Photography Life

PL provides various digital photography news, reviews, articles, tips, tutorials and guides to photographers of all levels

  • Lens Reviews
  • Camera Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • Compare Cameras
  • Forum
    • Sign Up
    • Login
  • About
  • Search
Home → Cameras and Lenses

Nikon vs Canon vs Fuji in a Studio

By Nasim Mansurov 132 Comments
Last Updated On February 16, 2019

I have been super busy working on a couple of big projects lately and this weekend I helped out Lola with her bridal work. While setting up the lights, I decided to try out and shoot with three different cameras – the Nikon D800 (see the recently published review of the Nikon D800), the Canon 5D Mark III (a full review is coming up in a couple of weeks) and the Fuji X-Pro 1 (also coming up for a review soon).

The Nikon and the Canon experience was very similar, both were stellar in terms of color, sharpness and autofocus accuracy. The Fuji X-Pro 1 produced beautiful images with great-looking skin tones, but was rather disappointing in terms of autofocus – it just could not seem to lock well to my subject in indoors environment. I will be writing about my overall impressions of the Fuji X-Pro 1 soon, but to give you a short version, I am rather disappointed by it. To be honest, I was more excited about the Fuji X-Pro 1 than I was with the Canon and Nikon cameras, because I was really hoping for a mirrorless camera that could be a great alternative to the higher-end APS-C sensor DSLRs. The Fuji X-Pro 1 just seemed to have so much potential… I guess it will be a while until we see something that good. Perhaps the second or third generation of the X-Pro? Or the upcoming Canon mirrorless?

Here is a fun game for you – all three of the below images were shot with either the Nikon D800, the Canon 5D Mark III or the Fuji X-Pro 1. Care to guess which one is which?

Nikon vs Canon vs Fuji #1

Nikon vs Canon vs Fuji #2

Nikon vs Canon vs Fuji #3

These are pretty much straight out of each camera.

Update: The Fuji X-Pro1 Review has been posted!

Looking for even more exclusive content?

On Photography Life, you already get world-class articles with no advertising every day for free. As a Member, you'll get even more:

Silver ($5/mo)
  • Exclusive articles
  • Monthly Q&A chat
  • Early lens test results
  • "Creative Landscape Photography" eBook
Gold ($12/mo)
  • All that, PLUS:
  • Online workshops
  • Monthly photo critiques
  • Vote on our next lens reviews
 
Click Here to Join Today
 

Related Articles

  • Novoflex Nikon to Canon Lens Adapter
    Novoflex Nikon to Canon Lens Adapter Review
  • Nikon D800E 0 EV
    Nikon vs Canon Dynamic Range
  • Nikon 50mm f/1.4 with Novoflex Canon Adapter
    Use Nikon Lenses on Canon DSLRs
  • FotodioX Nikon F to Fujifilm G Mount Adapter
    FotodioX Nikon F to Fuji GFX 50S Adapter Review
Disclosures, Terms and Conditions and Support Options
Filed Under: Cameras and Lenses Tagged With: Canon, Canon 5D Mark III, Fuji X-Pro1, Fujifilm, Nikon, Nikon D800, Portrait Photography, Wedding Photography

About Nasim Mansurov

Nasim Mansurov is the author and founder of Photography Life, based out of Denver, Colorado. He is recognized as one of the leading educators in the photography industry, conducting workshops, producing educational videos and frequently writing content for Photography Life. You can follow him on Instagram and Facebook. Read more about Nasim here.

guest

guest

132 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
gtspics
gtspics
May 10, 2022 3:54 am

I am disalusioned by the fact that, no one has noticed the studio lights were changed and or moved. This would give the largest noticeable change !!.
Photo A. Has very little fill.
Photo B. There is no fill or the flash failed to fire.
Photo C. The fill light shows its full effect on the background.
How can this be a true representation of each camera, when there are such huge differences in the lighting falling on the model and seen just by simply viewing the background, or does anyone believe different cameras can somehow change the studio lights ?. If they are moved, this is not an objective test ?…

0
Reply
Ben
Ben
June 6, 2014 1:41 pm

What is amazing to me is that people have such strong opinion about what skin tones look like from different brands, but most of them are genuinely wrong. Which proves my point that people are subjective about what constitutes good skin tones to them.

For example, the Canon biased crowd though that the first Image must be Nikon because of the green and yellow cast. Some of them thought that the first one is Canon is because it Popped more.

Most other people thought that Fuji was the bottom one because, from what I understood, since Fuji produces the best skin-tones, this is what they look like, so they erroneously voted for Nikon.

So can we conclude now that Nikon does not have skin-tones problems as the usual mantra suggests?

1
Reply
bobby
bobby
May 17, 2014 9:50 pm

I knew that first one was the canon. it tends to make skin tones brownish instead of pinkish.

2
Reply
Ade
Ade
April 1, 2013 1:30 am

Some comments seem doesn’t accept that aps format can compete with full size format due to its brand. LOL

and i guess nasim would like to compete the auto white balance capability for each camera cause if he set the custom then the result become really almost same. i guess

0
Reply
Harnanto
Harnanto
March 31, 2013 7:19 pm

Why don’t you use same proper custom white balance for these images ?
1. Canon
2. Nikon
3. Fujifilm

2
Reply
Champy
Champy
February 2, 2013 6:19 am

1. Nikon
2. Fuji
3. Canon

0
Reply
George Enache
George Enache
December 14, 2012 2:31 am

1. Canon
2. Fuji
3. Nikon

2
Reply
Stefanus W
Stefanus W
August 27, 2012 10:03 pm

Canon
Fuji
Nikon…

okay what is the correct answer?

2
Reply
krokoo
krokoo
August 1, 2012 4:28 am

Nikon (great details)
Canon (best colours of skin)
Fuji (best field of depth)

That would be my guess, however

0
Reply
Radjev
Radjev
July 29, 2012 7:26 pm

1.Nikon
2.Canon
3.Fuji

0
Reply

Learn

  • Beginner Photography
  • Landscape Photography
  • Wildlife Photography
  • Portraiture
  • Post-Processing
  • Advanced Tutorials
Photography Life on Patreon

Reviews

  • Camera Reviews
  • Lens Reviews
  • Other Gear Reviews
  • Best Cameras and Lenses

Photography Tutorials

Photography Basics
Landscape Photography
Wildlife Photography
Macro Photography
Composition & Creativity
Black & White Photography
Night Sky Photography
Portrait Photography
Street Photography
Photography Videos

Unique Gift Ideas

Best Gifts for Photographers

Subscribe via Email

If you like our content, you can subscribe to our newsletter to receive weekly email updates using the link below:

Subscribe to our newsletter

Site Menu

  • About Us
  • Beginner Photography
  • Lens Database
  • Lens Index
  • Photo Spots
  • Search
  • Forum

Reviews

  • Reviews Archive
  • Camera Reviews
  • Lens Reviews
  • Other Gear Reviews

More

  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
  • Workshops
  • Support Us
  • Submit Content

Copyright © 2025 · Photography Life

You are going to send email to

Move Comment