WebMedia

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
6-10 years

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5,
3 votes

Price Paid:  $6800.00 from Allen's Camera

Summary:
I just couldn't wait to get my hands on this camera. After having the D60 and the 10D, I felt like I had enough experience (since I do this for a living) to move forward with the big boy! This camera is NOT for the photographer who just wants a hot rod. There is so much to learn on this camera versus that of the D60 and the 10D. To put it blunt, this is a PROFESSIONAL camera with PROFESSIONAL settings. Anyone who wants built in flash or auto settings... gonna have to stay with the 10D.. no such things on this camera! Overall, I just started printing pics as big as 20x30 after doing some interpolation and the images are unreal.

Strengths:
Extremely high quality images, razor sharp detail, 11MP's and overall professional grade control!

Weaknesses:
One weekness I see in this camera is in some situations the prints from the camera tend to get some light run off or burning on two to three of the corners as well as down one side... Took the camera back only to find all the others in the store did the same... they are still scratching their heads with this one

Similar Products Used:
Canon 10D, Canon D60

GRS

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
0-1 years

Visitors rate this review
3.67 of 5,
3 votes

Price Paid:  $8000.00 from B&H

Summary:
I inadvertently rated the preceding review a 5 when I intended to rate it a 1. It is silly to say it wouldn't be worth repairing an $8,000 camera unless it is only a minor problem because it weighs so much. The 1Ds is heavy, especially with a L quality zoom lens, but it is also very rugged and the images are worth it. I considered investing in medium format gear instead but digital is the future and that has to be a factor when investing this much in a system. I also have a Canon EOS 1v 35mm film body and often duplicate shots but rarely scan the slides any more because they just can't deliver the quality of the digital images. This is a very versatile camera and no other manufacturer has a better range of lenses. I began with a 60D but missed the very wide angle shots of a full frame 35mm camera. The 1Ds solved that problem. Color balance can be tricky but not hard to correct and the photos are simply stunning. I have printed 20x24 prints on a Epson 2200 with excellent results. I also feel that I have only begun to discover what can be accomplished with this camera, especially after gaining more experience with software and computer imaging. Medium format systems are coming out with digital backs and maybe even digital dedicated bodies. Those might surpass the 1Ds but a 12 megapixel image already challenges most consumer level computers. I don't know what additional investment would be needed to handle bigger files and I would question if it is justified unless you were creating building size images. The 1Ds is pricey but it is in a medium format league so the relative cost is reasonable. Unlike the prior reviewer, I would get it repaired unless the cost approached a new body.

Strengths:
Amazing image quality. Rugged, versatile, great lens selection, files are about as much as the average computer can handle.

Weaknesses:
Cost for most. And weight. I wouldn't carry this around a city on a trip. But I wouldn't take a medium format system either. A small 5 to 8 megapixel camera will do fine for that purpose and the shots can be processed the same way.

Similar Products Used:
Canon G1, G2, 60D and Proshot 1 plus EOS 1v film body.

Customer Service:
Not needed for 1Ds. Service for Proshot 1 was a little slow (three weeks?).

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
0-1 years

Visitors rate this review
3.40 of 5,
5 votes

Price Paid:  $7300.00 from Samy's

Summary:
An outstanding machine, responsive with great handling. The image quality is out of this world, the cleanest digital files with great details (esp @ iso 100-400). A joy to use (and abuse :-).

Strengths:
Image quality, image quality, image quality, which rivals drumscanned MF 6x7 film/slide. Next is the built quality, which is second to none (sorry Nikon fans). The handling is superb, and the design & menu are simple to use for Canon 1 sreies shooters. The end DOES justify the means in this case, and this camera takes backseat to no other Digital SLRs out there. Canon has done it again !!

Weaknesses:
Relatively slow burst rate and small buffer for my taste, but the file size is huge so this is understandable. The infamous noise problem is actually WAY overblown, as this camera produce cleaner files than comparable speed films/slides.

Similar Products Used:
D60, 10D, 1D (The Beast I call this camera).

Customer Service:
Haven't use.

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
3 votes

Price Paid:  $8000.00

Summary:
film is dead, We have just done work for a client and the image was turned in a 5m x3m bill board and looked amazing. Since the file is so clean, there no rubbish to be magnified, even the bill company was blown away.

Strengths:
The ability to fine tune the camera for a specific use.

Weaknesses:
Has none, to say it has would simply be picky. Some say its expensive for what it does I do not think so.

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
3.33 of 5,
12 votes

Price Paid:  $6400.00 from B-WAY PHOTO

Summary:
I PURCHASED THE CANON EOS-1DS AFTER BEING ASSURED THAT IT WOULD NOT BE OBSOLETE NEXT YEAR. I WANTED A STATE OF THE ART CAMERA WITH LASTING HIGH TECH CAPABILITY. MY PRIOR CAMERA WAS THE OLYMPUS E-10. ALTHOUGH THE RESOLUTION WAS AMAZINGLY GOOD IT REQUIRED ADEQUATE LIGHTING TO OBTAIN GREAT PICTURES.....ESPECIALLY IF YOU USED THE CAMERA ON "AUTO." THE BIGGEST PLUS FOR THE 1DS IS IT'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE FANTASTIC SHOTS IN IT'S "AUTO" MODE. ACTUALLY I TRIED TO OUT-PROGRAM THE CAMERA ATTEMPTING TO CUSTOM PROGRAM MYSELF (AND THIS CAMERA HAS AN UNBELIEVEABLE AMOUNT OF CUSTOM PROGRAMING AND FLEXIBLITY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS)AND IN EACH AND EVERY CASE THE "AUTO" MODE PROVIDED ME WITH SUPERIOR SHOTS. WHAT MORE COULD A CAMERA ENTHUSIAST ASK FOR??? JUST POINT AND SHOOT. BE PREPARED TO WORK WITH RAW IMAGES. I FIND MYSELF SHOOTING AND SAVING BOTH HIGH RESOLUTION AND RAW IMAGES GIVING ME THE OPTION OF INTERPRETING THE IMAGES THE WAY I WANT TO. IF YOU HAVE THE BUDGET TO ACQUIRE THIS CAMERA....STOP LOOKING !!!! THIS IS THE CAMERA TO BUY...

Strengths:
GREAT IMAGES SHOOTING ON "AUTO" MODE. STRONG CAMERA BODY. BATTERY LIFE IS GOOD FOR 400-500 SHOTS. AS MUCH FLEXIBILITY IN PROGRAMING AS YOU CAN THINK OF AND SOME YOU WOULDENT THINK OF.

Weaknesses:
WEIGHT...WEIGHT...WEIGHT...THIS IS A HEAVY CAMERA...ESPECIALLY IF YOU CHOOSE A 35-350MM "L" LENS.

Similar Products Used:
OLYMPUS C-2500 OLYMPUS E-10