Digital Home Thoughts: A Tongue-in-Cheek Nikon vs. Canon Debate

"We Canon Shooters can have our cake, and eat it, too. Let me tell you why high ISO is so important, my Nikonian friend. Sometimes, you can't use your flash. Sometimes, you don't want to carry it. Sometimes, you're too far away for it to matter. Being able to shoot at high ISOs and to produce clean prints at large size, that's powerful - and a huge point in Canon's favor. OK, OK.. I realize my last shot was a bit unfair - I mean, come on, I laid ISO 3200 on you, something that Nikon could never do! So I'll go easier on you this time. I have a small gallery of ISO 1600 shots - all available light, no flash. With 100% crops so you can see the quality of the noise - which, according to Paul Bowen, one of Canon's Explorers of Light, is "so good I freely shoot at ISO 1600 and above with my Canon's when the situation warrants." So this shot? It's taken from 18 rows back in a dark NYC Broadway theater. Shot at ISO 1600 with Canon 5D, and the very affordable, Canon 85mm f/1.8, @ f/1.8. You be the judge. Harry, I'd love to see some examples of what Nikon looks like at ISO 1600. I'll enjoy some plum cake while I wait for you to find them!"



Ah, the never-ending debate because two camps, Canon and Nikon. I'm a generally a Canon man myself, but I've been tempted many times by Nikon cameras (and who knows what the future holds), especially since I have no serious investment in Canon lenses. The article is full of furor at the beginning, and by page two it weakens - but still an entertaining read with some excellent photos.