# A cheap 10D - ??



## rhysb123 (Jul 6, 2015)

Hello,

I have the chance to purchase a 10D plus original grip for £50. I'm after a 'knock about' camera, something that hasn't cost me thousands of pounds to buy or replace. I won't use it for anything serious, simple stuff like in the park, out with the kids etc.

The question - what are people's thoughts on the 10D and does anyone still use one?

Thanks for your time!


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## KateH (Jul 6, 2015)

One big thing to be aware of if you're not already is no EF-S lens support on 10D. Other than that, I'm sure it's still a fine camera within the IQ limitations.


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## rhysb123 (Jul 6, 2015)

@KateH Thanks, I didn't know that, thankfully I don't have any EF-S so no worries there.

Cheers


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## mistaspeedy (Jul 6, 2015)

I recently bought a 20D a few months ago and am happy with it. I think you will be happy with the 10D too. It should totally blow away smartphone or point and shoot cameras in image quality (maybe with the exception of a few that cost about $800, but that is certainly another price range).

The only thing you need to do next is choose a lens.

If you happen to consider the 50mm F1.8 II lens, I would personally skip it and get the new 50mm F1.8 STM lens. I have had both, and the 50mm F1.8 was very inconsistent in its focus accuracy, and the corners of the image were not sharp, as well as a host of other limitations, low build quality, noise etc.
The 50mm F1.8 STM is a brand new lens that has only been available for a month, and I am very happy with it... but it has its limitations in practicality because of its lack of image stabilization and lack of zoom ability.
Some sort of zoom lens with image stabilization would probably be a better option for starters.


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## Tinky (Jul 6, 2015)

I got a mint 10d last year with the intention of using it for timelapse... but it was just too lovely. Celophane still on the digital display, and I suspect less than 1'000 clicks.

What amazed me was the heft. I had sold these when new, but i'd forgotton how lovely and solid they were.
Any other x0d camera feels cheap in comparison, and that includes my 7d.

The images are good, 6mp can go much further than you might think, but a few caveats to be aware of...

- The buffer is small and write times slow. You won't get a great number of continuous shots even in jpeg mode. And I tried it with a sandisk extreme. This is the greatest killer for me.

- There is no windows support anymore. A modern pc won't see the camera so you'll need a card reader too.

- The screen is small and slow to display. Its not a camera you can generally work fast with.

I moved to a 20d as my timelapse cam instead, and for general users it has benefits too...

The buffer is larger, faster, the screen loads quicker for review. 2mp isn't a massive incentive, but you can go a stop higher for noise, so 800 good in jpegs, 1600 managable in Raw, and it has an ef / ef-s mount.

the 10d is very very nice to use. confidence inspiring. great ergonomics. The 29d fixed the bugs and is a much easier camera to live with, beyond that you would need to spend a lot more money to get anything significantly better.

The screen on the 30d and 400d is much better, but then the live view of the 450d and 40d is really useful... where does it end?

My 10d has became a student camera for my wife. I hope it keeps going for a long time, and I hope Canon start making cameras with this build at the consumer level again.

£50 sounds really good, but don't buy a rough one. The shutter life was shorter on this generation (50k) so buy as clean as you can, you'll only pay a tenner or so more for a cherished one.

Oh and look out for old stock 1gb and 2gb compact flash cards, i can recommend contempraneous sandisk extremes, and these tested as the fastest with that slo-o-o-o-w buffer. Larger cards may not work.

But really i'm saying..... buy a 20d instead.


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## Valvebounce (Jul 6, 2015)

Hi rhysb123. 
I have a 300D and a 20D, I don't know how comparable the 300D is to the 10D in functionality, but I will say the difference between the two for speed and buffer is really noticeable, I bought the 20D cheap as faulty, but it was the lens at fault, repaired it and still using it for a documentary camera for car repairs, and a bit of time lapse, It is a cracking canera and available for little more than the price of 10D. I'm sure you will have a great camera whichever you decide to get, I agree with Tinky on the where do you stop issue, 40D live view is a great tool if you need it but I have not really missed it on the 20D. 

Cheers, Graham. 



rhysb123 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I have the chance to purchase a 10D plus original grip for £50. I'm after a 'knock about' camera, something that hasn't cost me thousands of pounds to buy or replace. I won't use it for anything serious, simple stuff like in the park, out with the kids etc.
> 
> ...


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## rhysb123 (Jul 6, 2015)

Hello,

Thanks for all the input. I've taken the plunge and got the 10D. My other main cameras are a 5D mk2, 6D and 1DS mk2, I don't expect the 10D to compare to any of these. In the past I've had a 20D, 7D and 400D. 

