Though some complain about the "plasticy" feeling, none can say that this baby doesn't have the ruggedness of a "plastic" HUM-V. Light, especially easy handling in wedding-special events photography, the A2, like all Canon "pro" bodies, handles daylight fill-flash and switching from horizontal to vertical format shooting quick and easy. In most events like wedding and press conferences, I attach my BP-5 battery pack and shoot until I run out of film. This great machine can strip five frames a second(!) off a roll of film without a power booster or battery pack, great for action and sports reporting! 1/800th second shutter, "pro" (equal to the EOS 3) 1/200th flash sync, this is the machine I use for my working backup and my "going out the door to the store", running errands camera.

Some say the command dial (I think most of them simply don't take care in depressing the centr button before they attempt tp turn the dial) and though the dial construction truly sucks, the only true weakness in the A2 system is the absence of batteries in the VG-10 grip.

With the VG-10 attached, holding the camera against the chest and utilizing the shutter release on the VG-10, the A-2 is a stealth camera, able to make candids with the subject completely relaxed. Quiet is the word in operation. Until I got used to ~not~ hearing the camera cycle, and because there is no flash confirmation in the viewfinder (drat!), I'd often think my 430EZ flash had not gone off! With the VG-10 atacched, the A-2 handles like the "pro" camera it is. While the auto-focus is now 11 years old, and with f/2.8 or faster lenses, the A-2 handles all but the dimmest lighting situations.

Customer Service

None

Similar Products Used:

EOS 1n, EOS 3.

Quiet, fast, sturdy, with all the pro features you need. Accurate autofocusing and superb metering system, including spot.

None.

One of the best cameras made by anybody, period. Quiet, fast with controls that are very intuitive. Since I do a lot of close up photography the mirror lockup feature is wonderful (lacking on the F100 and N 90S). It has a decent enough TTL built in flash that I use a lot to fill in the foreground or for closeup work. All the pro features that you look for are there too, such as pc terminal and diopter. The meter is so good I never use my handheld anymore, even with slides. Focusing is fast accurate, no hunting that you experience with high end Nikons. The grip had vertical controls which are great too. Other useful features are the focus lock and depth of field preview. I don't understand the complaints about the A2's command dial. I've used mine for over 7 years without any problems. In fact, the camera is very sturdy and has held up excellentlly. If you are looking for a camera with pro features at a great price get one of these while you still can and use the money you save to buy higher quality lens.

Customer Service

Never needed.

Similar Products Used:

Elan and Nikon N 90 S.

By popular demand, here is the fix for the control wheel (and of course, I hold no responsibility for the actions of those who try to fix their A2's themselves with this advice-this is strictly for entertainment purposes only ;) To get to the command dial, you must first remove any film from your A2, put the flash up, remove any strap attached, and remove the battery/grip (remove the VG-10 if you have it as well-it will only get in the way). Now, you must take off the front panel of the camera. Unscrew the following screws for this: the two on the left side holding the camera back eject button onto the camrea. Then, remove the screw in the flash area (should be pointing straight down at the front of the flash housing), the screw on the bottom of the lens mount (do NOT remove the lens mount screws, as this will not get you any panels that you need removed), the two screws below the flash but above the lens mount, and the two screws holding the front panel on in the battery compartment. Okay, take off the front now (there should not be any other screws, but if it does not give freely, check again before you break anything). Now, you must remove the top panel. To do this, there will be two screws you need to remove near the viewfinder on the back, one under the right strap ring, and one facing up in the battery compartment. I don't think I have missed any, but double check to make sure as this panel should also pull up easily once all screws are removed, however, there are electronic cat-cables attached to the top panel and electronics on the metal skeleton so this top panel WILL NOT COME OFF all the way. This is where deftly controlled skills will determine your success...you must aim the top panel away from yourself over the front of the camera so that the underside of the flash, LCD cover, and control wheel are visible. Now, you will see the control wheel. There should be a screw holding a piece of metal to the "nubbin" on the wheel (the same nubbin that needs to be pushed down to turn the camera from the off position to an auto or manual mode). Sometimes this screw just needs to be tightened. Sometimes the problem lies in the tiny metal marble-ball that is pushed by a spring within the "cage" on the underside of the control wheel. The spring on mine needed to be stretched to revive its compression power. Sometimes the ball itself is floating around in

Just about everything EXCEPT...

