Which EOS camera makes the jump from amateur to professional [Archive]

nosquare2003

5th of October 2004 (Tue), 20:37

As the bodies go, anything without the name Rebel (US) is starting to get serious.

Any thing with a built in verticle grip (or power drive) is very serious.

Not the colours of the bodies?
The black Drebel is more professional than a silver one, isn't it? :P :P

aam1234

5th of October 2004 (Tue), 20:40

(or power drive)

What is a power drive.

Thanks

Saturn

5th of October 2004 (Tue), 20:43

Hello:

In my mind, if any camera makes you money, it's a professional camera. A lot of pros use junk, produce great images and make good money doing it.

Since we purchased our D60 over 2.5 years ago (when they were still backordered) we've probably billed a over $150,000 with that body. Now, you can find them on eBay for $500, maybe less? The D60's still going strong, although we're now on a backorder list for the new 1DSMKII.

I've personally got a 10D and it's plenty strong for just about any assignment.

Thanks.

phili1

5th of October 2004 (Tue), 21:06

The Camera does not make the jump the photographer does. If you put a Rebel in the hands of a pro he will produce the same type of picture with that camera as he would with the Eos 1's. The only difference is the different features on one verses the other. Each could have the same lens. With digital it is a little different because the better cameras have different sensors, so from the 10 or 20 D up are your pro cameras.

timmyquest

5th of October 2004 (Tue), 21:12

As far as i've always seen it (and i seem to remember canon putting out a pyramid stating the same)

300D is for your amature. The type of people who used the auto mode on their SLR's for years but now want to go to digital...however dont like P&S's...

30/60/10/20D (What an odd way to name these things...i'm not sure how they come up with them) is for your advanced amature or your small pro. It makes a good wedding camera, and a good soccer sidelines camera.

then of course 1 series for the pros. There are a certain handful of nutballs who buy old ones and dont make money off of their work :oops:

The Camera does not make the jump the photographer does. If you put a Rebel in the hands of a pro he will produce the same type of picture with that camera as he would with the Eos 1's. The only difference is the different features on one verses the other. Each could have the same lens. With digital it is a little different because the better cameras have different sensors, so from the 10 or 20 D up are your pro cameras.

Thats great, but that really has nothing to do with the question. I dont think there are very many pro's who use a digital rebel.

MrChad

5th of October 2004 (Tue), 21:22

(or power drive)

What is a power drive.

Thanks

Sorry, I think I meant power booster.
I was trying to include the Eos-3 in more serious group, even though it doesn't come with a V-grip.

Saturn

5th of October 2004 (Tue), 21:23

Interesting thread; I've gotta reply again.

We've produced files with our D60 that in my opinion, are second to none. We've done it thru research, and improved raw processing techniques.

The drawback to holding on to the D60 for as long as we have is that files produced from this camera take a lot more time to tweak to perfection before the client see the final files. Newer Canon's have higher resolution and much lower noise; cleaner files. That greatly reduces the times that it takes to get our files to the client.

You can take an "amateur" body, and thru lots of practice, produce files that rival the files produced from the prolevel bodies.

timmyquest

5th of October 2004 (Tue), 21:24

You can take an "amateur" body, and thru lots of practice, produce files that rival the files produced from the prolevel bodies.

Thats a never ending circle though. What does that say about the files out of these "prolevel bodies" you speak of?

defordphoto

5th of October 2004 (Tue), 21:30

I'm curious where that line is drawn these days. Which of the EOS cameras makes the jump from avid amateur to starting professional?

Thanks

FlipsidE

Use a 1-series for 15 minutes and your question will be answered. For me it was when I opened the box of my new MKII. I knew within 5 seconds.

Sure you can make money with a P&S or less, but that's not what the poster asked.

Saturn

5th of October 2004 (Tue), 21:45

I think it says that you're only as good as the files you produce?!

I mentioned in another post that we've got a 1DSMkII on backorder. When we get that "better" camera, I'm still going to tweak the hell out of the files, because this added work makes the files better.

If I can bill for my time to do the extra work, then I'll continue to do it. If the client doesn't want to pay the extra time it takes to make a better file, then he/she get's the file that's not quite as good; which I find to be very frustrating. (Lately, they always pay for the extra time after I've showed them the improvement, because the difference is noticeable.)

All this cool digital stuff has bred clients that demand everything "yesterday". It takes me more time after the shoot, but again if I can bill for it, everything's equally cool! :D

friscomgm

5th of October 2004 (Tue), 22:07

Use a 1-series for 15 minutes and your question will be answered. For me it was when I opened the box of my new MKII. I knew within 5 seconds.

Sure you can make money with a P&S or less, but that's not what the poster asked.

15 minutes? In my experience it was more like 15 seconds. As soon as I held the camera it was game over...you can just feel the quality in your hands. This happened with both a 1D and a 1D MKII. Never held a 1DS though.

