The body has a nice solid feel to it. The controls are easy to use.It works great.

It eats batteries. Will not focus in low light I must have one of the early versions as mine underexposes in contrasty lighting

I need to get Canon to debug the body. It is a very high tech machine. Iam proud to own it and look forward to years of great picture taking.

Customer Service

Canon has been really great! They bend over backwards to take care of you!

Similar Products Used:

EOS A2E

Although there was an underexposing metering problem when first introduced, this camera has the most accurate meter under all circumstances I have ever used, including the Nikon Matrix system. When first purchased, I bracketed several rolls of slides. Without exception, the metered shots were always perfect. I could never accomplish this consistently with my Nikon F5. The ECF(eye controlled focus) is great if you dont wear bi/tri focals and have the patience needed to get the calibration perfect. Great heft to the camera, but not to the point of fatique. Everything is right where I want it.

None. I do wish Canon made a data back to imprint exposure info. on the slide/negative borders. That would make this camera perfect.

If you have used an all metal OUTER housing camera, you may feel this body is inferrior. I say OUTER, since the polycarbonate(not plastic!) OUTER housing encases a metal sub-structure. I used an F5 for quite a while, and the lack of metal "feel" on the EOS 3 did take some getting used to. I am convinced that Canon optics equal Nikon, and the new IS(image stablizer) lenses are beyond belief, and NOBODY else has them. This camera also affords you the use of the most innovative strobe yet produced, the 550EX. The EOS 3 with the USM IS lenses and 550EX make an unbeatable system, and that I how I review a camera-not just it's functions, but the entire system.

Customer Service

Never have required it

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F5, F100
Canon A2

Lots of usefull functions

Well, if You are into sports You need the Booster, expensive! You just have to have the Speedlight 550EX, quite big & expensive!

I don´t reqiure more from a camera, this one has it all! Autofocus is fast and dead on, the exposure is (in my case) perfect, now probably even better after I have updated and have the same algorithm for the AF and light as the EOS1V. I would never pay the extra bucks for the 1V to carry 300g more on my neck. I just love those high tech cameras from Canon :-)

Customer Service

Very fast and helpfull

Similar Products Used:

EOS1n, Nikon F90X

I love the very way that everything just falls in your hand,the controls are so well layed out and obvious as to what they do i manged to be up an running withing the hour.The custom functions came on a handy "keep with you card" the eye controlled auto focus worked at lightning speed after the recommended 8 times calibration.

The side door seems a bit flimsy

Having changed from manual to auto everything life seems very jolly with this camera,compared in price to inflation and the amount of years I had my A1`s it was a good buy,solidly built,relativly light and has features that I dont know how I have survived without for so long,like auto bracketing and speedy AF.It`s great buy it

Customer Service

I have travelled the world and have used canon in three different countrys and hed three different experiences varying from ok to excellent

Similar Products Used:

2 x A1 and 1 F1n for (18 years)and a EOS 500n (rebel) for 5 months and it was awful

Well set up controls, precise metering, and extremely fast focusing.

A pro would probably like better seals on the lens mount and contols as is found on thenew N IV. For the more usual photographer it is near perfect.
The Custom settings panal door is much too easy to open.

It is very difficult to find fault with this camera body. Early on it was criticised for under exposure problems- I've experienced only consistantly spot-on images. It's construction has also been questioned by the "Nikon" folks. Well, I wouldn't us mine as a hammer, nor drop it from great heights: but it appears more than rugged enought for use as a fine camera. My Canon Ft-2 and AE-1 are both in good shape and in use today (though not by me) and I have no doubt that twenty years from now , the EOS-3 will still be going strong. It is notworthy that in recent mag reviews of the new Canon "Pro" body, the NIV( at $2000) , reveiwers compaire it to the EOS 3, more than theN IV which it replaces.

Customer Service

Haven't used it.

Similar Products Used:

AE-1, FT-2 ,Rebel 2000, Nikon F1

Autofocus, handling

No dioptre correction built in. Eye control focus is a bit hit & miss. Build quality could be a little better.

I bought this camera as a back up to my Eos 1n. I didn't want to spend a fortune on a new 1v. Having had it for a couple of months now I find that I am using the Eos 3 more than the Eos 1n! The autofocus is superb and the AI servo mode is faultless. Super camera.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Eos-1n

Flash exposure lock
Enlarged QCD
Film leader out option

Polycarbonate shell (although well built)
Lack of exposure mode indication in viewfinder
Clumsy manual selection of focusing point
ECF not responsive
Cross-type focusing points only work with fast lenses
Control buttons not user friendly

I appreciate Canon's effort in developing the 45-point AF, but it is too complicated for its own good -- ECF is not reliable and manual selection of focusing points by using the two dials is very slow .The EOS1V seems to have better solution. Most control interfaces of the EOS3 are still "button plus dial" approach in vogue in the 80's which I never like. You can actually see that Minolta who set that trend has already moved away from this approach. The latest proof is their Dynax 7 with dials to control most functions. I think Canon's lower end models such as EOS50 (Elan II) have more user friendly. Overall, this is really an experimental camera which I suspect will be replaced by newer models quite soon.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F100

