Canon EOS 50D

[mbird]

Okay, so I've been bitten by the bug, and am thinking of upgrading my camera from the EOS350D I currently have to a 50D. The reviews seem very good, but does anyone here have any experience with them?

Any one want to buy a 350D?

[Brian]

Ive got a 6 year old EOS 10D

Its still the best camera ive ever bought

One day ill have the spare time to come along to a Photo walk with the Photo Team.

Ive got all the gear but have no idea how to use it

[Guest]

I,m sure you have seen this but if not than you will find it of interest.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos50d/

Looks very good

[Happy Jax 3]

Ive got a 6 year old EOS 10D

Its still the best camera ive ever bought

One day ill have the spare time to come along to a Photo walk with the Photo Team.

Ive got all the gear but have no idea how to use it

It would be good to see you join us Brian.

[newf]

It would be good to see you join us Brian.

Join the club Brian

[Jupes]

Hi Mark,

adam here...not suzanne!!!

I shoot weddings for a living, and have grown up with the EOS20d, 30d and still have a 40d as my back up camera for my EOS1d mk3.

Each time I upgraded in the series there were always great improvements on what was already a great camera and streets ahead of the 350d.

Firstly, you probably have with your 350d the 18-55mm lense I suspect. Simply changing the lense to the efs 17-85mm which I bought with my first eos20d makes a huge difference and would be an upgrade in itself. Suzanne now uses this lense on her 400d when she comes to weddings with me. So if you whack a 17-85mm efs on the 50D you will get stunning perfomance. I have a great deal of experience with the 40d and the main difference on the 50d is the new 15.1mp image sensor (and no compromise on speed as it will still shoot up to 6 frames per sec...more than enough for anyone.) You will need fairly large memory cards though, especially if you shoot in raw mode.

It is also more "camera like" than the 350/400/450d and I would even dare to say that I prefer its layout against my awesome 1dmk3. I have taken all of these series to Corfu, Egypt, Thailand and the USA, and they all performed superb under sometimes difficult conditions. Its a very robust workhorse benefitting from a magnesium alloy body. I have always used mine with BGe2 battery grip (which holds 2 bp511 batteries) It gives the camera a bit of weight and is also extremely useful when shooting portrait as the main camera funtion buttons are duplicated on the grip in the place you would most feel comfortable to find.

One word of advice though. The 20/30/40/50 series will accept both EFS and standard EF lenses. However, the standard EF range of lenses are generally superior and more usable than the efs range. My point being that if you ever wish to go for the major upgrade to a 5dmk2 or 1dmk3 or whichever variant is around and the time, your efs lenses become redundant. I have used my standard ef 24-105, which I bought with the 1d, on the 40d and given that the 40d has a magnification effect of 1.6x it is the equivalent of 38-168mm...results were superb, but I am still keen to migrate totally from the efs system itself.

The 50d will serve you extremely well, and only if you have concerns that you may wish at some point to go way beyond this, go with it.

Otherwise....the 5d mk2 with 24-105 is an outstanding solution, but at £2596 its a tad more than the very reasonable price of £1068 for a 50d with 17-85mm efs lense.

Hope this helps and if I can help more please let me know.

adam

www.adamcunninghamphotography.com

[mbird]

Paul,

Thanks for the link. There was a lot of reading material there and the conclusion has confirmed "I want one!"

Adam

Many thanks for your input.

Simply changing the lense to the efs 17-85mm which I bought with my first eos20d makes a huge difference

. I did exactly that last year, as I wanted a better lens with IS. It's so much better than the kit lens, that's for sure. I also went a step further and bought a 70-300 EF IS USM lens too, so they should both fair well on the 50D. It also helps keep the cost down as I only need the Body Only option. I'm trying to find the cheapest price at the moment, and so far Warehouse Express are about the cheapest as far as retail outlets go (£828) and I live near Norwich so getting there is a doddle. I have found it £50 cheaper online, but I am always worried about aftersales service, especially for something of that value.

All in all, I think I'm convinced. I now need to make sure the wife is too!

[Jupes]

Hi Mark

Suzanne here as Adam on phone, although will no doubt have something to add....

Adam has always got the best deals in part exchange at London Camera Exchange, so you might want to try there in Norwich and see how it stacks up against Warehouse Express who he also uses for lots of boys toys thingymajiggys

[Jupes]

hmm...to add to my dear wifes excellent reply!

Yes...exchanges are good at LCE. With regards to warehouse express...their prices are extrenely good and so is their service.

Whenever I have had an issue, as long as goods are sent back sensibly they will always replace. They also have a "proper" customer service department, just like the old days...no call centre stuff!

A good place to shop online and I have no probs thoroughly recommending them.

adam...

[Guest]

I can't add anything helpful Mark - as you know, I went straight from the Nikon D2X and D300 to the Canon 5D Mk II when I went full frame earlier this year, so I have no experience of the smaller sensor Canons (and very little of the full frame yet!). Adam is your man, and I wish you all the best with the necessary spousal persuasion.

I agree with Adam about WE - a great business, with really good customer service as well as good prices, and their new showroom is the best Santa's grotto ever

Bruce

[mbird]

their new showroom is the best Santa's grotto ever

Oh tell me about it! I went in there earlier this week to get my Spyder2 monitor calibrator, and also came out with a 4GB CF card. I nearly had a set of Lee ND grad filters off them to but luckily they were out of stock. Phew, lucky escape or what!

As regard funding the beastie, my VAT return is due the end of the month, and with everything I had to spend on software and printers etc to get my business up and running, I should be getting something back from the Vatman. SWMBO thinks it would be good to reinvest this in a new camera....... cool or what!

Good tip about LCE by the way Suzanne. I always forget about them being tucked away in Norwich. I tried Jessops just for a laugh and they would match WE price but nothing more, but I shaln't be purchasing anything there. They have as much expertise as I have fluent mandarine in my experience!

[mbird]

Adam & Suzanne, thanks for your tip about LCE. Spoke to them this morning and whilst their price for the 50D is the same as Jessops (£20 more than WE), they will give me £200 trade in for my 350D and battery grip.

As long as the VAT man agrees with my returns, hopefully I'll have a new toy in a few weeks time