Canon EOS 3

[miha]

I presume you have evidence of the EOS 3 you are getting has been checked and/or serviced?

It has been checked. I have been buying all my S/H photo equipment from this single source with great satisfaction.

 

[Joel_L]

My EOS-3 has the same underexposure problem as well. How did you get that fixed. Can you do it yourself or do you have to have the camera serviced?

Sadly I think you are sunk. I have 2 EOS-3s, I thought one was having a problem. When I called around, seemed no one can really fix much on these, maybe replace a shutter. A couple said they could but when I really dug in with them, the answer was they really can't fix anything that needs programming through the hot shoe.

When I did get mine done, it was done through Canon service, which they don't do anymore.

I think you will just be stuck setting an offset.

Also, I think the problem was limited to a handful of early cameras, mine just happened to be lucky.

 

[Taylor Nankervis]

It has been checked. I have been buying all my S/H photo equipment from this single source with great satisfaction.

I'm indeed heartened by this reassurance.
My lingering fear when people speak of acquiring a camera is that they end up buying off eBay and FaceAche marketplace — or whatever it is called — and just do not exercise due diligence and end up more or less with a brick!

Well looked after and exercised enthusiastically, an EOS 3 will last at least as long as my super trooper EOS 1N which outlived all the EOS cameras before it (including a very long serving, long suffering EOS 5!).

 

[gordrob]

Sadly I think you are sunk.

I thought that was what the answer would be. It hasn't had a lot of use and I hate to bin it so I will try and see if there is some kind of work around to adjust the exposure. Thanks Gord

 

[Joel_L]

I thought that was what the answer would be. It hasn't had a lot of use and I hate to bin it so I will try and see if there is some kind of work around to adjust the exposure. Thanks Gord

You can either set the exposure compensation plus what ever you really need, The drawback here is that you will likely max it out and not be able to offset it more if needed. The best solution is to just offset the ISO for each film you use, then the other camera functions will work as expected.

I think I recall the offset being consistent across the exposure range, so should work fine.

 

[miha]

My Canon EOS 3 arrived this morning. I really didn't know what to expect, having little experience with the EOS system. I dived in about 18 months ago with a beaten EOS 5D, then moved to the EOS 5D II and EOS 650 (along with the EOS 600, which I dropped soon after I got it, so the back door doesn’t close reliably anymore). Anyway, the EOS 3 feels like a beast, but a very refined beast. The haptics of the shutter button are unbelievable, only matched by the Leicaflex SL, which I highly praise in this regard. The viewfinder is brilliant. Although this camera is often regarded as being on the loud side, the shutter sound is pleasant to my ear. All the menus are super logical. NOw all I need to do is to calibrate the AF system to my eye. I wish I had known how good the EOS system was 30 years ago.

 

[Les Sarile]

I picked up my EOS3 in early 2000 because I needed a body to mount my newly acquired EF 2.8 16-35 L. In hundreds of rolls I shot with that system, I don't recall ever missing a focus.

EOS3 by Les DMess, on Flickr

BTW, using Energizer lithium batteries in the PBE2 makes it noticeably lighter, faster and can shoot a lot more rolls. I wonder how good these new Coast rechargeable lithiums are by comparison?
Using EOS3+PBE2 with Fujipress 800 . . .

Fuji Press 800 GEM2_1-8A by Les DMess, on Flickr

Putting a roll of film in it could not have been easier. I changed film types mid roll a lot and as long as I kept track of it, it reliably advanced to the next frame when I put the roll back without wasting a frame. However, that infrared frame counter would fog IR film. I set it up to rewind and leave a leader out.

 

[johnsb2]

A 3 has been my primary camera for the last 15 years, and it's preformed like a champ. Easily the best camera I've owned out of several EOS bodies.

 

[Film-Niko]

My Canon EOS 3 arrived this morning.

Congrats!

I really didn't know what to expect, having little experience with the EOS system. I dived in about 18 months ago with a beaten EOS 5D, then moved to the EOS 5D II

I think there is a very interesting and important fact concerning a "generation comparison" of the EOS 3 to the digital "successors" 5D and 5D II:
The EOS 3 was introduced in 1998 as a semi-professional addition to the EOS 1N (introduced in 1994).
It was the second most expensive Canon at that time.

