Canon EOS 50D
- 5.0 out of 5
- 5.0 out of 5
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Research the Canon EOS 50D
Editors' Comments
The Canon 50D is now a reality, announced as a follow up to the very popular 40D professional digital SLR. The 50D improves on that model with an all-new, faster DIGIC 4 image processor and a 15 megapixel CMOS sensor, while retaining such amenities as the 3.0-inch live view LCD display.
Specifications
- 15 megapixels
- JPEG and RAW file formats
- Canon EF/EF-S lens mount
- DIGIC 4 Image Processor
- ISO levels expandable up to 12800
- 3.0-inch live view LCD display
- Lithium-ion battery
Comments on the Canon 50D
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Canon EOS 50D Reviews
- 4.52229965156794 out of 5
Canon EOS 50D Reviews by Digital Camera-HQ Users
- 5.0 out of 5
Just got it and can't believe how easy it is - and I have no picture taking skills. The pics exceed every expectation. It looks like they were taken professionally. I bought it for an upcoming vacation and it was worth every cent!
- 5.0 out of 5
Purchased for a game trip to Tanzania/Serengeti. 2000 photos later it is the easiest camera to use I have ever owned. Battery life is wonderful and the weight is good even with a 500 lens attached.
I am a Canon fanatic and this is certainly the best camera for the money available and best I have owned.
- 5.0 out of 5
The 50d is my first digital SLR camera. I find it very easy to use. The LCD screen is great to review pictures. however I find that photos that are under exposed on the camera's screen actually seem to be correctly exprosed on my computer screen. Overall I'm expreemly happy with the camera. I'm glad I waited until the 50d was released. instead of buying an 40d.
- 4.0 out of 5
I love this camera. I just need to know how to change the resolution on it for better quality prints.
- 5.0 out of 5
All I can say is WOW, I'm so glad it's MINE. What an improvement in LCD information and screens. Easy to use, and very fast focusing and very creative. Couldn't ask for a better camera. I LOVE IT!
- 5.0 out of 5
I have taken about 1,000 pictures in 2 days. First day I used ISO 3200 w/strong noise reduction inside at a Vollyball Game. 8x10 print excellent!! Next day I shot 2 Football Games with Poor Lighting! used ISO 6400, was a little worried. 8x10 came out fine! Not perfect..but very useable! ISO 3200 Excellent!!!!ISO 6400 very useable!! ISO 12800 don't know?? I do use all L lenses which probably helps. I would use ISO 6400 at Games if need be without hesitating but would prefer using 3200 for quality prints. If you need ISO 6400 then the lighting is obviously too poor to be expecting too much! Very happy with the 50D, having owned 3-20d's and 3-40d's I have never been so wowed by a camera before now!! Don't get me wrong I still have 3-40d's and will keep them for working!
- 5.0 out of 5
As an owner of the 20D and am real impressed with my pictures the thought of 15 mp was to much to resist. (and I have not been disiapointed) I am not a professional photographer but have been doing photography since i was 12 years old (black and white) (63 now)
The 50D is all I expected it to be and do. Was impressed with it in every way so far. have taken over 100 pictures on it so far since yesterday. Have reviewed them on my 36 inch hdmi tv and as one review i read said wow...
I might of upgraded to the 30 or 40 when they came out but didnt think that spending that money on them was worth it, now with the 50d and 15 mp and great pictures my spending was well worth it upgrade to me..
ps anyone need a used 20d lol
Canon EOS 50D Comments & Questions (write your own!)
The price was to compete with the Nikon D300, and also with the Pentax K20... but at this point, where the K20 is just 999 bucks (and the only feature missing is the 6 fps) that is almost a lost battle for them.
Alan.
This is teasing! I think from what I read from Canon, the candy store just got more crowded.
but you will have to wait at least to the last days of october.
Alan.
There is another extremely helpful but often overlooked Mode on the Dial which is A-DEP. It is often ignored because it takes a little more work on the part of the camera user. A-DEP is useful because it takes the guesswork out of choosing an Aperture that will have the items you want in focus to actually be in focus. With this mode you focus on the closest subject you want to be in focus, take a shot, focus on the farthest away item you want in focus, take a second shot, then frame the picture as you want it and click for the actual picture.
It's not as hard or as slow as it sounds at first, but really works and eliminates looking up distances on charts. Talk about precise Aperture control without needing to be an expert!
Happy shooting,
George
Although this is my first digital SLR camera I have had a film SLR for a while. I think the EOS 400 would probably be a great camera and if you buy a cheaper body then you can spend more money on getting a good lens which is really where you should spend most of your money. Also I would say that 90% or more of taking a good photo is the photographer not the equipment. I have some fantastic shots I took with a Nikon coolpix point and shoot. Good equipment can make it easier to get the great shots but it is the photographers vision and skill that gets good photos.
