EOS 3 First Look

I just got a chance to play with the EOS 3 and have some preliminary thoughts.

 

<p>

 

1. Body feels much like the 1N but I think a tad more plasticky and not as sturdy. The cheap plastic door over the right control panel door is destined to break, I think.

 

<p>

 

2. No built in flash.

 

<p>

 

3. Instruction manual is convenient size but could have been written better.

 

<p>

 

4. Focusing is quite fast. Also a bit confusing =!

 

<p>

 

5. Very nice shutter action.

 

<p>

 

6. 97% viewfinder,'''''

Dick, Thanks for the post. No built-in flash is an advantage, in my book; I think built-in flash is fine for amateur-level cameras but is better omitted from advanced-level cameras (you can always do better with a serious dedicated flash unit more powerful than a built-in can be) . (Also, I love to mount a spirit level in the hotshoe, and find myself quite frustrated when there's no hotshoe to permit this!) Could you elaborate a bit as to why the focusing is "a bit confusing"? How did it behave? Sorry to hear about the cheap plastic door, and I do wish 35SLR's at or near the top of the range could get serious enough to offer 100% viewfinders.

Dave,

 

<p>

 

There is a big learning curve with controlling 45 focusing points vs.

5. As for built-in flash, I tend to agree but there are times when

it's nice to have for fill.

I've had the EOS3 for a few days now and am very happy with it. After

years of using Contax and Nikon cameras, I switched to only Canon a

few months ago. I then purchased an EOS1N. In my opinion the EOS3 has

some small, but ergonomically friendly improvements. I'm happy that

the auto bracketing and drive buttons have been put on the outside of

the camera and the double exposure (which I rarely use) has been put

in the little plastic door. I also appreciate that the cable release

socket is now on the opposite side of the camera from where the hand

rests. The large oval of AF sensors makes it easier for me to

initially track a flying bird over the 1N's line of horizontal

sensors. The new PB-E2 grip also makes vertical shooting easier since

the AF lock and control dial are easier to reach while holding the

camera. I do wish there was an eyepiece blind built in, but that's

really only an inconvenience. The 97% viewfinder is not even

noticably different for the most part, but I do wish that Canon went

the extra mile and made a 1/250 sec flash synch. I do wish that Canon

would offer a real AE lock that actually locks indefinitely as is

featured on all Contax cameras. I see no reason why they couldn't

have added a custom function to enable that wonderful feature of the

Contax cameras. I have yet to sort through the new flash manual and

have yet to reach a verdict about the utility of the eye-control

focusing.

the lack of built-in flash is the only reason i haven't gotten an

eos-3 to replace my eos-5.

 

<p>

 

it's not that i think people shoudl use the built in flash

instead of buying a dedicated flash (or two) it's obvious that a

"real" flash is better, (and i use my 540 flash and off camera cord

when i want flash pictures) but there are times when i don't carry the

flash with me. i'm mainly an "available light" photographer. i use

my 28, 50, 85 f1.8 lenses and fast film 98% of the time. but every

once in a while when i have only the 85 1.8 and fast film (no tripod,

flash, camera bag, etc.) it's nice to pop up the eos-5s built in flash

for a bit of fill. or to light a completly dark room. with a 1.8

aperture and fast film the built on flash is plenty strong enough.

it's just too bad i can't use the off camera cord with it. ;-)

 

<p>

 

one reason i think they left off the flash is weatherproofing. it's

gotta be hard to weatherproof the flip up flash housing. oh well...

Since my previous comment, I've had a chance to study up on the new

550EX when used with the EOS3. The 1/200 flash synch is really no

limitation for me, since for fill flash at less than full power (i.e.

for my songbird photography) use is possible at faster shutter speeds

with the EOS3. Much to-do in the manual of both the flash and camera

is made of the "FEL" (flash exposure lock). Perhaps it might be

useful for someone somewhere, but like the AE lock, it's only a

temporary device (16 sec. limit). It's really a sham compared to the

truly useful flash meter of the Contax RTSII that now is nearly a

decade old. For serious flash photography, a flash meter with the

flash set in manual is far easier to deal with. As far as the

cordless flash goes, it is necessary to use 2 (or more) 550EX units.

Considering that they're about $500 each, I will gladly deal with the

cords when using 3 flash units.

 

<p>

 

I do like the camera though, and wish that I had two of them instead

of one EOS3 and a 1N.

Well, I'm just finishing up my first month with my new EOS3 (an

upgrade from an A2e and a replacement for a stolen T90)

 

<p>

 

One feature that does not get enough air time is the multi-spot

feature. The last time this was availabel was with the T90 and I'm

very glad to see it back.

 

<p>

 

What it allows is to plot on the exposure meter a full set of

readings (from highlight mid-tone and shadow areas - up to 8) and

then shift them all to manage the loss of shadow and highlight with

respect to film latitude ---- It's like having a computer supported

zone system in the camera and I've NEVER lost a shot with it.

 

<p>

 

For me, the moment I heard i could get back this capability behind my

EOS lens set, I ordered the camera

 

<p>

 

Mike