Which is a better DSLR?

I'm about to go and by a new DSLR camera. I'm looking at the sort of 'prosumer' range and have narrowed it down to either the:

Canon EOS 5D MK II

or;

Nikon D700

Both are very good cameras in their own right, but I've only used the Sony Alpha range before. I mainly focus on artistic projects, landscapes, portraits, etc. I would however like something that can allow me to explore other fields and techniques as my knowledge improves however. I have taken a huge interest in High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography recently and I can see it being a path that I will be playing with for a while.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

The Canon prosumer range is the 10D-60D and 7D. The 5D mk II is a professional camera. The 7D would be better for you and would allow you to buy a really nice lens with the money you save. Lenses are MUCH more important than the camera bodies.

It may also interest you to know that you can do HDR with a single photo and just about any camera if the shot is right - lighting, exposure, etc.

This for example I shot with my Fuji 9000, a bridge camera.

Edited with Photo Explosion.

I agree lenses are far more important than the body. So many people just don't understand how cameras / lenses really work. For example, we see questions all the time about short dof and what camera is best? It's not the camera at all, it's the lens - things like that.

Don't get confused about high dollar cameras. As viewed on a computer screen there's very little difference between say 10mp and 15mp. I know because I own both.

If you're a professional you don't need to be asking others about what to buy. If you want to be a pro buying a high dollar camera is really not the way to start.

But, a short course in photography, lots of reading and lots of practice will get you there lots faster than simply buying a high dollar camera and then trying to operate it.

These are not really prosumer cameras any more. I think it's best to see them as entry level Full Frame DSLRs, and are very different animals to APS-C cameras.

Which is better, well it depends on the conditions you'll want to use them in. The Nikon is much tougher, and can be used in most weather conditions. The Canon only has limited sealing, but a huge resolution sensor making is a better studio camera.

If you're going to go to unhospitable places (I'm thinking deserts, and rainforests), the D700 is useful. Otherwise for what you mainly shoot the extra resolution is probably nice to have.

Have you also considered the Sony a850/a900? If you have Sony/Minolta lenses you might be able to use them still.

Although they are both full frame cameras they do have very different specifications which kind of designates them as intended for different applications.

DISCLOSURE: I'm a canon user.

The nikon has lower, but not low resolution, 12MP is way more than adequate for most, although you should be aware that you will need to pick your lenses with care as the DX crop mode on the D700 drops the resolution to just over 5MP. So really, stick to AF-D or FX rated lenses.

The Nikon does however have a far better AF system than the 5D2 and has a faster drive. This makes it ideally suited to sports or nature where speed is paramount.

Does this make it the better camera? Well for sports and nature definitely.

But your interests are landscape and portraiture, where ultimately speed is less important, focus will probably be taken care of manually and detail is paramount, making the 5D2 a better camera for your intended application. You don't need 21MP, but it is nice to have it. Certainly for HDR photography the more info you can put in to photomatix the better the results.

Both canon and nikon make great cameras and great camera systems, on paper for your intended application the 5D2 would be the logical choice. However I usually advocate that you get hands on with a camera, the nikon and canon handle quite differently, and this alone may be enough to make the decision for you, as important as image quality is the ease of use of the camera, both are complex machines, you might find one fits in the hand better, you might find the menu of one easier to understand, you might be able to reach the button more easily on one, all important factors.

Both are excellent, both will serve you well, on paper as I say, the 5D2 looks like the better option, but really it's over to you.