Going back to CaNikon for Photography

[yiomo]

Since 3-4 years ago when I sold my canon 5d mark ii  (which I now regret) to buy an A7s my photography has been more like a burden. In terms of video it was several steps up, but in terms of photography it was several steps down. Recently in photographing for clients, I realised the limitations of the A7s and the need to upgrade. The whole hybrid solution has been very problematic these years and I feel I'd rather have a great stills camera, regardless if it can shoot video. I cannot afford to purchase the nikon d850 which I would love to and sounds like what would be great for me, or the a7r2 or 3. So, most likely looking for a second hand one.

It seems to me for stills DSL is still king (not taking into consideration the newest super expensive sony models) So, the question is to go for 5d mark 3 or d750? In the plus for canon  I have 24-104, 80-200, 50. What would you recommend?

[Shirozina]

Get a used  A7r2 - the prices are very reasonable at the moment. 

[Geoff CB]

D750 is an incredible stills camera.

[Shirozina]

26 minutes ago, Geoff CB said:

D750 is an incredible stills camera.

But can't be used with the OP's existing Canon lenses

[leeys]

You have to state what's your issue with the A7S. I've been photographing with a GH3 after switching from a D300 and other than sports it's doing the job.

[noone]

The A7s is a wonderful stills camera for some uses (nothing better for me for low light/high ISO) and still quite a capable camera for day time use but for other subjects (like anything needing tracking or AFC at faster at faster speeds) it would never have been a good choice.

Even the first gen A7 does much better at other subjects and the A7ii and A7Rii, A7Riii and A9 would all be better while still having an EVF.

If DSLRs are your flavour, then of course that means (mostly) Canon and Nikon.        I would go Canon if you MUST have a DSLR as currently at least Canon lenses are much more usable if you then return to mirrorless later (Sony E or M43 especially).

A7s and I am as happy as a

 

[maxotics]

With the Canon 5D3 you can shoot Magic Lantern RAW and blow all the Sonys away   You can also shoot serviceable H.264

[Mattias Burling]

I had the D750, loved it. But Im starting to lean towards my D500. I almost traded it for a DF or D750 after a while. But now... I think its a keeper.

[BenEricson]

The 5D3 is really cheap used at this point.

[IronFilm]

Hands down the D750 will be a superior camera both for stills and video (non-ML raw). 

Tricky point is you already have three Canon lenses, but none of them are super special fancy ones so I'd feel no hard feelings about selling them and getting instead the Nikon 24-120mm f4 + Nikon 50mm f1.8G + Nikon 70-200G F4 / Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D / Nikon 80-200mm 2.8D (or a totally different mix of lenses instead, if you feel they'd meet your needs better than your existing collection of focal lengths). 

[jhnkng]

I'm gonna join the D750 fan brigade here, I've been shooting that camera now for the last 3 years and there is something really special about that camera. If Nikon put the internals into a stronger weather sealed body, even with absolutely no other upgrades I'd buy it all over again. If you need to save a bit I'd suggest getting the Sigma 70-200 2.8. I got mine for like AU$1100 and it's at least 85% as good as the Nikon version which is more than twice the price.

[Richard Bugg]

If you decide on the 5d3, don't worry - you are in good company; the most used camera in the 2017 world press photo awards was the 5D3, as this illustrates: https://petapixel.com/2017/02/16/cameras-captured-winning-shots-world-press-photo-2017/ Given your lens set and experience with canon, that seems like a pretty good bet.

However, the D750 has an articulating screen. 5D3 doesn't. This is handy both for video and stills.

More important to me, the D750 appears to have markedly superior shadow recovery vs 5D3 https://petapixel.com/2014/10/14/nikon-d750-review-nikon-youve-created-monster/ The ability to lift exposure on the D750 is an excellent feature.

I'm not sure how AF compares.

It will probably be cheaper initially to go with the 5D3 given your lens set, but if you are considering a lens upgrade in the short to medium future, possibly with an eye on the D850 when the price drops, that's not relevant.

