Is the Live View the same on the 40D and 50d?

Hello everyone, I am new to this forum. I have a SX10 so I read the Small Compact Digitals by Canon forum.
I am going to buy a 40D or a 50D. I enjoy making photos in the Manual mode and that is what I use on the SX10. I looked at the 50D and I liked using the Live View on it. The price for the 40D referb. is a good price for me but I want the Live View like the 50D. I can buy the 50D but then I will the 28-135 lens. With the 40D I can buy the 18-200 lens. Maybe the price will come down a little with the press release.
I hope you understand what I am trying to say, I had a stroke and I somethings I am a little blurry in my words.

Please help me. Thank you,
Joe M

I don't know anything about the 50D live view, other than it has a better LCD, but you might consider budgeting for more than one lens = you are gettign a dslr... might as well take advantage of multiple lenses.

40D and 50D definitely has a diffenrece with live view.
The focusing for 50D now has contrast based focusing as well as face detection, while the 40D do not have neither but just a "quick focus" during live view which flips the mirror down to focus and then back up for live view.

Quick focus is much faster for both bodies but contrast focus might help out a lot in a situation where you need to stay quiet.

By the way, unless you shoot something that is really far away... I wouldn't suggest a 18-200mm. Most of the time, Do-it-all lenses are not sharp in some focal length; for example: the lens might be sharp until 50mm, but blurry beyond 50mm upto 200mm.
I'd rather suggest you get a 28-135mm as it will help you cover most of the time.
And, if you have some money left, you might want to consider getting a 50mm f/1.8 because its a really cheap and bang-for-the-buck lens that you will never regret getting.

p.s. 50mm is ideal for portraits because it gives a good BOKEH* (blur in the background) when the camera is focused on the subject. It's also sharp and compact to carry around and defintely help you learn. Also, it makes you think about compositions (angles) because you have to move around as the lens cannot zoom in or out (fixed focal length).

You'd be surprised how well the EF-S 18-200 mm f/4-5.6 IS performs, compared to the EF 28-135 mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM. The latter has USM autofocus, of course, but the image quality from the 18-200 is better than you would expect, or fear. I'm not saying there's no difference, but the 18-200 is definitely useful, especially in situations where you are hampered by carrying too much equipment.

I advice against taking live view functionality into the equation too much. An SLR camera is used looking through the optical viewfinder, period. Live view is a nice addition when using a tripod, for macro, when you can't reach to see the viewfinder easily and such situations, but handling an SLR when holding it so you can see the rear LCD is awkward, compared to the "proper" method.

Apart from that, the 50D has an improved screen and more functionality around the live view function.

Replaces wrote in post #8474883
40D and 50D definitely has a diffenrece with live view.
The focusing for 50D now has contrast based focusing as well as face detection, while the 40D do not have neither but just a "quick focus" during live view which flips the mirror down to focus and then back up for live view.

Quick focus is much faster for both bodies but contrast focus might help out a lot in a situation where you need to stay quiet.

The contrast AF on the 50D is not bad, though I'd not want to use it for fast moving subjects. The higher res screen is useful when manually focusing in live view.

postcardcv wrote in post #8475461
The contrast AF on the 50D is not bad, though I'd not want to use it for fast moving subjects. The higher res screen is useful when manually focusing in live view.

You simply CAN't use it for moving subjects as it takes 2-3 seconds to find focus - sometimes more. It is superb for macros and still life or even posed portraits, though. You can move the little focus box anywhere on the screen, so it is nice to be free of fixed AF points. I also find it a bit more accurate if you have the time to let it work. I use contrast for liveview exclusively (on my XS).

Hi everybody, I read all you send me on my problem and you have solved it. I will buy the 50D (hope the price comes down). As for the lens, it will be the 28-135? Can you all think of a better lens for me, maybe a Sigma 18-200 or Tamron.
I thank you for your help.
Joe M

Get the 28-135, and then if you want to go wider get an 18-55. If you don't care about the IS the previous versions can be had very cheaply (I have one for sale for $55 but my advice is the same regardless). The 50/1.8 is also a good lens to start out with as was previously mentioned

apersson850 wrote in post #8475386
You'd be surprised how well the EF-S 18-200 mm f/4-5.6 IS performs, compared to the EF 28-135 mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM. The latter has USM autofocus, of course, but the image quality from the 18-200 is better than you would expect, or fear. I'm not saying there's no difference, but the 18-200 is definitely useful, especially in situations where you are hampered by carrying too much equipment.

I advice against taking live view functionality into the equation too much. An SLR camera is used looking through the optical viewfinder, period. Live view is a nice addition when using a tripod, for macro, when you can't reach to see the viewfinder easily and such situations, but handling an SLR when holding it so you can see the rear LCD is awkward, compared to the "proper" method.

Apart from that, the 50D has an improved screen and more functionality around the live view function.

I'm pretty new to DSLRs, but I have to say I agree 100%. The 18-200 is very useable to me, and I find it very convenient to not have to switch lenses constantly. Currently, my only other lens is the Canon 60mm Macro.