Canon vs. Nikon: Who has the better cameras?
06 November 2009
Many photo enthusiasts thinking of going into DSLR would have considered this question many times overˇ which is betterˇ Canon or Nikon? From Freddy Fanboy to Sara Soccermom, everyone will have their take on which brand suits best. The Pros and most enthusiasts won't care too much beyond whether what they've got can get the job done and whether the next upgrade is worth the bucks. Having said thatˇ every now and again, one of the brands will come out with a real game changer and the status quo will be thrown out the window.
The Nikon D3 with its full frame sensor, 51-point AF system and high ISO sensitivity came out with guns blazing and knocked a great chunk of market share into Nikon's pocket. The release of Canon's EOS 5D Mark II in turn did very much the same. If you were coming into the market at those times, your take on the brand with the best camera might well be skewedˇ especially if the mentioned cameras were under consideration.
Looking at the present and picking a few models for a bit of head to head comparison, let's see how the following pairs matchup: Canon EOS 500D vs. Nikon D5000, Canon EOS 7D vs. Nikon D300S and Canon EOS-1D Mark IV vs. Nikon D3S.
500D vs. Nikon D5000
Canon EOS 500D
Nikon D5000
Image Sensor
15.1 megapixels
12.3 megapixels
Sensor Size
APS-C (1.6x)
APS-C (1.5x)
ISO Sensitivity
ISO 100 to 6400
(Expandable to 12800)
ISO 200 to 3200
AF System
9-point AF system
11-point AF system
Shutter
30sec to 1/4000sec
30sec to 1/4000sec
Sensor Cleaning
YES
YES
Live View
YES
YES
HD Movie Recording
(Resolution)
1920x1080p/20fps
1280x720p/30fps
1,280x720/24 fps
HD Movie Recording
(Time / Size Limit)
29min 59sec
4GB/clip
5min
2GB/clip
Continuous Burst Speed
Up to 3.4fps
Up to 4fps
LCD (Size / Resolution)
3.0 inch (approx. 920K dots)
2.7 inch (approx. 230K dots)
LCD – Flip Screen feature
NO
YES
Storage
1x SD/SDHC card slot
1x SD/SDHC card slot
Dimensions (WxHxD in mm)
128.8 x 97.5 x 61.9
127 x 104 x 80
Weight (body only in g)
480g
560g
At this entry level, cameras tend to be more comparable with often small differences swaying the buying decision. Nikon D5000 has the vari-angle flip screen. It's great to use if you need to shoot at various angles but if you want to shoot yourself (and most likely you will do so with a tripod), you'd find that the flip screen is blocked by the tripod and thereby making it useless. It's still a great feature but with a stupid flaw. Of course there is also the video mode. For many consumer users moving up from a compact camera, the concept of not having video on a camera is absurd, ˇ°Don't they all have it?ˇ± This will no doubt become the norm before long, just like Live View, but for now, the feature and its limitations will no doubt be discussed. For movie recording, the Canon EOS 500D is the clear winner both in terms video quality as well as time limit. Nikon should really do something about their stingy FIVE minutes limit. Another key issue is the AF compatibility of different lenses. Most new users would not know that they may not be able to autofocus if the lens does not have a built-in motorˇ Canon took the trouble away and made all their EF and EF-S lenses compatible. This is another lesson that Nikon needs to take heart.
Since the Nikon D200, Nikon has been doing very well in this segment and have established their top APS-C sized prosumer body model as the preferred choice over their Canon XXD counterpart. Even the formidable Canon 50D was not enough to overtake the lead that the D300 helped Nikon cement. With the Nikon D300S, small but useful changes were made. They may not be a deal maker for upgrades from D300 but definitely sweet for those upgrading from lower or older models. However, the release of the Canon EOS 7D put serious questions to Nikon's dominance to this segment. Not only are the specs for the 7D impressive when compared with the D300S but it also offers innovative and exciting features which will no doubt set the benchmark for future releases. Which is better to use? We think we would duck this one.
A tricky one to comment on as the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV is not out yet and we can't tell if the production models will deliver what has been announced. What we can comment on is the intent and directions that these two brands are going. Canon obviously feel that there is still a future for the APS-H sized sensor and that it's now a question of getting better images from the 10fps that the Mark III was already capable of. Higher sensitivity is a given and the megapixel race has been suspended for this new ISO sensitivity race. On paper, ISO 102400 really looks more like a misprint and we are sure that if anyone even suggested this a year ago, they would be laughed at… Today, even rumours of ISO 256000 would be worth a listen. Of course, the AF system battle will also rage on and now that Canon has something that looks like it can put up a fight, we would be more than interested in their results.
DigitalRev's Verdict
So who is better? Canon or Nikon? Considering the fact that we are split over this answer ourselves, we can only say that the momentum is with Canon at the moment and it's really up to them to show their advancement with the next release. Big improvements should be rewarded should they deliver. We will be watching the EOS-1D Mark IV release with much interest.
I'll go with Sony, thanks. Neither Nikon nor Canon felt right in my hand and I'm very pleased with the results that the Sony Alpha 700 has given me in all sorts of shooting conditions.
Tony B From AUSTRALIA
03 Jan 2010, 4:21pm
There is very little difference in the choice of bodies. Compromise is the ubiquitous word that rears its head in this never ending product debate.What lenses Nikon has to offer at the current time for the frugal birder/nature buff is nought. They have nothing to compare with the 400 f5.6 or 100-400 zoom for the mobile birder not wishing to shell out thousands of dollars.There is no way I would hike around the Australian bush with a 300 f.28 or 500 f4 let alone the Nikon 200-400 their only offering at several thousand dollars more. When I'm out bush it is usually with 3 bodies+400mm,24-70 & 100 macro so water is more important than the extra kgs of a lens.
I have 1DmkIII,5D,30D & several L lenses. The only body I would consider upgrading is the 30D.
The decision between 1D mkIV or 5d mkII is difficult & the 7D even tempts.
Ladykaotic From UNITED KINGDOM
15 Dec 2009, 12:33am
CANON! IT'S OBVIOSU CANON HAS ONE! BETTER LOGO AND FACILITIES! CANON ALL THE WAY! ILOVEYOU CANON <3
