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Canon EOS 50D: Highly recommended by dpreview.com
›Read the full Canon EOS 50D digital SLR review at dpreview.com
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Product Description
Style: Body Only
From the Manufacturer
Canon’s new EOS 50D bridges the gap between the novice and the seasoned pro with a perfect combination of high-speed and quality. It features an APS-C sized 15.1-megapixel CMOS sensor for tremendous images, new DIGIC 4 Image Processor for fine detail and superior color reproduction, and improved ISO capabilities up to 12800 for uncompromised shooting even in the dimmest situations. It features a refined 3.0-inch Clear View LCD (920,000 dots) monitor, supercharged Live View Function with Face Detection Live mode, plus a number of new automatic Image Correction settings and HDMI output for viewing images on an HDTV. Pick up the EOS 50D and you’ll experience true digital inspiration!
Canon EOS 50D Digital SLR Highlights
New 15.1-megapixel CMOS sensor with improved noise reduction
The EOS 50D features a newly-designed 15.1-megapixel APS-C sized CMOS sensor which is capable of recording up to 4752 x 3168 pixels with full 14-bit A/D conversion for extremely fine tonal gradation. Ready to capture images in an instant, the sensor is designed to work with Canon’s EF and EF-S lenses with a conversion factor of 1.6x. It’s capable of recording at sensitivities previously too noisy for shooting in low light or subjects in motion. With a maximum ISO rating of 12800 combined with a 4-level High ISO speed noise reduction function, images that would have been impossible without the use of a strobe or flash become simple to record.
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The EOS 50D operates with such effortless speed that operation is nothing short of intuitive. With instant startup times, speedy autofocus and minimal shutter lag, the EOS 50D is one of the fastest cameras available today. It can shoot up to 6.3 fps, in bursts of up to 90 JPEGs (using an UDMA CF card), 60 JPEGs (using a CF card) consecutively or 16 RAW files, so you’ll never, ever miss a shot.
DIGIC 4 Image Processor
This next generation DIGIC 4 Image Processor offers finer details and even more natural color reproduction, compared with the previous DIGIC III Image Processor. Since Canon’s DIGIC 4 chips use advanced signal processing technologies, they provide even faster operations, including write times to UDMA cards. It also enables Face Detection Live mode to detect and focus up to 35 face(s) to capture the best possible shot. Further, DIGIC 4 offers the improved Auto Lighting Optimizer that corrects brightness and contrast automatically, and Peripheral Illumination Correction for up to 40 EF lenses. DIGIC always maximizes performance between the capturing and recording stages of digital photography.
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The EOS 50D features Canon’s most advanced Live View shooting thanks to the number of focusing modes available including Quick mode, Live mode and Face Detection Live mode. You can zoom in and navigate the composition 5x or 10x normal size, enabling critical focus. There’s even 2 overlay grid options, perfect for lining up vertical and horizontal lines. In the studio, the camera can be controlled remotely with Live View Function when the camera is connected to a computer through a USB cable, or wirelessly if the optional Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E3A is used.
9 cross-type high-precision sensors for accurate target subject acquisition
The EOS 50D has a high-precision 9-point wide area AF that uses cross-type points at f-stops of f/5.6 or faster, enabling the camera to focus faster, more accurately, and in difficult lighting situations. AF sensitivity is a stunning EV-0.5 to EV18. Adding to this AF performance, the EOS 50D incorporates a diagonally mounted cross-type sensor that is sensitive to both vertical and horizontal lines at f/2.8, perfect for enhanced operation in dim light. The EOS 50D has a number of focus modes, including One-Shot AF, AI Focus AF and AI Servo AF.
New Lens Peripheral Illumination Correction setting
Canon’s exclusive Lens Peripheral Illumination setting takes into account any light falloff in the corners of the frame and corrects it, making for a perfectly exposed image. Correction data are detected automatically on a number of Canon EF lenses and can be entered manually through included the Canon EOS Utility software.
Updated EOS Integrated Cleaning System
The EOS 50D’s Self Cleaning Sensor Unit eliminates stray dust that enters the camera when changing a lens or when out in the field. The sensor’s IR-cut/Low-pass filter cleans itself automatically with ultrasonic vibrations every time the camera is turned on or off and features a new flourine coating to minimize dust adhesion. Dust missed by the cleaning unit is captured by Canon’s Dust Delete Data Detection software and can be erased from the image file.
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A key element of minimizing dust is preventing it from clinging to the front surface of the imaging sensor. To combat this, the EOS 50D features a Canon-designed Self Cleaning Sensor Unit. The low-pass filter at the front of the sensor shakes off dust automatically with ultrasonic vibrations, removing dust from the sensor assembly. The EOS 50D also has a coating on the front surface of the low-pass filter, to increase its resistance to dust sticking to the sensor.
