The Canon 5D series versus the Nikon D800 series battling it out in our May photo contest!

posted Monday, June 26, 2017 at 1:40 PM EDT

Last month, a longstanding trend in our photography contest came to an end. For the first time in the contest history, a DSLR from neither Canon nor Nikon was represented on the Top 3 prize-winning podium. DSLR lovers worldwide heaved a heavy sigh as the tide turned towards the mirrorless world.

One month later it was as if it had never happened. A veritable blip on the radar screen... a mirrorless hiccup. For the month of May, all returned to the way it has virtually always been in our contest, as Canon and Nikon DSLRs slugged it out in the proverbial ring. This time, it was a pair of heavyweight Canon 5D Mark IIs battling with two mighty Nikons, a D800 and a D810. The full frame battle was a close one!

Oh... you're wondering why I'm not mentioning the photographers. My slip! We're a gear-centric website and sometimes in our roles we forget that someone actually has to research and buy the gear, get up before dawn, leave their clan, take to the hills, trudge through snow, wait forever for the wildlife, compose a fantastic shot, nail the exposure, nail the focus, process the image and still remember to actually enter it into our contest. (That's really not so much, is it? Just kidding of course.)

No, we didn't forget the photographers. In fact, and as we've mentioned many times before, this month was yet another big success for our regular crowd -- those hard-working souls who've entered our contest many, many times. Their determination certainly paid off this month, and to them, we are grateful.

First Prize • $300 gift certificate from Adorama

Iguana Meal by Carol Lynne Fowler • Canon 5D Mark II

Thanks for a delightful image, Carol, and congratulations on First Prize!

[Editor's note: When voting for the monthly winners, the voting panel is only shown the printed images and is not aware of the name of the photographers nor the camera models.]

Second Prize • $200 gift certificate from Adorama

Snow Leopard in a Snowstorm by Abeselom Zerit • Nikon D810

A wonderful moment, Abeselom... thanks for sharing it with us!

Third Prize • $100 gift certificate from Adorama

Red Sun by Angel Ros Die • Canon 5D Mark II

A very beautiful and compelling image, Angel. Thank you!

On the gear front, the Canon 5D Mark II took home First and Third Prize honors, while the Nikon D810 captured the Second Prize as well as a runner-up honor for the D800. A great race this month among the full frame DSLR heavyweights, and an interesting return to the ongoing DSLR dominance in the competition.

(If you're a mirrorless shooter unhappy with this trend, or our calling attention to it, you can either complain about it in the comments section down below (which will do you little good) or you can enter the contest and steer history in a more proactive way!)

Additional Honors

Orangutan by Glenn Nagel • Nikon D800

A wonderful composition and beautiful colors, Glenn... thanks for sending it our way!

Winter Kiss by Tom Ward • Camera not listed

A photograph that has brought needed smiles to our faces... Thanks Tom!

• May Winners' Gallery •

Thanks to all photographers who enter our contest, and please keep the excellent submissions coming our way!

[Editor's note: When voting for the monthly winners, the voting panel is only shown the printed images and is not aware of the name of the photographers nor the camera models.]

• • •

For more about what our prize-winning photographers shoot with and why, straight from the source, please see this article. It's from a few years ago, but is still quite relavant today. And for those of you wanting to know more about our competition please visit this news story, which describes our contest and also offers some useful tips to help you succeed, and this story that warns you of the best ways to NOT succeed. To see the camera and exposure information for this month's winners, please click any image above, and to see winners from previous months, please visit our POTD winner's gallery.

[And if you're ready to enter now, just click here!]

On a related note, we've just started a new series of articles called "Reader Stories," where we turn the tables and let you, our readers, do the talking! We're interested in seeing more of the shots you're the happiest with, and in hearing just how you got them, or just hearing about your passions, interests and the gear you love! Intrigued? Please click here!