So I have been shooting Nikon since my dad gave me his F in 1988 (regretfully stolen from my apt.). I have a D80 right now, up from a D50, and have the usual 50 1.8, An SB-600, a Sigma 50-150 2.8, 18-50 2.8, a Metz 58 AF-1n Flash, etc....

I have shot with this setup at weddings as well as a few family portrait sessions.

I have been unhappy lately with noise and speed in my D80, finding noise to be almost unacceptable at anything higher than ISO 400, and have been contemplating stepping up to either a D200 (cheap these days), D300 when I can afford one, or switching to a Canon Setup.

Here is why the Canon....My photographic partner (and love of my life) shoots a Canon 40D, and as we grow our business, we are getting more and more weddings, and it seems like it would make sense for us to be on the same platform, as we could share some of the lenses, etc. Also, in playing with the 40D, i have seen good things in the image quality. I think Canon has a lot to offer in lenses as well, with slightly less expense than Nikon glass.

My battle is with a few technicalities...MOST Notably the wireless flash control from within camera. What are people doing who have converted to Canon about this. Is there another option besides pocket wizards (i like TTL and the CLS). Can I use my Nikon flash units remotely from the Canon?

I guess I'm just looking for opinions as to what makes sense. I cannot afford a full frame Canon at this time, nor a D300, but I want to make a change soon with hopes of eliminating my imagery headache from my D80, as we have events coming quick. With the current 40D rebates, I could swing that option and grow with my partner or the D200s that are popping up used like crazy and I could keep my lenses in play.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Andy Schwartz
www.westparkphoto.com

The D80, while a great camera, is hardly the flagship machine to decide whether you want to make the switch or not.

At the end of the day it really doesn't matter. I mean, you could convince your partner to switch to Nikon but really, the only reason these days to switch to Nikon is for the D3 and I'm sure Canon will be shooting something back across our bows soon to answer the shot over their bow that is the D3.

Gut reaction... Get a 40D. Make the switch. Put a bit of money into some nice primes. You'll each have identical cameras and systems.

You can't use that SB600 though if you are wanting to do off camera TTL. You have to have dedicated flash units for that. Canon has their off camera remote TTL stuff like Nikon does.

Cheers,
Zack

Thanks for your thoughts Zack. Love your blog BTW and just missed the Detroit Onelight...Hope it will happen again.

I will have to research Canon's Lighting options. Is there any in-camera control? I assume one flash model is the equivalent to the SB-800 as far as flexibility? I would assume however, that I can use the SB-600 and Metz units with Pocket Wizards or other radio trigger for use in manual mode, yes? SO there may be some value in keeping them?

Thanks again.

My advice is to get a used Fuji S5 Pro.
Use your available Nikon lenses.
You can use the Fuji up to ISO1600.

Awwww, he's cute, that must be why I keep him around!

Is it wrong that I want everyone to push him to Canon so I can feel less guilty about the obscene amount of money I plan to plunk down on lenses this year?

Lo-ove my Fuji S5... can't go wrong with that camera.

i have a D3, and I still pull out the fuji for portraits.

If you really loved him, and wanted the best for him, you'd switch to Nikon and plunk that $$$$ on some really good glass to go with the nearly noiseless D3.

Matching D3's. How sweet.

Heh, no thanks, I'm a Canon lifer. Started off with a Canon FT-B that pre-dated me by 6 years.

I love my D3 and was glad Nikon came out with it because I was very close to switching. My D300 is great too, but not worth switching to Nikon over IMO.

Reading your post though, I think you should get a 40D and sell your nikon stuff to get good Canon glass. It just seems right.

The D80 is unacceptable, the D300 costs more than the 40D.

I wouldn't mess with the D200 as usable ISO is probably only 800, so it's not a very big step up.

And, the synergy between you and your partner being able to share glass and accessories is significant.

My heart tells you to stay with Nikon, logic dictates otherwise

~rc

winner, winner chicken dinner!!!! Sorry couldn't help it, I just saw the movie 21. Listen to regas on this one, sell the nikon bodies and glass but keep the flashes for manual use and get a canon so you and your partner/love can work better together.

Best of luck,
John

I would normally say, to anyone, asking the question of whether or not to switch, to stay where you are. Nikon and Canon will be leapfrogging each other in terms of gear performance until one company goes belly up, and for that foreseeable future, that ain't happening.

