I was and had been Pentax ever since getting back into photography in 2007 and i sold it all in Sept to switch to Nikon for the D600.
It was a tough choice. Canon in a lot of ways seemed like a better fit for me. I really wanted that 85 1.2 and 50 1.2, i was also eyeing the 135 f2.0L. I have a feeling that the AF in the 5Dm3 would have been a better fit for me as well but ultimately the $1400 price difference in the bodies was too much so i went Nikon. I've spent more on lenses than i had initially planned. I ended up getting the 24 f2.8, 50 f1.4, 85 1.8, 105VR Micro, 105 DC f2 & and 135 DC f2. (My wife and I are both photog's so i got two D600 bodies as well).
I've considered starting over. I like, but don't love my Nikon stuff. Even after a few years, I still feel like the exposure meter is backward and the wheels turn the wrong direction. I've only got one body, two lenses and one flash, so it wouldn't be that big a deal to switch.
Prompted by the Leica for a year challenge, I've been thinking about moving over to an M6 and a single lens for a year. Which would likely involve selling off all my Nikon stuff. So I would be starting over there.
I've also had some interest in video. Canon seems to be the better choice there.
Dustin Gent wrote:
...One thing I do like about Canon is that I can mount many alt lenses on them. When I had my 1Ds, I had Mamiya, Pentax, Olympus Zuikos, etc to be able to use. WIth Nikon, not so much...
You might want to consider spending a bit of time checking out Nikon's legacy glass because it produced some of the finest manual focus lenses available during that period of time. No, you won't have the variety of manufacturers but what you will find will likely knock your socks off. Many of us are committed to Nikon simply because of the outstanding variety of MF products available that mount on modern DSLR cameras.
CGrindahl wrote:
You might want to consider spending a bit of time checking out Nikon's legacy glass because it produced some of the finest manual focus lenses available during that period of time. No, you won't have the variety of manufacturers but what you will find will likely knock your socks off. Many of us are committed to Nikon simply because of the outstanding variety of MF products available that mount on modern DSLR cameras.
Thanks for the info! A guy at work has a bunch of old Nikon glass and he wants me to buy it from him. I will see what he has! Cheers
I voted Nikon. I bought Nikon because I was going to work with another photog and he had Nikon. I didn't have anything, at that time so it seemed like the obvious choice. It was a good decision. I don't love everything about Nikon. I don't like the rotation direction of the lens mount since it seems counter intuitive to me. And I don't know why the lens alignment dots can't be on the top like Canon. But I still prefer the overall feel of Nikon gear and the look of Nikon images. I have had very few (2) service issues with any of my Nikon gear. And their service has always been great for me. And their newest bodies are just plain awesome. I certainly wouldn't trade my D7000 for a Canon 7D, even though the Canon is a much more expensive body.
Mister Bean wrote:
I've considered starting over. I like, but don't love my Nikon stuff. Even after a few years, I still feel like the exposure meter is backward and the wheels turn the wrong direction. I've only got one body, two lenses and one flash, so it wouldn't be that big a deal to switch.
Those can be adjusted if you so desire (D200+ I think). Settings f5 (command dials -> rotate direction) and f8 (reverse indicators).
If I were to start over again, I'd probably look at Pentax (SLR) or Sony or Fuji (mirrorless). Given how anti-consumer they've been (especially lately), I'd definitely be hesitant to give Nikon any of my cash. Plus, using a system with a shorter mount allows use of all sorts of other vintage lenses that won't mount on a Nikon body.
When I was starting from scratch I had enough to get either a D70 or a Rebel. Went to a store, handled them both. The D70 felt like a real camera, the Rebel like a plastic toy. This is how I ended up a Nikon guy. Who knew that newbies could pick based on ergonomics/handling? To this day the grip on the Canon just does not feel right, perhaps because I am used to the Nikons by now. Frankly, at the low end there are IMO substantial differences, all in favor of Nikon - better build, better ergonomics, MUCH better kit lenses, and nowadays the D3200 more or less wipes the floor with the T4i. However, once you get to enthusiast cameras, it is more or less a toss-up.
