Canon 5d mark II vs Nikon D700

I got a question from a friend recently via twitter about which camera to get, Canon 5D or Nikon D700. I believe this is quite popular question and worth a blog post. I was in the position before last year, and I opted Nikon D700 despite I am a Canon 40D shooter. It is largely because of the nature of my work. In this post, I would like to discuss why I arrived on my decision.

First of all, Canon 5D mark II and Nikon D700 are full frame cameras, which have bigger sensor than regular digital SLR camera in the market. Because of that, they produce higher quality images especially in low light condition, shallower depth of field and bigger viewfinder. Bigger sensor is very expensive to produce, therefore the price is relatively high too. Usually, you need full frame camera when you want a higher quality images.

NIKON D700 Characteristics

Nikon D700 has several advantages over Canon 5D mark II, such as excellent 51 AF focus system that is very accurate and fast, about one stop cleaner image in higher ISO setting, and faster continuous burst (5 fps and up to 8 fps when you attach proprietary battery grip).

As a result, Nikon D700 is a favorite when your photography is about capturing fast moving subjects, and low light photography (without flash) .

CANON 5D mark II Characteristics

Canon 5D mark II has a advantages in ability to record FULL HD 1080p video with manual exposure control. Nikon D700 however, can’t record any video. By getting Canon 5D mark II, it means you get access to a bigger selection of Canon compatible pro grade lens (L lenses) and most of them are cheaper than Nikon’s counterpart. Furthermore, Canon 5D mark II can produce 21 megapixel image which is larger than D700’s 12 megapixel.

Therefore, Canon 5D mark II is better if you are looking forward to be a creative multimedia artists, such as capturing video footage in wedding, commercial, or other events. It is also great if you need 21 megapixel for super large prints such as for wall print or billboard.

LENSES

Another popular follow-up question is about lenses. Many lenses are available for both cameras, but many are not compatible with full frame cameras. For Nikon shooters, you can use Nikon DX lenses such as 18-55mm, 18-105mm and other DX lenses, but you will only get 5 megapixel image and it will be cropped. For Canon shooters, you can’t use Canon EF-S lenses at all.

Therefore, you will have to look into lenses before you decided to jump to full frame camera. Many suggest that you will also need to get better quality lenses not only to get advantage of the bigger sensor, but also to get decent images. Therefore, conserving some money on the side for new lenses is quite important.

About the lens collection, Canon has more selection than Nikon. Canon L lenses are excellent, and many of them are cheaper. However, Nikon lenses quality in the last few years are excellent, especially in zoom lenses category. For more detailed comparison, you can check out my Nikon vs Canon lenses post.

There are also some third party lenses which are designed for full frame cameras, such as Sigma and Tamron lenses. Some has very good optics in great price.

Note: Don’t buy the Nikon D700 with 24-120mm VR lens. The lens isn’t good

SUMMARY

You need to consider what type of photography you are going to shoot, and research a bit about the lenses. Without good lenses, you might not get image quality that you wish buy getting a full frame camera.

That’s all folks, good luck on your decision.

Tagged as: canon 5d, canon 5d mark ii, nikon d700