Mark II N, +100 armor (2008-08-01)
PROS: Saves your camera & LCD from dirt, dust, scratches, etc

CONS: You're going to have to push a little harder on the buttons & move it when you put in a new battery; if you're not familiar with camera's buttons the labels are hard to read

If you're going to shell out a couple gir's on a camera body, another couple gir's on lenses (the only ones that matter at the 2.8L, honestly) then what's another $50 on some camera armor?

It pretty much makes my already rugged camera even more hardcore, protecting it from dust, dirt, and occasional dings. It's a little bit bulky and a tad annoying to move it out of the way every time you need to change the battery, but other than that its completely worth it. (If you're not familiar with your camera's functions and locations of buttons I would say it's going to be difficult to use. While the case does have writing on them its hard to read especially if you're busy trying to shoot a concert or animals, etc.)

My only real complaint is that this wasn't created sooner!

looks great but takes some getting used to (2007-09-21)
My Equipment:
Canon 1Ds Mark II N.

Why I bought this:
1. I love camera accessories!
2. I don't have insurance on my camera, and
3. My last pro camera got huge gashes in the side mysteriously on a photo excursion.

The Good:
1. It looks really cool (I got the black model) - its like stealth mode for your camera - everybody asks, what kind of camera is that? haha.
2. It feels good once you've gotten used to it. The design is really high quality, making pressing buttons through it easier than one would think.
3. It is well thought out. Everything is easy to do (changing batteries and memory cards etc.)

The Bad:
1. I had to cut a bigger hole for the little button under the lens which is used to focus in the dark. It took me a while to figure out why my camera wouldn't work at all with the skin on. (When that button is pressed, nothing but the focus works.)

2. The included "lens armor" is worthless. I mean it fits on just about any lens, but its annoying to use in my opinion, and its not going to help your lens much if you drop it. It's more of a glorified yet low quality lens hood. The lens cap leash is a good thought though.

3. Taking it off and on is easy, except if you have a camera strap on it! It might seem like common sense, but unless you have a quick release on your strap, you won't want to be taking this off very often.

4. On the 1d body, it makes the interface much harder to use. For example, pressing two buttons at once with one hand to change the ISO takes some definite finger strength. My wife hates using it for this exact reason. This might work better for easier cameras like the 5d and the 30d.

Protection:
I took my camera camping with me a few weeks ago, and with the armor, I wasn't scared to put it down on the ground, or lean it against a rock for support etc. With the hard/clear back, I usually put it lens-up if I have to put it down (as opposed to how it is pictured) because I never use the lens armor. And no, I am not confident in it enough to drop it on the ground, but I can put it on the floor of my car without being paranoid about it getting scratched.

Other Thoughts:
Do not put this on your camera to shoot something important before you've gotten used to it. I put it on my camera just before shooting a wedding. Big mistake. I ended up fumbling around quite a bit trying to adjust the settings. Once I got used to it though, it works great under pressure.