Which EOS should I buy?

urielmromano · Sep 1, 2015

Hi!
I mostly shoot my Canon A1, but I'm looking forward to buying an EF mount camera, to use some lenses I already have.
I need E-TTL metering, so I came up with this list:

EOS 500N, EOS Rebel G, EOS Rebel 2000, EOS 50e, EOS Elan II, EOS Elan 7e

This are the cameras currently available for me where I live (Argentina).
Which would you choose?

Many thanks,

Theo Sulphate · Sep 1, 2015

Hello - welcome to APUG!

Try this useful comparison tool:

Dead Link Removed

The 500N and the Rebel G are the same camera (Rebel is used in the U.S.).

I would choose the 7e (I have a 7NE, which is almost the same).

MattKing · Sep 1, 2015

I have three of the cameras on your list.

The Rebel 2000 is very small and light.

My Elan IIe is moderately large, seems very well built, and will meter in stop down mode with my Olympus lenses via an adapter. The eye control focus on my camera works for me.

My Elan 7Ne is smaller and lighter than the IIe, has a more advanced auto-focus system and is generally the most refjned of the three. It doesn't, however, seem to meter properly with my Olympus lenses.

In case it matters, the Rebel 2000 exhibits one quirk - it advances the entire roll out at first, and then rewinds the film back into the cassette one exposure at a time.

urielmromano · Sep 1, 2015

Many thanks to both of you!
I'm leaning torwards the Elan 7E. Theo, that page worked great on clearly stating the differences between each model.
Any more advice will be appreciated,

alanrockwood · Sep 2, 2015

If you can find a Canon 300x or Canon Rebel T2 (same camera) it is worth considering. I believe it has most of the features that the 7ne has, except for mirror lockup (mostly good for closeup work) and eye control focusing. There might be a few other minor feature differences as well.

The 7ne is bigger and heavier and generally more expensive than the T2 on the used market. The 7ne might last longer before it breaks down, which could be a factor if you run a lot of film through your camera.

Either camera will probably serve your needs well.

alanrockwood · Sep 2, 2015

MattKing said:
In case it matters, the Rebel 2000 exhibits one quirk - it advances the entire roll out at first, and then rewinds the film back into the cassette one exposure at a time.

I believe this is true for all of the Rebel series. It is actually a great convenience because the film counter tells you how many shots you have left on the roll, which is much more useful than telling you how many shots you have already taken on the roll.

Also, if you accidentally open the back the Rebel series has the exposed film safely inside the cassette, so you only ruin the unused part of the roll. With the conventional scheme if the back is accidentally opened you risk losing the frames you have exposed.

In my opinion all modern film cameras should use this system.

Slixtiesix · Sep 2, 2015

I would go with the Elan 7/7e or Elan 7N/7Ne.

gzhuang · Sep 2, 2015

7NE Eye Control Autofocus FTW

film_man · Sep 2, 2015

I don't know what the prices are in Argentina but over here all these cameras can be had for under £50 so I'd pick the 7e as that's the nicest/newest body. I have a Rebel 2000 also, it is a very nice camera as it is very light and small but the 7e is so much better for the viewfinder alone.

Gimenosaiz · Sep 2, 2015

Hello!
I've the EOS 620, a wonderful camera.
Regards

ignatiu5 · Sep 2, 2015

I've used each of those cameras on your list. My favorite of those is the Elan 7 series; I currently have a 7 and a 7N, but have also used the 7E extensively. I prefer the size and weight over the others, although the 50E/Elan II models are similar. The 50E/Elan II has a notable fragile film door latch; I've broken a few. The 7E is better in that regard, although I've broken one of those as well.

I like the controls on the Elan 7 series, particularly the rear dial that, in my opinion, makes it easier to control functions compared to the Rebel 2000/G/500 series.

As MattKing suggests, my experience is that the Elan 7 doesn't play well with non EF mount lenses on adapters, emulator-chipped or plain. I have lots of M42 screwmount glass, but those lenses don't work on my Elan 7s.

I like the battery/vertical grip for the Elan 7; it add weight and balance and aids in shooting vertically. I take it off when I want to go a bit lighter.

Peltigera · Sep 2, 2015

The 50e has eye-controlled focussing which, if you bother to calibrate it properly, is very useful. The 50e is my favourite EOS film camera. I have three - 620, 50e and 5.

urielmromano · Sep 2, 2015

Great! I'm definitely going for the 7E. All of your replies where very helpful.
Many thanks to all,

StephenT · Sep 2, 2015

At the current almost giveaway prices, why not get a 1N?

gzhuang · Sep 2, 2015

Peltigera said:
The 50e has eye-controlled focussing which, if you bother to calibrate it properly, is very useful. The 50e is my favourite EOS film camera. I have three - 620, 50e and 5.

Does the 50e have the same focusing system used in the digital cameras like the 7NE?

Peltigera · Sep 2, 2015

Is the 7NE digital? I rather thought it was a film camera.

MattKing · Sep 2, 2015

Peltigera said:
Is the 7NE digital? I rather thought it was a film camera.