* Solidly built. Big, heavy and solid with the PB-E2 booster
* Well sealed against rain, dust, etc
* The 45 point autofocus is nothing short of fantastic. Even with auto point selection, it seems to get what I want every time
* 45 point ECF works every single time in good light
* Incredible, foolproof metering
* Excellent ergonomics and well crafted design
* Blazing fast AF and real time focus tracking
* Excellent bright viewfinder, at least 1 stop brighter than the 1N
* Backlit LCD
* Extremely short mirror blackout, even shorter than the 1N
* Absolutely accurate flash metering in every single situation I have ever encountered

* Mirror lockup needs some jugglery with the side door, setting a custom function and then tripping the shutter
* IR film will get fogged on the edges
* Battery check has to be done manually

I traded in my EOS-50 for the EOS-3, and it is a decision I will never regret. The first thing I noticed when I held the 3 was the absolute solidity and rugged feel of the body (with booster PB-E2). It feels indestructible, like a tank. The metering in every situation was absolutely accurate, and I have more or less given up using partial/spot/CW metering except in extreme situations. This is the first camera I have used where AF tracking really works in real time, with fast moving subjects. I photograph birds in flight, and the 3 does an absolutely excellent job of tracking small fast birds in flight. Just leave it to the 45 point area AF system. ECF works as advertised. The 17 custom functions are IMHO necessary to customize the camera to my shooting style. Balances extremely well with long L telephoto lenses. No more small cameras for me!

Customer Service

Excellent

Similar Products Used:

Almost every EOS body produced, Nikon F90x, F100, F70

Focus stracking and speed.
Metering.

Focus Selectioon is extremly clumbsy

Firstly, I would like to let you know that I am a part-time photographer and work part time in a photographic sales store. I also just moved from a Canon system (EOS 1n, 50, 50/1.4, 20-35/3.5-4.5) to a Nikon F100 body.

Basically I am writing to set the record straight. I believe that I know just about everything there is needed to know about both the Canon and Nikon systems and more specifically the EOS 3 and F100.

I want to let potential buyers know that both cameras are fantastic and one is not totally better than the other. They both have their strengths and weaknesses, regardless of what some "so-called" photographers believe.

The plastic/metal debate was recently satisfied by Canon's release of the Canon EOS 1v. So should we believe that metal is better than plastic.....that's up to you, but I believe that metal performs better in some situations and conditions and vice versa.

Personally I believe that Canon is a definite winner in the lens system department, as USM and IS are true performers, while Nikon just released a VR lens- but without SV (or USM)!? Nikon is a camera with a more traditional, rubbery feel and also has great backward compatibility with past manual lenses and 3D matrix flash metering with SB25, 26, 27 and the new 28 flashes- Canon can only do the same (monitor pre-flash) with the 550ex (only professional flash) and the 380ex and soon the 420ex- but with great wireless flash capabilities.

The reason why I choose Nikon was for the following reasons: 1. I liked the rubbery, metal feel. 2. I liked the position of the buttons, large LCD writing and exposure system (Spot, Centre weighted, 3D Matrix) in the viewfinder. 3. It uses AA batteries with a key-lock cover. 4. It's shutter is extremely smooth and relatively quiet compared to the EOS 3.

Things I like about the Canon EOS 3. 1. Lack of buttons. 2. Smooth focusing with USM. 3. Mirror-lock up (although difficult to get to with CF door). 4. IS lens capability. 5. PB-E2 is tough!

My advice is not to take notice of people's (supposed) bad experiences, as I believe that these people who bag cameras probably don't have a full understanding of photography and/or technology, and probably have nothing better to do in their time but to bag products that they may not have even used before- think about that! You should first write down the features you'll need to fully get the most out of the type of photography you do, then match those required features to the features in potential cameras. And also take note of potential future developments, company success (which will influenece the amount of $$$ they put into improving product development), and control layout with easy access to the most used controls. Also don't forget to consider other brands such as Minolta (especially the Dynax 9- What a camera!!!) and consider their new Dynax 7 and Canon's EOS 7,7e/30,33. And most importantly, don't rely on the camera's exposure meter to be perfect, as in the end it comes down to the dummy behind the camera; and put your money into top-quality lenses!!!!

Hope this review has helped. Any questions, just email me:)

Customer Service

NA

Similar Products Used:

EOS 1n, EOS 5, EOS 50, Nikon F100.

high speed focus, verys satisfying in auto-mode. Body has a good feel and seems to be sturdy. Very versatile body and great lenses.

Eye control focus is very delicate in position of the eye and often misses the point (not so the EOS 5). High speed transport only with the Booster. No built-in flash. No programmable combination of functions like the Minoltas.

Reliable Workhorse. My best EOS, but I wish I still had my EOS 5 in some situations.

Customer Service

not yet necessesary. Canon doesn´t provide replacement part longer than 8 years, even for pro-cameras (try with the great T90)

Similar Products Used:

EOS 1000, 500N, 5, Canon AE-1, A-1, T70, T90, Minolta 9xi, CLE, Contax G2, Olympus OM4-Ti, Rolleiflex 3003