I was an early adopter near the beginning of the digital age, investing in the original Nikon D1 almost immediately upon its release. (Prior to that, I did own an Olympus 2500L, but only for personal use.) Then Canon's D30 came out. Got it. Then the D60. Then the 10D.
The pace of development was astounding. But I knew I couldn't keep up buying every new model. When the 10D arrived, I felt the technology had more or less matured to the level I needed. Plenty of pixels, decent AF, enough speed, and high ISO performance that exceeded film.
The 10D was the last NEW camera I bought. After that, I bought lightly used bodies at a fraction of the original cost being dumped on the market by people who had to have the latest and greatest. When the 1D Mark III came out, I picked up two Mark II N bodies for $1200 and $800 respectively. (The latter, part of the seller's fire sale, had only 5K clicks!) When the 1Ds Mark III came out, I bought the MkII for $1800 (about 20k clicks). Used 20D bodies set me back all of $250 each, and another 10D body for about $125. (I actually prefer using the 10D over the 20D for a variety of reasons.)
I should point out, too, that I take VERY good care of my gear. All of it is stored in various Pelican cases, never left out when unused. It is not only kept clean but surfaces are kept cosmetically conditioned, too, so as to keep grips soft and all surfaces black-as-new. Sensors and lens glass is carefully and regularly inspected and cleaned. And everything -- bodies and lenses -- ALWAYS have their appropriate caps. Although it receives a lot of use, anyone removing my 1DIIN from my work pack is going to feel compelled for a moment to believe that it is a new body. It is like that car which has plenty of miles but is always kept garaged and perfectly-maintained, and almost still has that "new car smell". Let's face it, the joy of ownership is also a part of photography, for some more than others. I feel far less compelled to buy anything new when my gear still has that fresh-out-of-the-box look.
The photographs I take -- both personal and professional -- simply don't benefit significantly from better gear than what I have. The 1DIIN bodies have more speed than I ever need. The 1DsII body has all the image quality I require. The 10D and 20D bodies are underrated for what they can achieve. (I have a huge 4' tall child's portrait on display for clients made with a 20D that still never fails to stun viewers with its incredible detail.) My money has been better spent on top quality glass and great processing software. Sure, an extra stop or two would be useful here or there. But it's not a make or break. I keep my sensors clean myself, refrain from staring at LCDs, and don't need or want video. What's missing in a 1Ds Mark II for me?
The 1DIIN is, thus far, my favorite Canon body ever. (Even more than the old T90 from the film days.) It sees 90% of my professional use. Meanwhile, a 10D sees 90% of my personal use. I wouldn't mind, however, finding a good used original 5D to use for personal photography, and maybe a little bit of work. I've long wanted one of these, and it would offer a good full-frame counterpart to the 10D. Fortunately, it was very popular and used ones are plentiful. On the other hand, they also seem to be holding value quite well. So, maybe it will still be a while. But for me, it seems that it would be a welcome addition to a stable of cameras in my care that probably a lot of photographers around here would regard as horribly dated.
Even though I have sampled much more modern gear, however, I never feel that any of it hold me back.
On the other hand, I'm not known to take too many photographs of cats or ducks.
It would be interesting to hear from people who still love their 5D, be it the classic or the MKII/MKIII.
I guess I fall into the category of feeling good by having the latest equipment, but this comes at a cost. I admire those who can instantly say "I am happy with what I have".
The 5DMKii is a classic example of this, yes the MKiiii has a few more features, but in the UK the body is exactly twice the price of the MKii.
I can also understand if you are a pro that cutting edge can win you more business and the extra 2 stops and AF points can make a difference, so it's a no brainer.
But if you were buying as a hobby it's really difficult to justify double the price, but then again can you live with the fact you have a 3 year old camera?
I guess if you already have a 5DMKII then upgrading is not a priority, but if you are buying a new camera then buying old technology is something that can lead to buyer remourse, I know that through many experiences!!!!!!
Ian
The 5D2 I got new last December when the incredible $2K deals were around. I sold my 1Ds so the 'upgrade' only cost me about $1200. I wanted the higher res and live view for my architectural jobs, and the 5D2 has not disappointed.