Workhorse with a couple of warts
Written: Apr 02 '06
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Pros: Durable, good quality, mirror lockup, 1.6 crop is nice for telephoto work!
Cons: No spot meter, weak auto-focus in low light, no IR release, no EF-S support
The Bottom Line: If you can get a used one for about $500 or less, it is better than a new Digital Rebel. If you want new, go with the Canon 30D.
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| cdnguardian's Full Review: Canon EOS-10D Digital Camera |
Having made the move from the film-based clone of the 10D (the Elan 7/7E), I found the camera easy to become comfortable with. The camera has always performed flawlessly whenever I required it to, and the custom functions are great.
The camera is really solid, something missing from many mid-range cameras these days. There is no plastic feel you get with the Digital Rebel (of course, after you carry it for a few hours, you may wish for the Rebel...). It has an optional battery grip that adds real functionality and allows you to move your hands around for vertical shooting. The grip adds stability when you are using heavier lenses (my 10D with battery grip and 28 - 135 IS lens is almost hefty enough to be considered a weapon, but the sturdiness and feel it provides are remarkable... ;-)
Although it is a little slow to download a full 1 GB card using the camera and cable, this has rarely been an issue with me, since I use multiple cards and a card reader that works much faster. Plus the card reader saves on battery life.
The auto-focus is weak in low light, the IR beam from one of Canon's external flashes can help to locate the target. Using the internal flash for AF in low-light is really not useful at all, since it flashes at them until everyone is blind and quite irate with you, then the AF locks in... Let's face it, if you are spending this much money on this camera and plan to do any interior work, buy a real flash with it!
Despite this, the built-in flash (though rarely used) has been handy for the odd time I needed fill flash or needed a shot inside in a hurry and didn't want to take the time to get out a real flash.
One of the quirks is the lack of infra-red remote cable release. My Elan 7E had this feature, with a relatively cheap remote that connected to the strap and was there when needed. I found this much more useful than the cable release, which limited how far I could be away from the camera. The remote release allowed me to get involved in many shots, something the timer was really not great for. The funny thing is, the Digital Rebel has this feature, so it isn't like they dropped it completely from their Digital SLR lines completely.
The lack of a spot meter in all mid-range Canon cameras has always been a bone of contention with many owners, especially when many of the competitors had it in their similarly-priced cameras (film and digital). That said, the 7 point AF is a bit silly as well (and I thought the same thing about my Elan, which has the same setup), since the additional points should really be positioned over the points on the "Rule of Thirds" rather than straight out and up/down. This has been rectified in newer (20D, 30D) models.
For those who like to do wildlife work, the 1.6 crop is wonderful, turning your reasonably-priced 300mm lens into a very formidable 480mm equivalent, and your 400mm into a whopping 640. It is a weakness for wide-angle, and I doubt there will be many fish-eye masterpieces created with this camera, but lots of manufacturers are making wide-angle glass now that is designed for work with small sensors. Canon's 17-40 F4L is a nice complement that will give you back your 28mm point of view (if F4 is fast enough for you). This is definitely one area where the 20D and 30D blow the doors off the 10D. But not enough for me to upgrade just yet... :-)
When I first bought the 10D, I kept my Elan 7E, thinking I would keep using it off and on. After a year and a half, all the Elan 7E did was gather dust. I sold it and all the accesories to someone who does film work for a living and have never looked back!
If you can get one of these used for $500 or so (or somehow find one that has been sitting in a warehouse), I would recommend it over a new Digital Rebel, but if you are ready to buy new, the 20D and even newer 30D are really improvements and you should go that route.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1500
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Solid Enough for a Professional
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Epinions.com ID:
cdnguardian
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Reviews written: 2
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