One single reason to never buy Nikon DSLR

[MrFotoFool]

Although I use and love Canon, I am not a brand advocate. I work at a full service photo lab and when people ask me which camera is best I tell them they are equally good these days. But I recently had a customer buy a cable from us (we sell accessories but not cameras) for their Nikon D800. It uses a ten pin connection and we could never be sure the cable was actually in. A customer with a pro Nikon with same connection even tried to help and he could not quite get it. This was for an adaptor cable (3rd party) to a radio trigger but I think even the Nikon brand cable release uses the same connection. The connection is so difficult to achieve that it is essentially unusable. As far as I know all Nikon pro bodies use this (while the consumer bodies use a simpler connection). No matter how good the camera is, even if it was unquestionably better than any other manufacturer, I would refuse to buy a Nikon based on this one feature alone.

I should note that the Canon pro FILM cameras (Eos 1 series) had a similar problem, though not quite as bad. Thankfully Canon realized their mistake and made a much easier connection for the digital pro bodies.

 

[AcutancePhotography]

Sounds like you are selling the wrong type of cable. I have purchased several Nikon and third party cables for my 10 pin connecter and never have a problem wondering if it is connected. Do the cables you sell have the screw collar?

If I had to pick a nit, with the Nikon 10 Pin connector is that once connected with the screw collar, it can be difficult to disconnect, it is that tight and secure.

Sounds to me more like operator error and you can't blame the camera for that. ;D

If someone is going to make their camera purchase decision based on their inability to use a connection, maybe they need a P&S.

There are many reasons why someone would prefer a camera manufacturer other than Nikon. The 10 pin connector shouldn't be one of them.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I have never had a issue with that 10 pin connector. However, a cheap third party connector from China could be way out of tolerance. I still have one in my studio, but no longer have the camera.

I've also had some junk 3rd party accessories for my Canon cameras, many of the 3 pin cables are crap.

 

[MrFotoFool]

Since it is a third party cable, it is entirely possible that is the problem. And yes it does have a screw collar. If it is the cable and the proprietary Nikon cables work well, then I retract my statement. (Although ten pin still seems like an unnecessary design).

If however even the Nikon cables are difficult to install then I do think that is a valid reason to not buy a camera. To me at least, comfort and feel and ease of use are just as important if not more important than pixels and image quality. If you frequently use a cable release but it is a pain in the neck to install every time you go to use it, that is so frustrating that I would rather use a different camera altogether.

I also think (as do others I know) that Canon cameras overall have a more user friendly layout and feel. The cable issue is just one example of this overall design philosophy.

 

[privatebydesign]

I should note that the Canon pro FILM cameras (Eos 1 series) had a similar problem, though not quite as bad. Thankfully Canon realized their mistake and made a much easier connection for the digital pro bodies.

The EOS 1 had the T3 type connector, a very close cousin of the still current replacement the N3. In my opinion the T3 was a much more robust design, though it was clearly more expensive to make. The T3 has three pins that if they don't line up with their receiving holes retract into the plug, it also has a screw lock to guarantee a connection that can't be accidentally disconnected.

 

[mackguyver]

[Rant]
Personally I despise the 3-pin cable interface on the current Canon Prosumer & Pro SLRs. The simple headphone jack plug in the consumer line is so much better. The 3-pin connector breaks very easily - I have had to repair my connection twice now in two different 5-series cameras, and it is so easy to disconnect while walking around with the camera, even if the plug is still in the socket. It's like you're supposed to remove the connector every time you reposition your tripod...

Sadly, the Vello intervalometer release I'm using now with a cheap plastic connector works far better than the overpriced cable release from Canon. I wish Canon would ditch this and replace it with something that is reliable and robust.
[/Rant]

 

[Bruce Photography]

I have both Canon Full Frame (all 5D models) and Nikon bodies (D800, D800E, D810). I can choose to shoot either. It does take longer to match up the Nikon shutter cord but it is on the front where I like it. Why? I use vertical grips on all my cameras and if the push in receptacle is on the left side of the camera that is where an L bracket covers. No RRS brackets and Kirk and others carefully let you open the door(s) on the camera and RRS has a cut-out to BEND the cord, vertical shots are always a pain on a Canon. On a Nikon that has a front connector it NEVER needs to bend the cord just to make it fit in the vertical direction.

If you had to choose only one feature, I would not use this feature to be the deciding factor. The Nikon front screw mount also beats the Canon design when carrying around the mounted cable from site because of the screw mount.

Maybe when all cameras can be triggered by a radio control, cables will all go away and we can complain about the design of the remote.