slayer21016 2 #1 February 23, 2005 Heya Jumpers I did a search but not much here yet about this model, I don't expect to find to many using this camera but if you are I would like your opinion and pros-cons of this body, I'm switching from Nikon to canon, what a pain in my wallet but Nikon has let me down, I hope Sony doesn't screw me to Peace at Y'all Scott Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 2 #2 February 23, 2005 The D20 is seriously cool But what's wrong with a D70? ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slayer21016 2 #3 February 23, 2005 Hey D2 That you have to add the battery grip to get the remote shutter option with the D70 and D100, basically they didn't add this feature to there digital bodies, sort of a pain in the butt and I don't want to hard wire it in, I would love to add Nikon digital considering all of the Nikon stuff I have but I don't see much of a choice here unless someone tells me something about the D70 or 100's remote release that I'm not aware of?, just trying to keep it as compact as posible. Thanks Scott Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #4 February 23, 2005 Scotty... if you are wanting to save a little $$$ do what I did and pick up a used 10D camera body. I got the Body and grip for less then the street price of the Digital Rebel. I give up a bit of buffer and a few more frames on a skydive, but when I can get the body, 2 lenses and a few other things for just the price of the 20D body it was hard to turn it down. I had my hands on both and the 20D is by far a top of the line camera. Click click click as fast as I could hit the shutter release for 9 frames. Its blistering fast, but I could'nt see paying that extra $650+ just for a few frames and the diff between 6.3 and 8.2mp.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 2 #5 February 23, 2005 You're right about the D100 needing the extra grip (except there's at least one D100 with a remote-mod not sure if there's anyone modding them now) but the D70 doesn't even HAVE the option of the extra grip. It's either buying the infrared remote and make a remote out of that (I'm jumping one of those, it slows the camera down a bit and doesn't look very nice but it's cheap and it works) or get Harbotronics to do their mod on it, real nice but more expensive than the infrared option and it voids the warranty. I switched from Canon to Nikon for the D70 But I didn't have the right (fixed wide angle) lenses for Canon. If you have got the right lenses for a Nikon, $$$$$$ if you switch ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chopchop 0 #6 February 23, 2005 Check out the new Rebel XT.. Had one in my hot little hands today at PMA... There are no features on the 20d that make it a better skydiving camera than the Rebel XT. The 20d is a great camera (we have one for grounds shots.) but I really want to upgrade the Rebel I jump with to the new Rebel XT.. Hey... wanna buy a slightly used Rebel? chopchop gotta go... Plaything needs a spanking.. Lotsa Pictures Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slayer21016 2 #7 February 23, 2005 Hey Eric I do want to save money, but I also want a tool, you know me, i'm not about the money even though I never have any , I'm also looking a little at the soon to be released Rebel XL but the 20D and a 10-22mm len's would just get you drooling hehe, actually I'm just wanting the best I can afford and I can get the 20D if I want, so is that a thumbs up dood? You can get a new RebelXL with the 10-22 lens for the same price as just the 20's body, definitely something I'm looking at right now. Q: Any cons about the Canon cameras you can tell me about? Thanks man, see yaa around Scotty Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slayer21016 2 #8 February 23, 2005 Quotedragon2 It's either buying the infrared remote and make a remote out of that (I'm jumping one of those, it slows the camera down a bit and doesn't look very nice but it's cheap and it works) or get Harbotronics to do their mod on it, real nice but more expensive than the infrared option and it voids the warranty. Adapt-improvise-overcome I say, so do you have a link to the Nikon moders? Id like to take a look at least. Thanks Scott Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 2 #9 February 23, 2005 Infrared: http://www.xlstar.com/hmandel/skydive/d70remote.htm Harbotronics: http://www.harbortronics.com/ Pic of Harbotronics mod: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=25163; ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slayer21016 2 #10 February 24, 2005 I like-e the Rebel XL, but the 5fps Vs.3fps and the 23 burst Vs. 14 bust does make the 20D a little more attractive to me, but I am kind of weird like that, the XL looks like a real nice camera with a great price for what they give you, Nikon just hasent taken there digitals in the direction I want, Oh! well, we all have to live with our decisions and this one is driving me up the wall Peace bro Scott Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deuce 1 #11 February 24, 2005 THe frame rate on the 20D is like a Mac-10. For balloon/helicopter exits, the 20D is worth it. The new XT is about what a 10D is, but much lighter. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slayer21016 2 #12 February 24, 2005 Thats what I like about it, but I'm also wishing to know any down issues to? I'm a Nikon user so I don't really know anything about Canon, but I like what I've seen from them in the last couple of years. +K Blue Ones Deuce Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deuce 1 #13 February 24, 2005 No down issues at all, other than cost. The metering is improved over the 10D, as is the focus points system. It's lighter. The menu system is faster. The frame rate the thing generates is insane. Like an old time movie. The 20D is not so much better than the 10D that I'm buying one. I'm sure the 30D will be, and then I'll make the move. Very soon now we'll be getting 8MP video cameras, where every frame is a Gig or two. I'll be buying one more "stills" camera between now and then. If you have the bucks, get the 20. I was like that when I go the 10, and I'm glad I did. Most of the folks who got the Digi-rebels get frustrated with it's limitations compared to the pro line. A Digi-rebel is superior to any film camera for learning and improving skydiving photography. For the record (pretending anybody cares) Lowest: any film camera Next: any digital camera Next: Whatever SLR digital you can get the picture with. More pictures=more chances of the perfect shot. Right now I'd say the best off the shelf camera for skydiving digital photography is the 20D. -but resist the urge to use it as a video camera. Editing through all those shots is a bitch. