40D or 50D for the average consumer?

Hello, all.

I'm sure the "40 or 50D" thread has been started many times, but I'm just looking for some insight and honest opinions here rather than cold, hard, technical data (though, as a systems engineer, I love me some data ).

My wife and I have owned the canon digital rebel xt (believe it's the eos 350D) for years now. It's served its purpose very well. We use it in spurts off and on. Sometimes we'll use it days in a row and other times we'll go months without touching it. Up until recently, we rarely used it. However, upon the birth of our first child 2 months ago, my wife has become quite the avid photographist (I make up words...). And, moreso, she has really started to take a liking to photography in general again and so have I.
We own a 10-22mm lens and love it to death. However, we're looking for a nice lens to span the mid-range and have settled on the 24-105mm f/4. I'm currently shopping used ones. Can't make a dang WTB thread because of my low post count, however.

The purpose for this thread, though, is to seek your input on the purchase of a camera body. We're looking for something to give us more manual options and just an overall better experience (both in form factor, capability, and picture quality) than our 350D xt. A friend owns the 40D and leant it to us for a few days. We immediately knew it was time to step up.
When I started pegging down prices on used 40d's, I came to the realization that the 50d would only run me about $200-300 more. Now, we're not made of money, but it wouldn't be a terrible stretch for me to purchase the 50D. But, the question I have is this: would the additional step up be worthwhile for us?
To me the megapixel size delta is a selling point. What I'm finding in some reviews (particularly the dpreview .. review..) is the 15mp sensor doesn't necessarily equate to a sharper image than the 40d or other, lower mp count, cameras. If I were to go strictly by their review, I would tend to stay with the 40D. I'm not sure if I'm missing other key selling points so I'd appreciate any input you'd be willing to give to this novice.

Again, I know you're sick of the "what should I get" but I'm hoping you fellas (and ladies) will show some mercy to me as this is my first real post here and I'm still finding my way through the dark. We take good care of gear and I'm a definite "trade up" kind of guy.
I'm ultimately thinking my best bet may to just go with a used 40D and focus my expenditure on lenses at this stage, but I was hoping to get some insight from those who have used both. Picture quality is, of course, a major selling point but there's also ease of use and other factors that work their way into the purchase decision.

FWIW, we also own the 550ex lens and have a few cheaper remote flash/trigger accessories to use.

Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions.

- Erin

It probably won't make much of a difference. The 50d is the better camera but like you said you might be better served getting the 40d and spending the rest on a lens. That said, the image quality between the two is practically the same aside from very large prints, where the extra mp would help.

Have you seen these reviews:
http://tech.spotcoolst​uff.com …owdown-40d-50d-canon-eos/
http://www.komar.org …era/canon-50d-versus-40d/

FWIW - I've the 50D, have not used the 40D, but really do enjoy shooting with the 50D.

Comes down [Similar to whats been said] get the 40D, a very capable camera, and save some dollars to help invest in more / better lenses and/or accessories... or get the 50D which may offer improvements that interest you.

The most important advantage the 50D has is greater ISO performance, with a higher maximum ISO, something you'll definately need if f/4 is the widest aperture you have available. My advice would be to go for the 50D and a 17-55 f2.8, would cost around £1200 - £1400 buying new (UK prices).

Congrats on the bambino BTW

Bikinpunk,
I would look into the T2i, you will get 18mo, the same sensor as the 7D, with video which I would think you would love with a new child. The 40D and 50D do not have video, are kinda old tech, the 50D is very nice, you get rugged build and fast shutter, which you really don't need. You will be amazed at the jump from the XT to a T2i. I made the jump from the XT last year to the Xsi and that was a huge jump. You can probably get a new T2i, with a 18-55 lens, which is very good for around $799. '

Congrats on new child.

^^^ He beat me to it but I was going to suggest the T2i as well. The image quality is great (7D sensor) and HD video will likely be nice with having a child around. Of course it doesn't have the "feel" of a 40D/50D but it doesn't sound like that was the primary purpose of upgrading.

This chart for dpreview shows the spec differences between the two cameras http://www.dpreview.co​m/reviews/canoneos50d/

I have had both get the 50D without a doubt. Better all round.

I have a new 7d.
Focusing is very confusing.
Can anyone help me.
Thank you,
Calvin

How do I post a new topic
calvin

hi calvin
you have to be in the forum area and not a thread like this one
click here
there will be a "new topic" button to click on the upper left hand side above the list of threads
and voila!