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Dust that may still remain on the front of the sensor can also be erased with software included in Digital Photo Professional (DPP) Version 3.3 or later software. A simple test shot of a plain, white object can be taken, using a menu setting. This Dust Delete Data image is analyzed in-camera, and the location and size of any remaining dust is added to any subsequent pictures taken. This data is transmitted along with the image, whether JPEG or RAW, and can be either manually or automatically erased in Canon’s DPP software. This added software option ensures the cleanest possible image, perfect for printing or archiving.
Creative Auto goes a step beyond full auto with on screen setting display The EOS 50D has a new Creative Auto mode and a quick control screen that helps novice users narrow the gap between fully automatic and manual control. While the camera will remain by default in fully automatic mode, frequently changed settings like flash, exposure compensation, image quality and more are all accessible through one easy screen interface designed for intuitive, quick action. A provided shooting guide serves as a quick-reference for on-the-fly operation.
HDMI output for displaying full high-resolution images on a HDTV The EOS 50D includes a new HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) output device that enables High Definition display of your photographs on any HDTV with HDMI ports. It’s remarkable to behold the details of your photographs in Full HD, and it’s easy with the EOS 50D. Resolution is set automatically to match the TV to which you’ve connected, and images are displayed in a full-frame 3:2 ratio with blacked out bars to the left and right of the image.
Compatible with over 60 Canon EF/EF-S lenses and most EOS System accessories
EF & EF-S Lenses
The EOS 50D is compatible with all Canon lenses in the EF and EF-S lineup, ranging from ultra-wide angle to super telephoto lenses. Canon lenses employ advanced optical expertise and micron-precision engineering to deliver unprecedented performance in all facets of the photographic process. Special optical technologies, such as Aspherical, ultra-low dispersion, or fluorite elements are featured in the universally acclaimed L-series lenses. And Canon's Optical Image Stabilizer technology is featured in select lenses to minimize the effect of camera shake. Through Canon lenses, photographers can truly maximize the quality and liberating performance of the EOS 50D.
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Flash Photography
The EOS 50D features the acclaimed E-TTL II flash metering system. With any of the flashes in the EX Speedlite line, E-TTL II provides reliable flash output whether shooting fill-in flash pictures in sunlight, or using flash in total darkness. With E-TTL II, the exact same 35-zone metering sensor used for measuring ambient light is also used for flash metering--giving even finer metering command of the image area. If you prefer a broader area for flash metering, there's a menu setting to change to "Average" flash metering--where the entire 35-zone area is measured evenly for flash exposure.
Software
Canon EOS Digital Solution Disk (Version 17.0)
The EOS 50D comes bundled with an updated Canon EOS Digital Solution Disk, which features powerful software programs designed to extend the EOS experience to the computer. These include Canon's EOS Utility (Version 2.5), Digital Photo Professional (Version 3.5), ZoomBrowser EX for Windows (Version 6.2), ImageBrowser for Macintosh OS X (Version 6.2), the Picture Style Editor (Version 1.4), PhotoStitch (version 3.2), WFT Utility (version 3.2). Each application is designed to perfect the captured images and streamline the digital workflow.
EOS Utility (Version 2.5) for Macintosh or Windows handles the connection between the camera and computer, whenever they’re connected via USB. It allows remote controlled shooting from the computer, handles downloading of images from the camera to the computer, and allows seamless linking to either Canon’s ZoomBrowser/ImageBrowser or Digital Photo Professional software once images have been copied to the hard drive. Furthermore, it’s used to upload settings back into a USB-connected camera.
Digital Photo Professional (Version 3.5) is an image processing program that enables high-speed RAW image processing, high-speed previewing for real-time image adjustment and support for sRGB, Adobe RGB and Wide Gamut RGB color spaces. Because it’s CMS (Color Management System) compatible, Digital Photo Professional allows for easy image layout and printing in Adobe RGB in conjunction with Easy-PhotoPrint and PictBridge printers. It also features the Dust Delete Data Detection tool for cleaner images.
ZoomBrowser EX (Version 6.2) for Windows and ImageBrowser (Version 6.2) for Mac OS X are the easy, user-friendly options for viewing and editing of JPEG and even RAW image files. Both allow viewing of numerous types of images including finished TIFF and BMP files. Both also have a variety of search options for finding images, allow re-naming of single images or batches of files, and offer a variety of options for printing without using a separate image-editing program.
