I just got a chance to play with the EOS 3 and have some preliminary thoughts.

1. Body feels much like the 1N but I think a tad more plasticky and not as sturdy. The cheap plastic door over the right control panel door is destined to break, I think.

2. No built in flash.

3. Instruction manual is convenient size but could have been written better.

4. Focusing is quite fast. Also a bit confusing =!

5. Very nice shutter action.

6. 97% viewfinder,'''''

-- Dick Ginkowski (dickg@execpc.com), December 25, 1998

Answers

Dick, Thanks for the post. No built-in flash is an advantage, in my book; I think built-in flash is fine for amateur-level cameras but is better omitted from advanced-level cameras (you can always do better with a serious dedicated flash unit more powerful than a built-in can be) . (Also, I love to mount a spirit level in the hotshoe, and find myself quite frustrated when there's no hotshoe to permit this!) Could you elaborate a bit as to why the focusing is "a bit confusing"? How did it behave? Sorry to hear about the cheap plastic door, and I do wish 35SLR's at or near the top of the range could get serious enough to offer 100% viewfinders.

-- Dave Kemp (Kempda@worldnet.att.net), December 25, 1998.

Dave,

There is a big learning curve with controlling 45 focusing points vs. 5. As for built-in flash, I tend to agree but there are times when it's nice to have for fill.

-- Dick Ginkowski (dickg@execpc.com), December 25, 1998.

I've had the EOS3 for a few days now and am very happy with it. After years of using Contax and Nikon cameras, I switched to only Canon a few months ago. I then purchased an EOS1N. In my opinion the EOS3 has some small, but ergonomically friendly improvements. I'm happy that the auto bracketing and drive buttons have been put on the outside of the camera and the double exposure (which I rarely use) has been put in the little plastic door. I also appreciate that the cable release socket is now on the opposite side of the camera from where the hand rests. The large oval of AF sensors makes it easier for me to initially track a flying bird over the 1N's line of horizontal sensors. The new PB-E2 grip also makes vertical shooting easier since the AF lock and control dial are easier to reach while holding the camera. I do wish there was an eyepiece blind built in, but that's really only an inconvenience. The 97% viewfinder is not even noticably different for the most part, but I do wish that Canon went the extra mile and made a 1/250 sec flash synch. I do wish that Canon would offer a real AE lock that actually locks indefinitely as is featured on all Contax cameras. I see no reason why they couldn't have added a custom function to enable that wonderful feature of the Contax cameras. I have yet to sort through the new flash manual and have yet to reach a verdict about the utility of the eye-control focusing.

-- Robert Royse (rroyse@sprynet.com), December 27, 1998.

the lack of built-in flash is the only reason i haven't gotten an eos-3 to replace my eos-5.

it's not that i think people shoudl use the built in flash instead of buying a dedicated flash (or two) it's obvious that a "real" flash is better, (and i use my 540 flash and off camera cord when i want flash pictures) but there are times when i don't carry the flash with me. i'm mainly an "available light" photographer. i use my 28, 50, 85 f1.8 lenses and fast film 98% of the time. but every once in a while when i have only the 85 1.8 and fast film (no tripod, flash, camera bag, etc.) it's nice to pop up the eos-5s built in flash for a bit of fill. or to light a completly dark room. with a 1.8 aperture and fast film the built on flash is plenty strong enough. it's just too bad i can't use the off camera cord with it. ;-)

one reason i think they left off the flash is weatherproofing. it's gotta be hard to weatherproof the flip up flash housing. oh well...

-- Sean Hester (seanh@ncfweb.net), December 29, 1998.

Since my previous comment, I've had a chance to study up on the new 550EX when used with the EOS3. The 1/200 flash synch is really no limitation for me, since for fill flash at less than full power (i.e. for my songbird photography) use is possible at faster shutter speeds with the EOS3. Much to-do in the manual of both the flash and camera is made of the "FEL" (flash exposure lock). Perhaps it might be useful for someone somewhere, but like the AE lock, it's only a temporary device (16 sec. limit). It's really a sham compared to the truly useful flash meter of the Contax RTSII that now is nearly a decade old. For serious flash photography, a flash meter with the flash set in manual is far easier to deal with. As far as the cordless flash goes, it is necessary to use 2 (or more) 550EX units. Considering that they're about $500 each, I will gladly deal with the cords when using 3 flash units.

I do like the camera though, and wish that I had two of them instead of one EOS3 and a 1N.

-- Robert Royse (rroyse@sprynet.com), December 30, 1998.

Well, I'm just finishing up my first month with my new EOS3 (an upgrade from an A2e and a replacement for a stolen T90)

One feature that does not get enough air time is the multi-spot feature. The last time this was availabel was with the T90 and I'm very glad to see it back.

What it allows is to plot on the exposure meter a full set of readings (from highlight mid-tone and shadow areas - up to 8) and then shift them all to manage the loss of shadow and highlight with respect to film latitude ---- It's like having a computer supported zone system in the camera and I've NEVER lost a shot with it.

For me, the moment I heard i could get back this capability behind my EOS lens set, I ordered the camera

Mike

-- Mike Milton (M_G_Milton@msn.com), January 21, 1999.