Canon Elan 7E (real info)

What's the configuration of each AF sensor? Are any or all of them

sensitive to both vertical and horizontal patterns? Is it:<p>

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Or is it<p>

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Or it is something else?

: From the picture, it appears to have a white AF assist beam in

: place of the excellent near-IR beam on the 5 and 50. If that is so,

: it is a step backwards. If there are 4 buttons on the back (a la

: Nikon F100, F5) then I hope it still has the rear command dial?

:

: -- Salman Akhtar (salmanakhtar@juno.com), August 13, 2000.

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I'm almost willing to bet that the AF-assist beam is now truly

infrared. I would doubt that Canon has switched to a fully visible

(white) beam (though I could certainly be wrong). A lot of times IR

beams now just have a clear LED and shield. That would be fantastic.

No more lighting up a dark room just to get the focus. Any word on

this, Colin? Anyone?

The new BP-300 does have a vertical AE lock button. I can't recall if

it has a control dial or not.<P>

As for the sensitvity of the sensors, he told me and told me very

quickly. I was still drooling on the camera, and I didn't hear him

clearly as we were next to the motor at the back of the bus. I recall

it was better than the Elan IIe, though. Whatever help that is.<P>

And I for sure didn't ask about the AF assist beam. Not exactly at the

top of my list. If I had known al the questions to ask, I would have

made a list. I didn't even know they would have the camera there.

So far I have seen no reason to switch from my Elan (one), and this

doesn't seem any different. I am, however, interested in the 28-90

lens. How does its size and weight compare with the excellent 28-105?

Re: "420EX replaces 380EX and adds about 20 feet of GN and is a

receiver flash for wirelss from EOS-3 and Elan 7e."

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Latest news indicates that the 420EX does not have manual flash

controls but does have tilt AND swivel capability.

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Re: "Whisper Drive."

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Latest news from one source says the 7 is quieter than the A2/A2E.

Check it out, guys!

B&H just posted prices on new Elan 7/7e/7eQD. Any �sticker shock�?

I'm surprised B&H has prices posted before they have it in stock, or

even before Canon's official announcement. After looking at the

features, I'll probably end up with an EOS 3, but I want to know more

about the 420EX. No price on that yet at B&H.

The 28-90 zoom replaces the 28-80/3.5-5.6 USM zoom, and is comparable

to that one in terms of weight and construction (micro-USM, no FTM).

There will according to Henry Posner of B&H Photo be an updated

version (cosmetically) of the 28-105/3.5-4.5 USM and a new 28-200/3.5-

5.6 USM (micro-USM, no FTM) released too the 24th of August.

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Regards,

I had a little hands on experience with the Elan 7 last week. The

autofocus sensors are arranged in a diamond pattern. 5 of them

spread out horizontally, and one above and one below the middle one.

I really liked the feel of the camera and the only thing I wish it

had was a true spot meter....but since I have a Minolta Spot F for my

Bronica....I can live without it. I will be getting one as soon as

the store I work at gets them in stock (no not just because its the

new thing but because I don't currently have a 35mm SLR and this one

fits my budget)

Re. #$%^$&**& SPOT METERING LACKING

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I have the Elan IIe on which I use a Tamron 28-200mm lens. Here's my

answer to the need for a true spot meter:

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Considering Canon's AIM system, you are metering around the focusing

point of your choice. In partial mode, that's 9.5% of the area around

that focusing point. Now, at 200mm focal length, the Elan is "seeing"

an angle of view of 12 degrees.

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Does it not follow then, that I am metering an area that is 9.5% of a

twelve degree angle of view, which would equate to a spot meter's

angle of acceptance of about one degree? (12 degrees times 9.5% = 1.14

degree).

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Would love to know if I've got this one right or not!

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Thanks,

<p>

Roy Kekewich

Not true, Roy.

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That is because the 9.5% refers to the proportion of the total area

of the image not its linear dimension, which 12 degrees would be a

proxy for.

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Something that is measuring 1 degree of your 12 degrees is measuring

an area 1/(12x12) or 1/144 of the picture area i.e. a less than 1%

spot meter.

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At 200 mm extension, a 9.5% spot area is roughly speaking, 1/3x1/3 of

the picture area or about a 4 degree spot.

See the Canon press release on 8/23/00 for the Elan 7 at

http://www.businesswire.com/industryspecific

It took a while to find the Elan 7 press release using the URL in John

McCormack's post (eventually had to search on that site), so I offer

this alternative:

http://sf-web1.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?bw.082300/

202362369&ticker=CANNY

A companion press release covering the new 420EX flash is also

available:

http://sf-web1.businesswire.com/webbox/bw.082300/202360278.htm

Well sheesh! The URL's I just sent won't actually work. Sorry. (I

copied from the navigation bar and pasted, but I had loaded from a

frame...). Anyway... I got the press releases by searching for "Canon"

at the URL that John McCormack posted.

Try this link <a

href="http://www.usa.canon.com/camcambin/cameras/35mm/slr/elan7_index.html">http://www.usa.canon.com/camcambin/cameras/35mm/slr/elan7_index.html</a>.

Looks to be an interesting source for info.

Metal top and front plates in a $500 AF camera, focus rocker switch

like in Nikon, hmmmm, impressive.

David Letterman's top 3 reasons to buy an A2/e over new Elan 7/E.

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#1. No spot metering.

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#2. They did away w/ excellent infrared focus assit, in turn for a

stupid and annoying pulsating built in flash.(same system on the Rebel

2000)

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#3. No spot metering.

Well Just as I wrote the nasty letter above, the promo pack for the

elan 7 came(I work at a photo lab). I must admit it does sound pretty

good. I can confirm the above posts about the new flash, 28-200,and

28-90 lenses. All the other above info is correct about the camera.

The focus tracking abilities are excellent as well. I can deal w/ the

1 fps loss over the A2/e no biggie.A good trade for better focus

tracking. There are excellent custom functions, even one for the

annoying focus assist technique.

I can get the body dealer cost/employee purchase for $413 however, you

others drooling over it will pay about $469-500$(B+H).Local prices for

where you live will be a little more. My A2 is on it's last leg, what

a wonderful excuse to buy one !!

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I included a little eye-candy for you to drool over.

The Elan 7 is not listed anymore on B&H.Is that a sign that the

release date will be delayed?

Does anyone know if the elan 7 will focus at f8 instead of being

limited to f5.6 as the elan II is?

>Does anyone know if the elan 7 will focus at f8 instead of being

limited to f5.6 as the elan II is?

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-- TJ Sullivan

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Patience grasshopper......