Which body should be my first EOS SLR?

[Rusherific]

Hey guys, I'm young enough that most all my photographic experience began with digital, and have a 5D with what's now a pretty solid lens collection, however over the past year or so I've been given a few older film cameras and love them so much I got a film scanner. I've never been one of those "digital is the apocalypse!" people but I have to say going out and shooting with my 5D, a 70's consumer minolta and 50's exacta side by side with standard 50mm primes...it's brilliant. I'm sold enough that I'm dying to pick up a Canon 35mm to put my EOS heavy-artillery to use! I figure the 5D is my workhorse that I know inside and out, and thus would rather keep using it for any work the slightest bit demanding, so I don't really care about FPS, 652-point autofocus and whatever else, and I've never been a heavy flash user (though I love my ring light). In fact really I don't even mind the single point metering and manual focus of the films I have. I'll want to use it for everything between landscapes and portraits, but nothing I'm on the clock for and can't take my time with. So I really only care that it's a practical camera that just doesn't have glaring oversights (how did they ever make a camera with an LCD and no backlight??), so basically it boils down to would I be better off with an older pro like the original EOS 1 or something like the elan7? Seeing what the 1 goes for, I don't see any reason to pay for something relatively new, unless I'm missing something? I know, I've been doing my research, but it's always good to hear from people with the experience, and again I have very little knowledge of what's useful to have and what's....un-useful to have in a film camera.

Thanks a bunch!
Devin

 

[Alex_B]

I love my EOS 100 .. which might be what you call elan7, not sure.

I had my EOS 100 first, and then the 5D. Of course the 100 weighs less and feels a bit more like plastic, but it is a nice camera. I still like it.

 

[Rusherific]

Thanks! I think the 100 looks was just "elan" in the US, the elan7 is the EOS30 something that they still sell.

 

[Alex_B]

Thanks! I think the 100 looks was just "elan" in the US, the elan7 is the EOS30 something that they still sell.

ah, ok!

so why not get a 2nd hand elan then ? They sell pretty cheap over here these days.

as long as the shutter and TTL-metering works, your image quality is made by lenses and film. no need to spend too much on the body.

 

[McQueen278]

I'd just go grab a 1N, 1N RS or a 1V along with the corresponding battery grip. They aren't all that expensive, especially compared to your 5D or ANY of your lenses. I got my 1N for $300 with the more current battery grip. They all have great metering. The 1V has the same auto focus as the 1Ds. They all have ridiculous shutter ratings. You pretty much can't go wrong with a 1 series body.

 

[Battou]

Thanks! I think the 100 looks was just "elan" in the US, the elan7 is the EOS30 something that they still sell.

You have indeed done your homework

 

[SilverGlow]

The EOS-3 body is near pro-grade in body build, 45 focus points, and 1 series like ergonomics. It has eye-control focus point selection that I find fantastic. I wish my 5D was built like the EOS-3 film body :-( I think you can get a used EOS-3 for around $300.00 New they retailed for just over $1,000 when they came out around 1998ish...I think as late as last year or year before you could get a new one for around $800ish.

 

[Rem]

I have a K2 that's cool and a less fancy Rebel XS. Both are light and "ergonomic" , also have a more advanced Elan with "eye control" AF and more features than I like to have to figure out. The Elan is way "Tech" but I rather lkke how the K2 is real compact and a bit less complex.

Frankly....I enjoy the Mamiya DTL 1000 I've had 30+ years...PURE Manual, screw mount M42 Spot and avg metering...cheap on ebay (I got a few extras cheap) you can get m42 auto extension tubes, macro bellows....dirt cheap now. I have low light lenses,macro stuff for screw mount you can't MATCH with a Digi Canon unless you are crazy rich. Unlike fragile digitals, the old Mamiyas were built so tough you could probably let the family dog play with it

Really.

I'm reselling cams and have 15 or so at the moment. The one THE ONE I would trust most.......the one that has not failed me since 1978. 30 years of hard use and not much TLC and it never needed fixing? Not bad. I bought soe basic digials....3 of 4 died in 3 MONTHS or less. The survivor has no USB output-so I may as well scan film as pay to extract off its card.

You can also get a Nikon F3 off ebay at about $100 if you persist. A high % of the pro pics you have ever seen were done with an F3. The thing is...you won't get a "steal" on a good Nikkor lens. I have a Tokina ATX 18-35 that was damaged. I removed a warped piece and while its no longer AF...it's a pretty spiffy uiltra wide for the F3 in man focus. I have a few Tamron Nikon adaptal mounts and a bunch of Tamron lenses including the premium SP's. I also have a fullset of Nikon Macro auto extension tubes

Point is...FILM cameras offer a kind of craftsmanship that's a lost art. There's a joy in that

 

[Rem]

ah, ok!

so why not get a 2nd hand elan then ? They sell pretty cheap over here these days.

as long as the shutter and TTL-metering works, your image quality is made by lenses and film. no need to spend too much on the body.

A very good point. The image quality is more about the lens. I'm impressed with Canon's EOS/Elan bodies but the lenses are way overly expensive.

 

[Rem]

Young enough that one's initial photo experiance is digital? I can barely deal with that.

I'd say that what you may have missed is the purist simplicity of the more fundamental "all Metal" vintage SLR's. The cameras I lusted over back in 1980....still have a lot of merit and to my surprise, some gear I thought too "basic" back then has more appeal now. Someting about a no-frills basic film camera----just works. You want to focus on the PICTURE and a whole lot of technical options can get in the way.