Ready to switch: any advice ?

Hi!


I am Jerry Johnston and I have been a long time Canon user. Utilizing the Canon 40D, (17-40 L F4mm, 24-70 mm L F 2.8, 70-200 mm L F 2.8,
canon 580 EXii, 550 EX flashes).


I have been looking at switching to the
Olympus OM- D E 1 4/3rds camera.
My question is, Should I switch or
Which one of the Nikon cameras would be recommended
and why?


If I were to switch to Nikon what would be comparable to the Canon 40D or better? My aim is to improve my photos not only got myself, but for real estate. I have been doing photography for 10 years and would like to be able to not only sell the clients home but to take the photos of the clients home.


What I would want is a Nikon body with a grip, and a wide angle lens and a lens for covering events. maybe a flash. Or another lens. Pro lenses of course. And filters for both lenses. A camera that has wifi and the ability to use it with a MacBook Pro 15" retina display and an iPad Air.


After 10 years I finally see just how good Nikon is and what I have been missing.


I would be grateful for the assistance. As I will be at the
Houston Camera Exchange Tuesday afternoon.


I look forward ward to your response.


All the Best,


Jerry Johnston

I believe the D90 by Nikon was released the same time as the 50D. So anything above that level like the D300, D600, D7000 and others is where I would start my search. I don't know Canon stuff very well though to really compare.


-X

What's your opinion on the D800 ? I'd love a D3s or D3x but those are expensive! What's a good pro Nikon body?

D610, D800E, Df all are the current offerings. Personally, the 36mp of the D800E is just way too high, HUGE file sizes. The Df is the same sensor as the D4, and at only 16mp much more manageable file sizes. No video on the Df though.

I still use a D200, but the D700 (crop sensor) is a wonderful camera that is a bit newer than the D200. The color rendition on the D700 is just fantastic. I'm not sure if the D700 has wife capabilities but Google will be able to answer any specific questions about these cameras you may have. But, those are the bodies I would look at to start. Except for the Df, everything else is an easy switch between them. The Df went back to external dials on the top plate much like older manual film cameras. It's metering system I feel is untouched by anything else out there.


-Xander

Id rent a camera and a lens before jumping head first into Nikon. You already have a nice selection of Canon glass(expensive L glass). Maybe you should upgrade your Canon 40d to something like the 6D,70D or 5DmkIII. I have a 40D also and while it still works great its getting quite outdated.

What do you think you are missing from Nikon that you cant get from Canon?

The Olympus 4/3 cameras are great if you care about size. Olympus and Panasonic make some excellent glass.

blary54 said:

Id rent a camera and a lens before jumping head first into Nikon. You already have a nice selection of Canon glass(expensive L glass). Maybe you should upgrade your Canon 40d to something like the 6D,70D or 5DmkIII. I have a 40D also and while it still works great its getting quite outdated.

What do you think you are missing from Nikon that you cant get from Canon?

The Olympus 4/3 cameras are great if you care about size. Olympus and Panasonic make some excellent glass.

Click to expand...

This. I see no reason to jump ship on Canon, as you could get a major improvement by upgrading your body to a 6D or whatever, and not have to buy all those expensive lenses again.

With the money you save on not buying new lenses, you could more than buy a whole mirrorless setup as well, for when you want to travel light.

I personally prefer nikon to canon, but it is more due to the way they run their business, rather than any differences in picture quality.

I think once you get to a camera level with either an ASP-C or full frame sensor....and you're using Canon, Nikon, Pentax or Sony...there won't be a lot of difference in the end product....the photograph.

It's more the photographer skill at that point...once the photographer knows what he is doing with a DSLR.

At that level of camera quality...there's not a lot of difference.

I see a lot of camera newbies getting Canon equipment...or Nikon equipment...or Camera X brand...then getting frustrated and going the very expensive route of changing brands. Then still finding their pictures...somehow haven't improved.