Picture Style Editor (Version 1.4)
Canon’s Picture Style Editor enables photographers to create custom Picture Style profiles that can be used to customize the appearance of JPEG and RAW images captured with EOS Digital SLR cameras. Picture Style files created with Picture Style Editor can be loaded into the EOS cameras that support Picture Style and may also be used when processing RAW images in Canon software applications Digital Photo Professional, ZoomBrowser EX (for Windows) and ImageBrowser (for Mac).
Product Description
Canon’s new EOS 50D bridges the gap between the novice and the seasoned pro with a perfect combination of high-speed and quality. It features an APS-C sized 15.1-megapixel CMOS sensor for tremendous images, new DIGIC 4 Image Processor for fine detail and superior color reproduction, and improved ISO capabilities up to 12800 for uncompromised shooting even in the dimmest situations. It features a refined 3.0-inch Clear View LCD (920,000 dots) monitor, supercharged Live View Function with Face Detection Live mode, plus a number of new automatic Image Correction settings and HDMI output for viewing images on an HDTV. Pick up the EOS 50D and you’ll experience true digital inspiration.
Available Warranties for This Item
Style: Body Only
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1,397 of 1,452 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Detailed Review of the Canon 50D - I love this Camera!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 8, 2008
Style Name:Body Only
SECTION 1: WHO IS THIS REVIEW FOR
This review is close to 10 pages long because it was written for people who are not proficient with the terms and concepts used in the DSLR world. If you are a proficient DSLR user then I would recommend that you check one of the much shorter reviews here or dpreview. For example, you already know what vignetting is and therefore understand the importance of the new lens peripheral illumination correction feature. However, a new DSLR buyer does not know what this means and this is why I therefore explain what each feature really is so these people can then decide if the feature is really important to them.
If you have not done so as yet, be sure to also check out my reviews of the Canon 7D and Canon 40D as well.
SECTION 2: INTRODUCTION
It has been just over a year now since I purchased my Canon 40D. At the time, I was just beginning to take my photography really serious. Since then, a lot has changed. I have now become a semi-pro. I still have my full-time job as an IT Manager here in Miami. However, I do a lot of photography work, especially events, on the weekends.
I really love my 40D but as I started doing more and more professional work I realized three things:
1. I needed a second camera body
2. I needed a camera with a more professional focusing system.
3. I needed a camera with even higher ISO performance
It was rumored back then that the replacement for the Canon 5D would be out in the first quarter of 2008. I decided to wait for it. However, when the time came there was no news from Canon about the 5D replacement. This was back in March 2008. The Nikon D300 had now been out for a while by then. I thought about buying it but I decided to wait until it was fully reviewed by dpreview as I wanted to see if Nikon had really finally addressed the high ISO performance issues. I ordered it one day after it was reviewed by Phil Askey on dpreview.
Since then, I have been using both the Canon 40D and the Nikon D300. I know it is a bit of a strange combo. People are always surprised when they see that I am using a Canon and a Nikon together.
I took all three cameras - Canon 40D, Canon 50D and Nikon D300 - over the weekend to the Miami Seaquarium to see how the new Canon 50D compared with both of them.
SECTION 3: NEW/CHANGED FEATURES
A. High-resolution LCD Screen
The LCD screen is still 3 inches. However, Canon has now increased the resolution from 230,000 dots to 920,000 dots which is the same as that found on the Nikon D300. Of course, this makes it a lot easier to check images on playback to see if they are sharp and in focus. More important, however, is the fact that Canon added a two layer anti-reflective coating which makes it way easier now to review images in bright sunlight. It is a lot easier to review images on the Nikon D300 than the Canon 40D. However, the Canon 50D definitely surpasses the Nikon D300 when reviewing images in bright sunlight.
B. 15.1 Megapixel CMOS Sensor
I think the MP increase is the biggest surprise to me since Canon has always been conservative when it comes to this. However, this increase now seems to be the trend as the new Canon EOS 5D Mark II has gone from 12 MP to a whopping 21 MP. I was always puzzled by the fact that the baby Canon Rebel had more MP than its big brother.
I can clearly see the difference in the resolution of the images produced by the 15.1 MP Canon 50D and those from the 10 MP Canon 40D. For a casual shooter this is not a big deal. However, for professionals shooting events this is really useful. Whenever I shoot an event I try not to turn it into a photo shoot. People are there to have fun. That is the first priority. I need to be able to get my shots fast. Many times this means getting the shot and then doing some cropping to make it perfect. Having 15 MP to play with can be a life savior here. Of course, if I only did portraits where I have time to pose my subjects this would be less important to me.
There is a small difference in the resolution of the images from the 15.1 MP Canon 50D and the 12.1MP Nikon D300.
