20D, would you...

[Mike Mars]

...buy it again?

There has been a lot of discussion on various forums about banding in jpeg and RAW - mostly seen at high ISO but not exclusively. Some seem to afflicted by it more than others. Has this soured your enjoyment of it?

I am trying to persuade myself to add a 20D to my three-year old but still excellent plastic D60 (ISO 100 - 200 is equal to the 10D and better than the 20D; ISO 400-800 is very clean after C1Pro and the colour is excellent) for the higher ISO and overall speed improvements. Obviously, I want to have a positive feel about the 20D and not buy into a problem, hence my question.

Does anyone have a D60 and 20D or moved form the D60 to 20D? What are your thoughts about the move?

[RJSorensen]

Mike . . . I only have the 20D, but they aint getting it away from me. Yes I would buy it again. I am looking/needing a second body and just may in fact, but it again. I have been delighted with mine.

[aam1234]

I guess you've been reading DPR Mike. If you read DPR, you won't buy anything! seems people there enjoy finding faults in equipment, or they have really really unrealistic expectations. In any case, don't let these guys fool you, the 20D is a fine camera, and if for some reason I lose it I'll definitely buy it again. Good luck.

[rfreschner]

The 20D is my first DSLR and I have been very happy (ok, ecstatic) with it so far. I haven't seen any of the banding problems you mentioned, but haven't really had it too long either. Would I buy it again? You betcha!! :grin:

[drisley]

The only time I see banding is if I underexpose a picture by a fair margin, and then try to recoup in photoshop or in raw conversion. Even then it only happens on higher ISO's.

[pcasciola]

I've never seen any banding, and I shot my last basketball game entirely at ISO 3200 for the first time. The only way I wouldn't buy the 20D again is if I had enough for a 1D Mk II.

Here's some of my first attempts at ISO 3200 shots if you're interested:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=58331

[mbze430]

Me, I am very regretting my 20D. Not that it is a bad camera, its completely opposite of that. But I am just not used to the 1.6x. Right now I am looking for a solid deal on a 1DMKII or a trade with my current hardly used 20D.

[egonz]

The only time I see banding is if I underexpose a picture by a fair margin, and then try to recoup in photoshop or in raw conversion. Even then it only happens on higher ISO's.

same here. And I'd still recommend the 20D.

[Deckyon]

I have 20D and 1D MkII. yes, I would buy the 20D again. I would also buy another 1D MkII if I could aford another one.

[Mark Kemp]

Remember the net is not policed for truth. There are some people out there who love to start rumours 'Camera XYZ underexposes all pictures taken after the full moon between Easter and the ides of March' etc. Then a lot of people will suddenly notice the same problem with their camera too and by the time they have finished you wouldn't believe that any camera and lens combination can ever produce a recognisable image of anything! Take a look at the thousands of images taken with D30s, 10Ds, 20Ds, 1D MK1s and MK2 s etc. on the net and in magazines. Do you believe that all these excellent well exposed sharp images are the few happy accidents that came out right in spite of a bad camera? Or are the few minor errors that some people have seen sometimes the exceptional case?

[tommykjensen]

I guess you've been reading DPR Mike. If you read DPR, you won't buy anything! seems people there enjoy finding faults in equipment, or they have really really unrealistic expectations. In any case, don't let these guys fool you, the 20D is a fine camera, and if for some reason I lose it I'll definitely buy it again. Good luck.

Agree and they even already discuss errors in 350D even though only a few reviewers have had the camera. It is in my opinion both a waste of time and completely useless to discuss potential problems with a new camera before it has actually hit the street and real life userrs actually start to buy it. Equipment discussions should be based on facts not speculation.

I would buy the 20D again (unless I win the big prize in lotto then I would buy a 1D series camera ;-) ), but I would not consider the 350D.

[Mike Mars]

I get the message! Banding is a small to non- issue which is by far outweighed by the positive aspects of the 20D. My understanding is that there will likely be a fix for those who suffer from it in new RAW converters (ACR was mentioned) - something to do with the black point being a constant value instead of varied on read out off the sensor.

Whatever, I have placed an order and should get the 20D in a few days. Can't wait! I'll post a few pics to celebrate its arrival. Just off to buy a cat.

Thanks to all for the replies.

[cc10d]

Your going to LOVE IT !

[Sydor25]

I would definitely buy the 20D again. I had a Digital Rebel for about 3 weeks before upgrading to the 20D. I would buy it over the new Digital Rebel XT as well.

