I am currently owning a Canon EOS-1. I find the AF on this camera to have some troubles when using 400m 5.6 lenses (I own a tokina and have tried with the canon too). I am thinking about buyang a used EOS-1n or a Elan 7 (EOS 30). I have fourn a EOS-1n with booster at the same price as a new Elan / (wich would be what I would have to buy since they are rare used).

I know the difference that EOS-1n has 5 and the Elan has 7 af points and that the 1n has high accurace cross sensors when useing fast lensen. Besides from this are the focusingpoints of the Elan better on focusing without hunting compared to the 1n?

Whic camera should I buy?

Thanks? Aron

-- Aron Åkesson (d95aa@efd.lth.se), May 30, 2001

Answers

The your EOS 1 has trouble with a F5.6 lens because its AF sensor needs a F2.8 or faster lens to enable the highly accurate cross sensor. With a 5.6 lens it reverts to an inferior horizontal sensor and, thus, has difficulty with vertical lines. The EOS 1N is an improvement, but, alas, it has the same problem with the central cross sensor. The Elan 7 has a central cross sensor that works with lens F5.6 or faster, so you'll be in business with this camera.

What's the trade off? The pro EOS cams--1, 1N, 3, 1V--have AF that is faster and more sensitive to low light, but you need fast glass (2.8 or more) to realize this benefit. Thus, slow lenses work better on the non-pro EOS cameras.

-- Puppy Face (doggieface@aol.com), May 30, 2001.

Hello Aron,

The Elan 7E autofocus speed is specified by Canon as being able to track fast moving objects with the same speed as the EOS 3 and EOS 1v. The eye control focussing is also faster than on the EOS 3. See Canon links at: Elan 7E Mailing List

On the other hand, the AF sensor on the Elan 7E is not as sensitive in low light than the EOS 1n.

I have not had any problem with autofocus tracking using the Elan 7E and the EF 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 Image Stabilizer zoom, but my lens has an Ultrasonic focus motor and Image Stabilizer that your Tokina lacks, so YMMV.

Hope this helps

-- Julian Loke (jul.loke@home.com), May 31, 2001.