travelinbri_74
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I am an avid traveler and love to photograph, however, when I am landlocked (as I have been for the past 2 years) I look through my gear and think about what needs upgrading for when I take off next. This May or June my camera equipment comes up, and since it has been a number of years since I have upgraded, all brands are on the table.
Now there will always be fanboys, but in the Open Forum I think it would be nice if we could try to sum up the pros and cons of the big DSLR systems (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Pentax). The whole system, assuming one will stick with it and continue to upgrade.
Your thoughts are always appreciated, as about 95% of you have more experience than I do.
Canon:
Pros:
A big player so no question that bodies and lenses will be upgraded regularly with the latest and greatest.
Great sensors: Say what you will, but Canon makes high MP sensors that turn out great images with fantastic high ISO capabilities.
A huge (and growing) assortment of lenses, which means there are both quality primes and quality zooms to be had on the Luxury level and below as well.
Cons:
Consistently sabotage their low end lines to keep people buying into their top end cameras (something we see little of from almost every other company).
Old AF was dated, and new AF packages seem to come with gliches.
Serious weather-sealing only available in their top end packages.
Nikon:
Pros:
Also a big player so no question that bodies and lenses will be upgraded regularly with the latest and greatest.
Great sensors: While they haven't "kept up" with Canon on MP count, they have worked hard to put out low noise images and maintain a "quality not quantity" mindset.
A huge (and growing) assortment of lenses, there recent 2.8 zooms have set a standard in the nikon-canon debate: they excel with the 2.8 zooms but have not made lighter f4 zooms or caught up to canon on primes.
They quickly move top end mechanics (AF, Duel Card holders, weatherproofing) into their lower end bodies.
Ergonomics
Cons:
Except for the 8,000$ range, they have not yet put out larger MP sensors.
They do not have the range of primes or f4 zooms that Canon does, their zooms are expensive, which means there is little opportunity within the NIKON lineup to go FF and then buy cheap (the 24-120 is unacceptable)
Sony:
Pros:
High Resolution large MP sensors that put out great images at low ISOs
Most affordable FF bodies, and they keep putting out crop bodies with a ton of extras (including in body IS)
Great Zeiss lenses (although certainly less of a choice than more established lines)
Ergonomics
Cons:
Unacceptable noise at higher ISOs
Still building the lens lineup
No video or live-view
High end Zeiss lenses are not weather sealed (despite expense)
Olympus:
Pros:
Some of the smallest and most affordable cameras on the market (620)
Their "pro" body is the same price as the prosumer bodies of other manufacturers (E-3 debuted around 1,500) and has a "class leading" build.
Fantastic zooms (7-14, 14-35, 35-100, 12-60, 50-200) that are fantastic quality glass and weathersealed.
In body IS.
Cons:
Upgraded less often (the E-3 is now considerably lagging behind other top end offerings)
4/3 system leaves no chance for FF in the near future (at least with the existing lens lineup)
Not a huge Native prime selection (although the panasonic 25 is supposed to be great).
No high MP offerings, no recent upgrade to the top model, although there have been two versions of the m4/3s Ep system, making one wonder if all the emphasis will now be put on that lineup.
Pentax:
Pros:
Great small strong body with all the extras at an affordable price
Fantastic primes (not only the classic limiteds, but also the digital only pancake limited)
Some of the new bodies (like the K-x) are getting better and better image quality (the K-7 apparently suffers)
In body IS.
Cons:
IQ isn't quite where the class leaders are yet.
No FF body (yet)
The zooms leave something to be desired, and yet are priced like top quality.
Few third party lens options.
I am sure I am missing a million things, but would love to hear more input from those of you who may have used these systems. I am tired and probably forgetting a ton of stuff. If I were to make my decision now, it would be a nikon D700 probably (because I have heard too many times about 5Diis not being weatherproof enough), but for travel each lineup has its pluses and minuses, and f the K-7 had a better sensor, or an Olympus E-5 were to come out before I left, or Sony put out another great camera body with slightly better noise control, who knows if I would try my hands at a non canon-nikon brand (I am currently a canon man).
