EOS 1D MkII represents the ultimate in responsive D-SLR photography and is the undisputed first choice of the working professionals who require speed and high resolution.  8.2 Megapixel x 8.5 frames per second performance marks the beginning of a commanding, rugged and seriously featured professional camera.  At the heart of the EOS-1D Mark II jaw-dropping speed sit three perfectly balanced and superbly integrated technologies: Canon's second generation DIGIC II processor, a new CMOS sensor and new buffer system. These technologies work in concert to deliver 40 frame bursts at approx. 8.5 fps in JPEG, or 20 frame bursts in RAW mode at approx. 8.5 frames per second.
 

EOS D60 with Vertical Battery Grip BG-ED3.  A 'digital camera', no it's a Canon EOS camera, it just doesn't use conventional film.  Instead it has a 6.3 million pixal CMOS sensor which produces truly stunning results printed to A4 and beyond.  Battery life is no problem at all.  With the addition of a second battery in the grip you should get around 700 to 1000 photos per charge.  OK, so the auto focus isn't the best in the world but neither is it the worst.  Stick on the Speedlite 550EX flash with infrared AF assist for low light situations and you will be fine.  The flexibility of this digital body far outweighs any weaknesses.

EF17-40mm f4L USM.  This lightweight ultra wide angle lens is especially well suited for use with digital EOS SLR cameras with a focal length conversion factor higher than 1.  It offers superb opical performance throughout the zoom range and is highly dust and moisture resistant.

EF24-70mm f2.8L USM.  Successor to the EF28-70mm f/2.8L USM.  This lens incorporates new design features that allow the broader focal length range while maintaining the superb image quality.  At the same time, the minimum focusing distance has been reduced from 0.5 meters to 0.38 metres.

EF70-200mm f2.8L IS USM.  With this lens Canon has achieved the unthinkable, an improvement on its predecessor, the highly acclaimed EF70-    200mm f2.8L USM.  Again the build and optical quality is superb but the incorporation of Canon’s second generation Image Stabilisation technology providing up to three stops of correction for camera shake has produced a simply awesome lens.   As with its predecessor, this lens performs extremely well when coupled with the Canon 2x extender.

EF75-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM.  This was the worlds first interchangeable lens for SLR use that incorporated an image stabiliser.  Canon claim that it provides a correction effect equal to an increase of two shutter speed steps.  I have successfully used this lens hand held at 300mm at a shutter speed of 1/30th of a second.

Extender EF 2x MKII.  This extender is dust and water resistant for increased system protection.  With the Extender attached, the f-number decreases by two stops.  Auto-focusing is possible with lenses whose maximum aperture is f/2.8 or faster.
 

Speedlite 580EX.  Smaller and lighter but with more power and signifcantly faster recycling times than the 550EX which it replaces.  A new Select Dial makes changes, like exposure compensation, a breeze. It now covers lenses as wide as 14mm, and has new features for digital SLRs - including the ability to transmit precise flash color temperature information, and vary the zoom setting to match the imaging sensor.

Speedlite 550EX.  Developed in conjunction with the EOS 3, this unit offers fantastic capabilities.  Add a second as I have done and you have the making of a very useful portable lighting set-up.

Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2.  Controls two 550EX slave groups with variable flash ratio control.

Gone, but not forgotten

EOS 3 with Power Drive Booster PB-E2.   A true workhorse for me for many years.  This camera is capable of shooting at seven frames per second.  The AF system uses 45 focussing points and is simply awesome.  Add to this the option of eye control focussing, which for me (but not all) works well, why then does this gem of a body now sit at the bottom of my camera bag gathering dust?  Simple, it isn't digital.  Finally sold 10 months after getting the D60 without shooting another single frame.

EF70-200mm f2.8L USM.  This is without doubt a lens of superb optical quality and build to match.  It is equipped with a built in full time manual mechanism and a minimum focusing distance of just 1.5 metres.  It performs extremely well when coupled with the Canon 2x extender.  Replaced with the IS version.

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