...the control wheel. Fixed that myself though-email me if you need to know how. It is EASY as long as you have a screwdriver small enough for the tiny screws Canon uses. I would like it to have the same AF as the EOS 3 so I could use it with a 2x TC at F8 to F11 for some lenses, but up to f5.6 will work for now.

Quiet, relatively fast AF and film transport (5fps), and I can''t stress enough: IT DOESN''T MATTER IF IT IS PLASTIC! THIS SUFFERED FALLING DOWN AN 800FT. HILL/CLIFF and WORKS AS NEW! (Bought off of my friend for $100 after that happened because the back was broken-fixed myself with a little elbow grease and some luck) Plus, I left it in my photo-back pack wiht the flap open and when I went to put it on, the camera flew out of the bag and hit the wall, straight on. Consequences? Some white paint marks on the grip and a huge dent in the wall! Built like a tank! Solid feel, and the VG-10 grip makes it one of the nicest to use pro-SLR''s you can get. Why spend $800-1000 for a magnesium Nikon F100? This is way quieter and you can''t get inexpensive USM lenses for an F100-you get AFS lenses that cost an arm and a leg and aren''t nearly as fast or quiet! Important for courtroom work, or weddings, or anything that requires SILENCE!

Customer Service

Haven''t had to use-I''m a do-it-yourselfer, so I don''t like to pay someone or rely on someone else to fix my stuff. I no longer have a backup body, so to send this off would be heathenistic! Other

Similar Products Used:

Nikon N65, N80, F100, EOS 650, Rebel X, Rebel 2000, Elan II, and lots of those cheapo Minolta and Pentax SLR''s (I work at a photography store)

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Here is a copy of the Letter I faxed to Canon. Dear Marlene, After speaking with one of your employees she decided that I should fax you the enclosed documents for your review. I purchased 2 Canon A2E cameras. Both cameras broke with the exact problem. Other people I spoke with had this same problem with their A2E command dial. I sent both cameras in to be repaired for a fee of 58.00 each. Less that 16 months later the same problem is back, the command dial is once again broken. I sent the A2E in for repair thinking it would be repaired for free since it surely is a design, or manufacturing defect. The cameras have had minimal use, & as you can see they have been proudly cared for, Original packaging along with all documentation was retained. When I received the repair estimate I was shocked & disappointed to see a charge for 121.00. I was very disappointed in the Canon policy of selling high priced products & then charging higher rates for each successive repair to their products. The command dial problem exists in all A2E’s. I have spent several hours in newsgroups, photography chat rooms & discussions with other photographers about Canons problems with the command dial. Canons policy on the A2E command dial problem should be looked at & recalled. To have to repair to a previously repaired cameraless than 1 1/2 years later on a 600.00 camera should be handled better than this. I just wish Canon would admit their problems like Firestone & Ford did & move on with the business at hand. Please contact me about this problem. Larry Counts 54393 Jack Macomb Mi 48042 810-677-9848 Voice / Fax

Similar Products Used:

None

Everything, its time consuming to go on and on typing..

none for the price.. nowadays there are faster autofocusing cameras compared to this.. and the body is plastic ofcoarse, this is truly a pro camera besides having a plastic body to it. AND NO ONE DARES TO DISAGREE WITH ME ON THAT POINT!!!

Awwww :) this is such a great camera that i don''t even know where to start from, once you hold this camera in your hands you won''t walk out of the store without buying it, and once you see the first roll of your slides with this camera you won''t leave home without it, this camera will give you everything you want its got features that $1000 cameras don''t have,the only default this camera has is the autofocusing compared to the new ones out, if you are not going to shoot lot of action buy this camera otherwise step up to EOS-3. this has been the only camera that i''ve bought 3 of since they''ve been out, truley a flawless camera in every aspectnotonly for its $400 price.. but within the the $700 range. buy it, its a bargain, you''ll never regret it!

Customer Service

what service? you''ll have this camera forever.. i try to break this on purpose so i can buy myself a new one.. never sucseeded.

Similar Products Used:

all the EOS bodies.. and top end nikon.. you know i guess its so true that people are either canon users or nikons.. like fujis vs. kodak.. its funny but so true there would never be a canon user that

Relatively lightweight, excellent TTL flash capabilities when paired with Vivitar 840AF flash.