Now there will always be fanboys, but in the Open Forum I think it would be nice if we could try to sum up the pros and cons of the big DSLR systems (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Pentax). The whole system, assuming one will stick with it and continue to upgrade.
Your thoughts are always appreciated, as about 95% of you have more experience than I do.
Canon:
Pros:
A big player so no question that bodies and lenses will be upgraded regularly with the latest and greatest.
Great sensors: Say what you will, but Canon makes high MP sensors that turn out great images with fantastic high ISO capabilities.
A huge (and growing) assortment of lenses, which means there are both quality primes and quality zooms to be had on the Luxury level and below as well.
Cons:
Consistently sabotage their low end lines to keep people buying into their top end cameras (something we see little of from almost every other company).
Old AF was dated, and new AF packages seem to come with gliches.
Serious weather-sealing only available in their top end packages.
Nikon:
Pros:
Also a big player so no question that bodies and lenses will be upgraded regularly with the latest and greatest.
Great sensors: While they haven't "kept up" with Canon on MP count, they have worked hard to put out low noise images and maintain a "quality not quantity" mindset.
A huge (and growing) assortment of lenses, there recent 2.8 zooms have set a standard in the nikon-canon debate: they excel with the 2.8 zooms but have not made lighter f4 zooms or caught up to canon on primes.
They quickly move top end mechanics (AF, Duel Card holders, weatherproofing) into their lower end bodies.
Ergonomics
Cons:
Except for the 8,000$ range, they have not yet put out larger MP sensors.
They do not have the range of primes or f4 zooms that Canon does, their zooms are expensive, which means there is little opportunity within the NIKON lineup to go FF and then buy cheap (the 24-120 is unacceptable)
Sony:
Pros:
High Resolution large MP sensors that put out great images at low ISOs
Most affordable FF bodies, and they keep putting out crop bodies with a ton of extras (including in body IS)
Great Zeiss lenses (although certainly less of a choice than more established lines)
Ergonomics
Cons:
Unacceptable noise at higher ISOs
Still building the lens lineup
No video or live-view
High end Zeiss lenses are not weather sealed (despite expense)
Olympus:
Pros:
Some of the smallest and most affordable cameras on the market (620)
Their "pro" body is the same price as the prosumer bodies of other manufacturers (E-3 debuted around 1,500) and has a "class leading" build.
Fantastic zooms (7-14, 14-35, 35-100, 12-60, 50-200) that are fantastic quality glass and weathersealed.
In body IS.
Cons:
Upgraded less often (the E-3 is now considerably lagging behind other top end offerings)
4/3 system leaves no chance for FF in the near future (at least with the existing lens lineup)
Not a huge Native prime selection (although the panasonic 25 is supposed to be great).
No high MP offerings, no recent upgrade to the top model, although there have been two versions of the m4/3s Ep system, making one wonder if all the emphasis will now be put on that lineup.
Pentax:
Pros:
Great small strong body with all the extras at an affordable price
Fantastic primes (not only the classic limiteds, but also the digital only pancake limited)
Some of the new bodies (like the K-x) are getting better and better image quality (the K-7 apparently suffers)
In body IS.
Cons:
IQ isn't quite where the class leaders are yet.
No FF body (yet)
The zooms leave something to be desired, and yet are priced like top quality.
Few third party lens options.
I am sure I am missing a million things, but would love to hear more input from those of you who may have used these systems. I am tired and probably forgetting a ton of stuff. If I were to make my decision now, it would be a nikon D700 probably (because I have heard too many times about 5Diis not being weatherproof enough), but for travel each lineup has its pluses and minuses, and f the K-7 had a better sensor, or an Olympus E-5 were to come out before I left, or Sony put out another great camera body with slightly better noise control, who knows if I would try my hands at a non canon-nikon brand (I am currently a canon man).
