All the features a serious amateur needs, coupled with an intelligent design!
Written: Apr 24 '04
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Pros: Ergonomic design, easy to understand layout, fast autofocus, mirror lock up.
Cons: Have to look up custom functions, film advance speed isn't that fast.
The Bottom Line: THE camera for the serious amateur on a budget.
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| theyellowdart's Full Review: Canon EOS Elan IIE Film Camera |
This is the camera I didn’t think I would ever buy. Previously, I was using an old manual focus Canon AE-1, which I loved. Lenses for it were dirt cheap, and it was a rugged, functional camera. However, one day, I picked a roll of film that I had had developed, and was horrified to find that they were all severely underexposed to the extent that many of the frames were completely dark (using slide film). Further testing revealed that I had a light meter problem that was occurring at colder temperatures. For my needs, this was simply unacceptable. The search for a new camera had begun.
After some fairly intense researching, I decided on the Canon Elan II, and decided to purchase it (used). Along with it I ordered the Canon EF 50mm f1.8 lens to serve as a good, sharp starter lens. When the box finally arrived, I ripped open the packaging and seemingly endless layers of bubble wrap which enshrouded the camera. Picking up the camera, I noticed that it was quite a bit larger than I had expected. Compared to my AE-1, this thing was a monster. However, this camera is much more ergonomically designed than the 70’s era AE-1. The hand grip on the right sides fits perfectly into my right hand allowing my fingers to rest naturally on the shutter button and both control wheels(more on these later.) So far, so good.
Glancing over the rest of the camera, I was quite pleased to see that the control layout was already making sense to me. Everything is clearly labeled, and should make sense if you have ever used an SLR before. I then removed the lens from its box, and attached it to the camera body. It fit on with a simple twist, just like my old AE-1 lenses did. After putting the battery into the compartment, I turned the main selector wheel on the top of the camera to “Tv,” Canon’s designation for shutter priority auto-exposure. Looking through the viewfinder, and pushing the shutter button down half way, I saw everything quickly snap into focus and the display at the bottom of the screen light up. The display neatly showed the current selected shutter speed, and its corresponding aperture setting, in bright, easy to read numbers. Just to the right of these numbers is the exposure compensation indicator. In the auto exposure mode, you can turn the handy dial on the back of the camera using your thumb to add or subtract the necessary amount of compensation. The display goes from מ to +2 stops in ½ stop increments. I might have preferred 1/3 stop increments for more precise control while using slide film, but this works rather well the way it is, in my experience. While the back control wheel provides control over exposure compensation, the front command wheel, conveniently located in front of the shutter button, allows you to change your shutter speed or aperture, depending on which mode you’re in. These controls, coupled with the full viewfinder information, allow for full adjustment of the exposure without having to lift your eyes from the viewfinder or moving anything but the tips of your fingers.
Other functions are similarly well placed. The metering patterns, which include center weighted averaging, partial, and full screen matrix type patterns, are easily select using a thumb switch located at the base of the command dial. Focus modes (one shot, AI focus, AI servo) are found on a dial on the right side of the camera, and just below this dial is the film advance mode (single shot or continuous) selector. Smart design. More obscure settings, such as film ISO rating, multiple exposures, and auto exposure bracketing, are accessed by repeatedly pushing a button on the back of the camera to cycle through the various modes, which are visible on the LCD screen at the top of the camera. Once the setting to be adjusted is reached, the options are cycled through using the command dial in front the shutter button. Quite intuitive, actually, when you have the camera in your hands. Custom functions (too many to list here) are similarly controlled, with the mode dial being turned to the “CF” position and the main control wheel changing the settings.
Speaking of custom functions, this is probably where my biggest gripe with this camera lies. The custom functions, which control a number of things such as film rewind speed, leader in rewind, and auto focus start, among others, are designated simply by numbers. If you want to know what in the world “CF 4” does, and you don’t have it memorized, you’ll have to look it up. Some sort of text indicator or on camera key would have been helpful. Some have solved this problem by simply making a list of the custom functions and attaching it to the camera themselves. Still, I wish Canon had done this on their own.
Despite this minor annoyance, this camera is great to use in the field. Since it's not too heavy, carrying it around on hikes like I do is not too much of a chore. Lens changes are quick and easy, a must of you use mostly prime lenses like I do. The ergonomics, the viewfinder information, and fast auto focus make it easy to use for action type work, as you never have to move your eye from the viewfinder. However, one potential drawback for those who are into action photography is that the film advance rate in the Elan II is only 2.5 frames per second. If you are doing a lot of action, you need to decide whether this is fast enough for you. Another one of my favorite features is the two-second timer/mirror pre-fire. When this is activated (by means of a custom function), when you push the shutter button, the mirror will move up, the camera will wait for two seconds, and then the shutter will fire. This greatly diminishes vibration caused by mirror slap, a definite plus if you're into macro photography.
Overall, I have been very pleased by this camera. It’s smartly designed and very easy to use. It gets five stars, not because I believe it is perfect, but because I believe it’s about as close as you can get for this price range. For those of you who want a camera to get started into serious photography, this is a recommended buy. It allows very full control, has fast auto focus and an accurate light meter, is easy to figure out, and even has a built in pop up flash you can use for fill flash until you can afford that expensive flash unit. I'm certainly glad I picked mine up, since I believe it will continue to serve me well for several years to come.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 120$
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Flexible Enough for Enthusiasts
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Epinions.com ID:
theyellowdart
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Reviews written: 3
Trusted by: 0 members
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