Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/07/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I've never heard Canons macro system being better than Nikon! I never head of Canon's macro reputation at all! I do hear everywhere the awesome reputation of the Nikon 60, 105 and 200 as well as there 85 shift macro and the innovative 70-180mm f/4.5-5/6D AF ED Micro Zoom Nikkor. And I'm not on the Nikon list I'm talking about my collective hippocampus? (woof) Are the Canon VR lenses a little better than Nikon? Nikon's came out THIS YEAR. I think they'll keep working on it. Sure Canon undoubtedly has a key patent but Nikon always finds a way. It was also only in the last 12 months than Nikon started having the internal focussing silent wave leones not be only on select high price pro lenses but on consumer based lenses as well. In other words all of them. These are often the G lenses without the aperture ring. A good reason to move to Canon! (no aperture rings from day one) Dragging on the higher technologies reminds us of who? if you don't have upside down typeface your's will be right side up: (ROLLEI) (LEICA)! Nikon come into AF a year late and with the motors not in the lenses. Although Nikon seems to be always playing a game of catch up with Canon it does do it and with pickles and mustard to spare. And occasionally Nikon actually thinks of something BEFORE Canon or anybody does. My friend last week was shooting real estate for a group that was paying by the house. All week. He stared out with the 28 shift lens but they didn't need it. It could all be fixed in Photoshop if needed anyway (I'm quite good at doing that by the way). So he shot the rest of the week with the ubiquitous 17-35mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S Zoom-Nikkor. Architectural work with a zoom not that's something But then again it's being done in 35mm format so who knows? >I'm not overly thrilled the 60mm f/2.8D AF Micro-Nikkor I got last week >not being AF-S ED-IF. And how quaint of them to leave the aperture ring >on! I guess i can use this on my FM or FE-2 then. Cameras made twenty to >twenty fives years ago. It sounds like there is a little plastic robot >in there but ten years ago they sounded like metal munching plastic >robots whose batteries were about to go. > >"The 600 series had rubber skin. We spotted them easy. But these are >new. They look human. Sweat, bad breath, everything. Very hard to spot. >I had to wait till he moved on you before I could zero him." Terminator 1 > >During the reign of the Nikon F4 Canon became perceived as >innovationally ahead of Nikon with it's white lenses and it's ads on TV >in which high profile types of photographers (news, sports) seen with >those white lenses. Nikon's image languished along with its slow >motorless lenes. <But you could rent "blow up" and watch the guy with his black painted >Nikons become the Bach, Shakespeare and/or Michael Jordan of modern >(1969) cool. >It proved remarkably easy to overcome Nikons collected reputation as the >top SLR. >The Die hard Nikon people didn't die very hard. The just rolled over, >coughed and spit out some Canon parts. > >They herded together and flung themselves off a nice soft cliff. As my >pappy used to tell me it's not the fall the kills you. >But using a Canon F1 in the 80's was like driving a Saab. You kind of >had to wear a different color scheme then the Add people and Oh maybe >use a cigarette holder or other uncelebrated accoutrements. Various >erratic hats and slogans which were impossible to "get".. >You have an image of one that does not follow the crowd. But lives under >the sidewalk. > >I got that feeling now shooting both Leicas and Nikons. Like I've blazed >my own trial. >Which is where they got the name "trailblazers" from i guess. >Except isn't basketball team all about teamwork? I guess the name is appropriate. >I'd think a Golfer could blaze their own trial. No forget that one. How >silly of me. You have to stay on the COURSE. >Or you find yourself in the ROUGH to the JUNGLE. From the FRINGE to the FROGHAIR. > >Not so with shooting digital. > >Mark Rabiner >Portland, Oregon USA >http://www.rabinergroup.com Mark It's rather curious to find this matter on the Leica list while is very common in Nikon/Canon lists. I've decided to participate as I believe I a in a good position for giving an objective opinion as I'm a user of Nikon (9 SLRs and 30 lenses) from the first F to last F5 but, besides, from the launching of first AF(EOS 650) I'm too a user of Canon (4 SLRs and 13 lenses). So I think I can give you my thoughts. They are not based on scientific tests but in daily use. Concerning the bodies Canon has a more modern approach and using them is more as computers but, when used to, is not very difficult; however a traditional user feel better with a F5 as it's more like always used to be. Finally both F5 and 1V do their work perfectly and are outstanding photographic tools. Concerning lenses and after many years of using them my idea is that, generally speaking, Canon has been much more worried about sharpness and it's a little bit ahead while Nikon has managed slightly better the distortion. Canon has excellent primes like 24 and 35mm f1.4 and 85mm f1.2 but the 28mm f1.4 from Nikon is a marvel. On the big "big trumpets" I find the Canon is a little bit ahead as with them the stabilization has a strong sense ann in the zoom side the 17-35mm f2.8 Nikon is, again in my opinion, better than 16-35mm Canon, while the 28-70 (now the 24-70 while this one is not yet in my stable) is clearly superior to the Nikon one. The 70-200 Canos was a little better to the Nikon equivalent but, again, I've not yet got the new stabilized one so I cannot coment on this Nikon zoom and the Canon 100-400 is, by far, better than 80-400. Nevertheless the new 24-120 AFS VR from Nikon seems to be "the" travel lens. I have the old one and, not a thunder of sharpness, it's a great trip lens.Few makros at homes but the old Nikon 55mm f3.5 is astounding. Concerning perspective control lenses I finad the Canon 24mm L TS f3.5 to be more practical if not better than 28 and 35mm Nikon. So? Every of ther two system is wonderful. Starting from nothing, now, I'll go for Canon. On the digital arena you need to go to the system where you have athe more lenses. Again starting from zero Canon without the shadow of a doubt. The Canon EOS 1Ds, however his problems, is the most important launching in the photographic field from many, many years. In a couple of month you'll have a DSLR EOS for less tha 1.500 ˆ with a standard zoom. The EOS 10D, again with some starting issues, it's an excellent camera. None of the lenses from both manufacturers can beat a leica lens (from M system and some of the R) full open. At f8 it`s another story.It`s really hard to find strong differences. All the above is just my personal opinion. Kind regards Felix PS Just in case someone would be interested in sharing my long experience in these systems can contact me, beeing a OT subject, through private email - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html