Cheese

I've enjoyed reading this forum for a while, but this is my first post.

Most of us are "committed" to one brand (Canon, Nikon, Sony, or whatever), because over the years we have accumulated a lot of equipment from that manufacturer. Also, perhaps to a lesser extent, because the layout and menus don't challenge our comfort zone. What I'm curious about is how/why did you originally choose the brand you did?

In my case it was total ignorance. Back in the '80s I lived in England, and was visiting NYC as a tourist. I had a cheap point and shoot which was stolen from my hotel room. We passed a camera shop and I thought I'd pop in and buy another cheap point and shoot. The salesperson convinced me to buy an SLR, and I walked out with a Canon TX. When the digital age dawned, I briefly switched to a Kodak since DSLRs were then outside my price range. When Canon introduced the Digital Rebel and priced it at $999, I jumped back to Canon. Since then I've had the 20D, 50D, and finally graduated to the 5D. Strangely, I've never even considered switching brands when its time to upgrade!

What's your story?

Hal81 Loc: Bucks County, Pa.

I would be happy with any Camera as long as it met my needs. Now I have Nikon only because I have all Nikon gear and it would not benefit me to change. So I say what ever floats your boat. As long as it works for you stick with it.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Story...., we've got to have a story??? LoL
First, Cheese, welcome to the Hog!!!
I'll skip all the early years. Fast forward to 08 and i had realized what I already knew, that only a big DSLR, could do the job of a big DSLR.
So I started researching brands, hell bent on getting a Nikon D200! But as I researched lenses, the big Nikon's were still being made in a cave somewhere in Japan and didn't even have the coveted VR/IS sooo needed for the big lenses.
Then I looked at speed. Canon made a 50 1.0 and 1.2, and 1.4 AND a 200 1.8, wow, how awesome is that?!!? Then I found out Nikon couldn't make those because their mount was ancient and too small.
Then I found out that Canon made big printers(read BIG PRINTERS LOL) that could print straight from a Canon Raw file, and papers and ink, perfectly matched to go with them, and Nikon had NONE!
And Canon's CPS is sooo awesome, it has no equal! Zippo!!!
So for me it was NO ACCIDENT. Yes, I was a little disapointed that I wouldn't have that D200 like my buddies had! Eat your hearts out buddies! LoL
SS

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

I shot with a Nikon F2 in the seventies.
That is why I shoot with Nikons today. Pretty simple.

Bill_de Loc: US

My first system cameras were Pentax. One reason was Pentax had a professional grade camera, good lenses, and they were located a few miles from my house if I needed anything. When they started 'miniaturizing' their bodies to compete with Olympus everything started to feel flimsy. It was a choice of Nikon or Canon. I went with Nikon because Melville was close to home and Canon was in NJ. In the early days of digital a lot of my friends went to Canon as they were far ahead of the curve in many ways. They also had a lot more problems with their cameras than those of us with the various versions of the Nikon D1.

Fast forward to today and both Canon and Nikon owners I know are all pretty happy with their decisions.

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jmvaugh Loc: Albuquerque

i just recently got back into photography. My first SLR was a Yashica, which I bought in 1981. I learned the basics but didn't know how to process film and didn't have a darkroom so learning photography with film was expensive and pretty frustrating. I did get to borrow a Canon 35mm for a short time and enjoyed the layout and control but I preferred aperature priority instead of Canon's shutter priority. In 2006 I did a bit of research and decided to get a Canon Rebel XT with a kit lens. My friends were using Nikons but I learned the layout and the feel of my camera. Bought some lenses and a speed light and used my old tripod from film days.

I just recently retired and decided to upgrade the camera. Seriously I wanted the same layout but much newer sensor, image processor, more AF points and options. My lenses weren't FF so I chose a Canon mid-level crop sensor, the 80D. I'm delighted with my camera and again bought David Busch's book on the 80D.

Looking ahead I've been debating about slowly purchasing FF EF lenses refurbed or used but don't know if my next camera will be a FF DSLR or mirrorless. I did just read that Canon was developing a FF mirrorless which will use EF lenses in 2018. So I can slowly buy the lenses I want and down the road get a FF camera either DSLR or mirrorless.

repleo Loc: Boston

If photographers were as loyal to their spouses as they are to their camera brands, the divorce rate would be cut in half.

wmurnahan Loc: Bloomington IN

I'm a Sony man only because I could use the Canon FD lenses I bought in my youth along with any other SLR, DSLR lens ever made. I debated in my youth between Nikon and Canon, I chose Canon and when they changed their mounts when they went to auto focus, they made me regret my choice. Had I gone Nikon, I would still be shooting Nikon, I suspect.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

From the time I was a little kid, I wanted a Nikon.

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

I started with my first Nikon in 1959. Along the way I use Rolleiflex, Hasselblad, Mamiya 6x7, Leica, MPP Press 5 x 4, Sinar 5x4. Horses for courses... But still Nikon DSLR because I have a good collection of Nikon lenses.

waegwan Loc: Mae Won Li

For DSLR Canon because it was on sale for about half price of the Nikon at the time (this was in the PX in Daegu Korea about 8 years ago) and I already had a Canon EOS film Rebel I had bought on without any research or anything like that just because it was on sale and I thought it would be cool to have one of them fancy cameras with all of the meters inside and the auto focus and bayonet mount lenses and all that so I already had some canon lenses I could use on the Canon DSLR. And I couldn't see any Chinon SLR or Yashica TLR digitals at the time. I had to switch to digital because the Army closed down all of the darkrooms around where I live and I don't have anyplace to setup my own darkroom equipment.

waegwan Loc: Mae Won Li

machia Loc: NJ

I started with MINOLTA in 1972 . My first SLR . ( Actually in 1966 I got a little KODAK camera . ) Shot with MINOLTA and ROKKOR lenses until 2006 . Was going to buy a MINOLTA DSLR , but when the company was announcing the sale of their photographic division to SONY I went over to CANON . As an avid reader of Photography magazine , the CANON at the time seemed to be the best choice . I'd still choose CANON over NIKON . NIKON's incremental superiority in sensors isn't enough to make me want to switch . Extremely happy with the CANON system and all its superb glass . 😃

Rich2236 Loc: E. Hampstead, New Hampshire

I have used everything from Minox to 8 x 10 Deardorff view cameras. At present, I use a Canon 60D. One because the price was right and 2 because it felt good in my hands. Better than other cameras in the same price range. Thats my story and I'm gonna stick to it....lol.
Rich...

stuart416

My first SLR was a Nikkormat that I purchased in Vietnam. All the guys in my unit shot either Pentax or Nikon, but I think it had to do with availability and the sign-out cameras were all Nikon Photomics. Years later I saw a Canon F1 on sale and jumped on it, never to change again. I shot the 10D and 20D for several years and now shoot the 70 and 80D bodies with a variety of L lenses. I have always been happy with sharpness and contrast and see no reason to switch. I went through a Minolta phase (they were excellent), a Leitz Minolta point and shoot, Rollieflex, Hasselblad, and Pentax 6x7. I also shot with Yashicamat, Mamiya, etc. All served their purpose admirably. I also had a Sony mirrorless that took great photos but had lousy battery life. There is just something about Canon that speaks to me, and I listen. Although, the Nikon 850 sounds like it might be worth a look, but as I always found with Nikon, I just can't afford it now that I am retired. Oh, well. Thanks for bringing up the question. It is great to hear everyone's reasoning. Sometimes I think the answer is what was on sale at the time.