Keep 50D or Trade for 5D

<p>OK, first off, let me just say that I've seen posts out there on this topic but it's usually people trying to decide what to buy. I HAVE a 50D and I'm considering trading the body and a Sigma 10-20mm for a 5D with relatively low clicks (12k). Here's what I'm thinking...</p>

<p>I moved up to the 50D a few months ago from the Rebel XT and I've been pretty happy with the results. Compared to the XT, the 50D has more bells and whistles, better IQ, higher ISO options, better controls, and the list goes on. But every time I look at shots from a 5D I'm just blown away. The bokeh is so creamy and the IQ just looks so much better...even when using the same lens on the 50D. Another much debated benefit of the 5D is noise at higher ISO. I personally think that the 5D performs much better at higher ISOs than the 50D. The 50D tends to get soft at higher ISOs even when the noise reduction is set to low. This is a big deal for me as I tend to shoot a lot in low light and I'm not a huge fan of flashes. I'll use them when I have to, but I prefer to work with natural light. </p>

<p>What I plan to do with the camera...<br>

I don't have a specific "thing" that I shoot. I've done weddings and I would like to do more, but I usually spend most of my time on portraits, still life, landscapes and city life. I could pretty much glue my 50mm f/1.8 to my camera (definitely use it the most) but I plan on getting either the 135mm f/2L or the 70-200mm f/4L IS soon.</p>

<p>Here are my concerns...</p>

<ol>

<li>The 5D is a few years older than the 50D which makes me worry about life expectancy. The 5Ds that I'm looking at have relatively low clicks, but the age of the camera does still worry me. </li>

<li>The 5Ds AF system. I've read in several places that this is the biggest downfall of the 5D. I'm pretty happy with the 50Ds AF performance. Can anyone help me out on this one? Any thoughts?</li>

<li>While I don't use all of the bells and whistles of the 50D, I like to know they are there if needed. Is there anyone out there that has both bodies or has owned both at one time that can share their experiences?</li>

</ol>

<p>Any thoughts would be appreciated.<br>

Thanks!</p>

One thing I must tell you; if pictures taken with a 50D don't please you might want to work on your skills before you go off

buying à new body.

<p>I used a 50D and 5D side by side for a year and 5D IQ is far better, especially at ISO 400 and higher. Images are so smooth and noise free. Even with NR disabled, 5D ISO 1600 is amazing. The 50D at ISO 1600 is pretty nasty if a lot of lower mids and shadows are present. It also has a much nicer VF (bigger and easier to compose with). In most other aspects the 50D whips it good: AF, LCD, menu system and assorted features. While the center AF points are about the same, the 50D off-center points are all crosses whereas the 5D are single axis, making a big difference in low light and low contrast performance. The one oddity is the 5D has the 6 "invisible" AF assist points for AI servo and actually give it a slight advantage for AI servo.</p>

<p>The features I missed the most on the 5D were the nice LCD of the 50D, having ISO always present in the VF, Quick Control Screen and the popup for fill. The crappy menu system, lack of LV, slow frame rate and super slow CF card format times were minor issues to me. The 5D LCD is so poor it's basically invisible except at night. Useless during the day, even in the shade. If you're not a chimper the LCD is a moot point.</p>

<p>It doesn't strike me as a bargain. 5D are listing on Craigslist for $700 to $1000. Add in $700 more for a 17-40L to replace the wide angle capability you traded away. If you have any EF-S lenses you might consider worthy at all of use, you're almost certainly better off offering him cash for the 5D.</p>

<p>side by side, I'd say the 5D is better, but you will be losing the long end of telephoto b/c there is no crop factor and you will be giving up 6.3fps for only 3fps. If you can deal with this, then I'd say its a good trade. </p>

<p>I have both cameras, 5D and 50D and with extensive use of both, many thousands of images with both cameras. It's not even close when it comes to deciding which one to grab when I walk out the door in Florida - the 50D's rear LCD - larger and far more detailed in crispness is enough of a reason. Superbly better than the 5D, good enough that you can reasonably well shoot based on the image viewed on the LCD. Likewise the 50D's LCD display of "flashing highlights" provides an incredibly better display (and warning).<br>

If I was starting from scratch, without a bit of hesitation I'd buy the 50D regardless of whatever might be the cost difference. The LCD alone is worth the price tag. And at least a dozen other strong improvements over the 5D.<br>

