Canon vs Nikon
Photography professionals and enthusiasts know their equipment, and when it comes to cameras and lenses, the battle between Nikon and Canon presents the most heated confrontation.
Nikon and Canon are both imaging and optical product manufacturing companies. They provide the best lenses and imaging products on the face of this planet. Each and every one has its own take with this epic clash of the optic titans ‘“ from the average shutterbug to the hardcore photography connoisseur.
The competition between these two is a back and forth affair. With every new development, the other seems to leapfrog the competition. They may sometimes exchange blows to the point where there is no emerging winner. Yes, Canon and Nikon often play the game into stalemate.
Preference does vary from one person to the other. Deciding which is better, between Canon and Nikon, can start a religious war, with everyone expressing their own strong opinions on the product they fancy. This article will merely tackle the basic differences between the two giants, and will not be about their pros and cons. It should also be mentioned, that this is not about a comparison between two products, since there are a lot of products to consider.
The Nikon Corporation was established in 1917, about two decades earlier than Canon. The Nikon Corporation was the result of the merging of three leading optical manufacturers, and over the next six decades, it become the leading manufacturer of optical lenses and equipment.
Canon, on the other hand, was previously known as the ‘Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory’. It was founded in 1937, by four Japanese individuals. The name ‘Canon’ was coined by one of its founders from the Japanese name ‘Kwanon’. It was in 1947, when the company was renamed Canon Camera Co. Inc, and was soon changed again to Canon Inc.
At some point, Canon cameras used the optical lenses manufactured by Nikon, but Canon was the first to make and market Japan’s first 35 mm camera, with a focal plane shutter and rangefinder, in 1934. Nikon soon followed suit with camera manufacturing, and, in 1948, Nikon released its first camera.
However, it was Nikon that created the first practical DSLR, Nikon D1, in 1999. For about two years, they monopolized the digital photography market. Canon then created its own brand of DSLR. Canon’s D30 was the first DSLR of the company. It offers the same image quality of Nikon’s D1, but with a significantly lower price at that time. In 2001, Canon overtook the digital photography throne from Nikon, but only for a while.
Ever since, it became a seesaw battle between the two companies, with one product matching the other. It is very likely that the first camera brand you acquire is the one you may consider as the best.
Summary:
1. Nikon, as a company, was established earlier than Canon.
2. Canon was the first to create and market its camera. It was more than a decade thereafter, when Nikon finally released its own brand of camera.
3. Canon, at some point, used Nikon lenses in manufacturing its products.
4. Nikon was the first on the DSLR scene, but Canon’s version a year later, was cheaper, although it provided the same quality.