For a while I have had my eye on Canon
35mm cameras that supports the EF mount lenses of which I have some
for my DSLR Canon cameras. I would not have to purchase any lenses
nor have to buy any adapters. One of those models is the high-end
Professional cameras produced from 1997 to 2007... the Canon EOS
3.
The EOS 3 I acquired is shown here with a an EF 50mm lens, f/1.4 and a Battery Power Boost device (PB-E2 ); supports 8 AA batteries, and it allows the AF (auto-focus) to react faster and provide a higher rate of sequence shooting, up to 7 frames per second. Without this battery grip, 3.3 frames per second. And without, it uses a single 2CR5 battery which is becoming increasingly difficult to find. I know I can easily find AA batteries.
The EOS 3 I acquired is shown here with a an EF 50mm lens, f/1.4 and a Battery Power Boost device (PB-E2 ); supports 8 AA batteries, and it allows the AF (auto-focus) to react faster and provide a higher rate of sequence shooting, up to 7 frames per second. Without this battery grip, 3.3 frames per second. And without, it uses a single 2CR5 battery which is becoming increasingly difficult to find. I know I can easily find AA batteries.
What amazes me about this camera is the ability to know where I want to focus the viewfinder. This is an extra-ordinary auto-focus system of which it knows where you move your eye and then allows for the 45-point AF to set its focused point. There is nothing like this on any known DSLR camera. While one has to fumble with dials, knobs, or fingering the back viewer to point to a focus point with the latest and greatest DSLRs, the EOS 3 seems to magically select by sensing where my eye is looking and automatically focuses on that point before I release the shutter. It seems to
be ahead of the technical functions of our time.
And, if I don't like to use this AF
function, I can resort to the old methods of auto-focusing.
Everything else about this camera makes it simple to operate. It does what I want it to do without the junk features commonly placed on today's DSLRs. I like simple... because I'm lazy. I can go manual, aperture preferred, or shutter preferred.
The EOS 3 was designed even for the amateur photographer in mind. Yet I prefer the Pro-sized weight and size with the add-on PB-E2 battery grip. The plastic carbonate makes the body lighter and yet more durable than a metal body. Canon insists that the gaskets on all the buttons and controls will protect from rain and dust. However, I would be reluctant to challenge that ability.
The top shutter speed is 1/8000 sec. and the slowest is 30 seconds. A flash unit can be synchronized up to 1/200 sec. The focusing screens can be replaced. I intend to find one with the split-image glass. The EOS has an auto-loading feature for film, and once I reach the roll limit, it takes about 6 seconds for it to auto-rewind.
I would have to say that this is a well thought out camera and the ergonomics makes it easy to handle. There are some pros and cons to this camera, but overall I would give this camera an A- grade.
Although I have shot film photography mostly with the Olympus OM cameras these past 40+ years... this is by far the best 35mm camera in my collection. I am well pleased.
ReplyDeleteIf my Dad were alive today, he would be very upset with me as he hated Japanese products, especially cameras. He was into the German cameras. That was the reason for me to acquire a Voitlander Bessamatic at the age of 12. But I have gone fully with the Canon after several years of Olympus OM and their first DSLR cameras, such as the E-30 and E-3. I shoot with the Canon 7D Mark II and the M5 mirrorless DSLR cameras. The old Voitlander sits on display on a book shelf (shutter speeds are way off).
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