We are not exaggerating if we say that Nikon and Canon are possibly the most recognised companies in the audiovisual sector in the market. Therefore, it is not surprising that they are also the most sought after by amateur and professional photographers. If you are about to buy a camera and don’t know which one to choose, you will be interested in our review! In it, we analyse and compare the main features of Nikon Vs Canon so that you can see their differences more clearly.
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Nikon Vs Canon: What types of cameras will you find?
The characteristics of both brands depend, and a lot, on each camera. But, as we can’t analyse all the cameras that Nikon and Canon have, we are going to focus on the product ranges they offer.
In the following, and so that you can check in practice some of the theoretical issues we have discussed, we will briefly analyse two different models of each brand:
1) Canon: a wide variety consisting of four classes
First of all, let’s see which camera lines you can find at Canon. It should be noted that Canon cameras are most easily recognisable by the EOS (Electro Optical-System) nomenclature.
Mirrorless cameras
Canon has an important range of mirrorless cameras. According to the company, they combine the power of an SLR in a compact body. Cameras with interchangeable lenses have a similar quality to reflex cameras, but are more versatile if you are going to use them for amateur or professional use.
Reflex cameras
The Japanese company has an extensive kit of up to 80 lenses compatible with SLR cameras, so there is a camera for every type of photographer. In fact, it is the brand itself that distinguishes SLR cameras for beginners, for enthusiasts and for professionals.
Compact digital cameras
If you are looking for a cheaper camera for more personal use, Canon’s compact digital cameras are an excellent choice. Here you will see different types of zoom, which will determine the performance and efficiency of each model.
Instant cameras
Unlike Nikon, Canon has a range of instant cameras or, as it also calls them, pocket cameras.
Although when we think of an instant camera we usually think of Polaroid, Canon offers a very interesting range, as it is a company that also specialises in printers and, in this product, it brings the two worlds together. In fact, it uses Zink technology to print photos without the need for ink and on special smudge-proof paper.
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2) Nikon: same quality, but without instant cameras
Now, we look at the three ranges of cameras that Nikon offers:
Mirrorless cameras
These cameras, in which there is no mirror or optical viewfinder, feature the Nikon Z mirrorless system, with a design based on the company’s wide-angle mount. The mount is 17% wider than in other ranges, and offers improved performance in lower light conditions. In addition, they have an image stabiliser built into the camera, and are sealed to be fully dustproof.
Compact cameras
We are talking about Nikon’s COOLPIX cameras. This type of camera has different optical zooms to get sharper and crisper images. As you know, this type of camera does not have a detachable lens, so you have to look at the zoom range to check its performance.
DSLR
This is the nomenclature Nikon uses to refer to DSLR cameras, which do use a mirror to reflect light into a viewfinder. In this case, Nikon has less variety than Canon, and currently markets about 10 models.
Nikon Vs Canon: What criteria to consider when choosing the best camera?
We have already talked about the different ranges you can choose from, and now it is time to analyse which are the most important aspects that can condition your choice:
1) Image: quality and resolution
This is one of those aspects where you can’t generalise, you have to look at the specifications of each camera. Both brands offer outstanding image quality, but the technical features vary greatly between all the cameras available.
There are some issues that we can advance, for example, that Canon includes more often the autofocus option in their cameras than Nikon. When it comes to video quality, it is also difficult to choose, although Canon has traditionally been more advanced in this respect.
Also, Nikon’s recent developments in this area make the decision even more difficult, as the company is adding more and more reflex camera models with autofocus and higher speed.
2) Shutter speed and burst
One of the areas where the performance of two cameras can be compared is shutter speed. In general, Canon DSLR cameras have faster shutter speeds than Nikon cameras, and they also tend to outperform them in burst speed.
In fact, some Canon cameras have up to 10 fps burst speed, while Nikon cameras tend to stay at a lower indicator. On the other hand, if we look at the cheaper cameras, it is Nikon that has more speed, although in both cases the difference is very small.
3) Kit: important accessories
Both Nikon and Canon offer a wide range of lenses to choose from to complement your camera. However, Canon has a slight advantage over Nikon, and that is that by using an adapter on a Canon camera you can use Nikon lenses, which is not the case otherwise.
4) Sensors and technology
It should be noted that both Nikon and Canon sensors are of high quality, but Nikon is more reliable in this respect. The reason for this is that Nikon’s sensors are without a low-pass filter, which results in a sharper image sharpness and better reproduction quality in less defined details.
5) Compression range
Another aspect to consider is what capacity each camera has to hold the pictures it takes and in what format it compresses them. In this respect, Nikon compresses all photos to the same size, which wastes all available space.
Canon, on the other hand, varies the compression size depending on the level of detail, colour and sharpness of each picture. Thus, Nikon JPG files are always the same size, while Canon files vary.
6) Price
In general, Canon cameras tend to be more expensive than Nikon cameras. Nikon has managed to position itself as a reference in a more professional range, which translates into a higher price for its cameras. If you opt for a cheaper alternative, Nikon offers more variety.
Nikon Vs Canon: final verdict
Normally, we tend to opt for one of the two alternatives we compare. However, the truth is that, in this case, we cannot categorically state that one brand is better than the other.
First of all, because the characteristics vary greatly from one model to the other, and all models would have to be carefully compared. But also because they both have the most advanced technology and innovation, which results in very competitive models that are very similar to each other.
Canon has managed to position itself in a more professional market, while Nikon competes more in the amateur photography segment. However, this may be due to the fact that Nikon cameras are generally cheaper than Canon cameras.
In short, our advice is to think about how you will mostly use each camera and compare specific models accordingly. You know that SLR cameras are the more professional cameras, while compact cameras are simpler.
Amazon: best-selling cameras
Below, we show you the cameras that users buy the most on Amazon, the world’s largest buying and selling network:
Nikon
[amazon bestseller = “camera nikon” items = “5”]
Canon
[amazon bestseller = “camera canon” items = “5”]