But is there any reason why anyone would buy a Nikon over a Canon?
I'm looking for some valid reasons.
I have a canon which I love and just picked up a new used lens to compliment my wide angle situations.
I'm a canon user however imho I don't have any bias, just throwing that out there.
People might choose nikon if:
1. They have Nikon lenses already or a friend or s/o does.
2. They like a particular feature (integrated flash that controls other flashes on a pro model for example--though the 7d now can do that thank god lol).
3. They like the Nikon lens lineup better (for example the 14-24).
4. They (AND THIS IS THE BIG ONE) prefer the Nikon ergonomics.
5. They want to buy a product that Canon (or some other manufacturer) doesn't have an equivalent for (right now say the D700).
Imho this leaves out point and shoots because Nikon's point and shoot lineup is unfortunately bad compared to Panasonic and Canon. Hopefully they fix that soon. Also imho once you get below the D90, Canon's entry slrs are better than the Nikon ones. imho.
I use Canon because I much prefer the ergonomics, menu system, etc, of the Canon lineup.
But don't delude yourself into somehow thinking one of them has a large image quality advantage over the other. They don't. They are similar.
To respond to someone up above though:
1. "Nikon ergonomics: you don't have to move your right hand to access controls, unlike Canon where you have to shuffle all over the body."
Huh? What are you talking about? Are you referring to old 1d model two button operation or something? I'm confused. This has no bearing on reality whatsoever. Maybe with some old models I haven't used? I have an XSI and a 7d. I love the control layouts. I don't have to move my hands, just my fingers--specifically thumb and index finger. Personally I don't like the Nikon ergonomics at all, however I won't say they are bad--I just don't like them. Many people are the opposite, and that's great--we need competition.
2. "Nikon flash: Canon doesn't do built-in wireless control, though their new bodies are changing this."
Yep, this is a big annoyance on Canon unfortunately. The 7d fortunately includes in-body wireless control, however it still isn't as advanced imho as Nikon's awesome system. Unfortunately we don't know if the "their new bodies are changing this" is true or not as it isn't present in the new 1d sadly! Note: I have not personally used Nikon's flash system however it definitely does have advantages over Canon's. Canon's system does work great though.
3. "Nikon metering: Canon doesn't and probably never will have anything comparable to Matrix Metering."
You're not going to come across huge metering differences in real life. Maybe the Nikon one is more advanced. I don't know. I know the 7d has much more advanced metering than other Canon models however once you've used any modern slr body for a week or two you know exactly how the metering is going to react in any situation so it's not an issue.
4. "Nikon build quality: professional build quality is available at far lower prices (D300 versus 1D), and entry-level bodies are less plasticky than Canon counterparts."
Absolute gibberish imho. Yes, the D300 is more "solid" than the xxD lineup but that's because the two aren't similar products. Imho the 7d is better built than the D300. From what I've heard (again, note: no personal experience on this one) the D700 has a better build than the 5dmk2. The 50d and the d90 are similar in build quality. The rebels are the D3000/D5000 are also similar. They may have a slightly different "feel" but trust me, rebels are *very well built* as I know the entry level Nikons are. Plastic does not equal bad.
If you want horrible feel and build quality look at the entry level Sony slrs imho. =p
