Any thoughts on Canon EOS?

Having had traditional cameras (Nikon F3, Leica TM and M, among others) for decades, I recently bought my first Canon EOS (EOS5). Does anyone have any throughts on EOS, particularly which is the best model, and how durable they are? My first impression is that the EOS5 has every function I coiuld possibly want, accessing them is completely non- or even counter-intuitive (for example, to turn off the DX coding reading or use mirror lock-up, you need to wade through a custom function menu).

I note the instruction book gives dire warnings that the EOS5 (which I think was the #2 model after the EOS1 when it was current, like Nikon F100 versus F5) is not waterproof - is the EOS1 gasketed? Certainly, an EOS5 today is a lot of camera for £50 or so in Exc++ condition!

nemo999, Surprised you have not had any reply to your query. I bought the EOS5(used) about 8 years ago, and still use it. It produces some very good results, especially with slide film. One weak point with the camera is the control/command dial. Be sure to press down the button when switching the camera on. There is an article in this week's Amateur Photographer (UK) relating to this problem and repair, if the fault occurs. Parts are no longer available, but the article quotes a website showing how to repair it. Or download it and pass it to a camera repair man for it to be done. Apparently all that held the comman dial in place were 2 plastic bolts. If they snap, then a repair man can replace them with two metal screws of the appropriate dimension. I have been toying with the idea of buying another EOS5 as they are so cheap at the moment.

I was a camera technicaian at Canon during the 90's when these cameras were new, so have had lots of experience with pretty much all of the EOS film range. My own choice in camera is a EOS 1, as they were built for professionals, and are a joy to use. The EOS 3 is not far behind in terms of build quality or ease of use....

Operationally speaking the EOS 100 was also a joy to use, and the EOS50 was also a good camera.. It really depends on whether you think a camera needs to be made of metal, or if a plastic body is ok - the results will be the same in both cases..

Put simply any of the EOS series which had a mode dial on the back door are easier to use if you are using manual exposure..

Yes - the EOS 5 had a problem with the Mode dial - if you didn't press on the release button in the middle of the dial before rotating you would break the plastic welding on the dial lugs. The factory replacement was to weld a new dial in place. As described above you can sue a couple of screws to fix the dial.

Personally? I shoot mostly aperture priority, and just got a near mint EOS 630. I'd forgotten how nice they are to use

I have an EOS 3, but use my Spotmatic 99% of the time. If I want auto everything, I pull out the digital SLR. Plus old manual focus lenses generally cost a fraction of good EOS glass.

I've had an EOS 5 since about 1998, it was my main camera for years. i did need to get that top dial replaced at one point. I think the EOS cameras are great, very well designed and easy to understand so you can just get out there and take photos.

I've liked my eos-1 until yesterday when I pulled some negs out of the drum to find that the shutter has been locking up. Hopefully it's just this one roll, not the remaining 6 I've yet to process.

I have a EOS1v HS (and a couple of EOS 300 which I never use);
hard to think of a more nice and reliable analog 35 mm camera, save Leica M (and my old Minolta SR-1!)
Good luck with your EOS!
/Bertil

Holy cow, zombie thread!

I'm curious to know, after 3-1/2 years, what nemo999 thinks of his EOS 5...

AndrewK, Thanks for you input. I realised that the button on the comman dial had to be pressed to allow the EOS 5 to be switched on. Now, when I used the camera, even after switch on, I always press the button when switching between modes. It eliminates the slight click, and possibly preventing the plastic bolts from snapping. Previous items I have seen re the EOS 5 was that it was used daily by professionals, and many never suffered the problem with the command dial.

But to enlighten anyone, re my post on 13th June, 2012, the website giving details of the repair is as follows:
www.eosdoc.com/manuals/?q=5DialFix

I have visited the site and there are numerous posts from different people who have been able to repair their EOS 5 in the space of 2-3 hours. There are plenty hand hints re types of screw to use, etc. Very enlightening stories - one man was in the Antarctic, and the next ship was not due for 9 months. After finding these details he was able to repair his 5.

The repair is also similar for 2-3 other EOS cameras, the 100, I think, was one of them. Best of luck. Don't let our old film cameras die.

I have a EOS 300, 300V and 1V and I also owned in the past a 30E (Elan7 in the US) and 3. The 1V is a wonderful camera and it looks like it is built to last a long time. My 300 is 10 years old now and while it is not the most ergonomic camera in the world it is so light it is almost like a toy. With a 35 or 50 on it it is just great as a P&S. The 30E was a nice camera feature wise and it was amazingly quiet, much more quiet than lots of mechanical cameras. The 3 was like the 1V in 99% of the things, the main differences that set the 1V apart are the slightly bigger viewfinder and that fact that the 3 is probably the loudest camera I have ever used. The sound was nice but just too loud.

Overall I like the system and the lenses are very good too. The 1V is a great camera, not as nice as my OM-1 to use but when I need AF and specialty lenses (long, stabilised, fast AF) you just can't beat it.

EOS 1N's are cheap (100 euros in continental Europe) and plentiful. Can't go wrong with that one.

Opinions here will be as varied as the weather. The EOS 5 is very troublesome with that flimsy control dial on the top that is prone to stripping. Also, the lens release button is not a durable piece of the body: mine was replaced twice in an 8 year period, the dial on top twice again). The EOS 5 again is nowhere near weather resistant as the 1N or 1V and many cases of failed display drivers giving up in very humid/wet conditions have been reported over time, including with mine. I cannot speak highly enough of the almost legendary durability of the EOS1N, which I first brought into service in 1994. It has outlived and outperformed an EOS 3 (not a particular favourite), EOS 5 (worked brilliantly until fatigue of dial and lens release set in, then broken cover latch) and EOS 50e. Much can be said of the 1V but my personal taste angles toward more basic cameras; I use the 1N in CWA, single drive and manual focus (with TS-E 24mm). Of course, used models are now getting quite old and might have been thrashed by working professionals, but may still offer good useable value — up to a point. The 1N, like the 1V, has a benchtop computer interface that plugs into the flash shoe (1N) and interrogates the system for number of exposures, rolls, shutter cycles, reset triggers, error states, etc., etc. (it's a long list).

I contributed to the Malaysian portal for historical reference on the EOS series. Have a look: http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/eos/

my vote lies in the 1v. after shooting exclusively digital for the last five or so years, i'm giving it up for awhile and starting to shoot film exclusively. i think the 1v gives the best compromise of bild quality, speed, and functionality out of all the eos film cameras, bar none. if cost is an option though, you can't go wrong with an old 650/620/630 which are solid cameras that can be had for around $30USD. 1ns are a great choice as well, but sorta to plasticky for my tastes. Sta away from film Rebels and the original EOS 1s.