af assist light

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why do some newer models of canon eos (eg.rebel 2000)have non-infra-red af assist lamp,while some older models have infra-red one,though the latter works better?

-- William (mcdull716@yahoo.com), April 16, 2001

Answers

Does the IR work better? On the Rebel 2000 (EOS300) the built in flash strobes to give an autofocus assist and this works extremely well. AF also works with the IR light on Canon speedlites just as well. So what's the difference? Probably it is cheaper to use the built-in flash as an AF assist rather than to have an extra IR light on the camera.

-- Chris Jewell (vs0u8055@liv.ac.uk), April 16, 2001.

The EOS 500N/Rebel G used a white light because it was cheaper than the IR one. The newer EOS 300/Rebel 2000 uses the flash 'cause it's cheaper still. The problem isn't that they down't work well, they've just gotten more annoying to use. If you buy the upscale cameras you get better features, including the IR AF assist light

-- Jim Strutz (jimstrutz@juno.com), April 16, 2001.

The Elan 7/7E also uses the flash. My Elan IIE has IR. I was wondering why the newer model is different. Is it really just a cost-cutting measure? In general, the 7 seems to have some well-thought out improvements over the II.

-- Todd Garlow (toddgarlow@hotmail.com), April 19, 2001.

"Is it really just a cost-cutting measure?" - Yep!

-- Jim Strutz (jimstrutz@juno.com), April 21, 2001.

"If you buy the upscale cameras you get better features, including the IR AF assist light..."

Do any current EOS camera bodies have a built in IR AF assist light? My EOS 3 does not. The R2K, 7/7E, do not. Does the 1V have one? The A2 (is the A2 really current?)?

-- Roger S. (rashrader@hotmail.com), April 24, 2001.



Actually, the upscale cameras like the EOS 3, and 1V don't have AF assist lights. Canon figures they will be used with large lenses with large hoods that would block a body mounted AF assist light. They also guessed that since these cameras don't have built in flashes you will have a 550EX mounted at most times that an AF assist light would be needed. The light on the 550EX is exellent by the way.

I think the most recent EOS with the near infra-red AF assist was the Elan II.

-- Brad Hutcheson (bhutcheson@iname.com), April 25, 2001.


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