(Current 20D owner with 1-series envy)

Jesper

5th of October 2004 (Tue), 23:20

I'm curious where that line is drawn these days. Which of the EOS cameras makes the jump from avid amateur to starting professional?

I don't think the camera makes you a professional. There's much more to it to become a professional than buying a professional camera.

The 20D is marketed by Canon to advanced amateurs and "professionals who buy their own equipment" (according to the 20D press release a few weeks ago).

IncompletePete

6th of October 2004 (Wed), 01:16

I am still using film, an EOS 1N to be precise. Now that I'm looking to go digital I've found myself only looking at the 1 series cameras! I played with a 1Ds in my local shop and it was amazing, the quality between that and a 10/20D is astounding, I don't think I could have a clear conscience if I didn't get a 1D!

Roger_Cavanagh

6th of October 2004 (Wed), 01:39

Pro vs amateur is not defined by the equipment that they use.

Buying a 1Ds or 1D MkII will not make you a professional or make your photographs any more striking.

There are people earning a living from photography who use the 10D, 20D, 1D, 1D MkII, 1Ds or maybe even the D30 and D60.

Regards,

Deckyon

6th of October 2004 (Wed), 05:41

I think some of you missed the point of the original question.

From Canon's classification, the EOS 1 series (digital or film) are considered the "Professional" series camera bodies.

The question had nothing to do with what made the photographer a professional.

Hatem Eldoronki

6th of October 2004 (Wed), 06:15

I'm curious where that line is drawn these days. Which of the EOS cameras makes the jump from avid amateur to starting professional?

Thanks

FlipsidE

I think it's a two-lane street. Firstly, the camera that offers you complete unconditional control over your picture is a pro camera, (secondly) when used by pro hands, in a suitable situation, depending on what you wanna shoot.

In my opinion, a 20D is an entry level pro-cam, for maybe a part-time photographer, or as a good backup.
The 1D MkII for a serious pro-sports photog, and the 1Ds for the pro-studio/landscape guy..

phili1

6th of October 2004 (Wed), 06:36

Well you would have to give me a detailed list of what the 1D MkII can do over the 20 D. A tad bit faster, slightly larger sensor.

The 20 D comes with features you will never use professionally, the big difference between the Cameras id build quality. Each level is built to with stand a certain work load day in and day out.

Canon built the 20 D for Wedding and Portrait
The 1d MK II for sports and the new one will wifi to a computer.

And the big boy can get bank, bumped and abused and still keep on ticking.

A professional photographer is someone who earns better then 50% of his income doing photograhy. The tool he uses can be an entry level SLR or top of the Line, he will produce saleable photographs from all of them.

Photographers who do photo journalism need the better built camera because they are out in the field everyday shooting hundreds of photos per day, they need what I call the daddy of all Cameras.

Hey only my opinion.

pcasciola

6th of October 2004 (Wed), 07:53

This is a really tough discussion because the technology is so much of a factor that the answer changes every few months, and digital cameras become virtually obsolete in such a short amount of time.

I have a 20D and yes, it does feel like it is borderline pro camera today, just like the 10D did when it first came out. But then I played around with a 1D Mk II and realized there still is a bit of a gap there. But the bar is constantly moving. When the 1D Mk II came out it pushed the 10D further away from "pro" status, and more technologically advanced cameras will come out next year or two that will make even the 20D and Mk II seem like they are less of a "pro" camera.

I predict in a few years (4-5 tops) we will all be able to buy full frame, 12+ megapixel cameras that can shoot 10 fps with no buffer limit for under $2500. When that happens, the Mk II be the equivalent of what the 10D is today. I know it's hard to imagine calling a Mk II low-res or slow, but it will happen one day, and even with Canon throttling the release of these things so there is always a new camera coming out, that day is not that far away.

CyberDyneSystems

6th of October 2004 (Wed), 08:50

Canon's intention is as stated that the 1 Series are the "pro" bodies...

Also stated is the fact that a Pro can use anythng they please.. and do. I know pros that keep a Nikon P&S "twisty" digicam in the bag.

Lastly,.. Ive said this befroe and I say again.. the 20D has a lot of the speed factors that many consider "pro"....

If there ever was a clear line between Canon's "Pro" and amatuer cameras (there wasn't) .... than this camera certainly blurs the line a lot more than anything else Canon has made.

defordphoto

6th of October 2004 (Wed), 09:00

PacAce

6th of October 2004 (Wed), 09:10

I'm curious where that line is drawn these days. Which of the EOS cameras makes the jump from avid amateur to starting professional?

Thanks

FlipsidE

Could this, directly from the horse's mouth, possibly answer your question?

http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ProductCatIndexAct&fcategoryid=113

Click on the link marked "Professional Digital SLR" and see what you get. :)