I've got a multitude of brands...Mamiya medium format, Canon, Pentax, Olympus, Leica, Zeiss...but then I've been an avid photographer for 45 years +.

I've found that with all these brands....it's more about skills than camera equipment. Personal experience and observation of others.

So think before you go out and spend big bucks on another camera brand. Maybe rent a Nikon...first and see if it's your Canon....or if it's you. Cheaper in the long run.

BTW, I'm not criticising anyone in particular skills...just saying we all need to develop as photographers and once we have good DSLR equipment..we need to photograph, photograph and photograph...practice makes perfect...or at least 'better' anyways.

Talltexan said:

Hi!
I am Jerry Johnston and I have been a long time Canon user. Utilizing the Canon 40D, (17-40 L F4mm, 24-70 mm L F 2.8, 70-200 mm L F 2.8,
canon 580 EXii, 550 EX flashes).


I have been looking at switching to the
Olympus OM- D E 1 4/3rds camera.

Click to expand...

The first big question is - WHY do you want to switch?

The OM-D E-1 is a fabulous camera. But the Canon system you have is excellent too. So you need to have good reasons...

The E-1 is smaller and lighter. There's an astounding amount of truly excellent Micro 4/3 lenses available for the E-1, both by Canon, and Panasonic/Leica. Though the E-1's sensor isn't as large as APSC cameras, its quality is nearly comparable. Its pluses include lightning fast autofocusing - incredible build-quality - general great ergonomics. But the biggest one of all is size/weight. The OMD E1 and its lenses are WAY LIGHTER than corresponding Canon or Nikon bodies+lenses.

If any of these things are important to you, it's worth switching. If not....why not stick with Canon? Maybe just upgrade to a newer Canon body and/or newer/better lenses?

Talltexan said:

My question is, Should I switch or
Which one of the Nikon cameras would be recommended
and why?


If I were to switch to Nikon what would be comparable to the Canon 40D or better? My aim is to improve my photos not only got myself, but for real estate. I have been doing photography for 10 years and would like to be able to not only sell the clients home but to take the photos of the clients home.

Click to expand...

Nikons are great. But they're very comparable to the Canons in many ways. Switching to Nikons won't make you a better photographer, or make your pictures better. Most modern camera systems take fabulous pictures. Plus when you invest in a camera, you're also investing in a whole ecosystem of cameras + lenses. The Canon ecosystem is great. So is the Nikon one. But switching involves a considerable investment - because now you have to buy everything new in an entirely new ecosystem.

BTW Micro 4/3 ecosystems are also great. The Olymus OMD E-1 - and the Panasonic GH4 - are both fabulous cameras. If you're into mirror less, the Fuji system - the X-T1 - and the Sony system - with the new A series - are also deserving and worthy of consideration. But each camera - and each ecosystem - has its strengths....and weaknesses.

Talltexan said:

What I would want is a Nikon body with a grip, and a wide angle lens and a lens for covering events. maybe a flash. Or another lens. Pro lenses of course. And filters for both lenses. A camera that has wifi and the ability to use it with a MacBook Pro 15" retina display and an iPad Air.


After 10 years I finally see just how good Nikon is and what I have been missing.

Click to expand...

To repeat what I said previously - most new high-end cameras and camera systems - whether Canon or Nikon - or the micro 4/3 duo of Olympus OMD E1 or the Panasonic Lumix GH4 (which btw if you want to do serious video should be near the TOP of your list) - and the Sony system - as well as the Fujifilm X-T1 --- ALL of them are probably better, in many ways, than an older camera.

But they won't make you a better photographer unless you commit to putting in a lot of time and effort to using them and mastering the complexities and intricacies of your new camera/system. And that will take not just money but also time and application -

Which is why --- drumroll --- the best upgrade for you will probably be for the camera that you most ENJOY shooting with.

