Switching from Canon - possibly dumb question

For various reasons I'm thinking of switching to Nikon. I've built quite a collection of Canon L glass but even so know I'll make a loss if

I switch systems and try and get like-for-like Nikon glass. I think I can live without some zooms though as I so rarely use them so I'm

potentially willing to not do a full same-as swap.

 

My possibly dumb question is: I've only ever used fullframe digital, and I almost entirely use 35mm on one body and 85mm on the

other. Would getting one crop body and putting a 24mm FX lens on it and one full frame body and an 85mm lens on it give me a

similar setup but with added 24mm and 135mm (or close) by swapping the lenses over?

 

I know that might seem dumb to some people I'm just wondering whether to stick with fullframe or mix it up a bit. If I can lighten my

camera bag at the same time I may as well.

 

Also anyone know of anywhere in the UK that'll part-exchange Canon gear for Nikon?

<p>Steve, I hope you don't mind me giving you a very straight-forward answer: if you merely want to play around with gear from different brands, obviously it is your money and you are free to buy whatever camera you want with it. However, based on your description, from a photography point of view, I think you have every reason to stay with Canon. The 24mm, 85mm and 135mm type lenses are very common and are available on Canon as well as Nikon and several other brands.</p>

<p>I can't imagine anyone wanting to switch from Canon to Nikon. Canon has a better selection of lenses that cost less than Nikon. Image quality is top notch. 5DMKII is an epic camera. I'm a Nikon user simply because my father was a Nikon user and I happen to like being able to use older manual focus lenses on Nikon digital bodies. But I have tons of respect for Canon and it's the only other brand of camera that I'd consider "switching" to.</p>

Is there a very compelling reason for you to switch? Just wondering... As you said, you have some cash already invested on glass and you've used only full-frame bodies. Why go for a camera with a DX sensor now?

 

Again, just wondering. I wish I could help about the gear exchange but I frankly have no clue about places that would do this. Take care and have fun!

<p>Perhaps he wants proper AF and metering^^</p>

<p>in answer to the question, i personally find it quite useful -- perhaps even preferable -- to have one foot in each world: full frame and crop sensor. i use them differently than you propose, but see no reason why your application isn't equally valid. nikon's current FX and DX bodies are subject to much debate around here, with many users insisting that their DX bodies are on par in most respects they value with the FX models, while allowing as how FX bodies may have some small benefits. the point is, there's no reason to view owning and using one body of each type as being perverse or iconoclastic.</p>

<p>Since Canon has APS-C (1.6x crop factor) and APS-H (1.3x crop factor) cameras, you have even more options within the Canon system; Nikon offers only a 1.5x crop factor in addition to FX.<br>

To answer your question though: yes, putting a 24mm lens on a Nikon DX body will give you the FOV of a 36mm lens and attaching a 85mm to it will give you the FOV of a 127.5mm lens.</p>

<p><strong>Shun</strong>: I'm a professional photographer making a living from my equipment. I started with manual focus Nikons, went to Canon for the fast primes and AF and stuck with them for digital for full frame with the lenses I had. I've always wanted to use what I consider the best tools for the job.</p>

<p><strong>Dave / Francisco</strong>: it's different strokes for different folks. The 5dmk2 is great (I use one) but I'm not liking Canon's QC and that's why I'm considering switching. This is the issues I've personally had in the past 12 months:</p>

<p>35mm f1.4L a total dog as a performer<br />24-70mm f2.8L loose internal element<br />5D mirror fall out<br />5Dmk2 totally random battery charge indicator and other random unpredictable behaviour<br />Two 580ex II flashes inconsistent in firing</p>

<p>Given the price of that kind of gear that's not what I'd expect.</p>

<p>Of all the Canon equipment I've ever owned in the digital age the only pieces never to let me down ever are the 70-200mm f2.8L, the 85mm f1.2L and 135mm f2L.</p>

<p>Friends - professional and amateur photographers alike - have been having significant issues with the 5Dmk2 and 1dmk4, and of course there were the well known issues with the 1dmk3.</p>

<p>I'm replacing 2 cameras next year as part of a natural upgrade cycle. I'm wondering whether now is the time to jump ship (I see a lot less issues reported with Nikon) or to continue investing in a brand I'm not sure if I can trust. When you go to a job nervous about your equipment it's not a good feeling and despite having all the backups I need it makes me question why I'm sticking with Canon - a bride and groom only walk out of the church once and you <em>need</em> to know your flash is going to fire, not have in the back of your mind the times it didn't and hoping that's not going to happen again (one unit - maybe faulty...two units though...that gives no faith in design).</p>

<p>The wedding I shot on Saturday was typical in being shot entirely at either 35mm or 85mm with a handful of shots at the 24mm end of the 24-70mm, hence my question. It's not a decision I'm taking lightly but one I need to think about rather than blindly follow a brand loyalty.<br>

