Canon EOS 90D, M6 Mark II

[John_SD]

Both new cameras were officially announced today by Canon. I think the M6 Mark II will be the sleeper hit of the season, despite not having a built-in EVF. 

And yes, I am well aware these cameras aren't made specifically for pros. I still think they will do well in the marketplace, especially the M6. At least I hope so. 

[CaliforniaDream]

EVF just don't work for the way I currently use my cameras unless there is a way to correct for my vision.

[wq9nsc]

I suspect I will be forced into mirrorless when Canon decides to cease development in their flagship DSLR line but what is available in mirrorless currently doesn't suit my needs and preferences while my only wishes for the 1DX family bodies would be even better low light performance.   With the currently available offerings, they are the right tools for me.

I am often shooting with 300 and 400 F2.8 primes, often handheld for mobility, so a few ounces lighter in the camera body are in the noise and the weight and size of the current 1 series DSLR bodies provides nice balance for that glass.  Battery life with the 1DX and 1DX2 is exceptional and even with a couple of years of heavy use on my current sets of batteries I can easily shoot several soccer matches ( a lot of frames in high speed mode) with these two bodies and still have have plenty of battery capacity left with no worries.  I keep spare batteries in the Pelican case just to be prepared but I have never changed a battery at an event when I started with the battery at 75% or greater.  

With an optical viewfinder there is no problem with lag.  I couldn't imagine buying a camera without an eye level viewfinder and I detest shooting video with the 1DX series bodies unless it is a situation where I can use a tripod and if there is any possibility I will be shooting video at an event the XF400 camcorder is with me.

For a compact camera or a lower cost camera, mirrorless is clearly a winner but that is a rapidly shrinking market.  If a pro level mirrorless is introduced while I am still actively shooting sports AND it offers enough advantages over a DSLR without serious disadvantages then I will make the switch.  But I have no desire to go mirrorless just because "this shiny new object doesn't have a mirror.".  

Rodger

[ebiggs1]

"If a pro level mirrorless is introduced while I am still actively shooting ..."

This is the issue. People like you and me that use 1 series are not attracted to any of the mirrorless cameras available today as there are no pro level models made. I would guess they are still a long ways off.

[John_SD]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"If a pro level mirrorless is introduced while I am still actively shooting ..."

This is the issue. People like you and me that use 1 series are not attracted to any of the mirrorless cameras available today as there are no pro level models made. I would guess they are still a long ways off.

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Not to hijack my own thread, but speaking of pro-level cameras, I just read on a rumors site that Nik*on is set to announce its new flagship, the D6, around September 4. Interesting times. 

[ebiggs1]

"... Nik*on is set to announce its new flagship, the D6, ..."

Yes, and I love'em.  I have owned several, D2x, D3, D3x but I always come back to my Canons. Canon 1 series just feel better. They feel better made, they feel better in my hand.  Each brand has its strong points and weaknesses. I finally unloaded all my Nikon gear, this year, and have no intention of getting any more. To me and I know to others it (Nikon) is fantastic gear but it's just not a Canon 1 series.

.........am I hi-jacking, too?

[John_SD]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"... Nik*on is set to announce its new flagship, the D6, ..."

Yes, and I love'em.  I have owned several, D2x, D3, D3x but I always come back to my Canons. Canon 1 series just feel better. They feel better made, they feel better in my hand.  Each brand has its strong points and weaknesses. I finally unloaded all my Nikon gear, this year, and have no intention of getting any more. To me and I know to others it (Nikon) is fantastic gear but it's just not a Canon 1 series.

.........am I hi-jacking, too?

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No, you're not hijacking, as I already hijacked my own thread. However. what you are stating about the Canon 1 "feeling better" in the hand, is of course subjective. Others would say that Nikon "feels better." I've not handled the D5 specifically, so I can't comment on that specific model. But in the end, each photographer must decide for himself, which camera feels best and more capable for their style of photography. In other words, Ernie, YMMV 🙂

[Waddizzle]

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@John_SD wrote:

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"... Nik*on is set to announce its new flagship, the D6, ..."

Yes, and I love'em.  I have owned several, D2x, D3, D3x but I always come back to my Canons. Canon 1 series just feel better. They feel better made, they feel better in my hand.  Each brand has its strong points and weaknesses. I finally unloaded all my Nikon gear, this year, and have no intention of getting any more. To me and I know to others it (Nikon) is fantastic gear but it's just not a Canon 1 series.

.........am I hi-jacking, too?

