Due to distraction from a serious illness in my family, I’ve barely scratched a zillionth of a pixel, but the long-awaited 21.1 MP Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III arrived 10 Dec. in three huge boxes with almoseverything from 14mm-400mm to replace a complete Nikon system started in 1963 with a Nikon-F.<\/p>\n
It was a sad end this summer with a "divorce" from a D2X<\/b>. I detested the divorce from Nikon’s outstanding, reliable lineup, but I sought full-frame and many more megapixels. So far, but based on extremely limited experience due to forces beyond my control, this new ballgame for me starts with a homerun. While I’ll be more than happy to address any question you may have, please bear in mind that I’ve experienced little yet of the proverbial iceberg, nor have I garnered any solid scientific data. I’ve not made even one print. Subjective views, based on more than 50 years in photography, two degrees in the field, and a beginning orientation years ago that proclaimed anything less than 4×5 is "miniature," slants this very premature stance. But, I’ll be objective as I can.<\/p>\n
Just keep the preceding in mind as you form your questions. As a start, though, it won’t hurt to tell you that I am pleasantly surprised by several things.<\/p>\n
(1) It "feels" good and at home in my grubby old hands: a point that I approached apprehensively about Canon SLRs in general, and this weighty beast in particular;<\/p>\n
\n(2) I’m astonished with its "user friendliness" compared with my last few Nikons, and especially the D2X;
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(3) After a few days getting acquainted with my new bride, Merry Megapixels, I’m far less apprehensive about deserting Nikons and spending enough money to buy a halfway decent car ;<\/p>\n
(4) Spending this much when I really didn’t need another camera line bothered me even less the first time I played with it for 10 minutes.<\/p>\n
It’s more solid than Grant’s Tomb, but not quite as heavy. Retired, with maybe a few creative years left, this change was primarily due to my physical condition. It won’t allow me to wag around a view camera. I wanted the nearest reasonable qualitative results akin to large format, but without a complete washout of my wallet. Ferrari-priced Hasselblad digital rigs are not justified by my shooting style. I don’t run a studio and don’t use photography for profit.<\/p>\n
Square format isn’t my favorite, either. Similar to buying a new $200,000 Bentley GT, one hates to find fault. Nevertheless, I’d prefer this new Canon rig to:<\/p>\n
(1) enable autofocus in the live view mode;<\/p>\n
(2) permit double exposures (maybe it does, and I’m just too dumb to work it out);<\/p>\n
(3) have a built-in flash for fill-in;<\/p>\n
(4) weigh a pound less;<\/p>\n
(5) come with a large, hardback, color instruction manual, instead of a small booklet that would be more at home, qualitatively, in a 3\/4-ton Chevy pickup. After all, this is supposed to be the Bentley GT of digital 24mm by 36mm full-frame cameras.<\/p>\n
(6) soup up the capture speed even at the sacrifice of pixels via a quick switch button. If the new Nikon can squeeze 10 fps out of its pro model, so can Canon. I do not need this at all, but it might attract more sports and bird shutterbugs.<\/p>\n
(7) It’s too expensive. In the old film days when one bought a Leica for life, that high price was justifiable to many. However, today, when 21 megapixels seem sufficient, it will be tomorrow’s doorstop: a fancy brick. Half of the going price seems more reasonable;<\/p>\n
(8) Canon’s wild nomenclature for lenses, cameras and equipment is completely devoid of public relations and advertising considerations.<\/p>\n
Most are a mouthful, such as Canon EOS-1 Ds Mark III. Ordering by telephone can be tedious especially if the camera "dealer" is one of the NYC varieties that consist of no store front or equipment, only phone salesmen. Canon’s designation of "L" for high grade glass makes no sense.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, no lenses by such a manufacturer should be second rate. No fool, unless he has a death wish, buys weekend special tires at $30 each for a Bentley GT Speed model that’s capable of 206 mph. Canon’s names may make sense in Japan, but in the U.S. it’s bound to adversely affect sales. It’s just too confusing, and there’s simply no point. I’ll appreciate questions, hints or observations, If I can find time, as I use the camera, I’ll try to offer more comprehensive, and objective analyses of real time, hands-on, practical results of this Bentley GT of Canon’s in this Monte Carlo mega race.<\/p>\n
Full article and further comments:
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\nEOS-1Ds Mark III Arrives: Early Review by captjhc
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