I definitely agree with Matthijs Claessn's comment: "...you might want to work on your skills before going off and buying a new body"<br>

People take pictures. Cameras do not. It's the skill-set of the person holding the camera... not the hardware.</p>

<p>Personally, I would stick with the 50D until I could afford the 5dmk2. 5dmk1's are great for landscapes, weddings and portraits, but the 50d ain't no slouch in any of those areas either.</p>

<p>Have you ever used a 5d? The view is much better in the 5d, but you might be a little disappointed in the mechanical performance. Your 50D is tight and fast when you press the shutter release. The 5d is, well I guess "clunky" describes it best. Don't get me wrong, I love my 5d, but when I'm out on a walkabout or shooting sports I'll take my 40d every time.</p>

<p>There is no doubt there are advantages to going FF, but you will miss your 50d. I started with an XT and have had XTi, XSi, 40d, 50d and 5d. I chose to keep the 40d because the 50d sold faster, for more money and I didn't need both. They were actually so close in features and quality to me that I put both on CL and decided to sell which ever sold 1st. I would have been just as happy to have kept the 50d.</p>

<p>Now for my answers to your questions:</p>

<p>1: I wouldn't worry about life expectancy of the 5d if it really only has 12,000 releases. They are built like tanks and can take it.<br>

2: I personally have not had any problems with the 5d focus system, but I normally use "L" fast lenses in low light situations which will make a difference.<br>

3: You will miss the bells and whistles of the 50d if you learn how to use them properly. I get frustrated with the menu system of the 5d after using my 40d for awhile.</p>

<p>One final thought. I really like having a FF camera for landscapes and large groups, but my 70-200L 2.8 IS stays on my 40D. I feel I get better long shots with my 40d cropped sensor than cropping the same image from my 5d.</p>

<p>Hope this helps.........M. Scott Clay</p>

<p>If you do decide on the 5D make sure you have premium glass to compliment it. Great glass on a 50D would be better than good glass on a 5D.</p>

<p>I have never used a 5D, but I noted your comment that "The 50D tends to get soft at higher ISOs even when the noise reduction is set to low." This suggests you are shooting jpeg, in which case you are not obtaining anywhere nearly the results from your 50D that it can give you. When you shoot jpeg, you are choosing some general set of postprocessing (developing) parameters and hoping they more or less fit each image you take. When they do fit, fine. When they don't, yech. I have not noticed softness at high ISOs with my 50D, but then again, I have never used any within-camera noise reduction at all. So maybe it would be a bigger gain to shoot RAW and practice postprocessing, then worry about a FF body later.</p>

<p>I used the 50D and 5Dmk1 for about a month side by side last year. I got rid of the 50D and kept the 5D. To be fair, most of my comparison work was low light dance recitals using mostly 800ISO and 1600ISO. I shot in RAW. The 5D was clearly superior but the 50D was good also. For whatever reason, the converted RAW files were much easier to work with from the 5D than the 50D. The finished products out of the 5D were smoother, cleaner, better colors etc. This was borne out over thousands of images. I can't speak too much regarding 50D vs. 5D on low ISO work, outdoor work etc except to say I find the portrait and landscape shots of the 5D absolutely outstanding and a great improvement over the Xti (no real surprise there). The 50D is a wonderful camera with all of its features but I'll take the 5D anyday. Its used selling price tends to be $1000-$1400. Not sure about that $700 quote.</p>

<p>I have the 50D and the 5D, get the 5D it is a much better camera especially when it comes to noise and IQ. If you had stated that you did sports, macros, and birding then the 50D would be a better camera for those uses.</p>

<p>Get the 5D, I have had both and the 5D is hands down better IQ.</p>

<p>Thanks for all of the feedback.<br>

For those of you telling me to work on my skills...thanks...but I don't need that kind of advice...I'll let you know if I need a mentor/teacher. <br>

I'm not COMPLAINING about the 50D. I think its an amazing camera and compared to the XT, it's vastly superior. I'm simply talking about the IQ between the 50D and the 5D... especially at higher ISOs as that's something that is important to me. <br>

The cheapest 5D I've seen on craigslist, ebay or fredmiranda.com is $950. After doing some research, it may make more sense to do what Michael Young mentioned and just sell my 50D and my ef-s stuff to pony up the cash for a 5D and some better glass. <br>

