Why Canon? Reasons why I Stuck to my Brand
Most photographers get “married” to a brand once they discover it and start using it on a regular basis. Some others switch systems at least once but will feel more attachment towards a brand over others. However, one thing is true: every lens professional has a brand that they regard as the best or the most reliable.
For over 11 years I have owned seven different Canon EOS digital cameras. Therefore, I can state for a fact that I have no interest in switching systems: Canon has been with me through some of the most important moments in my “career” as a photographer.
Beyond the sentimental hold the brand has on me, the comfort, reliability an personality linked to it are very strong elements putting weight on my decision to stick with Canon for years to come. Despite the price of some of the best lenses (even the third-party ones), this brand offers extremely high value for money, and I cannot think of any reason not to stick to it.
From the first I ever owned, to the newest and most powerful, they have all been reliable and efficient partners. The T3 and the SL1 were with me in some crucial moments of my photography. The 40D, the T2i and the 7D were the cameras that actually shaped my street photography. The RP and the R6 Mark II were the first full-frame cameras I ever owned, and the ones shaping my new life in the United States.
I hereby leave a list of reasons why I will continue to be a Canon shooter for the foreseeable future.
My List
Durability and reliability of the camera. Even if it is true that my only DSLR experience has been with Canon, I must remark that the Canon EOS 7D got to me with many clicks over its life expectancy. So, even though I loved it and how it worked, I always feared that it could die on me one day. Over 300,000 clicks after I got it, plus experiences in Cuba, Canada, Mexico and the United States, the camera is in the hands of a young high school girl, who recently told me that it works perfectly. Also, I exposed the EOS Rebel T2i (not weather sealed) to the elements during a hurricane coverage, and it was the camera that made me earn the biggest amount of money in Cuba afterwards.
Knowledge of the system. If you are a Canon photographer, a Sony photographer, a Nikon photographer, or a Hasselblad photographer, it is very easy for you to grab any camera of the system that you know and be able to take great photos without much effort. I had the experience of shooting with the Canon EOS 5D Mark III for the first (and so far only) time in Yankee Stadium, and because of my knowledge of the system, there was not a lot for me to learn about it. The buttons, the interface, the way the exposure can be set, and how fast and effectively we can access them are indeed elements that make me want to stick with Canon.
Friendly interface. Canon’s interface is extremely friendly and easy to navigate. Even when I got my first Canon camera, the EOS Rebel T3, I started taking pictures with it before reading the user manual. I only got through it when there were specific things to learn from the camera that involved some customization. Other than those specifics, if you know photography, there is very little that you need to research in the user manual.
Third-party compatibility. I have had no experience with any other brand when it comes to third-party lenses. However, I can state for a fact that my three experiences with Tamron lenses and my one experience with a Yongnuo lens were amazing. In all cases, the communication between the camera and the lens has been outstanding, and the quality of the pictures has been amazing. The last two Tamron lenses have come with an EOS EF to RF adapter, so apart from a different brand, I am also creating an extra obstacle for that communication. I have no complaints.
Re-learning editing skills. Not all brands render images the same way, and not all cameras have the same type of color to their pictures. Once you go into editing, you may have to re-learn the steps to take to work with your RAW images in post-production. Yet, it is very likely that the colors will not be the same.
Sentimental reasons. Like I said, there are many sentimental reasons behind my preference for Canon. The main one being that the first three Canon cameras that I had were gifts by people who are still following my work to this day. The second, as I mentioned before, is that I did shoot a lot of important things with Canon, from baseball, to culture, to politics, to documentary, and those photos are part of my life story.
Early interests. I still remember that one of the things that sparked my interest in documentary and travel photography was the National Geographic magazines. In the old ones that I got (mid to late 1990s) there was always an ad that said “Wildlife as Canon sees it” that included an incredible wildlife photo of an animal taken with a Canon camera.
Brand loyalty. Even though I am not a well-known photographer, I have sparked the interest of the Canon USA instagram account to some of my posts. That is precisely because of how Canon treats users who have been loyal to the brand and highlight the fact that they are using it.
Price of cameras in general. Once you have invested in certain gear, it becomes very hard to get rid of a lot of things just to swap systems. The worst part can be that there are things that you acquire that are specific to your taste, and you will never recover that money.
Final thoughts
The question of whether I would have been this loyal if I had gotten another DSLR camera brand as a gift will always remain. I do remember that my cousin tried to get me a second-hand Olympus Evolt E-500, but the guy selling it ended up going for another buyer. Would that have made me stick to the OM System for good? We will never know.
One thing is for sure: I am happy that Canon was the first DSLR camera I ever got. I am happy that I have kept on using Canon to this day, and I will certainly continue to do so for years to come.
