Quote Originally Posted by David Gee View Post
whichever feels "comfortable" in your hands
Quote Originally Posted by Darey View Post
buy the one that feels most comfortable and has the controls where you like them.
With respect people, I think this is terrible advice! Unfortunately, there will doubtless be another 8 people along in this thread to repeat it.

1: Camera bodies change regularly. Controls move around from time to time, new controls get added, models replace other models - so you might like the Canikon today, but the next time you upgrade your body you might think the Ninon is better. And you will upgrade your body.

2: Camera controls are like the controls on your car. It doesn't really matter if the headlight switch is on the left or on the right, all that matters is that it is where you expect it. So if you drive Hoyotas for five years, Hoyotas will "feel right" and Toldens will "feel wrong". But buy a Tolden and inside three weeks you will feel right at home. Yes, your chosen camera brand will "feel right" a few weeks after you buy it - but that will happen regardless of what brand you buy because it has very little to do with the camera and everything to do with your own muscle memory.

3: The minor spec differences between today's Ninon and today's Canikon are just that: minor, trivial even. Either one will take great pictures.

4: Lenses matter. Not only do lenses contribute more to image quality, they go on contributing long after an individual body has been retired. You might have an individual lens for 10, 20, 30 years, and you will be operating with either the Ninon or the Canikon lens system for even longer than that. Forget the camera body, and don't even pay too much attention to the particular current range of lenses in the ranges you want to buy - look at the overall lens system you are buying into.

Make yourself a wish list, include lenses you plan to buy right away, ones you plan on buying in (say) two years time, and lenses you think that you will probably buy eventually.

Then compare. Look at availability (do they make it at all?), prices (be sure to compare on a similar baseline, such as getting all prices from the same example retailer, and quality (you will have to go on general reputation, which is usually not too far out). Score points to Canikon, points to Ninon. Work out how much it will cost you to do the sort of photography you plan to do over, say, 10 years. Try to be realistic with your lists - i.e., don't bother comparing stuff you probably won't actually buy.

Then decide.

And enjoy!