EOS 600 or EOS 5?

[freelance]

I have an unresolved matter that I would like to accomplish. It is to have and

use a 35 mm DSLR camera. I have the possibilities of buying a EOS 600 or an

EOS 5.

 

What would you recommend?

[bueh]

Check for sticky/oily shutter syndrome on any EOS 600/620/630/650 camera. They are not built to last, so you'd be more safe with a newer body.

<p>

By the way, neither camera is an <abbr title="digital single-lens reflex camera">dSLR</abbr>. They are "analog" and use 35mm film as the light-capturing medium.

[terry_smith2]

The 5 is two generations newer and has many more features. A 3 or 1n might also be interesting.

[freelance]

Sorry, I meant SLR. And I want Canon to use the lenses I have. I do not want to spend more that 100 US$. I see in the aution that the 5 is Manual Focus. The 600 is autofocus.

 

I cannot buy a new body as they are not on sale and would be expensive. By the way, which has been the best SLR CANON 35 mm film autofocus ever made?

[danield]

"which has been the best SLR CANON 35 mm film autofocus ever made?"

 

Best at what? Frame speed? Autofocus? Features? Weight? Price?

 

There are a lot of EOS bodies to chose from, each with its own nice features. The more expensive and fully featured cameras also tend to be quite heavy and complex.

 

That being said the EOS 3 is highly regarded.

 

In your price range you may find a newer Elan II or Elan 7.

 

BTW, which other Canon lenses do you have? You should be aware that EF-S lenses won't fit on film bodies.

[Ian Taylor]

EOS 5 is a great, tough camera. I had one in Cambodia for years and it worked perfectly.

[steve_dunn2]

<cite>I see in the aution that the 5 is Manual Focus.</cite>

 

<p>That is incorrect. All EOS SLRs, film and digital, are autofocus. (The EF-M isn't, but technically it's not an EOS SLR; it just uses the same lenses.)</p>

 

<p>The older body could suffer from goopy shutter disease, as noted above. The EOS 5 has a different but also well-known failing: the command dial is prone to breaking.</p>

 

<p>Between those two, I'd take the 5. It's both newer and a notch or so higher in the product line.</p>

[freelance]

II avoid EF-S lenses. All of them are EF, except a 18-55.

 

I have seen that some of them have eye-controlled focus. I suppose that when you look through the viewfinder? The same that with the modern DLSRs, isn?t it?

[freelance]

Auction, sorry.

 

This is the camera and says

 

Item Specifics - Film Cameras

Type: SLR Exposure: --

Brand: Canon Film Format: 35mm

Focus: Manual Lens: Interchangeable

Features: Manual Program Modes, Red Eye Reduction, Shooting-Modes, Timer Condition: Used<div></div>

[andys]

I have a 5, (and only just stopped using it as a regular body), and it is a fantastically capable piece of kit. Mine still meters acurately in difficult situations AF is fast and acurate, especially in low light. I would go for the 5 above any of the 600 series.

 

I wouldn't be too bothered about the Eye Control Focus, you have 5 points to choose from, and I tend to choose the active point manually. I do leave it active though to use the DoF preview eye control.

 

I think all of the models designated "EOS 5" have Eye control, US models came as A2 and A2E, only the A2E had eye control.

 

For the record my command dial still hasn't shown any signs of failure.

[freelance]

eye control and autofocus is the same?

[shambrick007]

Antonio, do your self a favor and google for "EOS 5" or an "EOS 5 user manual" or "EOS 5 specifications". This camera IS autofocus. Eye control is not the same as auto focus. The EOS 5 is a great camera - just get one :-)

[douglas_vitello]

If memory serves me right I remember reading on this board all EOS models prior to the Elan II had issues with shutter bumper goo on the blades as they "age",especially in warmer climates.Eye control focus point selection is nothing to rave about on the early models so I would not seek out a A2 just because it has it.I will not argue that it does focus a lot faster and more accurate than a 630 but for under a hundred bucks I'd rather have a 630,EZ flash,and one lens over just a A2 body.You sound like you are just starting out in photography and are on limited funds.A EOS 630 (600) will do just about everything the newer cameras will but for a lot less money.

[jimstrutz]

The EOS 5 has a far faster autofocus system than the 600. It's control layout is more logical and the manual exposure metering display is far, far nicer. The 5 has a spot meter and all sorts of nice features that the 600 does not have, and it shoots faster too. The 600 is absolutely archaic compared to the 5. Either one is dirt cheap these days, so price shouldn't be much different.

[obakesan]

Hi

<P>

firstly I'll say that I have 2 630's (600 in Europe) and I love them, that said <b>I would not recommend you buy one over a 5</b> unless you can see it, check it yourself and test it.

<P>

Aside from the disintergrating rubber bumpers (a significant problem on the cameras at this age) there is an <b>often undiagnosed problem with them and that is the failure of the backlit top screen</b>.

<P>

Over the years I've owned 4, and 2 have had this problem. The first symptom can either be the backlight fails to come one or the battery drains fast.

<P>

There is an easy and an expensive (perhaps no longer available) solution.

