Am I crazy to even think of switching to Nikon? Here's my gear...

[wickidwombat]

since she doesnt have a body yet and you dont have any really wide glass why not consider running with both formats get her a D800 and the 14-24 Nikkor and she can shoot wide and close, great for groups too and you can shoot over the top with the 85 or 135 canon and you get the best of both worlds at least then you can evaluate how each brand works or doesnt for your style and business.

Only downside to this is different charges batteries and flashes are not interchangable

 

[tonyp]

Yes in think you are crazy. For wedding and portrait photography the 5d3 would be much better. The D800 will require more effort get good focus with those smaller pixels and won't get usable images at anywhere near as high iso. Surely you wont be printing anywhere near big enough to need 36 mp? Seems to me 5d3 is the ideal wedding photographers camera. D800 looks better for landscape are studio people.

I am actually considering switching myself. I print 20x30 regularly and want to go bigger. The extra detail is enticing me. The Nikon 14-24mm is another thing that has any Canon landscapers who are thinking of switching tempted... Canon just doesn't have an ultra wide angle that's corner to corner sharp. I'm not trying to make this about me... Just pointing out that I don't think the reasons most canon owners that are considering the switch really apply to you.

As a wedding photographer you should be grinning like crazy over the prospect of the impending arrival of your 5d3... Not torturing yourself over what to do like me

You just don't want me to take your spot in the preorder line do ya!

 

[SomeGuyInNewJersey]

Yes in think you are crazy. For wedding and portrait photography the 5d3 would be much better. The D800 will require more effort get good focus with those smaller pixels and won't get usable images at anywhere near as high iso. Surely you wont be printing anywhere near big enough to need 36 mp? Seems to me 5d3 is the ideal wedding photographers camera. D800 looks better for landscape are studio people.

I am actually considering switching myself. I print 20x30 regularly and want to go bigger. The extra detail is enticing me. The Nikon 14-24mm is another thing that has any Canon landscapers who are thinking of switching tempted... Canon just doesn't have an ultra wide angle that's corner to corner sharp. I'm not trying to make this about me... Just pointing out that I don't think the reasons most canon owners that are considering the switch really apply to you.

As a wedding photographer you should be grinning like crazy over the prospect of the impending arrival of your 5d3... Not torturing yourself over what to do like me

You just don't want me to take your spot in the preorder line do ya!

My preorder confirmation from BHP was 12:13am EST on the 2nd for the 5d3... I'm happy with my spot in that line

My preorders for the d800e were just last week though... On bhp start last week and then on amazon hours after they reopened prebooking last Friday. I should have clicked the preorder on the d800e when it was there on amazon 20 mins after the D800 announcement. I didn't though :-( they closed preorders then and I didn't go for it soon enough

I just wish I could manage to decide whether I want the 5d3 or the D800e... I am tortured when I should be excited !

 

[Terry Rogers]

since she doesnt have a body yet and you dont have any really wide glass why not consider running with both formats get her a D800 and the 14-24 Nikkor and she can shoot wide and close, great for groups too and you can shoot over the top with the 85 or 135 canon and you get the best of both worlds at least then you can evaluate how each brand works or doesnt for your style and business.

Only downside to this is different charges batteries and flashes are not interchangable

I must admit, the d800e and 14 - 24 combo would be a formidable landscape combination the likes of which canon has nothing that comes close.

 

[Daniel Flather]

My wife and I started up a photography business last year. I'm currently in the process of getting her a camera body. We primarily shoot family portraiture and are moving into weddings this summer. I currently have:

Canon 5d Mk2
Canon 35L 1.4
Canon 50L 1.2
Sigma 85mm 1.4
Canon 135L f/2
Canon 580ex II

I do have the mark 3 preordered but damn the D800 is tempted... I could sell everything and start from scratch... I would lose some money yes, but does Nikon have equivalent primes as Canon does?

I'm sure the D800 will be an awesome camera, but I think the pixel peepers are messing with your mind.

 

[aprotosimaki]

My wife and I started up a photography business last year. I'm currently in the process of getting her a camera body. We primarily shoot family portraiture and are moving into weddings this summer. I currently have:

Canon 5d Mk2
Canon 35L 1.4
Canon 50L 1.2
Sigma 85mm 1.4
Canon 135L f/2
Canon 580ex II

I do have the mark 3 preordered but damn the D800 is tempted... I could sell everything and start from scratch... I would lose some money yes, but does Nikon have equivalent primes as Canon does?

