50D Owners Thread - Anything 50D related

...oh, ok then
 
I'm having a small issue with my own 50D technique. When I look at my Jpeg shot at ISO 200-400 I have a pretty clean image. When I edit my RAW to correct the WB etc I end up with a noisy image by comparison, that requires the noise slider to be set to 100% in ACR to get anywhere near the JPEG.

What am I doing wrong in the editing?

Left to right, JPEG, Edited RAW, RAW with 100% noise reduction.

Clickable thumbnail due to size

 
ACR will apply sharpening by default, which is fine, but it does not apply a sharpening mask by default, so everything gets sharpened, noise and all. Try setting the sharpening mask to around 30 before worrying about NR and then see how things look. Also, which version of ACR are you using? I use Lightroom 3.3 and the luminance NR slider is very powerful. If I use it at all, which is rarely, I seldom push it to anything more than 10, and usually 5 is probably enough. If it's 100% crops you are worrying about then unless you are going to display your work at 100% I wouldn't worry over much. What do the files look like if you view or print at the kind of size you would actually use them?

If you're shooting at 250 ISO then try to avoid that setting. Use 200, 400, or 320 at a pinch. Do not use 250.

Oh, and if the shot is underexposed then you need to fix that part of your photography before worrying about software corrections.
 
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Cheers Tim,

I only ever shoot at a 100/200/400 etc ISO after reading on here before of the pitfalls. I use ACR with CS4.

I understand that I was viewing at 100% and tbh I've edited maybe a 1000 pictures of my boy before I noticed I was adding some noise. The normal view size are fine, I just wanted to cure what was a user error for future reference. I won't be correcting my edits unless I want a large print :)

I was sliding the luminance slider upto 100 to get anywhere near the jpeg. Looking at what you said though ACR is adding 25% on my sharpening as default. I will look at my sharpening options next time I try an edit :)
 
I don't think the sharpening default of 25 is a problem. But take a look at the sharpening mask value and raise it from 0 to 30 or even 40. Assuming ACR works like Lightroom then hold down the Alt key while adjusting the mask slider and you will be able to see how the sharpening effect begins to disappear from smooth areas and remain only at strongly textured areas or high contrast edges.
 
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Ah yeah I see that worked well, thanks very much. Next time I edit a piccie I will play around with that much more to get better noise levels :)
 
In Lightroom there is a preset for sharpening "faces" which sets the four sharpening parameters to 35, 1.4, 15, 60. You could try that as a starter and work from there. The intent it to apply the sharpening to main features, like eyes, eyeleashes, lips and hair, but try to avoid sharpening finer details like pores in skin (and noise).
 
Thanks again Tim, I will give those settings a go. I might have to give lightroom a try soon as I pretty much only use a few light features on CS4.
 
Finally joined the 50D gang... Found a good one on MPBPhotography with only 71 clicks... got it at the weekend and had a little pla with it and I am very happy with it so far. I nice upgrade to me 400D

Now just need some time to use it more! :)
 
My second hand one arrived today. Early impressions are that I'm very impressed with the build and image quality :)

Didn't realise though that I'd need to buy a new shutter release cable! (I also own a 450D). The Canon shutter releases seem to be between £37 and £47 so I was just wondering if people had tried some of the cheaper imitations available on ebay? Do they do the job or are they a false economy?
 
Whiters said:
My second hand one arrived today. Early impressions are that I'm very impressed with the build and image quality :)

Didn't realise though that I'd need to buy a new shutter release cable! (I also own a 450D). The Canon shutter releases seem to be between £37 and £47 so I was just wondering if people had tried some of the cheaper imitations available on ebay? Do they do the job or are they a false economy?
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Look on EBay/Amazon for Yongnuo or shoot, they do a digital one than you can pick up for about £17 that does everything you could ever want a remote to do. They are sold under a lit of different manufactures names.

I have one and am really impressed with the quality, been a fair few posts about them so have a look but for that money you can't go wrong :)

Sent from my iPhone using TP Forums
 
Rolyratman said:
Look on EBay/Amazon for Yongnuo or shoot, they do a digital one than you can pick up for about £17 that does everything you could ever want a remote to do. They are sold under a lot of different manufactures names.