Eh, who knows. Does anyone live in the Boston area that would let me use their 5D for a few hours? I'll buy the beer!</p>

<p>I own both the 5D and 50D. I find they complement each other very well.<br>

Portraits, landscapes, wide angle, low light? 5D<br>

Telephoto, sports, macro? 50D<br>

Not sure which I'd select if I could only have one. I'd probably trade both for a 5D II though. You should be able to crop the middle out of one of those images to match the 50D's image.</p>

<p>I never had the 50D but I did have the 40D. I hated my 40D because of the poor LCD and the noise at even the lower ISO. To a XT shooter a 40D might be an awesome camera but after shooting the 5D mk1, 7D 5D mkII the 40D is a not as good, period. I can tell you this, for a year the 40D was my backup to my 5D and had my full frame let me down I would have finished the shoot with the 40D and the very next day I would buy another camera. So I sold the 40D to a XT shooter and she is way happy. BTW, yes the AF is slow on the 5D but when it locks on it's very accurate. I even like the LCD better on my 5D rather than the 40D. I know the 50D is way better in the LCD department. If you lived closer I would let you use my 5D for a weekend. Also not to muddy up the water but have you looked into the 7D? For noise it's like the 5D but way better metering and WB. I bet if you were to sell your camera and lens separately you would almost have enough to buy a 7D. v/r Buffdr</p>

<p>I found a decent deal for a 5D with light use. I may just buy it, use the two for a bit and then sell the one I like the least. At this point, I may just invest my time and money on more/better glass and worry about the body later. I'm bummed about the IQ of the 50D at higher ISOs, but I guess I'll have to deal for now.</p>

<p>Buffdr, I like your idea about the 7D. Honestly, I haven't really spent much time checking this body out; it's always been either the 5D or the 5D MkII. I could actually get pretty close to some of the used prices I've seen for the 7D if I sold the 50D and the Sigma. Eh, who knows...too many options here.</p>

Dear Michael, if I insulted; sorry.

 

I think buying a used 5D and use them both with intent to sell the least pleasing sounds like a great plan. You could even

try to decide which format you like best and sell them both for either a 5Dii or a 7D.

<p>Keep 50D (sports and concerts) buy good lenses. Get 5D (weddings and landscapes) buy good lenses. Wait until 60D comes out or prices on 7D and 5D Mark II come down in 6 months... You have nice choices.</p>

<p>No worries Matthijs...apologies if my response was harsh.</p>

<p>The deal on the 5D fell through so it looks like I'm going to spend my $ on some new/better glass. Hopefully by the time I have some $ for a new body the 5DMKII will be more affordable. Thanks for all of your input!</p>

<p>i will take personally the 5d remember is a full frame sensor. once you try a full sensor experience you wont go back for crop sensor. great camera. if you xtra cash wait to the 5mark2<br>

good luck and enjoy the life of full sensor experience</p>

<p>It may be a little late in the conversation, but as I have a new 50D and a minty old 5D side by side, here's a high ISO shootout using both cameras with a 24-105L. Biggest hassle I found with the 50D is that the screen tells lies...in other words it tells you what a brilliant colourful image you have just taken, only to find out that in actual fact it's no where near as punchy as the LCD suggests.<br>

The much older 5D screen tells it more like it is and when you add the amazing shallow DOF possible with the larger sensor, I'd have to go with the 5D.<br>

The 50D is much faster, brighter and has many advantages, but I'd liken the race to the tortoise and the hare...as for IQ the Tortoise wins.<br>

At first I quite favoured the 50D and I thought I'd long outgrown it's older cousin, but no matter what I did, just could NOT get a pleasant result from the 50D... colour rendition was consistantly off, sometimes even muddy and overall results were rather uninspiring. I must admit I'd given up a Nikon D300 some time back and have since regretted it, as that camera was (and is) the best all round performer I've used to date...<br>

So tonight I shot two frames side by side using a 24-105L at 1000 ISO. It instantly proved to me that modern attributes like live view, speedy frame rate, big bright and punchy LCD, AF fine adjustment for twenty lenses, inbuilt flash, higher ISO capability and a few million more pixels are no real match for steadfast image quality and a beautifully shallow DOF.<br>

Here's a peek...</p><div></div>