If you are just getting started you may want to look at a Digital Rebel either the 10MP or 12MP models, I hear those are really good cameras and they are reasonably priced. By getting something like a Rebel you might have enough money to get another lens which will help you get better shots, and remember lens you buy for the Digital Rebel can be used on the more expensive bodies so you could always upgrade the body later and use the lenses you purchased on the new body. And by the way on the Rebel you have all the manual settings as well as the "no think" modes so it is a great camera to learn with.
If you are serious about wanting to learn photography you will want to learn how to set the controls manually so that you understand the impact of apertures, shutter speeds, etc... I recommend the book "Exposure" which you can get at Amazon.
Anyway hope that helps a little bit.
Thanks for your comments. I actually went out last night and bought the Nikon D300 and an 18-200 Nikon lens. I had planned to buy the Cannon until the salesman went through all the features with me. It is all really confusing, but I am determined to figure it out. I bought from Ritz and will get 12 free lessons with the purchase, so hopefully once I have done that I will be a little more informed as to what comes next.
Again, thanks for answering my question. I appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Marie
Nikon makes a great camera as well and you can't really go wrong with Nikon or Canon. I am sure you will be happy with your purchase. My film camera was a Nikon FA and I loved it but I felt that with the lenses I wanted I would end up saving in the long run with Canon but really Nikon makes fantastic equipment and you will probably love your new purchase. Hopefully the free lessons will be a great start for you!
Bill
"I guess I am thinking that the camera is 90% of taking a good photo"
Yep... With the most recent digital SLR's combined outfitted with high quality lenses that statement is fair when it's in the hands of an average person. Gain some experience and learn how to use the various modes the camera has, learn about lighting (Important in weddings and portraits), then add your imagination for creative views and that number can swing all the way to 10% camera and 90% photographer. Spend some time looking at photos on fredmiranda.com and you will see what is possible.
"I need a GOOD camera at a very reasonable price"
That's either the 40D or XSi, both are good cameras and at good price points.
"Is the auto focus on this camera good enough to take wedding pictures"
Yes! Both the 40D and 50D have very good auto focus, I sense the 50D focus is just a little bit faster than the 40D. Although not as fast I believe the Rebel XSi will also work in weddings, but it's not good for tracking fast moving subjects (kids, sports, etc)
"for a novice who can't afford to upgrade anytime soon"
If you want a camera that you wont grow out of in the next year, the 50D has the best "upgrade fever prevention" you can get today.
With its 15 Megapixels you can crop and still have lots of detail, a real benefit for any professional work. But its not the "best deal" now since it just hit the streets a month ago. If you can afford it you wont be sorry. If money is real tight the 40D is probably too much also, in that case a Rebel XSi and a couple good lenses may be a better use of money now.
OOPS, I type this last night and clicked send this morning... I see you went with Nikon! The D300 costs even more but its a great camera also. The 18-200 zoom is a good all-around lens and one you will be glad to have, but bewasre wedding professionals consider it a travel lens. If you told the salesman you will be doing weddings I cant believe he told you buy that lens. When you get in dark churches you WILL need to use a flash, so get one of the best Nikon makes, either the SB-800 or the new top-dog SB-900. Many churches do not allow use of a flash, in that situation the more expensive f2.8 zooms work much better, and the even faster prime lenses work best. If you live near a camera store that rents lenses you should try the 17-55 f2.8 and/or 24-70 2.8. A lower cost option that takes fantastic quality photos is the Tamron 17-50 f2.8 the best price/performance ratio on a zoom lens.
Congratulations on getting a great camera, read the manual and practice doing what it says at the same time, quickest way to get familiar with your fantastic new tool/toy. Good luck!
I would love to hear some feedback from you more knowledgable photogs! Thanks much!!
I believe that as you present your question to this forum, in a sense you are also answering yourself by the obvious fact that what you will need in this new stage you entering of your professional career is an upgrade on your present equipment. Having said that I believe that there are differing opinions as to whether the 50D is a really significant upgrade from the camera you already have. ( I have just recently bought a 50D for myself) But that I believe is a matter of opinion and self calibration of your results once you start practicing with your new equipment.
You should remember that whichever camera you decide upon buying will have its very own learning curve, even though almost all of the basics are much alike. Yet, in order to advance in technology, obvious features will be presented in different manners and even the protocols may change. So keep that in mind while you start working with your new equipment.
