Shutterstock Photographer Forum :: View topic - Nikon or Canon question

AmeeC · Joined: 22 Mar 2005 Posts: 385

Right now I have a NIkon D200. I like it, but it's not as sharp as I would like it to be. For years, I blamed myself, but after a while I realized that if I am using a tripod with a wireless trigger, it's probably not me. Well, not all the time.

I take photos of my kids doing their sports mostly. I love to take pictures of nature as well. Since I can't manually focus fast enough, I use the auto-focus (which I think must not be very accurate) while taking sporting pictures.

Here is my question (or questions)...

I cannot afford to buy a Nikon D3, so if I buy another Nikon, would the D300s AF be better than the one I have now? Should I stick with Nikon and just buy the next version? Does the next version have a better AF?

Should I move to Canon? I have heard that Canons are better for sports. Would the AF be better on it? I know someone makes an adapter for Nikon lenses to fit on Canon cameras, so would that work? Can I keep my Nikon lenses (I have some e3xpenseive lenses)or does the adapter cause problems?

Thanks for any help I can get and please add anything else you can think of!

Amee

BTW - I am not looking for the better camera war as I believe they both have their strong points, I am looking for the better camera to use for my situation.

thartl · Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 910

I shoot canon and shoot alot of sports. That being said, I still have a few images being OOF in the end. Sometimes it focuses on AISERVO and I press the shutter the remainder and the athlete has moved out of the focal range. It is all a timing issue.

I am not sure switching cameras is the answer - there are people who shoot NIKON for sports. Sports are hard - it takes alot of practice to get to know 1. the game, 2. the equipment.

Do you have an AISERVO mode? (I actually found for subjects moving across the frame that just a simple AF works great, but for subjects moving into the frame AISERVO works really well.)

turboal1960 · Joined: 11 Dec 2008 Posts: 812 Location: Argentina

I’m not Nikon, but have friends that get very sharp result with the D200. Lot of people here are happy D200 users.

What lenses do you use?

At the end, the image is product of a) The photographer and his photographic skills and own equipment knowledge. b) The glass) c) The sensor of the camera d) the post processing.

In all the steps you can improve. In all the steps you can know the weakness and take the image, for instance, using the best F stop of your lens, if it is not sharp in all the possible apertures.

The tripod is other thing. Have to be study and heavy. Mirror lock-up is a must if you are testing a lens.

The auto focus is more accurate in fast lenses and in high contrast situations.

Canon? I read here that some Canon cameras manage very well the noise at High ISO setting. CMOS sensors probably manages better the noise than CCD ones. But CCD has better resolution at low ISO. So, probably it is related with kind of sensor and not with trademark.

I like your kids’ images.

(Just the opinion of somebody that uses a Pentax K200, a consumer zoom, two good primes and 30 years old manual focus glass. Take a look of my little port).

vclements · Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 4:34 pm

The D300 has 51 point AF. It actually make AF usable.
As already asked - what glass are you shooting.

If you are shooting cheap glass, changing bodies won't do a thing.

bigrock · Joined: 15 Aug 2008 Posts: 347

I would like to ask some things first.

What lenses do you use? Do you shoot raw?
Lens quality has top priority. Shooting Raw (or raw+jpg) means you're recording max quality.
Are your images softer than possible because of a cheap UV filter for proctection maybe?
Maybe you do have an AF problem with some lenses? Front- or backfocus?
I don't have that much trouble with sharpness of my D200.

Maybe no super image, but razorsharp. D200/18-70

D700/70-300AFS, maybe an option as a replacement for your d200?

Does the AF setting you have chosen do what you think/expect?
There are a lot of settings that influence AF actions and response.

I think there are others that can explain this better than I can.
I only recently exchanged D2x for a D700, and the AF is great, better than the D200, only thing that's strange, loads of AF point, but too concentrated compared to the D300.

As for Canons... We have an A70... But I believe that have some competent camera's, but not for me.

Some Canon fan will tell you his side of the story.

Dennis[/img]

pharm · Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 9344 Location: Never quite sure

For what it's worth, I mainly use a D200 as well. If I use a good lens, the images are razor sharp. It's all about your glass, not the camera. Agree with the above statements; changing bodies won't help if you don't have good glass.

davidcrehner · Joined: 20 Jul 2005 Posts: 4839

Just want to add to the good glass chime here: good glass is not only sharp, but it can also be fast- or slow-focusing.

Should be possible to get tack sharp with good glass and just about any modern dSLR, if you know what you're doing.

camdoc3 · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 10:44 am

AmeeC · Joined: 22 Mar 2005 Posts: 385

Thanks so much for all the replies. I really appresciate them.
I don't use all Nikon glass, but I still like the Sigma 70-200mm 2.8 lens that I use most of the time. Recently (in the last 8 months) I bought a Tokina 28-75mm 2.8 that I am not too impressed with.
I use a Manfrotto tripod and ball head, so the tripod is not the problem. I never thought of the filter... Any suggestions on UV filters to try? I do shoot Raw + jpg. I assumed it was the AF, because I don't seem to have the same problems with stationary objects - like the kids in my photos,lol.

I still want to buy another body, because right now, I only have the one body. I just want to make sure I get the right one. With two bodies, maybe I can convince my husband to shoot with me:)

Thanks again!

vclements · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 12:00 pm

Your two biggest problems are Sigma and Tokina.
You need to invest in good glass. Sigma and Tokina both manufacture useless toys, not real glass.

Don't buy another body. Sell that other junk for whatever you can get for them.
If you want a 70-200 2.8, Nikon's VR is around $1800.
Great glass!!!
If that is not in the budget, you can get a used non VR for around $600 US.
I have used both the non VR and the VR versions and they are both great glass.

SO....the D200 is not at fault.
Sigma and Tokina are both synonymous with crap.

bigrock · Joined: 15 Aug 2008 Posts: 347

vclements · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 4:49 pm

davidcrehner · Joined: 20 Jul 2005 Posts: 4839

The best UV filter is an OEM lens hood. :-) (Modern lenses all have UV coatings, anyway.)

AmeeC · Joined: 22 Mar 2005 Posts: 385

Thanks for all the help! I will try them all. But the lens may have to wait a while. I will see if I can borrow one for a couple of days.

Thanks!!!!

kropewnicki · Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 12:57 pm

Don't bother with UV filters. A waste of money.

Use the lens cap to protect your lens.