C. High ISO Performance
The ISO setting control how sensitive the image sensor is to light. As the light gets lower you can increase the ISO to avoid using the flash. This is really important when you want to shoot in available natural light such as at dusk or at dawn when the light is really beautiful. Another example is when you want to photograph a bride and groom during the first dance without using the flash so you capture all the romance. The downside to increasing the ISO is that the resulting photos will tend to get grainier as the ISO increase.
The Canon 40D allowed me to go to ISO 1600 and then expand it to ISO 3200. When I just started out doing casual shots this was okay. However, I find that I often needed to go higher than 1600 and of course I was forced to use ISO 3200. On the Nikon D300 I could go all the way up to ISO 3200 standard so if I needed to use anything higher than ISO 1600 I would use the Nikon D300. That way if I only needed ISO 2000 I could use that setting rather than use ISO 3200. I must let you know that Nikon did fix the high ISO performance issues that plagued its DSLRs prior to the Nikon D300.
The Canon 50D now comes with a standard range of ISO 100 to 3200 just like the Nikon D300. However, the concern that I had was that with the big increase in MP count there would be much more noise (grain) at the higher ISOs. The more MP you have the more noise you tend to get at higher ISOs. I would have much preferred a smaller MP count and better high ISO performance. However, the engineers at Canon have really outdone themselves this time. The high ISO performance of the Canon 50D is just as good as the Nikon D300 even though it has 3MP more. Much of this is due to the fact that Canon is now using gapless micro lenses on the image sensor. This seemed to have really increased the light gathering capabilities of the pixels.
The Canon 50D ISO can be expanded to 6400 (H1) and 12800 (H2). The Nikon D300 can only be expanded up to 6400. However, on the Nikon D300 you can go from 3200 to H0.3 and then to H0.7 before you get to H1.0 which is 6400. This is more flexible than having to go straight to 6400 since you should generally try to use lower ISO speeds.
You might be thinking that it is absurd that anyone should want to use ISO 6400 and worse ISO 12800. However, there are times when getting the shot is more important than the quality of the shot itself. A good example here is when shooting sports. If the light becomes very bad for whatever reason you will need to increase your ISO as much as possible to get high enough shutter speeds to freeze the action.
D. Auto ISO Range (100 to 1600)
I have been to Butterfly World on several occasions to get photos of butterflies, birds and the tropical plants there. It is normally very sunny so to save time I shoot in Aperture priority mode. This allows me to simply set the aperture and then let the camera automatically set the shutter speed based on the current ISO and aperture settings. One thing about South Florida is that one minute it can be very sunny and then in just a few minutes it can become real cloudy. The problem this pose is that when it becomes real cloudy the shutter speed selected by the camera can be so low that it would result in camera shake which in turn results in blurry images. When I just started out my photography this actually happened to me as I would simply forget to check the shutter speed that was selected by the camera.
The auto ISO feature lets the camera automatically change the ISO to suit the shooting mode. For example, when in aperture priority mode if the camera detects that the shutter speed selected would result in camera shake it automatically increases the ISO. This feature is available on the Canon 40D. However, the maximum ISO it would automatically set is 800. The Canon 50D will now set ISO up to 1600 which is a lot more flexible.
The Nikon D300 actually takes the auto ISO concept further by allowing you to set the maximum ISO you want the camera to set and the minimum shutter speed you are willing to work with before the camera start to automatically set the ISO. This gives ultimate control to the photographer.
E. Burst Buffer
Another concern I had with the big increase in MP count was the impact it would have on the burst rate. With the MP count going from 10 to 15 this would normally result in a much slower burst rate. However, the new DIGIC IV image processor is a lot faster than the previous DIGIC III processor so the burst rate is pretty much the same at 6.3 frames per second from 6.5 frames per second. If you use a UDMA card with the Canon 50D you can buffer up to close to 90 large/fine JPEGs versus the 75 on the Canon 40D. The Nikon D300 can store up to 100 large/normal JPEGs at a burst rate of 6 frames per second. With the optional MB-D10 batter pack you can get 8 frames per second.
F. Lens Peripheral Illumination Correction
It is just a fact of life that the light entering a lens tends to fall off around the edges. This tends to be more pronounced when the lens is wide open. The resulting photo will appear dark around the edges. You will see it sometimes referred to as Vignetting. It is more common on cheaper lenses. However, even the most venerable and expensive lenses are not immune to this problem. I have sometimes seen it on my professional grade lenses such as the Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS lens and even the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 G lens.