As far as cameras go nowadays, the two main players in popularity and quality in regards to best money to technical values obtained are Canon and Konica, and yet there are also in the market a few other brands that could fill your future necessities. Thus a lot of research should be done before taking that credit card or roll of bills come out of your purse.
As for lenses, obviously Canon and Konica have the largest rollout of lenses for any possible need, and there is also in the market the Sigma and Tamron lenses which are not bad. Thus if you need a new set of lenses in this new stage, obviously Canon or Konica should be the way to go in your particular case.
Best of luck!
Boris
Most of the reviews I have seen of the 50D have been done so poorly I must conclude the people doing them do not really understand much about the basics of physics and geometry, and the purpose of photography. (I am a Manufacturing engineer, know a lot about optics, electronics, and running controlled scientific experiments) They seem to have good intentions but the methodology they use to derive many conclusions completely invalidates the conclusion.
Photos taken with what lens? Was it at that lens' sharpest apertures?
Sharpness when viewed how???
In 4x6 prints? 8x10 prints? 13x19 prints? 24x36 prints? And at what viewing distance from those prints?
The 2 largest print sizes are the only ones where you can even begin to notice the difference in detail. On the largest prints the 50D will be sharper, IF a high quality sharp lens was used and proper exposure was made, in all other cases they will be mostly equal. If you will never print anything larger than 8x10 prints then the extra pixels are indeed wasted. But wait, if you ever need to crop an image those extra pixels are your savior.
Viewing an entire photo on a computer screen, what type/size?
laptop @1440x920
19" LCD @1280x1024
24" widescreen LCD @1680x1050
30" Apple or EIZO display @2560x1440
100% crop on one of those monitors? You are looking at a small percentage of the photo.
Here is the important detail most forget about: You are looking at a very different percentage of the entire photo in each case. For a true comparison of perceived sharpness and overall noise you need the same portion of the lens in each view, if the 40D image is at 100% the 50D image needs to be at 66.66%. Then you are comparing the output from the same place in the lens. Nobody does that, instead they look at the 100% 50D image from a smaller part of the lens, compare it to the 40D 100% image and expect it to look better. It doesn't, so they assume the 40D must be better. If they look equal for noise in this 100%-100% scenario then the 50D is indeed much better as Canon claims.
I believe the 50D overall noise is a little better than the 40D, but not as much as Canon claims. But with 50% more pixels having similar noise is a real accomplishment.
"some reports of reviewers state that the 50D's images are NOT sharper than either those of the 40D or the Rebel XSi "
When using average quality or the kit lenses then that statement is fairly close. If you use a quality macro lens (I have the Sigma 150 macro), or the EF-S 17-55 2.8 IS (I also have), then the 50D will show off the capability of those lenses. If you use a superzoom lens like a 18-200 or 18-250 then this camera may be overkill. To each his own, but this camera is a winner in my book!
Thank you for such a great exposition and explanation of the comparative values between the 40D and the 50D. Great in knowledge and very good in explaining the technical facts.
You have reaffirmed my decision to buy this camera, as I have done so this very morning. I got it with the 18 200 IS and hope that it will be better than just a kit lens, but then it has already strained my budget.
Keep up the good work!
Boris
Since both the 40D and 50D use APS-C sensors, both use the same portion of the lens (assuming use of a full-frame EF or equivalent lens). The 50D sensor is MARGINALLY larger - about 1mm taller - but not enough to significantly affect the portion of the lens that is used. Both sensors record their images from the center 60% or so of a full frame lens. Reducing the 50D image to 66% therefor has nothing to do with the part of the lens being used, only with trying to match the pixel density of the 40D. Viewing both images at 100% is the appropriate way to assess image quality, at least as regards the lens.
The 50D is generally regarded as being equal to the 40D, but not superior, in terms of image quality. In print sizes above about 12"by 18", the added pixel count may produce a higher perceived image quality in terms of detail and clarity, but the 50D offers only a 22% increase in linear resolution, not the 50% one might think from raw pixel count. While that 22% is helpful for cropping, and can help with larger print sizes, it comes at a cost. Those extra pixels add heat, which adds noise. Canon managed to cram half again as many pixels in the same size sensor by eliminating the gaps between the microlenses over each photosite, but the increase in pixel density means more must be done to keep noise under control. For most purposes, the 50D does that well, but the image quality still isn't better... just bigger.
Rocky, I appreciate your efforts, but I am sad to think you actually believe everything you wrote above, spend some time and do the math while drawing things on paper and you will identify your errors. You have obviously been affected by the internet misinformation which defies the laws of physics and geometry. Let me help correct the brainwashing you have unknowingly accepted.
First I congratulate you on the two statements where you nailed it.
1) "22% increase in linear resolution". YES! Since we are increasing pixels in both X and Y directions concurrently, the total pixel percentage is the sum of the increase in both axes.