<strong> </strong><br>

<strong>William</strong>: thanks for your thoughts.</p>

<p>I should add - the flash issue is well known if you search the internet for it, likewise the issue my friend is having with his 5Dmk2 is common, my 5D mirror fall out is common...these aren't isolated and again, that's a reason for concern.</p>

<p>If you`re not a fussy photographer, it sounds just right. Two lenses, two cameras and four focals...<br /> Not for me, I`m so fussy and like to work with the very same pair.<br /> If you decide to buy FX pro lenses in a future, better to have two FX cameras. One with a 24-70 (or 17-35), the other with a 70-200.</p>

<p>Thanks Jose. I am fussy, but as 95% of my work is with 2 focal lengths I could live more than happily with covering those. I'd have more lenses as back-up (probably a 50mm and 135mm) but that'd do me for most of what I do. Now knowing that the 2 bodies would allow me to double up on effective focal length it's quite an attractive prospect. I can cover my usual while having a bit of flexibility when I want it (which isn't often).<br>

I'm really not a zoom user either - my Canon 24-70 and 70-200 rarely see daylight. It's fast primes for me and 35mm and 85mm cover my "vision" of a wedding.</p>

<p>The D300 and D700 are quite similar... except for the viewfinder size and a very few other little details (eyepiece, electronic rangefinder arrows, focus point map on top screen). I try to remember that menus were identical. Both looks the same, grip is almost identical. Same detachable battery grip on both. Very close image quality at base ISO on both... it is an advantage.</p>

<p>FWIW, you can set the full frame Nikon bodies to crop the image for you. You could certainly accomplish the same effect in post. Of course you lose the higher pixel density of a crop sensor, but that probably isn't a huge issue for you especially if you're starting with the higher resolution D3x. You could also probably pick up a used 40D first to see if you like the format before completely jumping ship.</p>

<p>If you're committed to spending a good chunk of change you could get the 35 and 85 for the full frame body and 17-55/2.8 for the crop body. It's big, expensive, and DX format only, but would give you the added flexibility of a zoom and a dedicated lens for the body.</p>

<p>Steve,</p>

<p>I reckon if you have lost faith then you perhaps had better change systems...and hope to god that it works out. You seem to be unlucky, but if you regain your faith in the equipment then it will be worth it.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Would getting one crop body and putting a 24mm FX lens on it and one full frame body and an 85mm lens on it give me a similar setup</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Steve,<br />Sounds lika a plan, another idea might be to swap that around maybe to FX with 35mm and DX with 50mm / or 60mm /or 85mm something like that. . ( or just have the set of 24mm, 50mm 85mm and 135mm available, and use what fits best for the job on hand. :-) )<br />Just out of interest, for the FX : where you thinking D700 or D3x/s ?</p>

<p>Or check out the possibility of switching to Sony: a850 FF plus a580 aps-c bodies with Carl Zeiss 24 f2 and 85 f1.4 lenses plus a pair of F58AM flashes and vertical grips will set you up quite nicely. The a580 will cover video, phase detection AF in live view, as well as sensor stabilized shots at odd angles through the tilting lcd. The a850 provides you with a massive OVF and a stabilized FF sensor. If you wanted to add a truly unique lens to your repertoire then you could also get the <a href="http://www.the135stf.net/">Sony 135 STF</a> for extra creamy bokeh effects against crowded backgrounds.</p>

<p>The apparent greenness of the grass on the far side of the fence is directly proportional to the length of time spent on the near side of the fence. Unless you're a fanboy, in which case it's inversely proportional.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Would getting one crop body and putting a 24mm FX lens on it and one full frame body and an 85mm lens on it give me a similar setup but with added 24mm and 135mm (or close) by swapping the lenses over?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Nikon APS-C 'crop sensor' ('DX' in Nikonese) bodies have a sensor 2/3 the size of full-frame, which itself is very nearly identical to 35mm film (23.9 x 36mm). The inverse of 2/3 is 1.5. Therefore, to calculate the effective focal length on a Nikon DX multiply the focal length by 1.5. So, on a DX camera, a 24mm lens would give the angle of view the same as a 36mm lens on a full-frame (FX in Nikonese) DSLR, and the angle of view of an 85mm lens would appear the same as a 127.5mm lens with FX. They would, of course, provide their normal 35mm film angle of view of 24 and 85mm respectively on an FX camera.</p>

<p>I don't shoot for a living, but I shoot one FX and one DX camera when I go out a-shootin'. I put the wider lens on the D700 and the longer one on the D200 to get the 'reach' advantage. Said another way, since a DX body uses the 1.5x multiplier to figure angle of view, all lenses used on a DX body will have the field of view of a longer lens. Indeed, FX bodies can be used in 'DX mode', but the resolution drops. In the case of my D700, it drops from 12mp to about 5mp when used in 'DX mode'. The <em>only</em> advantage over just cropping in post is that I can mount a DX lens and shoot with it cleanly (no vignetting seen in the image file). So clearly, a higher resolution DX camera has a certain 'reach' advantage with longer lenses - it's like using a 1.5x teleconverter with no optical or light loss penalty. DX cameras also 'crop off' the weaker part of full-frame lenses - the corners and edges, allowing the optically stronger part of the lens' field of view to be used.</p>

