alanS
Dr Dust
Reged: 30/09/2005
Posts: 3402
Loc: Up North, England.
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I was disappointed with the recent article on the Canon 40D. It may just be the way I read it but I saw no pointing out of the cameras shortcomings and how to overcome them and to me it looked almost like an extended ad.
Maybe that article was in my mind when I read the eos 1000 First Look, I realise that this is not a review and just a first look but the quoted prices caught my eye. The 450D is said to be priced at £599 for the body only and yet ads in the mag put the price at £200 lower, and £100 lower than the less well specified 1000D. Admittedly this is after cash back but even without cash back the 450D appears to be cheaper than the 1000D. The prices quoted may not be street prices but surely a reference to the price at which a 450D can be bought should have been included alongside the (rrp?) price of £599. As it is now I think that the prices quoted are quite misleading and give the impression that the 1000D is £100 cheaper than the 450D, whereas if the 1000D actually goes on sale at it's currently stated price (possibly unlikely) it will be more expensive than the higher specified 450D.
I own Canon gear, so I have no axe to grind but I don't feel any need to defend Canon either and I'd not feel any indignation if a Canon product or pricing structure (or any other makers) was criticised in any way. What I really like is balanced and accurate information and opinion too and without wishing to criticise the mag or the reviewers (that's not what I'm doing) it does seen to me that some reviews and articles are a little too manufacturer friendly.
Or maybe it's just me?
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Alan's defence lawyer claimed that "Booze played no part in his typo's."
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Malcolm_Stewart
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/07/2005
Posts: 2244
Loc: Milton Keynes, UK
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Quote:
I was disappointed with the recent article on the Canon 40D. It may just be the way I read it but I saw no pointing out of the cameras shortcomings and how to overcome them and to me it looked almost like an extended ad.
...Or maybe it's just me?
No, it's certainly not just you. I subscribe to the EOS Magazine and I did discuss this problem with them a few weeks ago after ordering some Canon gear. Their title, and frequent encyclopaedic style articles depend on getting good info from Canon, so I recognise that they're not likely to poison the hand that feeds them. With regard to the AP I'm not sure how it works but as magazines not only get income from advertising, their journalists also get info and bodies of an embargoed nature, so that will tend to have some effect. (Have a look at what's being discussed on dpreview with regard to their not reviewing Canon's latest 1D bodies.)
Before the Internet I subscribed to the BJP when Geoffrey Crawley was editor and I found his reviews very informative. Problem then was that I couldn't remotely afford what he was reviewing.
Despite any faults I still buy the AP weekly and use the reviews as another source of information. This board can also get quite critical of critical comment (aimed at manufacturers) at times.
I hate this puffed up raising of the SRP, RRP or whatever it now is, and I also hate cashbacks because they must distort the market. At least here they don't seem to be run by ethically challenged outfits as seems frequent in the US.
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Malcolm Stewart
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willie45
old hand
Reged: 08/05/2006
Posts: 744
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Quote:
(Have a look at what's being discussed on dpreview with regard to their not reviewing Canon's latest 1D bodies.)
Hi Malcolm
Maybe I'm not fully awake yet but as I can't seem the find the discussions you are mentioning, could you provide a link for them? Thanks and sorry if I am being slow. 
Willie
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Malcolm_Stewart
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/07/2005
Posts: 2244
Loc: Milton Keynes, UK
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Morning Willie,
When I posted about two weeks ago, there were several threads running with a mass of suggestions as to why dpr hadn't reviewed either the 1D MkIII or 1Ds MkIII, (and in particular the AF performance) even though the D3 and D300 had been reviewed, and that some MkIII images had been seen in one of these reviews for comparison. I can't find anything at the moment except one thread in which Simon Joinson gives a response. Others on dpr have posted about threads being "disappeared" and I wonder if that's what's happened with these quite critical and commercially speculative threads.
I did find a thread started by me, and which touched on this here .
