Very reliable - had mine since 1987 and it's fine! Good viewfinder - bright and uncluttered Very good value for money now - I see them on sale in the UK for ca. £100 in fantastic condition. Good on batteries. Very easy to use.

Terrible manual mode! This is really only fixed in later EOS models which have two control dials No remote release socket as standard, but see the 'Review Summary' for more on this. By today's standards the camera is a bot on the heavy side (but not excessively so) and the AF can hunt ocassionally in low light

I've had my Canon EOS 650 since 1987 when it was first produced. Over the years I've often pondered trading it in for a more 'stylish' or 'up-to-date' camera, only to be put off when I realise that the 650 is everything I need in an SLR. I find the evaluative metering very accurate (especially when shooting transparancies) and appreciate the 6.5% partial function too. The autofocus is not as accurate nor as fast as my girlfriend's EOS 300, but it is absolutely perfect for 99% of my picture taking situations. When the camera struggles to autofocus, I have a go myself - manually. This brings me nicely on to the subject of Canon's EF lenses. I am a prime lens sort of person; when focussing manually, this is easy (and even pleasurable) with the focus rings that Canon provides on the mk1 50 mm f/1.8 and 28 mm f/2.8. I find the zoom lenses I've played with (at least the cheaper ones, anyway) terrible in this respect. The quality of the glass Canon puts in these two optics is, I believe, very good. I find images are always sharp and have very good contrast, especially in the case of those taken with the 28 mm. Obviously, having used a camera for 15 years I am quite used to its 'operating system', but I have always found the EOS 650 very easy and intuative to use. This really a product of good design as the camera is bristling with features. Exposure modes are manual, program, aperture priorety (Av), shutter priorety (Tv) and 'depth' (where the user sets the desired near and far focus points and the camera focuses hyperfocally). The PIC auto modes of more recent EOS models are absent as are custom functions. The latter would be useful and were included later on the EOS 600, however I have never been a big fan of PIC modes as I would rather use Av or Tv modes to get a similar degree of control. The only real 'design' complaints I have are the operation of the camera in manual mode and the omission of a remote/cable release socket. Purchasing grip GR20 adds an electronic release socket for the exorbitantly priced T60 remote control, but these are quite hard to find in the second hand adverts these days (I have seen a few in a shop on Tottenham Ct Road in London - drop me a line if you would like more info). Focusing is either 'one-shot', where focus must be achived before an exposure can be made, or 'servo' which tracks movement continusouly. Where the age o

Customer Service

Not needed yet! Fingers crossed!

Similar Products Used:

EOS 300, Pentax MX.

Built like a E LEitz Leica--strong, pre cision mechanics and optics and goes on forever.Long batterty life, great viewfinder, and the modes available are all an amateur needs. Contrary to other reviewers, I have found auto-focus very accurate.

Lack of ability to autofocus on horizontal lines,

Have used this instrument for years, only not using it when traveling overseas when weight and bulk (as with all SLR'S)make another choice desirable.(eg an Olympus Stylus 80 Deluxe.--small and full featured with ASA 400 film)

Customer Service

I have only had to have it serviced once, by Essex in Carlstadt NJ and they returned it to me "as new"

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My only SLR< now and forever

excellant balance, not to heavy,have taken thousands of pictures,very reliable,have taken picture though out the U.S. from yellowstone to yosemite to everglades to the blueridge parkway in north carolina.

very few,maybe if it had better autofocusing.

my very first camera body,had used it for over 11 years.it came with 50mm lens.besides an eos-1 this would be the only other camera i would want.not a bad camera for 150.00 new with a normal lens.

Customer Service

cleaning and checkup

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None

Easy to use, beautifully constructed, great results. Can handle particularly tough environmental conditons (try the Australian outback desert, tropical north and snow in the south!!!!)

A bit bulky. Took a while to figure out how to use all the features.

Bought this camera mainly because it was cheap (Australian $)and in very good condition. Have been impressed with its quality construction and the superb photographic results the camera is capable of. If you need a tough reliable camera that can still give you professional results at a bargain price - this is for you.

Customer Service

Not required

Similar Products Used:

Olympus OM-10, Minolta 7ix, Canon EOS 300

Reliability , build quality. Accurate autofocus.The servo follow focus feature is particularly useful when photographing motor sport or similar subjects.

Rewind particularly loud and in-focus beep annoying when trying to be quiet and unobtrusive.

An excellent camera for either the beginner or more advanced user.Rugged construction takes rough use un it''s stride.

Customer Service

Never needed

Similar Products Used:

Canon EOS 300 ,Pentax ME Super, Pentax P30, Zenit TTL

Ease of use, ruggedness. Batteries last forever. Easy film loading (even with gloves). Reliablility..

Loud rewind, and hard to find a manual. Miss the electroluminescent display of the 620.

I own two of these cameras, the newer acting as primary. The older one is a vet and a champ. It has been to the bottom of the Merced River, and in 2 feet of snow in Colorado. These puppies keep on ticking. I will forever repair NOT replace. Ease of use and reliability are key for any wildlife photographer. I use all EOS lenses. Buy these used by the lot and run ''em to the ground!

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EOS 620.

Easy to use and very advanced for its time. Autofocus worked perfectly with 35-70 and 70-210 zooms.
Rock solid construction. Bright viewfinder. Accurate exposure meter in all modes.

Heavy compared to modern EOS cameras. No leader out rewind or auto-bracketing. Film winding a bit noisy.

Outstanding camera for its vintage. Obviously lacks the features of modern EOS and other bodies, but would still serve as a good second body. I was very happy with this camera. Replaced it with an Elan IIe to get something newer and lighter.

Customer Service

Didn't need it.

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Elan IIe.

Very robust (had never a problem with it during 12 years), easy to use, good optical quality.

Very loud (film transport, especially on
rewinding), AF works for the picture center only.

Great camera if noise is not a problem. Due to its robustness it is especially recommended for rough out-door usage.

Customer Service

Never needed.

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Canon EOS 50e

Very easy to use, extremely tough. I've dropped this camera from considerable heights several times and it has never skipped a beat. Also, for some reason the battery seems to last forever.

One autofocus point in center. Very loud rewind - no way to turn it off or hide it during quiet events. No advanced features.

This camera can survive anything you throw at it. A good beginner camera, way better than the rebel, and one that lasts forever with dependalbe performance.

Customer Service

Never needed.

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A2

It's a camera with lots of stuff

I haven't developed a film yet, so...

A lot of people are looking for a manual for this camera - I've published my own, get it here www.bridgfordflat.freeserve.co.uk

Customer Service

Never needed it...

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None