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lewmonst 0 #14 February 24, 2005 QuoteI like-e the Rebel XL, but the 5fps Vs.3fps and the 23 burst Vs. 14 Scotty, I jump one. The burst rate of 5fps for 23 is if you shoot in RAW+JPEG. I shoot in JPEG only, Large Fine, and I let go of the shutter around 45 frames or so cause I'm tired of holding it down. Put it this way, my 4 way team can debrief from the back of my 20D if they want to. (Ultra II 1gig card - and i need a bigger card ) But I don't hold the button down the whole time unless I'm going for that effect. Letting up and repressing does enable autofocus to work quite well as well so I'm more selective with shots. But I'm not held back by the camera's capabilities at all. I rarely max it out. And I have not run into any issues yet, which I did with the 10D and I know others did with some of the DigiRebels. The only thing is with the remote plugged in, if it auto-powers off after the set time, 2 minutes or whatever, just pressing the shutter release button does not turn it back on. Opening and closing the CF card door does though. So sometimes on a go around, I reach up and slide the door open and closed just to make sure it's not sleeping. It's been good to me. But Scotty, you might as well wait till May back there in Ohio when the jumping really gets back into it. The price of the 20D will probably drop some by then. Or if the 30D comes out, I'll sell ya my 20 Say hi to Jim for me. Whoever's in Perris, ask to see my new creation, thanks to my 20D... peace lewhttp://www.exitshot.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slayer21016 2 #15 February 24, 2005 Heya Lew Thanks for the info How's life treating you guys?, I've been sitting here reading the 20D owners manual for the better part of an hour, its funny I was at the part for setting auto power down and it says it can be set to not power down, are you saying that with the remote plugged in the camera goes into an override of my personal setting or am I just missing something lol, I'm probably missing something tho, do you just have your auto off set to 2min and open/close the CF card slot and go? or something like that Are you or anybody using the 10-22mm lens, I'm getting one with the body, just curious about its performance, for the price it should cover most of my jumping work, I think Ill tell him when he gets back in april from florida, I might see him next month if I make it to Deland. Peace at yaa Lew Scotty Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lewmonst 0 #16 February 24, 2005 Life is good. Yes, you can set it to not power down, but that drains the battery. I leave it at auto power down for either 2 or 4 minutes. Without the remote plug in there, just pressing the shutter release will wake it up. But for some strange reason, at least on mine, just pressing the shutter release button does not wake it up. So I open/close the compact flash door to wake it up just before climb out, fire off a test shot. works fine and i can feel it without looking at it. Or you could keep it awake by firing off test shots every minute or so. But I don't like dealing with 10 shots of the door if I don't have to. Sliding the battery out and back in will also work, but the CF door is easier. I'm using a Sigma 15. Let me know how you like the 10-22. peace lewhttp://www.exitshot.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #17 February 24, 2005 One big advantage to the 20d is that it will take the EFS or the EF series lens from Canon. Only the Digi Rebel cound do that before. the EFS allows for a much more compressed lens size due to reworked optics. Downside is the EFS lens will not work on any film camera or any Digital camera with a full frame sensor. I played with a 10-22 lens in the store in December or so. 10mm on the lens is really about 16mm on a 35mm body. Its WIDE. It also started to get fisheye-ish at that setting. It does'nt get too bad unless you are shooting something like a building that has a long straight line then its pretty noticible. Its much less then a lot of "Fisheye" lenses though. If I had the frame to take one I'd seriously look at getting one. Only thing is that its going to leave a gap between lenses for most people. the 10-22 is great for freefall, and a 28-100 will be nice for around the ground things. But that leaves a range of 22-28 as empty. Small range, but with the extra pixels of the 20D you can go wide and crop and most people will never tell the difference Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EDYDO 0 #18 February 24, 2005 Quote The only thing is with the remote plugged in, if it auto-powers off after the set time, 2 minutes or whatever, just pressing the shutter release button does not turn it back on. Opening and closing the CF card door does though. So sometimes on a go around, I reach up and slide the door open and closed just to make sure it's not sleeping. It's been good to me. I have to think there is a wiring problem to your remote switch here. Let me be clear, if I try to power the 20D back up with the bite switch, it does not work, but pressing the shutter release button on the camera does indeed power mine up. Ed Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydog 2 #19 February 24, 2005 Mine did the same. I sorted it by upgrading the firmware. It was in the list of known errors on the canon site. http://web.canon.jp/Imaging/eos20d/eos20d_firmware-e.html Hope this helps. BrynJourney not destination..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lewmonst 0 #20 February 24, 2005 Oh cool, thanks! peace lewhttp://www.exitshot.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites