another nikon canon dilemma at DVinfo.net

Jim Jolliffe · October 13th, 2009, 04:59 AM

Okay, I know this has be skirted on in earlier theads but I was wondering if anybody could help me in my dilemma?

I have always had Nikons, but broke my D200 the other day. I also have a lovely F3P which now rarely gets used, and some old manual focus Nikon lenses.
I work in the film industry and recently have done the odd job on the 5D and the EX1/EX3 (with 35mm lens adapter).
After breaking my D200 I need to buy myself a new stills camera. I like the APS-C sensor as it is pretty similar to Super 35mm. So the canon 7D is the one I have chosen.

Hopefully I will be able to get it on a few jobs to help pay for itself. As a PL adapter is not available for it, I was hoping to use my Nikon lenses, with an adapter. But I need to buy some faster lenses for narrower DOF.
Here is what I was thinking...
Get the Canon 18-200mm with the camera for taking stills (I had the Nikon 18-200mm and was happy with it).
Use my existing MF Nikon lenses and buy a few more for when I am making movies (as an example was thinking of the 85mm f1.4 Samyang in Nikon mount). Also the nikon lenses are better to pull focus with and in case I go back to Nikon one day, nikon lenses can be used on canons but not the other way around.
The downside is that the adapter is fiddley and the nikon lenses will be a pain to use for stills.

The question is, am I mad to buy Nikon lenses if I've got a Canon camera??

Christopher Lovenguth · October 13th, 2009, 06:54 AM

In my opinion (and to each their own when it comes to brands) if you like Nikon glass and don't mind two possibly big issues then go for it.

The issues with using Nikon:

1. Canon lenses are made for Canon cameras, perfect mount fit and perfect lens to film plane. An adapter no matter how well built is not exact.

2. No auto-focus or any other functions a lens might have (IS).

Bill Pryor · October 13th, 2009, 09:05 AM

I would buy the new lens with a Canon mount. I think it's a good bet you'll stick with Canon after getting the 7D. Try out an adapter and see what happens. If you get a good one, it will be useable. There will be a PL adapter out soon.

Jim Jolliffe · October 13th, 2009, 09:55 AM

Cheers for that. I think I'll do just that, buy the camera, the canon zoom and a nikon adapter for my existing lenses. I'll see how the nikon adapter is and then make my mind up about what primes to buy - Nikon or Canon.

It'd be great if a PL adapter was to come out soonish, may be a struggle to use the wider lenses though.
It seems as if a PV (panavision) adapter would be easier to make. That would be still be pretty useful, the Primo lenses are fabulous, just a little bulky (and T1.9 not T1.3).

But until a PL mount adapter arrives.......

I used an EX3 the other day with a Nikon mount Letus (crap). The lenses we had were great. Nikon mount Zeiss ZF lenses, that had been 'cinematized' by P&S Technik - Similar to the Zeiss Compact Primes, but Nikon mount:

http://www.pstechnik.de/downloads/DB..._v0903_web.pdf

Cheers,

Jim

Bruce Foreman · October 13th, 2009, 12:00 PM

Jim,

Here's another vote for going Canon lenses (or Canon mount). I have both the Canon EF 50mm F1.8 prime (available for about $100 or sometimes less) and an old but mint AI-S 50mm F1.8 Nikkor. The Canon lens is a slight tad better I think with slightly better tonal quality, just a bit snappier contrast, and image quality holds up really well below F5.6.

Yes, the Nikkor is SUPER as well with an easy to grasp focusing ring (both aperture and focus are strictly manual all the way with this one) but in a Nikon to EOS adapter mine back focuses past infinity. I use it on the T1i for manual aperture control but on the 7D the Canon EF flat works "slicker".

Like one previous poster said, I think once you work with the Canon 7D for awhile you'll want to stick with Canon. I fell for the first EOS film model (Canon EOS 650) and sold off a bunch of Nikon F2 and lenses. In that same time frame I worked in an air force photo lab and we had Nikon F3's and lenses. I took some flak from the others whose personal cameras were also F3's until I used my EOS 650 on a couple of assignments with the lab chief and when he looked over contact sheets and saw the consistency of exposure, he "shut up".

It does boil down to personal preference.

Bill Pryor · October 13th, 2009, 01:22 PM

Hereyago:

Philip Bloom Blog Archive 7d with a BIG cinema lens on it

Jim Jolliffe · October 13th, 2009, 01:48 PM

That'd do me perfectly!!!! ;-)

I wonder if that is actually an interchangeable adapter or a modified mount on the 7D?

Why can't one buy these yet? I want one! May have to do a little research. Will keep you informed.

Kin Lau · October 13th, 2009, 02:52 PM

With many of the Canon primes, you can likely resell the lens for little or no loss. This is especially true if you buy them used to begin with.

I know my EF85/1.8 will easily resell for the same price (used) I bought it for... or more for that matter. I can probably sell my Sigma 30/1.4 for more than what I paid for it.