2) "Both sensors record their images from the center 60% or so of a full frame lens." Yes!
Full frame is 36mm x 24mm
40D is 22.2mm x 14.8mm, or 65.3% of FF
50D is 22.3mm x 14.9mm, or 65.6% of FF (0.1mm or about 0.5% larger than 40D)
Essentially equal overall for the portion of a full frame lens that each sensor "sees through".
That's about it, after making statement #2 above you went straight into this bogus claim...
"Reducing the 50D image to 66% therefor has nothing to do with the part of the lens being used".
WRONG!!! It has EVERYTHING to do with where those pixels are looking through the lens. Keep reading for some simple geometry
Quickly followed with the common misconception I was attempting to educate people on "Viewing both images at 100% is the appropriate way to assess image quality, at least as regards the lens."
WRONG AGAIN!!! This is the logical progression from the earlier statement, since the previous was bogus so is this one.
Here is why, its really easy if you REALLY think about it.
Lets assume we are using a Full frame lens that projects an image size of 36mm on a full frame chip, its actually larger but for easy math sake ignore the rectangular angle shape and just look at the X axis.
Remember..
40D sensor produces images of 3888x2592 pixels, (175 linear pixels per mm of image on the chip).
50D sensor produces images of 4752x3168 pixels, (213 linear pixels per mm of image on the chip).
You put the same lens on each camera mounted on a tripod looking at the same center point. You have a decent computer with a widescreen 22" 1680x1050, split the screen in half and at 100% view 840 pixels of each photo at the same time.
Do the math..
40D) 840 pixels / 175 pixels per mm, you are looking at an image from 4.8mm of the sensor, that's 21.6% of the entire photo/lens view.
50D) 840 pixels / 213 pixels per mm, you are looking at an image from 3.94mm of the sensor, that's only 17.7% of the entire photo/lens view. To see the same image view for a true quality comparison, which is from the same 21.6%/4.8mm center portion of the lens, you MUST display 1023 pixels of the 50D image, not 840. Otherwise as I said above you are comparing apples to oranges.
Looking at something artificially blown up 22% larger while comparing it to something that isn't, then saying it doesn't look better, is just plain stupid. There is plenty of that around the world and right here on the good ol' net.
Now I ask you, when you compare the photos you've taken with YOUR 50D (or one your borrowed) to the ones taken with YOUR 40D using the same lens, how do they compare? My 50D takes better quality photos than either the two 40D's I have owned, equal or better than most of the photos I got from my 5D last year. Go ahead live in a cave, my 50D can take pretty good photos in there also!
Sometimes a statement taken in isolation can be the truth, but it's not the whole truth, and in fact in isolation it can be misleading. For example... "Stepping out of a plane flying at 5000ft won't hurt you". That's pretty much true, but it doesn't address the issue of what happens a short time later when you hit the ground at over 100mph. That will hurt you!
What does that have to do with photography you might ask? Well, while reading a number of photography forums I've seen more than just a few participants who have been confused by some recent technical reviews of the EOS 50D. They've picked up on statements made in the reviews which are true, but which then lead them down a path of faulty reasoning to an incorrect conclusion. Let's take a look at a couple of those statements.
#1 - With the 50D, if you stop a lens down past f8, you'll see a decrease in resolution
That certainly is a true statement with many (if not most lenses). I wouldn't dispute it for one moment. However some readers seem to have have taken this statement and concluded (or assumed) that (a) Other cameras don't do that and (b) If you want to shoot landscapes at f16, then the EOS 50D wouldn't be a good camera to chose. Both are incorrect and neither follows from the original statement.
The fact is that most lenses peak in resolution in the center of the frame around f8, and that then leads to maximum image sharpness. Some might peak at f5.6, some might peak at f11 but it's more often f8. The reason is quite simple. As you stop down, you quickly reduce the amount of spherical aberration a lens exhibits, and spherical aberration is the dominant aberration affecting sharpness in the center of the field, so as you stop down and spherical aberration diminishes, sharpness increases. However, as you stop down something else happens - diffraction increases and resolution drops. It just works out that around f8 there's a point when the combined effects of spherical aberration decreasing and diffraction increasing are at a minimum and therefore sharpness is at a maximum. It could be f5.6, it could be f11, depending on the lens, but it's somewhere in that range and the difference between f5.6, f8 and f11 usually isn't very big.
