Posted by Rick Cloran on February 12, 2009 at 5:47 PM
I searched the forum but didn't see a review or much in the way of dicsussion on the 50D. A lot of the reviews out on the web talk about the noise resulting from the pixel density. I've seen what I would call added noise in blank areas, like skies, when compared to similar images taken with my 40D (now gone), but nothing that I would consider a head to head test. When I look at some of the images in the forums I'm not seeing any noise issues, but that might be because of noise reduction that was applied and not mentioned by the poster. Can I get some feedback from others with the 50D on your experience and thoughts vis a vis the noise question?
As a related item, I found that ALO (Auto Lighting Optimzer) is on by default. It tries to even the contrast range in a scene by boosting the shadows (and adds noise in so doing). That one I did do comparisons on and have now disabled (Custom Function group II function 4 setting 3).
Thanks Rick
Posted by Larry Puckett on February 12, 2009 at 6:39 PM
I haven't had the time to really give it a thorough workout yet (please let spring get here soon) but I can say that I really love this camera! There are so many features available in all those menus but it is pretty easy to get to them. Like you I disabled ALO and keep NR setting to low. That said, I don't do a lot of photos with high ISO settings (above 400) and that would appear to be the point where noise would come into play. As you say a combination of large dark areas and high ISO could be a problem and I plan to do some testing of that ASAP--Larry
Posted by Keith Bauer on February 12, 2009 at 7:48 PM
I've had my 50D for a few months now. I've done a fair amount of shooting at ISO 800 and above. Yes there is noise visible in areas like the sky or other "smooth" areas. I use Nik Dfine2 and have been very pleased with the results. I upgraded from a 20D for this body. The 50D is much better than the 20D. Can't comment on the comparison of the 40D. I also have a 5D. The 5D is still better at higher ISO settings for lower noise. Many of the images I've posted in the avian forum in the past few months have been with the 50D. Some with higher ISO's if you want to take a look. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the 50D. It is fine camera.
Posted by David Bostedo on February 12, 2009 at 8:50 PM
There's a major thing to realize about noise here that a lot of people don't : Having more pixels can make up for the individual pixels being noisier.
For instance, a pixel of the 50D sensor is noisier than a pixel in the 40D sensor. Yet when you repoduce the image from both cameras at the same size, in a web image, or a print, the noise is about the same. This is because you're "shrinking" the resolution of the 50D more than the 40D, and down-sampling gets rid of noise.
For this reason, looking at camera images at 100% (on a pixel by pixel basis) is not really a good way to compare noise if you're going to make the same sized output (digital or print).
For the same reason, web sized images almost always look noise free - they've been downsampled to a low resolution, so the noise has been filtered out.
Posted by Steve Foss on February 12, 2009 at 9:24 PM
Also, on the 50D if you shoot jpeg you can dial in the in-camera noise reduction, which makes a big difference, and if you shoot RAW you can open your images and do the RAW conversions using Canon's DPP software, which comes with the camera, and select the same type of NR as you get in-camera.
Posted by Darren Huski on February 28, 2009 at 5:54 PM
I have had a 50D since October and have put several thousand images through it in a variety of conditions and at all ISO's.
I moved up to one from a Rebel XTi and I am very glad I did. I have not used a 40D but know folks who have. I find the 50D to be a good photographers camera. Good ergonomics, easy to learn settings, great rear screen, great live view, 6fps if you need it, rugged build, etc. From a build and feature perspective it is surpurb. I really like it and I am glad to own it.
I think it can produce some great images and I find the images to be sharp and crisp. I have gotten usable images upto iso 3200. I never was comforatble above iso 800 on the XTi at all. 1600 on the 50D is very very good. 3200 is usually pretty good. The 6400 and 12,800 expanded range iso settings are of cel phone quality. Meaning you MIGHT get something you could email but not print.
The biggest issue I see with the 50D is long exposures heat the sensor and you can get banding. It is not all the time, but it can happen-especially when you do many back to back in short order. I was out doing night images in 40 degree weather in the 2-8 minute per image range. Some got banding-even at iso 400. It was only in long exposures with a hot sensor. I have never seen it in any short images.
So other than that it has been perfect. In fact, I would still buy it again over spending $2700 for the 5D2. But if they did a 7D that was 15mp FF for $1800 I'd probably want to go that route......
Discussion
5 repliesAs a related item, I found that ALO (Auto Lighting Optimzer) is on by default. It tries to even the contrast range in a scene by boosting the shadows (and adds noise in so doing). That one I did do comparisons on and have now disabled (Custom Function group II function 4 setting 3).
Thanks Rick
For instance, a pixel of the 50D sensor is noisier than a pixel in the 40D sensor. Yet when you repoduce the image from both cameras at the same size, in a web image, or a print, the noise is about the same. This is because you're "shrinking" the resolution of the 50D more than the 40D, and down-sampling gets rid of noise.
For this reason, looking at camera images at 100% (on a pixel by pixel basis) is not really a good way to compare noise if you're going to make the same sized output (digital or print).
For the same reason, web sized images almost always look noise free - they've been downsampled to a low resolution, so the noise has been filtered out.
I moved up to one from a Rebel XTi and I am very glad I did. I have not used a 40D but know folks who have. I find the 50D to be a good photographers camera. Good ergonomics, easy to learn settings, great rear screen, great live view, 6fps if you need it, rugged build, etc. From a build and feature perspective it is surpurb. I really like it and I am glad to own it.
I think it can produce some great images and I find the images to be sharp and crisp. I have gotten usable images upto iso 3200. I never was comforatble above iso 800 on the XTi at all. 1600 on the 50D is very very good. 3200 is usually pretty good. The 6400 and 12,800 expanded range iso settings are of cel phone quality. Meaning you MIGHT get something you could email but not print.
The biggest issue I see with the 50D is long exposures heat the sensor and you can get banding. It is not all the time, but it can happen-especially when you do many back to back in short order. I was out doing night images in 40 degree weather in the 2-8 minute per image range. Some got banding-even at iso 400. It was only in long exposures with a hot sensor. I have never seen it in any short images.
So other than that it has been perfect. In fact, I would still buy it again over spending $2700 for the 5D2. But if they did a 7D that was 15mp FF for $1800 I'd probably want to go that route......