Buying new camera - it's between Canon 5DMKll or Nikon D700

Hi folks,

I've looked through old posts, but still trying to decide which camera I want to upgrade to. Yeah, I know they are 2 diff brands, but luckily for me, I have lenses for both systems.

I want full-frame, and ability to shoot in low light is a definite plus. I will be shooting mostly landscapes and macro, but will sometimes do some sports and wildlife.

I've heard Canon 5DMKll is slower to autofocus in low light conditions, but plus is the high mp for better resolution in larger print sizes.

Has anyone used both cameras? Did you find any reasons to make a definite choice between the two, or is it just personal preference for a particular brand?

Appreciate any info from those that have used or are using these cameras. Thanks!!

I currently own the D700. I am very impressed with the image quality that I am getting. The files are very crisp and clean and take well to processing. Although I haven't printed any files from the D700, based on what I have read you should be able to get very high quality prints up to 16X24 at the native resolution of the D700. If you want to print larger than this I think you would be better off going with a higher resolution alternative.

Previously I owned a Canon 20D and also a 5D. Although both were good cameras, subjectively I really like the fit and finish of the D700. My opinion is that the D700 offers a balance of features that would work well for the variety of subjects that you want to shoot. Personally, I think the D700 is the kind of camera that I will be content with for a long time to come.

It is worth noting that Nikon lenses are significantly more expensive than Canon. That may also be a significant consideration for you as well.

Thanks for the input, Brian - appreciate it!

I had the D300 and liked it, but there were some issues that I didn't care for. I would like to make some fairly large prints and possibly even some posters, so the resolution is an issue. I'm with you in that the finish and "feel" of the Nikons is more to my taste than the more "plastic" feel of the Canons. But, the Canon's have a lot of great features (including higher megapixels) than the Nikon, and of course, the lenses are somewhat less expensive than Nikon. <sigh> Decisions, decisions. Both are great camera's so I am sure I will be happy with either one.

Thanks again, Brian

...Marcy

The classic debate Nikon vs Canon. I've shot both but really prefer Canon. The controls seem more intuitive. My hands and fingers find the controls naturally, and Canon seems to require fewer movements to get to different functions in the camera. I don't think you would go wrong with either one. That being said, it seems women prefer Nikon to Canon. Not sure why, but I'm guessing the size and weight probably influence the decision. Currently, I'm shooting a 5D, 30D and the 20D. My next camera will be the 5DMKII.

Thanks, Jeff - I haven't shot Canon digital, I only had Canon film cameras. I went to Nikon when I went to digital because the Nikons at that time were better protected against dust. I've had several Nikon digital cameras (Nikon D200 and D300) but just haven't been satisfied with the Nikons and there are a lot of the controls that I find awkward. As you mentioned, the Canon's do feel more "intuitive" when it comes to the controls. And as the normal Canon vs Nikon debate rages on, both companies offer amazing cameras. It's just personal preference, I guess.

Thanks for your reply to my post - I'm leaning pretty heavily toward the 5DMKll.

.Marcy

Marc Hi there
Well I used Nikon till a couple of mths ago and after moving from the D300 to the D700 I was very dissapointed.
I returned my NIKON D700 and bought the CANON 5D Mk 2 the quality is very visibly in favour of Canon.
The only real difference is the light meter and usage of flash which on NIKON IMHO having used both is superior. (More accurate)
BUT QUALITY the CANON is way ahead of Nikon.
User friendly they are both easy to use .
I would go for Canon Full frame 21m.
The Nikon Full frame 12.1m and -------crop 6m IMHO is a bad joke.
Hope this helps you
AVI

I have used Canon for 30 years and aside from when I dropped one (they do not bounce) I have never had any issue with them. Well built, rugged, accurate, excellent photo quality. I currently have a 1DMkIII, 7D, and the 5D MkII and am pleased with them all. Images are clean and accurate and I have many up to 24"x36" hanging in hospitals, offices, commercial buildings around town and even a 7 footer in a board room. I have never owned a Nikon but have been teaching photography for about 3 years now and must agree that the controls on Canon are more intuitive based on how I see students stumbling and fumbling with their Nikon controls. That is not a scientific observation however so take it at face value. You're really fortunate to be able to go with either system. I'll wager you'll receive similar endorsements for Nikon and it is the endless debate but clearly, I'm in the Canon camp. Good luck with whatever you decide.
John Reed

Marcy, while I have not used the cameras and had an opportunity to compare the two side by side, I have seen up close results from each. My impression is reflects the results found in DP review's comparison of both -

