Actually the F5 is a lot more reliable than the F2 -- if it wasn't Nikon
would be out of business. As to Nikon being more reliable than Canon, I
still see Ae-1 Canons in use. The only 2 Nikkormats I've even seen are on
friends shelves - unrepairable.

--
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"Photodad2" wrote in message
...
in article , Justin Thyme at
wrote on 6/30/04 7:05 AM:

I dunno why either - go back maybe 20 years and Olympus and Pentax were
the
two big names amongst pros and serious amateurs. As you say, the Zuiko
lenses were very highly regarded. Likewise Pentax glass was always
excellent - I don't think lenses come much better than the Pentax 50mm
F1.4.
The last few years though have seen Canon and Nikon virtually duopolise
the
serious camera market, and I'm not sure why.

Justin, how old are you? I ask because you seem to have an interesting
view
of the past.

I started working in photography in 1975 as a clerk at a large camera
store.
I began shooting professionally in 1977. I can assure you that Nikon and
Canon were already established as the "Professional" lines way back then
(along with Leica). In fact, Nikon virtually ignored the consumer market
at
that time.

For a line of equipment to be considered "professional grade" it has to
offer bodies that can withstand the punishment pros give them, including
shooting hundred of rolls a week without breaking down. Nikon excelled at
this, as did Leica. Canon always lagged behind in this respect. I
started
out a Canon user, but quickly switched to Nikon for this reason.

Olympus certainly offered excellent cameras and good glass, but they never
offered a camera with full professional features, such as a true motor
drive
(not just a motor winder), or interchangeable focusing screens. Their
selection of lenses, though of high quality, was limited. And their
bodies
just could not withstand the punishment a working pro gave them.

Pentax offered good glass, and for a time excellent bodies, but the
quality
of their cameras deteriorated very quickly in the 80's. And they also
never
offered a full professional line of lenses or accessories.

Today, the situation is even more polarized. Pros aren't looking for the
latest gimmicks. They're looking for reliability and versatility, along
with high image quality.

While the current F5 certainly can't compare to the F or F2 in
reliability,
it is still the best on the market (IMHO). And Leica and Canon have not
kept up in terms of the versatility of their entire line. That's why
Nikon
dominates the professional 35mm market, and will continue to dominate the
digital market with help from Kodak and Fuji.

Walt Hanks