1 Ds Mk II

[Whitlam]

After 18 months and 32,000 photos it was time to move on from my beloved 350D. So, 2 weeks ago I took the plunge and purchased a 1 Ds Mk II.

The 1 Ds is a remarkable camera, which takes stunning photos, is robust, surprisingly easy to use – and heavy.

It does have a couple of quirks – all surrounding the twin memory card set up. Its stupid the way the camera doesn’t let you fill up 1 card then automatically go on to fill the other card.

The other annoyance with twin cards is, when the camera has been in stand by mode for some time, and you want to take a shot – you can’t until you’ve selected (again) which card you want to use.

The only way around that is to only use 1 memory card at a time – kind of defeats the point of having 2 cards !

Apart from those minor gripes it’s a phenomenal piece of equipment.

I purchased new lenses to go with the camera – 100-400mm L, 24 – 105mm L and the 16 – 35mm wide. I only kept 2 lenses from my old 350D days – 300mm L f/4 and the 100mm macro.

My favourite lens to use is the 24 – 105mm. Stunningly sharp, a great all purpose lens.

The build quality of the camera is really noticeable, its solid. The battery life is nothing short of remarkable. I’ve taken 1,744 shots (all RAW) on 1 charge !

Makes the spare battery I bought seem somewhat redundant. I spent one day walking several km and never turned the camera off – it seemed to make little difference to the battery level.

It’s a fantastic camera, well worth every cent ($$$$) I paid for it.

[Lord_Malone]

After 18 months and 32,000 photos it was time to move on from my beloved 350D. So, 2 weeks ago I took the plunge and purchased a 1 Ds Mk II.

The 1 Ds is a remarkable camera, which takes stunning photos, is robust, surprisingly easy to use – and heavy.

It does have a couple of quirks – all surrounding the twin memory card set up. Its stupid the way the camera doesn’t let you fill up 1 card then automatically go on to fill the other card.

The other annoyance with twin cards is, when the camera has been in stand by mode for some time, and you want to take a shot – you can’t until you’ve selected (again) which card you want to use.

The only way around that is to only use 1 memory card at a time – kind of defeats the point of having 2 cards !

Apart from those minor gripes it’s a phenomenal piece of equipment.

I purchased new lenses to go with the camera – 100-400mm L, 24 – 105mm L and the 16 – 35mm wide. I only kept 2 lenses from my old 350D days – 300mm L f/4 and the 100mm macro.

My favourite lens to use is the 24 – 105mm. Stunningly sharp, a great all purpose lens.

The build quality of the camera is really noticeable, its solid. The battery life is nothing short of remarkable. I’ve taken 1,744 shots (all RAW) on 1 charge !

Makes the spare battery I bought seem somewhat redundant. I spent one day walking several km and never turned the camera off – it seemed to make little difference to the battery level.

It’s a fantastic camera, well worth every cent ($$$$) I paid for it.

That's wierd. The 1D Mark II N doesn't do that. I can set it up so that it fills one card and then automatically starts recording on the next one. And I don't have to pick and choose which card I want to use before I take a shot even if I activate the shutter from sleep mode. Then again I don't know much about the 1Ds, so maybe it is how it is. That would bug me too though. :confused:

[Hellashot]

That's wierd. The 1D Mark II N doesn't do that. I can set it up so that it fills one card and then automatically starts recording on the next one. And I don't have to pick and choose which card I want to use before I take a shot even if I activate the shutter from sleep mode. Then again I don't know much about the 1Ds, so maybe it is how it is. That would bug me too though. :confused:

The 1Ds2 is now 30 months old and the 1D2N was updated a year ago, so it may have gotten little things like that updated.

[Lord_Malone]

The 1Ds2 is now 30 months old and the 1D2N was updated a year ago, so it may have gotten little things like that updated.

Yeah, but I'm wondering if Canon can't come up with firmware to address that. Doesn't seem like super hard thing to update.

[MDJAK]

There is definitely something wrong with the OP's camera if it does that. My 1DsMKII certainly doesn't. It can wake up from sleep mode, can be turned off and on a thousand times and you never have to then choose which card to use. That would be ridiculous. That would be the equivalent of a P&S when in viewing mode and then having to turn the dial back to shooting mode.

The camera would have never sold if that were the case. Imagine how many shots would be lost.

While I knew/know that they changed the 1DN to enable it to write, for instance, RAW to one card and JPEG to the other, I didn't know it would automatically switch from one card to the other when one is full.

There's no question if they wanted to do that to the 1Ds with a firmware upgrade they could. Probably will be one of the things in the next model.

mark

[JBillings]

That's wierd. The 1D Mark II N doesn't do that. I can set it up so that it fills one card and then automatically starts recording on the next one. And I don't have to pick and choose which card I want to use before I take a shot even if I activate the shutter from sleep mode. Then again I don't know much about the 1Ds, so maybe it is how it is. That would bug me too though. :confused:


I didn' know my IIn could do that. How did you get that set up?

[Lord_Malone]

I didn' know my IIn could do that. How did you get that set up?


Okay. I see how that's misleading. When the first card is full, you still have to manually switch from CF to SD (or vice versa), but can commence shooting immediately following the changeover. The switch one from card to the other isn't an automated feature the camera does, but something I do automatically when one card is full. Sorry about that. And how I set that up is simply by turning off the back-up function in the menu screen. When back-up is enabled, it'll give you the option to either record jpeg on one card and RAW on the other, or back-up the same type of image file on both cards simutaneously.

However, let's say I have my CF card set up to be my primary card by default, the camera won't make me choose which card slot I want to record images on when awakening out of sleep mode.

