Which Camera : Nikon or Canon

Canon vs. Nikon - which one? It's a common question that comes up when consumers are comparing digital SLR cameras.
These two companies were the first to make the leap from film to digital, and their initial presence in the market make them the dominant players.
Today Canon and Nikon constantly battle for the top spot in the SLR market, while Olympus, Pentax, Sony, Panasonic and Sigma duke it out for a position in third.
If you pay attention to the digital SLR press releases, you'll notice a pattern: when either Canon or Nikon announce a new camera designed to capture some niche aspect of the market, the other company is soon to release a camera to compete.
This page is designed to help you get a handle on the current state of Canon vs. Nikon digital SLR cameras, with a focus on consumer SLRs, not those made for professionals.

Entry-Level Level Cameras

Let's begin with an introduction to the cameras that get a lot of attention: those geared toward beginning digital SLR photographers.
These cameras are simple: they aren't cluttered with a lot of buttons and features that can be overwhelming for novices.
Instead, they are optimized to produce clear, bright, colorful images whether you use them in full AUTO mode or leverage some of the manual settings.
Canon has two cameras in this this category, while Nikon has three (although the D40x has been discontinued and is hard to find):

Canon

Camera	Release Date
Rebel xTi (400D)	October 2006
Rebel XS (1000D)	August 2008

Nikon

Camera	Release Date
Nikon D40	December 2006
Nikon D40x	April 2007
Nikon D60	March 2008

Let's take a quick comparative look at the Canon Rebel XS and the Nikon D60, since these are the latest cameras in this category from each manufacturer.

	Canon XS	Nikon D60
Megapixels	10.1	10.2
Max Speed	3 photos/sec	3 photos/sec
Autofocus Points	7	3
ISO Range	100 - 1600	100 - 3200
Max Shutter Speed	1/4000	1/4000
LCD Size	2.5 in.	2.5 in.
Dust Control
Image Stabilization
Live View
Extra Dynamic Range
Dimensions	5.0x3.9x2.6in 126x98x65mm	5.0x3.7x2.5in 126x94x64mm
Weight	17.7oz (502g)	18.4oz (522g)

These cameras have a lot in common, and for me it's a bit of a tie in terms of features and performance.
While you are certainly welcome to try to determine which one has better "image quality" (an imprecise term that is the result of a variety of camera settings), experience using and reviewing photos from a wide range of both Canon and Nikon cameras has demonstrated to me that the photos captured by SLRs from both manufacturers are exceptional.
Since the cameras themselves are so similar I'm going to talk about something completely different: lenses.
One big difference between the Rebel XS and the Nikon D60 is that the Nikon D60 is NOT 100% backwards-compatible with older Nikon lenses — while the Rebel XS works just fine with a large number of Canon and third-party lenses.
If you try to use a lens on the Nikon D60 that does not include AF-I or AF-S (internal focusing motors) autofocus won't work - you'll have to focus manually.
So what does this mean for you - the consumer photographer?
It impacts both the flexibility and price of owning a camera like this for the long term:

• Flexibility - if at some point in the future you decide you'd like a nice specialty lens (for wildlife or closeups or architecture), your choices with the D60 will be limited (if you'd also like the lens to autofocus)
• Cost - with the Rebel XS, you can purchase any Canon lens you like, or you can also choose from a wide range of compatible third-party lenses that are often much cheaper - with the Nikon D60, your potential for finding a good deal on a lens is reduced, snce very few third-party manufacturers make lenses that have their own focusing motors

So a lot of your decision about which of these two cameras to get comes down to how you intend to use the camera in the future and how you plan to upgrade.
If you think that you'll replace BOTH camera and lens when you upgrade, then either the Rebel XS or the Nikon D60 will work fine. If you'd like to build up a collection of lenses (without spending a forture) that you can continue to use on future cameras, then the Rebel XS is the better choice.

