Old gear on offer, please help me decide

[axtstern]

After the disappointing Canon announcements I'm looking to invest my cash not in a new but an older Canon.

What I got offered:

EOS 1Ds MKII
EOS 5D MKII modified for Infrared without Low pass filter but plenty of lens filters to allow adaption
EOS 1D MKIII

I use since 3 years my EOS 60D and initially wanted to have a second body with APSC, minimum X0D comfort and a clean ISO for lowlight situations as high as possible. Looks like I will have to wait some longer for the 70D announcement and even if they announce it I would not buy it soon because I want to wait for the 7d MKII to be announced to decide which one is the better choice (fearing that the 7D MKII might be the last high quality APSC offering from Canon ) So I can invest a little now and save for the APSC body later this year presumably Winter 2013.

Still I need a second body right soon so I checked for the above mentioned alternatives. The modified 5DMK2 and the 1DS MKII are almost same price, the 1d MKIII is just half of that.

I used to have a 5D which is no longer available to me but I still have a complete lens line up for the APSC and the full format.

The last time I shot with my own EOS 1 was half a live ago in the analog age.
What I do not know:
How expensive is it to change a low pass filter. Is a used and modified 5D MKII worth to be compared with a used 1Ds MKII? (Assuming both are in good conditions)

I have not used APSH sensor format (last time to use this format was with my Canon APS IX). I know that EFS lenses will not cover the complete sensor but can EFS lenses be attached to the EOS 1d MKIII or will the mirror slap against the lens?

On paper I know that the 5DMKII has a much higher ISO range and a higher resolution than the 1Ds MKII but how is it with noise? The large pixels of the 1Ds MKII should be helpful?

I know about the behavior of the 5D MKII but not about the 1Ds MKII or 1D MKIII. Do they come with AFMA?

Finally lenses:
My usual battle order when leaving the primes at home was
Tokina 11-15 2.8
Canon 17-55 2.8
Sigma 50-150 2.8
Sigma 120-300 2.8

If I change to APSH/Full Format + the 60D as the backup body it would be
Canon 17-35 2.8
Canon 28-70 2.8
Sigma 120-300 2.8
Sigma 14mm 3.5

That means more L glasses, less stabilization, more weight and a little less flexibility in the ultra-wide area
Worth the effort?

Regards

[shashinkaman]

Hi! Go for the Eos 1D MarkIII! A great camera, won't let you down! Your lens list (2) would make it a very nice combination together with the Eos 60D. The 1,3x / 1,6x crop factor combo make your lens reach acceptable for most kinds of photography (landscape excluded maybe...). You can attach your EF-S 17-55 to an Eos 1D (small surgical procedure required) but your images will look rather silly (trust me, I've been there). I also seem to remeber the buttom layout of the Eos 60D and Eos 1D MarkIII are quite similar (?) so that's a plus to. Anyway, the Eos 1D MarkIII is my favorite 1D series camera body (still use them as a pro!) and it will not let you down, nor disappoint you in any way! Cheers.

[Jon Gilchrist]

Pick up a second 60D. It will be familiar and will not have lost much value when the 70D and 7D2 are finally announced.  You can get a good deal on the Canon refurb site.

[Mt Spokane Photography]

New bodies in the price range of the 60D seldom have big changes and are more evolutionary. 
 
IMHO, you would be far better off with one of the used bodies you mentioned than a 70D.

[Hydrogen]

Just wanted to weigh in a few thoughts.   First let me answer something others haven't for you yet...  I have been doing a lot of research on 1 series bodies because I am still trying to determine if I am better off with one of them over the 5D2 I just got. 

AFMA - 5D2 and 1DIII both have AFMA adjustment.  1DsII *does not*

LCD on back - 5D2 and 1DIII both have nice, larger LCDs and sport the newer menu systems.  1DsII has a much smaller LCD and uses the older 20D/30D menu systems without tabs where you have to scroll/jump through one LONG menu.

Batteries - 5D2 uses LP-E6 which is a very popular and common battery (used in 5D2, 5D3, 6D, 7D) and a few others.  1DIII uses a NiMH or Lithium (forget which) battery without the 'memory' problems of NiCad as found in the 1DsII - which BTW is a much larger and heavier battery with less capacity.