[Dante King]

There is definitely something wrong with the OP's camera if it does that. My 1DsMKII certainly doesn't. ...mark

mine either!!!

[mxwphoto]

Wow either way, congrats on your gigantic leap! :D Check the firmware version you have and see if there's an update.

[KROHN27]

wow what a jump! thats awesome though!

[Longwatcher]

It does have a couple of quirks – all surrounding the twin memory card set up. Its stupid the way the camera doesn’t let you fill up 1 card then automatically go on to fill the other card.

The other annoyance with twin cards is, when the camera has been in stand by mode for some time, and you want to take a shot – you can’t until you’ve selected (again) which card you want to use.

The not being able to use both cards either in sequence or RAW to one and jpeg to other was complained about over 2 years ago now. At least Canon listened somewhat and when the 1DM2N came out they fixed at least part of this.

For me I switch cards by pulling one and letting the camera figure out which is in the camera. I think the only possible time it might get confused is if I had both out, turned it on and then loaded both cards and closed the door. Then it might get confused. But I for the most part leave the SD card in as an emergency backup and just use CF cards as primary card.

The build quality of the camera is really noticeable, its solid. The battery life is nothing short of remarkable. I’ve taken 1,744 shots (all RAW) on 1 charge !
I typically get around 2500 images per charge and that is with 2-year old batteries, I was getting around 3500 when brand new. I am also using auto-focus more so that is probably draining the battery a bit quicker. BTW the 100-400 sucks battery power and will reduce the number of shots by about 1/3.

It’s a fantastic camera, well worth every cent ($$$$) I paid for it.

I have had mine for 2+ years now, still the best digital 35mm SLR in the world. You made a great purchase. Even if Canon does come out with something better, it should still serve well for years to come.

Just my experience and opinion,

[MDJAK]

That's wierd. The 1D Mark II N doesn't do that. I can set it up so that it fills one card and then automatically starts recording on the next one. And I don't have to pick and choose which card I want to use before I take a shot even if I activate the shutter from sleep mode. Then again I don't know much about the 1Ds, so maybe it is how it is. That would bug me too though. :confused:

You could be court martialed for that, Private Malone.:) You better chose your words more carefully in the future. You almost caused me to run out and buy one.

The easiest answer to the card "problem" is to use a 4 gb card. I get about 212 raw images on one. I can switch cards in a matter of seconds. It's not a big deal, nor a deal breaker.

[Dante King]

..The easiest answer to the card "problem" is to use a 4 gb card. I get about 212 raw images on one. I can switch cards in a matter of seconds. ...

brag brag brag... hey mark I got a clip for cards that adapts to the cf slot. Like an machine gun. When the card is full is is gas ejected like an old 30 caliber carbine and a new fresh one is rammed home. I'll post a pic of this neat accessory later.....

[Dante King]

ok, fresh from BH special customer web site only. Its my canon FL-E3e. Auto loading CF clip. Hold 9 CF or 12 SD. Reload time is .4 of a second.

Sorry the clop is OOF, I used my 50L and forgot to take the setting from 1.2 AV.

[theflyingkiwi]

ok, fresh from BH special customer web site only. Its my canon FL-E3e. Auto loading CF clip. Hold 9 CF or 12 SD. Reload time is .4 of a second.

Sorry the clop is OOF, I used my 50L and forgot to take the setting from 1.2 AV.

You better watch out, you might given canon some ideas :)

[calicokat]

Congrats on the new gear. My 1DsMII does not have the issues your does, might want to get that checked out

[Lightstream]

You better watch out, you might given canon some ideas :)


That's why it's called a Cannon! http://pix.lightrefineries.org/img/crackup.gif

Wonder if it fits the old 1D classics.. just the CF will do :D

[Belmondo]

It's time to ask the question again:

What's your favorite photo magazine?

I think Dante just gave me a new answer.:lol:

[MDJAK]

ok, fresh from BH special customer web site only. Its my canon FL-E3e. Auto loading CF clip. Hold 9 CF or 12 SD. Reload time is .4 of a second.

Sorry the clop is OOF, I used my 50L and forgot to take the setting from 1.2 AV.

Am I to understand you actually purchased something from B&H, instead of your local store that lets you put your greasy hands on twelve lenses before picking out what your old eyes think is the sharpest?:)

That accessory came with my camera as OEM. I don't use it; sometimes it jams, especially if you're using reloads.

[MDJAK]

It's time to ask the question again:

What's your favorite photo magazine?

I think Dante just gave me a new answer.:lol:

I buy every photo mag under the sun, but my favorite is still:

EOS magazine.

[Belmondo]

I buy every photo mag under the sun, but my favorite is still:

EOS magazine.
How many rounds does it hold?

[Dante King]

... put your greasy hands ..... I don't use it; sometimes it jams, especially if you're using reloads.

well they help reduce those dreaded jams. I should be selling diner grease to the army as gun lube. smells a lot better than the traditions lune too.... :)

(Mark, you should know I never would go behind my local shops back)

[hef]

canon FL-E3e should be called canon MIL-.223

[Dante King]

canon FL-E3e should be called canon MIL-.223

:) :)

[Lord_Malone]

You could be court martialed for that, Private Malone.:) You better chose your words more carefully in the future. You almost caused me to run out and buy one.



What can I say? I no speak a the English good. :(

[sjafari]

did you put that entire purchase onto some frequent flier mileage credit card? If so, i hope you enjoy your free ticket! Congrats on your upgrade.. i wish i could follow, but my bank is still wanting money for the 5D...