Both the Canon and Nikon lines are excellent, particularly because the depth of lens and accessory availability is much deeper than everything else.
That said, I have been a Nikonian since I sold my Minolta SRT 101 in 1974 and went with a 7 lens, 2 camera body professional Nikon system while I was serving in the USN as an Illustrator/Draftsman at Whidbey Island NAS in Washington State.
I held out going digital until my house got broken into and my cameras and guns got stolen about 12 years ago. I could see the handwriting on the wall that film was probably on the way out, so I bought Nikon's most expensive point and shoot digital camera...a Coolpix995 (because of its manual settings capabilities) along with several essential accessories and I haven't looked back.
In 2007 the price of a digital SLR (DSLR) finally got within my reach and I bought my first DSLR...a Nikon D40 with three lenses, the lowest priced flash and an extra camera battery. I absolutely loved the quality of photos this little beginner-level camera produced and I started taking photos professionally again.
I decided that since I was getting paid for my photography again that I should probably step up to a pro-level camera body, upgrade some of my lenses and get a couple of pro Nikon flashes, so in 2008 I bought a D300 pro DX body which allowed autofocusing with some of my cherished older Nikkor auto-focusing lenses and gave me buttons to push rather than a menu to page through while on a job (much quicker) as well as upgrading ISO sensitivity and resolution way over the beginner level D40.
I was very happy with my Nikon D300 and settled on a selection of four lenses which were exactly what I need for my event/family/figurative/landscape and documentary photography. I also discovered the Nikon Creative Lighting System and its Advanced Wireless Lighting feature which allows setting up four lighting zones using Nikon electronic flashes as slaves (no limit to how many flashes in each group) and using the camera's built in flash as the master. This was such a revelation to me, being used to lugging around a pro lighting system in a 50 lb canvas bag with three pro flash heads, cables, battery etc....which was now obsoleted with three Nikon pro electronic flashes, and three two-sided umbrellas with small, portable stands for each...no cables, no extra batteries and each flash is controlled by what my camera sees at the instant I take a photo. Excellent for real-estate photography, on location portraiture, weddings and model railroad photography.
In 2007, I was very impressed with the specs and reviews of the ground-breaking Nikon D7000, so...I bought a couple of bodies. This was the highest resolution camera in the Nikon lineup at the time and it got me into using its video capabilities. Photo quality was noticeably superior to what my excellent D300 produced, especially in low-light situations and because of its increased sensor resolution (16.2 Mp) digitizing my artwork for printing could now be accomplished by stitching only two photos rather than four. I found that this body fit my hands better, the controls were more intuitive for me than the "pro-level" D300 and it was more rugged, more weatherproof and quieter. An exponential step up and I loved the two SD card capacity allowing a number of options for the second card. I also loved the two user-defined modes (U1 & U2) which allowed me to completely configure my camera for two different shooting situations such as U1 for portraiture and U2 for model railroad photography...
This year (2015), I bought the second successor to the Nikon D7000...the D7200, which gives me a resolution of 24.2 Mp, a superior sensor (the best DX format camera sensor according to DxOMark...bar none) and more intuitive controls...and the BEST focus and dynamic balance quality photos I've EVER used or taken! And, it retains everything I loved about the D7000.
I've settled on four lenses which give me everything I need or want in 99% of my photography, including interiors, weddings, portraiture, events, landscape, documentary and model railroad photography. These lenses transfer to each new camera body, one of them I used on my film Nikons. My lenses are: AF-S Nikkor 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 G II ED, Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 (IF) DX, AF Micro Nikkor 60mm f2.8 D, and the AF-S Nikkor 35mm f 1.8 G. Each lens has a high quality multi-coated clear protective filter on it (which never comes off) and high quality polarization filters for each
I also have three pro Nikon flashes, two SB-800's and one SB-900. The SB-900 stays in the camera bag, the other two in my lighting bag with the umbrellas and stands.
My qualifications for model railroad photography include winning MR's photo contest in 1992 and several covers, articles and centerfolds with the now-defunct RailModel Journal magazine as well as other credits with MR.
So...depending on what you want to do, how much you have to spend, and what your needs may be, I would recommend a new Nikon D7100 body, which can be got at a really deep discount now since it's a discontinued model but recent enough to find it brand new. If you want the best still photo DX format camera on the market, get the Nikon D7200...but be prepared to spend more.