Since the lens is sharpest at f8, the image recorded by a digital sensor is also sharpest at f8, so stopping down past f8 lowers image resolution with just about all DSLRs. I suppose if the sensor resolution was low enough, it would totally dominate the final image resolution, so such a camera might not show much change until you got to f16 or even f22, but the point there would be that the resolution would be low at all apertures, and at all apertures it would be worse than with a higher resolution sensor. You aren't really concerned about where resolution peaks, but how high the peak is and how high the resolution is at any given aperture. In all cases the higher resolution sensor will yield sharper images.
So, yes, stopping down past f8 with the EOS 50D might well result in lower image resolution. The important omission is that stopping down an EOS 40D, a Digital Rebel XT, a Nikon D300 or a Nikon D90 past f8 would result in exactly the same thing! Not only that, but the camera with the highest resolution would be sharper at f8. So, for example, the 50D image would be sharper than the 40D image.
Stopping down from f8 to f16 when you need depth of field for a landscape is fine. You will lose a small amount of sharpness in the sharpest regions of the image (see above), but you may more than make up for it with increased sharpness of the area within the now extended depth of field. The tradeoff between maximum sharpness at the focus point and extended depth of field is one you have to make with all cameras, and for all cameras of the same format size (crop sensor or full frame), the tradeoff is exactly the same. The ultimate tradeoff is a pinhole camera where the depth of field is huge - but the image is blurred everywhere!
#2 - You need the best lenses to take advantage of the higher resolution of the 50D over the 40D
So here's another statement that has some truth in it but has lead to some confusion. The incorrect extrapolation that some people make is to then suggest that unless you have the best lenses, you won't see the higher resolution of the EOS 50D, so unless you have a bag of "L" series prime lenses, the 40D will be just as good.
Again that thinking is wrong. I've even seen some people suggest that images from the 50D will be less sharp than those of the 40D with most lenses. I'm not quite sure of the "logic" they have used in reaching that conclusion, but they got there somehow!
If the lens was REALLY bad, such as a pinhole lens or a single element plastic lens, or a regular lens stopped down to f64 (where diffraction would drastically blur the image), you might not see any difference between EOS 40D and EOS 50D sharpness, but the 50D certainly would not be less sharp.
I suppose you could argue that the difference between a "normal" and a "premium" lens might be very slightly greater with a higher resolution sensor, but that certainly does not mean that you don't still see most of that difference with "normal" lenses.
So is this the truth. the whole truth and nothing but the truth, without any room for confusion? No, it's not! The above images and analysis use fairly high contrast black and white resolution test patterns. In the real world, detail isn't usually black and white. It may be low contrast green and red, or light grey and dark grey. However, the higher resolution sensor will still yield results which are at least as good as, and usually better than, a lower resolution sensor. There may indeed be cases where you would need a good lens to exploit the added resolution of the 50D sensor when dealing with low contrast detail - but that certainly does not imply or suggest that there won't also be plenty of cases where the higher resolution of the 50D will be an advantage when using ordinary consumer zooms. In fact most of the time that will probably be the case. So while it's always good to have a better lens, you don't absolutely need a better lens to see the added resolution of the EOS 50D over the EOS 40D, and the 50D image should never be worse.
Conclusion
You have to read highly technical reviews for what they actually say, not for what you think they are trying to say. If you're not conversant with all the factors that are involved in lens and image sharpness (and how the two interact), then be careful of reading things into reviews that aren't really there.
I just gave you a thumbs up in both entries...
The 50D will be a better choice for your stated goals and here is why.
Goal #1: "I need lots of versatility while traveling"
I assume when you are traveling you might be gone from home for more than a few hours, you might want to take photos at night and inside dark buildings.
*50D high-ISO performance is better than the XSi and will allow you to attempt shots in darker places, therefore it is more versatile.
*50D has a larger viewfinder, its easier to see what you are shooting.
*The new LCD on the 50D is MUCH better for evaluating the photo quality.
*50D has lens autofocus micro-adjust, it can compensate for minor lens calibration issues and give sharper photos and also potentially reduce the amount of service trips your lenses and/or camera need to take.
Goal #2: "to take action shots"
Focusing speed and maximum frames per second are both much faster/better in the 50D. The Rebel series is built for low cost, not for speed. The 50D takes two photos for every one the XSi takes (6.3 frames per second vs 3), chances of getting those "killer shots" and having it actually in focus are so much better with the 50D.
For the Lens:
The new Canon 18-200 is a very good all purpose zoom, great for a single vacation lens and as a casual carry around.
For indoors or night sports you will find it cannot keep up with the action without using a flash. For subjects up to 25 feet away the 430EX should do fine, more than 25 feet you probably need a powerful one like the 580EX.
