Reliable, full of features, gives you ability to develop skills when you're on advanced amateur or semi-pro level

The only weakness is the person behind the lens:)

Perfect value for money! It cost me $250 (a used, 3 year old camera, perfect condition - not a scratch on it). I has all the things you need to take good pics - 1/4000 shutter speed, 2.5 fps, DOF preview, ECF and many other features. I wanted an EOS 5 instead, but after reading the specs i decided to take EOS 50 (EOS 5 is faster and all, but its max sync with external flash is 1/200 s!!! which is very SLOW). So I took EOS 50. And I'm very happy whith this choice! the pictures are great, AF is fast and precise and the camera feels good at hand. It is also extremely durable. A friend of mine owns one too (for 4 years now) and he's been through jungle in South America and congo(africa) with it and it never failed him.

Customer Service

never needed.

Similar Products Used:

Minolta 505 SiSuper 35mm camera - good for begginers.

Ergonomics Metering (never a duff shot) Quality of build Metal mount I could list all the features here, but who cares whether it shoots to 1/4000th sec or 2.5fps? I have an EOS 600 which "only" shoots to 1/2000th but can shoot as many as 5fps -- never needed to test these any of these limits in real life.

DoF preview is either eye-controlled (not great when you want to view the whole composition as well as stop down the aperture) or a using the exp.lock button (as a Custom Function) which loses the Exp Lock feature for DoF preview. This is the only meaningful weakness of this body - which has been corrected on the new EOS 30.

A superb camera. Now replaced by the EOS 30 (in Europe), this represents excellent value on the secondhand market. Apart from one minor niggle, I would say this is a better used buy than a new EOS 30. You buy these mid-market cameras because you appreciate the build quality over the entry level models. The features in entry-level cameras are good enough to produce images equal to anything you would get from this, or even an EOS 1. However, I have never regretted moving up from a 500N to a 50. I just enjoy using it more! You use it because you want to use it - you enjoy holding it in your hands. That's not something I got from the 500N, although the images themselves were the same, since I shot them through the same 28-105 USM lens.

Customer Service

None required

Similar Products Used:

EOS 500N EOS 600 EOS 30

Well built & Hefty Controls well placed Accepts all Canon AF lenses Canon Quality!

None that I have seen.

I started off using the Rebel 2000, and was looking for a more fully featured Canon model. So far I love this camera. For a relative beginner like myself, the Elan II has all the features I need to grow on, without sacrificing my wallet to the gods.

Customer Service

Canon backs all there products well, even the older ones.

Similar Products Used:

Canon EOS Rebel 2000

- Good value for the price. - Very reliable. Haven't had a single problem in 2 years. - Accepts all Canon lens

- The battery pack does not integrate well with the body. - Some of the controls are poorly placed. - needs improvement in the view finder. - The plastic body quality is poor.

Its been a great Camera with loads of features. Its good for some one who is starting off seriously into photography.

Customer Service

Never used it.

Similar Products Used:

EOS-3, EOS-1V

Everything

Nothing really

This is a great camera i've used it for over a year and it is very sleek, and well designed. This phot's that come out are amazing to look at. Its a great camera for beginers to use and its also got tons of features. I really enjoy using this camera with all its fun features and the price was good too

Customer Service

exceptional

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F60,F65 and F100

Lightweight, reputable dealer, many lenses available, eye control, accurate metering.

None that I can think of.

This is one of the best cameras ever made, especially for the price. Eye control works well, and if it doesn't work for you, just cut it off. Meter is extremely accurate, and the body is lightweight. I definitley recommend getting the BP-50 battery pack/vertical grip.

Relatively advanced features such as auto exposure bracketing, partial metering, E-TTL flash with Speedlite 380EX Quiet operation

Some features and capabilities too nested in multiple control dials or custom functions.

I have been very pleased with this camera. I didn't expect a professional camera at this price point but I have been pleasantly surprised by it's capabilities. The eye controlled focus is a mixed bag. It works well when calibrated but occasionally it will act up at a critical picture taking moment and this can be very annoying. The quiet operation of the camera imparts a real sense of quality and I have had very reliable service from it. The only reason I am not completely happy with the Elan II is that I find the controls are too muddled. The fact that auto exposure bracketing is not cancellable is perplexing and even the symbol for partial metering is counterintuitive. Just reading about how to get the mirror to lock up will make you tired.

