Thinking about Canon EOS 1n or (gasp) 1v

[dugrant153]

So I've decided to dedicate myself to shooting 35mm. I love the way Portra brings out colors and it's an easier process to get the colors right in film.
Anyways, so I'm currently using a Canon Elan IIe and am wondering if the 1n or 1V would be a worthwhile upgrade. I love how quiet the Elan IIe is but I feel that there's a slight hesitation (shutter lag?). Is there a significant difference in performance when it comes to shutter lag between the 1v/1n and the Elan IIe?

Grabbing moments in a split second is super important to me so the faster is better... but only if significantly better. Over time, I can get used to shutter lag but it does end up being detrimental to my work.

 

[amellice]

I own 1vHS and it's blazing freaking fast. SERIOUS. This was the Canon flagship film camera and the last film camera they manufactured. It's heavier than Elan and packed with lots of features. However make sure if you're gonna buy one to get one with the battery because it's rare

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

If you are just stepping up, try the 1N first. The 1V is a very serious piece of electronics and can be a handful to many people moving up from a basic camera. But the same can also be said of the 1N with myriad customisations and doubled-up mode controls. There is a big difference in cost on the second-hand market. Both are very fast and ultra-reliable (if you look after them). Shutter lag is irrelevant in these big pro-level cameras (there would be noticeable lag in the consumer-level bodies). Having said that, neither the 1N or 1V are laggards when pushed into routine, everyday service. But do you know what constitutes 'service' for these beasts? They'll want to be roughed up a bit. And they like hevery work. My 1N can chew through 36 frames iin 4 seconds, but it has done so only twice — just for fun. OK for bragging rights, but practically useless in sedate applications such as landscape/scenic. I recognise that if you're into very, very high speed motor/aerosports, there may be a basis for speed, but there can also be a heap of wasted film...

Above all else, I reckon as your first priority, you invest in some seriously good Canon L-series glass. The ordinary EF lens line up is very good optically, but the AF is not optimized for high speed as well as it is in the L-series lenses (which apart from AF improvements, also impress with such stuff as CaF2 glass). Glass is what makes the photo, and you pay a pretty penny for the best of it (be it noted either the 1N and 1V can stuff up a photo and all that investment in lenses, if you have not become very thoroughly savvy with their operation). The camera will only be holding the film in the dark albeit against shiny gold contacts, and making every single decision for you, save for tweaking the mode, aperture and shutter speeds.

I am often asked about the power drive booster 1N. This adds weight (but you can use lithium AA batteries). But adds yet more speed and comfort in handling. If you settle on a camera with the power drive booster, and are buying second hand, rigorously inspect the contacts in the far end of the drive booster for any signs of corrosion or rust. It can be very, very difficult getting gunk out of the deep recess of the booster. The booster is a better idea for speed and readiness over the inefficiency of the standard 2CR5 battery.

Reliable? My 1N was purchased in May of 1994 and has been in continuous service since then!

 

[CropDusterMan]

The EOS 1N is a fantastic camera and they are cheap on Ebay...usually around $100US.
I agree with the above post about investing in good glass...L Series...the 24-105 is
a decent lens, the same with the 17-40. Anything in 2.8 is costly, but they seem to hold a bit of
value...I'd go used.

If you aren't into zooms, I suggest Zeiss prime lenses...they are available in Canon EF mount
and superior optically, although not Autofocus. 1N and 1V have no shutter lag.

 

[StephenT]

I have both and I am very happy with them. At today's prices (dirt cheap) I would recommend you consider getting both. It would give you the quick option of changing film emulsions on a shoot.

 

[dugrant153]

The good news is I have one of the Sigma Art lenses, which is a remarkable lens for both film and digital or anything it's mounted on. However, at the moment, it lives on my digital camera. Definitely will consider some good 'ol L glass in future when the budget allows

I think I've played around with a 1N for a bit.... but also saw that there was a 1N RS.... and also a 1V!
They're not that cheap but keep in mind Canadian dollars and purchased from a camera store on consignment - $265 1N, $550 1N RS, $650 1v.

The 1N RS seems interesting... the pellicle mirror may actually be of use to me as I really enjoy no black out.

 

[CropDusterMan]

The 1N RS is a great camera, but the pellicle mirror eats up 2/3 of a stop.

