40D or 50D

sworks

sworks

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1 currently have a 400d which is my first dslr, it has been provisionally sold to a friend so i need an upgrade. I was looking at 50D's when i was told that the 50D isn't worth £220ish more than a 40D. Any help with the difference between to two appreciated.
Sorry, this should probably have been posted in 'talk equipment'
 
Hiya, middle/tail end of last year I looked at moving up from 10D to either 5D, 40 or 50D.
I eventually chose 50D despite (or because of) the price differences :)
Included in my decision I was told the 50D focuses faster and more accurately than either the 5 or 40 and it has better weather proofing than the 40D. I quite fancied the higher pixel count of the 50D despite there being difference of opinion in whether that's a good or a bad thing in relationship to noise and Iso performance.
I have to say I am very happy with the 50D, probably would have been also with the either of the other two but I felt the 50D had more performance etc per pound and so got my money.

Matt
 
kinda makes me more upset I missed the 40D with grip yesterday now :bonk: I have taken just under 6,000 shots in 18 months with the 400d so maybe the 40d is the way to go
 
I had a 40D and upgraded to the 50D. I certainly don't regret it and forget about the suggest noise problem. I find the 50D is easily one ISO stop better than the 40D, i.e. I'll happily shoot at 1600 for shots I wouldn't have gone above 800 on the 40D.

apart from the other obvious things such as the weather sealing, it's also got pre programmed vignetting correction for canon lenses (which I've only recently discovered). Makes a big difference to my 10-22mm when wide open.
 
thanks for the replys, my 400D hopefully goes next weekend so I have till then to decide. scarecrow - 7D is quite a bit more expensive over the 50D
 
Just been looking around the site (I don't normally have much time lol) another question springs to mind - If I decided on a new 50D how would this compare to a second hand 5D (can you tell I really don't know what I want :shrug:)
 
sworks said:
Just been looking around the site (I don't normally have much time lol) another question springs to mind - If I decided on a new 50D how would this compare to a second hand 5D (can you tell I really don't know what I want :shrug:)
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Hmm, that's a tough one, and I haven't owned either (yet) so this is all fairly theoretical!

The 50D is newer, and hence should be better at handing noise. But the 5D is full frame, which should inherently have better noise handling anyway. Someone who has used both will be able to give a better answer though.

The 5D is bigger and heavier, and if you have any ef-s lenses they won't work with it.

The autofocus will almost definitely be better on the 50D, the 5d is more suited to portraits, landscapes, things where nothing moving very quickly. Also the frame rate of the 50D is considerably higher than the 5d.

So it comes down to what you're going to be shooting really!
 
I used to have a 50D and i was very disappointed with the low iso performance of the camera , I just didn't use the camera as much i did my previous body. If you don't need the crop factor or high frame rate, ie don't shoot nature or sports with long focal lengths i'd look at a used 5D as it will blow the 50D away for IQ.
 
I just made the switch a few weeks ago from the 400d to 40d and WOW , it absolutly smashes the socks off the 400d by a million miles in my opinion, better build, ergonomics,better fps,metering, af, its just amazing,to be honest paying extra for 15mp and a higher res screen doesnt justify it for me, ive also read alot of reviews saying how the 40d copes with noise alot better than the 50d, i now wonder why i didnt do it sooner, oh yeah i forgot (Funds) , ive actually got it sitting next to me as im typing this and carnt stop looking at it , I managed to get a good deal, i got a mint 40d body with 2100 clicks and an mint 17-85mm IS usm all boxed as new for £550 , you can pick up a good 40d body for around £400 now. Have a look on here ( www.eos-magazine.com ) there's a few availible, i was going to buy one from here but found one 4 miles down the road....... good luck:thumbs:
 
The only lens I will be left with after the sale of the 400D will be a 70-200 L f4
I do some motorsport so that takes me back to the 40/50. Loving the comments, all part of the fun of upgrading :p
 
I have just changed from 40d to a 50d, gota say am very pleased, I think the noise is so much less on 50d and the photos are so much more easier to process on raw. However the 40d is still a great camera, but for me the cropping factor on 50d (more pixels) was important along with the option to have micro adjustment on the lens.
 