The cheapest "kit lens" is an optically excellent, but cheaply made, plasticky Nikkor lens that zooms from 18 to 55mm. I've used this lens, and it takes really good, sharp photos, but I hated the ergonomics of the early model (the newest model appears to have fixed the ergonomic problems)...but for the price, it's hard to beat. Get the latest version.
If you feel you need mo' telephoto, in addition to the basic "kit lens" go for the Nikkor 55-200mm zoom. Same drawbacks and benefits as the kit lens and it is also inexpensive, but has excellent optical attributes. Get the latest version.
If you want to spend more and have a single lens that encompasses the attributes of both of the above lenses, go with the lens I have, the AF-S Nikkor 18-200mm f3.5-5.6. It will cost you more than both of the above lenses combined, but is much better ergonomically, has quality construction, but is about equal optically. Get the latest version.
From a quality standpoint, it's about equal between Canon and Nikon although the Nikon D7200 clearly has the best sensor of any any DX format camera. Nikon actually holds the first four positions for sensor quality at DxOMark, who test and rate camera sensors. However, Canon simply doesn't have anything like the Nikon Creative Lighting System, which is a BIG plus in my opinion and is something I am simply not willing to do without.
I can also recommend accessories if you decide to go Nikon.
Okay...now, let's talk taking model railroad photos. Way back in 1991, when I took my photos I submitted to MR for the photo contest, I shot with a Nikon 8008 with the same AF Micro Nikkor 60mm lens I still have, stopped down for depth of field, shot on Fuji Pro Daylight 50 ASA slide film for fine resolution...all mounted on a big studio Bogen tripod with a remote release.
Wellllll...things they have changed! Nowadays I hardly ever use my Micro Nikkor lens for model railroad photography, but stick with my big close-focusing 18-200mm zoom (about 9" from the front element at 200mm). I stop down to f8 for sharpness (the camera's firmware gets rid of several lens aberrations digitally) and I jack the ISO (ASA) up to at least 800 or as high as 1600 without any noticeable increase in noise or loss of dynamic range. Like with my old film Nikon, I use a remote release and the same big studio tripod, but I don't worry about depth of field anymore since I bit the bullet and purchased the pro version of Helicon Focus, which combines (in my computer) multiple focus points of identically composed and exposed photos into a single photo where everything is in focus (if you want that). Since I store my "model railroad photography" camera setting preferences in U2 in my camera's "user defined settings" which I access from my top dial on the left side of my camera body, I have set the white balance (color temperature) previously for my 5000 deg K layout lights using the "manual preset" option. Sometimes, on critical model photos for customers, I'll take my laptop into the train room and use the Pro Helicon Focus's Remote option which automates where certain cameras focus with much finer control than my hand and eye will allow. Then, instead of sending the film off to the "lab"...I retire to my computer room to review and Photoshop my files after Helicon Focus is finished.
What I'm taking a long time to say is that unless you are taking actual "macro" photos, usually defined as life-size images superimposed on the film frame or sensor...or larger, a Nikon "kit" lens may be all you really need. The inexpensive 18-55 actually focuses very close...about 8" from the front lens element...and still allows you to choose from a wide angle to a short telephoto lens length as opposed to a true macro lens' being a single focal length non-zoom.
Be aware that when Nikon lists the closest focus distance on their lenses, it's from the subject to the sensor (marked with a small white circle with a slash through it on top of the body near the rear)...not from the front lens element.
Additionally, my smartphone...a Samsung Galaxy S5...has a really GREAT camera that will take macro reference/documentary photos very quickly and handily without having to break out the DSLR at my workbench or on my layout...evenly lighting things with either its integral LED flashlight or "flash". I can upload them to Picasa from my phone or upload them into my computer to Photoshop them if I feel like I need to do that since I'm familiar with Photoshop, then easily publish them online.
However, as handy as my smartphone is with its integral camera, it doesn't compare to my DSLR (or any DSLR for that matter) for true photographic quality, but is does fit in my pocket!
I buy my equipment online at Adorama in NYC (
www.adorama.com) and I've always been very happy with their service and their prices.
Hope this loooong epistle helps you out...
Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore
