Digital Trends

Canon EOS 50D November 11th, 2008 | by David Elrich

Performance and Use

The EOS 50D is the first 15.1-megapixel D-SLR on the market. This means you’re grabbing 4752x3168 pixel stills, so gallery-size prints are no problem whatsoever. We started at maximum JPEG Super Fine resolution in full auto, moved to scene modes and into manual using the RAW+JPEG setting.

Suffice it to say that the EOS 50D is really lightning-quick. Power it up, and you’re good to go with barely any hesitation. Since it was late Fall during testing, we used the season’s fading foliage as test subjects along with the pounding ocean and a mix of indoor still lifes including sleeping cats and muted flower arrangements in available light.

Live View

This camera does not take video like the D90 or 5D Mark II, but it does have an advanced form of Live View where you can frame your subject on the LCD screen. Alas, we’re not enamored with any type of D-SLR Live View other than the type found in the Sony A300/A350. Sony dedicates a specific sensor for the task so you can use Live View on moving subjects and simply hold it in your hands. All others—Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic—are really for still life shooting and the Canon manual specifically states this.

We further had to laugh at one aspect of Canon’s Live View: Face Detection. Unless the subject remains very still, this feature is useless. (Perhaps it’s good for snapping statues at the Louvre?) Despite our decidedly negative bias toward Live View, we did use it for some still life subjects, however.

Grudgingly, we have to admit Canon’s Live View does work quickly and grid lines make it simple to ensure that horizons are level. We shot some handheld images and then broke out the trusty monopod to steady the hefty camera and lens. It did the trick and changed our view somewhat to the good. Unless you’re shooting still life subjects though, the viewfinder is what you should be using all of the time. It’s nice and bright with 95% coverage.

Creative Auto

Canon breaks out the mode dial between basic settings (such as auto and scene modes) and more creative options such as manual, aperture/shutter priority and so on. The new CA (Creative Auto) is something in-between.

When you’re in this mode, you get helpful advice for changing the aperture—instead of f/stops, a slider bar asks whether you want a blurry or sharp background. Not sure what exposure compensation is? Another slider asks if you want a darker or lighter exposure. This is a very helpful mode and should ease newcomers into the many more tweaks and adjustments available on the camera. What’s more, this camera has more adjustments than can possibly be detailed here (that’s why the owner’s manual is 228 pages).

Before getting into the results of our tests, however, some general observations worth bearing in mind…

The EOS 50D is a blazingly-fast D-SLR and its 6.3 fps capability is a blast, helped along by a new DIGIC 4 processor. If you’re into action photography, put this camera high on your list. The unit has 9 cross-type focus points for quick and accurate focus. To deal with the potential for dust gathering on the sensor when switching lenses, it even features a new cleaning system that works every time your power down.

Picture Inspection and ISO Options

Once shots were taken and downloaded to the PC, it was time to make some 8.5x11 full bleed prints and closely examine the results. Images of Fall foliage were excellent, with colors that were right on the mark. Yellows, golds and oranges were very lifelike. Evergreens had a nice lushness that really made them pop as well. We played with the monochrome setting for shrubs too, and it was a nice effect seeing the detail it provided in black-and-white, with outdoor digital noise barely existent. We also used the Live View and found it very simple to operate—just remember to use a monopod for best results. However, we had success just holding the camera by hand as well; the built-in OIS definitely helped.

Going a step further, we also extensively tested the wide range of ISO options. We took some shots of a resting cat indoors at 12,800, and although noise was evident on the 8.5x11 print, it was still very usable. Canon engineers should be commended for taming the digital noise monster. 

Conclusion

If the EOS 50D were less expensive, it would be a shoe-in for our Editor’s Choice designation. But at close to $1,399 for the body alone, that’s a lot of jack to cough up, especially when the 12.3 MP Nikon D90 is available for only $999. (Note that all prices are list).

Money is the only thing holding us back, however. If you can find a good deal on a kit with a stabilized lens, by all means go for it. You’ll really enjoy getting into this sophisticated D-SLR and its multiple layers of tweaks and options, and your photos will be top-notch, a win-win situation for all in our book.

Pros:

• High-quality images
• Hardly any digital noise
• Rugged, solid construction
• Excellent 3-inch screen
• Live View better than expected

Cons:

• Expensive
• Live View is still overrated
• Fairly steep learning curve for newbies
• No protective cover for LCD