When Canon later build up their DSLR line, their 1D and Ds models were the top prof. models (successors of the EOS 1V), and the 5D and later 5D II has been the semi-professional / premium enthusiast models, so successors of the EOS 3.
But Canon "crippled" the AF system in the 5D and 5D II massively compared to the former film body EOS 3. The AF of the EOS 3 is much much better than that of the later (and more expensive) 5D and 5D II.
Canon was accordingly heavily critisized by the their customers for that at that time.
Canon needed 14 years - introduction of the 5D III in 2022 - for a non-crippled, competive and improved AF system in that camera class.

Anyway, the EOS 3 feels like a beast, but a very refined beast. The haptics of the shutter button are unbelievable, only matched by the Leicaflex SL, which I highly praise in this regard. The viewfinder is brilliant. Although this camera is often regarded as being on the loud side, the shutter sound is pleasant to my ear. All the menus are super logical. NOw all I need to do is to calibrate the AF system to my eye. I wish I had known how good the EOS system was 30 years ago.

Maybe another very important advantage is interesting for you: There are a lot of outstanding first-class lenses from third-party manufacturers for the EF system. And they are all fully compatible (for Nikon users for example there are some limitations with certain lenses; but not so for the EF mount).

The Sigma Art lenses, the latest Tamron like the amazing 1.4/35 or the Tokina Opera 1.4/50, and the Zeiss Milvus lens line come to mind. And some of the Samyang and Irix lenses also offer excellent quality.
With the EF mount you can live in "lens heaven" if you want to.......

 

[miha]

Congrats!

Thanks.

But Canon "crippled" the AF system in the 5D and 5D II massively compared to the former film body EOS 3. The AF of the EOS 3 is much much better than that of the later (and more expensive) 5D and 5D II.

And it shows!

Maybe another very important advantage is interesting for you: There are a lot of outstanding first-class lenses from third-party manufacturers for the EF system.

I prefer Canon lenses, 100% compatibility on the long run. As we speak, I have 28-80L, 50 Compact-Macro, and 135L , all feature a metal filter thread which is one of the important criteria for me. If I win the lottery, I would add 50 f/1.0L to the lot.

 

[Film-Niko]

I prefer Canon lenses, 100% compatibility on the long run.

You will have 100% compatibility already now also with the existing third party lenses, as Canon has unfortunately meanwhile stopped the development of new (D)SLRs. The current line of DSLRs will be the latest and last.
No new ones will come, as sad as it is .

As we speak, I have 28-80L, 50 Compact-Macro, and 135L ,

May I add the recommendation for the Canon L 1.4/35 II and the 2/100 . Friends of mine are using them, loving them. I've seen the results: very good to excellent.

all feature a metal filter thread

Almost all lenses I've mentioned above from Sigma, Zeiss, Tamron etc. also have that.

which is one of the important criteria for me. If I win the lottery, I would add 50 f/1.0L to the lot.

That is a very special "beast": Not easy to master, can be frustrating in usage (focussing for f1.0), but if you train yourself and learn about the strengths and weaknesses, you can get wonderful results.
A friend of mine is using it exclusively for "maximum bokeh shots" in his portrait work. Amazing results, but with a lower hit-rate, keeper-rate. Recommended to make more shots to compensate for that.

 

[miha]

Almost all lenses I've mentioned above from Sigma, Zeiss, Tamron etc. also have that.

Are you sure? Sigma's is not metal, I doubt Tamron's is. Zeiss is not AF so of no interest to me.

That is a very special "beast": Not easy to master, can be frustrating in usage (focussing for f1.0), but if you train yourself and learn about the strengths and weaknesses, you can get wonderful results.
A friend of mine is using it exclusively for "maximum bokeh shots" in his portrait work. Amazing results, but with a lower hit-rate, keeper-rate. Recommended to make more shots to compensate for that.

I will worry about the keeper rate once I win the lottery

 

[Film-Niko]

Are you sure?

Well, I would not bet my house for it , but if I remember right, yes. I have not the 1.4/35 A here at hand at the moment, as my nephew has borrowed it. But if i remeber right the metal barrel leads up to the filter thread included.
And with my Zeiss lenses it is definitely all metal.

