1D now, 1DmkII (sell more gear), or 1DmkIIn in Feb(bonus time)

Ok, here's what I am faced with. Next year, I've got some contracts with local youth sports teams to do photography. Mostly it will be the standard group stuff which my 5D can handle just fine. But I'll also be given some action work as well. I could really use a fast shutter than the 30D offers, and the better AF system as well. Now... I have the money NOW to buy a 1D, and if I sell a few lenses which I don't use now anyway, and maybe my 20D I can get the 1DmkII. BUT.. I can wait until Feb when I'll be getting a nice little bonus from my 9to5'er where I can get the 1DmkIIn OR maybe even the mkIII. I know that the newer the camera... the better. But I'm thinking if I get the 1D classic now, I can use all that extra money to buy more glass. Maybe a 400mm lens. thoughts?

If you can swing a 1D MK II or MK IIN it would be well worth it. If you got some left over cash, I'd go for a nice telephoto prime. What's your price range/budget for a telephoto lens?

1D and lenses but 1D MkII if you want to spend what you get..

Have you considered the 40D? Improved focus system (it's pretty darn good I must say), 6.5fps, the 1.6x FOV for the extra reach.

You can then add in the extra lenses that you might want.

It's a little more swapping around, but get the 1D now and get used to it. You would lose little in a sale and either move up to MkII or get lenses after you assess it for whatever effort you have coming up, rather than get a new camera body to learn just before a contracted effort.

Stew

cy88 wrote in post #4294340
Have you considered the 40D? Improved focus system (it's pretty darn good I must say), 6.5fps, the 1.6x FOV for the extra reach.

You can then add in the extra lenses that you might want.

no... I had not considered the 40D. Despite it's improved AF system... I think it's not even close to the 1 series and that is what I want. I'm leaning toward the mkII or mkIIn honestly.

John, was the 3rd option in your poll meant to be Mark IIn, or Mark III? The subject says Mark IIn, but the poll says Mark III, so I'm not sure what you really meant

I'd wait and get the Mark IIn or Mark III in all honesty. The Mark IIn doesn't have much over the original Mark II, but the larger LCD screen, enhancements to the dual memory card arrangement, slight improvements in buffer, and more reliable AF do it for me. The Mark II had issues with AF, with many sports photographers noticing a definite worsening in AF performance when compared to the original 1D. I suspect that that's why Canon really introduced the Mark IIn

If you're going the Mark III, I'd really wait and see if the current AF issues with the unit are sorted, before committing. Canon has not been forthcoming with the Mark III issues, and this really makes me nervous about recommending, or buying said unit in all honesty. Caveat Emptor.

The 40D is another contendor, but it's not a 1 series camera, despite the growing number of users who seem to think it's better than a 1 series camera, which is baloney imho.

Dave

dpastern wrote in post #4294401
John, was the 3rd option in your poll meant to be Mark IIn, or Mark III? The subject says Mark IIn, but the poll says Mark III, so I'm not sure what you really meant

I'd wait and get the Mark IIn or Mark III in all honesty. The Mark IIn doesn't have much over the original Mark II, but the larger LCD screen, enhancements to the dual memory card arrangement, slight improvements in buffer, and more reliable AF do it for me. The Mark II had issues with AF, with many sports photographers noticing a definite worsening in AF performance when compared to the original 1D. I suspect that that's why Canon really introduced the Mark IIn

If you're going the Mark III, I'd really wait and see if the current AF issues with the unit are sorted, before committing. Canon has not been forthcoming with the Mark III issues, and this really makes me nervous about recommending, or buying said unit in all honesty. Caveat Emptor.

The 40D is another contendor, but it's not a 1 series camera, despite the growing number of users who seem to think it's better than a 1 series camera, which is baloney imho.

Dave

Hi Dave,

Yeah the mkIII was sort of an afterthought toward the end of the post, so I just used it in the poll instead of the mkIIn. I think I'm going to get the mkIIn I just have to sell a few more things. I've got about $1,800 now after selling my Mamiya camera. I have a few lenses I can sell and a 20D if need be. I wish the money was a endless supply so I could just buy what I want and not worry about it.

Don't worry John, I'm the same. My parents lent me AU $4500 to get a 2nd hand Mark IIn and 50mm f1.4. I still need to sell my original 1D and D60, although the current prices I'm seeing are insults. You'll love the Mark IIn, it's a fantastic camera.

By all accounts, the AF on the Mark III is better (when it's working), and the metering is also slightly better. Then there's the 14 bit images and highlight priority tone, both of which make the Mark III mouthwatering. The Mark III is overal, a better camera, but with the AF issue, I'm nervous. Maybe by February, the AF issue is reliably sorted, and you can afford a Mark III for the improvements that it offers over the Mark IIn, which is a fine camera on its own accord

Dave

How much would you use the 400?

I voted for the MarkIII. You already have a 5D and can sell the 20D/30D. I would forgo the 400mm unless you had a pressing need.

5D + Mark III is what I would love to have so it is a biased opinion!

For kids sports, the 5FPS is plenty. Really. Kids don't play very fast or well.

flickserve wrote in post #4294439
How much would you use the 400?

I voted for the MarkIII. You already have a 5D and can sell the 20D/30D. I would forgo the 400mm unless you had a pressing need.

5D + Mark III is what I would love to have so it is a biased opinion!

I'd use the 400mm a heck of a lot more than I use my 20D...lol

Seriously though... the whole purpose of this is to gear up for sports which will include soccer, baseball, and softball. I'll also be doing cheerleading as well... but no big deal there. I can do cheerleading with my current lineup.

The 400mm would be GREAT for soccer and baseball as I'm using my 70-200 with 2x TC now on a 30D. I used it on my 5D one day, and the photos were of better quality of course, but I just missed the faster shutter and honestly could use even more speed, hence the desire for a 1 series.

The 1DmkIII and the the 1DsMkIII would be my dream combo... of course...lol.

I think an important thing to know is... when do your league contracts
start kicking in?

If it's the spring, I think you should try getting a nice deal on
a MK1 ($800-ish) learning it over the winter, and then upgrading
in the spring, where you should be able to find some really nice
prices on the MKII and IIN.