Why Canon is a Better Pro Camera System Than Nikon

L-series Lens Line

I went to the Learnfest Photography Workshop for portrait photographers September 09 and most of the photographers were running around with a Nikon system. This peaked my curiosity.I had never really handled a Nikon before. When I was going to school at the International Academy of Design and Technology in Tampa, FL for my Digital Photography Degree, everyone had Canons. Canon was able to uplink to the Capture One processing program, and was recommended by all the staff (who are photographers current in their field). There was a student here and there with Nikon, but generally it was considered the bad apple and none of us Canon users went near them.

I was fascinated to see the amount of Nikon users at the workshop. I grabbed a Nikon from a photographer I had befriended during the workshop thus far. I have to admit I was bedazzled by the giant screen on the back. I'm using an older version on the Canon Mark series with a comparatively microscopic screen. When handling this I experienced the same giddiness of when I handled the newer Canon Mark series camera. Overall controls and handling were similar and some functions were a bit harder to figure out, but from this first handling Nikon appeared to be on the same level as Canon. Was I missing out on something? Why were so many photographers using Nikon? Should I make the switch?

Upon my arrival back home after the workshop I began some research. I talked to other photographers, Canon and Nikon users, to find out what they viewed as pros and cons of their camera system. I also began looking at products: Nikon bodies and lenses that were comparable to my current bag full of goodies. It was then that I realized there was nothing Nikon made that was comparable to my current lenses. I am an L series junkie (L lenses are Canons pro lens series).

Nikon has no professional lens line. Their lenses are by far less expensive than Canons, which in professional photography is not a good thing. Less expensive means less durable, which equals a shorter lens life. Though I have not had the experience of shooting with Nikon Lenses, with Canon less expensive also means lower quality photographs. I have come to the conclusion that Nikon users have chosen their camera system based on price. Their camera bodies are slightly less expensive than their Canon counterparts, and their lenses are all by far less expensive.

One of the first things I was taught in school, while purchasing my first set of photography tools, is that the quality of the lens is the most important thing. Don't skimp on lenses.