XTI to 50D iso performance ??

I would really like to upgrade my XTI to a 50D but I'm not sure how much better the ISO performance will be in the 400-1600 range ? I mainly shoot BIF photos and use the 100-400 lens but I also have a 300 F4 that I got for those low light days to allow me to use a stop lower iso. I would end up selling the 300 F4 to get the 50D and would want to count on the better iso to get me through those low light times at F5.6 with the 100-400. Can I count on 1 full stop better iso with the 50D ??

Thank's, Steve

If you buy the 50D, do it for the features, not any reduction in noise which is very debatable at this point.

In the range you mention I think you would be well off with the 50D. It does well up to ISO2500 when exposed right and gives you room to crop. I have found that the only time I have trouble with my 50D is in dark clubs. And I mean Dark! Anything other then that and the 50D is smooth sailing. Cloudy days or even dim rooms are no problem. I think it would be quite a upgrade from where your at and give you more room to make adjustments with the higher resolution. Good for cropping and the AF is quick.

You can count on 1/4-1/3 EV advantage of the 50D over the XTi @ ISO 1600. This is not much, it is not worth of upgrading; you can gain more with proper exposure (of course ETTR technique does not help if there is not enough light).

I'd actually lean towards the 40D (and save a bit of money). ISO 1600 on the 40D was approximately equivalent to ISO 800 on the Rebel XTi, as far as noise and such. ISO 3200 is even usable with the 40D. I just recently had to shoot almost a whole show at ISO 3200, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well things turned out. Granted, this is speaking as someone shooting low-light theatre action primarily. The extra resolution of the 50D might do you better if you need more croppability for birds and such.

Panopeeper wrote in post #6653534
you can gain more with proper exposure (of course ETTR technique does not help if there is not enough light).

That is a realization that I am discovering after looking over some shots that I took the last two days in low light with my 300 F4. I may be hoping for too much trying to capture a black bird (black and surf scoters) in low light and often with a white sky in the background, and still hoping to see detail. I've been trying to ETTR but it's really tough to keep a shutter speed of 1/1000 or better in low light (for BIF) without going to iso1600, then as soon as I bump up the brightness out comes the noise.

I realize that the 40D may suite me better IQ wise but I really like some of the new features of the 50D and I do crop quite a bit. I guess I'm just not sure if the 300 is worth keeping just for these situations ??

Diver-Down wrote in post #6652751
I would really like to upgrade my XTI to a 50D but I'm not sure how much better the ISO performance will be in the 400-1600 range ? I mainly shoot BIF photos and use the 100-400 lens but I also have a 300 F4 that I got for those low light days to allow me to use a stop lower iso. I would end up selling the 300 F4 to get the 50D and would want to count on the better iso to get me through those low light times at F5.6 with the 100-400. Can I count on 1 full stop better iso with the 50D ??

Thank's, Steve

The Difference between my XTI's & 50Ds is like comparing night and day .LOL

Diver-Down wrote in post #6653718
I realize that the 40D may suite me better IQ wise but I really like some of the new features of the 50D and I do crop quite a bit

The 50D catches up with the 40D @ ISO 1600 in noise and thus in DR.