If you have Photoshop CS3 you can quickly correct this problem. However, that is still one more thing that you have to worry about which increases your workflow. Read more ›
This review is close to 10 pages long because it was written for people who are not proficient with the terms and concepts used in the DSLR world. If you are a proficient DSLR user then I would recommend that you check one of the much shorter reviews here or dpreview. For example, you already know what vignetting is and therefore understand the importance of the new lens peripheral illumination correction feature. However, a new DSLR buyer does not know what this means and this is why I therefore explain what each feature really is so these people can then decide if the feature is really important to them.
If you have not done so as yet, be sure to also check out my reviews of the Canon 7D and Canon 40D as well.
SECTION 2: INTRODUCTION
It has been just over a year now since I purchased my Canon 40D. At the time, I was just beginning to take my photography really serious. Since then, a lot has changed. I have now become a semi-pro. I still have my full-time job as an IT Manager here in Miami. However, I do a lot of photography work, especially events, on the weekends.
I really love my 40D but as I started doing more and more professional work I realized three things:
1. I needed a second camera body
2. I needed a camera with a more professional focusing system.
3. I needed a camera with even higher ISO performance
It was rumored back then that the replacement for the Canon 5D would be out in the first quarter of 2008. I decided to wait for it. However, when the time came there was no news from Canon about the 5D replacement. This was back in March 2008. The Nikon D300 had now been out for a while by then. I thought about buying it but I decided to wait until it was fully reviewed by dpreview as I wanted to see if Nikon had really finally addressed the high ISO performance issues. I ordered it one day after it was reviewed by Phil Askey on dpreview.
Since then, I have been using both the Canon 40D and the Nikon D300. I know it is a bit of a strange combo. People are always surprised when they see that I am using a Canon and a Nikon together.
I took all three cameras - Canon 40D, Canon 50D and Nikon D300 - over the weekend to the Miami Seaquarium to see how the new Canon 50D compared with both of them.
SECTION 3: NEW/CHANGED FEATURES
A. High-resolution LCD Screen
The LCD screen is still 3 inches. However, Canon has now increased the resolution from 230,000 dots to 920,000 dots which is the same as that found on the Nikon D300. Of course, this makes it a lot easier to check images on playback to see if they are sharp and in focus. More important, however, is the fact that Canon added a two layer anti-reflective coating which makes it way easier now to review images in bright sunlight. It is a lot easier to review images on the Nikon D300 than the Canon 40D. However, the Canon 50D definitely surpasses the Nikon D300 when reviewing images in bright sunlight.
B. 15.1 Megapixel CMOS Sensor
I think the MP increase is the biggest surprise to me since Canon has always been conservative when it comes to this. However, this increase now seems to be the trend as the new Canon EOS 5D Mark II has gone from 12 MP to a whopping 21 MP. I was always puzzled by the fact that the baby Canon Rebel had more MP than its big brother.
I can clearly see the difference in the resolution of the images produced by the 15.1 MP Canon 50D and those from the 10 MP Canon 40D. For a casual shooter this is not a big deal. However, for professionals shooting events this is really useful. Whenever I shoot an event I try not to turn it into a photo shoot. People are there to have fun. That is the first priority. I need to be able to get my shots fast. Many times this means getting the shot and then doing some cropping to make it perfect. Having 15 MP to play with can be a life savior here. Of course, if I only did portraits where I have time to pose my subjects this would be less important to me.
There is a small difference in the resolution of the images from the 15.1 MP Canon 50D and the 12.1MP Nikon D300.
C. High ISO Performance
The ISO setting control how sensitive the image sensor is to light. As the light gets lower you can increase the ISO to avoid using the flash. This is really important when you want to shoot in available natural light such as at dusk or at dawn when the light is really beautiful. Another example is when you want to photograph a bride and groom during the first dance without using the flash so you capture all the romance. The downside to increasing the ISO is that the resulting photos will tend to get grainier as the ISO increase.
The Canon 40D allowed me to go to ISO 1600 and then expand it to ISO 3200. When I just started out doing casual shots this was okay. However, I find that I often needed to go higher than 1600 and of course I was forced to use ISO 3200. On the Nikon D300 I could go all the way up to ISO 3200 standard so if I needed to use anything higher than ISO 1600 I would use the Nikon D300. That way if I only needed ISO 2000 I could use that setting rather than use ISO 3200. I must let you know that Nikon did fix the high ISO performance issues that plagued its DSLRs prior to the Nikon D300.
The Canon 50D now comes with a standard range of ISO 100 to 3200 just like the Nikon D300. However, the concern that I had was that with the big increase in MP count there would be much more noise (grain) at the higher ISOs. The more MP you have the more noise you tend to get at higher ISOs. I would have much preferred a smaller MP count and better high ISO performance. However, the engineers at Canon have really outdone themselves this time. The high ISO performance of the Canon 50D is just as good as the Nikon D300 even though it has 3MP more. Much of this is due to the fact that Canon is now using gapless micro lenses on the image sensor. This seemed to have really increased the light gathering capabilities of the pixels.
