Tech Review: 5 Reasons You Should Choose Nikon

In the photography world, there seems to be a constant debate: Nikon or Canon. Nikon or Canon. Nikon or Canon. Photographers (both amateur and professional alike) often have strong opinions over which brand they prefer. It’s easy to get attached to a brand when you’ve used them for a long time.

While there are a few other camera companies making names for themselves (i.e. Pentax and Sony), the two top contenders always seem to be Nikon and Canon. Canon seems to be more of a household name; they’ve been pretty strong in the printer game for a while now. As someone that has dabbled in photography for about seven years, and is now making more of a professional shift to it, I’ve been asked the question several times: “Do you use Nikon, or do you use Canon?”

The answer is always a resounding: “I use Nikon”, which usually earns dirty looks from every single Canon photographer in the room.

I don’t have anything personal against Canon per say, I’ve just had such a great experience with Nikon that I’ve never been curious about shifting to anything else. I actually started out in photography with my grandfather’s old Pentax 35mm film camera. Pentax has come a long way in the camera game, too, but my preferred camera brand is Nikon.

“Why Nikon?” You ask?

Well, I’ve thought long and hard about why I continue to choose Nikon time and time again, and why I will continue to choose them as my skills develop. Below are my five reasons why I only use Nikon made products:

1.) Nikon Customer Service

I’ve used the Nikon D3100 for six years, and just recently shifted to the Nikon D7100. For both cameras, and the lenses I’ve bought with them, I have had stellar customer service from the Nikon company. Every single time I’ve ever had a question, be it with a camera sensor, a mirror, or even a lens, the customer service staff at Nikon has been nothing but helpful to me. I’ve called their American customer service hotline several times, and each time, I’ve been met with informative, helpful individuals. Of course, I know this won’t always be the case with everyone, but in the nearly seven years I’ve used Nikon, I’ve always had a pleasant experience.

2.) Ease of Use

If you’re like me and the technical side of things doesn’t come naturally to you, then Nikon is probably the camera choice you’d rather go with. Nikon is very user friendly; the manual is pretty clearly laid out and the camera makes it easy to learn about the different functions. The last thing you want when you’re learning photography is confusion. Trust me. Plus, if you’re like me and you start out on a “beginner camera” (D3100) and make the shift to something a little bit more advanced (D7100), it’s easy to learn the functions and it’s easy to then perfect your photography style. Personally, I like crisp, sharp images, and I’m able to do that with Nikon cameras perfectly.

3.) Lenses

When I first got into photography, I had absolutely no clue why people needed a whole bag full of lenses. However, on a field study in Yellowstone National Park, I was at the geothermal pools, and a man next to me said, “You’re using a Nikon too?” I told him yes, and the man (who was a travel photographer from London) gave me a stellar piece of advice: “With the right lenses, and decent care, you may only need to upgrade your camera once every 5-6 years or so”. He let me use his (very nice) polarizing lens, and I got a beautiful shot of the geothermal pool that I’ve been able to display for years since. To me, Nikon has the best selection of lenses through their company, Nikkor, and you get a lot of quality for your money. Plus, lenses like the 35mm are on the less expensive end, which is helpful if you’re like me and you’re a freelancer. When it comes to zoom lenses, I feel Nikon is by far the best. The quality of the images really speak for themselves.

(Photo taken by me using Nikkor polarizing lens. Yellowstone National Park, August, 2011.)

4.) Price

When I first started a few years ago, Nikon was a bit cheaper than other camera companies. Now, they’re about equal in price, but the bundles on Nikon cameras and lenses are fantastic. The Nikon D7100 with two lenses (like this bundle at B&H Photo) is such a great deal (and one that I personally love). Personally, I believe you get so much quality for the money, and for me, that’s everything. I feel like Nikon has some of the best prices on the camera market, which make it affordable for freelancers like myself, who do still have to worry about groceries and bills and whatnot.

5.) Updates to Shutter Speed and Aperture

Admittedly, older Nikons don’t have the fastest shutter speeds in the world, but one thing that sold me on the D7100 was the fact that, because I photograph kids a lot, I could get crisp, clear images. Nikon has really stepped up their game as far as shutter speed and aperture, which makes for beautiful images. Plus, I love having a camera that can connect to wifi and comes with a wifi port. The faster shutter speed makes for better sports images, while the aperture makes for better portraits (in my opinion).

For me, there is no better brand than Nikon. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the Nikon D750 and the Nikon D50, both of which are quality cameras that produce great images. If you’re in the market for a camera, I’d suggest Nikon. If you’re looking for a place to buy it from, I’d suggest B&H Photo. They’ve got great deals and stellar customer service. Lots of photographers and videographers I know use B&H for just about everything. They’re my first stop for anything camera related!

I hope this small review is helpful to you. If it is, let me know!

Stay tuned for Part III of my Depression Through Film series up on Wednesday.

-AM

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