Rent one and see before making any firm decisions. No tool is perfect; it is how you use it.

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Thats exactly why I'm trying to combat all that blather! Don't listen to it...it has no bearing whatsoever on the cameras ability to take excellent photos...its just a bunch of tech heads who like to tear apart hardware and data at a low level and find its flaws (or lack thereof, if that tickles their fancy.)

Its all meaningless in the grand scheme of things! Learn how to use your camera, use it effectively and efficiently, and those issues will only affect a very small percentage of your total photos. If you need real evidence of whether any one of the cameras on the market today, including the 5D II and by extrapolation the 5D III, just look for photos created by them on sites like 500px.com or 1x.com. You'll never see any banding, fixed pattern noise, or DR issues.

It is meaningless blather for SOME but not for others. It depends how you shoot, what you want to shoot. I can hit upon the limit often enough that it's annoying, in the REAL WORLD. It's meaningless in the grand scheme for some but not at all for others.

If you plan to shoot 99% at ISO800+ then it is probably 99.99% meaningless.
For some they may run into the issue routinely though, although sure you can still take tons of great pics if you avoid lots of stuff you wanted to do or wanted to do without hours of post.
It depends.

And by constantly saying it's just ridiculous nonsense by tech-heads (was Ansel Adams a tech head? well haha actually he was but you then doubly get the point) all you do it make those mentioned the stuff mention it more to add some balance to all the head in the sand, maybe that ends up having us make it seem like a bigger deal than it is.

The grand total difference from the worst current Canon body, the 7D, and the best current Nikon body, the D7000, is less than a full stop. The difference is even less, from the 1D IV to the D7000, of about half a stop. In terms of more realistic, real-world shooting...you shouldn't concern yourself with the low-level nature of read noise and how it may affect the technical specification of DR.

Those numbers are not more real-world, they are nonsense and you who makes such a big deal about getting the exact truth well knows that. They way understand the differences when they even have any semblance to reality at all for the RAW shooter in particular.


That said the OP shouldn't just go crazy and do something without examining what their needs, it could at least as easily be that it would mean little to them as a lot, and even if it proves they would benefit a lot from more base DR it might not hurt to see how the 1DX does, if it does much better then maybe the 5D4 will finally do much better and it's then a question can you wait another 2-2.5 years, that can be easier than switching, it depends.

If most of you wedding shots are at ISO800 and up I don't think it would make sense to switch and for wedding shots that you are doing and portraits in what you are doing 22MP is fine and SNR and DR may be no different from mid-iso and up, the new 5D3 AF may be more sensitive in dim light (but you really need to wait for user reports) too. If you did lots of ISO100-200 shots and were often struggling with black tuxes and white shirts and huge DR and couldn't hide it well enough then maybe, but I imagine with use of fill flash and a little hiding in post you can get away with it for your new portrait and wedding business, for portraits you can really have control of all lighting and making use of radical DR shots or not I doubt will make or break you (but losing money switching around might). For portraits you could probably fast shoot two shots for HDR anyway, portaits can be so controlled and I doubt you are doing the sort with a constantly moving model doing this and this but probably purely static, rigid stuff.

That said some people, real world, make great use of D800 DR, I sure wish the 5D3 had the extra DR myself. For you I just have a weird feeling you might just lose money and get annoyed from teh whole swithcing process, at least now.

 

[Martin]

Have the same problem. Lot of Canon lens and would like to switch to Nikon. I am waiting for the reviews however so far D800 has awesome samples, sharpness and DR. Canon just gave us D700, which was launched several years ago. IMHO AF will be same or worse as Nikon (we know canon's great AFs history. Hard decision to make, but there no "WOW" in 5d3. It was when 5d2 was launched (great IQ, high mpix, ISO 100, price and adventage on fast lens). I just don't belive it took 3 years to develop better AF and slightly cleaner high ISO. I do not follow mpix war and marekting however samples from Nikon have really blown my eyes, awesome. Saying same thing about 5d3 wouldn't be true. Another thing is handling and button design etc. Maybe I was used to Nikon , but after using a 5d2 for a year, imho Nikon has far better layout, but that depends on user.
And there is one more thing to consider- I think that 5d3 is a good choice for people that are already invested in Canon, and don't want to loose money, on the other side let's ask yourself a question-what will you buy if u do not have any gear. To be honest I simply envy people who already have good Nikon lens and Nikon FF, they now have opportunity to expand a set with a perfect studio camera, while canon owners, like me, have an opportunity to have better or good AF while other parameters remain almost unchanged. I am not going to write about the price of the body and new 24-70, as the conclusion is clear.

