Dear readers,

I am lost in eos country. I want to buy an eos system. For example a second hand 1n with 28-70 2.8 USM L and 70-200 2.8USM L. The option is clear. What is wise to do? Buy a second hand body with better lenses or buy a new body e.g. the eos 3 or 1V with 28-105 USM.

We will use the camera for taking sailing pictures, landscape and portrait. We are non pro users, but will be using the pictures for articles, books, presentations etc.

All help is welcome.

Thanks, André The Netherlands

-- André Blankestijn (a.blankenstijn@hccnet.nl), January 23, 2002

Answers

I favor the second-hand option (I buy most of my EOS gear second-hand). However, a used 1N and the mentioned "L" lenses will cost much more than a new IV and 28-105 USM lens.

-- Dave Herzstein (dherzstein@juno.com), January 23, 2002.

For the applications you listed, you could also buy a brand new Elan 7 (about US$420, and I think it is the EOS 30 outside the US) and solve your dilemma. You could get a new body AND new lenses. There is plenty of information about the Elan 7 in this forum, too. Lots of happy users here. See the thread called “Upgrade from EOS 30” a few posts back.

For what it’s worth, in the Canon Equipment Hierarchy, the EOS 3, 1n, and 1v are considered “professional,” while the Elan 7 is “semi-pro” or “advanced amateur.” I don’t know what any of this means, really, except to indicate cost.

The Elan 7 is a good camera for what you want, and if you get those two L zooms with it, you’ll be set.

-- Preston Merchant (merchant@speakeasy.org), January 23, 2002.

The answer is, buy good glass first. Canon makes good stuff. The two lenses you mentioned are considered two of the best available from any maker and they would be a great choice. Set you sights lower on the camera body. Buying used is a good idea but you could also look at a new Elan 7/7E.

A camera is a box to hold the film. To a lot of people, it's an expensive necklace bought only for bragging rights. Unless you have special needs, you will probably never use even half of the capability of an EOS 1V or EOS 3. The autofocus, metering and auto exposure functions of all the Canon cameras are good enough for the vast majority of photographers. Your system is only as good as your weakest link so buy good glass. The 28-105 is a nice lens (I own one). But it ain't as nice as the 28-70/2.8L--although it ain't as big and heavy either. And the 70-200/2.8L is superb.

-- Lee (Leemarthakiri@sport.rr.com), January 23, 2002.

If you're choosing between the 1N, 3 and 1V, I'd recommend the 3. It is the best compromise among the three cameras. The 1N has the older A-TTL flash metering which, in my experience, is good for straight flash (no bounce, swivel, etc) but the 3 has E-TTL which has been more consistent when I use it off camera, use a diffuser and tilt/swivel the flash.

If you have too much money, you can get the 1V. The EOS-3 does almost everything the 1V does, and for much less. The 1N is still a very capable camera, but if you're getting a used one, you have to be very careful. The 1N was the workhorse camera for pros and it's likely to have been heavily used and even abused.

-- R.Sriram (r_sriram@ziplip.com), January 23, 2002.

I would say jump on the L lenses. Personally I have always started with lenses in fact I bought a Canon 28-70 about 3 months before I sold my Nikon F5. Budgets really suck! Grab them only if they are in good condition and are a good price. The 1n is an excellent body and will serve quite well, the 28-105 is best described a a good lens. OTOH the 3 and V bodies are better, but unless for some reason you might need to upgade why bother. If at some time you do need to upgrade you could always sell the 1n. I owned my 1n for exactly two days before I sold it on ebay, a used EOS 3 happened to wander into the local photo watering hole and it sort of begged me to give it a new home. I actually got $50.00 more than I paid for it.

Good Luck

-- john (mr.-n-mrs.g@att.net), January 24, 2002.

Just a thought. If your sailing pictures mean there's a chance of getting some water on the camera then the EOS3 and 1V, being pro spec, will offer considerably better protection than the cheaper alternatives.

Good Luck

-- John (j.ohn1@ntlworld.com), January 25, 2002.

Even though you'll never use half the features of any of these cameras, I'd get the EOS 3, because a used 1n isn't a whole lot less than the new EOS 3 and the EOS 3 is a more advanced camera than the 1n in many ways, assuming you don't need a 100% viewfinder or 1/250 flash sync (would be nice but I survive).

Always get better glass over the better camera body. So the Elan 7e is an option. However if I were in your position I'd start with the basics, the EOS 3 with a 50mm 1.4USM. That's what I did, and since then I've purchased the 70-200 2.8L amongst other things in addition to what I already had before getting the 3 and the 70-200 2.8L.

-- Carl Smith (emorphien@mail.rit.edu), January 31, 2002.

For sailing pictures you will need wide angle, so look also at the 17- 35EF 2.8L or cheaper 20-35 EF. Wide angle is a must when you want to get nice sailing pictures on the boat.

-- Marten (marten@kross.ee), March 04, 2002.