As I said above, I looked at FF 5D and 50D (as well as 40D) all at Park Cameras, I loved the 5D viewfinder but the guy there asked what I wanted to shoot, I said everything including macro so I wqanted high quality images. He suggested the 5D, that was until I said possibly moving stuff as well, birds, motorsport etc, At this point he said I really didnt want a 5D, much more of a studio based camera.

Matt.
 
I own a 30D, 50D and 5D and I had a 40D which got upgraded to the 50D.

The absolute best in terms of optical quality is the 5D. If you are interested in motorsports then a FF camera doesn't make sense as you won't get the same reach.

The 40D & 50D are both really nice cameras. I upgraded due to my 40D having having focussing problems but in the time I had it I did get some good shots.

The 50D is better than the 40D, but incrementally so. I much prefer the LCD which gives you a better idea as to whether you nailed focus & I really like the option to lock the shutter between 1/60 & 1/250s when using flash. The auto ISO is much better than on the 40D.

I think the images are definitely better on the 50D with more subtle detailing coming through. When I first looked at 100% crops from the 50D I was disappointed, but I reminded myself just how big the resulting image would be @ 15mp @ 100%! The printouts from my 50D look fantastic & viewing at 50% on screen shows superb sharpness and detail.

In summary the 5D is optically top but not ideally suited to motorsport/nature etc. The 40D & 50D are excellent, I'd buy the 50D if funds allowed but wouldn't be unhappy with the 40D.

Phil
 
Personally I would not upgrade from my 40D to a 50D.

Is there a particular feature you are desperate for? Or is it general upgrade fever? If it is the later you need to get over it.

Invest in some glass, or just go out and take pictures.
 
As an owner of a 40D, 50D and now 7D, I can honestly say the 40D gives the best bang for for the £. If you are on a budget get the 40D and spend the savings on a glass upgrade. It is an excellent camera.
 
I just moved from a 450 to a 5D2

but considered the same as you ! ... out of the two, I would have gone with the 40 :shrug:

dunno why .. just the feeling I got from reading reviews !
 
This might not be much help to you but i moved from a 400D to 50D. It goes without saying.. WOW.

My opinion on the noise thingy between the 40D and 50D is flawed as I've never had the 40D. The reviews I read though suggested the noise at high iso wasn't any worse on the 50D than 40D, but as its an increment in model number this wasn't such a good thing that it wasn't an improvement. They generally reminder the reader that it was still very good as the 50D has all them extra pixels... 50% more i think??

I don't think you would be disappointed in either 40D or 50D and its upto you if you feel the extras are worth the £££'s.
 
I must say I'm surprised at the comments about the noise on the 50D being superior to the 40D when every review I've read suggests they're equal or even than the 40D is superior.

I'm waiting to see if the persistent rumours about a 60D (or other body between the 50D and 7D) turn into anything in the next few months. I don't feel the 50D offers enough to warrant upgrading from my 40D.
 
Vertigo1 said:
I must say I'm surprised at the comments about the noise on the 50D being superior to the 40D when every review I've read suggests they're equal or even than the 40D is superior.

I'm waiting to see if the persistent rumours about a 60D (or other body between the 50D and 7D) turn into anything in the next few months. I don't feel the 50D offers enough to warrant upgrading from my 40D.
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I agree - I wouldn't have bothered upgrading from 40D to 50D if it hadn't been for the fault on the 40D.

Phil
 
I'm considering the same sort of upgrade, I have a 400D and want to go to a xxD. Considering the money and the only real difference between the 40 & 50D is the pixels, would it make sense to get a 40D and wait (a matter of only months?) until the (I assume) 60D comes out which would be more of a step foreward than the 40-50D?
 
