Have you ever been out taking pictures, whether for fun or on a paid gig, only to have someone strike up a conversation about your camera? Turns out, a lot of other people take pictures with professional gear as well! And they all have an opinion about which is best.
On a sunny weekend in July, Parker Anderson was dressed in his best button-up shirt and vest while capturing still images at a modest wedding just outside of St. Louis. Things were going well and Anderson was having a good shoot so far; the bridal party was relaxed and easy going while the light coming through the windows of the church was wonderfully warm and dramatic.
Anderson was his usual smiling self, and welcomed conversation as one of the guests approached him while people were taking their seats.
This guy started asking me about my camera, so I showed it to him. I said, ‘It’s a Canon 5D mark iii. Not the latest model, but it captures a quality image and is a great tool for the job.’
The guy smiles and laughs a little bit, then spends the next two minutes explaining to me how Nikon is superior in every way to Canon, and that his Uncle is a professional landscape photographer. ‘Yeah, my Uncle really knows his stuff, so uh, you should do yourself a favor and look into Nikon. For starters the lenses are way better, the bodies have more resale value, and the color reproduction is so much better since the sensors in them are completely different! I’m pretty sure most pros use Nikon. I mean, I’m sure that your Canon is OK, but I think serious shooters are all using Nikon. My uncle shot film for a long time so he knows what’s up.’
Anderson politely nodded and excused himself as the processional wasn’t too far away from starting. Once in place and with a moment to think, he couldn’t help but feel this tremendous sinking feeling setting in. All of the images he had shot over the last seven years of his career, and the images he was about to capture that very day were going to be garbage.
I lost all motivation at that point, but because I take my work seriously, I started listing my camera gear on craigslist during downtime at the reception that evening. I looked at a few opinion articles online after Google searching 'Nikon better than canon' and according to a bunch of people on the internet I've never met, my 5D was basically a paperweight and the lenses were all junk.
Over the next two weeks, Anderson sold all of his Canon gear for a fraction of what he had paid for it and purchased all new Nikon gear to replace it.
I'm positive that my work is going to be much more professional now that I own this particular brand of equipment. Or at least, people will think I am a professional because of it, without even seeing my work. Perfect!
After reviewing Anderson's latest portfolio images and not seeing anything that was obviously better than before, Anderson told me that, "if you zoom into 400%, you can totally tell the difference!"
Lead image by kaboompics.com, used under Creative Commons.
Ha ha nice! I'm glad I don't stress about gear as much anymore. The products out are all pretty amazing theses days. We are pretty spoiled with the equipment options now. Nikon, Canon, Fuji, Pentax, Sony....all are great. Phase, Hasselblad, Pentax...I'll take any of them.
I noticed you put listed Nikon first though and Pentax last... "Things that make you go hmmmm"
Since he listed Phase and Hasselblad just before Pentax, you could assume it was reverse order in terms of quality. :-)
haha. That should get a rise out of them. Actually,, it appears it already has...
Busted! Actually when I look at the order I wrote them in, I would only switch Canon and Fuji in order of what I prefer. Good eye on my mental thought process...I didn't even realize...lol.
I feel sorry for people who buy a bunch of gear before realizing Nikon is best. I think there may even be a few misinformed photographers out there, right now, shooting with something else. ;-)
That must be why you see more Canon gear in pro sports than anything else. ROFL
Must be why you see more wedding and portrait photographers shooting Nikon. Every piece of gear has its specialty, including bodies.
We were misinformed 40 years ago and because of "investment" in glass, decided to perpetuate our mistakes. ;)
Nikon is best but because it's not bestest, we still don't know who's really the top gear brand. It's probably Apple.
To me (a Canon shooter), this all sound like one of those 'stories' you'd read in Playboy magazine. Who cares really?
And if this guy was so insecure about his work after a single conversation with some random about the camera hanging around his neck, then I don't think he should of been out charging people to shoot their weddings in the first place.
The simple fact that he'd been hired to shoot a (or another) wedding should have been enough vindication that his work was just fine.
I'd happily shoot any brand of camera these days and am very confident I could produce great work with it regardless. I just don't get the whole, one brand is better over the other, conversation at all. It seems counter productive to me.
Umm.. It was a joke.
Seriously?
Half the fun of satire pieces is reading the comments of people who take them seriously. Thanks for the extra entertainment!
should of?
100% Bullpen
This is so over-the-top of the situation it's attempting to parody, it's not really funny.
Did Lee write this and publish under Mike Wilkinson?
If your images don't look good at 400%, your gear sucks! ;-)
If you're scrutinizing your images at 400%, you've got bigger problems than the gear you used to capture it.
Satire is obviously not your thing.
800%. A lot of people say it's the bigglyiest best magnification.
Never mind about whats the best gear and who has it, let’s cut to the chase, and see who has the biggest dick. ;-/
Clearly, that's me! :-) But, seriously, I've seen images by people who don't have top flight gear that make me swoon!
