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January 22, 2009
[REVIEW—CANON 50D DSLR and 18-200mm lens]
Price: $2800 “premium kit”
Fine camera, good lens
The low-down: This is a 15 megapixel single lens reflex, supplied with an 18–200mm lens with effective optical stabilisation. This is the evolutionary replacement for the 40D, with more pixels and a high resolution 75mm LCD to bring it into line with Nikon and Sony competitors. The 15mp sensor is matched to the new Digic4 image processor which Canon claims eliminates any noise problems resulting from increased pixel density. There is automatic dust removal. Construction quality is outstanding but ergonomics are not up to Nikon standards. Auto focus is fast and accurate, even with the supplied lens at its 200mm limit.
Like: Image quality is exceptionally fine, as we expect from this line of cameras. Skin tones are natural and colours are accurate. The long zoom lens works better than expected, focussing smartly at all focal lengths but with some distortion at the extremes. Contrast and sharpness are good.
Dislike: A three exposure auto-bracket for a camera in this price range is inadequate.
Verdict: Some reviewers have been harsh in their criticism of the 50D, generally concluding that its image quality is not as good as the 40D. We tried extreme pixel peeping and there does seem to be some fall-off in sharpness and contrast but we doubt that it will be a problem in the realm of real photography. We certainly wouldn’t recommend that anyone rush out to replace their 40D with the new camera because the difference is not that great. We would like to have seen a rethink of the ergonomics which are not brilliant. But for someone thinking of getting into the Canon DSLR system this is still a great camera. It is rugged, responsive and has a luxurious feel.
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Posted by terry at January 22, 2009 12:58 PM
Worth Checking Out
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