Matt, I just want to point out (as a 7D owner) that if you're shooting jpeg and have noise reduction set to 'standard', you're going to get the smoothness and loss of detail that you're talking about. If you shoot raw and do the noise reduction in post-processing (check out the lightroom 3 beta) you'll do better than the Nikon.
I don't shoot jpeg at all, so having used both cameras, I was a little mystified by your noise reduction comment. I think it only applies to more casual shooters who aren't doing any post-processing.
@ShyamalikaCadkey: All of the shots in the comparison gallery were shot in RAW, for both cams, as were all of the other samples, aside from the gadgets. #canoneos7d
I upgraded from a D300 to a D300s, then switched completely from Nikon to Canon with the 7D. The still images from the 7D are only *marginally* noisier than the D300, and if I downsample the 7D images to 12 MP they look equal (noise-wise).
But the 7D also shoots 18 MP at 8 fps (practically forever in JPEG mode) without a bulky battery grip. The video mode is YEARS ahead of Nikon, and is capable of producing stunning, film-like video (with the right picture style settings and post-processing).
The advantages I'd say the D300s have over the Canon are build quality (slightly more tank-like) and tweakability. You can fiddle with just about every camera setting parameter with Nikon's extensive straight-forward menu system. The 7D has decent tweakability, but not as much as the D300s.
I'm not loyal to either brand, and I feel this allows me to choose the best system for my needs now and in the future (I also don't have much invested in lenses – yet). #canoneos7d
@briancao: They're pretty damn unbiased about cameras most of the time. The fact of the matter is, Nikon makes a much better still camera at this time than Canon, while Canon makes a better DSLR for capturing video. #canoneos7d
@Nathan Obbards: Nikon makes a "much better still camera" than Canon?
Let me guess... Chevy makes a "much better automobile" than Ford and Mac makes a "much better computer" than any PC maker right?
To make such a bold claim is nonsense. They both have their strengths, they both have their weaknesses, and they both leapfrog one another on a regular basis. Nikon may lead in some segments while Canon leads in the other, but unless you assume that everyone on the planet uses their equipment in the same exact manner in which you do, you cannot say what is "much better".
Go ask professional sports photographers if they feel Nikon makes a "much better" camera and you are likely going to get hit by a gigantic white L series lens upside your head... but hey, don't let that stop you from making unsupported fanboy statements or anything. #canoneos7d
@Costner: In terms of image quality, they make a better still camera. The reason that most photographers (especially sports) stayed with Canon is that they had already invested tens of thousands into Canon lenses, which are phenomenal lenses. Even so, there were quite a few pros switched systems when the D3 came out because of its superior performance. Any one of them would have told you after that D3 came out that Nikon's product was superior to Canon's for the most part. Granted, there were areas where the difference was not great enough to warrant a change, particularly sports, but there were Canon users who began to migrate back to Nikon, something that hasn't been seen since the F5 and F6 when Nikon made the best film camera in the world.
In terms of noise, low light functionality, image quality, and unprocessed, from camera images, Nikon makes a better camera system. Canon definitely leads in terms of video, has more lenses, and their AF is damn near even with Nikon at this moment as both have snappy AF systems.
Is it a broad assertion to make that Nikon makes a much better camera? Yes, I will take that critique whole heartedly, but it is not unfair to say that they make a better camera system in general than Canon right now and that Nikon is forcing Canon to innovate and not take its market dominance for granted anymore in terms of still imaging. Conversely, Canon is making Nikon innovate in terms of video in DSLRs. Considering that the future of photojournalism is in taking stills alongside video, that's not an insignificant fact.
*Nikon owner who worked professionally with Canon #canoneos7d
@Costner: I think it's going a little far to equate his statement to the chevy/mac examples. Yes, those distinctive white L's dominate the press box at sporting events, but that doesn't take away the fact that in general Nikon's are probably more useful in most situations from a purely photographic standpoint.
Low light sensitivity and lower megapixel counts coupled with generally better metering and focus point handling can be more useful in many cases than the requisite strengths of Canon systems - high resolution, and fast and long glass.