I can't help but notice that all the people saying the 50D is superior have a 50D, and the ones saying the 40D is better have 40Ds...... :D

I'm getting a 50D, upgrading from a 450D, but it's mainly an ergonomic thing rather than anything to do with features. I'm looking forward to having a bit of a play with higher ISOs though, anything about ISO 400 on my 450D starts getting a bit rough, but apparently the XXD range is a fair bit better in this respect!

If you can afford it, go for the 50D. It's never, and will probably have been used if nothing else! If you can't, or if the extra money could be spent better elsewhere, get the 40D. To be honest, I think you're going to be very happy either way!

Chris
 
I can't say I've encountered any significant noise issues on the 50D - I regularly shoot at 1600 without any nightmares (I've pushed it to 3200 and it's still very usuable). I have to say I found this to be at odds with some of the review I read prior to purchase. It maybe that what I find to be acceptable isn't acceptable to reviewers!

The biggest downside is that the resolution of the sensor does bring out the short comngs of some lenses - my sigma 70-300 APO was a great performer on on my 450D but was very soft at the long end on the 50D.

I faced a similar choice between 40D and 50D - the 50D won out primarily because of the better screen - it really is a lot sharper.
 
will69 said:
Personally I would not upgrade from my 40D to a 50D.

Is there a particular feature you are desperate for? Or is it general upgrade fever? If it is the later you need to get over it.

Invest in some glass, or just go out and take pictures.
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A friend made me a good offer on the 400d that I can't refuse, so as long as that happens it makes sense to upgrade now. I would love to get out and take more photos but work and family taking priority at the moment which isn't giving me any free time.
Thanks for all the advice
 
Greenninja said:
I faced a similar choice between 40D and 50D - the 50D won out primarily because of the better screen - it really is a lot sharper.
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I bought a 50D for this reason, 920,000 pixels vs 230k pixels it makes a huge difference, especially useful in live view mode, zoomed in to get sharp manual focus.

I picked up one yesterday for £599, which I thought was a good price.
 
40d and invest in good glass, its the glass that ,makes the shots, not the MP of the body, 15mp may be good for cropping and doing large prints and a 920,000 dot high res screen may be good in some ways, but wont you be uploading onto a pc/laptop anyway for better viewing and pp :shrug: , and top glass holds a better resale value if you decide to sell up and upgrade again......just my opinion :thumbs:
 
Andy77 said:
40d and invest in good glass, its the glass that ,makes the shots, not the MP of the body, 15mp may be good for cropping and doing large prints and a 920,000 dot high res screen may be good in some ways, but wont you be uploading onto a pc/laptop anyway for better viewing and pp :shrug: , and top glass holds a better resale value if you decide to sell up and upgrade again......just my opinion :thumbs:
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i thoroughly agree with this. If I was to have the choice of paying up the difference to a 50d, i'd still stay with my 40d and keep the cash in the piggy bank for the glass fund.

then again, if motorsports is your thing, 1d mk2's and 2n's are getting pretty cheap....hope I don't distract the op too much with that one!
 
silverstar189 said:
i thoroughly agree with this. If I was to have the choice of paying up the difference to a 50d, i'd still stay with my 40d and keep the cash in the piggy bank for the glass fund.

then again, if motorsports is your thing, 1d mk2's and 2n's are getting pretty cheap....hope I don't distract the op too much with that one!
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what sort of value is a 1d mk2 second hand?
 
User Name said:
I bought a 50D for this reason, 920,000 pixels vs 230k pixels it makes a huge difference, especially useful in live view mode, zoomed in to get sharp manual focus.

I picked up one yesterday for £599, which I thought was a good price.
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Can I ask where from?
 
sworks said:
Can I ask where from?
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eBay - the camera was 100% brand new, boxed and in the UK, next day delivery with tracking number. Zero shutter actuations. US sourced, but that doesn't bother me.
 
