Aug 26
Canon 50D
Canon is going to release a follow-up to 40D just a year down the road, quick pace. The 50D is built on 40D so it’s not really a new model, I’m surprised they gave it a new model number instead of a “Mark II” tag they normally put on these enhanced models. But I guess it’s easier to market a new model than a new version.
Some new features:
- 15.1 megapixels
- higher resolution LCD
- higher ISO
- better noise reduction
- peripheral illumination correction
- Auto Lighting Optimizer
- Creative Full Auto (CA) mode
- better Live View
So is there anything I want? Nope. I haven’t needed to stretch the 10 MP of my 40D so the only thing 15 MP does is that it takes up more disk space. I’m happy with the LCD, I hardly ever use the high ISOs, I can do all my image editing in Lightroom so I don’t need these functions like peripheral illumination correction in camera, I only use the manual mode so this new CA mode will be lost on me, and I’ve only ever used Live View once on my 40D… so I guess the only enhancement I might be interested in is better noise reduction, but it remains to be seen how good it really is. I’m not really suffering from the 40D noise and this one feature alone is definitely not worth the money.
I reckon that Canon doesn’t really expect 40D users to upgrade (and indeed, 40D will not be retired but will be kept in production parallel with 50D), but the 50D is there to help Canon keep their market share. The other camera makers are catching up, and I think that if Canon wants to keep on top of things, they need to come up with something better than a “Creative Auto Mode”. How about proper weather proofing, for starters? Now that would get me thinking for sure!
6 comments
Yeah, I won’t bother either if I were you. Canon seems to have taken this kind of a minimum upgrade/maximum profit -line as a habit. Not said as a home run, but Nikon seems to be offering much more sensible upgrades now. I’m lusting for D700 (FF..) and if it adds some more quality at lower ISOs, I think I’m gone
Gotta wait until the price drops at reasonable level..1999€ would do the trick 
My plan is to skip every other model in the 10-series, because Canon’s normal release cycle has been 18 months. Now it’s only 12 months since 40D, and I’m a bit worried that 60D will be released next year… upgrading expensive cameras every 2 years is just crazy! Having said that, nobody’s forcing me to upgrade so I just have to keep a cool head about it. It was so much better with film, I had a 2nd hand EOS 5 and had digital not happened, I’d probably still be using it! That, and a medium format camera. I think I’d definitely gone medium format, in fact I still sometimes think I should try it. The 2nd hand medium format (film) kits only cost a fraction of a new digital SLR.
Anyway, even if it looks like other camera makers are getting ahead of Canon feature-wise, I think I will stick with Canon. I have finally gotten together a lens collection that is just perfect for me and I prefer the APS-C size sensors to full frame, so all I can do is hope that Canon comes up with the goods next time around!
Absolutely you gonna stick with Canon ’cause you have the lenses! It is the lenses and other gadgets why we use certain brand. There’s not a single reason why I should jump into Canon camp -well, maybe 24-105 and 400/5.6, but not really.
Why do you prefer crop sensor over the FF? Perhaps you could help me in my thinking over this matter..? Please share your thoughts.
I look at the crop factor as a built-in teleconverter. It helps with telephoto (even if lately the only telephoto I’ve done is photograph the occasional squirrel in the winter
) and it also helps with macro – I prefer shallow DOF. Just can’t imagine I’d ever work with a 50mm macro lens, I mean I swapped my 100mm for 150mm so that already speaks for my macro preferences. If I’d be using film, I’d have gotten a 180mm lens; once upon a time I even eyed the 200mm MF macro lens.
Landscape photographers need FF more than wildlife and macro ditto. Wideangle used to be a big problem, but not so anymore… plenty of extreme wideangle lenses available for crop factor cameras now.
That leaves image quality. Bigger pixels in FF sensors, less noise. But if you’re willing to live with the crop sensor IQ then it’s really just a question of your other camera preferences, like price and camera size and the need for that built-in teleconverter.
Thanks for your input, makes me think
To me this new camera looks interesting though! I’ve got a 30D and I usually takes two steps at a time in any stairs ;o). Compared with the 20D/30D joke of an update, this feels like a serious step forward from 40D. New sensor, new processor, that’s a good reason to release a new model. I wouldn’t buy it if I had a 40D, but the refined features introduced in 40D together with the new image pipeline makes the 50D appealing to me. Sooner or (probably) later I will get one.
+ Live view is nice. Combined with enhanced AF and new better screen than on 40D, I think I would use it.
+ Low noise at high ISO is nice too. I like to work handheld.
+ 15MP is maybe more than I need mostly, but if it’s not slowing down the camera I’m prepared to carry the load in my memory cards for the possibility to crop the pictures in post-processing without loosing print quality.
- I think i’ts time for Canon to do a major upgrade of the camera body in the X0D-line. The battery-grip solution is outdated, and it’s impossible to combine with a better environmental sealing.
Maybe they stop at 50? This new camera will hold it’s grounds for 18 months or more, i think. Are we gonna see a brand new line of advanced crop sensor cameras from Canon when it’s time to replace the 50D?