[FlipsidE]

Ya know, maybe people just aren't as vocal about 'em, but I have heard about SO FEW problems with the DRebel/300D and the 10D, but so many problems with the 20D. If I ever do consider a 20D, I'm going to come here first and make a topic on it asking for both the positives as well as the negatives. I'm actually kind afraid of what I might find. I'm kinda hopin I can hold out until the 20D's successor hits the market.

FlipsidE

[AcuraFan]

had the 20D, and it's a great little camera, gave me no problems. if i had to do it again, i'd get another used 1d.

[Andy_T]

Ya know, maybe people just aren't as vocal about 'em, but I have heard about SO FEW problems with the DRebel/300D and the 10D, but so many problems with the 20D. If I ever do consider a 20D, I'm going to come here first and make a topic on it asking for both the positives as well as the negatives. I'm actually kind afraid of what I might find. I'm kinda hopin I can hold out until the 20D's successor hits the market.

FlipsidE

Flipside,

I normally read your posts with appreciation of their contents, but this is among the greatest bull**** I have read here on the forum ;)
Sorry, but that's the way it is.

Check out the forum history for hundreds of threads on backfocusing issues on the 10D.

Compared to that, the few threads where some users boasted how they finally managed to bring their 20D to hang up (OMG :shock: I had to turn it off and on to get it to work again) with the first firmware was really a minor ripple in the water.

Believe me, I have read each of those threads very carefully before I bought mine.

Best regards,
Andy

[tommykjensen]

Compared to that, the few threads where some users boasted how they finally managed to bring their 20D to hang up (OMG :shock: I had to turn it off and on to get it to work again) with the first firmware was really a minor ripple in the water.


That issue was blown completely out of proportion by a relative few users that had this issue. Relative few compared to the vast number of users that had no problems at all. I think I have had one lockup and a couple err 99, which all was fixed by popping the batteries out and in.

[gramps]

I'd buy it again in a heartbeat...........if I had more $$$$ I'd get a second body.

[Deckyon]

It's funny. I never had any problem with my 20D. It was a few (relativly) people squawking really loud about losing a second in turning the camera off and on again.

[HJMinard]

I'd buy it again ... without hesitation. Zero problems ... no lockups and no banding. Fantastic camera!

[Reminisce]

Without a doubt. I had my concerns when I read about the 350, but im still so happy I got my 20D. Only thing I'd get instead of the 20D is a 1series camera. BUt thats so far out of my reach right now and the 20D is still arguably the best enthusiast level DSLR out there. So yeah I'd get it again in a blink of an eye

[Jack W.]

I bought one back in October, used it for a few weeks. Liked it so much I bought one for my gf for an early Christmas present.
So far, she's has just one err99, and I've also had only one err99. No banding problems with either camera.
I'd buy it again in a New York minute.

[aeroshots2003]

Bought around Xmas :
- no lock-ups
- no problems with BG-E2
- no signs of banding
- lots of regrets I didn't buy it earlier
- lots of features
- lots of fun
- lots of pictures
- ...

Need more reasons?

[Jon]

Given what Canon's released or announced as of now (including the DRXT/350D), yes.

[tpinchback]

Hell ya I would buy it again! Most of the sports shots are taken at ISO 1600 in the gallery below

http://www.pbase.com/carboncopy

[pfuller88]

Yes. Great camera. I evolved from the G1. I also have a powershot S410 which is geat for vacations (camera size).I shoot a lot of sports with my kids - hockey this time of year. The ISO 3200 is fantastic. It allows me to shoot rapid fire, without the flash and get great shots. With a little post shooting noise reducing software the pictures are outstanding.

Other positives I enjoy:
Histogram display and quick camera on feature.

I have yet to have a bad shot with this camera.

[drisley]

The only time banding shows up is if you shoot a high ISO, and underexpose the shot by more than 1-2 stops, and try to recoup it in software. This will happen with any camera,however the noise may be more random, where the noise on the 20D is more patterned.
Anybody who complains that this is a bug obviously doesn't know how to expose properly.

[Jon]

Just noticed the last line about moving from the D60 to the 20D. Yes, I got the 20D on top of my D60. It's decidedly more responsive, and between more AF sensor points and the joystick it's easier to manage where I'm focussed. But I'm keeping the D60 as a second body. They're similar enough that you won't have significant issues about moving back and forth between the two. The big problem is maintaining segregated memory cards so file numbering doesn't get thrown off.