DSLR? Nikon or Canon?

Ok, for my first post in this year end month of December (b t w, my birthday was on last November, 29th November to be exact.. 24 years old all ready.. hee~), i'll be answering a quite similar question posted to me by my friends regarding their first DSLR choice if they want to buy a DSLR for themselves (i know, i know, i'm not a professional photographer, but they still want to ask me, how can i reject their questions.?).

"sir, want to buy DSLR, which brand is good? Nikon or Canon?"

"mana gambar cantik lagi, Nikon ke Canon?"

the above 2 questions were the most usually questioned question that my friends asked me. (yeah, my close friends called me 'sir', why? i'll tell you in my next posting..)

Now, a general introduction first before I answer their questions (and maybe yours, my readers..^.^), after 1 year owning a DSLR (u can read it here) and learning about photography, what I can say is, the brand doesn't matter.   

Nikon or Canon is not the only players in this DSLR world, they are Pentax, Panasonic, Olympus etc., but why this 2 names of Canon and Nikon are popular, maybe because of their brand are used by professionals around the world and the public knew about them (easy example: Look at the picture below. Look at their lenses; if they are white, they are Canon users, if they are black, they are Nikon users.)

Credit to: http://www.lensextender.com/sports-photography---olympics/

Because of that, we'll focus on Nikon and Canon DSLR's for the time being.

(1) Which brand is good?

The first question i'll ask them back is how much their budget are.

If their budget is not limited or maybe more then RM4000, it's up to them which brand they prefer. Nikon or Canon, doesn't matter. Just go the store, try them. Which one is more comfortable to hold, user-friendly etc. Since I'm a Nikonian, i'll recommend Nikon D90 (now it's around RM3300 with the kit lens) and the balance, buy the AF 50mm F1.8D lens for around RM400+ OR a Nissin speedlight/flash and walla, u have a good kit to start your photography journey or hobby. 

Then, what if you have a strict budget to follow, maybe around RM2000, then i'll recommend buying a Canon. Why? Because Nikon's entry level DSLRs (D5000 and below) have some restrictions if compared to Canon's. What are the restrictions?

• Nikon's entry level DSLR's doesn't have autofocus motor in their camera body. Thus, will limit some lenses to only use manual focus. As a beginner (me myself), u'll will depend on autofocus most of the time. Thus, your selection of lenses if u want to upgrade or buy a new lens is limited and costly. You'll need Nikon AF-S lenses to have that autofocus ability when using your camera. The AF 50mm F1.8D lens I mentioned above needed a motor on the camera body to enable u to autofocus. Although most lenses in Nikon line-up are now AF-S, but some of them are not in our reach in terms of the price.

• Nikon's entry level DSLR's also doesn't have some original Nikon accessories to be used with the DSLR. As example, battery grip. My D5000 doesn't have an original Nikon battery grip (to extend your camera life since u'll use 2 batteries in the battery grip and for better ergonomics when shooting in portrait orientation or using telephoto lenses), but a 3rd party battery grip. Nikon doesn't manufacture battery grips for the entry level models.

These 2 restrictions, for me, warrants a good excuse why I prefer Canon if u're on a limited budget.

When using Canon, u'll have no problems if u want to upgrade or buy a new lens. Their lenses have an autofocus motor in themselves. So, u can use autofocus in all Canon bodies, regarding it is the most expansive one or it is the cheapest one.

Regarding the accessories like a battery grip, Canon do manufacture battery grips for their entry level models unlike Nikon. Thus, u'll have a perfect match and ergonomics for your body and battery grip.

 Conclusion:

• no budget constraints, either Nikon or Canon
• if budget is less RM3000 or below, take Canon (EOS 1000D with kit lens)
• so, if u want to commit to Nikon, start with D90 to have full lens and accessories compatibilities

(2) picture quality

here, it's up to u. there are many sample pictures in the internet using both Nikon and Canon systems. thus, it's up to ur eyes to see which brand is better in terms of their quality and color. 

For me, the question 'which picture is better' is irrelevant if u're using DSLR (i'm talking about in a usual condition/casual photography. Forget about the quality in high ISO's, resolution, megapixels etc. Treat the question as a comparison using compact camera and DSLRs.)

I love the Nikon's color renditions as compared to Canon. For me, my Nikon D5000 gives a punchier color in my pictures when compared to Canon EOS 500D. But, as I said, it's up to ur personal preferences. Some will prefer Canon's color, some will prefer Nikon's.

Conclusion:

• both brand, Canon and Nikon will give u a good picture quality.

All of these comparisons are from my experiences, readings and research. There are actually many more factors to consider, but for beginners, i think this 2 factors are the most important when thinking on which brand to get in into. 

But, the main thing is, get information and a hands-on explanation from anyone who have experience in photography. Just by reading, sometimes u'll not get the whole picture.

Maybe an equally good advice is, try to buy and use a second-hand DSLR (but make sure that the used DSLR u're buying is still in good condition) to learn and explore the functions of a DSLR. You'll have more value in mony and at the same time, learning to use them. 

Find what is your preferences in photography i.e landscapes, potraits, weddings, macro etc. Each preferences have their own photography kits, body, lenses etc. After that, then maybe u'll invest in a good, new DSLR.

"Enjoy your photography!"

disclaimer: this posting is from my own experience and research. i've made an effort to present my writing as accurate as possible. please, DO NOT refer to this article ONLY when trying to decide. find as much as u can any info and most importantly, ask and have someone to explain to you hands-on. take this article as an advice from a friend to a friend, not a technical advice. I'll not take responsibility if any damage has been done from this article.