Help Needed! Canon vs Nikon (Specific)

[USM]

Hi! To all those Techincal Experts as well as those who have switched from Canon to Nikon system, I need your advices on the following.

I shall not start a thread which someone else has already mentioned (Canon vs Nikon) but rather zoom in to specify comparison of certain products only.

Please keep your comments on the following items ONLY, otherwise there will be a duplication to another thread started by someone else. Also, please refrain from saying "it's the man behind the camera", etc.

1) Canon 10D vs Nikon D70

2) EF 28-135mm f3.5-4.5 IS USM vs 24-120mm VR

3) EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM vs 70-200mm f2.8ED VR

4) EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM vs 200-400 f4ED VR

5) 550EX vs SB800

6) EF 17-40mm f4L USM vs 18-70mm DX

In respect on the above lenses, is USM faster than SWW? Is IS better VR? Is the focuisng of those Canon lenses faster than Nikon? What about color, optics, contrast, distortion, vignetting between the 2 types of lenses?

[Amfibius]

Originally Posted by USM 1) Canon 10D vs Nikon D70 2) EF 28-135mm f3.5-4.5 IS USM vs 24-120mm VR 3) EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM vs 70-200mm f2.8ED VR 4) EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM vs 200-400 f4ED VR 5) 550EX vs SB800 6) EF 17-40mm f4L USM vs 18-70mm DX

Wow, that's a huge list of questions for one thread!


#1 - 10D vs. D70. If faced with the choice of both, I would take the D70. Reasons: cheaper, faster, better battery life, better metering, faster flash sync, ability to be "flash commander" (10D requires you to buy the ST-E2 transmitter). The 10D does have some advantages: better build quality, lower noise images, better viewfinder, optional vertical grip, mirror lockup, faster FPS, extra 2 AF points. There are also reports of moire with the D70. Ergonomics is a personal thing, but I prefer the ergonomics of the 10D.

#2, #3, #4 - Canon comparable to Nikon. I don't think I have seen anyone do a comparison between the two systems. As for #4, the 100-400 F/4.5-5.6L is cheaper than the Nikon but that is not surprising, considering the Nikon is a constant F/4. I think the equivalent Nikon lens is the 80-400 F/4.5-5.6 VR.

#5 - SB800 roughly the same as 550EX depending on your need. SB800 has better build quality, but has a GN of 38. The 550EX is more powerful, with a GN of 55. People who have used both say that the SB800 is better to use.

#6 - that's easy! 17-40 F/4L wins! This is an extraordinarily sharp lens, even sharper than the more expensive 16-35 F/2.8L. The 18-70 DX, while a very good lens, suffers from vignetting wide open. Not a very fair comparison given that the lenses are not in the same class - the Canon costs nearly 3x as much as the 18-70.

[mpenza]

#5 SB800 should have a GN >50m. The SB80DX it replaces has a GN of 56m. 550EX's 55m is at 105 degrees zoom, ISO 100.

[Zerstorer]

Originally Posted by Amfibius #5 - SB800 roughly the same as 550EX depending on your need. SB800 has better build quality, but has a GN of 38. The 550EX is more powerful, with a GN of 55. People who have used both say that the SB800 is better to use.

Erm...the SB800 has a specified guide number of 56M@105mm@ISO100 compared to 55M@105mm@ISO100 for the 550EX. Don't you find it strange that a top of a line flash from nikon can be rated at only a miserly 38M GN?

Btw, 38m is the setting at 35mm.

[Amfibius]

Originally Posted by mpenza #5 SB800 should have a GN >50m. The SB80DX it replaces has a GN of 56m. 550EX's 55m is at 105 degrees zoom, ISO 100.

Got that from a Nikon website: http://www.nikon-image.com/eng/speedlights/sb800.htm

My apologies - read through it too quickly

[imaginary_number]

While we're on this topic, is the D70 or the 10D faster in terms of AF?

[imaginary_number]

Originally Posted by Amfibius #1 - 10D vs. D70. If faced with the choice of both, I would take the D70. Reasons: cheaper, faster, better battery life, better metering, faster flash sync, ability to be "flash commander" (10D requires you to buy the ST-E2 transmitter). The 10D does have some advantages: better build quality, lower noise images, better viewfinder, optional vertical grip, mirror lockup, faster FPS, extra 2 AF points. There are also reports of moire with the D70. Ergonomics is a personal thing, but I prefer the ergonomics of the 10D.

Just to add, for the 10D, a 550ex or even a Sigma 500 Super offers wireless flash control.