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos5dmarkii/

You might have a greater pixel count on the Canon, but the pixel density is higher, 2.4 MP/cm² on the Canon, vs 1.4 MP/cm² on the Nikon. This would indicate that the Nikon would have lower inherent noise, or that if you shoot jpg, the Canon would need to apply more aggressive noise reduction to get a noise level comparable to the Nikon. If shooting raw, which is my basis for comparison, my subjective impression is that the Nikon's images are as crisp and well-detailed as the Canons, notwithstanding the differences in lenses and subject material. You will be able to crop Canon's images to a greater degree before you start to experience degradation. This is a hard call, but I would say that you need to dig a little and look at the performance of your specific lenses on the cameras you are considering. Some lenses, especially older ones, may not be an optimal choice on a given camera body.

You can find a lot of great, though subjective, information on Nikon lenses here:

http://www.naturfotograf.com/lens_surv.html

Good luck and let us know what you end up with and what motivated your final decision.

Thanks to Avi, John and Gene for your replies - I really appreciate your thoughts!!!

It's a hard decision as both Canon and Nikon produce great cameras - that's why I was interested to hear from those who have used these particular camera's to see what they had to say. Thanks especially to Avi as you and I seem to be experiencing a lot of the same things with the Nikons. (I was very disappointed with the D300).

Thanks so much to all of you who have replied to my post and I will let you know which camera I ended up buying and why. I plan to do some hands-on with both of these to make final decision. As for the mention of lenses, I have quality newer lenses of both Canon and Nikon, with only one older manual lens (Nikon macro 105mm f2.8). So, whichever camera I decide on, I will have quality lenses to use on it but of course, one can never have enough! LOL!

Thanks again,

Marcy

I just switched from Canon to Nikon. I owned the 5d II and now shoot with the d700 and the D3x. Both are top notch cameras. I had a few more field glitches with the 5d2 than the d700. the d700 is so versatile that I use it 75%of the time over the D3x. ISO 1600 on the D700 is like 400 on the 5d2. One thing to consider is that nikon lenses and gear is much more expensive than Canon. For me, I do not regret the switch at all and the D700/D3 is one of the greatest cameras on the market.

Marcy,

For fear of starting another Canon vs Nikon Debate, rather it would appear that your choice is between cameras more than between brands. I own the Nikon D700 and what I have found is that it is a wonderful camera that I can use for any venue. The high ISO performance is not to be discounted. At Iso 1600 the files are very clean and seldom do I have to do NR in post. High ISO means stopping down the lens for more DOF and still using high shutter speeds to stop action. In one day I took landscape photos, shot a local soccor game for my niece and then that evening shot indoor pics with no flash of a large family dinner. I didn't curse my D700 once. The 5D MkII is also a wonderful camera that if I shot landscape only I would love to own. The 21 mp sensor is mighty tempting in this venue, especially where high shutter speeds and high frame rates are not required. Look at the majority of landscape shooters on this site and you will see they use the 5D MKII. As a Nikon shooter who loves landscapes I envy the Canon owners. The choice is yours on what venue you choose to focus or the degree of flexibility you want in a camera body.

Hi Anthony and Glenn,

Just wanted to say thanks for your reply to my post and I really appreciate your input. I had a chance to shoot today with both the D700 and Canon 5DMKll, and after researching and talking with others, it seems that the D700 (or a D3) would be a better bet for an "all around" camera. The Canon 5DMKll would be the choice for someone who only (or primarily) shoots landscapes and plans to have very large prints made up. But, I'm really not crazy about the video program in the D700 - I hate paying for something I won't use. :(

Thanks again, Anthony and Glenn - appreciate your thoughts.

..Marcy

Hey Marcy, have you considered the Canon 7d. I'm not sure it has the full size sensor,(which I prefer), but it strikes me as a good everyday camera. Just a thought. It really is fun looking for a new camera!

Hi Jeff,

Yeah, I looked at the 7D but it's not a full-frame camera which I need. I would love to get the D3x (Nikon) or the
1D series of Canon, but can't really justify the $$$ with the economy the way it is right now. So, thought I'd drop down to the 5DMKll or the Nikon 700D which will work for my current needs.

The only thing that gives me pause for thought on the 5DMKll is the file size and need for expanded storage on my computer. I was planning to upgrade to a new Macbook Pro this summer, and maybe even splurge for new desktop (mine are 4 years old) but I think with the Canon I would also need to upgrade to a 1TB external storage device. So, there would be some additional expense with going the Canon route. The other thing that worries me a little is that I've met 6 people who had the mirrors fall out of the Canons - that is really weird!

