First, let me say that this was a tough decision.
As a kid, my father owned Nikon equipment, and i was inclined to follow in his footsteps, as most kids are influenced by their parents choices.
So, I thought I'd list some reasons that you may find interesting.
1) The Canon cameras just felt better in my hands and were more comfortable to hold. The depressions in the grip fit better than the others.
2) The cost of a full frame sensor, in the Canon 5D, was reasonable for a high-end DSLR.
3) A friend whom I trust recommended Canon.
4) Looking at the whole system, the cost of the lenses and accessories was more reasonable in comparison, and I noticed how many more "white" lenses were used at sporting events, than I could tell for others. The tell-tale white lenses seemed to be everywhere. How could I go wrong?
5) Canon is a larger company, makes more diverse products, so they most likely can spread development costs, and they develop their own CMOS sensors. Although any company can make mistakes and go down fast, I felt more comfortable going with a larger company that has a solid base.
6) Canon's "L" lenses are highly regarded, and their in-lens image stabilization system and quiet, electronic auto focus system was rated excellent in most reviews I read.
7) The user interface on the Camera's LCD was easier for me, and looked more user friendly.
8) Ergonomic design and placement of the control dials, buttons and wheels. Like I said, everything just seemed to fit better in my hands, and accessing the buttons and dials felt more natural than the other systems.
9) Cosmetics and design. The Canon camera design was more appealing to me. Not a deciding factor, but a small contributing one.
10) Service and support. I had a good experience before with Canon support, and they have a good reputation for quick turnaround on repairs.
So, there you have it!
It's a fine line between the top camera systems, particularly Nikon and Canon. And, now that I'm a Canonista for several years, there have been some moments I wondered if I made the right decision. Clearly, Nikon has leaped forward with their high-end, D700, D3 and D3X models, for their unsurpassed low-light sensitivity and their excellent Creative Lighting System (CLS) in their compact Flash units. Something I hope Canon will address in future Cameras and Flash equipment.
Generally speaking, I've been very pleased with my choice of Canon, and I know they'll continue to develop new and improved cameras, flashes, lenses, etc... for the future!
Ivan
Disclaimer
The information in this blog post is based on an opinion and is provided without warranty or claims of accuracy or completeness. Use the info at your own risk. All trademarks mentioned belong to their respective owners.