For me, I'd probably go with the crowd here and opt for the D750, based on shadow recovery and tilt screen and a future Nikon. But if you got a good deal on the 5D3, you get access to ML and you will probably win a world press photo award.

 

[IronFilm]

Ages and ages ago (last year), I wrote up this draft for a blog post about the Nikon D750 (partially because I was considering buying one myself):
 

Quote

 

Go with the Nikon D750, it is a killer general purpose FX DSLR especially in low light. Read this reviews, including lots from people who have been lifelong Canon shooters but now the D750 means they can no longer deny the compelling case to ditch Canon for Nikon:

http://www.rossharvey.com/reviews/nikon-d750-review

("The above image, imported into Lightroom with the exposure pushed +5 stops, is below. Mind boggling detail recovery! The depth of detail in the dark shadow areas seems to defy logic, they are essentially black in the original image. Stunning.")

("Stellar performance from the D750! It has kept pace with the undisputed DXOMark DSLR low light king!")

https://www.slrlounge.com/nikon-d750-best-wedding-dslr-ever/

("In other words, people have been saying “it’s a matter of preference” for years, and sure, Canon and other companies do make amazing cameras. However when I tally up the real-world benefits and drawbacks of each camera on the market, the D750 wins by a margin that any wedding or portrait photographer will find hard to ignore…")

http://shotkit.com/megan-allen/

("Interestingly enough, I started out last year on Canon, and shot all my weddings on a Canon 6D and a Canon 5D Mark III.

 

I started on Canon because it was what the camera store had suggested, however, after the Nikon D750 released, I was impressed by the reviews coming out, and watched many of my friends and colleagues make the jump to Nikon.

 

One weekend I decided to test the Nikon D750 out, and that was all it took. While Canon was fine, Nikon has allowed me to shoot in a manner I feel is more intuitive to my style, and it’s really allowed me to push my abilities to the next level. So, without further ado, I give you my Shotkit!

 

Nikon D750 x2: Like I said, I was (and still am) fairly new to the photography world, but switching from Canon to Nikon was like having a pair of blinders taken off for me.

 

The Nikon D750 is unbelievably light, the autofocus is nearly mind-reading at times, it’s a low-light monster, and crazy sharp. The dynamic range is just mind-blowing, and to this day I’ll look at files and shake my head in disbelief at how much you can truly work them.")

https://hofferphotography.com/2015/02/26/the-3-reasons-why-we-switched-to-nikon/

("If you had asked me 1 month ago, I would have told you that our next major equipment change was going to be when we switched to a mirrorless system. I didn’t want to change.. but these 3 things changed my mind:")

http://www.wirkshopseries.com/why-i-gave-up-on-a-30-year-relationship-with-my-camera-2/

("During a conversation about cameras and gear, a wise photographer said to me: “it’s not the arrow, it’s the Indian.” (Meaning the camera has nothing to do with it. It’s the photographer that matters.)

 

I believed him and stuck to that motto for years, slowly upgrading my gear only when necessary. The last new camera I bought was two years ago and I still shoot with a 10-year-old camera and even older lenses. Fast forward to a few days ago when I rented a Nikon D750 and found myself doing something I honestly never thought I would do.

 

After being a lifetime Canon shooter, I am now a Nikon shooter.

 

Hell has frozen over, pigs are flying, and the fat lady has indeed sung. However you want to say it, I’m amazed that I now have two Nikon D750’s sitting in my studio ready for action.

 

I have been an avid Canon shooter for about 30 years. The very first photo I ever took was on my Dad’s Canon FTB. I’ve shot Canon cameras since then with unwavering loyalty. So why the change?

 

It wasn’t easy to make this decision, but all it took was shooting one wedding with the new Nikon D750 and it was lights out for my long-standing relationship with Canon.

