed on the pc that the d300 pictures required less editing to create a print. is this typical?
so which is better straight from the camera, the d300s or 7d, that is the selling point for me. i want a camera that delivers what i see, and produces more keepers. my 20d seems to have very poor focusing as most images require quite a bit of editing to make them pop especially over iso 400, L glass does help give it better contrast and pop. I also believe that canon may underexpose about 1/2 to one stop ,at least that is how the images look when they come back, where the d300 seemed to produce more like what you see, like the metering maybe more accurate. Now to me focus accuracy and metering accuracy are way more important than 7fps to 8fps, or sensor size etc,
just which camera produces good results straight from the camera ?

 

[zwdb08]

I am contemplating stepping up from my canon 20d and was looking to the 7d or d300s or d700 and switching to Nikon, as i am really frustrated by my inconsistancies with my 20d my images usually look flat and dull not at all what i would expect, without tons of editing to make them look good. The focus seems to be a tad off. When i was shooting birds in my back yard they seemed slightly soft or out of focus so i thought maybe shutter speed so i kicked it up to 1/2000 etc still no good so i kicked the aperature to f 8.0 or f 11.0 stilll no better.. so needless to say this is frustrating and the birds are only about 10 feet away.
i love to shoot birds and wild life.
was thinking i would also need at400 mm lens for a bit more reach that my 300 ? does IS, or VR replace a good tripod?
as well