Intermediate Cameras

The next stage of the Canon vs. Nikon battle are the cameras geared toward photographers who have some experience taking photos with SLR cameras (either film or digital).
The cameras in this category often bridge the gap between the entry-level cameras and those designed with more professional photographers in mind.
Currently, there are two Canons and two Nikons in this category:

Canon

Camera	Release Date
Rebel XSi (450D)	April 2008
Rebel T1i (500D)	June 2009

Nikon

Camera	Release Date
Nikon D90	September 2008
Nikon D5000	May 2009

Let's compare the Rebel T1i 500D with the Nikon D5000:

	Canon T1i	Nikon D5000
Megapixels	15.1	12.3
Continuous Speed	3.4 photos/sec	4 photos/sec
Autofocus Points	9	11
ISO Range	100 - 12800	100 - 6400
Max Shutter Speed	1/4000	1/4000
LCD Size	3.0 in.	2.7 in.
Dust Control
Image Stabilization
Live View
Extra Dynamic Range
Flip LCD
Movie Mode	HD 1080p	HD 720p
Dimensions	5.1x 3.9x2.4in 129x98x92mm	5.2x4.1x3.0in 132x104x76mm
Weight	18.5oz (524g)	21oz (595g)

These two cameras really are on a pretty even footing.
Some of the big differences include:

Feature	Difference	Analysis
Video Mode	T1i (500D): 1080p D5000: 720p	While the T1i can capture higher resolution video be aware that this will create humongous file sizes. Sure, you can play back videos at home, but uploading them to share online will take HOURS.
LCD Screen	T1i (500D): No flip, High Resolution D5000: Flip, Lower Resolution	The LCD on the D5000 flips out from the camera body and rotates - great for high and low angle shots. However, if you don't take a lot of photos from bizarre angles, then the higher resolution screen on the T1i will display images that are clearer and a better color match to what you will eventually see on your computer monitor.
ISO Range	T1i (500D): 100 - 12800 D5000: 100 - 6400	Sure, you can boost the ISO on the T1i into the stratosphere, but the amount of digital noise at settings higher than 6400 will definitely affect image quality. Very high ISO settings are most useful when you take photos of moving subjects in near dark.

Pro-Sumer Cameras

In the pool of digital SLR camera buyers, there's a cluster of advanced amateurs — they are also called "Professional Consumers" or Pro-Sumers for short.
Pro-Sumers are looking for a bit more functionality from their cameras than what's offered by the true consumer models, and they're willing to pay more for increased image control.
What sets the pro-sumer cameras apart from the others is their sheer speed.
Most digital SLR cameras are capable of capturing about three consecutive photos per second - and this is just fine for anyone passionate about landscapes and portraits.
But action junkies need a bit more from their digital SLR - the ability to rapidly capture several consecutive frames for that one action shot that is a real winner.

The minimum consecutive capture speed of cameras in this class is 5 photos per second (the maximum - if you're curious - is 8 per second).

Paired with this impressive speed are advanced autofocus systems, and about a hundred different ways to customize the camera to suit your specific shooting style.

Canon

Camera	Release Date
40D	September 2007
50D	September 2008

Nikon

Camera	Release Date
Nikon D200	November 2005
Nikon D300	November 2007

Here's the comparison of the two latest models:

	Canon 50D	Nikon D300
Megapixels	15.1	12.3
Continuous Speed	6.3 photos/sec	6 photos/sec
Autofocus Points	9	51
ISO Range	100 - 12800	100 - 6400
Max Shutter Speed	1/8000	1/8000
LCD Size	3.0 in.	3.0 in.
Dust Control
Image Stabilization
Live View
Extra Dynamic Range
Dimensions	5.8x4.3x2.9in 146x108x74mm	5.8x4.5x2.9in 146x114x74mm
Weight	29oz (822g)	32.6oz (925g)

Once you get up to this level of camera, the question of which one to get - Canon vs. Nikon - is less about comparing features and more about name recognition.
I've talked to enough people interested in digital SLR cameras to realize that they often have a built-in bias about one company.
Some people lean toward Canon because it is such a prominent name in the industry (and because they also have a wide range of very popular compact cameras) while those that have used Nikon gear in the past are firm that they will never switch brands.
Both companies are well aware of this brand loyalty, so the cameras that are available in this category satisfy the needs of the most demanding photographers.
If you're fanatic about Canon cameras, then the 50D has all the features that you could ever need to capture stunning images. Those who lean toward Nikon should be blissfully happy with the D300 in hand.
I will state one personal difference that I have found working with these cameras: if you are interested (now or in the future) of taking a lot of photos using flash instead of natural light, then go with Nikon.
Nikon has done a great deal of work to ensure that their cameras communicate well with their flashes - something Nikon calls the "Creative Lighting System" or CLS for short.
With relatively little fussing, you can quickly set up three independent wireless light sources, and you're able to control the amount of light output from each flash directly from the camera.
While you can certainly achieve the same effects with a Canon digital SLR it takes more gear, costs more and doesn't have quite the same plug-and-play simplicity of the Nikon system.