Nikon Vs Canon: Which Camera Brand Is Better?

I’m going to give away the first clue right away: A camera is a camera. At the end of the day, the brand comes down to just personal choice. However, I’ve had the Nikon vs Canon argument so many times, and I clearly favour one brand over the other, that I think this is worth going into.

My personal experience

I am a hardcore Nikon user, but I ended up with Nikon by chance. When I bought my first camera I was a pretty broke 20-year-old university student, and I was bargain shopping, trying to get the best deal that I could. I found a bundle on eBay that got me a camera body, three lenses, and a few accessories for a price I could afford, so that’s why I ended up with a Nikon instead of a Canon. 

Now, 13 years later, I am too used to the ergonomics, settings, and color rendering of Nikon, so I would never consider another brand.

Switching would have me changing not only all my lenses and accessories, but giving up my post-processing settings, presets, and editing style. Although I know people who have switched, for me, I like what I have, and I spent good money on lenses, which as long as I keep using Nikon, I can keep using.

I think Nikon has more affordable lenses and more options as you can use a lot of the old lenses, but some may say Canon has “better” lens options. When talking Nikon vs Canon, the truth is that there isn’t all that much difference between camera brands as each one has its entry-level camera, their mid-level, and their pro.

I did buy a Fuji mirrorless for travelling a few years ago, and I loved it for a while as it was smaller, and easier to sneak around for street photos. But since my travels turn into work trips pretty much always, I couldn’t afford to travel without my professional gear as I needed to deliver high-quality images for clients. You can read more about mirrorless vs SLRs on this post.

I currently use a Nikon Z6 (mirrorless full-frame sensor), but before I upgraded to my Z6 I actually tried a Sony A7 for a few days… and although technically the camera was amazing, I just couldn’t get used to the shape of the body, and the colours…. I just hated it, and couldn’t commit to it, even knowing that it was a bit better for video.

Ok, I know this is a Nikon vs Canon post, and I’m talking Sony and Fuji. But it makes the same point: It’s all personal preference. I just wanted you to know that I’ve actually used many different camera makes and models.

My experience with Canon

I have shot Canon cameras in the past and they are amazing, but again, the buttons are in “the wrong place” for me, and I don’t enjoy the process. My good friend owns Canon and she tells me how much she loves the bulkiness and heaviness of it, it makes her feel at work… for me, I love how small Nikon lenses can be, and I am all about shooting light and comfortable, so I always loved the smaller Nikon size.

I went on a work trip a few years ago right after my camera broke down and I had to leave it behind for repair. This was ok because I was traveling with my friend who has her Canon 5d, so we just used her camera. Although the images were good, shooting was a lot harder as it didnt feel second nature, and editing was tough. I couldn’t use any of my usual presets and settings, and I was so used to Nikon colours that I wasn’t able to edit the shots to look exactly how I wanted them.

So what’s best?

What I am trying to say is…. A camera is a camera. Pick what you like the most, what makes you feel the most comfortable, and the level of camera that matches the work that you do. Maybe even look into colour rendering and how the looks vary, but other than that, don’t get caught up on the quality argument.

If you are concerned about budget, mirrorless cameras are a great option to SLR, and they are getting better and better every release. In my opinion, mirrorless technology is the future of photography, and they also provide you with great video functionality. Although if you are gonna go for an entry-level camera, SLRs might be a little more reliable. You should be more concerned about what type of camera you want, rather than what brand.

I would still recommend sticking to one of the more known brands (Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fuji) as not only there is more equipment available, but also more resources online for troubleshooting, and problem-solving. They are the industry standard for a reason, and anywhere you go you will find supporting equipment and repair options without having any issues.

So in summary, check out the options available for each camera manufacturer, both SLR, and Mirrorless, and decide what feels the best for you. If you want to know more about the best cameras for beginner photographers, I’ve gone into depth about it for you!

There is no wrong choice, trust me. Once you pick a camera that you like, you will not regret it. As you evolve with your photography, you will find that the most important thing to change is your lenses, not your camera brand.