Canon EOS Rebel Ti or Canon EOS Elan 7?

[erin_ryan]

I was just wanting some opinions on this. I know this has been asked

before, but want new opinions. Which would you prefer? I have the

Rebel 2000, but want something better, and I don't like the plastic

lens mount. I don't want to have to get a new camera again for a long

time, so which is better in all aspects?

Thanks,

Erin

[carl_weller]

i'd get the elan 7.

 

there's not enough difference btw the rebel 2k and the newer ti version to really call that option an upgrade. forgetting the marketing and tech-specs that 'proves' how much better the ti is, you'll still be fairly limited in advanced picture-taking options and just general useability.

 

i went from a rebel 2k to an eos 3. and now, whenever i use the 2k, i just love my 3 even more. the difference is like night and day. i'd expect an elan 7 to be significantly more responsive than the ti and a real step up for you.

 

carl

[melissa_eiselein]

An Elan 7 or even used Elan II would be good choices. If you've not been there, take a look at NK Guy's Photonotes.org site. Especially these sections:

<br><a href=http://photonotes.org/reviews/5-50-30/>A2, Elan II, Elan 7</a>

<br><a href=http://photonotes.org/reviews/500N-300-300V/> Rebel G, Rebel 2000, Rebel Ti, Rebel G II </a>

[chip l.]

Oh no here we go again... <g>

 

You might want to see this recent thread:

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=005d2c

 

The some questions I have for you are:

 

How many rolls do you shoot a month? And do you expect this to change, and how? What do you find limiting about the Rebel 2000?

 

I have the 10D and I just got the Ti as a backup and to get extreem wide-angle with my 17-40L when I need it. It will do the job for me.

 

You do need to consider that the Elan 7 is larger and heavier. And you should also check to see what feels better in your hands.

[the_macman]

>>>>>> and I don't like the plastic lens mount.

 

Why? Are you afraid your lens will fall off? :)

[jim_larson1]

Keep in mind this forum generally recomends the more expensive equipment for every question.

 

Of course, legit reasons are always presented, not just opinions.

[chito_baclig]

If you can afford Elan, go for it. IMHO, as said earlier, rebel ti is really not is THE upgrade from rebel 2000.

 

 

Question is: do you think you have outgrown the rebel 2000? That is, are you looking for more features, such as spot metering.

 

 

As for me, I have rebel 2000 and bought EOS 3, thats an upgrade. Now, if I can afford EOS 10D...

[ricardojmendez]

The answers to a similar question I posed about a year ago might be useful: http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003OfP There are some relevant comparisons in there (like viewfinder brightness).

[sivakumar m. maniam]

Chip is right, what is the usage of the camera? I use EOS 30/Elan 7. Its a reat camera, suprisingly worth for the money. The features are great, plus the shutter is pretty quite. In add to that 4fps, is pretty good, thought i dont use it often. Recently the camera got drenched in rain while hiking, came back, opened it up asn let it dry for the whole day, next day, plugged in the battery back, it was working fine ! Compared to Rebel and Elan 7, Elan 7 is my choice. But of course, you have to know what do you want. If you think Rebel is more than enought for your work, then go for it, and use the remaining cash for the lens ! That would really make a difference to images. Cheers !

[erin_ryan]

I shoot about 3-4 rolls a week, but once school starts again, it will be about 6-8 rolls a week. I actually don't like the light weightedness (is this a word, NO?) of the Rebel 2000, not sturdy enough. I also don't like that I will be in Manual mode and maybe it is too dark, and it won't let me take the picture, like it has no use for experimentation. I also don't like how the flash works. It blinks like a million times before actually taking the picture,so many times my subjects, like my candid shots, when I actually use the flash,they think I have taken the picture allready, but NO, the camera is just flashing a couple times, before it actually takes the picture, this is frustrating. As for no stainless steel on the mount, it seems that as I change the lenses, the mount would wear out, but maybe I am being a little paranoid about that. All in all, I just need a change and I allready read the last forum question about this, but I wanted new opinions and updates. Thanks all for the help and useful info.

Erin

[melissa_eiselein]

<i>It blinks like a million times before actually taking the picture,so many times my subjects, like my candid shots, when I actually use the flash,they think I have taken the picture allready</i>

<P>Erin, On my Elan IIe, this blinking feature can be turned off. I don't think shutting it off is an option on the Elan 7, but I don't own one so I can't swear by it. Also, I've had a few times where I using aperture value (I think) and my Elan IIe wouldn't let me activate the shutter because it thought there wasn't enough light.

