Fraser Speirs Cocoa and Photos

Dual Systems and Cameras as Computers

James Duncan Davidson writes:

Not having a single answer isn’t all that surprising. In fact, having an easy answer for a period of time when it comes to digital SLRs may have been a fluke of history. … The design decisions made by the camera makers are producing really good results in some areas with compromises in others. This means that sometimes Canon is going to be the right tool, other times Nikon.

The problem I have is that my own photography takes me into situations where I want the best of both worlds. I’d really like Canon to provide solutions that cover the full range of what I do, and many of my posts of late have reflected that point of view. I could wait another year or two, or even three for Canon to produce the camera I’d like them to make, but I have more immediate needs.

Could we all just agree on this? Think of the time and effort we would save by dropping the endless and unresolvable Canon vs. Nikon debate.

I’ll be interested to see how Duncan gets on. More than any megapixel count or other technical factor, it will be interesting to see how a dual-system shooter copes with avoiding mode errors: Canon’s button is here, but Nikon puts a totally different button in the same place. How easy is it to flip the brain into Canon Mode or Nikon Mode?

Canon EOS 30D, Canon EF-S 10-22mm @ 13mm
1/1250 @ f/8, ISO 200

For my photography, the Canon EOS 30D has been an absolutely stellar performer. I’ve lost the precise count, but I think it now has around 70,000 shutter actuations on the clock. It has almost never let me down. I don’t have a pressing need to go to another manufacturer.

Sure, I would love to pick up Duncan’s used 1D MkII, but I keep coming back to my Cameras-as-Computers question: “is it better to update your prosumer model every time it’s upgraded, or to buy a high end model and keep it for years?”. I’m almost at the point where I can justify upgrading my 30D to the newly-released 50D, but I’m in no hurry. In any case, the release of the iPhone SDK this year destroyed any spare time I had over the summer to do photography.

Do you see the 50D as an upgrade? I know it’s supposed to be a good camera, but what will you actually gain from “sideways”-grading to it, why not upgrade to a camera more with a bit more umph, like the 5D?

I have a Nikon D80 and whilst it’s an ok camera that’s never let me down, the D90/D300 don’t seem to give me a lot more than what I’ve already got, (i’m not interested in video). If a camera like the D700/5D gives better responsiveness, better weather proofing and more importantly better picture quality, then perhaps its time to take the next next up.

anyway, just brain dumping (sorry).

The 50D is an upgrade in the sense that it incorporates the latest advances in Canon’s sensor and imaging technologies. It has things like DIGIC 4, Highlight Tone Priority, lower high-ISO noise, the dust filter system and so on, that the 30D doesn’t have.

I’m not desperate to upgrade to a 5D because it’s significantly more expensive. Upgrading would also mean that I had to replace my beloved 10-22mm EF-S lens.

More than any megapixel count or other technical factor, it will be interesting to see how a dual-system shooter copes with avoiding mode errors: Canon’s button is here, but Nikon puts a totally different button in the same place. How easy is it to flip the brain into Canon Mode or Nikon Mode?

Totally. I’m looking forward to some of Duncan’s observations on this. My main reason for choosing Nikon a while back came down to handling and especially the UI. I know that some people prefer the UI - especially on the X0D and up, where you have the big back wheel - but there are quite a few fairly significant differences, not just in the LCD menus, but actually in defaults of handling: the priority of the wheels, push-then-turn versus hold-and-turn, right down to the direction you rotate the lens for focus and zoom.

I think most of this is workable-around, especially so if you’re shooting high volumes with all your cameras, but it’s going to be interesting to see what adaptation looks like. As with everything else, it is likely going to come down to the compromises you are happiest with as a user - and dual-system is just another such compromise.

(Incidentally - I think the answer to is it better to update your prosumer model every time it’s upgraded, or to buy a high end model and keep it for years? might be “buy a high-enough end model and keep it for as long as possible“. I’ve moved to a D90 from a D50, and whilst that might not sound stellar, the difference is vast - the upgrades in handling are probably my favourite parts, and the new sensor is incredible.

The problem with digital is that rather than replacing our “film” at the end of every reel, we hold it onto it for as long as we can until it’s obselete. I’m hoping that the current generation of sensors will last well - for still photography, at least. I’m certainly exceptionally happy with the high-ISO performance - yes, there’s noise, but it’s much more pleasant noise than before. I’m planning on keeping this body for much longer, and making my next investments in lenses. Or, at least, I hope I’m hanging onto it for longer; who can predict the future any more?