I just finished "Why do so many people dislike Canon?" in the Nikon-mount SLR area. Well, no major Canon haters there. Great thread glowrider.
For now I'll continue to buy Canon stuff and Snap-On tools for their advertising posters and calendars.
John Power wrote:
Well, I go over to the Nikon forum once and awhile and the shots I see posted there are just as great as the ones I see here. Does that count for anything?
Honestly, I got canon because the Digital Rebel was at a great price point vs. performance to someone who at the time was using a point and shoot. Once you buy a lens or two, you're hooked. Had nikon had a camera at the same price point and pushed it, things might be different.
I've never once used a Nikon...I've worked next to guys who do, I've been exposed to the snob mentality some nikon users seem to have, as well as have found a guy who's been in the business for many years and helped me as a newbie out.
However, I'll admit that I sometimes (inwardly) laugh at people taking shots with their point and shoot or 300D with 75-300 4-5.6III lens....which is kinda mean of me considering that as recently as 14 months ago I was shooting using that same setup. But...mostly, it's aimed at the point and shooters...the ones who love to ask how many MP my camera is and then go on about how their camera has a higher resolution, etc etc etc.
Nikon makes some great equipment, as well as some nice equipment that seems rather overpriced to me, and I can only go on rumors of the bodies themselves. I do know that I would never now consider Nikon bodies until they get a full-frame or 1.3x max crop factor body, and then they would have to utterly wow me with a replacement for the lens that's rated by many to be one of the sharpest and fastest ever made. The 200mm f2 VR lens might come close....but I love my 1.8L..
I personally choose to stay with Canon based on the kinds of shooting I do, expect to do, and hope to eventually do. I wish Canon were in the 'arms race' more like they used to be, but I can't really complain. It would just be nice to have a few new toys of the L variety...
Jayem1, I'm with you. I shot on a minolta x-700 for 20 years. Always the Nikon snobs had snide comments about why not shoot with a real camera. (my other camera at the time was a 4x5 Sinar F2 real enough for me) Like malice4for you, when the rebel digital came out, the price point was irresistable. After shooting for a couple of weeks on the kit lens, a friend suggested getting some L series lenses. I tried his 70-200 2.8 L, sold all the minolta gear on ebay and never looked back. I'm 3 weeks away from a 1dII. I have nothing against nokon cameras, but theyt won't be seeing any of my photo $$$$
Some here have mentioned 'Nikon snobs', 'Nikon prejudice', etc. Canon elitism or 'preaching' has been mentioned in the Nikon version of this thread. It's real interesting to me that there are similar thoughts or feelings toward the 'other' camp, so apparently it cuts both ways. It's also very interesting to me the 'stereotyping' of one brand user or the other, by both side. The bad thing about stereotypes, there's usually some truth buried there somewhere, then it get's blown all out of proportion.
David: you didn't ask "Why I like Nikon/Canon" but most of the responses are in that regard. That's also very interesting. It's been well said already though, most people do get defensive when someone bashes their equipment, or just implies that their choice of equipment is inferior. That in itself implies that the buyer doesn't know what he/she is doing, or made a bad choice, or fundamentally means, "I made a better choice than you". I think it has very little to do with "brand loyalty", but more a defense of your own behavior or choices.
Jack-
i believe there are a number of reasons, brand loyalty caused by defending their own choices chief among them...Lot of pride. However, I didn't want to start these threads to know why people chose nikon over canon or canon over nikon, but rather why people were so emotionally invested to the extent they seem to be, see dpr for better illustrations of what i'm talking about. I just think these responses on both sides are very interesting in how similar they are.
This type of brand loyalty is by no means specific to cameras. I see it all the time with computers PC users hate the apple snobs. Apple users hate the PC geeks. With cars Ford vs chevy etc.... People like to feel like they belong to something, banding together with a group of people with similar tastes and equipment tends to build pride in what you have.
the only reason i went canon when i switched to digital, is that the 350D had/has 2 more megapixels than the D70, and it was quite a bit less expensive than the D70 as well. if not, i would have stuck with nikon (i only used one lens and thus wasn't heavily invested in nikon). timing is extremely important for many enthusiasts.
andyjaggy82 wrote:
This type of brand loyalty is by no means specific to cameras. I see it all the time with computers PC users hate the apple snobs. Apple users hate the PC geeks. With cars Ford vs chevy etc.... People like to feel like they belong to something, banding together with a group of people with similar tastes and equipment tends to build pride in what you have.
That's an excellent point, and you're right on with it. However, I don't relate to it. For example, I'm a sports car nut. And I'm particulary inclined to American muscle cars, but if I see a trick Skyline, I appreciate that as well. But give me a 69 Camaro or a 2003 Cobra any day. And when I see some guy in a Ford or Chevy pickup, with a "piss on (the other brand)" sticker, I can't help thinking that his distain must be based in some deep-rooted insecurity or shortcoming. I mean, how short-sighted must one be to think there is such a huge difference between Ford/Chevy, Canon/Nikon, etc, or that one is vastly superior over the other. It's just like the schoolyard bully that must put the other kids down to make himself feel better, only because he is so empty inside.
Wow, I'm getting deep on this. Bottom like is, as the kids say, "It's all good".
Never used Nikon. The reason I chose the EOS system way back in the early 90's is because I liked the motor assembly being in the lens rather than the camera body and i've stuck with canon ever since.
I used Nikons for 35 years and have now owned Canon digital SLRs for about 4. The reason? Canon is just ahead of Nikon when it comes to digital SLRs. I cannot take anything with less than a full frame sensor seriously.
If I were going to buy a film camera, the choice would not be as easy. The F6 is a wonderful camera, so is the EOS 1V. It used to be that Nikons were just built better than Canons, but that difference disappeared years ago.
nothing against Nikon at all - in fact hoping that they can actually catch back up with Canon so there can be some real, honest, competition... I believe they are almost, almost, there...
Back in the late 80's early 90's I shot mostly with Nikon (and other brand medium formats), as did every one in the studio I worked in, still wish I had my F3 & F4.
Coming back to photography early last year after nealy 20 years away my imidiate thought was "sc3w that Canon cr4p" but then I did the research and decided digital technology wise Canon had a very significant clear cut & decisive edge over Nikon. Plus Canon has the better R&D diversity to both cost spread R&D expense and develop integrated imaging products.
Back then when I was deciding which brand to shoot with a I went with Canon. Since then I have no objections against it, so I stick with it. It's got nothing to do with disliking Nikon. There are many people who did the opposite and use Nikon now. The brand is not that much important as long as it delivers what you want.
