Camera Labs

Yeah, that may sound strange and it's not even about me.
A photographer I know is using the Nikon D700 (heavily, you can really see and feel it) since it was released - now she wants (and kinda needs) a new camera. The plan is to get both a new camera and a 24-70mm 2.8 lens and keep the D700 + 80-200mm 2.8 lens as a second body until it dies.


Short:
- She doesn't want to get the D800. (@Leo: "Uncle Sam syndrome", extreme version; apart from the fact that she wants a tougher body)
- As she wants both a body and a lens she's not forced to stay with Nikon.
- She likes the wheel on the back of the Canon and the Canon button layout, but she is used to the menu of the Nikon cameras.
- She wants a video mode. (Shouldn't be a problem with any of those cameras)
- FPS isn't important as she's mainly doing portraits. No sports / wildlife at all. Still she'd love a fast and very precise autofocus, especially for weddings - in combination with a 24-70mm 2.8 only.

So if you had to choose (imagine you had no lenses for any camera system ), what camera would you choose: D4 or 1DX - and why? What features are most important to you and what do you think one of those cameras can definitely do better than the other one?
Maybe I can help her with one of your answers.

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466

Theres nothing wrong with staying with the same body - I found it VERY difficult to move away from Film, and then even harder with Leaving my Olympus since it was sooooo expensive to change systems.

Personally I would go with Nikon, as the Lowlight capability would be a small edge over the 1Dx, since Weddings is an environment she would be shooting within. Although Nikon say this camera can see in the dark, I think that is kind of pointless - the ISO and the sensors are ALMOST identical in terms of practical application at this level of body. The only Lowlight differnce is when you start to pixel peep.

The ONLY reason I can think of, for getting the 1Dx is for the following features:
12 fps (vs. 10)
Dual CF slots (D4: 1 CF, 1 XQD)
Longer movie record time (30 vs. 20 mins.)

I would preffer the DUAL CF CARDS because majority of pro users tend to have a library of CF cards to choose from and its a single format and you dont have to chop and change. If Video is important the extra 10 mins can mean the difference between getting the whole speech or not (Its happened to me in a wedding reception)

But these differnces ARE MINOR - and I guess it comes down to her own personal prefference and wether or not your friend's UNCLE SAM SYNDROME will make her buy the 1Dx to show off the 12fps and sticking a white lens on the end to SHOW off her gear lol

Leo

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1) Olympus OM1 [Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.8]
2) Pentax MZ-60 [Sigma 28-90 & 100-300]
3) Canon 7D [EF-S 15-85 & 70-200mm f/4 IS]

Leo's Flickr Page

Nah, the 24-70mm is no white lens and the speed really doesn't matter to her...

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466

Might as well get the D4 - that 80-200 would just go to waste when the D700 dies and she ends up with one body in a couple years (or sooner since you said she uses her gear quite rigoursly.)

Or she can get both cameras and then she can put both on a twin tripod and hold both buttons down and she can laugh maniacly at poor college and university students while she takes pictures wihtout lenses on? All the while she uses film rolls as hair curlers and an assistant takes pictures on films cameras then pulling the film out before rewinding it.... Muwahahaha....

Nikon, she should really just get the nikon, it kinda makes sense

_________________
1) Olympus OM1 [Zuiko Auto-S 50mm f/1.8]
2) Pentax MZ-60 [Sigma 28-90 & 100-300]
3) Canon 7D [EF-S 15-85 & 70-200mm f/4 IS]

Leo's Flickr Page