I've tried doing my own AF tests using traffic on the local M1 shot from an over-bridge, and I have comparative results from my 10D and 5D bodies. When I returned to try out my 1D MkIII, I found that tree and foliage growth now obscured the vantage point, and have not yet found an equivalent site. (Close to but not on a road, and with a low enough parapet for short me to feel comfortable doing the tests.)
What I did find with my tests was that the AF was quite good against vehicles having messy fronts, but nearly useless against modern coaches with very clean frontages with large areas of very low contrast and little for the AF to "grab" onto.
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Malcolm Stewart
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willie45
old hand
Reged: 08/05/2006
Posts: 744
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Thanks Malcolm.
It is a bit odd that they haven't reviewed the Canons yet. I didn't realise you were now a 1D Mk III owner. I'm not in the market for one at the moment mind you and am being frugal with my pennies while patiently waiting to see if the 5D replacement comes along.
My picture taking has been a bit reduced due to breaking my hand on holiday a few weeks ago ( I'm only just getting round to using the computer again). This has helped my patience and I feel that, having waited so long now, I might as well hold on for a bit longer.
Interesting to read the first reply to your post though and his comparison with the Nikon. Lenses are a really big factor it would seem
Willie 
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alanS
Dr Dust
Reged: 30/09/2005
Posts: 3402
Loc: Up North, England.
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Golly, the abuse factor over there is a bit of a surprise.
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Alan's defence lawyer claimed that "Booze played no part in his typo's."
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Malcolm_Stewart
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/07/2005
Posts: 2244
Loc: Milton Keynes, UK
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Yes, you'd never believe that dpr is hosted in the UK. Viewing their samples galleries is a feast of London's tourist and other venues.
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Malcolm Stewart
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willie45
old hand
Reged: 08/05/2006
Posts: 744
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Yes they certainly are a friendly bunch 
Willie
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Malcolm_Stewart
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/07/2005
Posts: 2244
Loc: Milton Keynes, UK
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Quote:
...It is a bit odd that they haven't reviewed the Canons yet. I didn't realise you were now a 1D Mk III owner...
Hi Willie,
I've just spotted this new thread on the subject of no 1D MkIII review. Whether it will still be there when you check it out, I've no idea!
Here's hoping.
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Malcolm Stewart
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Iloca
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 06/12/2005
Posts: 3712
Loc: Northern Ireland
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Quote:
I was disappointed with the recent article on the Canon 40D. It may just be the way I read it but I saw no pointing out of the cameras shortcomings and how to overcome them and to me it looked almost like an extended ad..............
......... it does seen to me that some reviews and articles are a little too manufacturer friendly.
Or maybe it's just me?
Maybe the 450D has no shortcomings.
If you think reviews are too manufacturer friendly try reading the Olympus reviews. 
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Mi Vid Iloca
My Flickr Gallery
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alanS
Dr Dust
Reged: 30/09/2005
Posts: 3402
Loc: Up North, England.
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"Maybe the 450D has no shortcomings"
My comments were about the article which I thought was going to detail the short comings and limitations of the 40D, not the 450D, and detail how to get the best from the camera. However, as I said, I didn't see any of that in the article so for me personally, and in my opinion, the article completely missed the point and to me looked like an extended ad for the camera and it's accessories. It's just my opinion though and others seemed to get something from the piece but for me it was a missed opportunity to help enthusiasts get the best from the camera.
I made follow up comments about the pricing of the 1000D relative to the 450D so maybe that's why you appear confused.
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Alan's defence lawyer claimed that "Booze played no part in his typo's."
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willie45
old hand
Reged: 08/05/2006
Posts: 744
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Hi Malcolm
Interesting theories. I wonder what the real reason is. It is most peculiar
Willie
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Iloca
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 06/12/2005
Posts: 3712
Loc: Northern Ireland
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Quote:
"Maybe the 450D has no shortcomings"
My comments were about the article which I thought was going to detail the short comings and limitations of the 40D, not the 450D, and detail how to get the best from the camera. ........
.........I made follow up comments about the pricing of the 1000D relative to the 450D so maybe that's why you appear confused.
I got the gist of what you were saying.
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Mi Vid Iloca
My Flickr Gallery
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