I find the camera is highly versatile and exposes color slides with a high degree of precision. The meter is a strong point when shooting transparencies.

Canon really hit the mark with this camera. Yes, it is ancient in terms of its market longevity, but that's no mark against this camera.

I find the command dial the one really sore point on the camera. I don't like having to click thru to my last setting position just because I've used the dial to turn off the camera.

Still, every camera I use has one or more sore points in its own way, so don't read too much into this issue.

And turn off the camera you must, because it is a battery killer. There is a remote battery pack that lets you use alkaline batteries, but it's tethered to the camera by a cord and you have to wear it in your belt.

My A2E suffered a crack to the plastic cover just below the lens mount, which cost $140 (Cdn) to fix via Canon.

I was puzzled why Canon replaced the whole top of the camera as well (command dial, flash, plastic top), until I read about the command dial failure issue in other reviews. Mine had gotten stiff but I thought nothing of it. I guess Canon was sparing me a future return.

A wonderful, if relatively lightly built camera, especially for U.S. buyers as the price in the U.S. is reasonable. A suitable camera for advanced amateurs and light duty pro use (or as a pro's backup to and EOS 3 or better) provided the camera will not be subjected to a lot of rough handling.

My EOS A2E was bought in 1997, so the price may have been higher for me because the camera was then positioned higher in the sales channel.

Still, autofocus cameras are not inexpensive here in Canada anyway. I paid $1,293 Canadian funds for my A2E body in 1997 (15% taxes included, the $850 is adjusted for US dollar equivalence). Here in Canada prices are such that most camera stores peddle the lowest end cameras because they are the models that are reasonably priced. A Canon EOS Rebel goes for almost $600 Cdn here in Canada for example, with non-Canon lens included.

Customer Service

Canon repaired more than they needed to after my camera was damaged. I can't believe that replacing the lens mount cover plate and the whole camera top with new parts cost just $140. Canon went that extra mile to ensure my camera came back in top order!

Similar Products Used:

None

this camera is 8 years old, yet it is the only camera in the canon line that has not changed in the last 8 years. that says a lot about its cutting edge technology. i have used this camera for over a year and a half for photojournalism, first as a primary body, then as a second body when i got the eos 3. it has not failed me yet. i use it constantly and the command dial is still functioning, although it is not as smooth as it was when new. but then again, with the hell i put it through (rain, drops, bangs, etc.) this bad boy takes a lick and keeps on ticking. cosmetically, my 5 is ugly, but the innards are perfect. the vg-10 grip handles like a dream. it balances well with most lenses, but it will be better with the flash attatched. although not as fast as most "modern" cameras, the 5 has not failed me yet. and for 500 dollars, it's a steal.

FLASH! gosh darn it, the flash system is too easily fooled. i still haven't perfected it with this camera yet. the eos 3 is really simple in this sense.
it doesn't allow for AA batteries. the 2CR5 doesn't last that long. after two days in LA covering the DNC, i shot a total of 15 rolls of film with the eos 3 and 5. the battery on the 5 is on the verge of reading half. not a good thing. it's also a little light for really big lenses, i.e., supertelephotos and super zooms (100-400 and 35-350)

great camera, although rumors have it that it will be replaced by an eos elan 7. too bad. they took away from some of the features that the eos 5 had. heck, i don't want another eos 3 or 1v... i am extremely happy with my 5. it keeps the weight down. they are going for fairly inexpensive now and there are many on the used market that are really nice. check it out. you won't be disappointed.

Customer Service

cps is the best

Similar Products Used:

eos 3, rebel xs, eos 630, elan ii, nikon D1, nikon n90s

Ease of use, fairly inexpensive- used, dependable, light, excellent design, ergonomics and dial adjustments.

Plastic and dials are easy to break if you have the habit of rotating it without pressing the button.

Easier to use and learn than my Canon Eos 3 but then again it has less features. An excellent camera for beginning amateurs moving from point and shoot camera and lower end 35mm camera. A good investment if you are serious about photography.

Customer Service

Had it independently fixed, parts are easy to order.

Similar Products Used:

Canon Rebel, Canon Eos 3 and Pentax 645n.

Easy to use. Great design, light weight!

Uses the battery too quick.

Great camera. Worth the $600.00 Bucks!

Customer Service

Never used

Similar Products Used:

Minolta ST101