[yakim_peled1]

<P> <I> >> "which is better in all aspects?" </I> </P>

 

<P> Easy. The Elan. Also consider a used II/IIe (50/50e). However, why do you want to upgrade ? The plastic lens mount is the only reason you provided and it, by itself, is <a href="http://photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/cameras.html#lensmount">not a good enough reason</a>. </P>

 

<P> <I> >> "I also don't like how the flash works. It blinks like a million times before actually taking the picture"</I> </P>

 

<P> The 420EX is an excellent flash (fully compatible, small, light, relatively cheap) and will also provide red AF assist. This will eliminate any of those annoying bright lights.</P>

 

<P> Happy shooting , <br>

Yakim. </P>

[yakim_peled1]

<P>Forgot to ask. Are your lenses <a href="http://photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/lenses.html#kitlenses">cheapies</a> ? A list can be found <a href="http://photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/lenses.html#whichcategory">here</a>. If so, upgrading your lenses will help you better pictures. I think that is a better way to spend your money.</P>

 

<P> Happy shooting , <br>

Yakim. </P>

[chip l.]

Erin, with that sort of use either body would be up to the challenge. And if the lightweight nature of the 2000 is bothersome, the Ti might not be too much better. The controls on the Elan 7 amy be more to your liking after you get used to the two dial setup. Can't comment on the flash aspects since I use a 420EX with my gear.

 

With the plactic mount verses stainless steel. Many old timers like myself have issues with the plastic becuase we grew up with metal. Though plastic mounts have been used for some time, and pri\oved to very workable for most people. Aside of getting into what constitutes a lot of lens changes; the benefit of metal mounts for the average person is their strength. Meaning that it can better bear stresses put on it by the lens. There can be a flip side to this too. I have seen customers lenses that were "wacked' on a plastic mount, and the lens broke from from the body, requiring a new mount on the body. Others with metal mounts the lens took the damage. I say this more as an aside, it shouldn't affect going one way or the other. Wacking lenses is not a good idea <g>.

 

But it really boils down to what camera feels the best to you. Both cameras seem to fit your needs. The interface on the Rebel Ti may leave you feeling limited, or feeling like its not as bad a people say (that was my experience comparing the interface from my 10D to that of the Ti).

[mark u]

It has to be a personal decision, based on needs and preferences. I think the main reason Canon went for the metal mount for the Ti was that users were unsure of the durability of the 2000 "plastic" mount, though I have not seen any reported problems as opposed to fears, despite millions having been sold.

 

Neither the Ti or the Elan 7 is actually better in ALL aspects. The Ti actually has a brighter viewfinder and better AF performance in low light. It also has a (large) backlit LCD, which the Elan 7 lacks. Some people prefer being able to access partial metering by pressing * on the Ti rather than the less accessible button to change metering mode on the Elan 7. With the command dial switched to the right side of the top plate on the Ti, it is now even easier to flip between Av and manual modes to set aperture for manual mode (which some prefer to using the Av button - as it also gives an opportunity to see evaluative metering exposure before going to manual's centre weighted metering). However, the Elan 7 offers additional dials which aid with that and manual focus point selection.

 

The difference between the Ti and the Elan 7 has been narrowed in several other important areas - mirror vibrations and noise have been much reduced compared with the 2000. The Ti now allows you to set focus mode (Predictive AI Servo, one shot etc.). Continuous shooting is now at 2.5fps vs 1.5 for the 2000 and 4fps for the Elan 7, albeit still mode dependent.

 

What extra do you get in the Elan 7? A 1/4000 top shutter speed, which you're only likely to use if you have a really fast lens (say F1.4). Mirror lock up - very useful if you don't need to check the composition at the moment of exposure and you are using shutter speeds in the range of 1/15th to 1/2 sec, when mirror vibration has most impact on sharpness. 1/125th X flash sync vs 1/90th - not a huge difference here. The ability to set second curtain sync on the camera (rather than needing e.g. a 550EX gun to do it). Ability to set flash off in any mode - not just the Ti's "flash off" (via custom function) so as to use a Speedlite's red focus assist light without flash. (N.B. you still get bright flashing light focus assist on the Elan 7 if you're not using a separate flashgun.) Leader out mid-roll rewind (do you change films mid-roll often and get bored with fishing the leader out again?). Custom functions also allow some re-configuration of certain aspects of operation - depends how you like to work as to whether these choices would be useful to you.

 

Of course, you could upgrade a bit further and buy the 7e with eye control focus, which people seem to either love or loathe.

 

Aside from the technical differences, the most obvious is weight and shape/size of the body. These are very much a question of personal preference. Try both bodies out in a shop, with the lenses you're going to use to decide. If low weight doesn't appeal, I'm almost surprised you didn't start out by getting the equivalent Nikon at that price point instead of the 2000.

