why do people struggle with canon vs nikon menus

[mart77]

Honestly, the amount of comments, "i cant work out canon menu systems, only nikon makes sense" or "i cant work out nikon menu systems only canon make sense"

I use both canon and nikon and you know what, both are so simple a child can use them. They are both designed to be simple and used by humans of average intelligence.

I fail to see how people can struggle in operating a simple meny system,how on earth do they cope posting on an internet forum

just find it really odd that people can have such strong likes and dislikes over a menu system when in reality both are incredibly simple.

 

[Shine On]

Because some people just like to pick holes and find difficulty in everything?

 

[jimlizard]

They should go back to school.

 

[AliB]

I'm one of those who can't for the life of me work out Nikon.

It's probably something to do with being left or right hemisphere dominant. Canon, to me is logical, simple and makes sense. So I choose what works for me.

It does not mean that I'm stupid.

 

[Tyke Tiler]

I think it's maybe, rather than stupidity, folk have a preference and then exaggerate or dramatise their thoughts a 'little'.

I prefer Nikon's ergonomics, it suits me lovely jubb, I understood Canon too but still prefer ole St Nik.

Some folk just refuse to RTFM

 

[Jayst84]

I guess you get used to whatever you use first. The other will always be a bit alien after that, unless you switch full time.

I can flick through Canon menus without looking (pretty much) Nikon I have to meticulously comb through to find what I want, and even then I don't know what some of the words mean plus the buttons are in the wrong places.

 

[Arkady]

I'm the other way - to me the Canon menu is pretty inpenetrable, whereas the Nikon menu seems intuitive - but maybe I'm just saying that because I've always used Nikons - I don't recall when I picked up a D1 for the first time - but I probably found it hard going at first - as each modification comes along it built on an existing knowledge base, so seemed more intuitive - the same goes for the camera's ergonomics...
I used to think the old F5 camera was the pinnacle of ergonomic camera design, but it feels square and boxy now compared to the D3/D3x - and as for the F3: faggeddaboudit...

 

[alexkidd]

same, when i'm using the bosses canon it makes me rage because it's not laid out what i think would be logically

it's not that it's not figure out able more that it's a pita and slows you down

 

[krazy_horse]

People are generally different, and perceive things differently, also mobile phones are similar, I have used Nokia for years and couldn't for the life of me work out how to use my friends Sony Erricson.

One man's logic is another man's boggle

JB

 

[seriousrikk]

Canon used to have such a clear and intuitive menu system but even me, a life long canon user, thinks that the 40D/50D menu makes less sense than the 20D menu did.

That said once I have the camera set up I rarely use more than one screen in the menu so it is no bother really.

 

[Kerioak]

I have to admit this is the first time I have seen this topic mentioned :shrug:

 

[Nawty]

IMO it's nothing to do with "logical", all the systems are put together with logic it's just what you're used to...

I've got a Nikon and a Sony, they're different but both work as well as each other and once I learned how to use the Sony (had the Nikon first) it was simple.

 

[mart77]

I'm one of those who can't for the life of me work out Nikon.

It's probably something to do with being left or right hemisphere dominant. Canon, to me is logical, simple and makes sense. So I choose what works for me.

It does not mean that I'm stupid.

I dont mean to say anyone is stupid but my point is that both are so basic, i mean they are not much more complicated than a digital watch, so i fail to see how either system can be counter-intuitive to anyone.

the menu systems arent particularly large, both are written in english and state what each thing is.

maybe its like being left or right handed and im ambidextrous

 

[dinorock]

I dont mean to say anyone is stupid but my point is that both are so basic, i mean they are not much more complicated than a digital watch, so i fail to see how either system can be counter-intuitive to anyone.

the menu systems arent particularly large, both are written in english and state what each thing is.

maybe its like being left or right handed and im ambidextrous

i dont think you were insinuating people were stupid, its just that differant systems have buttons dials etc in differant places. making it seem confusing as thats what their used to. it took me a little while to get used to my d300 when i moved up from a d50, but now they all fall into place. just got used to it i suppose

 

[joxby]

wait.....

So I don't shoot digital that often these days, and even when I did it was pretty much all studio.
I don't actually remember too many times when I needed to go through a D200 menu looking for something.
Unless you want to specify button use or do something out of the ordinary, everything is available as a button, don't even need a menu.
Can't comment on Canon stuffs but on the whole the suggestion that peeps exaggerate the difficulty levels they find in the camera brand they didn't choose, is probably on the button..
Menus are just menus, they all do the same thing......differently.

 

[MartynK]

I have a 30D, and I've used Nikon DSLRs. Neither have given me any problems, although I'm more familiar with the Canon ergonomics and menus because I use the 30D far more often. OTHO, the FM and F2 are pretty simple!

