Canon EOS ELAN 7NE and EOS 500
Today we are talking about Canon EOS film cameras, for I recently (to my own surprise) really got into them and I would like to take this opportunity to tell you just how neat and overlooked little cameras they are.
Plastic garbage or underrated gems?
Like so many others, I’ve always felt that Canon EOS bodies are perhaps the least exciting cameras in the universe. Film photography has a strong association with things of the past. It is a very nostalgic thing and we typically want to reflect that accordingly with the choice of gear, shooting style and overall mentality. Film photography is very analog in nature so we tend to lean towards beautiful old cameras that feel tactile, looks cool and makes the right kind of mechanical sounds. This has certainly been a big factor in my film photography. (How ever, apparently some people are into plastic point and shoot cameras too, for reasons unknown to science.) It is sort of a statement and counter point to digitalisation. Thus, such cameras like these electronic Canons have never quite appealed to me. They certainly don’t vibe the same way as a much older Canon AE-1 or alike, nor do they feel tactile or make mechanically satisfying noises. The consensus is that they look and feel more like soulless digital SLR’s without delivering the analog satisfaction.
Enter the cheap and cheerful Canon EOS 500
About a month ago my mind changed. I wrecked my left thumb in an accident, leaving me with a nasty scar and a nerve injury. The other side of my thumb is basically numb with only some bits receiving some form of sensory feeling. Touching things feels strange. Do you know the feeling of sitting in a horrible position for too long and having foot falling asleep? Before the circulation returns, it feels painful and tingly to walk about. I sort of have a similar sensation in my thumb, that certainly is bad for finger dexterity. I’ll probably get my feeling back at some point, but in the mean time, something like a manual focus or an aperture rings feels extremely awkward and clumsy to operate.
Canon EOS 500
Luckily I had a Canon EOS 500 body lying around at the back of my cupboard and suddenly I saw it in a completely new light. It can be operated almost completely single handed, because it has auto-focus and auto-exposure among many other handy (bit of a pun there) features. I bought a used 50mm f1.8 STM lens (yet another great budget offering from Canon with very little compromise in terms of image quality. I LOVE this lens!) for it and I was back in the film photography game!
I actually bought the camera last year, but I haven’t really been using it, because I’ve seen it as such a boring camera, that doesn’t even elevate my status as a film photographer practically at all. It cost next to nothing, only 12€ (with a kit zoom that I sold for 15€ lol). For the reasons mentioned previously, I didn’t end up shooting with it much, until now. For such a small price, there’s unbelievable value for money. I never really understood it completely before, or gave it proper credit, but it is absolutely packed with advanced technology and AMAZING things. The metering system is AMAZING, the exposure modes are AMAZING, it has an exposure lock (critical feature in an auto exposure camera, if you ask me) and it takes AMAZING lenses. Sure it has it’s weaknesses as well, but if showing off with cool looking cameras isn’t a priority, as it shouldn’t be, EOS 500 is simply an amazing camera.
Enter the even more amazing Canon EOS ELAN 7NE
I went online to check what other models were available. While some models seems to be more sought after than others, and somewhat pricier, generally EOS bodies seemed to be reasonably priced and completely under the radar. Typical prices are anything between 10—50€. Some of the higher end professional models can go up to 100—300€ approximately, which is still pretty decent considering they are top of the line monsters.
I ended up buying a Canon EOS ELAN 7NE (also known as Canon EOS 30V and/or EOS 7s) for 20€. I still can’t believe just how affordable it was and paired with my 50mm fifty nifty, it is a bargain! A total workhorse and beast of a camera! It is noticeably beefier than the older, entry level EOS 500. It is plasticy, but being a semi-professional model, really sturdy and well made. It was one of the very last film bodies that Canon made, released in 2004. Practically only few years old, because in my mind, 2004 was just a moment, not 20 years ago. That being said, it feels very modern and visually indistinguishable from a contemporary Canon DSLR.
Canon EOS ELAN 7NE
So far I’ve done few model shoots with it and I cannot recommend it enough. The metering system is even more AMAZING and there’s practically no hassle. The auto-focus is really fast and accurate and I really appreciate it when I just want to concentrate on shooting, not messing about with the camera. The auto-exposure programs are well designed and clever. I’ve been able to completely trust it’s line of thinking and the camera almost seems to know how I’m thinking or what I’m trying to achieve based on the selected program mode. I’m really impressed.
So much value for money
These are probably the last overlooked and most underrated cameras that are still more than reasonably priced. As you probably know, the prices of some film cameras are nowadays much much higher than before. I miss the days when old cameras could be picked up with whatever money I had in my piggy bank and the EOS lineup is one the last remaining camera type that can still fulfill this fantasy. At the same time I feel sad for them, because they’d deserve more respect, but I’m also happy that there are these amazing budget options out there, that can out-perform many competitors in so many areas.
Before signing off, consider that (roughly) with the price of overrated horseshit Olympus MJU II (200€ give or take) you can get something like ten EOS bodies (assuming one can be had for 20€) and probably hundred with a price of a single Leica M6 (assuming you can find one for 2000€). While these options most likely aren’t precisely the three you’re trying to decide between, I think it neatly reminds just how nice things can be had with such a friendly price tag.
