Decided to send my Canon 1Ds into retirement. I bought it end 2002, shortly after it was launched and the 11MP was a big deal at that time (with a lot of consumer cameras hovering around 3MP) ! Why not 1 Ds III or a 1Ds IV (going to be launched at Photokina) ? I am not going to spend another fortune which could buy me easily a second hand car. And I found a good alternative, the 5D MK II ! Fullframe is a must, so this is the choice when you want to stay in budget. Btw, no 5D III to be released before next year ! The 1Ds served me well accompanying me to a lot of countries and never failed, except the third-party batteries that collapse now after 2 shots.
It is just amazing to compare the specs and results of 2 Canon cameras being apart 3 generations.
- http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos5dmarkii/
- http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Canon/canon_eos1ds.asp
Why not stick completely to the Mamiya ZD (which also runs at 21MP) ?
The Mamiya is an awesome camera together with its wonderful lenses, but the camera can only create stunning results if you use it with a tripod (in my opinion). I still use it, but the 5D is lighter and I have a range of L lenses that are much easier to carry around. The ZD is not for hiking and does not have IS.
