Canon vs. Nikon

I get a lot of questions from people on what camera equipment they should buy. There's a lot of choice out there, and it can get very confusing trying to read through all the features and make a good choice.

In terms of SLRs, a lot of the decision can be simplified if you already have lenses you like. If you have good Canon or Nikon lenses, stay in the family, and continue to use your investment. Then it's a question of choosing the right body, which is a function of the features you need and price.

This is pretty much down to digital only these days as film is mostly dead - or certainly not prevalent in the consumer or advanced amateur ranks.

Personally, I use Canon. I'm on my second Canon digital SLR, the Canon 5D. I had an investment in Canon already, so it was an easy choice to stay with Canon. The 5D is a very high end advanced amateur camera (one level down from true pro). One of the unique aspects to the 5D is the full 35mm sensor size - which means that a lens used on the 5D will look the same as if it were used on a 35mm film camera. This is an important distinction because most digital cameras have a cropping (multiplier) effect because the digital sensor is smaller than a piece of 35mm film. This is mostly an issue with wide angle photography, but it can make a big difference in your photo results.

What this really underscores is that to make a good camera choice, you need to decide what type of shooting you want to do. There are a lot of great point 'n shoot cameras with non-interchangeable lenses these days (Canon Powershot S5 IS). If you want something you can just grab and shoot, this is a great way to go! Great results, no fuss!

If you want to change lenses, use different apertures, and have true creative control, then choose an SLR. Then look at your subject - people, landscapes, sports, etc. and try to narrow down the features you need. Fast shutter speed? The ability to shoot several frames per second (important for sports)? Lens choices?

Once you break it all down, it becomes a lot easier.

Also, do some research. Great sites on the web, including: http://www.dpreview.com