Canon EOS d2000?

georg_seebode · June 24, 2008

Hi

i was wondering if anybody could give me some advice. My trusty minolta has just died and ive been looking around for a new piece of

equipment. I came across an offer for a Canon EOS d2000 at a very reasonable price. Ive heard that it has a few problems with taking

pictures in low light situations, but is still good for everyday use. Does anybody have experience using this particular model? Would it be

worth getting it?

KenPapai · June 24, 2008

You are being ripped off -- there is no EOS D2000. The first ever 4-digit model was recently announced by Canon, not yet avaialble, the entry level D1000.

alex_kaufman · June 24, 2008

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/digitalimaging/d2000/index.htm

mark u · June 24, 2008

I would pass. One of the big problems is the batteries it takes, which are expensive and proprietary. It only has a 2MP sensor, which will limit the size at which you can print, and the viewfinder is rather poor, since the design hasn't been adequately adapted from the full frame camera it was based on. The body itself, being based on a Canon 1N, is a solid affair (indeed rather chunky with the added electronics and battery), but other than for build quality, it has been eclipsed in most other ways by more recent cameras. It is also getting harder to find computer hardware and software that will support it. Some more detail here:

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/digitalimaging/d2000/index.htm

I'd sooner get a second hand 10D if you are trying to buy on a tight budget.

georg_seebode · June 24, 2008

ah, well thanks for that. The price made it rather tempting but i was having my doubts about it. I wasnt too sure what to expect as i normally dont use DSLR's.

digitmstr · June 24, 2008

That's an OLD camera! I think it was based on the EOS 1n with a 2 mp sensor. Cutting edge at the time...but, definitely NOT now :)

Get an XTi or XSi if you want to get into DSLR without breaking your bank.

PuppyDigs · June 24, 2008

"You are being ripped off -- there is no EOS D2000. The first ever 4-digit model was recently announced by Canon, not yet

avaialble, the entry level D1000."

Actually there have been 2 EOS DSLRs with 4 digits: EOS D6000 (6MP) and EOS D2000 (2MP). Both were based on the

EOS 1N body and were real tanks. I've seen images from the D6000 and they were pretty darn good for studio stuff.

http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/camera/dslr/chrono_1995-.html

asher · June 24, 2008

You'd be better off with a 10D, D60, or even a D30 rather than the D2000.

david_wu6 · June 24, 2008

Not sure what minolta lenses you have. You may consider a sony.

KenPapai · June 24, 2008

"You'd be better off with a 10D, D60, or even a D30 rather than the D2000."

Good prices for near mint condition:

10D - $300

D60 - $175

D30 - $100

sam c · June 25, 2008

I agree with what most have said here. I used the D2000 some time back. The files were pretty good at low isos, especially for a 2mp camera. But the batteries are hard to come by, and they don't last long, I always had to manually white balance a scene, and the menu system was atrocious. Good for a novelty, but if you're really on a tight budget, you'd do better using anything from the D30 and up.

erik_ingvoldstad · June 25, 2008

Nice paperweight, but that's pretty much it. I had two of them a few years back, batteries are useless, anti-alias filter breaks and it's bigger than Ben Hur...

paul_osullivan · June 29, 2008

Pass indeed. The batteries, even new ones, do not hold their charge. The A/C adapters are hard to find, and to find one in decent condition is almost impossible. Remember, these were multi-thousand dollars at the time, so many were hacked to death.

and they are very heavy. Gave nice results though.

sean_thow · November 29, 2008

Well its Nov 2008, bit stale - just pick a fully working EOS D2000 (Canon version of the Kodak DCS520), with

battery charger 2 weeks ago. Although it has done 126k shots - the chances of the shutter dying is as great as

with any other used camera off fleabay. I have a DCS560 bought in at 160k after 1 year of shooting just gone past

180k still going strong. (Side tracking so much so for the seller's description - EOS 5 faulty shutter, got it

put in a battery its working 100% even the eye focus and the dreaded malfunctioning mode dial.)

These are "vintage - in digital sense" cameras but tough as bricks after all its built on a true professional

body ie Canon EOS 1n. I have dropped one of DCS520 - off the shoulder - 4ft onto a concrete pavement, slight dent

on the base corner, the flimsy EF 50mm MKII lens too was ok, had a rubber hood on - camera still working that was

2 years ago plus 1000s of images some examples in the link below. I am glad it was not my Canon 20d at the time.

Not that I would advocate anyone to try it deliberately though, if you do its your own risk.

Bottom line depends what one wants out of digital photography - I got mine as an entry into digital SLR,

predominantly playing around with some manual focus lens I already owned for my walk-about shooting the decay,

destruction & revival of the colonial past in my hometown (its been given the World Heritage Site status this

year ) for record & web display so the 2MP do me nicely - got hooked so now I owned 2xDCS520, 1xDCS560 & 1xD2000.

As for lenses a great choice of excellent EF lenses from the Canon stable, plus zillion others through suitable

adapters. I have since branched into non-EF lenses picked up cheap - hack to work with the Canon bodies (another

hobby off shoot if you are DIY inclined).

Auto Focus & Canon EF USM lens combo, is very fast with or without the big L, plus spot metering - I couldn't

asked for more.

It works well though not 100% with the 540EZ flash on ATTL, but histogram can picked out the dud ones.

Takes max size 2Gb CF cards and due to small file size, you can easily shoot >800 shots.

As for batteries I recycled mine with new Sanyo Ni-MH 4/5AA cells 2500mA after opening up the dead battery, still

running strong after 2 years, when going on long trips I backup with a Quantum battery pack, which came with one

of the DCS520 plus 3 batteries, charger, mains adapter in the original sale box. BTW to clean the sensor you will

need two power sources plugged into the body ie battery + mains adapter or battery + battery pack, more of a

safety feature really else battery dies and mirror & shutter making a meal of the swab !

After playing around with the D2000, I would choose Kodak version over Canon due to the post-processing workflow.

Photo Desk does NOT read D2000 tif files, so you have to convert the raw "Canonized" tif to CR2 then use the

Canon's DPP software. I find the image quality suffers compared to the Kodak DCS route (not sure if I am missing

something) I haven't tried the camera direct fire-wire into the PC yet. You can of course convert to jpeg

in-camera but can be very slooooow process, then view the images off the CF card via any jpeg software, I use

Picasa for storage & to do the light pp work.

After all these yes, the down side is the pixel noise at long exposure or cranking up the ISO will give grainy

image - great for b&w conversion? The weight & size does have its advantages - camera balance on the heavier

lenses you can skip the forearm work out routine at the gym - I just wondered how many ppl has tried this combo :

DCS520 + CZJ 180mm F2.8 Zebra model + 540EZ, I am just 72kgs 5'10". Not that I will do that everyday.

The appearance does look the part of a pro setup - I once gained entry to a room where one of the local

government minister was giving a press conference, the guard looked at me carrying the DCS520 + EF 28-135mm IS

with petal hood, never said a thing I walked straight in and starting shooting. Besides being asked numerous

times, am I from the press whilst doing my walk-about shoots - maybe its my sweaty face here in the tropics

rather then the camera - hahahaha !

Whatever we use - just enjoy the moments, life can be, full of shots or short.

Some shots with the DCS520 :

sean_thow · November 29, 2008