It makes use of some of the advancements in auto-focus that were brought in with several of the digital models.

It is, however, entirely a film camera.

flavio81 · Sep 2, 2015

urielmromano said:
Hi!
I mostly shoot my Canon A1, but I'm looking forward to buying an EF mount camera, to use some lenses I already have.
I need E-TTL metering, so I came up with this list:

EOS 500N, EOS Rebel G, EOS Rebel 2000, EOS 50e, EOS Elan II, EOS Elan 7e

This are the cameras currently available for me where I live (Argentina).
Which would you choose?

Many thanks,

I own the EOS 5 with eye-controlled focusing. It's a great camera but a little big for me. Does everything you would want, and it's very silent. In fact more silent than many of my "classic" 35mm cameras.

I also had the EOS 650 and i miss it a little bit. That one, and the EOS 620, are very very well built. My EOS 650 fell into the ground, i picked it up, and it was perfectly fine, no problem at all.

Also, the viewfinder of the EOS 650/620 is probably better than all the other EOS cameras except perhaps the EOS 1 series.

The display of the EOS 650/620 is very similar in layout to the one in the Canon A1, so perhaps that would be a natural change to you.

Theo Sulphate · Sep 2, 2015

On my 7NE, I found that in moderate to bright light the eye-controlled focusing works perfectly even with glasses. In very low light, mine works if I'm not wearing glasses.

Once the 7NE has been calibrated for your eyes, you can save that calibration in one of five banks. The more calibrations you perform under a variety of conditions, the more accurate it becomes.

Compared to other EOS cameras, the cosmetics of the 7NE are really nice: a matte black finish with raised letters on the controls.

flavio81 · Sep 2, 2015

Theo Sulphate said:
On my 7NE, I found that in moderate to bright light the eye-controlled focusing works perfectly even with glasses. In very low light, mine works if I'm not wearing glasses.

Once the 7NE has been calibrated for your eyes, you can save that calibration in one of five banks. The more calibrations you perform under a variety of conditions, the more accurate it becomes.

Compared to other EOS cameras, the cosmetics of the 7NE are really nice: a matte black finish with raised letters on the controls.

I just want to say that the same is true for the EOS 5 camera: eye controlled focus is very reliable once you calibrate it. However, i don't wear glasses.

Poisson Du Jour · Sep 2, 2015

Apart from the gimmicky nature of eye controlled focus where Canon was expecting the photographer to conform to the camera's needs rather than the other way around, the EOS 5 was the first attempt at eye controlled focus and was useless in the vertical orientation, which is what many photographers were using it for. True, some people could (with a lot of trying!) coerce the EOS 5 to be calibrated in the vertical format, but it was never as successful (or reliable) as later improved incarnations, such as with the EOS 3 and EOS 50/50e.

I have never expressed any enthusiasm for the use of eye control focusing in professional application and have actively encouraged people to concentrate on the established/known reliability of a camera, rather than gimmicky add-ons; in this vein, the EOS 1N and 1V are still very highly sought after as working tools rather than plasticy fairy floss with frequently breaking dials and latches (that goes for the EOS 5). The EOS 3 is worth looking at but all this depends really where you are in photography at this time and where you are going in the future. These bigger cameras are in its for the long haul.

moranjr · Sep 3, 2015

I agree with Poisson Du Jour. The 1V is a serious professional camera. Used and in great condition they go for around $300 USD.

alanrockwood · Sep 3, 2015

Poisson Du Jour said:
...the EOS 5 was the first attempt at eye controlled focus and was useless in the vertical orientation, which is what many photographers were using it for... it was never as successful (or reliable) as later improved incarnations, such as with the EOS 3 and EOS 50/50e.

For what it's worth, here's a quote from the 7ne manual regarding eye controlled focusing. "You must calibrate it for both the horizontal and vertical orientations."

flavio81 · Sep 3, 2015

Poisson Du Jour said:
Apart from the gimmicky nature of eye controlled focus where Canon was expecting the photographer to conform to the camera's needs rather than the other way around,

I don't understand this comment. The camera follows whatever focus point i'm looking. In fact from all my cameras my EOS 5 is the most "transparent" of all, in the sense that i can just forget the technical side and just shoot; since i don't even need to specify the focus point, and the metering is very reliable.

Contrary to your opinion, i find eye-controlled focus a great feature, since i seldom place the subject at center, and with other AF cameras (such my EOS 5D) i find slower to have to change the focus point depending on the shoot. Due to this, i prefer manual focus cameras!!

The EOS 5 is the camera i take to friends' weddings, since it's the quickest to operate camera i own. Not my favorite camera, of course, but very effective.

Poisson Du Jour said:
the EOS 5 was the first attempt at eye controlled focus and was useless in the vertical orientation

I don't remember any problem using eye controlled focus on vertical!! I'll do some tests to be sure, however.

GarageBoy · Sep 3, 2015

OTOH- the Rebels, A2s, and Elans may not be "top of the line" but they can be had for the price of dinner for two

Which EOS should I buy?

urielmromano

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urielmromano

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Which EOS should I buy?

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