 

[BMbikerider]

I have owned an EOS 1n and yes it was a good camera but there was just something about it I could not get on with. I never managed to decide what it was, there was actually nothing mechanically wrong with it I just couldn't get on with it. I went back to Nikon and bought an F4. Been with Nikon ever since.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

The OP should note that the bigger the EOS camera, the heavier it will be! Neither the 1N or 1V are cute little dragonflies when loaded with batteries. Stick on a 300mm L-series lens for a day-long wander and you will be forming an orderly queue for the chiropractor.

 

[Pioneer]

The EOS 1v is an awesome camera. Shot one off and on for quite awhile. It is a seriously big camera though.

Never tried a 1N so cannot comment.

The only Canon I still own is a 5D and that don't count here.

 

[Dennis S]

Have gone through 2x EOS 1 Ns with very disappointing problems with the shutters. Got rid of a third one before shutter fail. I do not abuse my cameras just use. I have an EOS 3 which was purchased before the 1Ns came out and it is still working successfully. Definitely a cheap camera in Ebay price and shutter construction. Have not heard anything bad about the 1V but the price is a hold back for me.

 

[tomfrh]

I had a 1V. It's a top camera, a real weapon, however I found it too big for a 35mm camera. I use a 30V now for 35mm. The only feature I really miss is the spot metering.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Spot metering in any of the EOS bodies is not particularly useful, because it is a "reference spot" function ie. not accumulative with any transfer to averaging. You can spot a particular area of the scene and AEL, recompose and watch the stop scale on the right of the viewfinder to assess the range of contrast. The camera is reading the scene at one little point, even if you are not! A single spot reading of a subject and making the photograph is the incorrect method, only useful if the photgrapher has the knowledge to find a point in the scene that is neither too high nor too low in contrast. It's the same as taking a single spot reading with a hand-held meter and using that as the exposure! The real-time feedback is on the vertical scale — the single most useful feature on those EOS bodies that have it (including those that allow the function to be turned off).

The evaluative, and especially partial metering systems are by far the best choice in everyday use.
If you want excellent spot metering, you have two choices: the Olympus OM4 and variants, or a hand-held spot meter (for even more versatility and accuracy).

I frequently leave my EOS 1N out in any sort of weather overnight with its intervalometer on for star trails. The longest it has remained out doing this is 7 hours. Packed with lithium AA batteries in the PDB-E1, everything works flawlessly, and afterward is shuts itself down, duty nobly done!

 

[tomfrh]

Spot metering in any of the EOS bodies is not particularly useful, because it is a "reference spot" function ie. not accumulative with any transfer to averaging.

Isn't that the point of spot metering? It gives you an instantaneous reading from a certain spot, rather than averaging via this method or that method?

 

[CropDusterMan]

The EOS 1N is no bigger or heavier than a Canon 5D MKII

 

[chriscrawfordphoto]

I just bought an EOS-1V a couple weeks ago. I've been shooting 35mm film in a Canon New F-1, the old FD mount pro body from the 80s, while shooting digital with an EOS 5DmkII. I had a stroke in 2013 and since have been having trouble holding the F-1 steady because I am a bit shaky. I haven't had this issue with the digital because of the Canon Image Stabilized lenses. Though I like the small size of the old manual focus FD system cameras, I finally got to where I needed to start using IS lenses for my 35mm work, and since I already had some Canon IS lenses, it just made sense to get an EOS film camera.

The EOS-1V can be gotten fairly cheap used. I paid $350 for mine. I decided to go for the top of the line because its about the same size as the 5DmkII I already use, it has virtually the same control layout, and what the Hell, I have always wanted one!

I LOVE it. My advice is that if you can afford one, get it. You won't regret.

 

[dugrant153]

Thanks for all the feedback. I'm feeling the Canon love and they both seem like good cameras. I'll share my experience:
So I talked into the camera store and tried both the 1V and the 1N RS. The 1V is quite used (was a rental at one point) but looks very clean. I've seen lots and lots of wedding photographers use the 1V for 35mm work and it seems like the famous camera. It's very much like my digital 1D Mark IIN (which I absolutely adore. It is the REASON I am shooting digital still).
I tried out the Canon 1N RS and it was very very interesting! No moving mirror (it's screwed down into the camera! LOL) and this one is pretty much brand new! The main factor that has me liking this one is actually the grip, believe it or not. The 1V, while a great camera, has a grip that's a bit too shallow for my long fingers but the 1NRS actually fit my hand very very well. It's so weird not seeing a mirror flip and black out my image for bit BUT when I tried the 1V with the black out from the mirror (albeit very very small black out time), I realized how advantageous the 1N RS can be. A little "whish" instead of a clack... and somehow the image is taken!

