Nikon user to Canon user questions...

Hi Folks,

I have recently decided to purchase a digital SLR, and have settled on
a Canon EOS 20D.

As I am not "moving" to digital (indeed I am still building my
darkroom!) I would like to retain compatibility between a film camera
and a digital camera for accessories and lenses. Due to this I am also
thinking of trading my Nikon FM2n in for a newer Canon film camera.
As you would expect, I have a few questions to ask!

I haven't really looked at Canon equipment before so I don't really
know what to get a the moment.

In terms of Nikon/Canon equivalent, is the EOS 300v the same quality
as the Nikon F100 or is there a more "professional" camera I should be
looking at such as the EOS 1v or EOS 3? How much difference between
the 300v, 3 and 1v is there?

Also, if I wanted a fully manual camera that is similar to my Nikon
FM2 that only uses a battery for the meter would I be able to get a
Canon AE-1P and use my lenses across all three systems?

Thanks,

Andrew McCall

(Andrew McCall) writes:

I have recently decided to purchase a digital SLR, and have settled on
a Canon EOS 20D.

As I am not "moving" to digital (indeed I am still building my
darkroom!) I would like to retain compatibility between a film camera
and a digital camera for accessories and lenses. Due to this I am also
thinking of trading my Nikon FM2n in for a newer Canon film camera.
As you would expect, I have a few questions to ask!

I haven't really looked at Canon equipment before so I don't really
know what to get a the moment.

In terms of Nikon/Canon equivalent, is the EOS 300v the same quality
as the Nikon F100 or is there a more "professional" camera I should be
looking at such as the EOS 1v or EOS 3? How much difference between
the 300v, 3 and 1v is there?

Also, if I wanted a fully manual camera that is similar to my Nikon
FM2 that only uses a battery for the meter would I be able to get a
Canon AE-1P and use my lenses across all three systems?

Well, I can answer that part, anway: NO. Canon made a clean break
when they started their autofocus lens line. There is no
compatibility either way between the old lens mount and the new lens
mount. The drawback of this is obvious; the benefit should be that
their new autofocus mount is well-adapted to modern high-speed AF
lenses. (In fact, there seems to be more compatibility trouble with
third-party lenses on Canon cameras than anywhere else; this seems bad
to me, but Canon may consider it a feature.)

So there is no camera that's mechanical and doesn't use much battery
power that's lens-compatible with the 20D. And there never will be.
--
David Dyer-Bennet, , http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/
RKBA: http://noguns-nomoney.com/ http://www.dd-b.net/carry/
Pics: http://dd-b.lighthunters.net/ http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/
Dragaera/Steven Brust: http://dragaera.info/

(Andrew McCall) writes:

I have recently decided to purchase a digital SLR, and have settled on
a Canon EOS 20D.

As I am not "moving" to digital (indeed I am still building my
darkroom!) I would like to retain compatibility between a film camera
and a digital camera for accessories and lenses. Due to this I am also
thinking of trading my Nikon FM2n in for a newer Canon film camera.
As you would expect, I have a few questions to ask!

I haven't really looked at Canon equipment before so I don't really
know what to get a the moment.

In terms of Nikon/Canon equivalent, is the EOS 300v the same quality
as the Nikon F100 or is there a more "professional" camera I should be
looking at such as the EOS 1v or EOS 3? How much difference between
the 300v, 3 and 1v is there?

Also, if I wanted a fully manual camera that is similar to my Nikon
FM2 that only uses a battery for the meter would I be able to get a
Canon AE-1P and use my lenses across all three systems?

Well, I can answer that part, anway: NO. Canon made a clean break
when they started their autofocus lens line. There is no
compatibility either way between the old lens mount and the new lens
mount. The drawback of this is obvious; the benefit should be that
their new autofocus mount is well-adapted to modern high-speed AF
lenses. (In fact, there seems to be more compatibility trouble with
third-party lenses on Canon cameras than anywhere else; this seems bad
to me, but Canon may consider it a feature.)

So there is no camera that's mechanical and doesn't use much battery
power that's lens-compatible with the 20D. And there never will be.
--
David Dyer-Bennet, , http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/
RKBA: http://noguns-nomoney.com/ http://www.dd-b.net/carry/
Pics: http://dd-b.lighthunters.net/ http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/
Dragaera/Steven Brust: http://dragaera.info/

Well, I can answer that part, anway: NO. Canon made a clean break
when they started their autofocus lens line. There is no
compatibility either way between the old lens mount and the new lens
mount.

Isn't there a FD EOS mount adaptor to allow old FD (MF) lenses to be used
on EOS (AF) cameras?

Well, I can answer that part, anway: NO. Canon made a clean break
when they started their autofocus lens line. There is no
compatibility either way between the old lens mount and the new lens
mount.

Isn't there a FD EOS mount adaptor to allow old FD (MF) lenses to be used
on EOS (AF) cameras?

"Andrew McCall" wrote in message
om...
Hi Folks,

I have recently decided to purchase a digital SLR, and have settled on
a Canon EOS 20D.

As I am not "moving" to digital (indeed I am still building my
darkroom!) I would like to retain compatibility between a film camera
and a digital camera for accessories and lenses. Due to this I am also
thinking of trading my Nikon FM2n in for a newer Canon film camera.
As you would expect, I have a few questions to ask!

I haven't really looked at Canon equipment before so I don't really
know what to get a the moment.