 

[Wedding Shooter1]

Hey Tony,

I've been doing about 30 weddings a year for about 10 years now. Stick with what you have, it's all great stuff. DO NOT listen to the stuff you hear on here....lol......Just test your new equipment and make sure it's working properly when you first purchase it. Then USE IT! Forget about all this BS that is constantly posted about.

Also, if you are going into weddings my advice is that you have to get a wide angle lens, wider than 35, 16-35 would be perfect....You will definitely be in a situation where you will need it, and if you are literally backed into a corner, say on a rainy wedding day and can't take that group shot or whatever, you are screwed!!....Also you must get another flash in case the one you have breaks down...Ideally you should get 2 more making 3......and also when money permits add a 3rd body in case of any problems....ive had 2 bodies go down on me at 1 wedding, i take 5 bodies with me...

Weddings are a one shot deal...If you F them up because your camera or flashes died leaving you without, you WILL be sued and your career will be over before it started. It is much better to be safe, than sorry...Trust me!

My wife and I started up a photography business last year. I'm currently in the process of getting her a camera body. We primarily shoot family portraiture and are moving into weddings this summer. I currently have:

Canon 5d Mk2
Canon 35L 1.4
Canon 50L 1.2
Sigma 85mm 1.4
Canon 135L f/2
Canon 580ex II

I do have the mark 3 preordered but damn the D800 is tempted... I could sell everything and start from scratch... I would lose some money yes, but does Nikon have equivalent primes as Canon does?

 

[vuilang]

Short Answer:

Yes, you're crazy. (you asked for answer)

 

[jrista]

@LetTheRightLensIn:

Here is the simple fact of the real world: Wedding photographers, event photographers, landscape photographers, studio photographers, etc...have all been making FANTASTIC photos, for many years, with digital cameras that have far worse specs than the 5D III. It didn't matter if they had 8 stops, 10 stops, 12 stops or 13.8 stops of DR. It didn't matter if the read noise was 30 or 8 or 3 electrons. It didn't matter if ISO was limited to 800!

An extra stop or two of DR is not the end of the world, and it won't change things much in the real world. Your still going to have to use that reflector or fill flash. Your still going to have to slap on that GND filter. Your still going to need to expose properly, and if you need more saturation for a given aperture and shutter, your still going to have to use a higher ISO rather than a lower one. Your still going to have to be a cunning photographer. 8)

It amazes me how all this craziness has ensued (mostly on DPR, but also here) over the LEAST significant bits of ONE particular ISO setting that only matters to a FRACTION of the total number of shots that CERTAIN photographers may take SOME of the time. Seriously, ppl.

I think this thread is particularly indicative of the danger of making such a big deal out of something that really isn't. Poor @tonyp here, who's business is pretty heavily invested in some very expensive Canon lenses, is so worried that the 5D III is an actual DUD that he's literally thinking of switching brands...because the grass on the other side has been hyped up so much one would think it was quite literally a vibrant, neon green that glowed in the dark and tasted of ambrosia! I call that...the worrying of the average joe/pro so much that they actually consider wasting money to switch brands...a true disservice to your fellow photographer.



@tonyp: Keep your gear! Save you and your wife a LOT of money. There is absolutely no reason to worry that Canon is going to do you, your wife, or your business a disservice, now, next year, or far off into the future. They are an excellent company, they make excellent gear, they provide excellent service (speaking from personal experience, due to my own hands fault on several occasions, it really is EXCELLENT, FAST service), and they DO MAKE A COMPETITIVE PRODUCT. ;D

Save yourself some worry, and realize that you have some fantastic gear already...the 5D III won't be any different. It'll certainly be an improvement over the 5D II on many levels.

 

[Seamus]

Short Answer:

Yes, you're crazy. (you asked for answer)

Short and sweet. That's how to answer the question.

 

[YellowJersey]

As I've said in numerous other threads, it's premature to seriously consider switching. I'd wait until the 5D3 and D800 are released before you make up your mind.

