Video Vinny Loc: Pahrump

When I am trying to dope something out as you seem to be doing, I look to find out what others in a similar canoe have done so here is my 'dope' (appropriate word).

Both Canon and Nikon are excellent DSLRs. I went through the same dilemma switching from my Minolta 7000i to digital. After shopping both brands, on line and in stores, for months I settled on a Point & Shoot Nikon to get started. Both brands passed all my tests but I just felt more comfortable with Nikon and they seemed to do a slightly better job. Not enough experience to vouch for that, Nikon just seemed to do better. The fact that I asked the salesman what his preference was (it was Nikon, but he didn't push it) may have had something to do with it.

There is a budget problem so I try to go best bang for the buck and later settled on the d5300 which was top of the 5000 line at the time. Since, I believe I would have been equally happy with the top of the d3000 (d3300 I think) line and saved a couple hundred bucks. It's pretty much the same camera with a few couple less bells and whistles.

I also have a p520 and p900 that are super and when I travel the old Point & Shoot (s8100) is on my belt. And, after tens of thousands of clicks is still doing a great job. I am happy with all of them. The picture up top was taken with the s8100 in simple auto mode in 2010.

I prefer Canon Camcorders for my video cameras Hope this helps and let us know why and how you decide.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

If full frame is so great, why have many top pros given it up for Micro 4/3????

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

I don't disagree with much of what you say, but the APS-C and M4/3 cameras are gaining market share against "full frame 35mm" format cameras for a number of reasons. Although all of the technical reasons you give are valid, I don't think that your market share thesis will stand the test of time, at least if you consider facts to be relevant.

IBM

You forgot the country , where is that ???

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

It's may be spelled Nikon but in Japan it pronunciation is (Nee-kon)

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Nickawn in Great Britain and Nyekahn in the USA.

IBM

I don't care what he gets, but maybe you should rethink , if pen tax is a lot better than the other two , how come in every test between pentax against canon and pentax against nikon , pentax comes in on the losing end of all the test , and these test go into every thing thing from all that's possible science we have today , granted pentax is a good camera , but not quite as good as the top two , or maybe you have a pentax and it's just wish full thinking , these instruments don't lie , what they read between the differences in cameras is a fact , and if you can't see it . It is still there , LINES OF RESOLUTION, PIXCEL FLARE, And COLOURING ETC, I'm just saying I would get the best in my opinion nikon canon or canon nikon , but I would be happy with any one , even pentax , because I don't have the equipment to to bring out the flaws , there is a lot of stuff that can get the job done . But its human nature to go over board and buy more than you need , But the faults are there even if you can't see them , so do yourself a favor and get a nikon or canon ,

RWCRNC Loc: Pennsylvania

Are you serious? Hit the search button on this forum and you will be deluged with opinions. And BTW it is Canon.

HeyYou Loc: SE Michigan

Welcome to the world of dSLR photography !

Since you have Pentax lenses, you have great options - as I'm sure others may also point out to you.

Altho you indicate that you are not necessarily interested in full frame, check out the Pentax K1, an amazing full frame camera - and priced well below full frame selections from Canon and Nikon, and smaller and lighter too.

If crop-sensor, there are several superb Pentax cameras.

Any of these cameras will be compatible with your existing lenses.

Other differentiating factors that separate Pentax from Canon and Nikon include:
- Pentax' emphasis on weather-resistant camera bodies, often true of its lenses as well.
- Pentax bodies and lenses tend often to be lighter and smaller than comparable hear from Canon and Nikon.

No matter what - you've got great options - so have fun !

srherrmann Loc: Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Full frame Nikon

bobsisk Loc: Chandler, Arizona

My second digital camera was a little Canon point-and-shoot 10Mpxl digital that enjoyed thoroughly until I got tired of squinting at the view screen while trying to frame a picture outside in the sunlight. I wanted something with a view finder. I asked a friend which DSLR camera was better, Canon or Nikon; his response was (as has been noted in several responses here) that both were comparably good cameras, but he had selected Canon because, in his estimation, the Canon controls were more user friendly. Before I had a chance to compare the two, I was in Sam's one day and notice a Nikon D5100 for sale at a price that fit my budget. So I bought it. For me it has been an excellent choice and it is user friendly enough. But I have no doubt that I would have said the same thing about Canon if I had made that choice.

In reality, I agree too with others that have suggested if you're familiar with the Pentax line just stay with it. Amsel Adams took world famous landscapes with cameras that were a lot less sophisticated than even the phone cameras of today. Good photography is in the eye of the photographer and not so much in the camera equipment.

usken65

Buy a ford. Don't worry that answer is as useful as any of the others. No one can say what camera is best for you. Get up go to a camera store and pick a camera you like.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

Just in case nobody's mentioned it yet, check out the Pentax KP (crop sensor, ultra-high ISO, 5 axis anti-shake, sensor-shift technology, 24MP etc).

Meganephron Loc: Fort Worth, TX

Macro is a limited subset of photography. I do quite a bit and my FF D4s is superior to any crop sensored camera I've used. Never used a 4/3 camera so can't comment. Lab data support the overall performance of FF sensors. Macro may be a niche where 4/3 works better. I have not seen data that validates your statement. Many may have but that doesn't mean most.

ELNikkor

ok