A large part of me just wants a 'back to basics' DSLR, something to 'just shoot' with, not be too concerned about the megapixels, buffer, LCD etc etc. Sometimes I think I get too caught up in all the 'stuff' and forget about just making bloody images. Yep, sure I'd love a 1DX or a 5D mk3, but for getting back to the normal, everyday shooting, I feel like I need a bit of liberation, I almost want to prove that I DON'T NEED to spend another few grand and that 50 quid still keeps me acting as a visual 'hunter gatherer'. 

Camera arriving tomorrow, via DPD...

...I'll let you know how I get on...

Cheers!


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## nc0b (Jul 6, 2015)

I am curious how the 10D compares to the original Rebel 300D, which was my first Canon camera. What was infuriating with the Rebel was how long it took to wake up from sleep mode. I missed a lot of shots waiting what seemed like seconds before the camera would fire. My Nikon F2 didn't have that problem.


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## Tinky (Jul 6, 2015)

nc0b said:


> I am curious how the 10D compares to the original Rebel 300D, which was my first Canon camera. What was infuriating with the Rebel was how long it took to wake up from sleep mode. I missed a lot of shots waiting what seemed like seconds before the camera would fire. My Nikon F2 didn't have that problem.



There is firmware you can load onto the 300D to open up most of the functionality of the 10D, although for me, ergonomics and build were really the 10Ds strengths.

Everytime I handle my old one I am totally blown away and want to use it again.

And then I get a bit fed up with it in practice. For the reasons outlined previously.. I think it will be frustrating going back to it after using anything more recent.


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## YellowJersey (Jul 7, 2015)

Ah, this takes me back. My first DSLR was a 10D. Loved it and it really launched my love of photography. Despite not being weather sealed, it still held up like a champ through all the crap I put it through.


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## Tinky (Jul 9, 2015)

rhysb123 said:


> ...I'll let you know how I get on...
> 
> Cheers!



How did you get on?


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jul 9, 2015)

The 10D was a expensive camera and built like a tank. The small viewfinder, low pixel count, and lack of support for EF-s lenses make it a poor choice for someone moving from a digital rebel, but if you have ultra wide EF lenses already, its ok. A 16-35 or 17-40 would be a normal zoom.


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## rhysb123 (Jul 9, 2015)

Hello again,

10D arrived, I've had a play...

... I Hope to post some images either tomorrow or the weekend.

First impressions:

Solid. Really solid. With the original Canon Grip this feels good. Weighty, robust and is nothing other than top quality build (I imagine back in 2003 this was a BIG thing).
Start-up time - fair. Not speedy, but nothing I'm going to complain about.
Write/Read speeds - S L O W. RAW files take a age to preview. It's Digic 1 don't you know.
IQ - Cool. Someone said that the sensor is quite 'organic', I thought this was a bid odd, an organic digital sensor? However, I know what they mean. The images are quite 'filmy', I hate to use that word, but they are. 
ISO - Treat this camera like a film camera and in many ways and you'll be OK, ISO being no exception. 800 is fine, 1600 you need to be thinking of B&W only.
LCD - Tiny. Compared to my 6D / 5D mk2 this is totally puny. However, lets put it in perspective, it's 12 or 13 years old.
Image processing in Lightroom CC is proving the best pp option. 

I'll post some shots soon...


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## verysimplejason (Jul 9, 2015)

It should be nice for IR photography though I'm saving my conversion money for a 500D.


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## rhysb123 (Jul 12, 2015)

I've posted quite a few posts here on my site:

http://rhysbaker.com/folio/


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## Tinky (Jul 12, 2015)

They are great. Got me in the mood to borrow my 10D back from the Wife for a few hours.

They do have an organic feel. And using something so 'old' does feel a bit like an act of artistic defiance.


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## pwp (Jul 13, 2015)

Tinky said:


> They do have an organic feel. And using something so 'old' does feel a bit like an act of artistic defiance.


I know a couple of shooters who are glad they've kept their old D60 from 2002 to use for the occasional portrait shoot because it has a "look" all it's own.

DP Review: http://www.dpreview.com/articles/3557033952/canoneosd60 
Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_D60 

The 2002 D60 (not to be confused with the 60D) was my first "proper" digital camera and the files from it were pretty special and unique. New it cost as much as a good second hand car! My D60 files we used as magazine covers, double page spreads and cross-track billboards. The files looked at least the equal of properly scanned 6x7 transparencies. It got traded on the giant killing 1Ds so that was the end of that. 

-pw


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## LukasS (Jul 14, 2015)

rhysb123 said:


> The question - what are people's thoughts on the 10D and does anyone still use one?



It was my first DSLR, and have it till this day. Was using it untill end of 2014 but the batteries gave up (after 11 years!!), I have it gripped and had 3 original batteries.

All I can say that it was great camera and its IQ was great for many years, it is heavy and tough as a brick . I used it for macro shots and landscapes.


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