---

No, you're not hijacking, as I already hijacked my own thread. However. what you are stating about the Canon 1 "feeling better" in the hand, is of course subjective. Others would say that Nikon "feels better." I've not handled the D5 specifically, so I can't comment on that specific model. But in the end, each photographer must decide for himself, which camera feels best and more capable for their style of photography. In other words, Ernie, YMMV 🙂

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I have a 1D Mark IV and D3.  I agree with what Ernie is saying about feel in the hand.  It is more of an ergonomic than subjective observation.  I have to hold the Nikon D3 slightly differently to reach buttons than I would with the Canon 1D Mark IV.  This changes the balance of the camera in your hand.  Plus, the Canon feels like it has a deeper grip than the Nikon.

Canon places the main dial wheel to adjust shutter speed on top of the camera where your forefinger can adjust it.  Nikon places the equivalent function on a wheel on the rear panel where your thumb would adjust it.  The Nikon has buttons so that you can adjust many settings without having to go into a menu like you would on the Canon, most of which I do not adjust very often.  

Nikon has a secondary dial wheel on top of the body, so you can swap the wheel functions if you want.  But the Nikon top dial is not in as convenient spot as the Canon top dial, so I do not swap out the dial functions.  Again, in order to reach the thumb dial you have to hold the Nikon a little differently than the Canon, which changes the way the weight balances in your hand.

On the Canon, I use my thumb to press buttons, sometimes in conjunction with the main dial.  On the Nikon, there are buttons on the top of the camera body that you would press while turning the main thumb dial.  The problem is that you have to press the top buttons by feel, or stop and look at the top of camera to make sure you press the right button.

Besides exposure settings, I do change between AF-S [One Shot] and AF-C {AI Servo} focusing the most.  But, this button is on the front of the body, where once again you have to stop and look at the camera or adjust it by feel.  The only part of the camera I want to look at is the rear panel.

[John_SD]

All those cameras you mention are long in the tooth. Of the recent Nikons, I love the D850, which I've had the opportunity to play around with at a local shop. I would not spend the kind of coin that a D6 will likely cost upon its release. I cannot justify it. But I will be honest with you. I am growing weary of what I perceive as some sort of identity crisis at Canon. You yourself made a great point the other day in referencing Canon's increasing number of mounts. What are they doing? Even if I switch to Nikon, I intend to stay a part of this group because I will remain a Canon shooter, and because I like this group. I have no plans to sell my lowly equipment. But just from my limited exposure, I prefer Nikon cameras, even the D750, which itself is long in the tooth. I also played around with the new Z6, which I really like. YMMV. 

[Waddizzle]

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@John_SD wrote:

All those cameras you mention are long in the tooth. Of the recent Nikons, I love the D850, which I've had the opportunity to play around with at a local shop. I would not spend the kind of coin that a D6 will likely cost upon its release. I cannot justify it. But I will be honest with you. I am growing weary of what I perceive as some sort of identity crisis at Canon. You yourself made a great point the other day in referencing Canon's increasing number of mounts. What are they doing? Even if I switch to Nikon, I intend to stay a part of this group because I will remain a Canon shooter, and because I like this group. I have no plans to sell my lowly equipment. But just from my limited exposure, I prefer Nikon cameras, even the D750, which itself is long in the tooth. I also played around with the new Z6, which I really like. YMMV. 

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Age of the bodies has nothing to do with it.  The ergonomics have not changed, and are still the same on every Nikon body being sold today.  The main dial is on the back of the body, which forces you to use your thumb. The secondary dial is in a bad spot to use as a main dial.

There are functional differences I like, too.  All Canon DSLR bodies allow you to use the rear display as a rea time display of your exposure settings.  When you using a tripod, you are not forced to look through the viewfinder, or use the tiny top LCD display to see your exposure settings.  Just disable the shutter blanking the rear display, and use the [INFO] button to call up the exposure display that resembles the Quick Menu screen.

I do not know if the newer Nikon bodies can do it, but the D3 cannot do it.  There is no option in the D3 to stop the shutter button from automatically blanking the rear display.  You are forced to use the viewfinder, or the top LCD, to set your exposure.

[ebiggs1]

"The ergonomics have not changed, and are still the same on every Nikon body being sold today."

I have used all the D series Nikons and you can tell there is a difference but you would not be challenged at all with any of them.  You will feel right at home with any D model.  The same is true with the 1 series Canons, small differences but essentially the same. The move from the 1D to the 1D Mk II is fairly big but after the MkIIn the rest are close.