Description: . The EOS-3 incorporates the world's first area AF system, a high precision focusing system, higher speed eye-control and improved high-speed focus tracking. Such technology combined with many of the features of the EOS- 1N and, of course compatibility with the extensive range of over 50 EF lenses and accessories, make the EOS 3 the perfect choice for advanced amateurs and professionals alike.
Rating Reviewed by: John F(Unregistered User)
(Expert)
Review Date March 4, 2007
Overall Rating 5 of 5
Value Rating 5 of 5
Used product for 1 to 3 months
Visitors rate this review 4.00 of 5,
1 votes
Review 1 of 173
Price Paid:
$220.00
from Ebay
Summary: I initially was interested in EOS-1n. Unfortunately, those are either very expensive, or badly used. I watched the prices on Ebay rise wildly as people tried to outbid each other on beaters and visibly broken cameras. I instead opted for an EOS-3 and managed to get one with some patience and careful bidding. Slightly over $200.00 resulted in me getting an EOS-3 in like new condition with a decent neckstrap, a good battery, but no lens, so I expended some additional funds for 2 average quality BRAND NEW lenses. This camera is a beautiful piece of equipment but definitely not sealed like its more expensive relatives. For planned rodeo photography later this year I wll probably add some external sealing around the film compartment door, as this is where I see the potential for real issues. The camera works just great, can't beat it for the price although I would recommend setting an entire evening aside for a thorough reading of the manual. The camera's powerful internal processor requires a thorough knowledge of the various settings. Its ability to sense movement of your eye needs some careful presetting, after which it works quite well.
Strengths: Good Ergonomics, well built, and no exotic batteries.
Weaknesses: Sealing against dirt and moisture, power switch a carryover from another era.
Summary: Great camera for someone who wants pro features and quality w/o paying the "pro" price. I purchased this camera along with the Canon 550EX flash. This setup has great speed, ease of use and mobility. I have let my boss use it to shoot a golf tournement on a bright sunny day and the EOS 3 w/ 550EX gave perfect results. He was very impressed, even for being a die hard Nikon owner. The E-TTL system is superb for outdoor fill flash. Makes those short timed photo shoots go so much smoother. I can keep my mind on the subject in hand and not what the camera will or will not do.
Strengths: Speed
Features
Ease of use
Great compainion with the Canon 550EX
Excellent fill flash with the E-TTL system
Weaknesses: PC socket is in an bad location. Have to spend the extra money for the "locking" PC cord for my Alien Bee flash. With a regular PC cord it keeps falling out.
Similar Products Used: Canon Rebel G
Canon AE1 Program
Nikon D1H
Nikon F3HP
Nikon FM2
Customer Service: Had a little issue with my Canon lens not being fixed right. But they redid the repair and works fine.
Summary: Of all 35mm cameras I own this one has been with me the longest (only my Hasselblad and a rarely-used Sinar 4x5 have served me longer). As time has gone on I've come to prefer shooting manual-focus cameras and lenses to their auto-focus cousins, but there are times and projects where AF is de rigeur. Hence my EOS 3.
To me, the very soul of any SLR camera is its viewing system. This viewfinder is of moderate quality. Easy to focus, nearly full coverage, you can clearly see everything but you don't get quite the "feel" for the light on the subject as with superior cameras. In fairness to the EOS 3, no other 35mm SLR in its price class, excepting a lower-end Contax, outperforms it and many fail spectacularly in this regard. Pity. It's so fundamental, so crucial.
The build quality is excellent for a Canon product, a mark which I associate with many positive traits but definitely not build quality. It's solid but not heavy, well-balanced, with excellent ergonomic feel with or without a vertical grip mounted.
As for AF performance, I'm never truly satisfied with any camera's single-shot locked AF, they're just fooled too easily. The eye-control feature, while clever, is hit-and-miss. However, it's with tracking AF that this camera really earns its stars. With the exception of the 1v, no other camera I've ever used, Canon, Nikon, or otherwise, even comes close. And it's tracking AF I need when I need AF, as my eyes are still good enough to focus on stationary subjects. Really the camera's raison d'etre.
The metering system overall is good. The "spot" is a little bit widely-arrayed to my taste, but it still works adequately. The matrix-metering program, rarely-used but thoroughly tested, is actually excellent I must admit. And a big plus, Canon's "picket fence" meter is very easy to read in the viewfinder.
