But the 501-CM is not merely the great bargain in the Hasselblad lineup. Given all you get, it remains one of the great bargains in photography. Although full of appeal on the sales floor, it definitely leans to the gimmicky side. For people who merely need a tool to take pictures, an EOS-1n may still have the edge. It's not the newest, latest thing at this point, but I still love it.
Pros love it too.
The 1n has been in the catalog for years now, and it does have weaknesses. But the balance is in the 1n's favor for serious amateurs. It's very tough, nearly waterproof, a delight to hold, not overly heavy, and not too expensive. It is adequately customizable and has a full range of features, accessed by controls that aren't too fussy or hard to figure out. With closeout prices available, now's an excellent time for any serious amateur to move up from any lesser Canon.