Entry

How do I choose between a Canon and Nikon digicams?

How does compare Canon Powershot G2 compare with Nikon 995, Nikon 4300 or Nikon 5700?

Jan 25th, 2008 08:09
Frank Webster, Taksh Verdhan, Shashank Tripathi, http://electronics.pickall.info/281052_digital-cameras/digital-cameras.electronics.html

DISCLAIMER: Canon bias. 
Canon's Powershot G2 is easily one of the best selling cameras in the 
world. There are several technical innovations that made Powershot 
series a pain in the rear of Nikon/FujiFilm/Olympus which are already 
well documented elsewhere on the net. 
http://www.melissamusgrove.com/
The bundled ancillaries (software, maintenance stuff etc) is unarguably 
the best on the market, period, the support for IBM's 1 GB microdrive 
(which Nikon did not have until recently), the hot shoe being right on 
the camera, the superb CanonScan software that makes it a cinch to get 
your snaps on your machine even for tech-phobic folk, the sturdier 
heavier body of the camera that makes it easier to balance, CP-10 card 
photo printer support, the new vivid color mode, the wireless remote 
control, the plethora of compatible flashes (Speedlite 220EX, 380EX, 
420EX, and 550EX to be precise), the possibility of recording videos 
WITH sound up to 120 seconds, or 30 seconds in a larger frame size 
(Nikon wannabes note...until recently, Nikon did not support sound in 
videos) ...etc etc. 
Yes, all of this is outstanding and even if you don't get most of it, 
YOU WILL BE SURPRISED eventually after you have used and discovered your 
G2 Powershot for while, when you find out why Canon was the best choice 
you could have made!
HOWEVER, amidst the celebration of all this doohickey one thing we often 
neglect to consider is the quality of the pictures themselves -- isn't 
THAT the main purpose of a camera, digital or otherwise? All the 
convenience in handling, maintaining and uploading wouldn't be worth 
jack if the pictures themselves looked better with another camera! 
And in this important department of "quality", I have always wanted to 
compare G2 and Nikon's top comparable options (specifically 995, 4300 
and 5700) because these are the only two brands that'll give you 
near-pro functionality and quality at consumer prices (apologies to 
FinePix/Olympus owners). 
I had the luxury recently of trekking with friends who own Nikons 4300 
and 995 respectively. Pretty much the ONLY thing I've found Nikon-freaks 
mentioning since the release of G2 is the oh-so-exalted Nikor lens 
because Canon beats Nikon hands-down in pretty much every other 
department as noted above. Me and my 2 friends are all more or less at a 
similar level of expertise with photography, none professional. But all 
have owned and worked with our camera for a while and read the manuals 
thin.
Here is what I believe after head-to-head comparisons, your mileage may 
vary -- 
OUTDOOR PICTURES IN BRIGHT LIGHT: 
Canon's colors were more real. Clarity is good with all 3 cameras but 
Nikon seemed a little reddish to me. 
PICTURES IN LOW LIGHTING (INDOOR OR NIGHT PICTURES): 
This is where Canon where truly leave you in "shock and awe" (sorry for 
the choice of words). I was stunned with some of Canon's ultra-realistic 
pictures when only a candle was on in a room for example. 
FIGURES/FACES OF PEOPLE: 
Unfortunately, even with a lot of tweaking, Nikon is just simply better 
at faces of people for some reason. Canon is too, er, "real"? We agreed 
that with Nikon ...the colors, shades, contours of the same face can be 
made to look a little better than with Canon -- and I am excluding 
software based trickery of course. 
DEFAULT MODE: 
If you opt to use only the default modes in Canon and Nikon, then Nikon 
will win in terms of photo quality. Canon provides excellent detail and 
clarity, but the default mode has the now notorious "white specks" or 
dotted edges. This is easily taken care of with some adjustment (read 
the manual). 
ALL IN ALL: I feel Canon's results are more "honest". It just captures 
the reality in every sense-- colors, the range of what your eyes see 
etc. This usually means it is better for me, but if my pictures were 
going to be mainly of people I would also give the Nikons a good look.
Otherwise, Canon G2 Powershot is the best there is. Even better than the 
new G3 (for now).