I’ve photographed with Nikon cameras for over 10 years now. Sure, that’s not nearly as many years as some of the outstanding photographers using this equipment today, but I’d like to think that 10 years not only marks me as a loyal customer but also means that I might know a thing or two about Nikon’s product line and where it is lacking. And, lately, when compared to Canon, slow to market and very lacking has been all Nikon is providing. So much so that, despite the expense, I’m considering switching.
First, let’s start with the big guns — the Full Frame Sensor Digital camera. The EOS 5D, Canon’s Full Frame Sensor camera was announced August 22nd, 2005. Two years later, on August 23th, 2007, Nikon announces the Nikon D3, its first full frame sensor. They are both 12MP cameras with the same sensor size. The Nikon has a few new features (like Live Preview, and a newer image processor) but, for the most part, the cameras are functionally the same with roughly the same quality of output. Yet Canon’s version was available two years earlier. And, get this, Canon’s version debuted at $2500, half the price of the Nikon D3.
The new Nikon D3 as well as the new Nikon D300 announced at the same time, both boast a new “Live Preview” feature that has never been seen before on a digital SLR. Whether it’s useful to you or not isn’t important, it’s innovation and lots of people are looking for it. The new Canon EOS 40D announced just a few days prior to the Nikon also has this Live Preview feature. So much for innovation being Nikon’s strong point. And, while the D300 is 12MP to the 40D’s 10MP, the 40D is almost $500 less expensive. I’d gladly give up 2 of my 12MP for $500.
Or, perhaps you’re looking for a Point and Shoot to complement your dSLR. You want something that will give you manual control, high quality output, and a decent focal range in a much smaller package. And, if possible, you’d still like to be able to use the wireless flash system you bought to go with your dSLR in case you need a little more light. In the Canon world, you’ve got two choices in their current line: The 12MP Powershot G9 with a 35-210mm f/2.8-4.8 lens for $500 or the 8MP Powershot S5 IS with a 36-432mm f/2.7-3.5 for $420. In the Nikon world, however, you only have the Nikon P5100 with a 35-123mm f/2.7-5.3 lens for $400. Prior to the current camera line, both companies had cameras available with similar qualities to the above at similar price points. While both of the Canon offerings are a bit more expensive than the Nikon, the lenses in both cases are far superior. And, then sensor size on the Nikon is the same size as the Powershot S5s. The G9, for $100 more, has a huge (therefore, less noisy) sensor.
The best selling cameras in the US are Canons. Canons are almost always less expensive than their Nikon equivalents or, if priced more, offer a lot of features for that extra cash. Canon almost always releases the next level of features before Nikon does. Most Canon cameras have equal or greater image quality when compared to Nikons. Canon glass is used by professionals worldwide and is considered by many to be some of the best in the world.
Obviously, Nikon’s Research and Development team and Marketing team are asleep. They’re about to lose a customer and I seriously doubt I’m the only one.
Sometimes editing a collection of photos is a more difficult task than actually editing the individual photos themselves.