I much prefer Nikon's handling and style (though even Nikon are getting too futuristic recently and look pretty nasty with AiS primes, and Canon's placement of a few buttons (the picture custom function buttons being important here) are great) of bodies. A user like myself could absorb any newer camera from either company and enjoy much better experience.

I love my D200 and won't part with it till I've the money for the next thing and/or it breaks down (in which case, I'll probably scour the used space for a used D300 or D7000). But, Canon have a big advantage too: they can use pretty much any Nikon lens with a very simple (and not too expensive adapter) that retains most of the functions of the lens.

Again, I use autofocus lenses on about 1% of my shots, so that isn't a 'feature' for me at the moment.

To be honest, if Canon suddenly went retro design with their cameras and released a smaller SLR that was still a high-quality pro body, I'd jump. Nikon's look better now, but are HUGE. My FM2 isn't a small camera, but it is dwarfed by everything on the DSLR market that has the same lens mount metering functions.

So, I very much agree with kanuck, here. I love Nikon and use Nikon, but I am also equally pulled toward Canon if they suddenly changed their horridly smooth, futuristic styling.

kanuck: thank you for the compliments (especially in such a public place). My income was drying up in Korea (after a broken arm when I couldn't write), and I began to really really despise the morals of a few of the companies I worked for. It would have been great to get to meet you and work together! Cheers.

I still don't think the D700 is hands down a better camera than the D700 and that they are very close. I prefer the D700 thats why I have one but I just don't think it is better in all respects. The new D7000 is impressive and has better dynamic range than the D3x but to be fair I was comparing the 5D to FX bodies. Kyoshinikon, your right the L lenses do not impress me either and it was a big factor in keeping me with Nikon. CaryTheLabelGuy I guess we will have to agree to disagree. Both the 5D and D700 are excellent cameras. The D700 and Mark 2 are almost a toss up, the D3s is simply amazing and the D3x is out of the stratosphere price wise however, the D3x would have to be rated as the best FX camera on the market still. With its high price I didn't include it before :)

Every time I use a 5D mk2 I am less and less impressed, I even compared it to a D7000 and it fell short in key practical categories. Don't get me wrong, it is a wonderful camera to shoot with and one of the best at that but it is pretty overhyped like the 7D...

As to rivaling any nikon pro or semipro (d300s, D7000) in camera comparisons, It does mediocre in low light, Doesn't shoot ProPhoto (!), has no true function button, I find the ISO button to be in a stupider spot than the one on the D90 (as you need to use the SS dial right next to it to set it), The placement of the on off switch is also in a pretty odd spot, the viewfinder is very unimpressive to either the D700 or a850, Everybody knows that the AF sucks, and as a sports photographer a 3.9fps burst is really slow.

Also the abundance of unimpressive L series lenses (especially on the wide end) really put me off on the 5Dmk2 as a superior camera. It seems that most canon lenses dont have any sharp point until l it is stopped down at f5.6 or smaller. While the edges suffer a bit on my 14-24mm it is much sharper than any comparable canon lens wide open at a f2.8...

I do understand why so many photogs love the 5Dmk2 though... It is a fantastic camera and more than enough for most. My qualms come from the way I've use it....

(and yes I started with Canon The first DSLR I used was an Eos 1 in 2004)

Now, go compare DR in the D3X and the 5DMkII. You said the only FX camera better than the 5DMkII is the D3s. I see we now agree that the D700 is a better camera. With that said, the D3x is also a better camera with comparable pixel density to the 5DmkII. I agree with DXo 100%. The D7000, D700, D3s and D3x all are better bodies....

Now, on to pixel density. The D7000 has a much higher pixel density than the 5D or even the D3x.... The D7000 sensor performs better than the 5DII(in many aspects), this doesn't impress you at all?

Not understanding your position. I respect you, this isn't a bash-fest. Please don't see it that way. I'm just trying to make sense of your comments.

Its also amazing that the dynamic ranges are so close between the two cameras because with 21mp compared to 12 thats a completely different sensor so much more room for error in terms of noise overall clarity.

