It is astonishing sometimes how quickly we forget technology that is just one or two generations old.

While people desperately rush to purchase the $2000 Canon 5D, the $4500 Canon 1D mk3, and the whopping $8000 Canon 1Ds mk3, the older generation bodies just plummet in price.

The full-frame, fully-professional, rugged, environmentally sealed Canon 1Ds can be had for like, $1800. Or less if you're willing to buy on Ebay etc. The 1.3x, high-speed, legendary sports camera, the Canon 1D mk2, can also be found for under $2000. That's 8 frames per second, 45-point pro-series AF, and all the other pro features and design qualities you may want, for the price of a 5D.

I'm just sayin'!!!

If you're heading to the Amazon, Antarctica, or the Sahara, do your 5D a favor and leave it at home. It might not come back alive. Or if you're going to ANYWHERE you might be mugged for your camera gear, do you really want to have $10,000 worth of f/2.8, mk2 / mk3 around your neck? If I were going to any of those kinds of places, I'd take a 1Ds, a 17-40 L, a 70-200 f/4 L IS, and a 50 1.4. That's it. None of this cutting-edge body nonsense, none of that big, heavy, expensive f/2.8 nonsense.

Actually I'd just take my D300 and my lighter / smaller / cheaper 2.8 DX zooms, but that's another debate for another time...

But in general, my long-time readers will know that I'm a strong proponent of buying older gear. The VALUE is often far greater than the latest and greatest stuff on the shelves at your local camera store.

And to my credit I do STILL consider getting a D2Hs, just because it's a classic pro camera, and can output RAW at 4 megapixels which would be really nice for a lot of the work I do...

=Matt=