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 p.1 #1 · Why I'm switching to Canon...(From Nikon) | |
Hey everybody!
I've never spent much time in the Canon forum until just recently, and never posted at all, so I figure an introduction is a good idea. I'm a professional wedding photographer and I do nature and landscape photography in my spare time. I've admittedly been a Nikon user and fanboy for years. I still love Nikon cameras, and feel their sensors are a little ahead of Canons lately (especially with shadow noise), but regardless, I still plan on switching...
Why? Well, I figured I would list it out for you. I know how rare these genuine and insightful types of threads can be, so I wanted to document why as I always enjoyed reading this type of input from other photographers on switching to either brand.
Now, I'm really not looking for you to help me decide, or push me to switch to Canon. Frankly, I'm a pro....I know what I NEED and I know what I WANT, and I know what I have to do to get it. I don't intend that to be rude, I'm simply saying that I don't need anyone to hold my hand about it. That being said, I welcome your opinions and thoughts! 
I currently use a D3s with a D700 as backup with a 24-70, 70-200 VR2, and 50 1.4G. My plan for Canon is to get a 1DX, with a 5d2 as a backup camera. I may eventually replace it with a 5d3, but frankly, I don't ever intend to use the 5d2 or 5d3 unless the fecal matter hits the fan with the 1DX. I only use one body when I shoot as I find it easier and more comfortable, and I don't intend to ever use more than one body at once. Just not my style. Therefore, the 5d2/5d3 will live its life almost entirely in my camera bag, likely seeing very little use.
As for lenses, I will start with a 35L, a 70-200 2.8 IS ii, and a 17-40L. They will soon be followed by a 45 TSE, 24L, and an 85 of some kind. I've always been a prime guy (besides the 70-200, which is a real moneymaker/dependable lens). A 24-70 bores me to death, I have a Nikon 24-70, and I hate it,...cant wait to get rid of it. Hence the 35L...
Now, the reasons for the switch...
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-Autofocus: What can I say? Canon finally got their act together with autofocus. The 1DX and 5d3 have excellent autofocus, a large step ahead of the nightmares I heard of before the latest generation was out. Frankly, the poor autofocus is one of the main reasons I avoided Canon in the first place. Glad to see its now running with the top of the class!
-Spot AF: Now, I've never used it, and I don't know how well this works, so this is a minor sub-point of the above, but I can imagine spot AF being incredibly helpful. Hopefully its as nice as it seems.
-All Around All-Star: I love that the 1DX is a great all around camera, that does everything well. Frankly, I just want a camera that I can take with me everywhere and not feel out of place or in want of something else with it. 18 MP is absolutely perfect, and offers great resolution without going overboard. I don't usually print anything besides albums, so I don't need huge amounts of resolution, which only leads to needing more cards to cover a single wedding. Also, I love that it takes two CF cards. The high ISO performance is also great, about equal with the D4, which is also a great step forward. I love the full, pro body and its ergonomics.
-D800/600?: Now, you may be asking why not get a D800 or a D600. Besides the reasons I'm going to list below...the D800 has too much resolution for my tastes. I simply don't need that many megapixels and the usage requirements that come with it, especially when I only print albums at most. The D600 is a non-starter for me, and I cant even consider it. This is due to the fact that its missing the AF-ON button, the crippled shutter speed (even though it has ISO 100) , and the lower build quality/small size. The biggest reason for not considering both is that I simply like the full pro body too much. The ergonomics on a D4/1 Series Canon are great, and I just cant lose that when I use the camera as often as I do. Even with a battery grip, its just not the same. Also, the weather sealing and ruggedness of a 1 Series is something I really need. I've been in absolute downpours during weddings, and I was able to keep shooting and get amazing pictures because I wasn't afraid to get a little wet. It's simply something I need. It may sound stupid, but its important when using it as much as I will be.
