www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hi,
It's sometime since the discussions on the 50D and 5D. I have a 20D and am thinking about upgrading to a 50D. I would be interested to know how any owners of 50Ds are getting on with them.
Are you happy with it?
Was it worth upgrading?
Any problems with the 50D?
Any other thoughts?
Wished you'd saved up for the 5D?
Thanks
Robin

Hi Robin, the 50D would be a very significant update/grade from the 20D. When you get everything right with the 50D, it knocks out a wonderful image, and with all those mp's you can really crop an image. The only gripe I had, was that I found compared to previous models, the images were a little noisy. Then I tried the low noise function, Wow no noise at ISO 500, even in dark areas, very impressed.

Robin wrote:Wished you'd saved up for the 5D?

No, as the 5D2 is full frame, its a very different camera, but being the flash git I am, I have 5D2 as well. The 5D2 is obviously one hell of a good camera. But after testing the two alongside each other, if I'm doing macro, I always reach for the 50D.

So to sum up, do I like my 50D, yes love it. Do I wish I saved up and got the 5D2, great camera, obviously with the price difference, you should expect it to be vastly superior to the 50D. But if I was only going to be shooting macro, I'd go for the 50D.

Would I buy a 50D right now, NO way, the Canon 7D is about to be launched, and its the wildlife/macro beast I've been waiting for. Give it a month or two, and they will drop to about thirteen hundred quid, can't wait.

Regards Gruditch

Agree totally with Gruditch. 50D will kick the ass of the 20D. There is more noise yes (not tried said low noise mode but there is some pretty good software that sorts the noise out also. It is noticeable even at ISO 400 compared to the 30D it replaced. I carried both on a few holidays recently but almost always chose to switch lenses rather than actually shoot with the 30D as the 50D is just so much better.

I tried the 50D and 5DII side by side and for macro the 50D was much better so saved about 1300 quid and got the 50D. If I'd found the 5DII better I'd have bought it but I didn't. For low ISO IQ was similar and the loss in DOF because of the full frame sensor was quite significant. Focus point placement was also a bit rubbish. For high ISO it was incredible if you want that though.

However as Griditch also says the 7D at least on paper sounds far superior to the 50D for all-round wildlife photography (perhaps for macro only there won't be much difference?) and if I were thinking of buying now I'd be hanging back to see what the reviewers actually say about these. and be trying that allongside a 50D. They will be shipping any day now and actual reviews on final production models will be about on the web and in magazines soon. Prices for the 7D will be sensible in a few months... might be tempted by one myself then

Don't want to sidetrack but to sort of add.
I'm using the 30d and absolutely love it - it's a fantastic camera! The only problem being it's 8 mp and as I do a bit of distant bird photography and I'm rubbish at it I could do with higher mp's in order to crop more. Is the noise prob that noticeable with the 50d because there's not even a speckle at higher iso's (within reason) with the 30d. Would the 40d perhaps be a better idea?
(Perhaps I should be looking at a Sony )
Incientally I'm a totally manual raw shooter so anything else the 40/50d's do that the 30d doesn't is irrelevant unless they can put the kettle on.
Lots of luv and hugs etc
Dave

Yes you can crop more with the 50D. I try to shoot to fill the frame but it's not always possible to get close enough or I decide on a landscape crop from a portrait shot. Certainly I don't have much concern now when selecting images for prints (A4-A3) whereas before if it wasn't close to the full frame I'd be printing I'd be worried about having to upsize an image too mich.

As regards to noise it's a little while since I looked at them side by side but I think ISO100 on the 50D is about equivalent to ISO400 on my 30D. Software would make them look the same with no noticeable detail loss however.

I'd never bothered with anything other than photoshop noise reduction on 30D shots but had to look to additional software to help with the 50D. Having said that I haven't bothered for a while but that's being lazy I guess. If I were to print an A3 shot from an ISO400 image on the 50D I certainly would need to run it through something for me to be happy but maybe others are happy with it as is.

