Why We Switched to Nikon

[fjrabon]

This seems a bit overly dramatic, almost to the point of detracting from the fact that Nikon truly does have an advantage in DR that is significant at this point.

 

[Vtec44]

I agree, but are you underexposed by more than a stop, or do you do what 95% of pro shooters do and use a flash, or do you sell 25 grand worth of gear so you don't need a flash for 2 shots each wedding

Did you just tell me to use flash at a wedding ceremony? :O

1. Too far to setup flash.
2. Can't really set up flash without being obstructive at a wedding ceremony.
3. A lot of weddings do not allow flashes to be use during the ceremony portion.

Isle entrance, groom's reaction, hand over, vow exchange, ring ceremony, first kiss, isle exit are some of the important shots. That alone is a bit more than 2 shots to me. BTW, I have spent almost as much on lighting gear as I do on cameras and lenses.

One thing I do love about the Canon system is the newer f1.2 lenses... and that scroll button. Well, that would make 2 things

 

[Forkie]

I only wish I could read it...

 

[astroNikon]

I only wish I could read ...

==> Reading Bear free phonics vocabulary...learn to read for free


ooh .. did I accidentally erase "it"

 

[Derrel]

The sample Canon 5D-II vs Nikon D750 photo you linked to at Cometh the 5D-S R down the isle.... - FM Forums

shows a deliberate underexposure recovery test. The 5-stop underexposure software recovery of the Canon 5D Mark II shot is literally filled, across the entire frame, with God-awful, patterned, color noise that utterly ruins the photo for professional use. The Nikon file is pretty usable, with no trace of color or pattern noise.

But it's not just about underexposing a shot by five full EV--the practical aspect is that with a modern Nikon, a person can expose to protect the highlights from blowing out, and can then make what were formerly, literally IMPOSSIBLE shadow recovery adjustments in software. Without the strong pattern and color noise than Canon has been plagued with for years.

Hey...8-track tapes were once considered perfectly good. But eventually CD-ROM came along. Same fundamental problems: sticking with outdated technology means that eventually, your company **is behind** the leaders, at least in some ways.

Part II - Controlled tests

Anywayyyy, threads like this really don't do much except inflame Canon system users. I still have a little bit of Canon stuff around, my 5D and 20D, 70-200/2.8 L IS USM, 135/2-L and 135/2.8 Soft focus, but have sold off the 50/1.4, the 580 EX-II, 24-105 L IS USM, and 85/1.8 EF lenses. I shot the 20D two weekends ago with a photo student of mine, and was shocked at how narrow the dynamic range of the RAW files was on a bright sunny day. I know the 20D sensor is old, and outdated, but what I am used to with the now-old D3x and the first-generation SONY EXMOR sensor it has has now been beaten by yet another full EV worth of DR by the newest Nikon bodies.

Canon still has some great lenses in its systems, but I think the real nugget is that for the wedding shooter, the amazing shadow recovery, low noise at high ISO, and the sheer "workability" of these files from the newer Nikons means much easier file processing, and also easier shooting, with MUCH less absolute "need" for using fill lighting in fast-developing situations over 3,4,5,6,7,8-hour wedding shoots.

 

[jaomul]

I agree, but are you underexposed by more than a stop, or do you do what 95% of pro shooters do and use a flash, or do you sell 25 grand worth of gear so you don't need a flash for 2 shots each wedding

Did you just tell me to use flash at a wedding ceremony? :O

1. Too far to setup flash.
2. Can't really set up flash without being obstructive at a wedding ceremony.
3. A lot of weddings do not allow flashes to be use during the ceremony portion.

Isle entrance, groom's reaction, hand over, vow exchange, ring ceremony, first kiss, isle exit are some of the important shots. That alone is a bit more than 2 shots to me. BTW, I have spent almost as much on lighting gear as I do on cameras and lenses.

One thing I do love about the Canon system is the newer f1.2 lenses... and that scroll button.

Sorry. Missed the part about ceremony. Thought you meant a sunset shot. I'm learning here all the time. I live in Ireland, very few weddings outdoor and I never knew there was such a thing as a sunset ceremony. I did however day that I agreed with some points made in the link but it's popcorn. I do think that a good photographer would still manage that sunset shot on a Canon. I also agree extra dr is always an advantage

 

[runnah]

Couple points.

1. Sure comparing a camera that came out this year to one that came out several years ago will yield better results. Not saying that the DR isn't better in Nikon, just saying it's not an accurate comparison.

2. Nikon is leading the pack now, but it's always been a game of leap frog. Right now Nikon has come out with a bunch of new high-end cameras so odds are they will "go dark" for a bit. In the meantime Canon will release their latest and greatest.

3. DR is certainly the buzz word these days isn't it? Heck most people didn't even know what it was until marketers made it a buzzword.

4. DR is important until it isn't. What I mean is that there is a ton of photographers who really aren't concerned as they don't shoot in an environment where having a ton of DR is needed.

So yeah, I am defending Canon a bit, but really I am more trying to get folks to breathe a bit and realize it's not about gear as much as having fun.