The Canon 50D ISO can be expanded to 6400 (H1) and 12800 (H2). The Nikon D300 can only be expanded up to 6400. However, on the Nikon D300 you can go from 3200 to H0.3 and then to H0.7 before you get to H1.0 which is 6400. This is more flexible than having to go straight to 6400 since you should generally try to use lower ISO speeds.
You might be thinking that it is absurd that anyone should want to use ISO 6400 and worse ISO 12800. However, there are times when getting the shot is more important than the quality of the shot itself. A good example here is when shooting sports. If the light becomes very bad for whatever reason you will need to increase your ISO as much as possible to get high enough shutter speeds to freeze the action.
D. Auto ISO Range (100 to 1600)
I have been to Butterfly World on several occasions to get photos of butterflies, birds and the tropical plants there. It is normally very sunny so to save time I shoot in Aperture priority mode. This allows me to simply set the aperture and then let the camera automatically set the shutter speed based on the current ISO and aperture settings. One thing about South Florida is that one minute it can be very sunny and then in just a few minutes it can become real cloudy. The problem this pose is that when it becomes real cloudy the shutter speed selected by the camera can be so low that it would result in camera shake which in turn results in blurry images. When I just started out my photography this actually happened to me as I would simply forget to check the shutter speed that was selected by the camera.
The auto ISO feature lets the camera automatically change the ISO to suit the shooting mode. For example, when in aperture priority mode if the camera detects that the shutter speed selected would result in camera shake it automatically increases the ISO. This feature is available on the Canon 40D. However, the maximum ISO it would automatically set is 800. The Canon 50D will now set ISO up to 1600 which is a lot more flexible.
The Nikon D300 actually takes the auto ISO concept further by allowing you to set the maximum ISO you want the camera to set and the minimum shutter speed you are willing to work with before the camera start to automatically set the ISO. This gives ultimate control to the photographer.
E. Burst Buffer
Another concern I had with the big increase in MP count was the impact it would have on the burst rate. With the MP count going from 10 to 15 this would normally result in a much slower burst rate. However, the new DIGIC IV image processor is a lot faster than the previous DIGIC III processor so the burst rate is pretty much the same at 6.3 frames per second from 6.5 frames per second. If you use a UDMA card with the Canon 50D you can buffer up to close to 90 large/fine JPEGs versus the 75 on the Canon 40D. The Nikon D300 can store up to 100 large/normal JPEGs at a burst rate of 6 frames per second. With the optional MB-D10 batter pack you can get 8 frames per second.
F. Lens Peripheral Illumination Correction
It is just a fact of life that the light entering a lens tends to fall off around the edges. This tends to be more pronounced when the lens is wide open. The resulting photo will appear dark around the edges. You will see it sometimes referred to as Vignetting. It is more common on cheaper lenses. However, even the most venerable and expensive lenses are not immune to this problem. I have sometimes seen it on my professional grade lenses such as the Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS lens and even the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 G lens.
If you have Photoshop CS3 you can quickly correct this problem. However, that is still one more thing that you have to worry about which increases your workflow. Read more ›
115 of 118 people found the following review helpful
By Adam
Style Name:Body w/ 18-200mm IS Kit
Upon reading my way through every review I could find about this camera I noticed that a lot of people were upset about noise levels compared to those seen in the 40D. As I was looking to buy one or the other at the time it was very important to me to see if these noise issues were in fact true or just caused by external factors. Lucky for me a good friend has a 40D and a local camera shop was nice enough to let us borrow their 50D to snap a few comparison shots. My friend and I took shot after shot using identical settings and identical lenses under a variety of situations, (low light, high speed, high light, inside, outside, dull colors and vibrant colors). We then took the pictures, compiled them on a single memory card and displayed them on my 46" 1080P HDTV. Results were very much in favor of the 50D. Shot for shot the 50D either matched or exceeded the picture quality of the 40D in all but one situation: indoors with low light and dull colors. Under that situation the 50D seemed to noise out on the constant color areas, (beige walls for example), while the 40D tended to noise out at the interface between colors, (at the boundary of a beige wall and darm crown molding for example). Both developed noise but the 50D had more.
Overall though I was very impressed with the performance of the 50D. It picked up a lot of details that the 40D didn't even come close to getting, (thanks to the 15.1MP sensor no doubt), was much better able to capture high-speed action in daylight and only produced noisy images under very particular situations.
I purchased the 50D.