Of course depending on what you Canon may be worlds more useful to you than Nikon, but it isn't as biased as saying "macpc" to claim that Nikon makes a better camera, since in most of the photography-spec-columns the D3 will win out. #canoneos7d
@Vanus: They're shot at the same ISO, same f/stop, and same shutter speed. I think that's about as comparable as you can get, especially since the images are nearly identical. #canoneos7d
@Nathan Obbards: I wasn't talking about the ISO comparisons. The sample images from just the 7D. Some of them have 100% zooms on them to show sharpness, but it doesn't make sense to without saying what lens is used. You can take a photo with the EF-S kit lens, then throw an EF L lens with the same focal range, take the same exact photo, and get different results when you zoom in that far. #canoneos7d
@Nathan Obbards: You can't compare DSLR's from different manufacturers without knowing the glass involed. For all we know, the D300 could be sporting a beater kit lens while the 7D is wielding high level L-quality glass. You'll see the difference in glass long before you can tell the camera's themselves apart. #canoneos7d
@fryhole: @Vanus: I can guarantee you that if it's shooting at f/2.0 the glass isn't bad glass on either camera. The Nikon is probably ED glass, Nikon's top of the line glass and the Canon glass is likely to be top of the line consumer glass or an L series lens. No kit lens I know of shoots an f/2, all are f/3.5 or greater.
Having shot with both Nikon and Canon, I can tell you that the main difference you would see is in some softness, haloing, and poor bokeh on their low end lenses (though this is not always true). In this test case, I'd actually be more concerned that the Canon has the worse glass on it, though I highly doubt that it does. #canoneos7d
Just splittin' hairs here, but I believe the Nikon APS-C sensor size is slightly larger than the Canon APS-C sensor. This information is available via wiki.
It's incredible that per-pixel noise on the 7D is even comparable to the D300s. With 50% more pixels, this will mean a much better noise profile when printed/scaled to the same size (something that pixel-peepers, including Gizmodo apparently, often forgets about.) #canoneos7d
@Gene: Not necessarily. Pixel pitch has a lot to do with the quality once you start cramming more and more pixels onto a sensor. Smaller pixel pitch can lead to a decrease in sharpness and a decrease in quality at higher ISOs. If you have many noisy pixels rather than a few, an image can look much worse, even with a higher megapixel rating. This can be exacerbated if the grain feels like digital grain rather than film grain. Not only that, but at 12MP vs 18MP, it would take a rather large image before you started to notice a difference. You could easily print an 11x17 with both cameras and not notice a difference outside of sharpness. One of the things Nikon has been doing really well recently is creating cameras that have natural feeling noise like seen in film. Unlike early digital noise, it is often pleasant in pictures. My personal preference would be to have sharp images with natural feeling noise to soft images with ''less'' noise.
That said, the 7D looks like another great camera from Canon and I'm always excited to see what Nikon and Canon will come out with next. It just seems Nikon is winning the still side and Canon the video side.
I take offense to these constant implications that Nikon had made a camera that was somehow superior to any of the Canon offerings.... Shame on you, shame shame shame..... #canoneos7d
@SewerShark: LOOK BEHIND YOU, A THREE HEADED MONKEY!!!: According to the reviews I read, yes... but it's less noticeable compared to 5DMK2. #canoneos7d
@Grahmo: Yes, I have seen poison ivy. I am incredibly allergic to it. And yes, it is a climber. Found that out the hard way. It is a vine that definitely climbs trees.
Also almost nothing on Earth compares to standing at a lookout in the gatineau hills during an Ontario fall. Any canadian naturalist photogs on here who could capture one? I have no camera, and no interest in cameras. #fallleaves
Pure lousiness for not having all these great shots available to the readers in wallpaper size. 2nd place would have been my new one were it available in 1920x1200 or higher. #fallleaves
@G-Ram: Um, dude, I suspect that's because many of these guys are semi-professional (or just professional) photographers who don't want to be just giving their stuff away because they read Gizmodo.
That said, many of these will work just fine as iPhone wallpaper. #fallleaves
@iElvis: The pictures were taken for this contest. They're not giving their portfolio away if they took a shot specifically for a Gizmodo contest.
And also, I think it should be stated (next time) that the selected entries will be available in wallpaper size for all readers.