How do you find out? By renting different camera + lens combos for a week or so - and then comparing your feelings and experiences with each. No matter what anyone else tells you, honestly, the only person who can make the right decision for you...is YOU.

And if you don't try each camera you're interested in, first- you'll never know.

Talltexan said:

would be grateful for the assistance. As I will be at the
Houston Camera Exchange Tuesday afternoon.


I look forward ward to your response.


All the Best,


Jerry Johnston

Click to expand...

Good luck, Jerry!

I am a bit curious as well as to why you are thinking of completely changing brands with what you have invested in glass. You have some great glass, and in all honesty, not a bad body either. I use a 40d for all around shooting, high school sports for yearbooks, model shoots, and have been published with model shots from it. If you really are wanting to change the body, you are going to spend 4 times that again just to get new glass. I would have to agree with others and reccomend staying with canon.

I agree with the others about switching systems after you've invested a certain amount. But I'm also wondering if you've considered selling any of your awesome glass or speedlites? (not that I'm enabling or anything )

10 years ago no company made a camera "better" than what's available for a few hundred bucks now. If you have said few hundred dollar camera, and your images are not better than those of the professionals of ten years ago, then maybe look at other areas to try and satisfy your output expectations.

Canon or Nikon doesn't matter really, I think. Both companies make excellent cameras and glass, and both will probably still be in business for a long time.

What are you missing from your Canon gear that you are looking for in another manufacturer. Nikon sensors might have superior characteristics, but I cannot imagine that the houses you photograph are in a dimly lit cave. Unless someone is pixel peeping, they won't see a difference, especially not at web or A4 print resolution.

As he is asking about what other Nikon lenses he should buy in another thread, I think the decision is made.

I'm in a similar situation of switching from Canon (T2i and 1D2n) and moving to Olympus (OMD EM5 or EM1). By no means am I missing much by moving from one to the other unless you count size and weight. Heft around a 1D all day with a small bag of lens and it's a workout. Your 40D is still a capable camera and unless your truly in need for a FF camera, an APS-C or 4/3 will be fine. If your making money with your camera then a new camera may be worth it. You have some great glass and you would take a hit in the wallet to replace it. Maybe rent some of the cameras you are looking at to see which ones feel better.

I had to shoot something today with a clients camera. It was a higher end, full frame Canon. I shot for about ten minutes, then walked off and grabbed another brand of camera and shot the same images. The client asked why, their camera was expensive... and... big! I showed them the two different results, and they will be shopping for brand B tomorrow.


I've never been a massive Canon fan, but it takes days like today to drive the message home for me. Canon are on the way down. Sorry.

Good thing they don't make film then

Not to hijack the thread, but what exactly was the issue? I don't shoot full frame but I haven't see a noticeable degradation compared with other DSLRs. Can't comment with any significant authority on the others as apart from Canon I only shoot any Olmpus PEN 4/3. Curious to hear what the problem was.

cheers.

Legion said:

I had to shoot something today with a clients camera. It was a higher end, full frame Canon. I shot for about ten minutes, then walked off and grabbed another brand of camera and shot the same images. The client asked why, their camera was expensive... and... big! I showed them the two different results, and they will be shopping for brand B tomorrow.


I've never been a massive Canon fan, but it takes days like today to drive the message home for me. Canon are on the way down. Sorry.

Click to expand...

Canon have always been behind the times regarding sensor technology.

lister said:

Not to hijack the thread, but what exactly was the issue? I don't shoot full frame but I haven't see a noticeable degradation compared with other DSLRs. Can't comment with any significant authority on the others as apart from Canon I only shoot any Olmpus PEN 4/3. Curious to hear what the problem was.

cheers.

Click to expand...

It may have just been the scene, lighting, or the way the sun and moon aligned, but I was getting very poor dynamic range compared to camera B. I wish I could show you the shots, they are remarkably different, a lot more than I would have expected.

Are you shooting RAW or JPG? I find that any raw file will need some basic massaging in either LR or PS.