I purchased the 10D in the spring of 2004 as my first digital body. It is my 10th Canon body in 34 years. The shift to digital was a small challenge to me - but this camera made the shift enjoyable. I have yet to notice the focusing problems that so many have mentioned here. In fact, I find that the resolution is amazing. I was shooting with a variety of higher-end consumer lenses (Tamron SP and Sigma EX lenses) but am now selling all those and investing in Canon L lenses. But even with the less professional grade glass I found the camera to perform quite well.
My biggest complaint is the lag in waking it up - tapping the shutter release doesn't always seem to do the trick the way I think it should. I sometimes wonder if it is responding or not. This can be a serious annoyance if it results in the loss of a quick shot.
Overall, though, I have been satisfied. I cannot compare this to any other D-SLR other than the Rebel which I've handled some - but I've not used any of the higher grade bodies. I have to say I like it.
It is a solid piece of equipment - for the first time in all my years of photography, I dropped my camera. Not just dropped it, but it slid off my shoulder onto a concrete floor of a parking garage. The Tamron lens did not survive - but the camera came away with a bit of a nick in the body - but works w/o the slightest problem. I doubt any of my film cameras (including my beloved F-1) would have done as well.
Strengths:
- solid build
- most controls handle well and are intuitive
- good viewing screen
- good viewfinder information display
- lighted control panel
- works well with L lenses as well as third party lenses
- good battery life
Weaknesses:
- slow to wake up
- does not accept new Canon lenses that are designed only for the Rebel and D20
Similar Products Used:
Digital Rebel
Film cameras: F-1, FTb, 7e (and so on)
Customer Service:
In my 34 years of shooting with Canon cameras and lenses, I have never had the need for servicing of my Canon equipment.
Wanting to get into photojournalism, I decided to get a camera that would allow me to take an unlimited number of photos without worrying about how much film I was using up (I need to practice). I have 4 Canon mount lenses, so I first thought about the 20D (too expensive yet) and the Rebel XT (too small, don't like the controls). Fortunately, Camera Casino had a 10D left over for the same price as the XT. The feel of that camera over the Rebel XT is much more comfortable. The menus on the larger bodies are simpler thanks to the large wheel on the back. Controlling aperture in manual and exposure in other modes is easier. Now I just need to be quicker with it. Setting drive, meter, WB, ISO, others is just so, so much easier than the Rebel XT menu. I often wish the 10D would wake up quicker when it falls asleep, otherwise it is plenty quick for me. The quick reaction of the shutter is fine for sports and action. After my Rebel 2000, I'm just happy to be able to take a picture even if the camera isn't necessarily focused.
It's been interesting trying to figure out how the camera is metering or why people's skin often turns pasty and what it's trying to focus on. The first time I used the camera was at a hockey rink and it seemed like every picture was out of focus and exposure seemed to vary wildly. Another 10D user suggested I just select the center focus point, and I tried setting to manual exp. That seemed to work much better. As for color, thank goodness for RAW. I shoot in raw almost all the time. Though the program Canon gives you for dealing with raw files is slow, it is otherwise easy to use and gives good results. Anyone who wants to flip through their CRW or CR2 files quickly should get Irfanview. It's only an image viewer, but it's small and free to download. Without any plugins it will flip through CRW files in a snap. With the plugin and Canon's dll's, you can flip through CRW and CR2 files in full size a lot faster than in Canon's FileViewer.
I haven't had many of my digital pictures printed yet, so I don't know if my monitor just ruins colors or if I just have to be more aware of minute color changes. I'm guessing the latter. This camera is forcing me to be a lot more aware of many things, and that's a good thing. I'd prefer to think of the nuances of the 10D as challenges than flaws. I'm sure my camera is working properly to Canon's specs. It was brand new after all.
Strengths:
Picture quality, low noise
Build quality
Price now
Menu
Ergonomical controls
Numerous features, custom func.
Speed, shutter response
Cool remote capture utility
It makes my 200mm lens a 320mm
Many professional features (PC socket, N3 remote switches, 1/200 flash sync)
Feels heavy-duty enough for the longer, heavier lenses (balance)
If you can still find one, a great buy, an excellent camera for its time
Weaknesses:
Not 8 megapixel :)
Slow RAW converter
Slow power-up
Slow write times (will notice when reviewing pics and if pushed to continuous shooting limit)
Seemingly not fast enough to choose focus point, continuously focus and continuously meter at the same time (actually I wish I could make it choose from only three focus points like in the Elan II)
It makes my 28-80mm lens a 45-128mm
I'll need a new remote shutter release
I am very eager to inform you that this is a good camera in many aspects.More than i first asumed.(and admits)
You see,the first example 10D i got had some focus problems which was unaccetable.The serial number was o3 series ;according to some users it has some fabric faults.As i had written in a former review i had the same experience.