I've owned both the 40D and 50D, and I prefer the 40D. The files are smaller and seemed smoother to me. 10MP is also as much as I want/need, even for professional use. I would definitely take the 40D and use the cash to put towards lenses, like a sigma 30 1.4.

In my humble opinion, I would certainly take a canon 17-55 over the canon 24-105 any day for a 40D/50D/7D or even a rebel.

I have a gripped 50D and a 24-105 lens for general purpose photographs. That makes for a large combination. My nephew and his wife use a XSi with a 18-200 lens. That combination is much smaller and easily fits in baby bags. They carry it almost everywhere they go and it stays on a small desk in their great room. It is always ready to use to photograph their three year old and a five month old infant. The best camera is one that will be used. The highest tech camera in the world is useless if left on a shelf. Give very strong consideration to how the camera feels. Get what will be used the most.

Lens: You have the wide end covered. A telephoto zoom is great for children. You can stay away from them so they will have space to just be natural. I use a 70-200mm f/2.8 IS for most outside shots but a shorter zoom like the 24-105 also works quite well.

Flash: You have a good flash so I would not worry about how fast the lens. I would suggest some type of diffuser. That really helped to soften the light on my indoor shots as well as decrease shadows. Bouncing the flash helped but the diffuser is a significant improvement.

Conclusion: Get a camera that will be used. Most cameras recommended on POTN will be an improvement over the XT. Buying a "L" lens can lead to catching the "L" virus and the cure gets expensive.

Guys, I appreciate all the suggestions.

After looking over this topic more and considering the suggestions of buying the t2i, I'm even more perplexed. Personally, I just assumed the xxxD line was a step below the xxD line... as if to say it is the lower end of the flag pole, while the xD line would be the top and the xxD line falls in between.
However, the t2i actually seems like a more logical choice for us. Having spent some time researching, the popular opinion of the 50d vs. t2i seems to be that the t2i lacks in "feel" and possibly AF. The used market prices actually favor the 50D.

Now, realistically, the t2i might be the better choice simply because I'm able to use it as more of a 'on the go' camera. Plus, since my wife will be the primary user, I'm sure she'd appreciate the fact that it's less bulky. However, I love the feel of the xxD bodies. But, we all know men aren't allowed to think. lol.
As far as the issue with AF... well, it's hard to say if I'll notice the difference without trying both. And my camera memory is like my hearing memory. Unless I'm able to A/B items together, I try not to let myself make that kind of judgment call... as usually it's motivated by what I really want to buy.
We often have our pictures blown up to about 16x20 size, but typically on canvas via winkflash... so sharpness isn't a huge criteria here (canvas seems to dull things out a bit). However, with the fact that we're the "buy it and use it for a long time" type of family, I also want to make sure this purchase will satisfy our needs for quite a while.
I'm much more of a manual adjustment person where the wife prefers auto. I'm getting her to start playing with manual because the potential for shots is much better.

I rarely shoot with high ISO. Thankfully, we have the flash to help with low light settings and have managed to do well with the lenses we have. However, the reason I've always stayed away from 1600 on the xt is simply because it's so noisy. The only other times I've needed high iso is at Disney World at night.

I don't necessarily need video as the p&s panasonic has great video, however, I suppose it is an additional selling feature.
The one thing my wife absolutely LOVED about the 40d was the high fps shooting factor for her nephew's sporting events. So, that was also a motivating factor with the 50D/40D step up. The 40/50d gets the edge here by a bit. The 50d has 6.3fps, while the t2i gets 3.7fps (whereas our xt has only 3.0fps).

As far as lens choices go, we're just looking to get some great lenses. They don't have to be L-series... I haven't convinced myself of anything. I like to think I'm pretty objective, but who knows. I have borrowed some l lenses from my buddy and loved the picture quality with them compared to our ef-s 18-55mm lens.
I've actually been considering a good prime, but just like you said, Craig, the zoom is great because it still has that 'element of surprise' to it. If I get in the baby's face with a camera, the expression on her face changes which rules out why I grabbed the camera in the first place.


I recently purchased a small umbrella 'kit' for the house and a hotshoe trigger/receiver as well to start doing of the camera flash. Paid about $60 for the setup, but for our purposes it should serve us well.
I really need to study up on the ETTL ability with these bodies. AFAIK, the 40D/50D will allow me to do ETTL remotely which I thought was a nice feature.