I had heard the Nikon D750 was pretty much the perfect wedding camera. Words like “game changer” were being thrown around and most of my friends were backing it. For years I heard how superior Nikon’s auto-focus was to Canon’s, but I wasn’t a true believer, nor did I have the financial resources to make the switch. So I stuck with my Canon gear, fighting frustration with not only autofocus but also ISO quality. There were (and still are) things about Nikon cameras that don’t appeal to me. I have never liked the ergonomics of Nikons; the placement of the dials never agreed with my hands compared to Canon. I can use my Canon cameras super fast and have nailed great photos because of the ability to spin the shutter speed and aperture dials at lighting speeds. That combined with the massive price tag to switch systems never allowed me to consider it.

 

Until now.

 

Enter the Nikon D750. Finally, a camera has arrived that makes it undeniably hard to ignore, but more importantly, makes it financially possible to jump ship.")

http://shotkit.com/imagine-photography/

("Nikon D750 x 2 – The switch from Canon to the Nikon D750 was terrifying for us. Why? Because we had been with canon for our entire careers, which for Jo was a 20 year period. We just never touched anything else. I am happy to report that these little beauties have been a godsend. Missed shots due to focus issues? Gone. Soft images? Gone. Heavy body? Gone. We have a keeper rate well over 95% now, and the files are sharp, have brilliant color tones, the high ISO noise is beautiful (almost film-like when done right), the features such as WiFi and tilt screen (which I actually felt were gimmicky when I learned of them) are actually rather helpful and we use the latter a lot during each wedding, and we have way less body ache from carrying the cameras in our Holdfast Money Maker straps during an 8 hour day. It’s been pure bliss from word go. We were lucky to see the cameras 1st hand at WPPI, and the folks at Nikon were more than happy to show us the features and cool bells and whistles of the bodies.")

https://fstoppers.com/education/how-i-have-my-camera-set-shoot-weddings-73441

("The Nikon D750 is one of the most talked about cameras in a long time. It’s a small lightweight body that packs a major feature set and has even lured Nikon D4 shooters to "upgrade." ")

http://zachashcraft.com/blog/2014/11/20/nikon-d750-reviewpart-1-video

("This has been a strange few months for me. After a lot of thought and a few gear rentals, I ended up selling all of my Canon cameras and lenses. After a brief few months with the Sony a7R and a7S, I ended up here, with a Nikon D750. ")

http://soulphotography.uk.com/rupesh-akshis-wedding-a-brief-review-of-the-nikon-d750/

("I’ve been shooting with Canon cameras for over 9 years & I kid you not, I used to swear total allegiance to the brand. I would even play trump cards with Nikon users going all out to prove that Canon was the better choice of the two. But now having used the D750 on a handful of occasions, I have to admit Canon have fallen behind Nikon by a mile. I have therefore jumped ship & joined the Nikon faithful.")

http://ryanbrenizer.com/2014/10/review-nikon-d750-and-d810/

http://sebastiendamour.com/blog/2014/10/27/why-i-switched-from-canon-to-the-nikon-d750/

http://www.scuffinsphotography.com/cameras/switched-canon-to-nikon-wedding-photography/

 

The Nikon 85mm f1.8G is a highly rated lens which is very well rated, or the even cheaper Nikon 85mm f/1.8D which is the one I own and use.

 

If I was going into pro photography( instead of the filmmaking I'm doing now. With only the rare, and low paid, photo gig), then I'd be buying myself a Nikon D750 in heartbeat along with a D7100 as a cheap back up body. (as don't want to ever go to a job with only one body. And especially for live events, such as weddings, you want a second body on you as you don't have time to swap lenses. And the D7100 I rate more highly than any Canon APS-C for photos, and broadly as good as a stock 5Dmk3 for video http://www.eoshd.com/2013/02/nikon-d5200-vs-canon-5d-mark-iii/)

 

The D750 is a damn fine DSLR for video too, arguably the best there is (if we ignore for a moment the obscenely priced 1D C :-o ):

http://www.eoshd.com/2014/09/nikon-d750-review-initial-thoughts-real-world-footage-ladies-gentleman-contender/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMM17DZyrQA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLPiXmi7wOE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QnyKZSUcL8 (D750 vs BMPCC!)

 

 

[TwoScoops]

Another vote for the D750. It'll be a good stills choice for years to come, a lot of people still rate the D700 highly.