Well, I'm going to shoot some more with both cameras (I borrowed from friends for a few days) then plan to make a decision this week.

Thanks again for your input, Jeff - really appreciate it!

I've had a 5D Mk Ii for a year and I love it. It has taken my hobby to another level. Not having used another top level camera, I can't compare. But I don't see how you can go wrong either way. In fact, I would suggest they are so close, you should consider the system as a whole. Lenses, flashes, and other camera specific accessories. Both cameras are over halfway through their life cycle. You may not own either camera forever, but you likely will own the lenses forever.

Do your study ad due diligence and make your decision. I don't think you will be wrong either way.

Marcy, wow the mirrors falling out of the camera how does that happen...toyota didn't buy Canon did they? Just kidding. Yeah, I prefer the full frame sensor too. I know how you feel about the file sizes. I'm shooting exclusively in RAW, and storage is an issue. I just keep buying external hard drives and add them to the Miller electronic collection. I've had several photographers mention on-line storage, and I'm pondering that as an option. I've got a friend running a site. If you're interested give me a shout,and I get the website address for you. ( I don't think the webmasters here allow outside links). Any way, good luck in your search. Jeff

LOL - yeah, I thought the mirror thing sounded weird, too, but have seen other references to that problem on several other forums, so guess it can happen!

I, too, shoot in RAW so the storage problem could be an issue. I've heard a lot of people are going to the online storage so I have been seriously thinking of that option, too.

thanks again, Jeff - really appreciate your help.

...Marcy

Well, thanks everyone for the outstanding information and input that you shared with me. And, after much research, talking with users of the cameras, hands on with both cameras, etc; I've finally made my decision.

I am buying the Canon 5DMKll. Primarily because I find the camera more intuitive to use, and to be honest, I really think the IQ is by far the best of both cameras. I don't need fast fps as I primarily shoot landscapes and macro, so the quality and ability to make large sized prints is more important at this time. And, I must say, the cost of lenses is another factor in Canon's favor.

Thanks again - I appreciate all the information and willingness to give your "2 cents" on my post.
....Marcy

I just received my own 5D MK II yesterday. I love the image quality, but, man!, the shutter noise could wake up the dead! Certainly not for solemn wedding ceremonies or stealth shooting. My Canon MK III is so much quieter, without even switching to the "silent" shooting mode. The 5D MK II doesn't have any option for shooting with a silent mode, unfortunately, except in live view mode.
If I didn't have the hassle of selling off all my canon lenses, etc., I'd switch to the D700. That one fast focusing sweet camera! Or better yet, if I were wealthy, I'd get the MK IV. Well anyway I'm glad I kept my MK III, for sure.

It is natural that among the nature photographers Canon is way more popular as 5D was a classic in this genre. This is the reason there are more Canon followers in this group.
However, some posts here are simply very inflamatory and I wish the topic is closed by the admins. Both sides have their strong opinions and the discussions Canon vs Nikon is similar to discussions like: "Muslims vs Christians" or "Democrats vs Republicans". Just flames and emotions.

My share of flames is this: landscape alone - MKII. All around photography (including landscapes, but also portraits, wedding, journalism, family): D700. Period.

I will also add that for talented photographers there is no difference at all. I bet 1 million dollars (if I had it) that 99.99999999% of people will not see a difference on pictures.

...some posts here are simply very inflamatory and I wish the topic is closed by the admins.

Cezar, what posts are you referring to? This appears to me to be a very rational, polite discussion, as is typical of this site. Maybe I'm missing something, but I'm genuinely curious as to which posts you're referring to.

Maybe I exaggerated with this "inflamatory" but a statement that Nikon/Canon is better because this is the camera that I am using, only provokes similar answers from the the opposite brand owners.
As I said, discussion "Nikon vs Canon" is identical to "Democrats vs Republicans". It has no point.
And the best answer to question "which camera?" is this: flip the coin.

And the best answer to question "which camera?" is this: flip the coin.

I think we (and some others in this thread) agree with that for the most part Cezar. Still, no reason to not ask the question if there are particulars you're unsure of - for some it might not be a coin flip but might be clear. For instance, if sensor high ISO is far and away a #1 priority, it gets clearer toward Nikon.

