Canon 1D MkI - Thoughts?

I've been offered first refusal on a 1D MkI. I'm wondering if it's still a good camera (bearing in mind I'm using a 20D which isn't exactly cutting edge). I'm quite interested in BIF photography and I don't know that my 20D's AF is entirely up to the job. Of course I'd be keeping the 20D as it's got the edge on resolution!

Is the 1D that much better for what I'm after (I know the crop factor is less, but besides that).

I don't have any EF-S lenses so I'm hoping my lenses will be fine.

I gather the 1D can print well up to A4 with no problems and I tend to print up to about 9 by 6" and don't print that much anyway.

Any thoughts?

If you have long enough glass, and you don't have to crop heavily, you should be fine. The 4MP files don't give you much cropping flexibility though. For a bit more, I'd say look for a 1DmkII.

adamo99 wrote in post #11937165
If you have long enough glass, and you don't have to crop heavily, you should be fine. The 4MP files don't give you much cropping flexibility though. For a bit more, I'd say look for a 1DmkII.

Should've mentioned the same guy is offering me Sigma 400mm f/5.6 HSM (which is reputed to be a good lens) for £150 so total spend is £450 which is just about as much as I can afford (selling my 10D and a crappy teleconverter).

My thinking is that it would be a decent upgrade AF-wise if the difference is that good. The body is in pretty good nick and has about 25k on the shutter.

Part of me wants to bite his hand off, another feels the resolution would be a bit of a downgrade - even though I don't crop very often I like the option to be there.

I did the same thing as you (getting a 1dMkI for better AF while owning a 20D) and I can say that the 1D is a capable camera. As long as you can deal with the small LCD (and no preview zoom), short battery life, poor high ISO noise, and small MP, you will be phenomenally impressed with the camera. The build quality, AF speed, shots per second, and general image quality (even though the files are small there is something special about this camera) are second to none (except for of course other 1-series cameras). It will easily print up to 11x17 with no worries, as long as you don't crop a lot. The only real danger is that you will eventually upgrade to a newer model of 1D, as I did when the MKIII came out.

Just make sure to get at least three batteries for it if you don't want to run out of juice/have to charge every night.

Here is a sample shot from my classic:

Billginthekeys wrote in post #11937230
I did the same thing as you (getting a 1dMkI for better AF while owning a 20D) and I can say that the 1D is a capable camera. As long as you can deal with the small LCD (and no preview zoom), short battery life, poor high ISO noise, and small MP, you will be phenomenally impressed with the camera. The build quality, AF speed, shots per second, and general image quality (even though the files are small there is something special about this camera) are second to none (except for of course other 1-series cameras). It will easily print up to 11x17 with no worries, as long as you don't crop a lot. The only real danger is that you will eventually upgrade to a newer model of 1D, as I did when the MKIII came out.

Just make sure to get at least three batteries for it if you don't want to run out of juice/have to charge every night.

Here is a sample shot from my classic:

I thought the LCD was the same size as the 20D's, which I've no problem with. I'm not guilty of cropping, though the option is nice to have!

I'm just about sold on this one as it seems to be quite the bargain, but there's no danger of me upgrading to another one for some time to come! Camera funds will be low for some time to come sadly!

The LCD SUCKS on the 1D classic. I would advise you to look through this thread:
https://photography-on-the.net …ead.php?t=45327​4&page=395

I recently purchased mine just over a week ago and I LOVE IT. I own a 50D and the 1D classic and more often times than not lately, I've bee reaching for the 1D. Though its "only" a 4.15mp camera, the images that can be taken from this body are phenomenal. And I don't understand why people are always b*tching and moaning about the noise issues with the 1D classic. You can still get workable images at IS640 with the 1D classic not to mention, that the noise that the 1D makes is COMPLETELY different than what you think noise is right now.

Due to the CCD sensor, instead of the CMOS, the 1D classic noise is much more like film noise, not the annoying digital noise of red and blue dots etc. I actually really like the noise on certain images made by the 1Dc.

I would say go for it, because after you purchase it, that 20D will be staying in its bag more than the 1D will.

Had one, upgraded to 1DMKII and was happy with that. Even though I got my classic for $20, and my MkII for about $600. The CCD makes for some nice colors, but that's just about it.

geeky wrote in post #11937403
The LCD SUCKS on the 1D classic. I would advise you to look through this thread:
https://photography-on-the.net …ead.php?t=45327​4&page=395

I recently purchased mine just over a week ago and I LOVE IT. I own a 50D and the 1D classic and more often times than not lately, I've bee reaching for the 1D. Though its "only" a 4.15mp camera, the images that can be taken from this body are phenomenal. And I don't understand why people are always b*tching and moaning about the noise issues with the 1D classic. You can still get workable images at IS640 with the 1D classic not to mention, that the noise that the 1D makes is COMPLETELY different than what you think noise is right now.

Due to the CCD sensor, instead of the CMOS, the 1D classic noise is much more like film noise, not the annoying digital noise of red and blue dots etc. I actually really like the noise on certain images made by the 1Dc.

I would say go for it, because after you purchase it, that 20D will be staying in its bag more than the 1D will.

SOLD! I don't really look at the LCD, but if some nosey so and so wants to see some of my photos when I'm snapping (doesn't happen often as I'm a fairly unapproachable type!) I'll use it then. If I do use it myself, it's really just to check the framing.

I'm with you having skimmed through a few pages on the thread some of the noisier images have some really attractive noise.