Interesting comments about autofocus shigzeo. Your street work is fantastic so clearly you are not missing AF thats for sure. Too bad you had to leave Korea, Derek Winchester and many others particularly from SFC spoke very highly of you. I think I could have talked to our editor and gotten you some work :)

I feel that D700 is not way better than the 5D mark 2. It is very close in fact. There is very little noise in the shadows all the way up to iso 2600. Just like the D700 you need to turn off as much of the in camera processing as possible to get the best images. Both cameras shoot fantastic RAW files. The 5D mark 2 has the best image quality in the smallest FX body in the market. The overall colors in both cameras are comparible. As far as dynamic range, both again are very similar with 12.2 for the D700 and 11.9 scores for the Mark 2 according to DXO. The 5D mark 2 is also great for bracketing and has nice recall function buttons that Nikons do not have. These recall functions are great for when you shoot more than one type of photography at a time. My brother has loved his and everyone I work with here at our paper uses the Mark 2 except me. One guy who covers sports has his D3 and D3s as well. Again I think the D700 and Mark 2 are a lot closer than many people think. Its either the D700 by a nose or the Mark 2 by a nose.

go get them CaryTLG

It is a Nikon forum !!!!!!!

kanuck said:
Carythelabelguy I agree with my brother it is better than any Nikon FX body except the D3s. I have shot with it and it is better than the D700 which I own. The images it renders are amazing. The 5D M2 and original 5D are fantastic landscape cameras and for portraits. The autofocus issues are very overated and do not hinder the user that much. I think a lot of it is sour grapes. Canon produces great gear no question however, I will always stick with Nikon. 16 years and counting now thanks dad!

Better in what ways? I've shot with them all and the D700 is in another league as the 5D MkII. There really is no debate here. The 5DII can't compete in signal to noise ratio, Dynamic Range, AF, metering or really any other way other than resolution. Not to mention the Canon has red channel issues and noise in the shadows @ISO-200 and terrible banding anything over Iso-2500. Even the Nikon D7000(a $1200 DX body) has better dynamic range and signal to noise ratio. The 5DII's ergonomics are a joke as well. So tell me, what makes the 5DII a better body again?

kanuck said:
Carythelabelguy I agree with my brother it is better than any Nikon FX body except the D3s. I have shot with it and it is better than the D700 which I own. The images it renders are amazing. The 5D M2 and original 5D are fantastic landscape cameras and for portraits. The autofocus issues are very overated and do not hinder the user that much. I think a lot of it is sour grapes. Canon produces great gear no question however, I will always stick with Nikon. 16 years and counting now thanks dad!

Agree here. The 5DMKII is a GREAT camera. It is built well, takes amazing photos, and has a great user base that backs it up with amazing accessories and lenses.

Plus, some of us don't use AF very often at all. I am 100% okay with the AF of my Nikon D200 as long as I don't use it too much for fast sports with my AF lens. Otherwise, I simply don't have AF lenses, nor do I use AF that often. On the street, in my house, for landscapes, I have used AF about 3x (probably because my AF lens is way too heavy to carry around).

Carythelabelguy I agree with my brother it is better than any Nikon FX body except the D3s. I have shot with it and it is better than the D700 which I own. The images it renders are amazing. The 5D M2 and original 5D are fantastic landscape cameras and for portraits. The autofocus issues are very overated and do not hinder the user that much. I think a lot of it is sour grapes. Canon produces great gear no question however, I will always stick with Nikon. 16 years and counting now thanks dad!

I'd love to see the reaction of their local service agent, when they complain about dust spots on their pictures. Do Canon rumors have the same shot but with a D700?

casperwb said:
now, talk about a contradiction in terms

[very good camera except for the lousy AF system]

Very good in almost every other aspect than that. No contradiction there.

The 9-point slow dinosaur AF just has to go. For Canon´s sake I hope they make the 5Dmk3 AF system at least as powerful as that on the 7D. And the electronic level of the 7D is really nice.

^ I was going to say the same thing

casperwb said:
this may have been a staged shot,

No way! It's on the internet. It has to be realz.

Godless said:

The 5dmk2 is a very good camera, and the only reason I sold it was the lousy AF system.

now, talk about a contradiction in terms

[very good camera except for the lousy AF system]

I believe this shot to be terribly appropriate! Lol. Very nice. World's best FF camera? Hardly.

Geez I should show this to my brother He loves his 5D m2. He still thinks its the World's best FX camera. It is the best selling FX camera now too...

beautiful monty, very cute

I think there may be some sort of liner, and this may have been a staged shot,

but, very nice, thanks for sharing it.

Well I'm sure the battery grip still works!

Yeah, unless the camera was already dead, that's kind of wasteful. That being said, people can do whatever they want with things that they buy.

Oh my. That is terribly abusive. Almost makes me sick.

The 5dmk2 is a very good camera, and the only reason I sold it was the lousy AF system.

I couldn't not share this here :D

From fhe planet5d blog.