Canon 7D or Nikon D5100

[Saul12]

Hi guys i'm looking to buy a new dslr, I was wondering which would be the better brand for me to get ? i do mostly outdoor photography an sometimes indoor events ( parties weddings etc.) any help would be appreciated.

[shotupdave]

even though I am a Nikon shooter myself, the comparison of these two are not even the same ballpark. The 7D is a great camera, the 5100 is not.

[marthamarks]

I own two 7Ds, which I use mostly for shooting wildlife. Love the 8 frames per second for shooting birds and other critters. Keep each one mounted with its own lens, so I'm always ready.

However, I've pulled one or the other of my 7Ds out for almost every kind of photography imaginable, from portraits to parties to landscapes, and they always come through. I had one for several years and liked it so much I bought another in 2012.

[Saul12]

Wow, thanks for the reply guys! really helped me in making my final decision to purchase the canon 7D. 

[tickstock]

You should be comparing the 7D to the Nikon D7100 or maybe even the D600 both of those are much closer in price.

[Xanox]

D7100 is great, but D5100 is just an entry level camera, forget it !

[Saul12]

@tickstock i know the price is different, But in my area where I live no stores are selling 7100, This is why I used the 5100 for comparison.

[tickstock]

@tickstock i know the price is different, But in my area where I live no stores are selling 7100, This is why I used the 5100 for comparison.

What's your area?  I do all my camera shopping online, it's a lot cheaper than any of the stores around here and they have a much larger selection.

[Uncle Pete]

Excuse the monkey wrench, but have you looked at the 70-D? 7fps hardly different vs 8, full time video auto focus. Of course if you don't shoot video, no use. But the speed is hardly different. $1200 body only 70-d and 7-d $1500. Might buy you a nice ETTL flash?

It is smaller, same in most ways, 20MP size interesting or needed? WiFi, GPS? Newer processor.

7-D has 100% viewfinder, 18MP, magnesium body, water sealed better. Dual processor, but one works the camera and one for auto-focus. (If I read that right?)

Just bringing it up if the $300 makes a difference, after that, mostly subjective and based on what you need to shoot and what environment. Do you need the trick electronics? (that use batteries life) The frames per second difference is minimal. And bottom line, image quality?

The 70-D has the newest sensor.

Wow, thanks for the reply guys! really helped me in making my final decision to purchase the canon 7D. 

[Mantis]

You should be comparing the 7D to the Nikon D7100 or maybe even the D600 both of those are much closer in price.

Forget the Nikons. Pieces of crap. I unloaded my D800's due to focusing issues, then migrated to the D600's.  After only 50-100 shots, BOTH had formed bad sensor spots, one was so bad the images from that camera were unusable, uncorrectable in PS (why they are promoting the new D610 now, same exact body, new shutterbox design). I Took my D600's to Nikon in Hollywood and they say that they replaced the shutter boxes.  I went outside and test shot them while I was at their facility and I got sensor spots right there. I took them back in and they kept them for a week or so and say that they did another replacement with a new designed shutterbox.  I didn't shoot a thing when I picked them up.  I sold them.  All of my experiences, along with sample raw files, was shared and communicated with Nikon headquarters in New York.  All they did was blame me or tell me it was normal.  Funny thing is that Nikon Hollywood acknowledged both the D800 and D600 issues were indeed legit.  Then I dropped another level to the D7100 cropped sensor.  I have three.  All have been in to Nikon with bad focus issues.  The mirrors were +20 off.  One camera I bought the day before I took it to Nikon after discovering focus problems.  In the end, all three had to go to Nikon Hollywood who showed me the specs...they like the mirror to sensor alignment to be factory set in the 7 or less range.

Nikon quality has gone down the crapper and if I wasn't so engrained with their equipment I'd sell it all and go Canon.  Nikon is a pathetic company in my opinion who has lost what they once had.