In any case, closing a thread to comments is a pretty big deal to do in terms of letting folks participate, speak their mind, and be open to discussion. I think it should be reserved only for severe cases of comments turning into personal attacks and going way off topic. I think that this site does a good job in rarely (if ever?) closing threads to comments.

When I started this thread is was in no way intended as a Canon vs Nikon debate. It was in fact a discussion between 2 specific camera's and to get feedback from those who are currently using the camera's. This was intended to help me with making a decision on which camera would fit my particular style better since I hadn't used either one. Every camera made by these 2 manufacturers are well made, but as in all things, some camera's are better for certain types of shooting (ie: faster focusing in low light conditions, more fps, etc).

I've appreciated all the feedback and have learned a lot about these two cameras which in turn, has made the decision on which one I am purchasing, easier. Since I had lenses for both systems, it was all about making a decision on a particular camera - not a decision between brands.

The other thing that really bugged me about Cezar's post - I have seen absolutely NO flaming, or inflammatory posts in this thread and have absolutely no ideas what the heck he is talking about. I love NPN because of this - photographers generally want to help each other and rarely, if ever, have I seen anything even resembling posts that should be taken off or closed.

Well, as I said, this thread has been such a big help to me, and I really appreciate all the feedback I received from those who posted. Thanks, everyone!!

...Marcy

Marcy,

A Canon vs Nikon debate? I don't see it as either. I have the Canon 5DmkII and am very satisfied with it. However, Nikon also makes fine cameras. What I tell people is to narrow their selection down to a reasonable number, as you have done. The go to your local camera store and run both through their paces. The one that feels better in your hands is probably the better one for you. Also make sure you can navigate through the menus on the camera. My experience with computers goes back to the dark ages, so I find learning a new menu system easier than modifying my hands to get around an uncomfortable camera. When my kids graduated from high school and I could get back into serious photography, it was the trailing end of the film, days, but I bought a film camera because digital wasn't where I wanted it to be yet. The final decision was made handling the Nikon and the equivalent Canon at the local cameras store. I liked the "look and feel" of the Canon better.

Hi Fred,

Thanks so much for your post - I really appreciate your input. I agree, since both of the cameras I'm looking at are quality cameras, the best thing to do was to get my hands on each and see which feels better. After doing a lot of research, talking with photographers who use these cameras, and getting my hands on both cameras, I was able to make a good decision that I know will fit the way I shoot.
Again, thanks for your reply to the post - I really appreciate your taking the time to respond.

Marcy

I know I'm late in joining the discussion, but I just wanted to say that I enjoyed it very much. I am fairly new to photography and eager to learn. So this is good information from my perspective and the insights shared so far are impressive.

I happen to shoot Nikon (D80) and one thing I learned early on is that no model of Nikon has an exact equal made by Canon (the opposite is also true). It is a clever marketing ploy that each model from either brand has features that make it unique. That's why Nikon has a D3x AND D3s, in a way competing with themselves to satisfy specific needs of a select user group.

So Marcy, I think its great that you are not so brand-loyal that you wouldn't even consider the 'competitor'. Instead, you were loyal to yourself and objectively evaluated your needs, then chose the camera that fits best. You probably would have been happy either way, but the research and knowledge gained should result in a satisfying feeling and many years of good results. I'd love to hear an update on how you like your new camera.

Ive owned both and to be honest it really is a toss up. Both are spectacular bodies to have. The thing that I like about the 5d2 is its resolution. Take a group pic and you will be able to get solo portraits from it. The warm colors of the 5d2 is another joy and the only let down is the frames per second. I wont enumerate everything since there are millions of reviews out there already. As Far as the d700 What I like about it is its superb handling. Nikon really got CAnons number when it comes to this department. Speed and focus is unmatched w/ better color accuracy although The 5d2's IQ out of the box is more stunning than the d700. All in all if you weigh the pros and cons Id give the edge to the D700 but I wouldnt mind getting the 5d2 instead coz of its warm color, amazing resolution and the ability to shoot in movie mode. :)

Sorry Cezar cannot agree.
I have noticed on this site that you don't feel any brand wars like other sites, you get the feel of honest expirience, no arguments. I really enjoyed reading threads between brand owners on this site. It seems like both brand users threat their gear as tools which is what it really is, not as if they were football teams. Let the brands themselves argue between themselves and give us more great models



Good luck Marcy with what ever decision you make. I have owned both brands which are great, If I could own them both I would. My decision on which brand was decided round the whole system as you too have noticed, which is the prices of their lenses.