Nikon Blues

[Steve Phillipps]

Hello, Nikon, Wake Up!

Steve

[Perrone Ford]

Nikon announced several months ago, that they would be delivering something suitable in 2011. Why not just wait and see what they come up with?

[Steve Phillipps]

2011 - who knows what Canon will have by then!
I'm not interested in a DSLR, just amazed at how far behind Nikon are. They did this with image stabilised lenses, lagging 5 years or so behind Canon and losing users by the drove, now they're missing the boat with vDSLRs too. Interesting.
Steve

[Perrone Ford]

Originally Posted by Steve Phillipps

2011 - who knows what Canon will have by then!
I'm not interested in a DSLR, just amazed at how far behind Nikon are. They did this with image stabilised lenses, lagging 5 years or so behind Canon and losing users by the drove, now they're missing the boat with vDSLRs too. Interesting.
Steve

Canon, as a company, is over 15 times the size of Nikon. This is like like Sony versus Toshiba.

Canon given it's global scale and reach can dedicate an entire division to doing nothing but development of HDSLRs should they so choose. Nikon simply cannot do that. It's not just an issue of Nikon being late, it's an issue of Nikon having absolutely ZERO background in video, especially professional video.

I cannot even IMAGINE the ramp up at Nikon to try to compete in this market. They have no video division to call up and ask advice. They have no long term friends in Hollywood to lean on for advice. They have focused their entire being on making top quality optics for cameras, microscopes, binoculars, and other things. Canon makes copy machines for goodness sakes.

In stills, I moved from Canon to Nikon shortly after the EOS body style debuted. After my EOS10s wasn't all I had hoped. I'd been a Nikon fan, but couldn't afford the switch. I've been in the Nikon camp ever since. Nearly 15 years now.

But to be honest, this is all immaterial. Take a hint from our Hollywood brethren. Today they shoot the Panavision, tomorrow the RED, next week the Alexa, and the following month an ARRI film camera. Choose the right tool for the job. Just buy good glass, and then blow with the wind. Right now, the prevailing wind is with Canon. Could be Sony by Christmas, and then maybe Nikon next summer. Who knows.

Buy a camera and shoot. Problem solved.

[Steve Phillipps]

Some good points Perrone, I think you're right about Canon v Nikon's size and place in the video industry.
But you say "Just buy good glass" and I think that's something that disappoints Nikon users that have bought this glass and think "great I can use it for stills and video too", but then find they need to use Canons instead if they want video (I know, you can use some Nikons on Canon).
As for "Buy a camera and shoot", not me, not anymore, things just change too quickly. I've bought and sold Sony PD355 and 700 and a Varicam 2700 in the last 18 months, I get provided with kit on almost all jobs now.
As for "Buy a camera and shoot. Problem solved" that's a huge over-simplification of the situation and of very little help.
Steve
ps I'm a Nikon shooter too, so I've no negative bias, I love my D3, 85 1.4, 400 2.8 and 200 f2, just not for video

[Perrone Ford]

Originally Posted by Steve Phillipps

But you say "Just buy good glass" and I think that's something that disappoints Nikon users that have bought this glass and think "great I can use it for stills and video too", but then find they need to use Canons instead if they want video (I know, you can use some Nikons on Canon).

No, you can use practically every Nikon F-Mount lens in existence on any EOS film or digital. I'd say that's a pretty fair deal. I use my Nikon glass on both my Nikon (stills) and Canon (stills and video). No problems at all. I'll be adding some Pentax and Yashica screwmount to that quite soon.

Originally Posted by Steve Phillipps

As for "Buy a camera and shoot", not me, not anymore, things just change too quickly. I've bought and sold Sony PD355 and 700 and a Varicam 2700 in the last 18 months, I get provided with kit on almost all jobs now.

That's cool. But you're talking about broadcast cameras. I'm talking about the folks playing in the $1500-$3k camera market. VERY different. So you do like I did. Buy a T2i for $800. Use it until something else great or better comes out that you want more. Sell it for $500, and move on. I just lost $300, but honestly, I couldn't have rented the body for a week for that price. And I would have shot dozens of projects by that point.

Originally Posted by Steve Phillipps

As for "Buy a camera and shoot. Problem solved" that's a huge over-simplification of the situation and of very little help.
Steve

I don't really think it is at all. There are 4 truly viable solutions in the HDSLR market right now. GH1, 5D, 7D, T2i. Pick one and shoot. Why make this more complicated than need be? Same glass fits every one of those cameras. What's so hard about it?

[Matt Gottshalk]

Not only do I use ALL of my manual Nikon glass for shooting video on my 5d/7d, I also use it on any of my RED shoots.



I don't see what the problem is.

[Steve Phillipps]

Originally Posted by Perrone Ford

No, you can use practically every Nikon F-Mount lens in existence on any EOS film or digital.

Except the current G lenses which are the ones folks will probably be buying most of!

I misunderstood when you talked about just buy a camera and shoot, you meant "There are 4 truly viable solutions in the HDSLR market right now. GH1, 5D, 7D, T2i", so buy any of those cameras and shoot, well OK, that makes more sense, I thought you meant any including the Nikons, as that's what this thread was about.

Steve

[Perrone Ford]

Originally Posted by Steve Phillipps

Except the current G lenses which are the ones folks will probably be buying most of!

Well, you can't save everyone...

Originally Posted by Steve Phillipps

I misunderstood when you talked about just buy a camera and shoot, you meant "There are 4 truly viable solutions in the HDSLR market right now. GH1, 5D, 7D, T2i", so buy any of those cameras and shoot, well OK, that makes more sense, I thought you meant any including the Nikons, as that's what this thread was about.

Steve

I was referring to my earlier comment in the thread:

"So buy the canon body and an adapter for your glass. If Nikon releases something better, sell the body and buy the Nikon body. Consider the difference in price a lease cost."