Digital Home Thoughts: Canon 50D: The Newest Canon Prosumer DSLR

"Canon added much more to the Canon EOS 50D than just another 5MP. Improvements over the EOS 40D include: A 15.1 MP CMOS sensor with a "gapless microlens" design for higher efficiency, a 920,000 dot, 3" 640x480 pixel VGA resolution LCD with enhanced anti-reflection coating, a microfocus adjustment which can be applied on a fixed or lens by lens basis, an ISO range from 100-3200, plus expansion to 6400(H1) and 12800(H2)..."

In the 50D, not only were enhancements made, Canon also added new features not seen before on their mid-level digital SLRs. The best enhancement to the 50D is the upgraded 640x480 920,000 pixel screen on the back of the camera. As a current owner of Canon's predecessor, the 40D, its 320x240 screen is the one flaw I found on the otherwise excellent camera it as it is hard to judge your photos. The best new features are the micro focus adjustment and the two higher ISO settings. The only drawback is that Canon once again pushed the number of megapixels to the maximum. In doing so, the 50D photos show noise that is equal to or slightly higher than the 40D. For this reason, I think the 50D is a minor upgrade for a 40D owner, but a significant upgrade for owners of earlier versions of Canon DSLRs.