October 13th, 2009, 04:59 AM	#1
Jim Jolliffe Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: London, UK Posts: 39	another nikon canon dilemma Okay, I know this has be skirted on in earlier theads but I was wondering if anybody could help me in my dilemma? I have always had Nikons, but broke my D200 the other day. I also have a lovely F3P which now rarely gets used, and some old manual focus Nikon lenses. I work in the film industry and recently have done the odd job on the 5D and the EX1/EX3 (with 35mm lens adapter). After breaking my D200 I need to buy myself a new stills camera. I like the APS-C sensor as it is pretty similar to Super 35mm. So the canon 7D is the one I have chosen. Hopefully I will be able to get it on a few jobs to help pay for itself. As a PL adapter is not available for it, I was hoping to use my Nikon lenses, with an adapter. But I need to buy some faster lenses for narrower DOF. Here is what I was thinking... Get the Canon 18-200mm with the camera for taking stills (I had the Nikon 18-200mm and was happy with it). Use my existing MF Nikon lenses and buy a few more for when I am making movies (as an example was thinking of the 85mm f1.4 Samyang in Nikon mount). Also the nikon lenses are better to pull focus with and in case I go back to Nikon one day, nikon lenses can be used on canons but not the other way around. The downside is that the adapter is fiddley and the nikon lenses will be a pain to use for stills. The question is, am I mad to buy Nikon lenses if I've got a Canon camera??

October 13th, 2009, 09:55 AM	#4
Jim Jolliffe Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: London, UK Posts: 39	Thanks for replies, and info on a great set of lenses, but nikon mount.... Cheers for that. I think I'll do just that, buy the camera, the canon zoom and a nikon adapter for my existing lenses. I'll see how the nikon adapter is and then make my mind up about what primes to buy - Nikon or Canon. It'd be great if a PL adapter was to come out soonish, may be a struggle to use the wider lenses though. It seems as if a PV (panavision) adapter would be easier to make. That would be still be pretty useful, the Primo lenses are fabulous, just a little bulky (and T1.9 not T1.3). But until a PL mount adapter arrives....... I used an EX3 the other day with a Nikon mount Letus (crap). The lenses we had were great. Nikon mount Zeiss ZF lenses, that had been 'cinematized' by P&S Technik - Similar to the Zeiss Compact Primes, but Nikon mount: http://www.pstechnik.de/downloads/DB..._v0903_web.pdf Cheers, Jim

October 13th, 2009, 06:54 AM	#2
Christopher Lovenguth Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 85	In my opinion (and to each their own when it comes to brands) if you like Nikon glass and don't mind two possibly big issues then go for it. The issues with using Nikon: 1. Canon lenses are made for Canon cameras, perfect mount fit and perfect lens to film plane. An adapter no matter how well built is not exact. 2. No auto-focus or any other functions a lens might have (IS).

October 13th, 2009, 09:05 AM	#3
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	I would buy the new lens with a Canon mount. I think it's a good bet you'll stick with Canon after getting the 7D. Try out an adapter and see what happens. If you get a good one, it will be useable. There will be a PL adapter out soon.

October 13th, 2009, 12:00 PM	#5
Bruce Foreman Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: San Angelo Texas Posts: 1,518	Jim, Here's another vote for going Canon lenses (or Canon mount). I have both the Canon EF 50mm F1.8 prime (available for about $100 or sometimes less) and an old but mint AI-S 50mm F1.8 Nikkor. The Canon lens is a slight tad better I think with slightly better tonal quality, just a bit snappier contrast, and image quality holds up really well below F5.6. Yes, the Nikkor is SUPER as well with an easy to grasp focusing ring (both aperture and focus are strictly manual all the way with this one) but in a Nikon to EOS adapter mine back focuses past infinity. I use it on the T1i for manual aperture control but on the 7D the Canon EF flat works "slicker". Like one previous poster said, I think once you work with the Canon 7D for awhile you'll want to stick with Canon. I fell for the first EOS film model (Canon EOS 650) and sold off a bunch of Nikon F2 and lenses. In that same time frame I worked in an air force photo lab and we had Nikon F3's and lenses. I took some flak from the others whose personal cameras were also F3's until I used my EOS 650 on a couple of assignments with the lab chief and when he looked over contact sheets and saw the consistency of exposure, he "shut up". It does boil down to personal preference.

October 13th, 2009, 01:22 PM	#6
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Hereyago: Philip Bloom Blog Archive 7d with a BIG cinema lens on it

October 13th, 2009, 01:48 PM	#7
Jim Jolliffe Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: London, UK Posts: 39	That'd do me perfectly!!!! ;-) I wonder if that is actually an interchangeable adapter or a modified mount on the 7D? Why can't one buy these yet? I want one! May have to do a little research. Will keep you informed.

October 13th, 2009, 02:52 PM	#8
Kin Lau Major Player Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ottawa, ON Posts: 385	With many of the Canon primes, you can likely resell the lens for little or no loss. This is especially true if you buy them used to begin with. I know my EF85/1.8 will easily resell for the same price (used) I bought it for... or more for that matter. I can probably sell my Sigma 30/1.4 for more than what I paid for it.