Well, here I am again- I know I have raised this matter in the past, but I've recently had a chance to sample an EOS5 and an EOS30 body. Both were unusable for me, if it is accepted that the command dial ought to be free to be manipulated while the camera is up to the eye. This comes down to the way the body design works when the camera is pressed to the left eye.

The good news is that I got hold of the old EOS 1 and because the body is deeper, the command dial on that was in a position where I could move it! It means a little greater outlay, but I think maybe I should aim for that? Are there any comparable EOS cameras in terms of depth of body and hence lower placement of the command dial? How about the RT?

-- Dr. Jim Cross (iamacamera@hotmail.com), October 22, 2001

Answers

What about the more closely related cameras to the EOS 1? IE the EOS 1N, EOS 1N RS, EOS 3 and EOS 1V?

I think, if you want something modern, and very much more capable than the EOS 1 in terms of AF and metering, go for the EOS 3. An EOS 1 body costs around £350-£400 in good condition, and second-hand EOS 3s are going from £450-£600 (now £750 new). If that body works for you, then it's very much a step up from the EOS 1 in pretty well every sense.

-- Isaac Sibson (isibson@hotmail.com), October 22, 2001.

I believe the EOS 3 is ergonomically similar to the EOS 1 - including relative placement of the thumb dial and eye piece. I know that the vertical seperation of the eyepiece and thumb dial on the EOS 3 is greater than on the EOS 30. I haven't held the EOS 1N, or 1V, but they are the same height as the EOS 3 and seem to have similar proportion. If you like the EOS 1 and are willing to buy used - get it! I have heard only great reports about it. If you want a new camera check out the EOS 3.

-- Derrick Morin (dmorin@oasisol.com), October 22, 2001.

What I love about this board is the speed and authority of the responses! On Saturday I was feeling down, having had to rule out the 5 and the 30 from my consideration! The EOS 1 is solid, but as you remark the features are dated in a number of respects. I will certainly try to get my hands on a '3' and see what it does for me. The crucial factor is, as has been remarked, the vertical separation of the dial and the eyepiece. Next crucial feature is price, as the '1' 2nd hand is a step further than i was initially looking. Will check out physically then seek 2nd hand wherever it may be= possibly eBay. I have wondered also about the RT...

Cheers JIM

-- Dr. Jim Cross (iamacamera@hotmail.com), October 22, 2001.

The RT is even more dated than the EOS 1, and is a specialist camera, like the 1N RS, with a fixed, pellicle mirror.

I think that the EOS 1, 1N, 1V and 3 should all be the same, because (I think...I could be wrong) they all use the same backs. Thus the dial is set at the same height in the film back, and then the only variable between cameras is the distance from the top of the film back to the viewfinder, which is likely to be greatest on the EOS 3 due it's taller stance than any of the EOS 1s.

-- Isaac Sibson (isibson@hotmail.com), October 22, 2001.

Interesting problem, being left-eyed. I'm left-handed but have learned to run everything right-handed since that's how life is. It's a better situation as you develop two nearly equal appendages!

I own the EOS 30 (Elan 7E), EOS 5 and EOS 3 and use them all with both eyes, depending on the situation. It's nice to leave one eye open to see objects approaching the frame. Moreover, during long shoots, if my right eye gets tired, I switch to the left or vice versa.

True, the EOS 30 QCD is rather near the nose for left-eye viewing, but I have a small nose (I'm Asian) so it turns ok. Yes, the "pro" EOS cameras are larger and leave more snout room. My EOS 3 is very roomy indeed. The only problem is ECF needs a separate channel for each eye or it won't work right for me! I don't use ECF much so I don't care much.

-- Puppy Face (doggieface@aol.com), October 22, 2001.

The RT doesn't have the QCD and differs from the others in that it has a pellicle mirror. I handled it briefly and must say I liked being able to see the subject at the instant of exposure.

-- Willie Ju (wju@mediaone.net), October 23, 2001.

Well, Puppy Face (love that name) I have a good sized nose so I have to beware! Also, re the other poster, there are degrees of 'handedness' such that some people are marginally left handed/eyed/footed and others are very definitely that way. I'm an extreme case: all three are 'left' (hand, foot and eye) and I could not use my right eye to frame a photo to save my life! This is not so uncommon, it is just the case that- for the majority- it is their right eye they have to use, and for which ALL photographic equipment is designed... The '3' is sounding good if I can find an affordable specimen... re. the '1' being called 'dated' relative to the '3', what is the difference apart from mere chronology? (And apart from ECF cos I'm not too bothered about that.)

Cheers JIM

-- Jim Cross (iamacamera@hotmail.com), October 23, 2001.

Differences between the EOS 1 and the EOS 3:

The AF is a major difference. The EOS 3's focus speed will blow the EOS 1 away, as well as giving high precision to F4 with the centre point (the EOS 1 gives high precision on it's single point at F2.8 or faster). The EOS 3 also has other high-precision sensors, which work at F2.8 or faster, and many more sensors in total. The EOS 3 can also AF with its central focus point at F8, as opposed to the F5.6 of the EOS 1. The extra focus points, in conjunction with CF 17 make the EOS 3 very much better at focus tracking.

Metering. The EOS 3 has a more accurate metering system, with 21 zones as opposed to the 6 of the EOS 1. The EOS 3 also supports the much superior E-TTL flash system, whilst the EOS 1 only supports A- TTL.

Lag. Release lag on the EOS 3 is very much less than on the EOS 1. This means that the time from your pressing the shutter button to the shutter actually being open is much shorter, and you also have a shorter blackout time. This makes more of a difference than you might believe.

As you may be aware, Canon have, for some time, "previewed" their latest tech in a high-end model, before they put it into the pro model. Thus, the T90 and EOS 620/630 previewed much of what went into the EOS 1, the EOS 5 previewed much of the EOS 1N and the EOS 3 has previewed much of what has gone into the EOS 1V. There are 9 years of technology between the EOS 1 and the EOS 3, and the latter is, in almost every single respect, the better camera.

-- Isaac Sibson (isibson@hotmail.com), October 23, 2001.

I'm left-handed and left-eye dominant, and I've been using various EOS cameras since 1994 (most recently, using the EOS 1V and 1N), without any of the problems you describe. Indeed, I love using my EOS cameras with my left eye, and wouldn't have it any other way. Then again, I don't have a large proboscis for a nose :) At any rate, you might look into whether Canon offers an extender for the viewfinder, which would move your nose further from the back of the camera.

-- kurt heintzelman (heintzelman.1@osu.edu), October 25, 2001.

I view my EOS 3 with my left eye and have no problems using the controls at the same time.

Paul

-- Paul Ferrara (paul@columbusoft.com), October 25, 2001.

i have the same problem. i am right handed, but left eyed and left footed. i have the elan iie and have the same problem. i have seriously been considering upgrading to the eos-3...

-- jeff nakayama (moonduck22@hotmail.com), October 30, 2001.

Dr. Jim - imho I think your worries are greater than the reality of camera use will ultimately be for you!

I am left-eyed dominant and use EOS1n and other EOS kit without any bother. In fact you can (like me) make use of the top command dial for the specific function you regularly use for exposure control (either adjust shutter speed, OR adjust aperture size) you can set this to either option using the custom functions, to make the top command dial the main one - therefore reducing need to use the rear dial. I find few problems being left-eyed, and settig apertures with the top dial. The beauty of the EOS is the ways that the camera can be configured to suit YOU, and the way YOU work.

It would be a shame if you neglected many of these fine cameras because you feel they might not 'work' for you.

www.john-macpherson-photography.com

-- %00 (john.macpherson@btinternet.com), November 10, 2001.