In terms of Nikon/Canon equivalent, is the EOS 300v the same quality
as the Nikon F100 or is there a more "professional" camera I should be
looking at such as the EOS 1v or EOS 3? How much difference between
the 300v, 3 and 1v is there?

Also, if I wanted a fully manual camera that is similar to my Nikon
FM2 that only uses a battery for the meter would I be able to get a
Canon AE-1P and use my lenses across all three systems?

Thanks,

Andrew McCall

I don't know the Nikon products very well, but have a look at the EOS 30 or
33 models for a film body, as it's a better camera than the 300 range with
more features. The 300 range is the basic beginners bodies AFAIK.
I have a 20D and EOS 30 and swap lenses between them regulally. Also have
several Sigma lenses which all work fine on both bodies.

Alan.

"Andrew McCall" wrote in message
om...
Hi Folks,

I have recently decided to purchase a digital SLR, and have settled on
a Canon EOS 20D.

As I am not "moving" to digital (indeed I am still building my
darkroom!) I would like to retain compatibility between a film camera
and a digital camera for accessories and lenses. Due to this I am also
thinking of trading my Nikon FM2n in for a newer Canon film camera.
As you would expect, I have a few questions to ask!

I haven't really looked at Canon equipment before so I don't really
know what to get a the moment.

In terms of Nikon/Canon equivalent, is the EOS 300v the same quality
as the Nikon F100 or is there a more "professional" camera I should be
looking at such as the EOS 1v or EOS 3? How much difference between
the 300v, 3 and 1v is there?

Also, if I wanted a fully manual camera that is similar to my Nikon
FM2 that only uses a battery for the meter would I be able to get a
Canon AE-1P and use my lenses across all three systems?

Thanks,

Andrew McCall

I don't know the Nikon products very well, but have a look at the EOS 30 or
33 models for a film body, as it's a better camera than the 300 range with
more features. The 300 range is the basic beginners bodies AFAIK.
I have a 20D and EOS 30 and swap lenses between them regulally. Also have
several Sigma lenses which all work fine on both bodies.

Alan.

"Alan" writes:

Well, I can answer that part, anway: NO. Canon made a clean break
when they started their autofocus lens line. There is no
compatibility either way between the old lens mount and the new lens
mount.

Isn't there a FD EOS mount adaptor to allow old FD (MF) lenses to be used
on EOS (AF) cameras?

Sort of. Since the flange distance (register) is greater on the EOS
mount, you will live with either additional optics (and focal length
increase) or loss of infinity focus. Unlike Pentax and Minolta, Canon
didn't try to preserve compatibility in designing their new
mount. That might be because the register was unusually small on the
FD mount: 42mm or so. The EOS at 44 is still smaller than Nikon
(46.5mm) and Pentax (45.46), allowing simple converters for those
lenses. Which was, perhaps, the intent. Minolta changed register only
slightly (43.5 to 43.7) in designing their new mount, as far as I can
tell.

--
-Stephen H. Westin
Any information or opinions in this message are mine: they do not
represent the position of Cornell University or any of its sponsors.

"Alan" writes:

Well, I can answer that part, anway: NO. Canon made a clean break
when they started their autofocus lens line. There is no
compatibility either way between the old lens mount and the new lens
mount.

Isn't there a FD EOS mount adaptor to allow old FD (MF) lenses to be used
on EOS (AF) cameras?

Sort of. Since the flange distance (register) is greater on the EOS
mount, you will live with either additional optics (and focal length
increase) or loss of infinity focus. Unlike Pentax and Minolta, Canon
didn't try to preserve compatibility in designing their new
mount. That might be because the register was unusually small on the
FD mount: 42mm or so. The EOS at 44 is still smaller than Nikon
(46.5mm) and Pentax (45.46), allowing simple converters for those
lenses. Which was, perhaps, the intent. Minolta changed register only
slightly (43.5 to 43.7) in designing their new mount, as far as I can
tell.

--
-Stephen H. Westin
Any information or opinions in this message are mine: they do not
represent the position of Cornell University or any of its sponsors.

"Andrew McCall" wrote in message
om...
Hi Folks,

I have recently decided to purchase a digital SLR, and have settled on
a Canon EOS 20D.

As I am not "moving" to digital (indeed I am still building my
darkroom!) I would like to retain compatibility between a film camera
and a digital camera for accessories and lenses. Due to this I am also
thinking of trading my Nikon FM2n in for a newer Canon film camera.
As you would expect, I have a few questions to ask!

I haven't really looked at Canon equipment before so I don't really
know what to get a the moment.

In terms of Nikon/Canon equivalent, is the EOS 300v the same quality
as the Nikon F100 or is there a more "professional" camera I should be
looking at such as the EOS 1v or EOS 3? How much difference between
the 300v, 3 and 1v is there?

Also, if I wanted a fully manual camera that is similar to my Nikon
FM2 that only uses a battery for the meter would I be able to get a
Canon AE-1P and use my lenses across all three systems?

Thanks,

Andrew McCall

The 1v is the Canon equivalent of the Nikon F5, the EOS3 is the equivalent
of the F100, but probably a little closer to the higher model. The 300
series are the bottom feeders, equivalent to the F65/70. There's the Canon
EOS30/33, right there with the F80, but lacking a spot meter. For a spot
meter, you must have the 3 or 1v.
There is no fully manual camera that uses the EOS EF mount lenses, and the
old FD mount lenses are not compatible, unless you can find one of the out
of production adaptors.

--
Skip Middleton
http://www.shadowcatcherimagery.com