If you go out to take a picture for a gadget blog photo contest and you're not comfortable with a bunch of nerds using your picture as a wallpaper without some sort of royalties, then refrain from submitting your masterpiece photo to a gadget sites only-for-fun contest. #fallleaves
11/10/09
I don't shoot jpeg at all, so having used both cameras, I was a little mystified by your noise reduction comment. I think it only applies to more casual shooters who aren't doing any post-processing.
11/10/09
11/10/09
But the 7D also shoots 18 MP at 8 fps (practically forever in JPEG mode) without a bulky battery grip. The video mode is YEARS ahead of Nikon, and is capable of producing stunning, film-like video (with the right picture style settings and post-processing).
The advantages I'd say the D300s have over the Canon are build quality (slightly more tank-like) and tweakability. You can fiddle with just about every camera setting parameter with Nikon's extensive straight-forward menu system. The 7D has decent tweakability, but not as much as the D300s.
I'm not loyal to either brand, and I feel this allows me to choose the best system for my needs now and in the future (I also don't have much invested in lenses – yet). #canoneos7d
11/10/09
11/10/09
11/10/09
11/10/09
Let me guess... Chevy makes a "much better automobile" than Ford and Mac makes a "much better computer" than any PC maker right?
To make such a bold claim is nonsense. They both have their strengths, they both have their weaknesses, and they both leapfrog one another on a regular basis. Nikon may lead in some segments while Canon leads in the other, but unless you assume that everyone on the planet uses their equipment in the same exact manner in which you do, you cannot say what is "much better".
Go ask professional sports photographers if they feel Nikon makes a "much better" camera and you are likely going to get hit by a gigantic white L series lens upside your head... but hey, don't let that stop you from making unsupported fanboy statements or anything. #canoneos7d
11/10/09
In terms of noise, low light functionality, image quality, and unprocessed, from camera images, Nikon makes a better camera system. Canon definitely leads in terms of video, has more lenses, and their AF is damn near even with Nikon at this moment as both have snappy AF systems.
Is it a broad assertion to make that Nikon makes a much better camera? Yes, I will take that critique whole heartedly, but it is not unfair to say that they make a better camera system in general than Canon right now and that Nikon is forcing Canon to innovate and not take its market dominance for granted anymore in terms of still imaging. Conversely, Canon is making Nikon innovate in terms of video in DSLRs. Considering that the future of photojournalism is in taking stills alongside video, that's not an insignificant fact.
*Nikon owner who worked professionally with Canon #canoneos7d
11/10/09
Low light sensitivity and lower megapixel counts coupled with generally better metering and focus point handling can be more useful in many cases than the requisite strengths of Canon systems - high resolution, and fast and long glass.
Of course depending on what you Canon may be worlds more useful to you than Nikon, but it isn't as biased as saying "macpc" to claim that Nikon makes a better camera, since in most of the photography-spec-columns the D3 will win out. #canoneos7d
11/10/09
11/10/09
11/10/09
11/10/09
11/10/09
11/10/09
Having shot with both Nikon and Canon, I can tell you that the main difference you would see is in some softness, haloing, and poor bokeh on their low end lenses (though this is not always true). In this test case, I'd actually be more concerned that the Canon has the worse glass on it, though I highly doubt that it does. #canoneos7d
11/10/09
It would be nice to know exactly WHAT lenses were used though. #canoneos7d
11/10/09
11/10/09
11/10/09
11/10/09
11/10/09
That said, the 7D looks like another great camera from Canon and I'm always excited to see what Nikon and Canon will come out with next. It just seems Nikon is winning the still side and Canon the video side.
11/10/09
11/10/09
The real question here is...does it still have a jello effect? #canoneos7d
11/10/09
11/10/09
11/10/09
10/23/09
10/26/09
10/26/09
#fallleaves
10/23/09
10/23/09
10/23/09
10/23/09
That said, many of these will work just fine as iPhone wallpaper. #fallleaves
10/23/09
And also, I think it should be stated (next time) that the selected entries will be available in wallpaper size for all readers.
If you go out to take a picture for a gadget blog photo contest and you're not comfortable with a bunch of nerds using your picture as a wallpaper without some sort of royalties, then refrain from submitting your masterpiece photo to a gadget sites only-for-fun contest. #fallleaves