Overall though I was very impressed with the performance of the 50D. It picked up a lot of details that the 40D didn't even come close to getting, (thanks to the 15.1MP sensor no doubt), was much better able to capture high-speed action in daylight and only produced noisy images under very particular situations.
I purchased the 50D.
146 of 159 people found the following review helpful
By C. Tan
Style Name:Body w/ 28-135mm IS Kit
Before you read this review, please note that the Canon 50D and D90 are not in the same class and are targeted at different markets, but there are still many people, including myself, comparing them with each other due to the relatively small difference in price. The Canon 50D should be compared to the Nikon D300, but since the D300 is clearly a better camera, there is no point. The 50D is in fact, somewhere in between the D90 and D300. With that being said, I hope you find my review helpful.
I spent a lot of time researching and comparing the Canon 50D with the Nikon D90. I picked the 50D. I hope my information here can help some of you out there making the same comparisons.
First of all, I highly suggest that you go to a local store and actually hold both cameras, play with them and get a feel for them. You will notice right away that the D90 feels cheap and is just made of plastic. The 50D, on the other hand, is made of magnesium-alloy and feels sturdy. It actually feels like a high-end camera. The 50D is also weather-sealed, unlike the D90. Build quality is extremely important, so keep that in mind. I also found the menus and button locations to be more user-friendly than the Nikon's.
I read a countless reviews on the 50D and D90. Most D90 reviews were pretty consistent with each other. The D90 is a great camera that provides excellent image quality, can take 720p videos and is $300 less than the 50D. The 50D review were also pretty consistent with each other. The 50D is not much of an improvement over the 40D, the increase to 15.1MP resulted in a small increase in image quality and resulted in more noise at higher ISO settings, it cannot take videos and is $300 more than the D90.
From a value standpoint, the D90 is a better camera. It's a few hundred bucks cheaper than the 50D and can take videos. That's pretty much where the comparisons end. Here's why.
1. The D90 isn't even a direct competitor of the 50D. The D90 is aimed toward the consumer market while the 50D is aimed toward the prosumer market. However, I still couldn't resist comparing the two, since the D300 was out of my budget.
2. Video Mode - Nikon released the D90 with a sub par video recording feature. It maxes out at 720p and does not, I repeat, DOES NOT have auto-focus. From my experience with the D90's video mode, the combination of holding the camera with one hand while focusing with the other and walking around resulted in, well, bad videos. If you want to take videos, get the Canon T1i.
3. Performance - The 50D, as with other prosumer level cameras, uses CF cards while the the D90, as with other consumer level cameras, uses SD cards. CF cards offer higher capacities, but more importantly, faster speeds. The 50D is capable of taking 6.3 frames per second in continuous shot mode while the D90 is capable of taking 4.5 frames per second. That's with JPEGs. Try continuous shooting with the D90 in RAW mode, and it will just beg you to stop. The D90 just isn't made for high speed photography. It's made for taking pictures when you are out on vacation with the family. The 50D, on the other hand, was designed for high speed photography, such as sports and and capturing moving objects.
4. Image Quality - Both cameras offer excellent image quality. It has been said in several reviews that the 50D produces noise at higher ISO settings than the D90 and even the Canon 40D. The reason for this is the higher MP count combined with the small size of the APS-C sensor along with the low quality of the lenses that were used in the reviews. If you plan on buying the 50D, PLEASE invest in a good lens to take advantage of the camera's increased pixel count. Had better lenses been used in reviews, the 50D would have received even better reviews. The 50D is not a consumer/enthusiast level camera, so why use cheap lenses to review it?
5. Live View - Wow, Live View is a sweet feature in DSLR camera. If you have an important shot to take, Live View can help you immensely! The 50D and D90 both have Live View. The D90 only has one auto-focus mode in Live View, which is Contrast Detect. The 50D has Phase Detect and Contrast Detect. The D90 can only zoom in 6.7x, while the 50D can zoom in 10x. Why is this important? The more you can zoom in, the more precisely you can dial in the focus. In addition, the 50D also offers micro focus adjustment to really dial in the focus. The D90's Live View is adequate for the average casual user, but it's completely unacceptable to a higher end user. The 50D's Live View feature caters to a more demanding photographer.
6. Value - The D90 is a few hundred dollars cheaper than the 50D. It has features that attract the average consumer, such a video. It produces great images worthy of a prosumer level camera, but lacks the feature and flexibility that a prosumer level camera offers, such as better build quality, better ergonomics, faster continuous shooting, full featured Live View and better tweakability. If these features are not important to you, get the D90. However, as you improve your photography skills and start to photograph a wider variety of scenarios, you will find yourself wanting the additional features that the 50D offers.