 

<OL>

<LI> snip the wire that powers it inside the camera</LI>

<LI> replace the deffective backlight device (I understand no parts are available)</LI>

</OL>

<P>

Both require a visit to the local camera repairer (who hopefully has enough history with this unit to know what he's doing)

<P>

Then there is the 'power' switch on the back, the one that changes the camera from "L" (there is no off by the way) to A, A with beep, and the green mode. My favourite body (the black one with the most scratches which I was wearing around my neck when I was in a motorcycle accident ... ) has broken that switch internally (again no parts) and can only be moved between A and L now (gladly I don't miss the green) but you haveto be careful not to engage the dreaded beeper or it will spoil shots in 'quitet places' and you'll get the "frown" if you're trying to be discreet (as happened to me several times attempting to be taking pictures in churches and whatnot) A visiting squirrel has added his part to the degredation of this switch as now that the kindly donated territorial makers have evaporated the switch is getting stickier (see attached image).

<P>

So, if you can save bucks woth mentioning, I'd say I love 600 cameras, but if you can't then I'd swing towards the 5. I think you'll like the read dial if you do much manual exposure or EV compensation work, working with the 600 in manual is 'special' and most people hate it (I use Av as much as I can to avoid it).

<P>

Lastly, to do with AF, the main killer with the AF on the 600 is that it only detects verticle lines, so focus on a nice black overhead electrical wire will yeild failure (not so the 5). As a result most people feel that the AF is better on the 5 (I'm used to it). People say the 5 is faster, perhaps when photographing things which

<UL>

<LI> fit entirely and nicely onto the focus point</LI>

<LI> are moving bloody fast</LI>

</UL>

<P>

it <i>might</i> make a difference, but I think you'll need sensitive measuring equipment to notice it. I've happily tracked runners comming towards me and cars comming towards me with 300 USM lenses and its been bang on time after time in AI servo on the 630.

<P>

good luck<div></div>

[obakesan]

PS all the signs say ... don't encourage the animals, its bad for them. So much for cute ;-)

[freelance]

Crhis, I do not undertand "I would not recommend you buy one over a 5"

 

 

5 level of condition?

 

EOS 5?

[obakesan]

sorry if that was unclear

<P>

I would not recommend you choose an EOS 630 over an <b>EOS 5</b> unless you are totally certain that you will benefit from the money saved <b>and</b> you can be sure that the 630 is in <b>top</b> condition.

<P>

ohh ... and watchout for those squirrels too!

[freelance]

Thank you very much to all of you!. Your opinions have been very useful too me. I'll watch out the squirrels and I'll buy the canon 5.

[douglas_vitello]

Just wanted to add a few more comments about the EOS 630 for anyone who still uses one.CRIS Camera in Chandler AZ has been doing the CLA's on my 630's for years and when the backlite displays started to fail they repaired them by replacing a single resistor in the light circuit at minimal cost because the covers were off anyway (same for the shutter bumpers)for the CLA.They said it was not necessary to replace the complete LCD display (or cut the wires)in most cases.The technicians there felt the 630 was just a small step down in build construction over the EOS 1 pro models,especially when you see the inside works of the body.I think that is what draws me to this model despite some of the outdated technology - everything looks and feels overdesigned for just a consumer grade model.I don't use full manual operation very often so that bizarre procedure is not a issue for me.As for the single point vertical axis focus sensor I find by tilting the camera a few degree and then locking focus it works every time,especially with fast primes.With fast primes they lock on just about anything anyway other than blank surfaces like blue cloudless sky.Yes, a real oldie but still a very useable model.I own Elan II e's,10's,and a A2 yet I still grab the old 630 & 620 for 90% of my auto focus needs.Believe me every one of these models have their strong and weak points - and serious defects.

[jimstrutz]

BTW, if anyone's interested, I was digging through my stack of junk the other day and came across what looks like a new E-B view screen for the 600 series cameras. It's probably used, but I can't tell it. It's still in it's box with the insertion tool. This is the one that has the split screen focusing aid built into the sensor. I should fit any of the 600/620/630/650 cameras.

 

Anybody know what it's worth? Anybody want one?

[obakesan]

Jim

<P>

just last week someone indeed asked for this on another forum. I have emailed them with your post.

<P>

<hr>

<P>

Douglas

thanks for that info, some things there I didn't know (not that I'm some sort of expert).

<P>

I am very fond of my 630's and have had the shutters repaired in each of them about 3 years ago. I'm an Australian (just to remind that not every english speaker on this forum is an American) and getting access to highly skilled EOS technicians in Brisbane is tricky. I'll ask my service fella when next I'm back there (in Finland now) if he can re-enstate my backlight cos I still use that camera. (I'm too cheapt to get a 10D or something converted into an IR camera, so I use HIE)

<P>

as far as I knew, the 630 was the professional top EOS before the 1 came out. It was the one that was the typical Canon ad in national geographic. Certainly its RT incarnation would have shared many simmilar parts.

<P>

But, as long as canon don't put shiftable DEP on their cameras I'll still have a place for 35mm neg and my 24mm lens (well, perhaps until I can afford a ff DSLR that has DEP).

<P>

:-)