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Canon EOS 50D Review 5 FEATURED VIDEOS

Published Oct 30, 2008 | Lars Rehm, Richard Butler

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reviewed for DPReview

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Almost exactly a year after the arrival of the EOS 40D, Canon has announced the 50D,
which we're assured will be a sister-model, rather than a replacement. Recent history has
seen Canon release new models every 18 months-or-so but it's been a busy year with
newcomers such as the Nikon D300 getting a lot of attention in the 40D's keen- What is ETTR in photography, and when
amateur/professional segment. The 50D is essentially a 40D body wrapped around a should you use it?
newly-developed 15 megapixel sensor that finally rectifies the situation in which Canon's
XXD range trailed the company's entry-level line, in pixel terms. Canon is claiming that the
new sensor's design (new manufacturing processes, redesigned photo diodes and micro HAVE YOUR SAY
lenses) mean that despite the higher resolution image noise has improved, something
we'll be putting to the test later. Semifinals: Roger Deakins vs Jordan
Drake
The other big change is the inclusion of a new, high-resolution LCD screen. 920,000 dots
mean that it can convey 640 x 480 RGB pixels, making it effectively a VGA standard
monitor. Three anti-reflection layers built into the screen do their best to keep it useable in Roger Deakins
bright conditions, too.
Jordan Drake
There are various other changes and added features, with many of them stemming from
You need to login to vote
the first appearance of the Canon's Digic 4 processor. The key differences between the
50D and 40D are detailed below.

Model line history FINISHED CHALLENGES

Model Announced Effective Auto Continuous (JPEG) LCD monitor
pixels focus

EOS D30 Apr 2000 3.1 mp 3 point 3.0 fps, 3 frames 1.8"

EOS D60 Feb 2002 6.3 mp 3 point 3.3 fps, 8 frames 1.8"

EOS 10D Feb 2003 6.3 mp 7 point 3.3 fps, 9 frames 1.8"

EOS 20D Aug 2004 8.2 mp 9 point 5.0 fps, 23 frames 1.8"

EOS 30D Feb 2006 8.2 mp 9 point 5.0 / 3.0 fps, 30 frames 2.5"

EOS 40D Aug 2007 10.1 mp 9 point 6.5 / 3.0 fps, 75 frames 3.0" Live view

EOS 50D Aug 2008 15.1 mp 9 point 6.3 / 3.0 fps, 60/90 3.0" HR Live
frames view

Canon EOS 50D vs. EOS 40D feature and specification differences
Babcock State Park by GoBucks
 
from Creeks Unlimited

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CP+ 2023: Canon interview -

Canon EOS 50D Canon EOS 40D 'It's our mission to make
any camera system easier
Sensor • 15.0 million effective pixels • 10.1 million effective pixels
operate'
Image sizes • 4752 x 3168 • 3888 x 2592
At the recent CP+ expo in Japan we met with
• 3456 x 2304 • 2816 x 1880
• 2353 x 1568 • 1936 x 1288 senior executives from Canon to get their
thoughts on the state of the camera industry, gain
RAW files • CR2 format, 14-bit • CR2 format, 14-bit insight into the future of eye-controlled
• RAW full resolution • RAW full resolution
autofocus, and find out what's in store for the EF-
• sRAW1 (7.1 MP) • sRAW (2.5 MP)
• sRAW2 (3.8 MP) M system.
Mar 26, 2023 93
Image DIGIC 4 DIGIC III
processor
Nikon D3S long (very long)-
Sensitivity ISO 100 to 3200, extendable to H1 ISO 100 to 1600, extendable to 3200.
(6400) and H2 (12800). term shooting experience
Former DPReview Senior Editor
Auto ISO ISO 100 to 1600 ISO 100 to 800
Barnaby Britton reflects on his first
Noise Four levels On/Off 'big' review for the site back in 2010: The Nikon
reduction D3S. How does Nikon's one-time flagship stack up
Auto lighting Four levels On/Off in 2023?
optimizer Mar 26, 2023 71
AF • All lenses or up to 20 individual lenses No
adjustment • +/- 20 steps CP+ 2023: Fujifilm interview
Viewfinder Now includes Auto Lighting Optimizer   - 'Our direction is set, there
info icon is no middle ground'
LCD monitor • 3.0 " TFT LCD • 3.0 " TFT LCD At the recent CP+ expo in Japan we
• 920,000 dots • 230,000 dots met with senior executives from Fujifilm to get
Live view AF • Quick mode (Phase detect) Phase detect their thoughts on the state of the industry, its
• Live view mode (Contrast detect) camera systems, and insight into why it's so hard
• Face detect (Contrast detect) to buy the X100V.
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illumination • space provided for 14 extra profiles
correction
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• Auto depth-of-field • Portrait
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• Close-up • Sports see how lenses are made
• Sports • Night portrait
• Night portrait • Flash off Have you ever wondered how the
• Flash off • Camera user settings 1 lens on your camera was made?
• Camera user settings 1 • Camera user settings 2 We went behind the scenes at Sigma's factory in
• Camera user settings 2 • Camera user settings 3 Aizu, Japan, to find out.
High-speed • 6.3 fps • 6.5 fps Mar 24, 2023 87
continuous • Up to 60 JPEG Large/Fine images • Up to 75 JPEG Large/Fine images
• Up to 90 JPEG Large/Fine images
(UDMA)
DPReview March Madness,
semi-finals!
Menu UI Digic 4 interface Same as EOS-1D series
Round 4, the end is nigh.
Connectors • USB 2.0 Hi-Speed • USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
• Video out • Video out Mar 23, 2023 71
• Mini HDMI connector • N3 type wired remote control
• N3 type wired remote control • PC Sync flash terminal
• PC Sync flash terminal • Communication terminal on base for CP+ 2023: Sigma interview -
• Communication terminal on base for WFT-E3/E3A 'I think people's demand for
WFT-E3/E3A
lenses is unlimited'
Menu 25 18 While in Japan recently for the
languages
annual CP+ expo, we sat down with Kazuto
Custom 25 24 Yamaki, CEO of Sigma, to get his thoughts on the
functions state of the L-mount Alliance and some insight
Weight • No battery: 730 g (1.6 lb) • No battery: 740 g (1.6 lb) into his philosophy about running a camera and
• With battery: 822 g (1.8 lb) (measured) • With battery: 836 g (1.8 lb) (measured) lens business.
Mar 22, 2023 129

