cameron12x
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Conrad Tan wrote:
Lately I've come to believe in the "optimal" use of equipment, not "pushing-the-envelope" use of it. Ok... let the comments begin! 
Conrad--thanks again for taking the time to shoot these images and share them with us. Well done!
I subscribe to the same "optimal" use paradigm. At this price point, for those of us who wish to find a camera which works well in 100% of all possible circumstances and shooting conditions, good luck! Having said that, I think we all wish for the best possible camera for the money that we shell out. Photography taken seriously is not an inexpensive hobby, avocation, or real job. I have a 7D on pre-order from Best Buy, and it will be a couple of weeks before I get mine (I have to admit, the wait is killing me). So, I've been living the last few weeks vicariously through others shooting with their early copies. It's kept me going, while I wait. 
Now, back to "optimal use." I recently purchased a used 1Ds. It will probably arrive early next week. It's not a "perfect camera," but here is how I evaluated it:
Pros
Pro build quality
Pro weather sealing
Pro AF performance
Full-frame sensor
Film-like noise/grain
Great low ISO performance (< 400)
DEP function (last Canon to have this)
Makes gorgeous prints up to Super A3 (and probably larger)
Cons
Heavy
Large batteries
Sensor collects dust easily
Poor high ISO performance (> 400)
Targeted Uses
landscapes
portraits
macros
studio work
Miscellany
First DSLR to completely surpass 35mm film quality (2003)
First DSLR to approach medium-format film quality (2003)
First DSLR successfully marketed with a full-frame image sensor (2003)
An iconic and history-making camera for these reasons alone. A "collectable" camera which is still very usable for specific types of photography.
Take a look at the last part of the last sentence. Cameras are tools. As long as we shoot within their known limitations, we should be quite happy and get great results. I think we're all trying to determine the limitations and boundaries of where the 7D fits. I'll mostly use it for action, sports, motorsports, wildlife, and general photography in good light. I may dabble a little bit in astrophotography with it, as I did with my 20D. The 1080p HD video is a bonus to all still shooters. I'm not buying the camera for that, but it's a welcome feature. The AF performance is probably the single most important camera attribute that interests me with the 7D. So far, it seems to be far better than its xxD predecessors. The high ISO "pattern noise," which seemed to affect the 50D and is difficult to clean-up in post-processing, has been largely eliminated.
I've been told the noise on the 1Ds is much more natural-looking and film-like than any other DSLR (perhaps due to the large pixels and their pitch). So, for me, I don't care that it only shoots 3 fps (I will have the 7D for high throughput action shots). I bought the used 1Ds for one major reason: landscapes. My photography with this camera will be very deliberate, slow, calculated, and precise. I will use a tripod often, and will try to get the best light. I will "make" photographs instead of taking them.
I will use my 1Ds and my 7D cameras optimally, where they work best...
Edited on Oct 01, 2009 at 07:22 AM · View previous versions
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I now want one more than ever.