Old Eos film cameras ... Boo, hiss

This is the article on the bartender's site that caught my attention and briefly gave me a desire to own a T90 ... it's quite a wrap up for Stephen to say it's probably the most intuative manual focus SLR ever made!

I actually don't mind the look of these I have to say! :D

http://www.cameraquest.com/t90.htm
 
Non use kills a camera. Things start to stick. Also, battery compartment poles corrode. You might not even see it. If you can access them, give them a good clean.
 
Krosya said:
I was alway a Canon user. ... I have tried Nikon a few times - good glass but could never get their ergonomics - seem so backwards to operate - to me.
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This made me laugh - because exactly the opposite to my experience. I just can't 'bond' with the Canons. They seem great, but I don't get them. Strangely, I don't have this much with other camera brands - even ancient ones. Even the Olympus 'shutter speed on the lens mount' doesn't bother me.

It's interesting to me that for some reason, this ergonomic preference carried over from Nikon manual focus (FE generation) to digital SLR (and the F100 on which the digital are essentially all based). And conversely, I can't stand the Nikon point and shoots, but the Canon P&S are fine (when I can put up with the shutter lag for portability trade-off).

Personally, I tend to think that ergonomically Nikon just nailed it with the F100 - but it's just a preference. That said, I think Nikon is pretty bad at electronic configurations and menus - not terrible, but pretty bad.

I could echo others' comments on reliability and say that I've had very, very few problems with my Nikons, but - even though I've had a lot of GAS - my sample size is too small.

But as a general comment, I think part of the issue is the generation. The EOS amateur build cameras were both early autofocus, and well into the period of transition to 'cheaper' build cameras - not because they were cheap, but because manufacturers were well into learning that building amateur-level cameras that would last a generation didn't make sense when the technology was changing so fast. I don't know, but I don't have the impression that the early Nikon autofocus (amateur level) have held up well either. (And since you can pick up F100s for a couple hundred, and FE/FM2s for less, I don't know why anyone would bother).
 
When I shot with Canons, almost all the gear was new (F-1 & EF bodies, plus an A-1, which was the only Canon that gave me grief, on account of eating batteries alive and the well-known "geartrain squeal"). Nothing broke down. (Okay, an electrical contact on my Motor Drive MF went out, but Canon fixed that gratis and while I waited at their 3rd Avenue service facility–remember that one?–and sent me off a happy camper.) When I shot with Nikon some years later, almost all the gear was used, including a pair of F3 HP bodies (plus a new FM2). Again, no problems at all.

Now, the two-body Pentax LX system that came in-between the above two systems? Another story entirely...

Edit: If I were nosing around for some EOS film-burners, I wouldn't bother with anything below an EOS-1, whether the first one, 1n or, if you're a bit more flush, the still-produced 1v. Not exactly my photographic cuppa tea, but sufficiently reliable and versatile.


- Barrett
 
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I recently picked up an EOS 600 and 620 rather cheaply, so that I could enjoy the 'full frame' experience with the lenses I have. The former has never worked properly due to shutter problems. The latter certainly takes nice photographs when coupled with my 17-40 lens....

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but seemed to need some manual help in focussing correctly sometimes.

I've now bought an EOS 3 but admit that I've been tempted to the Nikon side - especially after looking at this feature comparison page:

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/eos/EOS-1n/htmls/EOS1NF4sF5compared.htm

As for now, I'm looking to sell my 40D and replace it with a 1D Mark II.

Best regards,
RoyM
 
I have an EOS 100qd lying around that I've used occasionally with a wide-angle zoom. plastic all over it seems, but it has always been working perfectly.

I've had a Nikon F5 for quite a while too, but I think comparing the two is just unfair. :D
 
Someone mentioned the Nikon F100. While I shoot Canon DSLR's, I also have some Nikon gear, and IMHO the F100 is the best handling film camera Nikon ever produced. They just got it right with that camera. With the prices so good, I bought a like new one a year or so ago and it's a thrill to use.
 
two EOS 3 bodies, used from KEH, when i was shooting HS sports with film. hundreds of rolls in all kinds of weather, never a problem. go figure.

the few times i've had problems with used Canon equipment it's been the seller's fault misrepresenting the gear, unintentionally or otherwise.

i buy most of my lenses used as well. probably 50% of the Canon glass I've bought needed service. i believe most shooters don't maintain their stuff well, so it's best to expect to do so once it comes into my hands.
 