I have one and am really impressed with the quality, been a fair few posts about them so have a look but for that money you can't go wrong :)

Sent from my iPhone using TP Forums
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Sent from my iPhone using TP Forums
 
Rolyratman said:
Look on EBay/Amazon for Yongnuo or shoot, they do a digital one than you can pick up for about £17 that does everything you could ever want a remote to do. They are sold under a lit of different manufactures names.

I have one and am really impressed with the quality, been a fair few posts about them so have a look but for that money you can't go wrong :)

Sent from my iPhone using TP Forums
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Funnily enough I've already ordered two ones very cheaply on ebay (for a total of less than £10) and one of them is a Shoot. The other one is a Jianisi. I'll see how I get on with them! If they both work, I'll have a spare.
 
Thanks, that is a good deal.

I know what you mean, I can't help thinking I'd always be wishing I'd bought the 7D instead.
 
For shutter real eases I use rf602 wireless flash triggers. They have a cable you can connect to the camera to use as a remote trigger. Two uses for one bit of kit plus around 100m range.
 
Same here on the RF602 front, £70ish gets you 2x transmitter and 3x receiver + cables (£5 extra for the shutter cable), remote shutter and 2x off camera flash (withouth E/TTL) for that bargain price. I only got my 50D a couple of months ago after selling my 1000D and after discovering this forum/thread and buying the RF602's im having great fun.
No affiliation but check cotswoldphoto on ebay for good prices and super quick delivery times, my 2nd set of transmitter/receivers arrived in just over a day.
 
Its an old thread but so useful to me as a newbie that I thought I'd resurrect it. My first DSLR, a 50d arrived today. I had an old SLR which I admit I didn't use to its full potential and as a result, upgrading to the 50d feels like I've walked onto the deck of the Starship Enterprise... its a whole new world!

I have a feeling I'll be referring to this thread quite a lot in the coming months :) My thanks already to those who've made it so useful for people like me.
 
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Just spent the past few hours reading every single post in this thread and now apart from having squiffy eyes I still am no closer to deciding which camera to get. :runaway:

I was thinking about a 40d but my partner isn't too keen as it has lower mp than the one we have now (500d) which we will still be keeping.

This is what we want the new camera for:

- It will have our 100-400L on it.

- It will be used to take pictures of birds mainly and wildlife.

- We normally always crop our pictures.

----------

We thought that if we had the big lens on the new one and our 55-250 lens on the one we have now, we will have both areas covered and we will both have a camera.


Now I don't know if I should go for the 40d with less mp but not as much noise. Or the 50d with more mp for cropping but more noise.

We don't really have the money to buy anything dearer than this at the moment, but we did want to get another camera asap before we go on holiday in a few weeks, but at the rate we're going about deciding we will still be :thinking: in a few months let alone weeks.

Any thoughts on this would be gratefully received.
 
It's a no-brainer really Maria - if birds and wildlife are your main interests then get the 50D, you'll have far more effective reach with the 50D than you would with the 40D. I don't find noise to be an issue with the 50D at all.
 
CT said:
It's a no-brainer really Maria - if birds and wildlife are your main interests then get the 50D, you'll have far more effective reach with the 50D than you would with the 40D. I don't find noise to be an issue with the 50D at all.
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I have to agree. I've never been concerned with noise on my 50D either.

I've shot at 1600/3200 iso and it hasn't been that bad when viewed out of the camera. A little dose of Topaz denoise in PP and noise is at an absolute minimum or not there at all.
 
CT said:
It's a no-brainer really Maria - if birds and wildlife are your main interests then get the 50D, you'll have far more effective reach with the 50D than you would with the 40D. I don't find noise to be an issue with the 50D at all.
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Hi,

I agree with CT about the 50 over the 40, but I have to say I am well impressed with the 550D especially at higher ISO's ;)

Video is handy too.

