Which Canon to replace my Hasselblad & Imacon?

[thomasyun]

I currently shoot film and also an Imacon back for my Hasselblad. Down side is I need auto focus for some

action shots I need to take. Thinking of getting a Canon but worried I will not get the detail that my

Imacon can give me. Saw some nice photos taken with the various Canons on this website. Any

recommendations on which digital Canon is the most kickass.

[will king]

Wait a few weeks for the 1D Mark III.

[digitmstr]

Your post doesn't make much sense to me, sorry. You say you need to *replace* your Hasselblad because you "need auto focus for *some* action shots" you need to take. So, why don't you just rent a camera for that shoot?

 

Are you a pro? Are plaanning on doing ONLY sports/action photography?

 

Why are you thinking of getting rid of all your quipment for just one shoot?

 

Is there something you are not telling us?

 

I'll leave this one to the mind readers of the forum ;p

 

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

[thomasyun]

I'm not getting rid of any of my equipment. I just landed an account for a sports team and

need a camera with continuous auto focus capabilities. I have a studio and I pretty much

only do portraits so up to now my Hasselblad and my Mamiya do the bulk of my work.

[steve_dunn2]

<p>How fast do you need, how much resolution do you need, and what's your budget?</p>

 

<p>The 1D (no "s" on the end) family is the best choice for most sports; blazing fast autofocus (with an appropriate lens; since the AF motor is in the lens in the Canon system, the lens can have a significant impact on AF speed) and blazing fast frame rates: 8.5 fps for the current 1D IIN and 10 fps for the recently-announced 1D III. The IIN offers about 8 megapixels, the III around 10; while they won't match the resolution of your MF equipment, they offer plenty of detail (assuming you put good quality lenses on 'em, of course; if you cheap out and buy a $100 piece of crap lens for your several-thousand-dollar pro body, you won't be happy). Let's put it this way: if you're a pro sports (or news) shooter and you use Canon gear, a 1D-family body has been your meal ticket for the last several years.</p>

 

<p>The 1Ds II is aimed more at your studio; blazing fast AF, like the 1D family, but it gains higher resolution (over 16 megapixels) at the cost of lower frame rates (about 4 fps). Excellent camera, but probably not what you're looking for as a sports camera.</p>

 

<p>The next best choice for sports is the 30D, which has the next-fastest frame rate at 5 fps, but it's aimed at advanced amateurs rather than pros, and the 1D family is more appropriate for a pro shooting sports. The 1D/1Ds cameras are built like tanks, will withstand almost any abuse (including shooting in dusty or rainy environments; the bodies are well sealed, as are several of the pro lenses), and while the 30D is a very good camera, there's probably nothing it can do that a 1D or 1Ds can't do better (apart from being smaller, lighter, and less expensive).</p>

[thomasyun]

Thanks,

Wow all these model numbers are making my head spin. I probably won't use the Canon I

get for my studio work. I'll have to go to my local pro camera shop and see if they have any

of these in stock so I can see for myself.

[DickArnold]

I did newspaper sports for several years. I used a number of different Canon bodies and 70-200 2.8L and 28-70L lenses. I did almost all sports and never really needed all those bells and whistles. If you stay out of the rain an EOS 30d with a 1.6 crop factor will do most sports. I also have a longer lens. Depends upon what you shoot. The crop factor will get you more virtual focal length. I used Eos 1 series film bodies more for weather proofing and durability than for features. The sharpness comes from the lenses. If you need magazine sharpness then you might want a full frame camera for the most megapixels. Most sports applications are not that critical. I used to shoot forty or fifty pictures a game and the editor would print two of his choosing.

[m_barbu1]

<p><i>If you stay out of the rain an EOS 30d with a 1.6 crop factor will do most sports.</i></p><p>I could be wrong, but I believe baseball is the only sport that is stopped on account of rain. He may well NEED to shoot in the rain.</p>

[William Michael]

Cricket also: but usually the photjournalists are on the fence and still in the rain (for a substantial period of the time)

 

WW

[m_barbu1]

They have bats. They have balls. If they had bases, it would be baseball. ;-)

[igord]

Some photogs use 5D during ski jump competitions when it snows and they are ok with it.

[DickArnold]

You can use a 30d if you bring a plastic garbage bag and some duct tape. The day I forgot mine I ruined an A2. It doesn't rain inside a gym for b-ball, wrestling, boxing, badminton, swimming indoors, etc.

[m_barbu1]

Good point, Dick! :)

[chrisjb]

That said, don`t take anything for granted, we had a 20d knocked out by water dripping from an air con duct in a humid hall,(had to use a spare) just a drop in the wrong place yet its been in light rain before.

 

to the OP, look at the new canon 1dmk3, you may find yourself using the Hassie less & less like I did.

 

good luck

[dogbert]

Tennis is also stopped for rain, as is lawn bowls and maybe even golf.

[m_barbu1]

I don't think golf is stopped for rain (hence, golf umbrellas). ;-)