I can be a bit dim about some fairly basic technology though. I hardly ever watch TV, but my wife went out last night and I thought I would watch a DVD that came with the paper the other day. Switched everything on, put the disk in, and the film came up with no sound. I pressed a few buttons on the remote which didn't do anything useful, gave up, and read a book instead. Told my wife about this when she came home, she had a quick look at it, fiddled about and said the scart connector was loose. I haven't the faintest idea what a "scart" connector is, or what it does.

 

[mercedes]

I started on Canon then switched to Nikon. Menus are pretty straightforward - it's the lens swap and exposure button that's back to front on the Nikon - Clockwise = anti clockwise -They used to drive me crazy! - Now . . . it's like learning to juggle - switch off brain, go into Nikon mode, operate as normal.

 

[neil_g]

same principal with "i find osx much easier to use than windows" comment (and visa versa)

 

[razor777]

Hmm I find the menu(s) on the Nikons more intuitive than the Canon and I've been using Canon for around 6 years - the only thing that peeves me is that the lens rotation and the EV values (what the hell?!) are back to front. Supposedly there is a custom function to swap the EV if i recall correctly.

 

[bindex]

It's just familiarity. Whatever you're used to seems logical, and anything else doesn't.
Take a step back from the Nikon/Canon body thing, and look at Photoshop... there's nothing remotely intuitive about that menu system and particularly the shortcut keys, but you rarely hear people complaining about it.

 

[malla1962]

The menues on both are easy, just read the manual first.

 

[godaz]

I think its just what you are used to at the end of the day

 

[karmagarda]

I reckon it's to do with a mix between what you're used to and brand loyalty. Give it 1 more page and we'll be back to arguing which is better, canon or nikon

 

[swanseamale47]

Honestly, the amount of comments, "i cant work out canon menu systems, only nikon makes sense" or "i cant work out nikon menu systems only canon make sense"

I use both canon and nikon and you know what, both are so simple a child can use them. They are both designed to be simple and used by humans of average intelligence.

I fail to see how people can struggle in operating a simple meny system,how on earth do they cope posting on an internet forum

just find it really odd that people can have such strong likes and dislikes over a menu system when in reality both are incredibly simple.

Thats where it all goes wrong! most here are hyper inteligent instead

 

[Raymond Lin]

Even Nikon's lens mount confuse me, its not logical to twist clockwise to take a lens off.

 

[Arkady]

Even Nikon's lens mount confuse me, its not logical to twist clockwise to take a lens off.

It is if that's all you've ever used... perfectly logical...

 

[mart77]

It is if that's all you've ever used... perfectly logical...

exactly, i change lenses frequently on both cameras, i didnt even notice its the other way around, i just twist and it comes off.

its amazing we ever evolved isnt it

 

[dinners]

I use both Canon and Nikon. I have no preference and find them pretty much the same in terms of menu use.

I'm pretty sure a lot of photographers are brand loyal and have no desire to use the other and will say just about anything to promote their favourite.

 

[PaulyD]

I started off with a Nikon D40, have just switched to a Canon 450D, didn't even think twice about the menu systems, both seem to make sense to me as well!

As said above, think this could well be a OSX vs Windows debate type thing, but first i have heard of it for cameras

 

[dalex_257]

I can flick through Canon menus without looking (pretty much) Nikon I have to meticulously comb through to find what I want, and even then I don't know what some of the words mean plus the buttons are in the wrong places

Not to reply on this particular comment but to use it as an example - that is the reason I prefer Nikon ergonomics, with it I hardly ever going to menus and with any Canons I have tried (except top of the range ones) there was always something that required me to go via menus. Of course it is all highly personal.

To me it's not figuring out the menus that is hard (anyone can trawl through menu and eventually find things there), its an ability to work without them having all the control literally at your fingertips that for me personally sets Nikon apart.

 

[dinners]

To me it's not figuring out the menus that is hard (anyone can trawl through menu and eventually find things there), its an ability to work without them having all the control literally at your fingertips that for me personally sets Nikon apart.

I think this depends a lot on the individual model rather than a Nikon Canon thing.

My Nikon D50 is reliant on the menu but my Canon 40D has buttons on the camera for nearly everything so I rarely if ever access the menu when I'm out shooting.

 

[karmagarda]

I think this depends a lot on the individual model rather than a Nikon Canon thing.

My Nikon D50 is reliant on the menu but my Canon 40D has buttons on the camera for nearly everything so I rarely if ever access the menu when I'm out shooting.

Must be quite different to the D60 so. There's only 1 thing I ever have to go through the menu for and that's to set up shutter to work off remote. Everything else that I would use 99% of the time is accessible via a wheel/button press/combo of both.

 

[awp]

I've never ever had a problem with anything Canon - in fact I don't think I've ever even touched one! Nikon since 1971!