For times when a flash cannot be used you will need a "faster" lens to freeze action, meaning one with a maximum aperture of f2.8 or a smaller number. Unfortunately the f2.8 zooms are big, heavy, and expensive. Prime lenses are smaller, faster and cheaper, but you then need to find the right one or two lenses that works best for the sport you are shooting. You can get extensive information for choosing lenses at my favorite website, fredmiranda.com.
Does this help? More questions?
Happy shopping!
Love the build quality.
XSi (which my wife owns) or the 50D...get the "Image Stabilizer"
series if at all possible especially if you're a beginner.
My wife shoots a lot of skydiver pictures. She has the XSi with
the 18-50 "Image Stabilizer" lens, and also has a 70-300
zoom without the stabilizer feature.
Even on a tripod (which is a trick by itself) long zoom shots
are hard to capture clearly with the long lens because of minute
movements being magnified as well as the image you're trying
to shoot.
Add the speed of the skydiver coming in, and it's doubly hard to
get a good sharp image capture with the cheaper zoom.
We're saving up to get the 70-300 "Image Stabilizer" model as
soon as we possibly can.
In my opinion, if your pictures are going to hold value for you,
spend the extra money if possible and get the "Image
Stabilizer".
I would print them as LARGE, also love to crop them, too
Which one you recomended Canon D50 OR rebel Xsi/ D450 ?
Thanks !
I recommend this over the D50 because you can take the price difference and invest in a faster lens, rather than pay for a body which is really more than you need.
I agree with James, especially if your budget is tight, the 450D/XSi is a terrific bargain considering the image quality it produces. If you spend less on the body (we are talking just these 2 cameras) and invest the difference in better lenses you will have better quality photos in the end. Simple and straightforward, the XSi with a quality lens like the 70-200 f2.8 zoom will produce better images than the 50D using the 18-200 or 75-300.
Here is one analogy I think helps describe the scenario.
I don't know how much you know about audio amplifiers and speakers, but most people understand the most important part of a sound system is the speakers, they control (or limit) the accuracy and loudness at the various sound frequencies, and the spatial or stereo effects. Unless you are using the very best speakers chances are you will not notice the difference between amplifiers, except for the cheapies that don't have enough power to drive the speakers.
In photography the lens is like the speakers, its the primary controller of what image gets onto the film or sensor chip. When people talk about communication and what TV shows a person decides to watch you may have heard the phrase "garbage-in garbage-out". A 15 Megapixel photo of fuzz and/or blah color looks no better than a 10-12 Megapixel photo of the same fuzz and/or blah color.
Cindy, here are a couple questions to ask yourself..
Think about how long you might want to keep the camera, the 50D will last much longer due to it's build quality and longer life shutter which is also twice as fast.
How fast are the kids? Do you expect the camera focusing to be able to always lock on their location when they are quickly approaching you? or running away from you? I have the 50D and it cannot always keep up with my 5-yr old daughter. The 50D is much faster, but the 450D/XSi may get enough photos in focus to satisfy you if you are willing to live with the fact that a lot of them wont turn out as desired. It's digital, take a lot of shots and just delete the ones you don't want.
Do you want to take photos in low light without a flash? The 50D has a big advantage here, better high-ISO performance.
Final comment: I think you will be happy with either camera, just get one and start playing!
Absent that, you're dead on, George. I would go a tad further and echo what Leo Laporte says that when looking at a DSLR, you're really buying into a system more than a camera. And with that system comes a legacy, a journey. Bodies come and go, but the lenses will be what you keep. So when you initially buy into a system, it's better, IMHO, to invest more in the lenses rather than the body you're just starting out with. The nice thing about the XSi is that you can grow with it.
Thank you so much for any reply, I really appreciate it.
I already made a choice and bought 50D ! 2 months ago I bought it on January 10/
The reason for 50d is it faster and I love the build quality, but 1 thing which is I'm not sure is the noise on higher iso, I read so many about that.
Thanks again everybody !
If/when you find yourself not getting the results you desire, remember to re-read the manual, then search the web for advice. My favorite place to get the best photography advice from pro photographers that are actually doing what I want to do is at fredmiranda.com.
Ahhh noise, that's another subject in itself discussed at great length. I have tried many different software programs for noise reduction and settled on the one I feel is the best, most flexible, and also easy to use. Noiseware Professional comes in both a standalone for working on finished photos and also a Photoshop plugin. They have a free trial version, try it and you will probably be impressed enough to spend the price they ask. www.imagenomic.com
50d is my FIRST SLR...I really excited holding the magnesium alloy body, it is new for me, while the plastic on 450d is same as my old semi pro Canon Pro1 .
OMG !! now other problem, it is hard to stop myself for buying lens..LOL.
Regards !