I will worry about the keeper rate once I win the lottery

Are they still so expensive on the used market? The lens was discontinued in 2000, if I remember it correctly. And now with all the marketing hype and craziness for the EVIL (electronic viewfinder interchangeable lens) / DSLM cameras I would have thought prices have come down.

 

[Anon Ymous]

all feature a metal filter thread which is one of the important criteria for me

While a metal filter thread is nice, it has become rather rare lately and newer designs tend to have plastic ones. You may miss some very nice lenses if you insist on metal ones.

 

[miha]

While a metal filter thread is nice, it has become rather rare lately and newer designs tend to have plastic ones. You may miss some very nice lenses if you insist on metal ones.

I'm sure I will not miss any. The trio mentioned above is fabulous for my needs. And should I have the urge to buy more there are more lenses in the Canon lineup with metal threads.

 

[Laurent]

You will have 100% compatibility already now also with the existing third party lenses, as Canon has unfortunately meanwhile stopped the development of new (D)SLRs. The current line of DSLRs will be the latest and last.
No new ones will come, as sad as it is .

When I still owner some EOS cameras, I had an issue with a Sigma 300 HSM on the EOS 7D I briefly owned. It worked perfectly on the EOS 3 though.

 

[miha]

When I still owner some EOS cameras, I had an issue with a Sigma 300 HSM on the EOS 7D I briefly owned. It worked perfectly on the EOS 3 though.

I've read that's a common issue with third-party lenses on EOS cameras.

 

[Film-Niko]

When I still owner some EOS cameras, I had an issue with a Sigma 300 HSM on the EOS 7D I briefly owned. It worked perfectly on the EOS 3 though.

The Sigma 300 HSM is an older lens, introduced quite long ago.
Maybe I should have been more precise: In my comment I referred to the youngest, latest, current generation of the Sigma Art lenses - their premium line with mostly absolutely outstanding optical performance. For a film photographer this excellent optical performance is a real treasure (based on my own experience with them in Nikon mount, based on friends experiences with Nikon and Canon mount, and based on countless published test reports).
And several of my friends are using Sigma Art series lenses with their latest Canon EOS film bodies (EOS 3, EOS 1V, EOS 30 / 33 (V), EOS 300X), and the current Canon DSLRs (5D Mk.IV, 6D II, EOS 1 DX Mk. II and III), with no problems.

 

[Paul Howell]

I have a Sigma 400 5.6 in Minolta A mount, work find with first generation 5000, 7000 and 9000 but will not AF with later bodies. On the other hand the few late model Sigma lens work well on the first generation bodies.

 

[miha]

Nikon and Canon (and Sony ...) ensure their lenses will work with future cameras. Sigma doesn't. When you buy off-brand lenses, they might work now, but there's no guarantee they'll work with your next camera.

 

[Film-Niko]

Nikon and Canon (and Sony ...) ensure their lenses will work with future cameras. Sigma doesn't. When you buy off-brand lenses, they might work now, but there's no guarantee they'll work with your next camera.

That is correct generally.
But we have now a new, completely different situation: Canon has officially stopped all R&D on DSLRs. There will be no new DSLRs (and of course no new film SLRs either) from Canon in the future.
Therefore Canon users will have to use the current DSLRs and former film SLRs. And if your third party lens is working with the model(s) you currently own, then all is fine for you.
And if your current Canon (D)SLR breaks, and cannot be repaired anymore, you just have to buy the same model on the used market.

 

[RRLipp]

Got two of them (just in case one breaks). The EOS 3 is a very nice camera. As a unique feature it got eye detect focus (focusses on what you look at when half pressing the shutter). Not very reliable when you wear glasses, though. -- Last year I got me a EOS 1 v. Of course the pictures have the same quality, as they are made by the lens and the film, not the camera. Comparing the 3 and the 1 v the latter has a more solid feeling, it feels much like my 5DIV, while the EOS 3 in comparison feels a bit "tinny". Still very much worth it. Tip: Get yourself rechargeable batteries, if you use image stabilized lenses, as they need more power, so that batteries won't last very long...