10D versus 1Ds mkII... my thoughts and a question...

[jdavidellis]

See my comments about awful 5D autofocus in thread "Canon EOS 5D Mark II versus Nikon D3." If you're a photographer who rarely places a moving subject at the center of the frame, the 5D is not for you.

--David

[clgriffin]

<p>I saw a comment about build quality. Let me say that the amateur bodies are stronger than they appear to be. An XTi I had took two hard smacks onto concrete and kept on going without a problem.<br>

But the strength of the pro bodies is not in the finish, but in the materials with which they are constructed.<br>

I think a crush test with a 2-ton truck would show you the difference. A Rebel body or a 40D would make a scrunchy noise as the tires rolled over, a 5D might add a pop sound as some of the framework broke. A 1D and all its line would make a much smaller sound, possibly just a thump as the tire rolls over it without completely crushing it--possibly a 1D series might still be whole and capable of working.<br>

But I don't really know--anyone want to volunteer some bodies for a test?</p>

[scott_ferris]

<p>Charles,</p>

<p>1D bodies break when dropped on concrete. They weigh more but carry more momentum, they are tough but not indestructible! The magnesium splits. Oh lenses and flashes snap off them too.</p>

<p>But in general they do well.</p>

[clgriffin]

<p>Scott,<br>

I've banged 1D bodies around quite a bit, haven't lost one yet, but I've seen the lens popping off on others' accidents.<br>

My first pro body as a student many years ago was a Hasselblad 1600F. It was knocked off a stage, fell four feet to a concrete floor and the film back and lens popped off. It all went back together and worked fine.<br>

I should add that I put L brackets on my cameras since my falls in Europe. I had a quick release bracket on the XTi and it took the hits first saving the body from scrapes.</p>

 

[scott_ferris]

<p>Well maybe the floor in Puerto Rico airport is special! I have split one body, broken one flash and split in half two lenses. The lenses break in half on purpose and are easily fixed by Canon, they put a plastic spacer in the 16-35 and the 24-70 (and I expect others) as a weak point. My cameras have been dropped many times, but never by me, (that has tempted fate!).</p>

<p>In general though they are very robust, I don't lovingly molly coddle my gear, it travels with me a lot, usualy in my hand not in a bag and the resistance to wear and tear is one of the reasons I would only get 1 series cameras.</p>

<p>Take care, Scott.</p>

[clgriffin]

<p>That must have been quite a disaster. I've been there, through the San Juan airport. I recall now snapping the flash off one of mine around 1999 from the top of an EOS-1 when the camera wasn't secured and I had to stop my car suddenly. <br>

If I'm working I prefer the 1D series to all others, but Ill play with any body just to see what it can do--same for a lens.</p>