 

[Vtec44]

Sorry. Missed the part about ceremony. Thought you meant a sunset shot. I'm learning here all the time. I live in Ireland, very few weddings outdoor and I never knew there was such a thing as a sunset ceremony. I did however day that I agreed with some points made in the link but it's popcorn. I do think that a good photographer would still manage that sunset shot on a Canon. I also agree extra dr is always an advantage

To be honest, use whatever gear you're comfortable with to produce what your clients want. The important thing is to know your gear. I've seen plenty of amazing and award winning shots by Canon, probably a lot more than Nikon because of the larger market share. I'm just bored online a lot of what I say works for me, not necessary the standards or right.

 

[JustJazzie]

Couple points.

1. Sure comparing a camera that came out this year to one that came out several years ago will yield better results. Not saying that the DR isn't better in Nikon, just saying it's not an accurate comparison.

2. Nikon is leading the pack now, but it's always been a game of leap frog. Right now Nikon has come out with a bunch of new high-end cameras so odds are they will "go dark" for a bit. In the meantime Canon will release their latest and greatest.

3. DR is certainly the buzz word these days isn't it? Heck most people didn't even know what it was until marketers made it a buzzword.

4. DR is important until it isn't. What I mean is that there is a ton of photographers who really aren't concerned as they don't shoot in an environment where having a ton of DR is needed.

So yeah, I am defending Canon a bit, but really I am more trying to get folks to breathe a bit and realize it's not about gear as much as having fun.

You mean we didn't all start photography because its fun to debate about gear online? :headscratch: I know I did!!

 

[cgw]

The few surviving full-time wedding shooters I know are too busy marketing and actually working to embarrass themselves writing self-regarding spew like this. Two out of three seem to shoot Canon, too. Doubt this will cost them much sleep.

 

[ronlane]

While I shoot Canon, I will admit that he D750 and D810 have made a big impression on me.

What I find most interesting and funny about this article is that they maxed out their credit cards to purchase 3 d750s and the glass to go with them and then they talk about "making" money on the switch. Not sure that I'm buying that one.

 

[Derrel]

I thought the gear list that he and his wife picked out was interesting. He wrote that they bought, "3 d750s, a 24 3.5 tilt shift, 24-70, 2 Sigma 35s, 45 tilt shift, 2 Sigma 50s, 60 macro, 85 1.4, 85 1.8, 2 105 f/2s, 70-200." Plus, they have the Cheetah flash system units. All in all, pretty solid setup with a lot of emphasis on higher-end glass in the focal lengths most people would want for events. Pretty nice array of lenses to use on the D750, or any other FX Nikon for that matter.

 

[fjrabon]

my biggest frustration with Canon (and I was working in a Canon equipped studio earlier this year) is that their DR has fallen behind virtually every camera manufacturer and that they... just don't seem to care. I don't get it. My X100T has better dynamic range than a 7DII from what I've seen. They seem to think that their shooters love their lenses so much that no difference in sensor technology will make a difference. And this isn't a recent gap, Nikon has had a DR advantage for multiple years now. The recent thing is that mirrorless makers like Fuji, Sony and Olympus are passing them, significantly. As somebody else said, it's because Canon has neither substantially invested in a sensor upgrade, nor gone the Nikon route and outsourced sensor tech. Nikon realized that they would get their asses kicked sensor wise, so instead they just paid sony to make sensors for them.

And sure, DR isn't the be all and end all. But what, really, is a gigantor camera body good for if it isn't DR? If you're not going to compete with DR, you might as well shoot something MUCH cheaper and not as bulky. (but that's a thread for another time)

Now, if we want to talk lenses, I moderately lean Canon, lens wise. My 3 favorite lenses of all-time are all Canon. But with the way Nikon (and perhaps more importantly Sigma and others) have closed the gap there, system wise, I worry about Canon.

I still own a 7D, and I like it, but the stuff I can get away shooting with it, compared to what I can get away with on an old D7000 (not even a D7100) is like night and day. Heck, the 7D's DR and low light is really, wildly outperformed by my X100T. The D600 runs circles around the 5DIII I was using for work regularly.

 

[fjrabon]

While I shoot Canon, I will admit that he D750 and D810 have made a big impression on me.

What I find most interesting and funny about this article is that they maxed out their credit cards to purchase 3 d750s and the glass to go with them and then they talk about "making" money on the switch. Not sure that I'm buying that one.

From the read of it, they bought the Nikon gear first, and then went about slowly selling their Canon gear on ebay to pay off their credit cards, which makes sense given that they're busy wedding photographers and obviously couldn't sell off all their Canon gear first.

 

[fjrabon]

I thought the gear list that he and his wife picked out was interesting. He wrote that they bought, "3 d750s, a 24 3.5 tilt shift, 24-70, 2 Sigma 35s, 45 tilt shift, 2 Sigma 50s, 60 macro, 85 1.4, 85 1.8, 2 105 f/2s, 70-200." Plus, they have the Cheetah flash system units. All in all, pretty solid setup with a lot of emphasis on higher-end glass in the focal lengths most people would want for events. Pretty nice array of lenses to use on the D750, or any other FX Nikon for that matter.

yeah, I'm in an anti- system mode right now, but I did hit a small tinge of jealousy when I read that list. Maybe coming back to this site is bad for me, haha.