Mode switching - While I have not used the 1DsII body, I have read that it is cumbersome to switch between various shooting modes, etc.

You should read the TDP review on the 1DIII - it describes all the things that improved or changed for the 1DIII from the 1DsII. http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EOS-1D-Mark-III-Digital-SLR-Camera-Review.aspx

I presently own a 5D3 as my primary and have owned a 5D2 and just purchased a 5D2 refurbished from Canon Direct - they are $1,495.  You didn't let us know how much you could get that 5D2 for, but the fact that it is lacking the filter/is equipped for IR, may be more of a burden than anything esp. for resale value.

If you are looking to shoot wildlife and/or sports subjects, between these cameras, the 1DIII hands down.  Otherwise, if lower-light and high-resolution portraiture is your subject, then 5D2.

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Just wanted to weigh in a few thoughts.   First let me answer something others haven't for you yet...  I have been doing a lot of research on 1 series bodies because I am still trying to determine if I am better off with one of them over the 5D2 I just got. 

AFMA - 5D2 and 1DIII both have AFMA adjustment.  1DsII *does not*
+1

LCD on back - 5D2 and 1DIII both have nice, larger LCDs and sport the newer menu systems.  1DsII has a much smaller LCD and uses the older 20D/30D menu systems without tabs where you have to scroll/jump through one LONG menu.
+1,  the newer cameras have much better LCD's and menu systems.

Batteries - 5D2 uses LP-E6 which is a very popular and common battery (used in 5D2, 5D3, 6D, 7D) and a few others.  1DIII uses a NiMH or Lithium (forget which) battery without the 'memory' problems of NiCad as found in the 1DsII - which BTW is a much larger and heavier battery with less capacity.
None of them use Ni-Cad batteries, so forget that.
 
The 1D MK II series all use Ni-mh.  Heavy, but a mature technology and you can get excellent and safe third party batteries.  Third party Li-on batteries can be unsafe.


Mode switching - While I have not used the 1DsII body, I have read that it is cumbersome to switch between various shooting modes, etc.
You will catch on to the mode switching in a very short time, not to worry.

The biggest concern about the 1D MK II series is that Canon does not support them any longer, and there is noo 64 bit drivers for the firewire connection.  This means you cannot access or update the personal menu to add or change the owner name, or several other things.  You will have to find the original driver CD to get firewire drivers that will work with 32bit windows XP.

[Hydrogen]

Batteries - 5D2 uses LP-E6 which is a very popular and common battery (used in 5D2, 5D3, 6D, 7D) and a few others.  1DIII uses a NiMH or Lithium (forget which) battery without the 'memory' problems of NiCad as found in the 1DsII - which BTW is a much larger and heavier battery with less capacity.

None of them use Ni-Cad batteries, so forget that.
 
The 1D MK II series all use Ni-mh.  Heavy, but a mature technology and you can get excellent and safe third party batteries.  Third party Li-on batteries can be unsafe.

Just FYI - I got the aforementioned information (re: NiCad batteries on the 1DsII) from TDP - what I consider a very reputable source...
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EOS-1D-Mark-III-Digital-SLR-Camera-Review.aspx

Batteries in general are not very exciting, but this one is exceptional. The new Li-ion Canon LP-E4 (above right) is a huge improvement over the prior NiCad 1-Series camera power pack, the Canon NP-E3 (above left).

But unlike the 1DIII review itself, apparently the NP-E3 is in fact, a NiMH...
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-NP-E3-Battery-Pack-Review.aspx

Nonetheless, the Lithium Ion battery LP-E4 in the 1DIII weighs less... a bonus.

And I couldn't agree more that the 1DsII is an unsupported by Canon camera body.  The 1DIII is older than the 5D2 which was only just recently discontinued by Canon.  Therefore, it might be a better investment.

[axtstern]

Thanks to all of you,
that altogether was the best help I got here so far.
I had no clue that the MKII is out of Support and the fact that the 3ds has already the 60d style  menus is really helpfull. I have passed onthe 1dMKII.
In my area used 1D MKIII will sell around 1200 Euro, a !DS MKIII for 2500 Euro
So I will enter new teritory and give the APSH a try.
many thanks again...