50D review by The Digital Picture

[matthijs]

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EOS-50D-Digital-SLR-Camera-Review.aspx

 

I'd say this one's more positive than the one from dpreview.

 

Opinions?

[mendel_leisk]

I'd say hat's off to this guy for his unflagging efforts. Things like the mouse-over display of ISO, for example. A lot of effort, very thorough.

[nhut-nguyen]

Me too, hat's off the the guy.

[des adams]

I may be missing something but he seems only to review Canon gear. Could it be passive advertising by any chance?

[james_glucksman1]

As a very happy owner of the 50D, I am stumped by everyone's obsession over DPReview's poor review. There have been

other, positive, reviews of the camera in other media, and indeed others, like me, who have one have expressed their

pleasure with it. While DPReview is very authoritative (I usually won't buy a product without at least checking their review

first) they are merely expressing an opinion, not an objective fact, when it comes to their assessment of the camera, aren't

they?

[zafar1]

DPReview's negative comment was only in comparison with 40D and price difference. They did not trash 50D, just said that it is not an "upgrade" from 40D in most things. For people who shoot raw, this is mostly true. People who shoot jpeg clearly see some advantages due to improved in-camera processing.

 

I do think that Canon 50mm is partly to blame in their resolution tests. It just can't keep up with the resolution of 50D.

[hjoseph7]

I'm not sure what the guys at Canon were thinking with that Creative Auto mode. The say it's for beginners, but what sane beginner is going to dole out almost 1300 dollars on a camera ?

 

Maybe times have changed, I don't know.

[joe_allebaugh]

Zafar,

 

Which Canon lenses would you suggest be used to pull the full resolution out of the 50D?

 

I believe that dpreview sets their lens to f/8.0 for their testing routine. The-Digital-Picture site's review does state that the Diffraction Limited Aperture where diffraction starts affecting image sharpness on the 50D is f/7.6. His ISO test chart results "will show you the degradation at f/11 compared to f/5.6. I'll be avoiding f/11, but f/8 is not too bad." He also uses the new EF 200mm f/2.0 lens as his only test optic for the 50D.

[mendel_leisk]

Al, you are right: The-Digital-Picture is Canoncentric. He does review some third party lens, but only if they're compatible with Canon bodies. He also reviews a gamut of filters, tripods and other generic products.

 

I've found his reviews methodical and even, listed the high and low points of items. Plus there is a lot of general advice. All the Canon lens are listed and reviewed, and for most there is a very handy test shot page, where you can see the preformance of the lens, at various focal lengths and f-stops, and compare to another lens, if you want. Almost without fail there is a "buy" link which will take you to the relevant B&H page.

 

All in all, I think the guy is very fair in his reviews, and has an excellent business model. I emailed him a few questions about anomolies on hist test shot pages, and he responded and remedied the issues.

[PuppyDigs]

"I'm not sure what the guys at Canon were thinking with that Creative Auto mode. The say it's for beginners, but what sane

beginner is going to dole out almost 1300 dollars on a camera ?"

 

Card cards are a wonderful thing. I recall 3 years ago when the 5D/24-105 L kit debuted they were selling like hotcakes to

yuppie puppies, doctors, lawyer and relatively poor college professors. Judging from the host of silly questions about baby

and kitty pics most of those early adopters were green as hell noobs.

[des adams]

Okay Mendel thanks, I'll try not to be too cynical.

[tbonemah]

Yes, but Puppy face, please cheer up see the positive side to "green as heck, noob" consumers who are lured by odd camera features

because their participation in the high end market brings the camera prices down for "red as heck, old" consumers like you.