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DPReview TV: Our five
For the first few hours, this review was published using RAW files converted with a "release favourite products we
candidate" version of Adobe Camera Raw 4.6. Adobe then informed us that changes had reviewed for DPReview
been made between this release candidate and the final version. We have re-processed all As their time at DPReview comes to
affected files and re-assessed all conclusions based on those original conversions. a close, Chris and Jordan look back at some of
their favourite gear they were able to review.
Mar 22, 2023 43 VIDEO
Tags: review, canon

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Next page DPReview
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TABLE OF CONTENTS is Chris and Jordan's reaction to the
announcement of the site's closure.

1 Introduction 17 Photographic tests (Noise) Mar 21, 2023 341 VIDEO

2 Specifications 18 Photographic tests (Noise)

3 What's New 19 Photographic tests (DR) DPReview.com to close
4 Body & Design 20 Photographic tests After nearly 25 years of operation,
5 Body & Design 21 Compared to (JPEG) DPReview will be closing in the
6 Body & Design 22 Compared to (JPEG) near future. This difficult decision
7 Operation & Controls 23 Compared to (JPEG) is part of the annual operating plan
8 Operation & Controls 24 Compared to (JPEG) review that our parent company shared earlier
9 Displays 25 Compared to (RAW) this year.
10 Displays 26 Compared to (RAW) Mar 21, 2023 4346
11 Menus 27 Compared to (RAW)
12 Menus 28 Compared to (RAW) Fujifilm X-H2 in-depth
13 Timings & Sizes 29 Compared to (Higher ISO)
review
14 Features 30 Compared to (Resolution)
Fujifilm's X-H2 is a high-resolution
15 Features 31 Conclusion
stills and video camera, that sits
16 Software 32 Samples
alongside the high-speed X-H2S at the pinnacle of
the company's range of X-mount APS-C mirrorless
cameras. We dug into what it does and what it
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Discuss in the forums
DPReview TV: What is ETTR
See full product details in photography, and when
should you use it?
View sample images Photographers love abbreviations,
and 'ETTR' is one of the most confusing. Find out
Canon EOS 50D what it is and when to use it.
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Panasonic blogs about

Support DPReview. Shop with
organic sensor's improved
cross-talk, but doesn't talk
Canon EOS 50D
photos
A blog post from Panasonic touts the ways its
See price on
Standard Packaging, Body w/ 18-200mm IS Kit » organic film CMOS sensor can control color spill
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between pixels, giving more accurate color in
challenging lighting, but doesn't propose
Standard Packaging, Body Only FROM
photography as something the sensor is suited
In Stock. $899.99 » for.
Mar 17, 2023 75
See price on
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