Like most modern AF SLRs, this one's controlled by wheels and modal buttons, something which I have a distaste for. They are laid out and labelled clearly and easy enough to use, primarily controlled by an index finger wheel by the LCD and a thumb wheel on the back. All apertures and shutter speeds can be varied in 1/3 stop increments. And a whole lot of other (less vital to me) features too numerous to mention.
Except for one of course. Mates well with a 550EX Speedlite.
All in all, this is a good, versatile camera. I've shot fashion and lifestyles work and events with this camera for over 5 years now, and who knows how many rolls...
Strengths: Tracking AF, metering system, balance and ergonomics, fairly good build quality, part of a very large and versatile family of SLR bodies, lenses, and accessories. Lots of bang for the buck.
Weaknesses: Viewfinder quality marginal, 45 point AF array could've been better used spread more broadly across the frame.
Similar Products Used: Various Canon EOS cameras, including the 1v and 1n, A2 and A2E, a couple Elans, and various Rebels. Nikon F4 and N90. Contax RTS III and N.
Summary: I was on a location n orthern Venezuela when a splash hitted me from the back, some small amount of water sprayed over the camera (that I tried to protect from the splash), so some dorps stayed fro seconds over the screen, wheel and shutter button. I did wiped off the water quickly and I was surprised when I realized that display was erratic and shutter start a malfunction behavior. Later on, shutter took a lot of time for finishing a single shoot and display wasn't clear Eventually the camera stoped working, even I spured some fresh water an wiped off all water. It happenned in the first day of a 9 days asignment. Hopefully my putfitter had an Elan II, so I borrowed from him and saved the trip.
My complaint is based in the so named capacity of the EOS3 against dust and water. Even not waterproof, it should be at least splashproof, otherwise, how this camera shall resist dust?. When I wrote to Canon about the matter, they just refred me to the hanbook to recall "no waterproof" camera: very poor consumer post-service...
Even I'm sticked to Canon (for some unknown reason that I can't put in clear thoughts) I was very dissapointed and unsatisfied.
On the other hand, I bought EOS3 just to come into the 21st century. I was shooting with an AE1P. Even I shooted for a cofee table book in 2000 with the manual camera, I needed to get some autofocus and profesionals features equipment, so after reading some reviews Idecided to stay in Canon (despiting Nikon advestisement made by ALL my friends and photographers in Venezuela) and decide EOS3 was the camera.
I had shooted some indoors churchs, museums, some outside feasts like carnivals and religious festivals under a heavy conditions and the only problem I found is the weight of the camera and flash over my neck. I think the camera is excelent, despinting my heavy learning curve.
Strengths: Easy handling, robust and realible equipment, good look.
Weaknesses: No resistance to water, see my comments.
Summary: I bought this camera used from KEH Camera. It was in almost new condition. The main reason I bought it is because I can use multiple Canon 550EX flash units without wires. The camera's controls are pretty intuitive, though not as intuitive as my EOS Elan II. The EOS 3 is one of those cameras that has to be used at least a couple of times a month -- otherwise, you'll probably forget how to use some of its many functions. There are two things about the camera that are problematic -- one is in the design and the other is a repair issue. The first is the 45-point focusing system. While this is an excellent system, sometimes two or three of the outside points in the focusing point cluster pick out something in the foreground to focus on. This forces me to refocus, unless I'm using a small aperture. It can be annoying at times. The other problem I've had it that there is a mysterious battery draw that has developed over the last few months. The camera battery runs down on its own after several weeks, even with the power switch set to "off". So after two $10 batteries prematurely bit the dust, I have made sure to take the battery out if I'm not planning to use the camera for a few days. Other than that, I have had no problem with the camera, and it works wonderfully with multiple 550EX flash units. If you're looking for a film camera with lots of features that won't send you to the poor house, this is the one.
Strengths: Lots of features for way under $1,000. Works great with multiple Canon flashes (and it does it without wires!). Construction and design appear solid.
Weaknesses: 45-point autofocus gets fooled fairly frequently. This particular camera body has developed a slow battery draw while turned off.
Similar Products Used: Canon AV-1 (my first SLR), AE-1 Program, EOS 10s (should have never sold it), EOS Elan II.
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