35mm Autofocus: Canon

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The Autofocus Debate:

Canon Eos

     Canon has always had a solid reputation, but until the introduction of the EOS cameras they were considered second best to Nikon. With the launch of the Eos-1 in 1989, Canon did the unthinkable - they knocked off Nikon as the leader in professional gear. Sports photographers and photojournalists especially found the AF in the Eos-1 superior to that of the Nikon F4s, and Canon grabbed a hefty share of the professional market. When Canon introduced the updated Eos-1n and Nikon answered with only the advanced amateur/semi-professional N90/N90s, even more Nikon shooters switched to Canon. The result - both Canon and Nikon now stand on equal footing in the professional realm, and determining which one is the leader is quite difficult.
     Beyond good autofocus technologies, Canon has also done a tremendous job at offering great value in their entire line. Prices often match or beat equivilent cameras from other manufacturers, and Canon often has a number of unique features unavailable in other systems (such as Eye-Control Focus in the Elan-IIe and A2e bodies). In many respects, it could be said that Canon has been the overall leader in the development of autofocus cameras (for better or worse). That's the good news. Now for some bad...
     As a leader in AF cameras, Canon has led the charge in making cameras smaller, lighter, and cheaper. As a result, a number of photographers have blasted Canon for its use of polycarbonate bodies and seemingly excessive amounts of plastic. While the polycarbonate bodies have so far stood the test of time, there is a certain truth to what has been said - the increasing use of plastic in the construction of cameras is NOT good. While it does make cameras lighter, it also makes them more suseptible to damage. In well-built cameras such as the Eos A2, the polycarbonate body doesn't seem to present much of a problem unless you beat your equipment to death. And even those of use who are a bit rough on our equipment have found that the upper end Canon bodies stand up well.
     But in the lower end bodies, such as the Rebel, the use of plastics has been taken to extremes. While small and light, the Rebel is not an incredibly sturdy camera and in my opinion is not much better than a point and shoot camera - which defeats the purpose of upgrading to an SLR. In fact, I don't think current Rebels are built nearly as well as the original Rebel or Rebel-II models, which actually had real glass pentaprisms instead of the cheap plastic ones found in current Rebel cameras (Rebel-X and later). A comment I have heard regarding the Elan-II and IIe cameras is that while the camera offers reasonable construction, the decals sometimes wear off under normal usage, a problem not seen in the upper end models.
     Additionally, Canon has used their plastic design in an increasing number of their consumer zoom lenses. Optically, the lenses perform very well, but with plastic lensmounts and light plastic barrels they just don't have the same ability to stand up over time. Compare a 100-300 Ultrasonic to a 80-200 Ultrasonic and you'll see what I mean. The 100-300 is typical of their older style of lens construction, and stands up well to abuse. The newer 80-200 is representative of the new plastic designs, which are cheap and may not hold up as well over the long haul (particularly if you do any serious photography).
     That being said, Canon still offers a great deal at very reasonable prices. If you are a light shooter and want a good camera with the availability of less expensive lenses, the low-end Canon works very well. However, for amateurs and more serious photographers, investment in the Elan II or better is definitely recommended. And once you get into high end Canon (A2 and higher), you know you're dealing with the best available (particularly if you get into the L series lenses or the better Ultrasonic lenses such as the 100-300 USM and 28-105 USM).
     It should also be kept in mind that Canon offers a number of lenses and features not available in other systems. For example, only Canon offers an extensive list of Image Stabilizer lenses that make low light shooting much easier (and the IS technology is also available in a number of their professional lenses). The Eos-3 offers a whopping 45 focusing points, as does the forthcoming Eos-1v, and only Canon offers Eye Control Focus. Overall, Canon's system has a tremendous amount to offer, and at extremely reasonable prices and with extensive feature lists compared to their competitors. I have been very satisfied with my Eos A2 and can highly recommend the Eos system (with the exception of the Rebel).

Curent Eos Cameras:

Eos 1n: Canon's current professional body. Extremely rugged and with a long list of features. Up to 6fps motor drive with the Booster E1, which also gives a vertical shutter release. Overall, one of the best profesional cameras on the market, paricularly for action photographers and photojournalists. RS version has a 10fps motor drive. Both the 1n and RS will be replaced shortly by the new Eos 1v.

Eos 3: 45 focusing points, blazing motor drive (up to 7 fps with optional grip), and the latest metering. Personally, I'm not sure if I like the 45 points or not, but Canon has obviously seen good results as they are including the technology in the new Eos 1v.

Eos A2/A2e: Personally, I think these cameras are the best overall values for amateur photographers. Good construction, tons of features, 5fps motor drive, and great metering all at an affordable price makes it a camera to seriously consider. The A2e offers Eye-Control Focus, while the A2 offers diopter correction (great for those who wear glasses). Of the two, I think the A2 is a better value.

Elan II/IIe: Like the A2/A2e, the Elan IIe offers Eye-Control Focus while the Elan II does not. Otherwise, the cameras are identical. For amateur use, the Elan II is a great camera with a good list of features.

Rebel 2000 or whatever: This is a camera best left in the store. Cheap and light, it's also not much better built than a point and shoot. Mirror lag is *bad*, and will cause problems if you ever get into action photography. Basically, this is a toy camera, not something appropriate for amateur use. The early Rebels were OK (Rebel and Rebel II), but with the Rebel X and later quality has suffered greatly in my opinion. And those damn Andre Agassi commercials...