EOS 5D vs. D200 - Mini review
Having used both the "TIPA 2006 Best D-SLR Expert" and the "TIPA 2006 Best D-SLR Professional" I thought I´d share my impressions with the forum. If someone finds this to be interesting or helpful in any way feel free to comment.
First impression + Handling
Better design, better control layout on the D200. On / off switch at the fingertip, nice grip, solid construction. The EOS sports a strange "direct print" button next to the viewfinder (makes me wonder is this a 200$ point and shoot?), blue instead of neutral (=white) lettering. The EOS doesnt look like a 2500 EUR camera to me. Body finish is not as nice as on the Nikon. Weight is approximately the same. The Nikon has an on board flash for whatever its worth (command mode with other flashes or something). I never used the integrated flash because it didnt work with most of my lenses. Bjorn Rorslett recommends glueing the flash on the body and dont bother.
Viewfinder
Big bright finder on the EOS. This is the first digital SLR I´m able to focus manually with confidence. The D70s was tunnel vision, the D200 acceptable, not better than that.
Sensor and Image Quality
Better resolution, much (!) better detail rendering (visible in foliage in landscape shots for example), excellent high ISO performance. Where the Nikon started to get mushy at ISO 400 the 5D is crisp with film like noise at ISO 1600. Wow! Dynamic range on the CMOS Canon seems to be wider than on the Sony / Nikon CCD . With the Nikon I could expose for sky - OR - ground. The EOS manages both. Highlights roll off soft like in film. Spectacular!
Full frame vs. Crop
This is like coming home. I never liked DX. Yes, there is vignetting on a full frame camera when shooting a fast lens wide open - However, not worse than on the film cameras people used for decades. It does add to the image. If I dont want vignetting I´d shoot stopped down with a flash or high ISO. Wide angles are wide angles, a normal lens is a normal lens again including a big smooth out of focus area. If you shoot at the tele end mostly I guess Nikons crop format is just fine. Personally I like fast wide to normal primes. Nikon has NONE for their DX cameras - Instead they keep bringing 18-XXX amateur zooms every 6 months or so... Canon just released a 50/1.2 L ultrasonic prime. They also have an ultrasonic 24/1.4 and 35/1.4 + a lot of less expensive 1.8 to 2.8 primes. Considering zooms both Nikons and Canons lineup are comparable in my opinion while Canon updates their models more often.
Speed
Nikon shoots up to 5 frames per second, the EOS does 3. If speed is critical like in professional sports photography I´d go for the Nikon. Otherwise 3 fps is fast enough or probably faster than most people ever need. Me included. The built in AF drive seems faster on the EOS. I didnt go through excessive testing on this one though. My testing lens (Canons cheapest prime, 50/1.8 II) focused fast and precise. Good job.
Battery
I´ve shot 3 Gigs of photos and the EOS battery still is full. The D200 wanted to be recharged after 3 GB.
Weather sealing
The EOS 5D isnt weather sealed, Canons L lenses are. The D200 is weather sealed, Nikkors are not (or "officially not"). I wouldnt trust the D200s weather sealing though (lens mount, flash). Neither would I leave my expensive glass exposed to heavy rain or dust.
Conclusion
What I´d really like to see is a canon sensor in a Nikon body. This wont happen. Judging from Image Quality alone and available professional grade lenses Canon wins for me. Back in my Nikon days people were bashing Canon for looking "plasticky" and being market leader "just because of aggressive marketing". This is rant. I do know better now.
Below are samples from my first day with the 5D and a 50/1.8 II lens around the house. (Nothing spectacular. Just some pics to illustrate this mini review...). I think all of these were shot wide open or near wide open.
Thanks for looking.
Having used both the "TIPA 2006 Best D-SLR Expert" and the "TIPA 2006 Best D-SLR Professional" I thought I´d share my impressions with the forum. If someone finds this to be interesting or helpful in any way feel free to comment.
First impression + Handling
Better design, better control layout on the D200. On / off switch at the fingertip, nice grip, solid construction. The EOS sports a strange "direct print" button next to the viewfinder (makes me wonder is this a 200$ point and shoot?), blue instead of neutral (=white) lettering. The EOS doesnt look like a 2500 EUR camera to me. Body finish is not as nice as on the Nikon. Weight is approximately the same. The Nikon has an on board flash for whatever its worth (command mode with other flashes or something). I never used the integrated flash because it didnt work with most of my lenses. Bjorn Rorslett recommends glueing the flash on the body and dont bother.
Viewfinder
Big bright finder on the EOS. This is the first digital SLR I´m able to focus manually with confidence. The D70s was tunnel vision, the D200 acceptable, not better than that.
Sensor and Image Quality
Better resolution, much (!) better detail rendering (visible in foliage in landscape shots for example), excellent high ISO performance. Where the Nikon started to get mushy at ISO 400 the 5D is crisp with film like noise at ISO 1600. Wow! Dynamic range on the CMOS Canon seems to be wider than on the Sony / Nikon CCD . With the Nikon I could expose for sky - OR - ground. The EOS manages both. Highlights roll off soft like in film. Spectacular!
Full frame vs. Crop
This is like coming home. I never liked DX. Yes, there is vignetting on a full frame camera when shooting a fast lens wide open - However, not worse than on the film cameras people used for decades. It does add to the image. If I dont want vignetting I´d shoot stopped down with a flash or high ISO. Wide angles are wide angles, a normal lens is a normal lens again including a big smooth out of focus area. If you shoot at the tele end mostly I guess Nikons crop format is just fine. Personally I like fast wide to normal primes. Nikon has NONE for their DX cameras - Instead they keep bringing 18-XXX amateur zooms every 6 months or so... Canon just released a 50/1.2 L ultrasonic prime. They also have an ultrasonic 24/1.4 and 35/1.4 + a lot of less expensive 1.8 to 2.8 primes. Considering zooms both Nikons and Canons lineup are comparable in my opinion while Canon updates their models more often.
Speed
Nikon shoots up to 5 frames per second, the EOS does 3. If speed is critical like in professional sports photography I´d go for the Nikon. Otherwise 3 fps is fast enough or probably faster than most people ever need. Me included. The built in AF drive seems faster on the EOS. I didnt go through excessive testing on this one though. My testing lens (Canons cheapest prime, 50/1.8 II) focused fast and precise. Good job.
Battery
I´ve shot 3 Gigs of photos and the EOS battery still is full. The D200 wanted to be recharged after 3 GB.
Weather sealing
The EOS 5D isnt weather sealed, Canons L lenses are. The D200 is weather sealed, Nikkors are not (or "officially not"). I wouldnt trust the D200s weather sealing though (lens mount, flash). Neither would I leave my expensive glass exposed to heavy rain or dust.
Conclusion
What I´d really like to see is a canon sensor in a Nikon body. This wont happen. Judging from Image Quality alone and available professional grade lenses Canon wins for me. Back in my Nikon days people were bashing Canon for looking "plasticky" and being market leader "just because of aggressive marketing". This is rant. I do know better now.
Below are samples from my first day with the 5D and a 50/1.8 II lens around the house. (Nothing spectacular. Just some pics to illustrate this mini review...). I think all of these were shot wide open or near wide open.
Thanks for looking.
