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Microstock Photography Forum - General => Photography Equipment => Cameras / Lenses => Topic started by: spike on March 29, 2014, 15:14

Title: Upgrading gear: dilemma between canon 6d and nikon d610
Post by: spike on March 29, 2014, 15:14
Hey everyone,

I used an APS-C pentax camera since 2008 and I feel like it's time to upgrade to FF. I have been checking different options in the last couple of days, and it seems that the decision boils down to two cameras: either canon 6d or nikon d610.

What I plan to use the camera for? Ideally, it should be an "all around" shooter. I don't shoot sports, landscape or anything (except microstock) professionally, so I don't really benefit from high burst-rates and this that a specialist in the field might need. However, there are a couple of things I would like to focus on:

 - low light photography
 - native high dynamic range (without hdr)
 - realistic color representation (fidelity)

To explain the points. Low-light performance is important for me if I want to do street-photography at the night without using flash. I also plan to do a bit of astrophotography, so noise and color fidelity are pretty important (because I don't want to spend hours in post). Dynamic range is important to me just because I like the look of boosting the blacks and shadows, but keeping some of the detail in them. And it's always nice to avoid clipped highlights. Realistic color representation might be a more subjective criterion, but I'm looking for a more accurate representation of skin tones and, actually, all the colors that the sensor can capture.

I always shoot in raw, so I don't care about jpg performance, jpg noise reduction, jpg-based hdr's and things like that. In-camera effects are of no interest for me. If I want to do some post, I'll fire up photoshop. I care about native raw performance.

I don't plan on doing video, but you know, you never know. But it's not a priority by any means. So, based on this, which camera would you recommend? Would you scrap my suggestions and go with something else, like the Nikon Df (pretty!) or D800E (not that much more expensive than the d610)? Or maybe a Sony?

Let me know your thoughts. But please keep in mind that your criteria for choosing the "better" camera might not be the same criteria that I choose the "winner". 6d might be better in some cases, and d610 in other ones. This is not a nikon vs. canon pissing contest (I was a pentax user, so I'm really distanced from all that), so let's try to be polite towards each other and make some good recommendations! Fire away!
Title: Re: Upgrading gear: dilemma between canon 6d and nikon d610
Post by: JPSDK on March 29, 2014, 15:17
We had a thread a month ago or so that concluded that the nikons had a much wider dynamic range than canon.
That alone is a reason.
Title: Re: Upgrading gear: dilemma between canon 6d and nikon d610
Post by: Goofy on March 29, 2014, 16:33
"- low light photography"

Nikon hands down. Get the D800e...
Title: Re: Upgrading gear: dilemma between canon 6d and nikon d610
Post by: spike on March 29, 2014, 17:10
"- low light photography"

Nikon hands down. Get the D800e...
I didn't find any noticable differences in low light between d610 and d800e.. can you link the source for the difference?

But yeah, there are three nikon FF bodies (D610, D800e, Df) which are similarly priced, and it's pretty hard to choose.
Title: Re: Upgrading gear: dilemma between canon 6d and nikon d610
Post by: fritz on March 29, 2014, 18:08
Both cameras are great and will do the job. I own both Canon's and Nikon's they're all great so lenses attached are more important than bodies. For low low light photography you'll need fast (expensive) lenses. Dynamic range Nikon+ and realistic color representation Canon+, it's matter of taste what will you choose

Bottom line is: entry level camera with expensive lens or expensive camera with crappy lens
What do you think which gear will give better result? garbage in garbage out!
I would never invest in expensive cameras like NIKOND4 or Canon 1Dx   - in lens YES