I'll do some more price shopping for a used t2i body to see where I stand. I'd rather not get a kit simply because we're looking to upgrade lenses and already own the 18-55mm kit lens from the xt. I'm just trying to maximize my investment as we all do.

If anyone has any further input, I'm all ears. Thanks again for all your help!

- Erin


ps: Can someone tell me why it seems like the more research I do, the harder the choice gets!?
The only thing I absolutely know is that I like the t2i due to the use of an SD card over the other bodys' CF. I hate CF cards. lol.

Hi Erin,

Welcome to POTN and congrats on your newborn!

All these cameras will do well for you...

Between 40D and 50D, I went with 50D several years ago (skipped the 40D actually, kept shooting with my 30D until 50D came along). About a year ago I upgraded from 50D to 7D. I had no complaints about the 50D and sold lots of photos made with the three I used. There were times when I got shots with 50D that - later when enlarging and printing them - I mistook for having been shot with 5DII. I didn't realize they'd been made with 50D until I later looked at the EXIF.

Both 40 and 50D are usable to ISO 1600, IMO. Considering all the additional crowding on the 50D's sensor, I think it's a testament to the camera that it equals the 40D in noise control. I haven't used one, but T2i should be about a stop better, same as my 7D (same sensor & processor, altho 7D has two and T2i has one). IMO 7D is good to about 3200 without much concern. But you don't sound too concerned about high ISO usage.

The 15MP of 50D, compared to 40D's 10MP, is not just for larger prints. It also allows for more cropping, if needed. 50D got an improved LCD, which I find more usable out in daylight when you need to consult menus or check a histogram. One key feature of 50D that sold it for me is AF Microadjust, which the 40D lacks. Now, not everyone will fine tune their lenses on their cameras, so this might not be all that important for many folks. Aside from that, there are some other nuances, but nothing earthshaking IMO, going from 40D to 50D. Of course, 50D is also about a one year newer camera, so a used one might be a little less used and the model will likely to be supported by Canon Service a little longer, should that ever be necessary.

40D is a good camera. 50D is just a nice upgrade. Either one would probably serve your purposes well.

However, I agree that T2i might be worth a look. For one thing, it's smaller and lighter, which your wife might prefer. Go to a store and handle 50D or 60D, to get a better idea of size and weight. You also might compare the ergonomics and controls alongside any of the Rebel series. Generally speaking, the xxD series cameras provide controls that are quicker handling. The 60D has somewhat hybrid controls, somewhat different and sort of in between the previous xxD models and the Rebel series.

The xxD models also can be expected to give you faster, better tracking and more accurate AF, compared to the Rebel series. More AF points and a brighter viewfinder, too. The xxD series use a true pentaprism, while the Rebel series use a penta-mirror arrangement that's not quite as bright.

There's the difference in frame rate, too, but I think people tend to make too big a deal of this.... Or use high frame rates as a crutch. Personally I think it's much better to learn to take a single shot at the peak moment of action, than to "spray and pray" with a high frame rate camera. Even at 6 or 8 or 10 frames per second, an awful lot of peak moments end up being missed! I also shoot lots of images many days, one frame at a time (often 1200 to 1500, sometimes 2000 to 2500). That already means many hours of editing after the fact. If I used high frame rates a lot, I'd probably have 3X or 4X the number of images and have to spend that much more time sitting at my computer! No thanks!

There's also the question of video. Of the ones you are considering, only the T2i offers video. I don't shoot video with my DSLRs, so really can't comment about it.

I do think you would be wise to put the bulk of your budget toward lenses.... Which will ultimately have much greater effect on your images than the camera you choose to use them with.

Personally I'd just suggest considering the 28-135 I.S. instead of the 24-105L I.S. The "L" lens is more durable and better sealed against dust and such. But the 28-135 is Canon decent mid-grade build quality (simlar to your 10-22), capable of equal image quality, just about as fast and close focusing, also has I.S. (albeit a little less capable version), and is about 1/4 to 1/3 the price when bought used. There are tons of lightly used 28-135 around, Canon sold a lot of them in kits with 40D and 50D. I bought one not too long ago (actually the second one I've had), as a walk-around lens and a backup for my 24-70/2.8L.

You also might want a fast prime lens for portraits: I'd recommend the Canon 50/1.4 as a good choice. Eventually you might want a telephoto zoom to keep up with your child: The Canon 70-200/4 I.S. is hard to beat.

Here on POTN we always enjoy helping folks spend their money!