Canon 50D reviewed in Amateur Photographer magazine

The Canon 50D has been reviewed in print. I sat down this evening in Starbucks to read the first print review that I have seen, in UK based photography magazine Amateur Photographer.

It’s an in depth review some 7 pages long with data and images. Unsurprisingly it begins with the comparisons to the 40D but soon moves on to the 50D and the new features and specs, images and data. Obviously the new screen gets a thumbs up as does the new layout of the user interface, with the one exception of the mirror lock up function being still hidden in the depths of the menus.

There were positives with the detail of the images in the main but then comments on the noise at ISO settings higher than ISO 800. In ISO settings of 2000 and over there were reports of banding in darker areas, this isn’t the first time this has been mentioned by new owners. As has been seen across many forums there are conflicting comments on the performance, some happy, some not. The magazine reads as they are not unhappy, perhaps disappointed at the performance but do say that the images can be cleaned up in software, perhaps with some loss of some fine detail. They don’t forget that of course the higher megapixel sensor accounts for some of this. I’ve seen plenty of good high ISO postings on various forums, shot’s that I’d accept.

It scores 90/100 just two points behind the D300 and two above the 40D. A note of realism is in their summary (paraphrased), if you don’t spend lots of time shooting photos at ISO 800 or over then you’ve nothing to worry about.

I keep reading about high ISO and I do use it but accept it’s limitations but in the main part I don’t so maybe it’s the new camera for me.

Comments

You must be logged in to post a comment.