Thanks James. for the filter advice. Is that same as UV filter ?
bard-hill.co.uk/filters.html
A UV filter attenuates actual UV more strongly, and so will be a better bet where excess UV is a problem - near the sea, at high altitude, at very low latitudes. (This issues arises because film can see UV light, and renders it blue, that the human eye can't see: so an excess of UV that is invisible to us will make photographs look too blue, and also add haze to distant views.) A UV filter should attenuate visible light very little, but it will reduce the extreme purple end.
The Skylight doesn't attenuate UV as much but it does take out a little more of the visible light, notably in the blue-green range. This means it makes scenes look slightly warmer. It is designed to correct for the excess blueness of scenes shot in shade on cloudless days, or outside generally when clouds obscure the sun - ie. when the light is coming mostly from the blue sky. Definitely helps (on slide film) if taking portraits in shade, but the effect is not _that_ marked otherwise.
BTW George, I just remember, your name sounds familiar to me...When two months ago I bought 50d, before I decided to bought it, I unsure about 50d because many people told that it is not as sharp as 40d. BUT after read your reply, long good best answer about 50d. Even I printed it, read one by one . And I confident about 50d. THANKS George !
check out the feedback of the store at www.resellerratings.com, you will prorbably find some horror stories there. My advice is to cancel the order ASAP.
Best wishes for a happy purchase elsewhere...
George
George is right! Run as fast and as far away as you can from the people you are trying to do business with.
First of all I would never even go to step two with people who will not provide all the information I request, no matter how foolish it may seem. The buyer has a right to have complete knowledge of what he is going to obtain for the money he is putting up.
The perrenial problem is that this world is full of fools and these guys who are trying to take advantage of you probably believe that if they loose you, no harm was done, they just have to wait awhile and another full fledged fool will come around the corner.
Remember, there is no such thing as a free meal!
Boris
I usually take pictures of kids which usually fast moving (want it freeze) & close up kids and close up of barbie doll face.
Does 18-55 ? 17-85 ? 28-135 ? OR 18-200 ??
For more information on fstops and lens speed, check out [url=en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lens_...
You are asking on advice for an extra lens, but you are not disclosing the type of lens your camera will be bought with.
I personally ordered mine with the 18 - 200 zoom and I am in the market to get a very good Macro lens with at least an F 2.8 (yes, I know it will go zoom expensive) but from watching the results in photos taken by people who do know what do to with such a lens, the results are fantastic. But then, my recomendation is based on my interests, and if you have grand kids, the clarity a macro lens gives you is of unbelievable quality. Enjoy!
PS By the way I am incredibly happy with my D50.
I just bought 50d 2 months ago and I'm happy with that !
The good news here is that your 50D has the micro-adjust setting that allows you to match the lens with your camera. If you determine focus is the issue read your 50D manual and try different micro-adjust settings until it looks centered, but be prepared for the possibility you may end up sending your lens and/or camera body into Canon for calibration if this feature cannot compensate enough.
The best way to test focus accuracy is with the camera mounted on a tripod, use only center focus point looking at a flat surface like a box that has markings with contrast the camera can focus on. On the left or right side of the frame have a tape measure on an angle so you can read the markings. Manually set the focus to minimum distance then take a test shot at f2.8, manually set focus to infinity then take another shot. Look through the viewfinder and manually set focus to the best of your ability then take another shot. Compare the 3 photos, are they all the same?
Here is a time when another handy feature of the 50D can be used to help you determine if the autofocus is accurate.
The LiveView function has a zoom feature which can help you tell if the focus is correct. After taking a normal shot turn on LiveView then set the zoom function to maximum (close up). Look at the display, remember don't let LiveView do any focusing, does it look good? If not, manually adjust the focus ring on the lens, does it come into focus now? If you can make it look better with manual adjustments then the auto focus is not working correct. Experiment with different micro-adjust settings to see if you can get it right.
If you find that focus is accurate but you still have problems:
- look at how you are saving photos on the flash card. Is is set to small jpeg?
- Is the lens clean?
- If you have a filter mounted on the lens, is it clean? Is it a cheapie? Cheap filters degrade photo quality!
- Do you need glasses? JUST JOKING! (I need glasses to clearly see anything within 18 inches)
Good luck and report back what you find.
-George
The trick is action shots. As it says in this site ... ( photoxels.com/tutorial_lear... )
To freeze action, a camera must be able to use a fast enough shutter speed to stop the action.
A fast shutter speed may be anything from 1/60 sec. all the way to 1/1,000 sec. depending on the kind of action you want to freeze.
[Editor's note: With shutter speeds, the smaller the number (i.e., 1/1000 is smaller than 1/125), the faster the shutter speed (1/1000 sec. is faster than 1/125 sec.).]
