Canon and Nikon are two titans of the photo industry, known for a long time. For fifty years, there has been heated debate about which manufacturer is better. This is good, because competition is the engine of progress, forcing to conduct new and new developments, and the “war” of two “monsters” has been waged from the very beginning of their appearance on the market.
Many amateur photographers, thinking about which camera to buy, sooner or later ask themselves the question: which is better, Nikon or Canon? Initially, this is wrong, because each manufacturer is good in its own way, you only need to compare similar models, about the same price category and class, since the technical characteristics of both have similarities. And look for the differences (but not the flaws) in the details.
Take, for example, two similar amateur-class models - the Nikon COOLPIX P-7000 and the Canon PowerShot G-12. Both cameras with their small sizes are quite functional, have a very convenient control system and are capable of producing high-quality images. These models have the same maximum resolution and number of pixels, the size and type of the matrix and autofocus, as well as almost the same zoom range.
Why do people constantly think: which camera is better - Canon or Nikon ?. First, let us recall that at the very beginning of the twentieth century, at the stage of the creation of both of these firms, their paths and goals differed dramatically. Nikon has always been aimed specifically at the photo industry sector, while Canon turned around much wider, starting to work simultaneously in the direction of medical and printing equipment, telecommunications, etc. There is an opinion that Nikon was created by professional photographers and photo artists, while Canon was created by marketers and engineers. Two years ago, according to the open data from the financial statements of these companies, the revenue from sales of Nikon's purely photographic equipment grew to 72.5%, while Canon had only 27%. So, the last manufacturer specializes not only in ordinary photo products. So the question arises - which is better, Nikon or Canon.
Companies also have a different attitude towards photography as a form of art. Briefly put it this way: Nikon focuses more on the artistic, beautiful component of the photo, and Canon aggressively focuses on the speed of work so that the photographer has time to catch interesting moments, and his hand does not tremble treacherously, smearing the picture.
But why, after all, are Canon buying more, and are its fans strongly opposed to discussions against Nikon owners?
The thing is that Canon’s marketing department is much more agile and more developed than its competitors. Their advertising slogans, widely known to the public, hit right on target. We all have the phrase "you can Canon" in our heads, familiar to us from the TV screen. The manufacturer gives a special place to branding, and the modest Nikon always lags behind in this regard. Recently, the Nikon leadership has finally come up with the idea that the main thing is advertising, which is why competent marketing specialists appeared in the company and launched an active advertising campaign that began two years ago ("I Am Nikon"). And this campaign finally gives its positive results.
When asking yourself which is better - Nikon or Canon, always remember that it is not the camera that shoots, but the photographer. And for this reason, in inept hands, even the most expensive and hyped up by advertisers camera will produce ugly and substandard photos. And talking about which camera is better than Nikon or Canon will not make any sense if you do not compare specific models of the same class.
The conclusion is obvious: there are no bad cameras. And the question of which is better, Nikon or Canon, disappears by itself. There are photographers deprived of talent, and working only for the sake of profit, and not in the name of art and beauty. And there are two major manufacturers: Nikon and Canon, eternal rivals. The one that fits comfortably in your hand when you take it will be the best option for you for many years to come.