30d, 1ds mark1, or 1dmark2n

I am interested in getting a 1d series camera but dunno if its worth the money spending on. I was looking at the 1ds classic and 1dmark2n. And had a hard time deciding what camera to buy for doing, fashion, model, portrait, and event work.

I have looked at the 5d but would rather try getting a 1d series.

suggestions/comments anyone?

depends on a bunch of things really, IMO: your skill set, how keen you are on learning, what you are shooting for, and what kind of lenses you want to buy. A 500$ lens might look good on a 30D but on a 1ds its going to look like crap. Obviously a 1D body is going to have a steeper learning curve AND cost more than a 30D so if youre shooting for mere pleasure and dont feel like going neck deep for now, a 30D might be the best option. BUT if you are shooting fasion, portraits, and event work for magazines, want to invest a bunch in glass and are commited Id say a 1D body would be awesome. A Mark II N might be over kill because of its frame rate and cropped sensor, but the images you would get from that and a good peice of glass will still be amazing. A 1ds will give you the best resolution, but you sacrifice speed. hope this helps.

The best thing to ask yourself is what is wrong with your 30D? If one of the 1D series cameras meet those needs, then go for it. As far as which one, I would go with a mkII.

I am freelancing it right now. Taking photos for people at my college.

I have a 70-200 f/2.8 and plan on buying a 24-70mm f/2.8

Outside of cost for the 1ds, what are the pros/cons of it because I have searched and nothing really has come up besides the speed issue.

I am going to keep my 30d for sport events but plan on trying to do more fashion,portrait, and event work more than anything.

go here to read the review/info

http://www.the-digital-picture.com …l-SLR-Camera-Reviews.aspx

im talking about the 1ds mark1 classic though...

azneric3 wrote in post #4261727
im talking about the 1ds mark1 classic though...

do to dpreview.com and search on Canon and they will have a compare table for you.

hmm alright now after looking at dpreview.com I need some opinions.

1ds mark1 original or 1dmark2n?

The real advantage of going with a pro 1D body is the construction, weather seal, and advanced AF. If I were you, and I'm almost in the same boat as you, I would look at investing in a 5D. They may not be the same as a 1D body, but it's FF and fairly cheap now days. A mkIIN wouldn't be an ideal choice since they are made for sports photography than anything. FF will help with lower noise and give you a wider perspective when shooting.

I do fashion and portrait work with just the 30D and I've been pretty happy with it as is. It's not about the camera, but the person behind the camera. 8MP is good enough to do high res A4 paper, or you can blow it up to a poster size using fractals with very little degradation. I'm waiting for the next body to replace the aging 5D and I'll upgrade to that before I make the jump to a pro body.

In all honestly, I would invest money into studio equipment first, specially if you want to do fashion, portrait work. That stuff ain't cheap. I've already put about 5k in just lighting equipment alone and plan on buying another $1000 this week in two more lights. When you get into flash photography, you open up a whole new door of where you money will disappear faster than you can say "sexy models".

Also, bodies will come and go, but glass will last. Remember that.

If it's the 1Ds Classic that you are referring to, then I would assume that amongst these choices, the 30D is the cheapest option, the 1DMK2N the most expensive, and the 1Ds is midway. I've never used the 1DMK2N, but have used the other two...the 30D for a casual wedding shoot and the 1Ds currently as my only camera body.

The 30D is plenty for a lot of people and some paid wedding photographers do use this camera. This, and the 1DMK2N have generally very low noise levels at all ISOs and are hence suited to low-light work if you're not using a flash. I've read elsewhere that the 1Ds is a 'strobist' camera. That is, if you're into studio work with controlled lighting, don't need super-fast write times and frame rates, or shoot with a flash (which would limit how fast you can shoot the next shot), then the 1Ds is a great camera.

Without flash and in low light conditions, you'll need to be extra careful with the 1Ds to avoid underexposure, otherwise noise may be an issue. However to be frank, unless you're extremely intolerant of noise, this camera actually does produce results that are more than acceptable. Noise and speed would be the main 'cons' of the 1Ds. Resolution is it's key strength...having great resolution, excellent 100% viewfinder, great build and AF in a single body and relatively cheap, makes a tempting package.

In terms of resolution, I wouldn't be surprised (and may even take a leap to say this) that the 1Ds is leaps and bounds above the other two cameras. If you look at the comparison images in DPReview's 1DMK2 review, you'll see the amazing difference between the 1D2 and the 1Ds. The 1D2 images would in turn mirror the results that you're likely to get from a 30D or 1DMK2N. I still take the same artistically-terrible pictures that I was making about 5 years ago, but whenever people see my 1Ds images, their comment is invariably, 'Wow, the images are so clear!'

In the end, it's hard to answer the question for you. All the extra resolution of the 1Ds comes to moot if you're only going to be doing small prints. In terms of ease of use, the 30D would probably come out tops. The 1DMK2N is the 'best balance' between performance, build and IQ. The 1Ds is...well, tops for image quality. So it really depends on where your priorities are. Personally I do plenty of landscapes and need needle-sharp detail, and don't need speed, but rather, do things methodically. If this is the route you also take, the 1Ds would be an excellent camera. I think it is in fact, a tremendously underrated machine.

To the majority of people, the 5D has pretty much eclipsed the 1Ds. I think you should look into the 5D as well...if only to confuse yourself further.

If you're strapped for cash, get a 30D and go for glass and lighting equipment. Heck, even I have considered on a few occasions to downgrade to a 30D. If your lens setup is in serious need for a change, then sometimes the camera body has to give. However bear in mind that the lens choices for each camera body will be different. A 24-70mm would be excellent on a 1Ds, very usable still on a 1DMK2N, but on a 30D the focal length range may not be so hot.

EDIT: And before I forget, I shoot exclusively RAW with the 1Ds, which gives me much scope for adjustment on computer at a later stage, plus it maximizes the results I can get. This is not something for everyone, so you may want to factor this into the decision as well. Somehow, I don't trust JPEGs anymore ever since I've tried shooting RAW.

^very good advice. I also shoot in Raw & jpeg mode, but pretty much always process in raw only.

I do also ask the OP what equipment you have now in terms of bodies, lens, and accessories. I wouldn't choose the original 1D classic as that's also focused on sports. They are also eat batteries and have higher amounts of grain at and above ISO 400. Don't get me wrong, very good camera, even for it's age, but you would have to choose between that and a new 40D for the same price.

Also, what's you're real motivation for getting a new body? What is your experience level with fashion and portraits? Working with studio equipment? understanding flash and lighting properties?

Nothing you shoot needs a 1 series......at least the stuff you mentioned. I'd stick with a light weight body. 5D maybe.

Personally I don't think it depends on anything ...

The 1D MarkIIn is simply the better all around camera in every case of the three you mention.

1Ds is a great camera but was always a specific niche market.
Now that the price is low on used models we mortals can think about ownership, but it's advantages only outweigh it's disadvantages (as compared to the Mk2n) for a select few, (still that niche) ie Full frame and more photosites. For everything else it takes a back seat.

And for anyone that crops or uses telephoto primarily, the 1Ds MP advantage may quickly be moot, the MkIIn is offering higher pixel density than the 1Ds.

Few people need a 1D, you just have to decide if it's right for you.

If you need ISO greater than 1250, then the 1Ds is *not* for you. The 1D2 will provide good ISO 1600 and 3200 performance. The 5D will provide excellent ISO 1600/3200 performance. Since you plan to keep the 30D, why not a straight swap for a 1D and also buy a used 5D for around $2000? It'll cost you the same amount you plan to spend!

That's what I did!