[Mark Romero 2]

I like my D750.

For stills, the image quality is excellent, the RAW files are very malleable and I often just need to get exposure "in the ballpark" and I can adjust it up or down a couple of stops. I've been able to recover highlights that I thought were blown.

The LCD Screen is very nice (tilt only, but a very good, bright image, and the screen is not to reflective).

However, as nice as the screen is, it is let down by the poor live view autofocus. The LiveView (LCD) AF is slow and it is quite time-consuming to move the focus point with the selector pad on the back (I think Nikon calls it a "D Pad" or something like that...)

If you enjoy focusing through the viewfinder then the D750 is quite good (although the newer cameras have a better AF system, according to most people).

Personally, I HATE using the viewfinder, so I can't say that I am in love with the D750. Just a lot of like.

[noone]

The Canon 5diii has a few advantages for photography over the Nikon D750 and vice versa (but the same with your current A7s).

Your Canon lenses would be a big factor to me (usable on the Canon and  usable on the a7s with MF and less so for very slow AF).

They both have dual card slots (an advantage over the A7s).

They both have better weather sealing (A7s only has some limited dust and moisture sealing).

24mp for the Nikon, 22 for the Canon and 12 for the Sony.

The Canon and Nikon have much better AFC and tracking AF (for many, this is a big deal and would be what makes the Canon and Nikon better for photography, for me not an issue so I prefer the a7s for photography for many purposes).

They both have OVFs VS EVF (individual preference- mine is now an EVF any day).

They both have flash sync at 1/200, (A7s 1/250)  the Nikon has a built in flash, the others don't.

The Canon AF works to EV -2, the Nikon to EV -3 (the A7s to EV -4 at least).

The D750 has a 1/4000 max shutter speed, the 5D iii (and a7s) 1/8000.

The Canon has a fixed screen, the Nikon (and Sony) tilting.

You would give up a fully silent shutter with either the Canon or Nikon as well as focus peaking.

I would think the 5d iii might suite you better?

 

 

[yiomo]

On 11/14/2017 at 3:23 PM, leeys said:

You have to state what's your issue with the A7S. I've been photographing with a GH3 after switching from a D300 and other than sports it's doing the job.

• horrible colors,
• horrible ergonomics,
• horrible AF,
• inability to properly AF with my canon lenses (need to go native, and I am not convinced to invest in Sony system - I am almost sure that when nikon or canon go mirrorless the result will be much better)
• 12mp barely OK (but around 20+ would be better for minor cropping),
• poor construction - feels like it is going to break during an accidental fall or some water spilling on it.
• even the most budget friendly AF lenses are TOO expensive compared to canon or nikon. I need AF for photography
• ridiculous battery
• whatever sony mark x I will get, I will always feel cheated after several months, because that's what sony does.
• peaking works so and so for me.
• It has created a barrier for me in regards to taking photos, because of the above.

I am currently in the production of a doc and although the IQ of the A7s is much better than my 5dmark ii with which i filmed my previous doc, I feel that I had a more "run and gun" filming with the canon and much better colors for sure. The A7s needs too much attention.

Lately, I am back to shooting stills and I believe the technology is already mature for a real hybrid. Although I miss a lot canon ergonomics, it seems that quality wise I should choose between an upgraded sony (a7r2, a7r3) or Nikon (d750, d850). But I do miss the sturdiness of canon, its grip, the peace of mind, ergonomics etc. Have even considered repurchasing the 5d mark , but couldn't go back to that video IQ.

I think Nikon d850 would be my ideal camera but cannot afford it. Although I have few canon lenses it seems that canon is nowhere near the d850. A used a7rii could be an answer to most of the issues I am experiencing, but I am sure it will still not feel like a "glove" as a canon body would.

 

On 11/14/2017 at 5:36 PM, noone said:

The A7s is a wonderful stills camera for some uses (nothing better for me for low light/high ISO) and still quite a capable camera for day time use but for other subjects (like anything needing tracking or AFC at faster at faster speeds) it would never have been a good choice.