Customer Service

None needed

Similar Products Used:

Olympus OM-2 Pentax Me Nikon FE2 Nikon FA Leica R3

Intuitive control,very VERY fast and quiet.Supports all the new junk(you know,the E-TTL and all it's goodies)without forcing you to use it(but you never know when it would become handy:))

A better(bigger)viewfinder(not the thing about eyeglass wearers)would be nice,and a vertical grip like the EOS 5's(duplicating all the controls on your right hand)and it would be the perfect camera for me

I love my EOS 50.I know thi isn't such a nice way to start a review but it's the truth.Though a little stupid and clumsy-looking this camera is a real jewel in the Canon line-up.The interface is marvelous and really ituitive,it is user friendly and idiot proof and the camera reacts amazingly fast to your command.I received it as a gift from my uncle and it opened a whole range of "photographic possibilities" in front of me.Until the EOS 50 I have used an old East-Gedrman Praktica MTL-5 which is absolutely mechanical(just like the Pentax K1000)and several lenses.Though the Praktica can do most of the things,with the EOS 50 you do them really EASIER.Now when it is out of production it is very cheap,making it a real value for the money.Not heavy,but not too light(if it's not heavy enough for you,you can always attach the BP-50 and 4 AA's to add some weight).And if it didn't help me to become a better photographer,it didn't stand in my way,and I think this is the biggest compliment one can say P.S.:Excuse me for my bad English:)

Customer Service

never needed

Similar Products Used:

I haven't jerked only with the EOS-1v:)

Durable body (for the price) Flexible metering system Excellent flash control and exposure compensation Great handling feel, although it may be a bit small for large hands. Try the BP-50 battery pack/grip. You can get it for around $50 Simplistic operation with clearly laid out controls-you don''t even need the manual except for the custom functions The Quick-Control Dial makes manual operaton painless and easy

At 2.5 fps,the motor drive is not quite fast enough for serious action photography (I tried it). Try the A2 or 3 for more speed Lack of a true spot meter

After having used the Canon AE-1 Program for many years, I immediately fell in love with the retro look of the body. As has been said, the upper silver finish is actually an aluminum alloy, giving the body an added measure of durability. It sure needed it with the way I treated it. I took it almost every where I went, and it got knocked, bumped and dropped more times than I care to count. Only once it failed, and that was an electrical component that was inexpensively repaired. The camera bosts a large amount of features, some of which are found on higher-end bodies. In addition to exposure compensation, the camera also has flash exposure comensation, for the built-in flash as well as any Canon dedicatied the speedlight. The 380EX worked well in every situation I put it through, from indoor weddings to outside with children. I found the metering system to be very effective. Although I miss having true spot metering capability, the partial meter worked pretty well. I would use my zoom to help it out. Canon advertises its evalutive metering alot; I found myself using good ole center weighted or partial, and almost always got perfect exposures, even with flash. The camera''s custom functions provide flexible operation, and allowed me to make personal choices to match the way I shoot. Over all, I have been very pleased with using the Elan II. I sold the camera last year, but I will probably get another one as a back up. It''s a great tool for photographic expression. A note for consideration: After all the hooplah about durability, speed, flexibility, options and such is done, a camera boils down to a sealed container the holds and exposes the film. Let''s remember the Who and the What that are much more important here, the Who being the photographer, the What being the lens. If either of these is lacking in quality, then so will the print,no matter how high-tech the container.

Customer Service

Good turn around for the repair

Similar Products Used:

EOS Rebel G, A2, Elan, AE-1 Program, T70

Affordable, well built, simple to learn/use

Dust easily accumulates on the mirror

Excellent value-packed camera for those looking for more features than the entry-level models carry. It''s well built, reasonably fast, and simple to learn and use. The external grip-style battery pack is a must if you plan on using the bigger and heavier Speedlite flashes on the hot-shoe. What''s more, the built in shutter button allows for comfortable portrait-oriented shooting.

Similar Products Used:

None