Canon 10D - any good?

garfonzo

Hey everyone!

I am trying to break into the DSLR scene but don't want to shell out big bucks for my first DSLR. I was thinking of something that would work well as a starter camera to learn on.

A friend of mine (pro photographer) is offering to sell me her current backup camera which is a Canon 10D. I have no question that it has been handled with utmost care. She said she would give me a great deal on it. However, I don't know what a "great deal" is with this camera since it is a bit older.


I checked out some on eBay and they're going for aroun 250 US with a lens and the one I'm being offered is body only. So, I'd have to get my own glass. What do you guys think?

Would the 10D be a good starter camera? What's a good price (US $)? Are there things I should look for or ask?

Cheers!

garfonzo

:ivar

controld

Not sure you have included enough info about your intended uses - but sounds like casual shooting for fun, memories and as a hobbyist?

The 10D's two issues for me are it's poor performance in low light with a high ISO (lots of noise) and that it does not support EF-S lenses (limits your options a bit). If these are workable issues for you than it's a lot of camera in all other respects and if the price is right then go for it. You can always flip the body in 6 months and upgrade if need be.

- Mike

Tee Why

Image quality on the 10D is very good. The only problem is the robustness of it's performance. It take several seconds to start up, wake up from sleep, review shots, and write down the files to the CF card. Most if not all currentl dslr's can do these functions almost instantly.

I think you'd be better off with a Rebel XT or a Nikon D50 or a Nikno D40.

Good luck.

HiSPL

Where are you finding 10D's for 250 bucks?

Those bodies are going for 375 and up on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/Canon-EOS-10D-Digital-Camera-Body-6-3-Megapixel_W0QQitemZ300057892960QQihZ020QQcategoryZ107906QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

If she will sell it for 250 or less buy it! If you don't let me know and I'll buy it. I have been looking for the DSLR deal of a lifetime, and it just hasn't come around yet.

TylerW

I'm actually really happy that I went with a 10d rather than a Rebel XT. It definitely has its limitations (noted above) but I like the sturdier, chunkier feel of the 10d over the toy-in-my-hands presentation of the Rebel XT. It also puts a lot more controls at your fingertips, rather than having to sift through menus to change f/stops or isos. In my experience, it also autofocuses noticeably faster, which is essential since I do a lot of sports shooting with mine.

If its your first dSLR, its well worth considering. If you're planning on doing a lot of low available light shooting, you may want to pass it up, but otherwise its a solid contender.

gsgary

The 10D is a great camera low light and high iso is not as bad as people make out once you get used to it and shoot manual you can get great results i bought mine for sports as my first camera people said it was no good for sports i got a few published now have the 1D mk1 people say that is bad at high ISO but that is not as bad as people make out

this is ISO 1600 no noise reduction 10D and this is not my best


1D ISO 3200

pathfinder

My 10D banged about with me in my saddle bag for over two years and >20,000 shutter actuations. It was my first DSLR and I loved it - It was fast ( by 2003 standards ) and easily printed grainless images at 13 x 19 inches.

I took it everywhere - out in the snow at 10 degrees Fahrenheit, over the passes in the Rockies, shots tons of macros, shot candids of the family, shot Flying Tigers, and generally had a great time with it.

I finally gave it to my son, and replaced it with a 20D when it was introduced. Is the 10D as good as a 30D today, or a 1DsMkll ?? Of course not, but if used with skill and knowledge it will take better pictures than most 35mm film cameras could ever hope to. If you can find one that has not been shot out for $250, grab it!! It is STILL worth much more than that in what it can teach you about digital photography.

Use the money you save on the 10D to purchase some great L glass. It will serve you well!!

garfonzo

Thanks to all for the great advice. To respond to some of your posts . . .

I'll be mainly using it for hobby photography. I've enjoyed shooting with my Canon PowerShot A510 in manual mode. I got the PowerShot because you could fully control the aperature and shutter speed (and it was my first digital and cheap!). I'm looking to take a bit of a step in photography. That means being able to switch lens, which, obviously, you can't do with a compact. The girl who is looking to sell it to me seems eager to help me develope my skills in photography so with a DSLR I'll have somewhere to start.

As for low light, I don't forsee that being my primary area of photography. I'm hoping to develope my abilities of knowing what settings to use (in manual mode) depending on the situation. That will come I suppose.

I know that the 10D doesn't compare to the 20D or the 30D, however, its funcitonality and image quality are what I'm going for as a first step. I need to learn how to use a DSLR. How to focus, how to compose a shot, et cetera. I also agree about the feeling of the Rebel being quite light and, well, cheap feeling. I know the Rebel is not at all cheap, it is a great camera. However, I like the heavy clunky ones!

Thanks again! Any other tips are totally welcome as I have some time to think about it.

Cheers

garfonzo

:ivar

garfonzo

pathfinder wrote:

Use the money you save on the 10D to purchase some great L glass. It will serve you well!!

Totally agree. I figure if I spend money on good glass, I can get a new body and still have good lens.

ziggy53

HiSPL wrote:

Where are you finding 10D's for 250 bucks?

Those bodies are going for 375 and up on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/Canon-EOS-10D-Digital-Camera-Body-6-3-Megapixel_W0QQitemZ300057892960QQihZ020QQcategoryZ107906QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

If she will sell it for 250 or less buy it! If you don't let me know and I'll buy it. I have been looking for the DSLR deal of a lifetime, and it just hasn't come around yet.

In addition to previous comments, the Canon 10D is not rated for more than 6 volts flash trigger voltage.

Since EBay was mentioned, it looks like the sweet selling spot for 10D bodies is around $430. These are recently completed listings:

claudermilk

garfonzo wrote:

Totally agree. I figure if I spend money on good glass, I can get a new body and still have good lens.

I think you have your answer.

In your shoes, I'd jump on that 10D and start collecting some good glass. Then when the new hotness arrives from Canon and the current crop of bodies takes a nosedive in price you can pick up a used 30D on the cheap (witness 20D prices when the 30D hit the shelves).