Even the first gen A7 does much better at other subjects and the A7ii and A7Rii, A7Riii and A9 would all be better while still having an EVF.

If DSLRs are your flavour, then of course that means (mostly) Canon and Nikon.        I would go Canon if you MUST have a DSLR as currently at least Canon lenses are much more usable if you then return to mirrorless later (Sony E or M43 especially).

A7s and I am as happy as a

 

I got the A7s for video and personal photography. Recently I used it professionally for stills and more than half the time I had problems with the AF in a dim lit theatre. It is what it is for video but personally  I don't feel comfortable using it with paying clients.

On 11/14/2017 at 8:33 PM, Mattias Burling said:

I had the D750, loved it. But Im starting to lean towards my D500. I almost traded it for a DF or D750 after a while. But now... I think its a keeper.

I want my full size sensor for stills. D500 is very promising with all its new technology, but I think I'd regret it. A used d750 could be an option as it would intercut with my A7s if needed. What made you stop using the d750?

On 11/14/2017 at 7:31 PM, maxotics said:

With the Canon 5D3 you can shoot Magic Lantern RAW and blow all the Sonys away   You can also shoot serviceable H.264

raw would be tempting, but not for run and gun (i guess) and not for interviews and longer takes. also ML is a hack and I am somehow hesitant relying on it.

On 11/14/2017 at 3:17 PM, Shirozina said:

But can't be used with the OP's existing Canon lenses

so do canon lenses autofocus well with the a7r mark 2?? I believe they do, just double checking.

 

Thank you all.  The general consensus is that the d750 would suit me fine and I agree, but alas I am drooling over the d850..

A used a7r2 is still quite expensive, so I'd rather sell my A7s and wait to get the a7r3 / d850 or perhaps the a7s3.

Perhaps keeping the A7s and getting a used 5d2/5d3/d750 is the wiser choice for now. 

 

 

[Shirozina]

With a recent version metabones adapter the A7r2’s AF not at all bad  for stills. Wouldn’t want to use it for sports though. For video - forget it and use MF

[noone]

I guess it just isn't a camera for you.

I don't think I would want the A7s as my ONLY camera if I was shooting for pay but I would still certainly want it in my bag and for the things it shines at, it is still better than most (especially low light/high ISO).

Many of your issues are subjective though and that is fine, you have to live with the camera after all.

I have never had a problem with colour from any camera from any brand and as to ergonomics, I actually prefer the A7s to any other camera I have used film or digital.

The A7s (and the same with the other two first gen A7 cameras) is NOT a camera for AF with Canon lenses I think.     It IS ok for static things and the likes of ducks on a pond but certainly not for anything moving fast or far.     The later FF E mount cameras are much better with adapted AF lenses.

AFC is horrible but AFS with native lenses is just fine and works in almost no light long after other cameras have stopped (and is ok for me for concerts and pub gigs, often in very low light).

12mp is something some people wont want now (I often shoot jpegs at gigs and the file sizes at the highest level jpegs are just right for emailing as taken).    I don't crop much so it is fine for me.

I can not agree on the construction either as mine is around three years old and used daily and had a lot of use and abuse and all that has happened is a tiny bit of paint off where the A7s logo is.      It is not a weather sealed camera (just light dust and moisture resistance) but is fine in very light rain so far though I am careful in that regard.

The price of AF native mount lenses has been a bit high compared to others though maybe not so much others that are similar (IE greater choices) but some cheaper ones are appearing.    For what it is worth the Sony Zeiss 55 1.8 is worth paying a bit more than the average 50mm and the FE 85 1.8 is an absolute  bargain.      The 28-70 FE kit lens is also quite good for a kit lens and not stressed by the 12mp of the A7s.      

I hope you find what you are after!

[yiomo]

@Mattias Burling  Looking at the d500 and must say it is very tempting.  It is essentialy an APSC d850 !

 How do you compare the d500 you have with the d750 you were using? Also, I presume you only have it mainly for stills, but how do you compare the video between the two?