The question you should be asking yourself is - What do I want to do with the camera? Do you need a camera like the 50D, or do you see yourself needing its additional features down the road? The 50D might be too much camera for many people. For that reason, I highly recommend the casual user to get the D90. For you real photographers out there, get the Canon 50D. You will not miss the video feature, trust me. If you really want a Nikon, get the D300 (which does not have video either).
I spent a lot of time researching and comparing the Canon 50D with the Nikon D90. I picked the 50D. I hope my information here can help some of you out there making the same comparisons.
First of all, I highly suggest that you go to a local store and actually hold both cameras, play with them and get a feel for them. You will notice right away that the D90 feels cheap and is just made of plastic. The 50D, on the other hand, is made of magnesium-alloy and feels sturdy. It actually feels like a high-end camera. The 50D is also weather-sealed, unlike the D90. Build quality is extremely important, so keep that in mind. I also found the menus and button locations to be more user-friendly than the Nikon's.
I read a countless reviews on the 50D and D90. Most D90 reviews were pretty consistent with each other. The D90 is a great camera that provides excellent image quality, can take 720p videos and is $300 less than the 50D. The 50D review were also pretty consistent with each other. The 50D is not much of an improvement over the 40D, the increase to 15.1MP resulted in a small increase in image quality and resulted in more noise at higher ISO settings, it cannot take videos and is $300 more than the D90.
From a value standpoint, the D90 is a better camera. It's a few hundred bucks cheaper than the 50D and can take videos. That's pretty much where the comparisons end. Here's why.
1. The D90 isn't even a direct competitor of the 50D. The D90 is aimed toward the consumer market while the 50D is aimed toward the prosumer market. However, I still couldn't resist comparing the two, since the D300 was out of my budget.
2. Video Mode - Nikon released the D90 with a sub par video recording feature. It maxes out at 720p and does not, I repeat, DOES NOT have auto-focus. From my experience with the D90's video mode, the combination of holding the camera with one hand while focusing with the other and walking around resulted in, well, bad videos. If you want to take videos, get the Canon T1i.
3. Performance - The 50D, as with other prosumer level cameras, uses CF cards while the the D90, as with other consumer level cameras, uses SD cards. CF cards offer higher capacities, but more importantly, faster speeds. The 50D is capable of taking 6.3 frames per second in continuous shot mode while the D90 is capable of taking 4.5 frames per second. That's with JPEGs. Try continuous shooting with the D90 in RAW mode, and it will just beg you to stop. The D90 just isn't made for high speed photography. It's made for taking pictures when you are out on vacation with the family. The 50D, on the other hand, was designed for high speed photography, such as sports and and capturing moving objects.
4. Image Quality - Both cameras offer excellent image quality. It has been said in several reviews that the 50D produces noise at higher ISO settings than the D90 and even the Canon 40D. The reason for this is the higher MP count combined with the small size of the APS-C sensor along with the low quality of the lenses that were used in the reviews. If you plan on buying the 50D, PLEASE invest in a good lens to take advantage of the camera's increased pixel count. Had better lenses been used in reviews, the 50D would have received even better reviews. The 50D is not a consumer/enthusiast level camera, so why use cheap lenses to review it?
5. Live View - Wow, Live View is a sweet feature in DSLR camera. If you have an important shot to take, Live View can help you immensely! The 50D and D90 both have Live View. The D90 only has one auto-focus mode in Live View, which is Contrast Detect. The 50D has Phase Detect and Contrast Detect. The D90 can only zoom in 6.7x, while the 50D can zoom in 10x. Why is this important? The more you can zoom in, the more precisely you can dial in the focus. In addition, the 50D also offers micro focus adjustment to really dial in the focus. The D90's Live View is adequate for the average casual user, but it's completely unacceptable to a higher end user. The 50D's Live View feature caters to a more demanding photographer.
6. Value - The D90 is a few hundred dollars cheaper than the 50D. It has features that attract the average consumer, such a video. It produces great images worthy of a prosumer level camera, but lacks the feature and flexibility that a prosumer level camera offers, such as better build quality, better ergonomics, faster continuous shooting, full featured Live View and better tweakability. If these features are not important to you, get the D90. However, as you improve your photography skills and start to photograph a wider variety of scenarios, you will find yourself wanting the additional features that the 50D offers.
The question you should be asking yourself is - What do I want to do with the camera? Do you need a camera like the 50D, or do you see yourself needing its additional features down the road? The 50D might be too much camera for many people. For that reason, I highly recommend the casual user to get the D90. For you real photographers out there, get the Canon 50D. You will not miss the video feature, trust me. If you really want a Nikon, get the D300 (which does not have video either).
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