I recently got a new camera -- because Jim's always out of town using our beloved Canon Digital Rebel.
I decided not to get a Canon... despite the fact that we have never been happier with the digital photos shot with our Digital Rebel.
Check out these photos on Flickr taken with a Canon Digital Rebel.
I simply wanted to try something different for a change. And I wanted to be able to compare digital cameras to see if there really was a difference -- especially between manufacturers.
Well, there is...
My Search For A Digital Camera
If I had to come up with some things that I don't like about the Canon Digital Rebel camera it would be this:
It's kind of heavy & a tad bit clunky.
It's okay with action photography, but not great.
So when I went to Wolf Camera (the same as Ritz), I told them the three biggest features I wanted in my next digital camera were:
- That it take excellent action photography.
- That it turn on & off quickly -- without requiring any "reboot" time.
- That it be a little smaller and a little lighter than the Canon Digital Rebel I was used to.
They recommended these:
#1 Nikon D80 (...view photos taken with the D80)
#2 Canon XTI (...view photos taken with the XTI)
I went with the Nikon D80. The only reason I would have gone with the Canon was if I liked to switch out lenses a lot -- because we already have 3 great Canon lenses that I'd be able to use.
But I prefer to find one all-purpose wider angle lens and stick with it. Jim, on the other hand, likes to switch out his lenses a lot. Most people do... I just don't.
So the Nikon D80 it was.
My Review Of The Nikon D80
For the most part, I love the Nikon. It's very similar to the Canon Digital Rebel, but lighter... turns on much faster... and has a faster shutter speed.I have to admit, the action photography is good... probably even a tad better than the Canon Digital Rebel, but it's not that much better. I just thought it would be a world of difference.
And the colors in my Nikon photos aren't quite as vibrant as in photos taken with the Canon Digital Rebel.
So there you have it. I dared to be different and try something new, and I'm not sure it was the right thing to do. I'm not unhappy with my Nikon. Mostly, I just think the colors are better on the Canon.
Jim says it probably has more to do with the lenses. I purchased a "better" 18-135mm lens for my Nikon and I use that day in & day out.
Jim has 2 lenses that changes out quite frequently. His everyday lens is a wide-angle 28-135mm. He uses a 75-300mm telephoto lens when he's farther away from the action.
I recently saw a Nikon ad in 1 to 1 Magazine (July/August 2007) that read:
Nikon is photography's premier brand, and as General Manager, I need to make sure that every interaction we have with our customers -- whether it be over the phone, on our websites, or through email -- is the very best it can be. Even with a 500% increase in unit sales, we've cut phone call response time by 70%. Nikon customers are happier and more loyal to us than ever."
-- David Dentry, General Manager Tech Support
Who knows?... Perhaps Nikon lenses and Canon lenses are just different enough to affect the quality of the photos. Still, for the most part, I am enjoying my Nikon D80 on a daily basis. And it hasn't failed me yet.
More About These Digital Cameras...
Canon XTI
One of the things i remember being told by others when i first started taking up photography is that in general Canon lenses are better for sports photography and Nikon's portrait lenses are better. Nikon also has MUCH better flash metering than Canon. THe general philosophy is that the camera body itself doesn't matter because eventually it will be the smallest cost. You pick a certain system and stick with it.
Also, if you don't mind dealing with the bigger file sizes and the additional software step, try shooting in RAW. Personally i love the additional control you get with RAW.
Hey Bob, thanks so much!
I'll try that. Thanks for the tip.
One advice if you want more vibrant colors with your D80 if you shoot jpeg (not RAW): Just go in the shooting menu and then change the option 'Optimize image' to 'vivid' or even 'more vivid'. Canon by default tends to put more saturation that nikon. A change in the settings and the difference is gone.