Canon Vs. Nikon Lenses
I’ve been wanting to test these lenses for a while. I have always been a fan of Nikon but their camera bodys in my opinion have not been able to keep pace with canon, especially regarding HD video. These primes have been around for a long time but as you can see they are great lenses. When shooting video with a Canon DSLR all of the auto functionality is not necessary so these Nikon primes are a great way to get a wide aperature for shooting in low light without breaking the bank. One thing that I did not expect was that when I was setting up the photos the Nikon 85mm prime mounted on my Canon 5d Mark II was actually a little longer in focal length then the Canon 24-105 at the full 105mm. I’m assuming that the Canon measurement is accurate and that the Nikon is magnified slightly.
My conclusion after comparing the images from these lenses was that the Nikon glass was a little sharper in the details but had slightly less contrast.
Another thing you will notice is the bending of the straight lines on the picture frame with the Canon lens and how they are straight with the Nikon. (This is due to the Canon being a Zoom and the Nikon lenses being primes) This is a really big reason to use primes whenever possible. The zooms are convenient but the primes will always produce a more accurate image.
For shooting video with a HDSLR these Nikon primes are great lenses and the focusing mechanism has a longer throw so they are easier to control than the Canon automatic lenses.
All you need to mount the Nikon glass on your Canon is an adaptor like this. click here
These photos were not modified in any way.
Please click on the images to see them full size for an accurate comparison.
[...] evoWALO wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptLima Peru-Minneapolis MN-Video Production-Film Production-Photography & Audio Services Company-Film TV Camera Crew w/ HD & audio equipment International Broadcast Corporate Commercial Documentary NGO. [...]
Nice Test! Looks like a guy could stretch a dollar and make use of some old equipment, can’t believe the lenses were as close in preformance to each other.
Good Stuff, keep it up!
I have to be honest, its pretty obvious that the Nikon lenses are going to provide a sharper image because the cannon lens you’re using has so many elements, prime lenses always make a better picture. So seriously, its not really a fair judgment to say that the cannon lenses cant produce an equal or better picture.
Of course. This test wasn’t about about comparing two brand new lenses from both manufacturers. There’s a great Canon Vs. Zeiss prime test here. (click here) Rather it was to determine if a 20+ year old Nikon prime is a legitimate and viable option for production work without compromising your product. I think it’s clear that these old primes have new life in the HDSLR world and it sure makes looking through old photo and antique stores more interesting when you may find a gem that would cost you thousands to purchase new.