As much as technical factors and overall camera power makes for a good camera, I find the ergonomics can be a huge factor for me. I may pick up that 1N RS as an upgrade from my Elan IIe but we shall see how things go

Any issues with image quality with the 1N RS since I'd be shooting "through" a mirror?

 

[chriscrawfordphoto]

Thanks for all the feedback. I'm feeling the Canon love and they both seem like good cameras. I'll share my experience:
So I talked into the camera store and tried both the 1V and the 1N RS. The 1V is quite used (was a rental at one point) but looks very clean. I've seen lots and lots of wedding photographers use the 1V for 35mm work and it seems like the famous camera. It's very much like my digital 1D Mark IIN (which I absolutely adore. It is the REASON I am shooting digital still).
I tried out the Canon 1N RS and it was very very interesting! No moving mirror (it's screwed down into the camera! LOL) and this one is pretty much brand new! The main factor that has me liking this one is actually the grip, believe it or not. The 1V, while a great camera, has a grip that's a bit too shallow for my long fingers but the 1NRS actually fit my hand very very well. It's so weird not seeing a mirror flip and black out my image for bit BUT when I tried the 1V with the black out from the mirror (albeit very very small black out time), I realized how advantageous the 1N RS can be. A little "whish" instead of a clack... and somehow the image is taken!

As much as technical factors and overall camera power makes for a good camera, I find the ergonomics can be a huge factor for me. I may pick up that 1N RS as an upgrade from my Elan IIe but we shall see how things go

Any issues with image quality with the 1N RS since I'd be shooting "through" a mirror?

Remember that the 1nRS directs some of the light up to the viewfinder, meaning you need to give more exposure to the film when you shoot. You effectively lose some film speed with it. I'd get the 1V or a regular 1N, not the RS version.

The reason the 1V is so much like your digital 1DmkII is that the 1D series cameras are based on the 1V body.

 

[Sim2]

Just a couple of thoughts to add to your confusion! :-/
You say that you liked the grip size of the RS - did the 1V you tried have any additional battery grip/drive attached to the base? If not, the additional grip/drive could make the 1V similar in bulk/size to the RS. Except for the extra weight of the batteries, I prefer the ergonomics with the drive attached.
Out of the two (like Chris) I would recommend the 1V hands down over the RS, but in this instance be cautious over an ex-rental. They are tough beasts but the shutters do have a life expectancy and a known rental may have been used harder than an average camera, is there any proof of service? Enjoy whichever one you get, great cameras.
Sim2.

 

[Sim2]

I just bought an EOS-1V a couple weeks ago. I've been shooting 35mm film in a Canon New F-1, the old FD mount pro body from the 80s, while shooting digital with an EOS 5DmkII.

I LOVE it. My advice is that if you can afford one, get it. You won't regret.

Chris, slight aside to the thread here but it would be interesting to hear the differences in results between the fd lenses and the newer eos lenses; are the newer ones significantly sharper, more contrasty etc?
It's just intruiging to know on a direct shoot-out comparison if the thirty years difference in designs are noticable with film usage!

 

[chriscrawfordphoto]

Chris, slight aside to the thread here but it would be interesting to hear the differences in results between the fd lenses and the newer eos lenses; are the newer ones significantly sharper, more contrasty etc?
It's just intruiging to know on a direct shoot-out comparison if the thirty years difference in designs are noticable with film usage!

I can't really compare directly, because my FD system has all prime lenses. I have the 24/2.8, 28/2.8, 35/2.8, 50/1.4 and 100/2.8 lenses. All are the Latest-style FD lenses, not the ones with the silver lens mount ring.

For my EOS system, I have all zooms. My 5DmkII came with the 24-105mm f4L-IS lens. I had planned to buy primes for it, but the lens was so good, I decided not to. I know I am getting sharper images from the EOS zoom on film, but that may be because I'm using the IS.

 

[dugrant153]

Sooooo got the Canon 1N RS. I like how there's no black out (something I got used to with rangefinders) and the sheer speed. Practically brand newish despite being years old