Well,some time ago i had tried Sigma Ex Lenses with a 10 D serial number 05,a camera i lended from a friend.
Guess what? its the best pictures ive seen for long.We then tried his lenses versus some Canon;on my new 20D cam and found that the Sigmas was unsharp and blurry on the 20D but perfect on the 10D! what a mess.
To make a long story short;i have now bought an almost new ser. 05 (Demo )and is happy.
The Canon 10 D is perfect with the Sigma lenses ( this day i use the following:
12-24f4,5-f5,6 .,24-70 f2,8.,70-200 f2,8 and the latest 100-300 f4) with PRO result every time for my clients.The pics this combo gives is perfect exposed and Focused.
Confused? i was ,but now im happy its a new life for the famed 10 D in my arsenal.A camera i was about to give up.
Its funny to end up in this situation though as i have recently invested in a new 20 D and use them both equally for the time being in the favor of the 10 D.
IF i should choose between the new 20 D and this wonderfull 10D i would save the dollars and buy Sigma for a number of good reasons,and a 10D.
All in all it is a very good camera,and mine is a keeper now.
Strengths:
Shutter is noise free(its a MUST in some areas and countries!
Good strong size
perfect ergonomics
larger than the 20 d (good for BIG L and SIGMA PRO lenses)
Lighter than 1 D
Good battery life
better PRO FEEL and handling,than 20 d.
strong magnesium build house..
price is super..
Weaknesses:
slow start up time
only 7 focus points..but it works now!(=05 series and ..further...
This camera has received a lot of positive reviews and I certainly don't mean to trash it. But as an early digital camera user I was in fact pretty disappointed with it. I have had a Fuji S1 before, that had tremendous image quality and was very user friendly but the ergonomics were horrible for my small hands, not to mention the fact it's ugly as pond slime. I switched to a Nikon D100, which I kept for two years. Operation was smooth and very quick with the D100 and it produced very decent images for me (even though I used horribly cheap glass). The one negative thing about it was sharpness, and yes it can be corrected in post processing but I like an image to be good right out of the camera, like the S1 can make.
The 10D has the best ergnomics of the three DSLR's I owned, is the "prettiest", and has a very nice solid, pro feel to it. Too bad operation doesn't match looks in its case ! Wake up is slow and the palyback mode is horrible, the camera displays the images all fuzzy at first and it takes a good trhee seconds each to get sharp. Which means whenever you shoot and want to know whether the pic is OK you need to wait those agonizing three seconds, for each and every shot ! This is pretty aggravating. Sharpness is a definite issue, and I do agree with other reviewers who expect a $1500 camera to produce sharp images. AF was excellent in bright light, very sluggish in low light. Lots of back focusing. I think I tried all possible combinations of settings (which this camera is very good at letting you do) to produce images that would suit me, but unfortunately after three months of use I just decided to let it go and go back to a Fuji S2.
Overall there is a lot to play with on this camera, lots of custom functions, but that doesn't make up for the general unability to produce a majority of great images.
Strengths:
Tons of customizable settings.
Excellent look and finish, "pro" feel. Well balanced in size/weight.
Weaknesses:
No option to have a grid in the viewfinder.
Slow to wake up. Slow to display pictures and terrible delay before pictures look clear on the LCD panel.
Poor autofocus in less than perfect lightning conditions.
Overall sharpness and color rendition.
I'm suprised by the negative reviews of this camera. If I have reservations its about digitals inherent ability to blow out the highlights when comapred to neg, oh and battery life!!!!
On the sharpness side, well its just something that has to be corrected in Photoshop - and it doesnt take much with very small radius settings. With a good 20mm lens I can read the face of a clock on the wall through a window in an office accoss the road - handheld at night!!
In terms of grain it compares very well with film even at high speeds. Colour is good as is contrast. The ability to separate dark pixels in the shadows using curves is truly amazing and seems, at least during my recent trials, to be a reality of exposing with digital.
In all other handling respects the camera is just fine. In terms of functions it exceeeds just about every possible need I could ever have - although decent spot metering would be very helpful.
All in all a very solid and capable camera. But battery life - I'm used to changing batteries weekly, not charging them daily and I don't like the bulk of extra grips. But thats just me and I do after all get a free 'polaroid' thrown in.
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