<p>OTOH, FX cameras can 'see' wider, and they generally give better high ISO, low light less noise, and dynamic range results. This changes, though, with newer cameras as the technology gets better. When a killer DX sensor like the new D7000 comes out (performs about like a D700 for high ISO/low light/DR), Nikon soon ups the IQ ante with a new FX camera, especially since the flagship pro models are FX. If you switch, you will, of course, need to get used to your lenses all being black. Then again, your hands don't have to be as clean. :-) Hope this helped.</p>

<p>Howdy!</p>

<p>As an engineer, I would advise you to expect a certain amount of failures no matter what platform you use. I don't know the exact statistics, but I suspect Nikon users have their headaches too.</p>

<p>If you are used to full frame as a professional, I suspect you will be unhappy with crop frame.</p>

<p>I'm a Canon guy because back in 2005, Nikon didn't have a good CMOS sensor platform. If I had it to do all over again, I might choose differently. But now that I know Canon systems, even if I won the lottery, I would probably stick with Canon. It may not be perfect, but it's what I know.</p>

<p>Later,</p>

<p>Paulsky</p>

<p>@Steve George: You have revealed enough discontent with your Canon equipment. Logic has it that you have a desire to buy into the current Nikon offerings. It is best you do that and move on. If Nikon lives up to your minimum requirements, then you will have made the right decision. No one here can tell you what to do.</p>

<p>As a user of both systems, I'll agree that the 580 EX II can misfire unpredictably. The Nikon CLS system is more reliable IMO.</p>

<p>Nikon doesn't have a recent model 35 mm lens for FX. You might want to wait for a new version with nano-coatings. The new Nikon 85 mm looks great, but the lack of VR seems like a significant oversight. Yes, you could put a 24 mm lens on a crop sensor camera (DX in Nikonspeak), but are you ready to work with the puny viewfinder?</p>

<p>I've used both Canons and Nikons professionally. Learned years ago on canons, then minolta, and settled on nikon. I bought a 5d, some pro glass, etc to compliment my d2x. Couldn't stand the thing, honestly. The ergos and controls didn't work for me. I worked with it long enough to get fluid with the controls but the camera always felt soulless in my hands. I truly believe that Nikon makes a more well thought out product. I'm shooting with a d3 these days and had a d300s as a back up. Sold the d300s and looking to get another fx when the d700 successor comes out. Not a fan of the crop sensors and their smaller viewfinders. Your reasoning is interesting but just remember that dx sensor doesn't change your focal length, just your angle of view and you really can get to the same point by cropping your image off the full frame sensor.</p>

<p>My vote would be to pick up two d700's, a 35 and an 85 and be happy. Trust me, you can crop the 85 down to be similar to a 200mm or narrower angle of view and still have plenty to work with to make awesome prints. While I try to avoid this I regularly find myself seriously cropping my images to change their use and I'm always amazed at how well they hold up. (all D3 files)</p>

<p>All this being said you better make sure you like the Nikon ergonomics and controls before you buy in. They are different from canon and plenty of people truly prefer one or the other. Good luck!</p>

<p>There is a new nikon 35 f1.4<br>

I wish I could afford two camera, how ever I don't make a living with photography.<br>

I could and do shoot 95% of my photos with a 35 f2 and a 85 f1.4 on a D3, so I can see where you are coming from.<br>

And I think a crop body and a full frame would be nice.<br>

Brand choce is a personal decsion, I think both brand produce excellent gear, I do think nikon has the edge with flash.<br>

Good luck what ever you decide, confidence in your gear is very important.<br>

Dennis</p>

<p>Steve,<br>

I've switched my system last year, from Canon to Nikon, and I've had some quite nice L lenses, too (a 50/1.2 which I still miss today....). First of all, I made a balance of how much everything is worth if I sell it, and how much it'd cost me to replace (new and/or used). Had I upgraded my Canon, I would have been forced to replace some of my other lenses not suited for full frame, so I needed to buy them regardless of the final system.<br>

I broke almost even in the end. Some of the lenses I bought were new, some were barely used new models like the 70-200/2.8.<br>

Follow your gut. If you think it's the right decision, do some accounting and go ahead. Personally, I haven't had any regrets for a minute, and I'm so much more content. Other people may not be.<br>

Good luck<br>

Monika</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Nikon doesn't have a recent model 35 mm lens for FX</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Dan ,<br />How about this one ? : <a href="http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/lineup/lens/singlefocal/wide/af-s_35mmf_14g/index.htm">http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/lineup/lens/singlefocal/wide/af-s_35mmf_14g/index.htm</a></p>

<p>oops , missed dDennis's post..</p>