Canon EOS 50D

The sister model to the popular EOS 40D, the Canon EOS 50D is one of the most recent models from photography giant Canon.

Pros

The Canon EOS 50D looks and feels very similar to the EOS 40D, but it's different on the inside. The EOS 40D's 10-megapixel sensor is upgraded to a 15.1-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor and the sensor noise has been reduced (despite the increase in resolution). The EOS is able to offer more ISO setting options than with any previous Canon model (you can choose from anywhere between ISO 100 and 3,200, with special higher settings that allow for the equivalent to ISO 12,800). Another improvement over previous models is the new high-resolution (640 x 480 RGB pixels) LCD screen.

Cons

There isn't much to criticize about the EOS 50D. It functions well in comparison to previous Canon cameras, as well as in comparison to most of its main competitors. The camera's indoor white balance tends to look a bit yellow to us and the autofocus could be improved, but we had to really nitpick to come up with something negative about the EOS 50D.

The Gist

Though the Canon EOS 50D is an upgrade over the EOS 40D, it may not represent enough of an upgrade over its predecessor for serious digital photography buffs, particularly when it comes to the exterior of the camera (the EOS 50D is, essentially, an EOS 40D body wrapped around some upgraded inner-workings). However, it's what's inside that matters and, ultimately, the EOS 50D is a great camera for the average consumer.