Greenninja said:
I can't say I've encountered any significant noise issues on the 50D - I regularly shoot at 1600 without any nightmares (I've pushed it to 3200 and it's still very usuable). I have to say I found this to be at odds with some of the review I read prior to purchase. It maybe that what I find to be acceptable isn't acceptable to reviewers!

The biggest downside is that the resolution of the sensor does bring out the short comngs of some lenses - my sigma 70-300 APO was a great performer on on my 450D but was very soft at the long end on the 50D.

I faced a similar choice between 40D and 50D - the 50D won out primarily because of the better screen - it really is a lot sharper.
Click to expand...

Its amazing that no matter how many times 50D owners try to dispel this myth about noise over the 40D, people still prefer to believe the initial reviews written.

Honestly, turn ALO and HTP off in the custom menus for better picture quality in Raw and it's great. I find the 50D one stop better at ISO than the 40D, i.e. I'll happily shoot up to ISO1600 without worrying, whereas I didn't go above 800 with the 40D.


User Name said:
I bought a 50D for this reason, 920,000 pixels vs 230k pixels it makes a huge difference, especially useful in live view mode, zoomed in to get sharp manual focus.
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Now that turned out to be a godsend. 100-400 lens + 2x converter meant I lost autofocus so was manually focussing. It's amazing how well you can focus using the 10x liveview. I've had some great kingfisher and moon shots using this technique. In fact, if you track the edge of the moon with 800mm and 10x zoom you can see how fast the moon moves across the sky.
 
sworks said:
The only lens I will be left with after the sale of the 400D will be a 70-200 L f4
I do some motorsport so that takes me back to the 40/50. Loving the comments, all part of the fun of upgrading :p
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A great lens, nice, light, optically great. I love mine (but have recently upgraded to a 2.8 IS). Depends on where you shoot motorsport, but it might not be long enough. It works well with the 1.4x tc with the 40D and 50D (and the 400D as well).
 
User Name said:
US sourced, but that doesn't bother me.
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Watch out for the warranty - Canon's body ones aren't international so might be worth double-checking you're covered.
 
Byker28i said:
A great lens, nice, light, optically great. I love mine (but have recently upgraded to a 2.8 IS). Depends on where you shoot motorsport, but it might not be long enough. It works well with the 1.4x tc with the 40D and 50D (and the 400D as well).
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I have the 50d with the 70-200f4L, shot this at Croft last weekend from up on the spectator banking. I wasn't too sure what my shots were like, but once I'd downloaded and processed them, I was really pleased. I was using a monopod for most of the later shots, and have to say I'm glad I saved the extra 400 quid by going for the non-IS version - best 17 quid ever spent!!

Car%20004-02%20Christmas%20Stages%202010.jpg


It was my first event with the new kit - I also have a 30d, which at the moment just has the kit lens (18-55) on for wider shots. I have hardly used the 30d since getting the 50d. I've had a play with high iso's indoors, and have to say I can't really fault it.
The rest of the shots are at: http://www.cautionovercrest.com/Photos/tabid/54/Default.aspx under Christmas Stages 2010.
 
if budget is a factor - 40D - you'll love it. I recently had a post up about going for a 7D and a lot of the replies came back about considering a 5D2. I got my 7D yesterday and so far i'm really pleased - I still have the 40D as my backup.

The reason I say this is that it is all 'horses for courses' and availability of £'s in your pocket. The 40D is a cracking piece of kit and I have (and still am) really pleased with it. I know people who have a 50D and they are happy - I just find 40D users a little more enamered (..?) with their cameras than 50D users.

You can't really compare the 40D to the 5D2 as they are completey different beasts and serve different markets (and subject matter according to some of the posts).

best advice - set a budget in your head (or your hands) and then buy the best you can afford.

At the end of the day, you also have to consider the quality of the glass in front and your abilities at the back of the camera - a great camera and quality glass is better that a quality body and standard glass!
 
enamoured!
 
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