"Timeless Photography On A Budget: Canon 10D vs. Nikon Z f - A Comparative Journey"

By: Gregg Ordon (June 4th , 2024)

As a professional headshot and event photographer, I often get asked by beginners about what equipment they should get on a budget. The next question usually revolves around cost. The answers can vary, but I always find that setting expectations right away is crucial. Sure, expensive gear is great, but it doesn't automatically make you a better photographer.

Modern gear, with all its fancy automated settings, can actually take away from the learning experience. It's like driving a car with all the latest drive assist technology; you end up paying less attention to the car and the road. The same goes for modern cameras. Even experienced photographers can become too dependent on them, and when things don't go as planned, they're not as quick to adapt and make the necessary adjustments.

To put my own advice to the test, I decided to go on eBay and buy the first digital camera I ever owned: a Canon 10D with a 28-135mm lens, all for just $100 plus $12 shipping. After about five days, it arrived, and I was ready to see how it stacked up against today's gear.

Most of what I learned about photography started with that camera. My successes and failures in photography came through a lot of trial and error. That camera was my constant companion during the years I had it. This time, I decided to use only what came with the eBay purchase: the kit lens, a 256GB memory card, a single battery, and a charger. And remember, this all cost just $100!

I’ll be honest. I was a bit worried that the camera wouldn’t be up to the challenge of keeping up with the Nikon Z F. To be fair, the Nikon can run circles around it all day long, especially in low light, no flash situations. But hey, that wasn't the point of this exercise. I wanted to see if I could get similar images in daylight conditions with both cameras. Could a 20-year-old camera still produce usable photos today? Well, it was time to find out!

The image above was the first test. My human subject? My wife, who is endlessly patient with my photography experiments and my constant quest to push my own boundaries. (Seriously, she deserves a medal.) I placed her in front of a brick wall at the wedding destination we visited this past weekend. I had her pose the same way for both cameras. And guess what? Without zooming in to pixel peep, the results are pretty similar! Who knew a 20-year-old camera could still hold its own?

While this isn't the best image I've ever taken, it’s another test I did with buildings. The one challenge was the lens on the Canon: 28-135mm. On a crop sensor, there's a magnification factor to account for—1.6 on the Canon, which turns that 28mm focal length into a 45mm. But putting that aside, the image quality is, once again, fairly similar. Not too shabby for a camera that’s old enough to vote!

The Canon 10D and the Nikon Z F both captured the scene beautifully. Sure, the Nikon might have some fancy features and higher specs, but the Canon held its ground admirably. It was a true testament to the fact that you don’t need the latest and greatest gear to take stunning photos. Sometimes, all it takes is good lighting, an interesting subject, and a willingness to experiment. And maybe a little bit of luck with that perfectly placed highway barrier!

By the end of the trip, I realized the task I set for myself was both interesting and a return to basics. The Canon 10D had no bells and whistles—just straightforward, simple controls. I had forgotten how easy it was to navigate around this camera. Shutter, aperture, and minimal ISO settings were all I had to work with. It was a refreshing reminder that sometimes, less is more. The simplicity forced me to focus on the fundamentals of photography, rather than getting lost in a sea of features and settings.

Capturing that mural with both the Canon and the Nikon felt like a pure test of skill and vision. The Canon 10D, despite its age, handled it with grace, proving that great photography isn’t about having the latest gear—it’s about knowing how to use what you have. And sometimes, pulling over on a whim to capture a moment is all it takes to create something special.

This is the menu system from 20 years ago. While basic and a bit crude, it’s surprisingly familiar. The menu is still broken down in a way that’s quite similar to the modern Canon models I use today, like the R3, R5, and R6 Mark II.

It's a bit like visiting an old friend—you realize they haven’t changed much. Sure, modern cameras have a lot more features and options, but the core layout and functionality are still there. Navigating through the settings on the Canon 10D felt like a trip down memory lane, but it also reminded me that some things in photography don’t need to change drastically to be effective.

Despite the simplicity, the menu got the job done. It’s a testament to Canon’s design philosophy that even their older cameras have an intuitive and user-friendly interface. It might not have all the bells and whistles, but it’s straightforward and functional. Sometimes, that’s all you need to capture great photos.

Unlike today’s cameras, the Canon 10D took a bit of time to show images after shooting—at least a few seconds. Rotating through images was more painful than I remembered, but that’s probably because I’m spoiled by 20 years of technological advancements that display images almost instantly.

It was like stepping back in time, where patience was a virtue. Waiting those few seconds felt like an eternity compared to the near-instant gratification I’m used to with modern cameras. It’s funny how quickly we adapt to new technology and forget how things used to be.

But this delay also made me appreciate how far we've come. While the Canon 10D’s slower image review process was a bit of a hassle, it reminded me of a time when photography was a bit slower-paced and more deliberate. It’s a good reminder that, despite the convenience of modern technology, great photography is about the moment you capture, not how quickly you can view it.

The one challenge I think some will have with older cameras is to find ways of getting images onto your computers to edit. I didn't have a CF reader, and most everything I have has USB-C. I ended up getting a card reader on Amazon and had a USB Type A-C adapter plug handy. You can also get just USC-C readers as well, and I would highly recommend getting one that covers different card types.

In conclusion, can a 20-year-old camera keep up with a modern Nikon Z F? The answer: Under daylight shooting situations, it most certainly can. While you can't crop in as much on the 10D images (6.3mp) in image editing software like Lightroom or Capture One compared to the Nikon Z F images (24mp), the images are still rich and vibrant. Used camera gear is often great for practicing and learning. They cost a fraction of what new equipment does and can often teach you way more about photography than modern cameras.

While you can watch YouTubers tout the best equipment and demonstrate techniques until you’re blue in the face, there’s no substitute for time behind the camera—trial and lots of errors. That’s how I learned, and it's how many other photographers have as well.

Now, where the Nikon handily beats the 10D is in low-light situations. The ISO range is much greater, and the sensor is more sensitive to low light. However, using strobes can help level the playing field for the Canon in low light. Learning lighting with strobes will yield similar results.

There are many options out there for used equipment. An old 10D is extreme, but for not much more, you can get a 30D, 40D, or even a 50D and enjoy the benefits of a larger and more responsive LCD screen and larger image files. Never stop learning and growing.

"Photography isn't just about the gear; it's about the passion, the practice, and the moments you capture."

Here are some helpful links to find used camera gear and places that I often buy from:

1) B&H Photo Used Gear (Great service, very patient with new and seasoned photographers(we always have a ton of questions)

2) KEH Used Photo Gear

IMAGE KEY - Which photo is what?

Image 1 - My Wife (Canon Left / Nikon Right)

Image 2 - Dorm Building ( Canon left / Nikon right)

Image 3 - Abandoned Building (Canon Left / Nikon Right)

Image 4 - Mural (Nikon Left / Canon Right)