1D vs 10D, which to buy?

[droosan]

By August 1st, 2003 I will have to have in my hands a Canon DSLR. The 10D's focal length factor means that with it, I would have to purchase something wider than my 24/2.8 lens - like the 17-40/4.0. This means that the 1D and the 10D(+17-40/4.0) end up being about the same price. Which would you purchase?

I have long experience with Canon SLRs but not digital.

I have several questions for anyone who has dealt with the D30/60 line and the EOS-1D.

1) USB vs Firewire: Download speed is important to me, but someone said that firewire doesn't make a big difference because the speed of the picture download is limited by the CF card, which is slow. Is this true?

2) Battery Life: The 10D should use less juice (CCD/CMOS, camera on chip). How significant is this? Is the battery life a pain for the 1D?

3) Build, Camera Life: I would assume the 1D will last forever and the 10D maybe not. Is this a poor assumption?

4) Control Layout: I much prefer the controls and viewfinder info of my EOS-3(1D-ish) to my Elan 7(10D-ish).

5) Design History: The 10D is 3rd generation in the D30/D60/10D line while the 1D is first generation. 10D has had better opportunity to fix design kinks.

6) Production History: The 10D will be at the beginning of its production run, while the 1D has had well over a year to work out production kinks.

7) Focusing speed and shutter response: The word is that the 10D is significantly better than the D60. The question is, is it as quick as the 1D? This is important, a lot of my photography is sports.

8) Resolution: 6MP vs 4MP: I don't see this as a big deal. Mostly my target is the web.

9) Focal Length Factor: 1.6 vs 1.3. Important to me. I wish for full frame...

In my best guess
1D wins on:
1) USB vs Firewire
3) Build, Camera Life
4) Control Layout
6) Production History
7) Focusing speed and shutter response
9) Focal Length Factor

10D wins on:
2) Battery Life
5) Design History
8) Resolution

Hence I am leaning toward the 1D.

However, I have used neither camera, so please, please, tell me if I am wrong, if I have forgotten something, or if any of these factors are more or less important than I have suggested. Thanks.

My fantasy, of course is that Canon will announce an EOS-3D tomorrow at less than $3500 and then the decision is over. I love my EOS-3. However they have to announce it soon because I have to have it in hand August 1st. There has been a consistent several-month lag time between announcement and actual shipping arrival of Canon's DSLRs.

Unfortunately the 1Ds is well out of my budget.

Thanks
Drew

[Denise]

Hi Drew,
As very few people have actually handled a 10D yet, some questions will be very difficult to answer. As a former D60 but current 1D user I will be purchasing a 10D as a back up camera.
Speaking as a 1D user I can confirm that battery life is excellent. I can usually fill at least 3 X 1GB microdrives before any low battery warning appears.
Images from the 1D are excellent but not as saturated as they are from the D60.
I bought the 1D because of the 8fps. Currently, no other DSLR has bettered this and the 10D is no exception.
Ultimately, it depends on the subjects your photograph and your best option would be to wait until forum members have been able to give their opinions on the 10D, which hopefully will be soon.

[droosan]

Denise wrote:
...As a former D60 but current 1D user...


You are exactly whom I am looking for.

Thanks for your response.

How does camera to computer download speed compare between the D60 and the 1D?

With Denise's input the score now looks like:
1D wins on:
1) USB vs Firewire
3) Build, Camera Life
4) Control Layout
6) Production History
7) Focusing speed and shutter response
9) Focal Length Factor

10D wins on:
2) Battery Life (maybe, but not a problem for the 1D)
5) Design History
8) Resolution
10) Saturation

[BobbyC]

I use a CF disk drive instead of downloading from the camera and just copy the files using explore, it's plenty fast and I don't have to tie the camera up to copy files. I'm only saying that this does not have to be a big issue.

IMHO the camera that does what you need the most is the best choice. The 1D is best for sports and fast action yet the 10D will probably be a better studio/portrait/still camera. Although, I use the D30 for auto racing and it works great.

Just food for thought.

Cheers,
Bobby