-Lens Selection: I really overlooked this when I chose Nikon. Canon simply has an amazing selection of lenses, offering many options that Nikon simply doesn't have or doesn't match. Mainly the 135L, 17-40L, wide range of Macro lenses, and TSE Tilt Shift lenses. That bring me to the next item...
-Lens Prices: Wow. Canon lenses are almost always much cheaper than the Nikon variants. I dismissed this as not being a big deal when I was with Nikon, but man, $500 to $1,000 difference between lenses really adds up when you're buying a large amount of lenses. I love how Canon still offers rather generous instant rebates on lenses and cameras. Hopefully they don't go the way of the Nikon and start using MAP pricing. I've been doing the math, and if it wasn't for the 1DX costing way more than a D3s, I'd end up making money on the switch to Canon.
-TSE Lenses: Man, the Canon tilt shift lenses make me drool. They offer great performance and a great price. I love the fact I can get a well performing 45 TSE for around $900 used. I don't claim to be an expert on tilt/shift lenses, but I've always read the Nikon offerings were rather lacking in performance and price compared to the Canon versions. Either way, I'm excited for these.
-Canon Colors: This is one of, if not the, biggest reason for the switch. I simply love Canon colors and skin tones. Now, I know you can change the profile of any camera to look like a Canon, but to me, I can still tell the difference. I mainly photograph people obviously, so the skin tones are a big deal. I understand I can get it close in post production, but frankly, I'd rather have the Canon colors right out of the box. This is a business after all, not a hobby where I have infinite time to fiddle with presets and color adjustments. Canon simply gets it right in my view. Oh yeah, I absolutely LOVE the Canon greens. Call me crazy, but I can almost always tell which images were shot on a Canon (provided the colors from a Nikon have'nt been modified to resemble a Canon, and even then, I can usually still tell)
-600RTs: The new Canon speedlites are a big plus for me. Having wireless radio functionality built in will be greatly helpful for receptions, and the ST3 commander is sweet. I'll still use manual off camera flashes for a while, but they will soon be replaced with 600RT's. Now, I know Nikon will very likely release something similar in the future, but frankly, I live and work in the present, what may or may not be released in the future does not help me. The 600's aren't a huge deal....I've been doing just fine with my SB-910 and manual off camera flash.....but it will definitely be helpful and one less thing to worry about.
-Service: Now, I'm not so excited about having to pay for CPS, but the Canon Service is a big deal to me. In fact, its one of the biggest plusses for my switch to Canon. Why? Well, one of Canon's service centers is in Jamesburg, NJ. Thats literally 15-20 minutes max from me. Being able to drop off and pick up my CPS service/repairs will be a HUGE benefit. I understand it will still take a few days for repairs regardless, but the 1 or 2 days I would normally lose in shipping is a big deal when I'm bouncing back and forth with photoshoots/weddings. It'll be nice to drop off a camera or lens for a quick cleaning though. I hear CPS gives a discount on 1DX's (on the platinum level I think), which would be great to take advantage of. Unfortunately, in order to switch to get into platinum CPS I need to have the 50 points, which I won't have unless I get the 1DX. So, I cant get the discounted 1DX because I need the 1DX to get the discount. Womp womp womp.....Oh well, I'm still excited about having a repair center local to me!
and lastly...
-I feel like it: I can, and I feel like there's tangible benefits to be had for my shooting. Call me crazy, but I can do it, and I want to, so I will 
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Well, thats that.....I'm excited for the switch! Unfortunately, I won't be able to switch for at least another 2 to 3 weeks as I have a few photoshoots lined up, and I wouldn't be able to get all the gear together by then, plus I'd rather use a system I know for the last few shoots of the year. After early November I'm rather clear (off season) so that should be a great time to get to know the 1DX (and the 5d2,...I guess  ) and get acquainted with the Canon system.
If anybody sees any glaring issues with my logic, feel free to discuss! I think I've laid everything out logically and rationally Hopefully I don't get attacked too bad by fanboys from either end haha...
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