 

Overall, I guess I'm saying that the Ti is not so far behind the Elan 7 as some would have you believe. It even outscores it in certain areas (how many depends on personal preferences). If I was looking at upgrading from the 2000, I guess I'd go with the Elan. But buying new on a budget, the extra features of the Ti over the 2000 are worth the extra 10s, with the difference in price to the Elan going on better glass (even sacrilege! a good 3rd party 28-70/80 F2.8 zoom until I could afford a set of primes or the 24-70 F2.8 - but that's another debate), with a separate flashgun and tripod being essentials.

 

At your level of projected use (a roll a day), I'd probably be looking at a 10D, with maybe a cheap film body for true wide-angle shooting (keep the 2000). Although the economics of switching to digital are not quite as favorable as some might have you believe, you could regard it as saving you money on expensive telephoto glass, which may help.

 

 

[mark u]

OOPS! One small correction... you can only choose the focussing mode on the Ti by selecting "sport" pic mode for AI Servo; A-DEP or other pic modes except green for One shot,and auto selected otherwise. You CAN choose single frame or continuous shooting modes independently though - and it will do a 3 picture sequence in continuous for AEB.

[erin_ryan]

Thanks again all for the great advice and tips on this question.

Yakim, "Cheap is the word for my lenses" Yes, this is probably my big downfall. I am using the dreaded "kit" lens with my Rebel 2000, the 28-80mm f3.5-5.6 and a Sigma lens: 70-300mm f4-5.6 DL Macro Super. Probably not the best choice! And yes, I have also considered the ElanII.

Chip, I am not quite ready for the digital world of cameras, which is ironic for the graphic design major I am in, but I love taking pictures, developing and manupulating in the darkroom before I even scan into Photoshop, but I have heard many great things about the EOS 10D.

Mark U, Not a big Nikon fan, plus at the time I bought my Rebel, it was about $50-60 cheaper than the Nikon N65.

Again, thanks for all the input, haven't really decided yet though!

Erin

[chip l.]

Erin, I mentioned the 10D as a point of refernce of what I have used. At the cuurent cost of getting into the DSLR arena, that is better to wait.

 

Question I have about your current lenses. Are you happy with the results. If not how do you think they could be improved? If you want to see what "better" lenses would do for you check out the possibility of renting some ome of the higher end lenses.

 

Another question going back to your original question, have you looked at both of the bodies? What were your thoughts then?

 

Happy shooting

 

Chip

[fj5]

Hey Erin,

 

Read my bio!!! It'll tell you about my decisions and thought processes through a similar ordeal. I went with the Ti to begin with... BUT, after 3 months of shooting, I went with an Elan 7e and don't regret the upgrade. I've told my story to MANY other members before... I'm not sure if the threads are still here but I probably saved my post as a .txt file on my comp or something if you're interested. It wouldn't hurt to do a little search.

 

However, before I tell you to go out and get that 7/7e... I want you to ask yourself... "why do I really need a new camera?" - is it just the lens mount?

 

(btw, to all you photo.net'ters who remember me... be patient, I'm done my final exams in a couple weeks and I'll be making my way back to these wonderful forums asap ^_^ hehehe... miss you guys!)

[sivakumar m. maniam]

Hello there again,

Yakim is definately right, if you are good with the Rebel, keep it and get good lens, it seriously major difference, especially those "L" series. Yea, i know they are expensive, but if you are shooting as much 6 per week, lets get that perfect shot !

Same here, i am not digital yet, cause well, i can't keep cahrging batteries and carry loads of spare everywhere i go, especially if you are backpacking (thats what i am doin now). Now camera bag is already weight 8kg ! So SLR is still my best choice now.

 

Cheers-Siva

[erin_ryan]

Hey all,

Chip, I actually am pretty happy with the lenses, but my Sigma feels sooo heavy on my Rebel, like way to front heavy. I guess I may be naive but, I want as close to a professional camera quality, without spending butt loads of money on a camera. I haven't held a Elan 7E in my hand yet, that would be my next step, obviously, but I want to get it from ebay,where I find the best deals. I know most are telling me the better lenses make the better pictures, but I still would like a better quality camera first.

FJ, I didn't get to see your old thread, new photo net member here, but thanks for your input. I see it as I want to get a good camera now, so later on I don't have to buy a so called better one, that I should have bought in the first place. I have heard MANY good things about the Elan 7E, not many bad things! So again, still thinking about what to get and still looking on prospects on ebay, my second home aside from this website. As a new member, I have become quite addicted to this place, I see why you miss it!

[fj5]

Don't close yourself off to just Ebay...

 

Click off some of the sites here on photo.net like adorama or b&h and try looking for refurbs or used 7/7e's... they might even be better deals!

[stephen_f]

Erin,

 

With a superb lens, an EOS 3 will take no better pictures than a Rebel Ti. See what I'm getting at. I'm a wedding photographer and I use an Elan 7 and a Rebel Ti for backup. They have worked great for me. Why spend a lump of money on a nice body, than could have been used on a lens?