I'll have to take your word for it but a black guy I worked with, years ago, asked me to retrieve photos from his fubar computer and it DEFINITELY wasn't him! ;-)
It's the classic Chevy versus Ford argument. It would have helped if that random person said that his uncle was Ansel Adams or some other photographer of reknown. I've been a Canon person since 1980; the A-1 was revolutionary with its aperture-priority, shutter-priority, program mode, plus stopped down metering and manual mode. I could've gone Nikon when I bought a DSLR, but owning two Canon SLRs, the other a New F-1, the 5D III met the specs of the two film cameras with their respective motor drives in FPS; besides being full-frame.
I tried to find the Press Conference parody where a Canon 1Dx says his camera is better than the 5D III. The other guy asks "Do you shoot sports?" "No" and other questions. The 1Dx guy says "I own a 1Dx". But I couldn't find the video. It's funny.
Next time, he should sell all of his Nikon gear and buy... a Toyota!
Very well done! Nicely written. I enjoyed that.
Next he'll need to sell all his Nikon stuff for Sony. Same sensors as Nikon, but he will be able see the histogram and blown highlights in the viewfinder as he composes his image. No self respecting photographer could possibly take good photos without those features in this day and age! 😀
What I love more than this is the people that wont buy a 5Div because of the video file size/codec. Like are you freaking serious, its not a video camera. It just happens to do video. It is a great photography camera, and what is everyone so focused on all this video stuff anyway? People watch everything on youtube on their PHONES!
Being an event/wedding photographer in San Francisco, most other photographers I’ve worked with have used Canon and I’ve been the lone Nikon guy. I’ve at some points considered switching based off that but I’m glad I haven’t. And not because Nikon is better, which is completely subjective, but simply because it’s a pain the ass to switch systems. Also, gear shouldn’t have so much weight. A good photographer should make decent photographs regardless of gear.
PetaPixel?! is that you? ohh you dog ;) sneakin ur clickbait on Fstoppers.
This all sound like a fabricated story. Not sure that a real photographer would do that just because a random person makes such comment.
Fabricated or not, I am sure we all know that well meaning gentlemen with the good advice. I double as corporate photographer and inadvertently stopped the discussion here a few years ago when I added Canon to my existing Nikon setup, when another department transferred their gear to me. It's been pretty much nice and quiet since. On a note aside, I don't see any substantial difference between the two makes. There are a few details on one that are done better on the other and it all has to do with workflow.
Well he's right, Nikon is better. :)
FAKE NEWS. Nobody would say, "I’m pretty sure most pros use Nikon." That wishy-washy sissy would be immediately kicked off the Internet.
If you discuss camera gear you must have EXTREME CONFIDENCE, believe only in absolutes, and condescend anyone who disagrees with you. The correct phrase is, "ALL REAL PROS use NIKON."
I had one come up to me and after looking at my gear say, "So, don't have the money for a Hassy, huh?"
My wife threatened to leave me if I didn't swap my Canon for Nikon - I did and here we still are happy as can be some 20 years later
If you read camera forums you really get this impression that a lot of people actually think their photographing will improve if they change system or update their camera. It is never a discussion about technique, composition, approach or any other skill that would matter.
I shoot with 1D mark IV and had a guy ask me if I was shooting film, why else would my camera be that big :D
somewhere I read: Amateurs worry about equipment, Professionals worry about money and Masters worry about light
I wish I could vote that up twice! :-)
Nikon is better because DXOMARK says so! :D
One day I would like to overhear someone talking to a carpenter, saying, "Yeah, your Stanley hammer is not bad, but you should really be using a Wilton Bash ball peen. That's what all the professional contractors use. It's weight to hit ratio is superior to the Stanley, and they use a special computer assist system to find the best balance. Your cabinets would definitely be better with a Wilton Bash!"
That's odd. I push the nails in with my thumb. :-/
Seriously? Imagine if the guest made fun of his skinny jeans. The way I see it, it's about user interface, the files and how one processes them. What works for you may not work for me and people should stop worrying about what others are doing, using and how many Instagram follower or likes they receive. If that were the case, Brooklyn Beckham would be a master and Patrick Demarchelier would not be considered the worlds top fashion photographer and we all know that he is.
?? Never heard of either of them.
Why choose Nikon when you can shoot with an IPhone X! But seriously this article is hilarious especially because I just sold all my canon gear for Nikon. For me though the turning point was when the priest took out his Nikon with 70-200 lens at a wedding and I realized if The holiest of us are using Nikon I must have been working for the devil.
Glad he sold the CANON gear, cause Nikon is WAY BETTER!!! LOL
I would of told that guy that BJORN BORG can beat ya at tennis with a wooden racket
I'm disabled and i began DSLR photography while homeless here. I saved up for my Nikon D3300 and bought it because reviews in 2015 i read were all very good and it was something i could afford. I'm still not able to invest in another camera but if i could purchase another one i'd definitely buy another Nikon.
I've nothing against Canon or any other manufacturer but i love my Nikon as well as a Tamron 18-200mm lens i was able to purchase for it. Both are manufacturers i'd support again when investing in gear simply because i've had good experiences with them and they are more affordable than other options in many cases.