New Canon 50D

από Πεμ Ιαν 29, 2009 7:21 pm

Features at a glance:
15.1 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
6.3fps continuous shooting, max. burst 90 JPEGs with UDMA card
DIGIC 4 processor
ISO 100-3200, expandable to 12800
9-point wide area AF
3.0” Clear View VGA LCD with Live View mode & Face Detection Live AF
Magnesium alloy body, with environmental protection
EOS Integrated Cleaning System
HDMI connection for high quality viewing and playback on a High Definition TV
Full compatibility with Canon EF and EF-S lenses and EX-series Speedlites

Explore Photography.
Canon's new EOS 50D bridges the gap between the novice and the seasoned pro with a perfect combination of high-speed and quality. It features an APS-C sized 15.1-megapixel CMOS sensor for tremendous images, new DIGIC 4 Image Processor for fine detail and superior color reproduction, and improved ISO capabilities up to 12800 for uncompromised shooting even in the dimmest situations. It features a refined 3.0-inch Clear View LCD (920,000 dots) monitor, supercharged Live View Function with Face Detection Live mode, plus a number of new automatic Image Correction settings and HDMI output for viewing images on an HDTV. Pick up the EOS 50D and you'll experience true digital inspiration!

Canon EOS 50D specifications

Sensor • 22.3 x 14.9 mm CMOS sensor
• RGB Color Filter Array
• Built-in fixed low-pass filter (with self-cleaning unit)
• 15.5 million total pixels
• 15.1 million effective pixels
• 3:2 aspect ratio
Image processor DIGIC 4
A/D conversion 14 bit
Image sizes • 4752 x 3168
• 3456 x 2304
• 2353 x 1568
File formats • RAW (.CR2; 14-bit)
• JPEG (EXIF 2.21) - Fine / Normal
• RAW + JPEG (separate files)
• sRAW1 (7.1 MP)
• sRAW2 (3.8 MP)

Lenses • Canon EF / EF-S lens mount
• 1.6x field of view crop
Dust reduction • "EOS Integrated Cleaning System"
• Self-cleaning sensor unit (filter in front of sensor vibrates at high frequency at start-up and shutdown - can be disabled)
• Dust Delete Data - Data from a test shot is used to 'map' dust spots and can be later removed using Canon DPP Software
Auto focus • 9-point TTL CMOS sensor
• All points cross-type for lenses of F5.6 or faster
• Center point additionally sensitive with lenses of F2.8 or faster
• AF working range: -0.5 - 18 EV (at 23°C, ISO 100)
Focus modes • One shot AF
• AI Servo AF
• AI Focus AF
• Manual focus
AF point selection • Auto
• Manual
Predictive AF • Up to 8 m
AF assist • Stroboscopic flash
AF microadjust • +/- 20 steps
• Adjust all lenses by same amount/individually adjust up to 20 lenses
Metering • TTL 35 zone SPC
• Metering range: EV 0.0 - 20 EV
Metering modes • Evaluative 35 zone
• Partial (9% at center)
• Spot metering (approx. 3.8% at center)
• Center-weighted average

AE lock • Auto: One Shot AF with evaluative metering
• Manual: AE lock button
Exposure compensation • +/-2.0 EV
• 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments
Exposure bracketing • +/- 2.0 EV
• 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments
Sensitivity • Auto ISO (100-1600)
• ISO 100 - 3200
• 0.3 or 1.0 EV increments
• H1 (6400) and H2 (12800) expansion

Shutter • Focal-plane shutter
• 100,000 exposure durability
• 30 - 1/8000 sec
• 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments
• Flash X-Sync: 1/250 sec
• Bulb
Aperture values • F1.0 - F91
• 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments
• Actual aperture range depends on lens used
White balance • Auto
• Daylight
• Shade
• Cloudy
• Tungsten
• Fluorescent
• Flash
• Custom
• Kelvin (2500 - 10000 K in 100 K steps)
WB bracketing • +/-3 levels
• 3 images
• Blue / Amber or Magenta / Green bias
WB shift • Blue (-9) To Amber (+9)
• Magenta (-9) to Green (+9)
Picture style • Standard
• Portrait
• Landscape
• Neutral
• Faithful
• Monochrome
• User def. 1
• User def. 2
• User def. 3
Custom image parameters • Sharpness: 0 to 7
• Contrast: -4 to +4
• Saturation: -4 to +4
• Color tone: -4 to +4
• B&W filter: N, Ye, Or, R, G
• B&W tone: N, S, B, P, G
Image processing • Highlight tone priority
• Auto lighting optimizer (4 settings)
• Long exposure noise reduction
• High ISO noise reduction (4 settings)
• Auto correction of lens peripheral illumination (vignetting)

