Hmm...which Body would you choose...

[Dream Merchant]

Hi everyone,

Hope to get your input as I've come across two offers which might be doable if I stretch my budgets and eat tree bark for a few months.

Let's say I'm after fantastic AF accuracy and speed, great image quality, and great high ISO performance. That's all that matters, really.

Would you choose a used (v good cond) 5D for around USD2,000, or a used, re-conditioned 1Ds at USD2,120?

I'm thinking, with the 5D and all the mirror dropping out issues, I'll get fantastic IQ and high ISO IQ. With the 1Ds, I'll get a body that will take abuse, the famed 1Ds IQ, but only so so high ISO performance (probably no better than my 10D???), and very limited ISO up to only 1250.

Of course, I could choose another avenue and get a used 30D and a grip at around USD940, which I've used before with not much issues.

Decisions decisions decisions...which would you choose, and why?
Budgets are very limited for this, so I would really appreciate any thoughts and opinions.

You could say my shooting is 'General' - Food, pets, some scenery, PR events and conventions, and some nightlife, very rarely sports (once or twice a year?).

Thanks in advance! ;)

[gjl711]

Hi everyone,

Hope to get your input as I've come across two offers which might be doable if I stretch my budgets and eat tree bark for a few months.

Let's say I'm after fantastic AF accuracy and speed, great image quality, and great high ISO performance. That's all that matters, really.

Would you choose a used (v good cond) 5D for around USD2,000, or a used, re-conditioned 1Ds at USD2,120?

I'm thinking, with the 5D and all the mirror dropping out issues, I'll get fantastic IQ and high ISO IQ. With the 1Ds, I'll get a body that will take abuse, the famed 1Ds IQ, but only so so high ISO performance (probably no better than my 10D???), and very limited ISO up to only 1250.

Of course, I could choose another avenue and get a used 30D and a grip at around USD940, which I've used before with not much issues.

Decisions decisions decisions...which would you choose, and why?
Budgets are very limited for this, so I would really appreciate any thoughts and opinions.

You could say my shooting is 'General' - Food, pets, some scenery, PR events and conventions, and some nightlife, very rarely sports (once or twice a year?).

Thanks in advance! ;)
The answer is clear, its right in you post “fantastic AF accuracy and speed, great image quality, and great high ISO performance. That's all that matters”. With that criteria, the 5D is the only way to go. Everything else will fall short.

[ssim]

Given what you say you shoot the 5D would be a fit but so would a 30D. I would not jump at a 1Ds these days. It is a great camera but is limiting in some factors. If it was a 1DsMKII that would be a whole different story.

[Dream Merchant]

Thanks for sharing.

Guess it would be the 5D, then the 30D in that order.

[JCH77Yanks]

Personally, I would go for the 30D and spend the the extra $$$ on glass. Just my humble opinion.

[kevie]

For me its about good glass...the bodies change more than the lenses do.

[Dream Merchant]

I'm a firm believer in good glass too. I've actually scaled down my set, since I found out some lenses (Horrors! I sold off my L lenses!) were just sitting in the cab, and now use 3 lenses almost exclusively: Sigma 15-30 (an incredibly good performer given the price), ef 50 1.4 and ef 100 2.8 macro. If I needed a longer L zoom or something like tat, it's very affordable over here to rent (e.g., 70-200L 2.8 IS about US$25/day) and there's no minimum period and most rentals don't ask for a security deposit for local citizens at least.

However, I was just chatting with another Canon user who shared some interesting insights since he owns and uses both 1D and 5D cams quite extensively, and he opined that while the IQ of the 5D was indeed better, especially at high ISOs, the AF was lacking, especially when it gets dark, and/or messy...like say in a disco or at a party with dimmed lights.*

He advised me to get the 1D MkII as a way to achieve my overall objectives, and stretch to a 5D for the better IQ.

I'm still undecided.

Full frame or cropped is not an issue to me.

AF speed and accuracy, good quality (clean) images at higher ISOs (1600 sometimes -3200 very rarely, but useful once in awhile) and overall reliability/durability are my main concerns, in that order.

I also understand that the 5D will feel like an old friend where user controls etc are concerned, but I would have to go through another learning curve with the 1D since everything requires you to push at least two, if not mor buttons to activate/cange.

I was also told that the 1D MkIIN did not offer any significant improvement to the 1D MkII, and was not worth the extra cost. Opinions since there's someone here (who's in my region at the moment) is selling one for USD2,600 but not all the bits and pieces may be there (something significant over here).

SIGH...


* I'm afraid using the stroboscopic effect of an in-built flash, or pointing an LED torch at people for AF assist aren't options really. I'm using really heavy duty Metz potato mashers and have generally stayed away from auto focus digital flashes.

[B3SEO]

I got to say the 5D. For 2,000 dollars that's a darned good price.

[primoz]

You will have to decide what you really want, since even though they are both FF cameras, they are far from similar. Iso on 1Ds is ok somewhere till iso640, everything above is quite bad for todays standards. On the other side, af of 1D series (including 1Ds) is light years ahead of anything 5d can offer. I did have chance to shoot with 5d once, and to be honest, I don't want to see that hmm... I'm not going to write that word I would like to ;) anywhere near me anymore... especially when it goes about money shoots.
So you will have to decide what is more important to you, since with those two cameras, you can have everything in same body.

[suecassidy]

I have a 1ds and though it is a great camera and real workhorse, taking lots of abuse, it is SO HEAVY to carry around once I get long lens on it and a flash. I'll pay attention to the body weight next time. i'd get the 5d and good glass.