Birders don't use Canons?

[Eisbaer]

Canon or not, what I like most are all these remarkable filme scenes with that famous and brillant photographer (female, very pretty, very nice, but misunderstood, wretchedly in love, bad relationships, evil stepparents, all that stuff) going for some shootings. The weather is fine, everybody is in a good temper, camera in hand, click and run. You know, they work their wonders along the way, we have to crawl through mud to catch this shy bird finally. That's the difference.

Best regards
Eisbaer

 

[sbryson]

I dont believe there is any major differences between the two brands just minor things that occur at different snapshots in time. Will Andy Rouse be eating his hat about the comments he made about his Nikon when the 1DX comes onstream or will he slide back into the Canon camp?

When I mentioned the 1DX he didn't seem at all bothered, it might have been a front but I believe he knows something about the replacement D3s.

If he'd told me what he knows I'd not be repeating it as it would be detrimental to his business and let's face it that supports him and his family. But when questioned on an upcoming Nikon D3s replacment, or even if he knew anything his response was a professional, "I can't say" and "I can't comment about that". It was clear that the conversation was not going to go any further. And let's be honest here, any Canon advocate that thinks that Nikon has been blown out the water is delusional. I'm quite prepared to believe that the "D4" will be at least as good as the 1DX and Andy moved from Canon for the 200-400mm, not for the ISO capabilities (I think that was a bonus when he got the D3s).

I moved to Canon from Pentax in the mid 80's when I got a T90 as a teenager and after that was stolen I only recently got back into photography going straight for a 7D. I love Canon products but at the moment the only thing keeping me Canon, if I move up to a pro body, is the 200-400mm and 8-15mm, not the 1DX - I'd decided that before I found out about Andy Rouse move. I believe Nikon make more of the firmware capabilities than Canon are prepared to. Also the 580EX II doesn't come close to the SB900 or Nikon's CLS - speaking to a Canon rep at a recent show I was told 'The 1DX has improved communication with the 580EX II but there won't be a replacement for the flash at the moment'. Great but I have a 7D. Also, although I'm not affected by it the lack of provision of a lens hood with lower end Canons annoys me.

Brand loyalty is great and I'll always prefer Canon but these are tools to do a job.

 

[briansquibb]

And let's be honest here, any Canon advocate that thinks that Nikon has been blown out the water is delusional. I'm quite prepared to believe that the "D4" will be at least as good as the 1DX and Andy moved from Canon for the 200-400mm, not for the ISO capabilities (I think that was a bonus when he got the D3s).

That was the point I was trying to make - each brand has a 'lead' at a snapshot of time. I would expect Nikon to respond to Canon and then Canon to respond to Nikon. As an amateur I wont be switching as I have over £10k in lens and the advantage I would get from moving to a Nikon lens or body would be insignificant. Although I might just buy one to sit alongside the Canons if I had a specific need.

People that move from windows to mac turn into the most ardent fanbois, constantly justifying why they swapped. I suspect it will be the same with Canon and Nikon convertees.

 

[neuroanatomist]

People that move from windows to mac turn into the most ardent fanbois, constantly justifying why they swapped. I suspect it will be the same with Canon and Nikon convertees.

Yeah, but people who switch from Windows to Mac don't turn around and switch back.

 

[briansquibb]

People that move from windows to mac turn into the most ardent fanbois, constantly justifying why they swapped. I suspect it will be the same with Canon and Nikon convertees.

Yeah, but people who switch from Windows to Mac don't turn around and switch back.

Of course they dont - people are reluctant to admit they got it wrong and spent a pile doing it

 

[docsavage123]

Andy Rouse switched from Canon to Nikon because Nikon gave him all the goodies to switch. Art Wolfe switched from Nikon to Canon years ago because Canon gave him the equipment.Ole Jorgen Liodden (did the canon field tests) switched to Nikon due to Canon not providing him with a new 1Ds model to test, despite it coming out that Nikon gave him D3s,300,400,500 lenses for free - hell who would not switch if its free.

As for birders using Nikons, I live in the UK and it is nearly always 7 canons to 1 nikon at birding sites, I was at a seal shoot at Donna Nook yesterday. There were 20 shooters and 1 Pro guide who did not bring a camera but is a canon shooter. The list of cameras was as follows:
1 Bridge camera (Panasonic i think)
1 Sony DSLR
3 Nikon Shooters.
15 Canon Shooters.

The majority of nikon shooters I see have sigma lenses on the front of their cameras as the costs of 300 f2.8/400/500 etc is well out of the price range. I use the 400 F5.6 and they tell me they would love for a nikon version of that lens.

I watched the Abu Dabai Grand Prix again all Canon glass. Im sure if Jerry Bruckheimer made a Grand Prix movie all the big shooters would have black glass and nikon bodies on, the close ups would have the prosumer D3100/D5100 rather than what is normally seen. All down to product placement!

 

[AprilForever]

Here is South Florida, I frequently go to the Everglades for photography. There are usually a lot of serious bird photographers, nearly all of them use Canon. The masses use a mixture of lenses and cameras, but the serious shooters all use Canon with almost no exception. The ratio is probably more than 15:1 Canon to Nikon.

 

[Eagle Eye]

Do most police forces use Nikon? They're always using Nikons in CSI, NCIS, Dexter, The Wire, Law and Order etc. Most always have the logo prominently displayed on the camera strap, so I assume its paid product placement.

Its interesting seeing old cameras in movies. In the Godfather, there is a wedding photographer with a Sinar large format camera. Couldn't imagine anyone doing that these days. Rear Window is another of my favourite "camera" movies with James Stewart showing his photographic prowess. Just googled it and found it is an "Exakta" that he uses. Product placement hasn't really helped LF camera sales or Exakta. Do people pay much attention to it?

In the United States, yes; it's mostly due to the Nikon flash system (integral to forensic photography) and the edge that it had in the past. The Virginia Department of Forensic Science and the FBI both use Nikons (FBI has some Canons mingled in for surveillance, but they're rare). I've come across just a handful of departments that use Canon.

 

[dr croubie]

Do most police forces use Nikon? They're always using Nikons in CSI, NCIS, Dexter, The Wire, Law and Order etc. Most always have the logo prominently displayed on the camera strap, so I assume its paid product placement.

Its interesting seeing old cameras in movies. In the Godfather, there is a wedding photographer with a Sinar large format camera. Couldn't imagine anyone doing that these days. Rear Window is another of my favourite "camera" movies with James Stewart showing his photographic prowess. Just googled it and found it is an "Exakta" that he uses. Product placement hasn't really helped LF camera sales or Exakta. Do people pay much attention to it?

Exacta 66, or Ihagee Exacta? One memory i've got of a movie is The Closet (a French Depardieu film), in the beginning and ending sequences the guy is shooting I think with a Mamiya 645 or Hassy, but noone bothered to brand-place it too obviously. Same with Austin Powers shooting with his (I think) Hassy in one of the films. (it's an MF black-cube either way).

My problem with product placement is when it's too obvious, like a whole group of people are using the same product (like a film of birders all using nikons), then it's too unrealistic and doesn't work as advertising.
If instead, there were a whole group of people and they all had different equipment, but the main characters (or those with speaking / close-up shots) had the one brand, that's better advertising imho.