Color space • sRGB
• Adobe RGB
Viewfinder • Eye-level pentaprism
• 95% frame coverage
• Magnification: 0.95x(-1 diopter with 50 mm lens at infinity)
• Eyepoint: 22 mm
• Interchangeable focusing screen Ef-A standard (2 other types optional)
• Dioptric adjustment: -3.0 to +1.0 diopter
Focusing screens
(optional) • Ef-A (Standard Precision Matte - included)
• Ef-D (Precision Matte with grid)
• Ef-S (Super Precision Matte for easier manual focus)
Mirror • Quick-return half mirror (transmission:reflection ratio 40:60)
• Mirror lock-up (once or multiple exposures)
Viewfinder info • AF points
• Focus confirmation light
• ISO sensitivity
• Shutter speed
• Aperture
• Manual exposure
• AE Lock
• Exposure compensation amount
• AEB level
• Spot metering area
• Flash ready
• Red-eye reduction lamp on
• High-speed sync
• FE Lock
• Flash compensation amount
• ISO speed (while changing)
• WB correction (while changing)
• Highlight tone priority icon *
• B&W mode icon
• Warnings
• Maximum burst for continuous shooting
• Buffer space
LCD monitor • 3.0 " TFT LCD
• 920,000 pixels
• 7 brightness levels
• 160 ° viewing angle
• Dual anti-reflection
LCD Live view • Live TTL display of scene from CMOS image sensor
• 100% frame coverage
• 30 fps
• Real-time evaluative metering using CMOS image sensor
• Best view or exposure simulation
• Silent mode
• Grid optional (x2)
• Magnify optional (5x or 10x at AF point)
• Three AF modes - Live mode/Quick mode/Face Detection
• Histogram
• Remote live view using EOS Utility 2.0 (via USB or WiFi/Ethernet using WFT)

Record review • Off
• On (histogram via INFO button)
• Display mode same as last used Play mode
• 2 / 4 / 8 sec / Hold
Playback modes 1. Single image with exposure, file number, storage slot
2. As 1 but also image count and quality
3. Detailed exposure information, thumbnail and luminance histogram
4. Less detailed exposure info., thumbnail, luminance and RGB histograms

Playback features • Optional blinking highlight alert
• Optional AF point display
• Magnified view (up to 10x)
• 2x2 or 3x3 thumbnail index
• Jump (by 1, 10, 100 images / by screen or date)
• Delete / Protect
Flash • Auto pop-up E-TTL II auto flash
• FOV coverage up to 17 mm (27 mm equiv.)
• Guide number approx 13 m / 43 ft (ISO 100)
• Cycle time approx. 3 sec
• Flash compensation +/-2.0 EV in 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments
• X-Sync: 1/250 sec
External flash • E-TTL II auto flash with EX-series Speedlites
• In-camera flash configuration (currently only 580 EX II)
• Wireless multi-flash support
• PC Sync
Shooting modes • Auto
• Creative auto
• Program AE (P)
• Shutter priority AE (Tv)
• Aperture priority AE (Av)
• Manual (M)
• Auto depth-of-field
• Portrait
• Landscape
• Close-up
• Sports
• Night portrait
• Flash off
• Camera user settings 1
• Camera user settings 2

Drive modes • Single
• High-speed continuous: 6.3 fps
• Low-speed continuous: 3 fps
• Self-timer: 2 or 10 sec (3 sec with mirror lock-up)

Burst buffer • Large/Fine JPEG: 90 frames (with UDMA card)
• RAW: 16 frames
Orientation sensor Yes
Auto rotation • On (recorded and LCD display)
• On (recorded only)
• Off
Custom functions 25 custom functions with 74 settings in 4 groups
Menu languages • English
• German
• French
• Dutch
• Danish
• Portuguese
• Finnish
• Italian
• Norwegian
• Swedish
• Spanish
• Greek
• Russian
• Polish
• Czech
• Hungarian
• Romanian
• Ukrainian
• Turkish
• Arabic
• Thai
• Simplified Chinese
• Traditional Chinese
• Korean
• Japanese

Firmware User upgradable
Portrait grip • Optional WFT-E3/E3A
• Optional BP-E2N battery grip
• Optional BP-E2 battery grip
Connectivity • USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
• Video out
• HDMI connector
• N3 type wired remote control
• PC Sync flash terminal
• Communication terminal on base for WFT-E3/E3A

Storage • Compact Flash Type I or II (inc. FAT32)
• Supports UDMA cards
• Canon Original Data Security Kit supported ("Original Image Data")
• No CF card supplied
Power • Lithium-Ion BP-511A rechargeable battery (supplied & charger)
• Supports BP-511 / BP-511A / BP-512 / BP-514
• CR2016 Lithium battery (date/time backup)
• Optional AC adapter
Wireless connectivity
(optional WFT-E3/E3A) • Mounts on base of camera and also acts as vertical grip
• Has its own BP-511A battery
• Wireless 802.11b / 802.11g
• Wireless security: WEP, TKIP/AES, WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK
• Wireless methods: Infrastructure or Ad Hoc
• Wired ethernet (100 Base-TX)
• Transfer: FTP, PTP (remote control by computer), HTTP (view / remote fire)
• USB host capable: External hard drives, flash drives
• USB comms: GPS devices (records coordinates and altitude in image header)
Dimensions 146 x 108 x 74 mm (5.7 x 4.2 x 2.9 in)
Weight • No battery: 730 g (1.6 lb)
• With battery: 822 g (1.8 lb)

CANON 50D DSLR and 18-200mm lens
Price: 1500 € "premium kit"
Fine camera, good lens

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 that Canon claims eliminates any noise problems resulting from increased pixel density. Dust is removed automatically. The construction quality is outstanding but the ergonomics are not up to Nikon standards. The autofocus is fast and accurate, even with the supplied lens at its 200mm limit.

LIKE: The 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 is inadequate for a camera in this price range.

VERDICT: Some reviewers have been harsh in their criticism of the 50D, concluding that its image quality is generally 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 model 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.