The extra pixels do pick up masses more detail than the 30D which is very noticeable for butterflies. I expect it's be the same for a distant shot of a bird. I don't point mine at burds until the butterflies have all gone to sleep though

Gary,
Thanks for putting me onto the 7D. I wasn't even aware of it. It certainly looks like the one for me, in fact I'm feeling quite lustful. I was going to have a new camera for my birthday but now it looks as though I might have to combine several birthdays and Christmas'. I'll wait to see the reviews and how the price settles down.
Cheers,
Robin

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canoneos7d/
but it hasent got image stablisation bilt in!

Ham

Dave, Ham behave

Dave without the low noise programme turned on, there is definitely a noise issue with the 50D, but as Fishiee says, nothing you can't sort out in post processing.

I have used the 40D alongside the 50D, and to be honest there is not a lot between them. But I suppose you could say the same when comparing the 30D and the 40D, or the 20D and the 30D, etc.

You could join the rest of us ( Fishiee, Gwenie, myself, and now Robin, ) start saving your penny's and wait and see what the reviews on the 7D are like.

Regards..... oh go on a hug then Gruditch

Gary
You can add me to the list of 7D lusters.
I wonder if I an justify getting one before my trip to India in Febuary........................?

If your 30D and 20D, were to mysteriously konk out this weekend, you could.

... or you were to misplace them somewhere - like in a jiffy bag with a stamp on.
Name and address supplied

Trev

and I thought you were such an honest bunch........................

I had my first hands on test with a 7D this morning, WOW. The new AF system looks great, very different looking though the view finder. To enter movie mode without going through the menu, is a genius touch. Rapid, this camera is certainly that, I thought it seemed quick compared to my 50D, for those moving from 20D and 30Ds it will seem unbelievably quick.

If I remembered to take alone one of my own compact flash cards, I would of been able to give some feedback on the IQ too, damn.

Regards Gruditch

Gruditch said;

To enter movie mode without going through the menu, is a genius touch.

How useful would that be to a butterfly photographer. Flick one switch to video,,,,,oops,, where did it go?
I don' t know,,,,,,could be good for occasions like weddings and the like. The spec is impressive tho, and that's coming from a Nikonian.

How useful would that be to a butterfly photographer. Flick one switch to video,,,,,oops,, where did it go?

I liked it on my 500D, you can even take photos on movie mode too, just press the shutter on movie mode, and youtake a photo, you can even enter movie mode without moving the dial of what your on, just by pressing one button.

I liked it because I like shooting butterfly/moth videos and its a nice touch to have. If I had known about the 7D was coming out, or even knew about it at all, I would have not got my 500D and waited, would have been worth it I think.

Canon cameras are definatly improving thats for sure, even though I like my 400D alot, I just worked out all the new features on my 500D and notice a bit of improvement and I am sure with the new AF system on 7D, it would be much better, well I am not sure if any other camera has as mocuh AF points as that one. I'd love to see results with 7D and Canon 100mm L IS Macro lens.

Because I was one of the sceptics when movie mode was first introduced on DSLRs, I hate now admit it, but I really like the movie mode. The quality is fantastic, remember the quality of the glass you are looking through compared to a silly little camcorder, let alone the massive array of lenses you can attach. There were 3 memorable occasions this year that I would of killed to have movie mode on my camera. The big Painted Lady influx day for example.

Being a lazy git, rather than all that mucking about in the menu systems, just being able to switch to movies at the touch of a button, could be the difference between whether I actually bother to use it or not.

Regards Gruditch

Well,,,if it works for you,,use it, i say. My reservations are based on the fact that most wildlife video makers that are serious use a static tripod, and a hide. It just strikes me that this is two different disciplines. Me,, i'm a still shot stalker

Zonda wrote:wildlife video makers that are serious

Who said anything about serious.

Its just a camera can only capture a moment in time, and could in no way reflect how special an event like the PL influx day was.

Movie mode, Its nice to have it, and even nicer if you only have to press one button to get it.

Gruditch

Yeh,,ok, point taken.

Anyway, Birthday boy or not, this thread is for Canon users only, get off.

Regards Gruditch