In your case, since you are a husband & wife team (my guess), one of you will need to switch, because having same brand equipment during events is preferable, although not 100% necessary. You guys will need to gauge what is important to you. If lens choices are your top priority, then Canon is your choice, if lens quality is your top priority, Nikon glass is your choice. If wireless TTL from your camera is big for you, Nikon's CLS is unmatched in the industry, and not to mention Canon's flashes are much more expensive. The top of the line SB-800 is $315 while the top of the line Canon 580EXII sets you back almost $500, for which one could almost get a pair of AlienBees with gobs more power. In my opinion, high ISO noise is at this time a moot point, as the D300/D3 can either match or best the ISO noise in the Canon's. If you are comparing consumer grade cameras, then Canons are better.

I shoot Nikon and have used Nikon's CLS with great results. I shoot with a D200 and ISO 800 is perfectly usable, but I never shoot it above 800 unless I am doing an in camera B&W shot at which point I take it up to ISO 1600 and I get beautiful B&W noise on my D200. I just got the D300 delivered today (will see it when I get home), and with the lenses I have, for weddings, I have more than enough. I shoot with only 3 lenses, Nikon 50 f1.8, Tamron 17-50 f2.8, Sigma 50-150 f2.8 (just got it) and I am waiting for the Tokina 11-16 f2.8 to start shipping. With those 3 lenses I can cover 11-150mm @ f2.8...for me for weddings, that is plenty. With the high ISO performance of the D300 compared to the D200, I expect to not need the Nikon 70-200 VR.

For me, ergonomics are a huge deal, and the Canon's just don't feel right in my hand. I have tried the 5D, 30D, 20D, and the Mark IIN (the 8Mp one) and they all feel very strange on my hand, and since we use our cameras for 8+ hours in a day constantly shooting, this is a huge factor for me. A close 2nd to ergos is button placement to make necessary changes on the fly very quickly. If I have to go into menus or 2 hands/fingers to change some basic setting on my camera, then it's not for me. That is what I love about my D200, I can change stuff very quickly, and most times I don't even take my eye way from the view finder. If I have to go into menus to change something basic, then that camera is not for me for the way I use it. If I was shooting portraits, all this is moot point, because speed is not a priority when shooting portraits.

Hopefully my comments along with everyone else's' give you some ideas to consider, or confuse your further.

As I am reading through this I hear:
"I'd give up anything for you..Except Canon" from a cross the room.
LOL

Man, my heart is torn between my two loves

It just so happens that there is a 40D locally used (4 months old) from a guy Lynn just bought a lens from, for $850. Hmmmmm..... Grrrrrrrr.
I think I need to go fondle some bodies tomorrow.

Ramiro..thanks. I love my Sigma 50-150. I hadn't thought about ergos and function accessibility that much. I am so used to the Nikon functions, even with the D80. I just feel like I had cleaner images with my D50.

Thanks all.

Andy
westparkphoto.com

I'm gonna hurl.

IF you go to Canon, why keep the Nikon flashes? I would think sell the Nikon flashes and either get Canon flashes or the Vivitar 285HVs with radiopoppers?
Bang for the buck, the 285's and RPs would win.

I shoot Nikon d80's and they are ok. Not super. But on a dollars and cents level, with spending $3k (twin d300's minus selling the twin d80s) get me $3k more in earnings over the next 2 years?

I am staying out of the Canon VS Nikon thing. They both make great cameras. One makes good copiers and printers.

How are the RadioPoppers? I have been excited to find out more about these. I had a 285HV for the longest time when I was starting out with film. I sold it not knowing what I was doing at all. After working with the Strobist site tutorials, I wish I hadn't. My thinking... i if I all ready have the flashes, which would work with any Radio Transmitter, why sell them?

You do raise a good point!

Thanks,
Andy (still confused...still lusting for gear...)

I was shooting with a D70 a couple years ago and made the switch and bought a 5D. And well, now I've had a 30D and now own a second 5D. You won;t regret switching. I completely understand that comparing a D70 and a 5D is like comparing apples and well, cheesecake!, but I really like the mid level canon line much better than the mid-level of Nikon.

Sell your Nikon and get Canon gear. I'm with your wifey.

Very sound advice!This is a solid option, one I've considered myself. How are the Fuji's with the Nikon flashes? I've read somewhere where they don't work well together.This is a solid option, one I've considered myself. How are the Fuji's with the Nikon flashes? I've read somewhere where they don't work well together.

...Glitch in the Matrix.