1D classic vs 20D. Common thread but I'm stuck

I am going to be looking into getting my first DSLR here in a couple of months and seeing as how I already have a canon eos film camera I'm going to stay with this camp. I am debating on getting either a used canon 20D off keh completely body only, no accessories, no nothing for $500 or searching on ebay for one that I won't be gaurenteed to win. My other option is to look on ebay for a used canon 1D classic.

Dilemma- I know I will be shooting rollerblading when out with my friends. The 1D classic has 8fps burst shutter while the 20D has 5fps. 5fps I think will do just fine for me but if I could get 8fps it wouldn't hurt me either, hah. I will also be shooting local small venue concerts that I go to. I hear that the 1D classic is pretty noisy after 800iso. Along with this I am going to be taking a basic digital photography class as an elective at the college i attend now so I need a camera for that as well.

Basically I want a camera that I can use for shooting my friends skating, concert photography when I get to shows, to use for class, to use on trips, when with friends/candid photos.

Thanks for the help in advance guys. You've never gave me bad feedback yet. Can't wait for the response.

-Colin

Pretty much an all around camera but I will be pushing the camera to it's limits in low light with ISO and I will be pushing the frame rate with the rollerblading.

For your purposes, I'd be more inclined to pick a 20D. It's a more well-rounded camera that would suit most purposes. It's true that 5FPS is plenty and 8FPS could be an overkill. Both are great cameras and I chose a 1D Classic over a 20D in the past.

This was because I wanted the build quality and the AF. But because of the higher noise levels at higher ISOs, I am worried that the results may not be acceptable to you when shooting concerts. That said, the grain pattern of the 1D images is actually quite pleasing, and in monochrome the 'feel' is tremendous.

If you like to crop, want to shoot JPEGs and don't like noise, the 20D may be a better bet. But if you've got your composition just right most of the time (and thus never need to crop images), don't mind the noise, are willing to shoot RAW all the time, and don't mind the weight...the 1D is indeed a great camera.

With regards to printing big, it's hard to give any advise because I've hardly ever done this. But there's a good number of 1D users who will tell you that the results with big prints are excellent in spite of the 4MP resolution. The 1D produced the most aggressive images I have ever seen. Crystal-clear detail even with consumer lenses, but at the expense of moire.

Best thing I can recommend is to hunt down high ISO samples from the 1D to see if it's to your liking. The 1D is also not very hot when it comes to doing long exposures. Have a read through the reviews at DPReview.

This is an example of a photo I shot in RAW, intentionally underexposed by 1 stop, and pushed up to 'correct' exposure during processing. Grainy? Yes. But pleasing? In my opinion, that's also a 'yes'.

if you were shooting mostly sports I'd say the 1D in a slam
dunk but given that you have some other applications it seems
like you almost need a "walkaround" type camera and I'm thinking
for now the 20D might suit you a little better, (lighter, slightly better
ISO, still reasonable FPS...)

Also, you really should check the classifieds here or on FM, rather
than a trade in that's been god know's where. you probably could find
a dead mint 20D with all the accessories for about what you're looking to pay...

Let me just add that you don't really get 8fps unless you set everything to manual without AF. Most likely you'll be in continuous AF mode, and thus get less than the 8fps. Let's just say that with all the aid you'll be using, bursting out 5 shots per second using single shot mode is realistic.