I don't think I've ever heard serious complaints about the robustness of the top-end Canons or Nikons. Years ago, when I was an F4 user, I borrowed a friend's EOS 1 to see what the difference was and was impressed by the autofocus speed (with USM lenses), but found the ergonomics all wrong for me so stuck with Nikon. I currently have an F3 HP (which sell for next to nothing now and are a real bargain) and an F5 which I bought new ten years ago but which - for what you get - are also very cheap these days. The only camera I've ever had go seriously wrong on me (as opposed to me breaking it), was an early OM-4 in which the shutter jammed for no obvious reason.
 
Thardy said:
In my closet I now have TWO Eos film cameras with problems. With prices coming way down on film bodies (a gift from digital some say) I bought a couple of cool Eos film bodies.

A little while ago I bought a "like new" Eos 3. What a beauty! Ran a roll or two of film through it and came back later to play again and got a bc error. So I change the battery thinking it was bad, still nothing. Some on the net mentioned bad shutter. Playing around I gently lifted the mirror for some reason and the thing starts working. I find out that the motor which lifts the mirror can go bad. Darn ebay seller got me!

I looked up my records to find that close to two years have passed. OK, I forgive the ebay seller. But having the thing repaired is probably not economical. Well I did have a recent offer from a Canon supplier to send me the parts for a DIY repair. Anybody here handy enough to try? Email me a quote.

Hanging out on Pnet a conversation came up about Elan 7e cameras. So, OF COURSE I had to have one. I went with a retail store and got a beautiful camera in the mail. "Near mint" would be how i would describe it.

Batteries go in and in 48 hrs ... dead. New batteries today, no go. Camera won't power up, but the lcd flickers very sporadically.

Looks like I'll be looking to send that one back. Glad I caught it early. It is a beautiful little evil camera though.
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Get a 5D, 1D or 1Ds and become a happy camper.
I wouldnt waste time or money repairing an EOS film camera today.
 
Pickett Wilson said:
Someone mentioned the Nikon F100. While I shoot Canon DSLR's, I also have some Nikon gear, and IMHO the F100 is the best handling film camera Nikon ever produced. They just got it right with that camera. With the prices so good, I bought a like new one a year or so ago and it's a thrill to use.
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I'm amazed how good my seventy dollar N90s is ... the shutter sounds a little agricultural to me but what the hell ... it's an evil SLR, it's supposed to sound obnoxious! :p
 
I have an EOS 300v (was my first SLR), but I guess it's really not an old EOS (released in 2002).
I'm keeping it around in case my Pentax ME Super dies.
 
Batteries go in and in 48 hrs ... dead. New batteries today, no go. Camera won't power up, but the lcd flickers very sporadically.
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I don't know this for certain, but I think there may be either an internal battery or capacitor, not considered user replaceable, that might be the problem with the 7e.
I own 2 EOS cameras: a Rebel II and an Elan IIe. The Rebel is dedicated to the Arax 500mm mirror lens and so far is fine. The Elan is the SLR I use most. I got an L39 to EOS adapter and have lately been using my RF lenses for macro with the Elan.
As for Canon vs Nikon, I don't have enough experience with Nikon SLRs to have a valid opinion. The last Nikon I spent any time using was a friend's FA. Really nice camera but with my eyeglasses, I couldn't comfortably see all the viewfinder readouts. I have thought about both the F3hp and the F100 but don't think I'll buy one without first actually handling it.
Rob
 
Two notes:

1. The Elan 7/7e is probably the quietest focal-plane-shutter camera I've ever used.

2. The EOS 3 is, essentially and in my opinion (for my personal requirements), the best #@#($*&@& 35mm SLR ever made. Incredible machine.
 
David R Munson said:
Two notes:

1. The Elan 7/7e is probably the quietest focal-plane-shutter camera I've ever used.

2. The EOS 3 is, essentially and in my opinion (for my personal requirements), the best #@#($*&@& 35mm SLR ever made. Incredible machine.
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Dang , now I'll have to try the 3 at least. All because of a few euphemistic ampersands...
 
Armoured said:
Dang , now I'll have to try the 3 at least. All because of a few euphemistic ampersands...
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It's dangerous reading these threads, right? Good thing film slrs are so cheap.

I went ahead and bought another Elan 7e. I'm buying it from an ebayer. It's in mint condition, the guy has 700 sales with a 100% rating. Plus he's Canadian. ;)
 
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I agree that the EOS 3 is one of Canon's best cameras, but to me the EOS 1v is one of the best cameras made by anyone period, film or digital.

Andy
 
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