Nearly every time I go photograph an event, someone wanting to get into photography sees me with a rather large camera and asks, “So you use Canon? Is it better than the rest?” or “Don’t you know Nikon is better?” People seem to have a very set idea that one must be better than the other. That’s just not how it works.
Typically those who bring this up with me are fairly surprised when I say that there really isn’t a quality difference between them.
If there was a clear and distinct difference making a brand responsible for the No. 1 camera in the world, then every professional would use that brand and it would not be split like it is in the field.
There are only a few reasons why I chose to buy Canon and most of those reasons are not relevant anymore or relevant to other people.
To start, I would like to preface that a Nikon was actually the second DSLR that I owned. I thought Nikon was the best thing in the world and didn’t understand why anyone in their right mind would ever shoot anything else because, obviously, Nikon was the best.
I then started working for a company, Malinda Julien Photography, that used Canon. Believe it or not, the images were just as good as the images from a Nikon. And believe it or not, the camera did not bite when I picked it up to use at work.
I had only just started getting into photography, so I did not have a wide variety of lenses to use with my Nikon. The company I worked had lenses, but they were only compatible with Canons. In order to use the lenses they had, I would need a Canon camera, so I sold my Nikon and purchased a Canon body. Thus begun my long relationship with Canon.
The only other reason I was convinced to move to Canon is not even an argument anymore. Canon has something called Canon Professional Services. The service is for those who have purchased several thousand-dollars worth of Canon equipment and get free cleanings, equipment loans, repair discounts and on-site servicing. I wanted to be a part of this program to have the perks. At the time of my switch, Nikon did not have an equivalent, but if I understand properly, Nikon now offers a professional resource like Canon Professional Services.
Canon or Nikon both produce beautiful images, there is no doubt to that. The question really comes down to personal preference. Do you personally prefer one interface over the other? Do you know someone with one that would be willing to share their equipment?
Asking which one is better is the same question as asking what brand do you use. There isn’t a good answer.
Richard Hirst is a senior journalism major from Durant, Okla. He is the photo editor for the Lariat.