Couple of shots showing each body with the same lens, ok taken months apart but might give you an idea. Bear in mind the 50D will be more robust for rougher outdoor handling than the 550D, but I have to admit I don't miss the 50D as much as I thought I would having bought the 550D to take on holiday this month, really expected to hate it and would be rid of it when I get back from holiday, but I am thinking about keeping it and also selling my dad's 40D to get him a 550D to replace it with :thumbs:


Canon 50D with 400mm F5.6L ISO - 200 @ F7.1
861395553_hHSgR-L.jpg



Canon 550D with Canon 400mm F5.6L ISO 200 @ F7.1
Coal-Tit-L.jpg


Another point to bear in mind with the 550D is that it requires less PP than I did on my 50D, I am pretty sure I will stick to jpeg output straight from the camera with minimal PP, whereas I was always a RAW user with PP done via DPP and then Noiseware to clean higher ISO images up, but I am now using jpeg output and almost no PP before uploading to Smugmug.

Mike.
 
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Can't argue with what Mike is saying there ^^^^^

The extra 3 million pixels of the 550D has to be worthy of consideration - it definitely gives you a good edge over the 50D and should produce images essentially not much different from the far more expensive 7D.
 
CT said:
Can't argue with what Mike is saying there ^^^^^

The extra 3 million pixels of the 550D has to be worthy of consideration - it definitely gives you a good edge over the 50D and should produce images essentially not much different from the far more expensive 7D.
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Hi CT,

thanks for the reply, and the backup ;), I mentioned the 550D as it is now selling for £509.99 via Amazon which isn't that far off a used 50D's price, ok I ultimately want a 7D but with the holiday coming up and the fact that I have spent the last year without a camera body I was having severe withdrawal symptoms and just couldn't find the extra cash for the 7D, I paid less than half the price of a used 7D :D

Ok build wise the 550d isn't a patch on the 50D ( but then again it isn't supposed too be ) it certainly wouldn't stand nearly as much rough handling as the 50 but for the money I don't think there is a better buy in the Canon range out there right now.

Mike.
 
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Hey

My new 50d will arrive next week.

Got a good deal on a used one from MPB photographic!

Can ditch the borrowed 400D i've been using for about 6 months now!

Hoping to really get into taking more pic's now i dont have to wait around to use someone elses - looks a load of peeps in this thread started on a 400d too ;)

Chris
 
fenix2k said:
Hey

My new 50d will arrive next week.

Got a good deal on a used one from MPB photographic!

Can ditch the borrowed 400D i've been using for about 6 months now!

Hoping to really get into taking more pic's now i dont have to wait around to use someone elses - looks a load of peeps in this thread started on a 400d too ;)

Chris
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Nice one. I picked one up a couple of weeks ago with just over 700 actuations, mint condition and a 12 month warranty!! From my local camera shop.

Got a 50mm 1.8 for it. Looking for another lens for it now to compliment the 50mm
 
Nice to see you bought a 50d its a great camera,but dont ditch the 400d.
I use mine as a backup usually with the 50mm 1.8 attatched saves time changing lenses as well.
In my honest opinion the 400d sometimes takes a better photo than the 50d.
 
CSB said:
Does anyone else have horizontal banding at ISO 3200? I've noticed it with a few pictures now, its always when I'm shooting in dark conditions. I shoot raw and have the latest firmware (1.0.6)
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i've read several posts quoting latest firmware . I have (1. 0. 8) have i made a mistake using this version??:thinking:
 
It arrived yesterday nice and prompt!

Outstanding condition! advertised at 6k actuations - actually only 5750!

Must say that this is such a solid feeling piece of kit. So much more of a "real" camera than the 400d im used to. My hand actually fits completely on the grip!

Performance (useage) is fantastic - cant wait to get out for a good days shooting.

Got a 17-40 f4L with it - which is also a fabulous addition - sharp and fast!

Will post up some shots when i can!

Chris
 
:(

Seems my 50d is having a hissy fit and the rear LCD is no longer working. Can still use everything else, but having it constantly connected to my pc to view preview/live view limits me somewhat!

We'll see what the retailer says, anyone else had this issue?
 
Daft I know but is you're live view off? I remember someone before saying the LCD wasn't working and it was that.
 
Nah, it wasn't that. It all back now from canon, fixed under warranty. I must send a mail and ask what the report was.
 
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