Hi Jose, Jose wrote: >> I had a Canon EOS RebelG (500N) camera but I sold it because I >> want to buy a >> more advanced model. I've been thinking of a Canon EOS 5 >> (faithful to Canon), >> but the cost makes me think it twice. I need your advice on this.
Chip wrote: > The EOS 5QD is still IMO, the best deal > of Canon's two light-build, semi-pro EOS bodies. The EOS 5QD is not as > young and sexy as the EOS 3 and lacks the EOS 3's faster AF performance and > higher film advance speeds, doesn't have 45 AF points but, for the price of > a clean, used EOS 3 you can buy TWO minty used EOS 5QD bodies with VG-10 > grips AND still have some money left over to buy a decent lens and even some > film! Recently I myself switched from a low-end body (in my case a EOS 300 /Rebel 2000) to a used EOS 5, and I must say I've not regreted it! It's a great body, and, like Chip said, maybe the best value-for-money-deal. The EOS 5 balances (and looks ;-) ) very wel together with my 28-135 IS lens. I chose the EOS 5 because of: - reasonable price - easily found second hand - pro-features: 1/8000 sec shutter, 1/200 flash sync, pc-socket, 5 fps, user selectable metering modes (including 3.5% spotmeter), user selectable AF-mode, option to leave leader out on film rewind, mirror-lock-up - external flash - it does also have some amateur features, like 4 simple point&shoot modes. These are mostly used by my girlfriend who likes to take a photograph every now and then, but is not interested in messing around with all the semi-auto features. I was a bit afraid about the dreaded breaking-mode-dial-problem, but I was able to improve the operation of the dial on my EOS 5, and I have had (and don't expect) any problems since. Check my previous mail for a description of the mode dial improvement. Now that I've used the body a couple of months I can add some other nice features to the list: - eye controlled focussing workes surprisingly wel (btw: I wear contact lenses) and I use it most of the time. - the DEP-mode is great and very easy to use (much beter than the kinda-DEP-mode on my EOS 300): focus at distant object, then focus at close object, recompose and press shutter. The camera will chose the correct aperture to make sure everything between the far and close obect is in focus. It's even easier to do than to explain... - the build quality, although not on a real pro level, like the EOS 3 or EOS 1 series, is definatelly good enough for my use. But, of course there are some things I don't like: - I'm not impressed by the low light focussing capabilities, especialy when I use a slowish lens, like the 28-135 at 135 mm, where the maximum aperture is 5.6. And you're right, 5.6 is rather slow, and yes, only real high-end bodies can focus at apertures like f/8, but still, I wish it would do better... Focussing works MUCH better with fast lenses (no surprise here....). But I must admit that I never had the chance to use an EOS 3 or 1, so I can't really judge how good or bad the 5 actually performs by comparison. - the EOS 5 can not use the AF-focus beam available on an external flash, like the 430 EZ. - the grip that matches the EOS 5, the VG-10, does not take external batteries. - DOF-preview is activated by looking at a little square in the top left corner of the viewfined (pretty nice!). But is only works with ECF enabled (pretty stupid!). So if I want both, DOF preview AND manually select my focussing point, I have to use a custom function that allows me to activate DOF using the exposure lock button. But then I've lost my exposure lock button... Wel, a guy can't have it all... So, all in all I'm very happy with my EOS 5, and if I would have to go through the decission process again, I would still chose an EOS 5. BTW: The photozone-site has a nice page where you can easilly compare the technical features of the Canon bodies. Highly recommended! http://photozone.de/canoncamera.htm Hope this helps, and happy EOS-picking! Regards, Bart * **** ******* *********************************************************** * For list instructions, including unsubscribe, see: * http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/eos_list.htm ***********************************************************
