Canon vs Nikon?

rako1 · Jun 9, 2017

I'm not sure if this was brought up because I didn't read the whole post, sorry for that, but what ever camera body you use, you always will get a better pic when using a fixed lens instead of a zoom. Fixed lens are more expensive but well worth it. I have a Nikon 5200 with a Nikon 105 macro lens and it takes great pics.

bblumberg · Jun 9, 2017

OK, here is the best test I am able to do. Keep in mind I am a rank amateur photographer, the fancy camera is my daughter's.

The comparisons are the following
My Galaxy S4 phone 13.2 megapixel sensor (4 years old technology)
9 year old Eos Rebel xSI 12 megapixel APS-C sensor, with cheap Canon 55 mm macro lens
xSI with ~3 year old 100 mm Canon f2.8L macro lens
3 year old EOS 6D, full frame 20megapixel sensor, 100 mm Canon f2.8L macro lens

To my eyes, the 6D photo is the best, but the picture quality is much closer than I expected. I let Photoshop autoadjust colors which are pretty true to life, 20K LED/T5 combo.

The xSI (worth about $10) with the $799 f2.8L lens is a very close second.

Bruce

HolisticBear · Jun 10, 2017

Most of the camera recommendations seem to be APS-C sensor along with some sample images from full frame cameras. Here's some samples from a $400 4/3rds camera with the most common 4/3rds macro lens from today. Clearly not in the same league as earlier 5D w/100L images.

I'm still debating whether it's good enough or whether I'll return the camera and try something that might be better in lower light (Sony A7).

My skimmer went crazy earlier, the Favia doesn't seem to be in the best health and there are a few micro-bubbles as well

saltyfilmfolks · Jun 10, 2017

MrMichael said:
Most of the camera recommendations seem to be APS-C sensor along with some sample images from full frame cameras. Here's some samples from a $400 4/3rds camera with the most common 4/3rds macro lens from today. Clearly not in the same league as earlier 5D w/100L images.

I'm still debating whether it's good enough or whether I'll return the camera and try something that might be better in lower light (Sony A7).

My skimmer went crazy earlier, the Favia doesn't seem to be in the best health and there are a few micro-bubbles as well

Good enough for what?

bblumberg · Jun 10, 2017

For low light shooting, you want something called a back-illuminated cmos sensor. As far as I recall, a few Sony, Canon and Nikon models use these but I am not sure which DSLRs are among these.

Bruce

HolisticBear · Jun 10, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
Good enough for what?

Good enough that I feel comfortable investing in this lens platform. I've been out of the camera game for 6 years, used to be Canon, and it was my serious hobby for years. I'd love to have a smaller travel + street camera that double duties at my reef camera. The size is amazing, but I wonder if given low-light, I'd be happier committing to used A7 (Full Frame E mount). The Olympus is great, but the whole committing to a lens platform feels like marriage. Camera bodies can be like meaningless affairs

saltyfilmfolks · Jun 10, 2017

MrMichael said:
Good enough that I feel comfortable investing in this lens platform. I've been out of the camera game for 6 years, used to be Canon, and it was my serious hobby for years. I'd love to have a smaller travel + street camera that double duties at my reef camera. The size is amazing, but I wonder if given low-light, I'd be happier committing to used A7 (Full Frame E mount). The Olympus is great, but the whole committing to a lens platform feels like marriage. Camera bodies can be like meaningless affairs

Well said.
Currently in my field it's Sony and Fuji on set and Nikon and cannon for off. Cannon wins more because of the you can shoot video with it and get better rentals. They shoot video with Nikon in Europe more.

So.
There's no winning. Just enjoying.

Hans-Werner · Jun 12, 2017

In my eyes the brand doesn´t matter much, what matters much more is the sensor size.
In manual focus times I photographed with a Nikon Fe2, later I changed to Canon EOS since the Nikon MF lenses were incompatible with Nikon AF (the Nikon bodies needed electronic communication with the lenses for exposure control at that time) but with adaptor I could use them with Canon EOS AF. A few years ago I have changed to Sony mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras (MILC) because they are so much lighter to carry with in the field. I use adaptors for my lenses with Canon mount. In my eyes Sony is one of the most innovative camera manufacturers and I get a full frame camera body for less than 900 Euro, the Sony Alpha 7, but also the Sony APS-C mirrorless bodies are excellent. I have the Sony Nex6 as small and lightweight APS-C body.
What you see through the electronic viewfinder of a MILC is much closer to the photograph than what you see through a DSLR viewfinder.
For my backbag when biking I even have a third camera, a Sony Nex3N, also an APS-C MILC and really small and lightweight but without viewfinder. I got it for less than an mid-price bridge camera and it has an APS-C sensor and RAW image format!

You can choose any macro lens of the lens manufacturers, Tamron, Tokina or Sigma, they are all excellent lenses, and much more affordable than the lenses of the camera manufacturers.