If the camera is unable to use a fast enough shutter speed, the result is a blurred picture [which can also be quite effectively used in certain situations to depict action].
But, if you use a fast shutter speed, the camera must compensate by using a large aperture to get proper exposure.
Now, unfortunately, most digital cameras have a maximum aperture of F2.8, which is not very large. In 35mm cameras, the standard is F1.8, with some lenses at F1.4. Only a couple of digital cameras go up to F2.0 and F1.8.
[Editor's note: With aperture, the smaller the number (i.e. 1.8 is smaller than 2.8), the larger the aperture (F1.8 is a larger aperture than F2.8). The larger the aperture, the more light reaches the picture.]
At the largest aperture setting your digital camera has, there might still not be enough light for a proper exposure.
You can also compensate by boosting your ISO. The higher you go, the faster it records, the more light on the image. But there's also more noise in the image, making it look grainy and orange-ish.
On thing is certain, you're going to need a tripod to guard against blurry, underexposed pictures.
I'd also persuse eBay for older EF lenses. You want to be careful to make sure you're dealing with a reputable salesman (*check their feedback ratings*) but good deals on used glass can be had there.
Derrick Story’s book The Digital Photography Pocket Guide is a good place to start. Then, there’s podcasts like the Daily Photo Tips with Chris Marquardt. Joining communities like Flickr can be beneficial as you post your pictures there and solicit feedback. You learn a lot that way. But in the end, you learn by doing, so take a LOT of pictures. You’ll feel it in your gut when you get a good picture.
I'm thinking about buying a DSLR probably a Canon 50D or Nikon D90. my interests are wildlife and day to day photography.. and I'm not a High ISO freak as most of the time I'll be shooting at low levels.
love to know pros and cons of both the cameras..
thanks in advance...
Lasitha
But either one is a great choice.
*note the newer Canon 60D will have HD video, but expect a hefty $ increase. (I do not use my SLR for video), but it can be handy to have.
I'm a novice and would appreciate any advice
Thanks
I discovered the issue when trying to put a hot shoe cover in the slot to protect the exposed contacts of the hot shoe. The hot shoe cover disabled the pop up flash. I found the micro switch under the hot shoe rail and filed away some of the plastic on the cover in the area of the hot shoe micro switch. End result was a hot shoe cover that did not disable the pop up flash when it is in place in the hot shoe.
I have also discovered that if I take the wireless device off the hotshoe and let it dangle it works and so does the flash
I have also discovered that if I take the wireless device off the hotshoe and let it dangle it works and so does the flash
Sorry - this response is here twice because I am trying to award points as best answer
Hoping to take photos of the following: nature (wildlife, birds, flowers, landscapes etc); travel; macro; portraits.
Would like to try and sell some of my photos in print and digital format.
Noticed that the aperature description for the T1i was
f/3.5 - 22 / f/ 5.6 - 38 (see link below).
imaging-resource.com/CAMDB/...
Will I still get the full advantage of having f2.8 lenses with this camera? (still a bit, no, very naive...). Also, if I get the 50D, how long should it last me, roughly - 5-10 years??
Thanks for your help!!
Taking photos is the perfect marriage between technology and art. You provide the art, the camera will provide the means to obtain such art. No more no less.
So, having said that, maybe I leave you as undecided as when you started out with the question, but at least I hope I have given you a reality check, so that you will start your analisis and take the best decision for you, and not anyone else.
Remember, that price is an important consideration, and that some of the best photographs that exist in galleries en museums, were taken before these technological wonders came out from the big camera factories.
Any camera will do, just decide what is it you really want to spend.
Good tidings!
Fast lens means lower the aperture, if you want to freeze the action, you could select a lens that have 2.8 or 1.4 aperture, But prefer 2.8 since 1.4 would be very creamy and might got out of focus for for moving subject. f/2.8 is very wide open, Zoom lens are just for reach but if you really want the fastest you can afford, go for prime lens(or aka Fix lens), it does not zoom and it is very fast.
But it will depend on you budget, if you still don't have the nifty fifty(50mm prime lens) in either f/1.4 and f/1.8. I suggest go grab one, the f/1.8 cost under $100 and the f/1.4 cost about $300-$400. I would not suggest the pricier "L"(luxury) series the 50mm 1.2 L USM, since it cost about $1400+, and it cost more than an xsi and cost about a price of a midrange(40d) camera.
also flash, since you want to freeze the action, using flash and increasing your shutter speed to let say, 125 or 250. just remember to play with exposure compensation.
There is a GREAT resource site about this here:
photonotes.org/articles/beg... you're interested, the section about lenses, etc. tells you pretty much what I just said, just in a lot more detail.