tnzmzoom Loc: Tennessee/California

I just bought the Nikon D7100. I am wondering if I made the right decision on this camera. For my PI business, I will be taking close-ups, long distances, night time photos and videos.

I also will need the pictures and videos to be time and date stamped. I have heard that this can be difficult to do when transferring the photos or video from the camera to the computer, I have a Mac. I understand it is on the camera but once transferred the date and time are lost. Any help with this?

Is there a "special" lens for videotaping and a different lens to use for photos? What about lenses for day versus night use?

I am also looking to buy a SLR camera for my son. He is planning to take a photography course in college so I would like to get him a nice camera as well.

I understand that you can NOT interchange lenses from Nikon to Canon, if this is so, then should we both have Nikons?

I welcome any and all advice.

Thank you in advance!

Grammieb1 Loc: New Orleans

They both have excellent cameras & lenses. If your son likes landscapes the are very detailed one of the Nikon 800 cameras would suit you. As an all around camera with good af the 5Dlll would be a good choice. If your son does a lot of sports action & Bif, a 7Dll would be best. If he wants a mirror less for the light weight, a Sony might serve you best. Sony can share lenses using metabones. Bab

tnzmzoom Loc: Tennessee/California

Thank you for answering so quickly. And thank you very much for your advice!

xxredbeardxx Loc: San Clemente CA.

Wow. So many questions in one post.
The 7100 is a great camera.
I have one and love it.

You didn't mention what lense or lenses
came with your camera.

You may need a bigger lense if you want
to shoot longer distances, like into windows
from across the street. Haa.

I have never used mine for video.
I'm sure it will do the job though.
I don't know how serious your son is about
photography, but a 7100 would be a great
place to start for him too.

An 800 is must more expensive and has must
bigger files to store. I'm thinking you would be
much better off with what you have.

Panasonic and JVC has some fantastic video cameras
if you want something dedicated to that.

Sherman A1 Loc: St. Louis, MO

The one you have with you at the time. They are both quality cameras, you made a good choice, enjoy it and don't look back.

From a Canon Guy! :thumbup:

Leicaflex Loc: Cymru

This is an old chestnut.
Nikon and Canon are equally good cameras. If anything, Canon has more choices in lenses, that's all.
Enjoy your purchase and as previously said "don't look back".

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

For PI work - cropped sensor cameras are not as good as full frame cameras, which have better low light/high ISO performance. For a reasonable camera with a fast frame rate that will to exceptionally well in low light, look for a used D3S. You can shoot ISO 12800 or 25,600 and still get good images. Something comparable from Canon would be a bit more expensive. Only downside is that the D3S doesn't do video as well as the newer cameras, but it should be good enough.

Both Canon and Nikon make fast long lenses - F2 category 105, 135, 200mm; F2.8 - 60 (macro), 90 (macro), 70-200, 300, 400. They also make faster shorter lenses, like the 85 1.4 (Canon has a 1.2), 50 1.4 (Canon has a 1.2), 35 1.4 28 1.4.

Not sure about time and date stamp on video, but you can time and date stamp in Lightroom easily enough by creating a custom preset in the print module where the date and time will be printed in a border, or you can place the custom text on an image in the slideshow module, then export jpg slideshow, where the stamp will show up like a watermark.

There are no video specific lenses, but some lenses are corrected better than others without applying a lens profile. Of course you will use manual follow focus and a remote mike (not the awful mike on the camera).

In the daytime you have better light so you can get away with a lens with a smaller maximum aperture. These are smaller/lighter/cheaper than the ones you would use at night. Often they are called kit lenses.

If you can justify it, gift the D7100 to your kid, and get yourself a D3S - you'll avoid frustration when shooting in very poor light.

Mr PC Loc: Austin, TX

The D7100 has won enthusiast level highest honors from respected photography web sites over the last couple of years since it came out. It'll do anything you need to do and will take a LONG time to outgrow it. Heck, my D5200 could do what that camera needs to do. As pointed out above, it's about lenses, low light performance, continuous shooting, etc, all of which are up the D7100's alley.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

As good as it is, the D7100 is not even close to a D3S in low light/high ISO

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikon-d7100/21

The D3S is easily 3-4 stops better.

xxredbeardxx Loc: San Clemente CA.

No doubt The D3s is a pro camera and is a
better performer than the 7100.

By the questions He's asking I'm guessing this gentleman is a
beginner photographer and he probably doesn't need
a camera that's way above his skill level. The 7100
is much easier to use and I think it would fit the bill
for what he needs.

As you can see tnzmzoom you have opened a big
can of worms with a question like this. Everyone has their opinions.
In reality there are a lot of great cameras
and depending on your skill level you have a lot of choices.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Well, doing surveillance work puts this "beginner" in a whole other category, where a even a best in clase enthusiast level camera like the D7100, as good as it is, will prove frustrating to use under those conditions. I have a neighbor that moonlights (literally), for a skip trace service, and found out, the hard way, that the amateur route did not work for what he needed to do. He is a photo amateur - by this I mean that he doesn't know or care about most of what the D3S offers, but he does need the low light performance - which it provides. He shoots jpg with a 300 F2.8 and loves what he's getting. Previously he had a D7000 that he sold to get his D3S.Sets it on P and shoots away. Doesn't know what the other camera settings are for, but he does get his shots.

xxredbeardxx Loc: San Clemente CA.

Funny, it showed you as not being here.
You sure came back fast.
Ok, then I guess you have a good point.
Put it on P until you take a class and learn
what it can do. Give the 7100 to your son.

I'm guessing this thread will go 5 pages before it's
done. I go home in an hour so I'll check back on Monday.

Photographer Jim Loc: Rio Vista, CA

Because you state that part of what is driving this is that your son will be taking a college course in photography, just be SURE that the course will allow digital. There are still programs that begin with film as a requirement in their first lab oriented classes.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

Ques: Which one is better?
Ans: Both!
All depends on your personal preferences.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Any time you put both Nikon and Canon in the title you will get very fast response; same for "which camera is better". Put both in really really guarantees quickness.