1DS MkI owners unite!

I paid about a 1000.00 on mine but it does have about 40,000 clicks on it . I would rather have paid what you did and got one with only 800 clicks on it ,So that is a very good deal
you got there and these are really good cameras.The best thing you can do is go out and take some pictures with it.

Casey,
With an actuation count that low, you can essentially say you got a brand new camera. What other camera, in that class, could you have got for that amount of money ? None...methinks. You did good....remind yourself that camera sold new for $7999.
And you ain't gonna belives the files that will be coming out of it with the 17-40. It's an awesome combo. Here's a few from my 1DS...some with the 17-40, a few with the 400

http://www.wacaser.com​/2009/zoo_art_lawn/

george m w wrote in post #8401336
Casey,
With an actuation count that low, you can essentially say you got a brand new camera. What other camera, in that class, could you have got for that amount of money ? None...methinks. You did good....remind yourself that camera sold new for $7999.
And you ain't gonna belives the files that will be coming out of it with the 17-40. It's an awesome combo. Here's a few from my 1DS...some with the 17-40, a few with the 400

http://www.wacaser.com​/2009/zoo_art_lawn/

Your pics have soothed my worrying. The only thing making me have second thoughts about having this camera and lens is that they took a huge chunk out of my bank account. I'm only 18 and have barely gotten anything saved. I wanted super wide photos and that's what led me to get the 17-40; then I realized it would do me no good without a full frame. I then began to think about night photos without a pop up flash. Surely I could buy an external, but it would certainly add to the bulk. Being an amateur and all, maybe I should opt out and rethink this 1ds and go for a used 50d. What are your thoughts?

It is an investment and if you have a job you will recover what you have spent and also how likely are you to get such a deal again. And in the mean time go out and use the camera and then think more about it. I'm 54 and am also unemployed and I was worried and thought the same as you ,But now I'm very glad that I did buy it.

Casey Singleton wrote in post #8401547
I'm only 18 and have barely gotten anything saved. I wanted super wide photos and that's what led me to get the 17-40; then I realized it would do me no good without a full frame. I then began to think about night photos without a pop up flash. Surely I could buy an external, but it would certainly add to the bulk. Being an amateur and all, maybe I should opt out and rethink this 1ds and go for a used 50d. What are your thoughts?

Those are sensible considerations, and on a number of occasions I did think the same and hence nearly downgraded from the 1Ds. Fortunately I didn't, because it would have been a regrettable decision.

If you want to go wide on a budget, try going instead for a used 40D, Sigma 10-20mm and add a used 420EX or 550EX. For the price of the 1Ds and 17-40, you could probably buy yourself the 40D setup and still have healthy amounts leftover for additional memory, batteries, filters, a bag etc.

I bought a 1Ds in as new condition with 7500 actuation on the shutter for less than $1500 which I consider is a great deal. The IQ is superb and although not the fastest camera on the block to work with this reduction in speed gives me time to think and get the exposure right which you really need to do to get the best from the camera. I love it with my USM 28-70 f2.8L a brilliant combination. I'm smiling all the way to the bank.

Casey,
Obviously, from a financial standpoint, only you can decide whether it's a viable option to go for the 1DS. I was in your shoes many, many years ago ! And I can remember spending money on things like cameras and motorcycles and having that feeling of "should I really being buying this?" For me, it came down to the fact that if it was really my passion ( both bikes and cameras were...and remain so to this day... I'm 57 ) then I was willing to eat peanut butter sandwiches for lunch everyday in order to justify the money on the toys.
What I can tell you is that once you have used the one series camera, it's very hard to go back. Make no mistake, you can create excellent images with a Rebel or a xxD....but once you've shot with a one series, you will likely find you just don't want to pick up the other cameras. The only exception to that is if the weight bothers you. For me, the weight is a non issue....so after I bought the 1DS and the 1D2, I sold off my 50D and the two 20D's.
Overall, I'd say if you are blowing your entire budget on a body, and if it's likely that you will not have any money to budget for other things you would need for a long time, then it may be worth reconsidering.

george m w and fusionphoto nice to know I'm not the only old photographer around here.

....yeah, I'm sure some of the youngsters will get a chuckle out of the fact that for me, it was Christmas 1962....I got a camera, and a "Kodak darkroom kit". That started me on a quest to try to learn this craft. Still trying..... !

Back then for me it was pencil and paper no blank paper was safe from me as my teacher would tell me so by 1987 I had found something that was almost as good a Canon AE-1that was when the journey started for meand what a journey it has been

And we need to make this thread grow . I check some of the other threads and most are over a hundred pages
and this is to good a camera not to show that.

I think the 1DS is going to be one of those cameras that fades into obscurity. Not because of any shortcoming of the camera, but because I have a feeling they did not sell many of them. The price when new ( US$8K ) was so staggering, that it placed it squarely in the marketplace where the working pros reside. And of course, pros generally only buy something when there is a real business need for it. At the time, I think a lot of them already had 1D classics.....so many did not buy up to the "S". By the time the 1DS Mk2 was out, a lot had bought 1DMk2 bodies....which is a substantially faster working body.....so again....I doubt they sold a lot of the FF Mk2's either.
But back to our beloved 1DS....I think it ended up being something of a 'bridge' camera....it is a machine of compromises: somewhat slow to use, but if you can wait, awesome file quality. Often times, a pro cannot wait....they want it all: speed, and quality. Which of course, they got with the Mk3 and the Mk3S....all at a lower buy in price. So that leaves the 1DS for folks like us to pick up at real bargain prices. I love using this camera.....I'm thrilled with the files out of it, and in it's element, it's just outstanding. As long as it works....and/or as long as I can 'get it fixed within a reasonable budget', I will keep it. Heck....I even love the sound of it when the shutter trips !

I can understand that I always thought the 1Ds Mark II was the only full size pro 1D until I got this camera and realized that I had them mixed up.:o

kohr2000 wrote in post #8403637
george m w and fusionphoto nice to know I'm not the only old photographer around here.

I am just under George

Im thinking that i probably should have gone for a used 5d. It seems like the better one to have for what I want to do. After paying $1600 for it do you have any idea how much I could still sell it for? Anybody know of any trusted ways to sell expensive things like this other than paypal?