 

[PhilDrinkwater]

To be honest I don't think it's premature - I think it's crazy for the majority of photographers full stop. The people whose business may benefit from a third extra resolution and between 1-2 stops dr are relatively few. Maybe landscape photographers the most, but you still have to counter diffraction, and possibly studio photographers who had been considering m.f. A few others doing particularly large prints. That's it.

I've said it on another board but this frenzy is just because there's something with a bigger number which isn't even that relevant to most people. It's always about "best" and never about "good enough". 22mp is good enough for the majority.

Personally as mainly a wedding / portrait photographer I don't want more resolution and I don't believe any other wedding photographer should do either. It's just not needed. The 5d3 has great iq as the 5d2 did. I take that over a bit more mp.

Guys. Seriously. Stop letting the numbers dictate your decisions. In business the only option is to let your profit/turnover make the decisions and switching systems should happen very infrequently and then only when you have a very clear business reason.

If you can't get that into your head, you won't be in business long.

 

[TAR]

î dont think its a crazy idea..IMO i am also thinking the same but you have great investment in lenses. i dont have any L lens.
here is why i think Nikon is a better investment than canon.

Nikon offering its pro level tech in D800 . i hope it will be same in future ..people will expect to see same AF and metering in D5 and D900 or what ever. ( i hope AF layout and more cross type will be addressed in D900 and D5)

They are really competitive and constantly improving their gear.. offering equal or better lenses , you can expect more better newer lenses for sure.

pricing of nikon is cheaper than canon . D800 , 24-70..etc

and you can use Nikon lenses with canon with adapter (you all know) yes manual focus ..i dont think its a problem for pro..

finally i think Nikon would be a better future investment..i dont think there will be a reason for you to switch back.. anyway i am waiting for a proper d800 vs 5d3 review ..if canon did not decrease a price of 5D3 to 3000 ..i am buying a D800E ..i will invest in nikon .for me FPS is no value ..with my 7D , i never used a high speed ..always single shot. for me images from D800/E raw with 50% reduction at 25600 is usable for me. anyway with 2.8 or 1.4 lenses you dont go more than 6400 iso at night.

 

[smirkypants]

As a person who recently purchased some Nikon gear... you're nuts. I purchased Nikon gear for a specific, definable reason having to do with very clear needs. Your reasons for switching are not compelling at all. For the type of photography that you do, the differences between gear would be marginal at best. Don't do it.

 

[bycostello]

apples and oranges nothing cannon can't do that nikon can and vice versa, save your money and spend it on something worthwhile...

 

[elflord]

My wife and I started up a photography business last year. I'm currently in the process of getting her a camera body. We primarily shoot family portraiture and are moving into weddings this summer. I currently have:

Canon 5d Mk2
Canon 35L 1.4
Canon 50L 1.2
Sigma 85mm 1.4
Canon 135L f/2
Canon 580ex II

I do have the mark 3 preordered but damn the D800 is tempted... I could sell everything and start from scratch... I would lose some money yes, but does Nikon have equivalent primes as Canon does?

What are you hoping to gain from switching camera bodies ? Just an opinion, but I think the glass is more important -- so instead of shopping for a camera body and asking if Nikon has "equivalent" lenses, you should look at the lenses from the different manufacturers and ask if the bodies are "equivalent".

 

[meli]

D800 is going to be challenging to use hand held because there are increased shutter speed requirements due to the smaller pixels.

Perhaps im not sufficiently knowledgeable but i highly doubt this it true, according to your theory that means that in the same scenario you would shot a d700 or 5D1 with 1/40?

 

[PhilDrinkwater]

D800 is going to be challenging to use hand held because there are increased shutter speed requirements due to the smaller pixels.

Perhaps im not sufficiently knowledgeable but i highly doubt this it true, according to your theory that means that in the same scenario you would shot a d700 or 5D1 with 1/40?

As resolution increases, the shutter speed needed to get a sharp photo *AT 100% ZOOM* increases. If you're happy with shooting and scaling down to 5d3 or d700 resolution, you can get away with a lower shutter speed and still have a visibly sharp image.

For my wedding work I never check focus at 100% 5d2 resolution. If I'm unsure I can get away with something, I scale it down to d700 resolution since that's acceptable focus for my albums.