Canon 50D: 15.1 Megapixels, ISO 12800, & 6.3 fps

[danaltick]

Well, I've held on to my 20D for four years now waiting for something to come along that was really worth upgrading to.  I think it has finally arrived http://www.anandtech.com/digitalcameras/showdoc.aspx?i=3388.  It's simply amazing how fast technology has progressed in the past four years.  I really do like the mobility of APS-C.  I'm glad it's still moving forward.

Dan

[billseymour]

Dan (and anyone else who has insights)-
Thought I'd get your opinion on this:

I am looking at finally getting into DSLRs (my objection is always the weight, but what can ya do?).

Do you have any thoughts on the Canon XSi (the newer Rebel, has spot metering which was important to me)? Quality of image, general sense of whether this is a good entry camera, etc. Also, I am not clear on whether the Canon lenses for the Rebel series would be usable if I ever upgraded to the higher-end cameras, like the 50D you are discussing.

Thanks for any stray thoughts on this.
--Bill

[SteveM]

Bill,

From the press release:

"... The EOS 50D is compatible with the full lineup of Canon EF lenses as well as the Company’s ever-growing line of affordable EF-S lenses created specifically for Canon Digital SLRs with APS-C size image sensors. ..."

The 50D is in Canon's midrange series (two digit model numbers); the single digit cameras are the high end and the triple, and now quadruple, digit cameras are the low end.

I have no experience with the XSi, so I can't comment there. I am quite pleased with my 20D and 300D (original digital Rebel).

SteveM

[billseymour]

Thanks Steve for the feedback about the earlier Rebel models. So far, reviews on XSi seem to be good.

--Bill

[Dan Zemke]

Bill,

I bought an XTi (the predecessor to the XSi) and am happy with it and I suspect you will be very happy with the XSi too. 

I considered buying the 30D but considered to be a minor upgrade to the 20D which Dan Altick has.  At the time, the XTi produced produced better images, had a much better LCD screen and a few other features I preferred, including being half the price of the 30D.  So I bought my backup camera before the "real camera".  Like Dan A., I also am going to by the 50D.

As for which lens fit which camera, the 50D and below (including the 20D, 30D and XTi) all accept the identical lenses.  So any lens you buy for the XSi will fit a 50D. 

It's a good time to buy an entry-level DSLR.  A couple of waves of initial models have be brought to market.  Capability is way up and there is lots of competiion, so prices are good.

The gold standard for complete reviews of new cameras comes from DP Review.  They are fairly long, but provide very good, and unbiased information.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos450d/

Good luck and have fun!

Dan

[billseymour]

Thanks Dan, very helpful. I've had DP Review bookmarked for awhile now, and you are right- they are thorough, and I think their tests and comparisons are useful in a 'real world' way.

Sort of a trivial question (until one starts lugging cameras around all day): any suggestions as to good carrying case/bag? For walking around New York City, I'd do most of my shooting with a single midsize zoom (35-135, or 70-200 or something) on the body. I would really like to come up with something I could carry on my waist/hip, but I realize the weight might be too much. (With my long zoom point and shoot, more like 1 lb, I used a Lowepro case that I could thread through belt loops. But that is 1 lb, rather than a 2 lb load).

Any further XSi insights and carrying case ideas appreciated.
--Bill

[danaltick]

Bill,

I use this bag for shooting around town http://www.the-digital-picture.com/reviews/Lowepro-Slingshot-200-AW-Review.aspx.

It holds my 70-200 just fine.  I like the fact that you can flip it around without having to take it off or sit down.  They have a larger 300 size now too, but I like the smaller one for my gear.

Dan

[Dan Zemke]

I have the same bag and like it too.

Dan

[billseymour]

Dan A (-is that right? 'altick' is last name?) and Dan Z-
I've used a small Lowepro case for my point and shoot for years, and think they make great products. I didn't know about the Slingshot bags- they look quite interesting and thoughtfully built (ie, usable). Poking around the site, I also see some beltpacks (which I'd prefer for heavy hiking, since weight 'rests' far more comfortably on the hips than dragging down on the shoulder), such as:

http://products.lowepro.com/product/Inverse-100-AW,2100,7.htm

which looks sort of like a Slingshot-beltpack.

Good- I am encouraged. I am a 'carrying weight around' fiend, I guess (I hate it, basically). So while it seems funny, I have to satisfy myself that I'll have a solution which will cause me to take the camera rather than saying (whining!), 'naw, I don't want to lug that around all day'.

So: not only do I want excellent photo quality, I also want my device to weigh next to nothing, and probably it should be able to chew my food for me, too.
(Maybe in next year's models?)

Good gear info. Please continue to add anything that seems useful to you.
--Bill

[billseymour]

Another interesting belt pack on Lowepro site:

http://products.lowepro.com/product/Orion-Mini,1988,7.htm

--Bill

[Dan Zemke]

Hi Bill.

Neither of the links you posted worked for me - both came up with "Critical Template Error....".  Maybe they changed some of the LowePro URLs after you posted the links?

I have no experience with belt mounts but have read several articles that expound their ease of weight-carrying virtues.   I think that if they bounced around, I would consider the mount position irritating and I I tied them down, acess would probably be slower.  But again, I have no experience with belt mounts which transfer the weight to you hips.

For me,  a single body with one, or two lenses has never been an irritant or burden.  So for two or 3 pounds, shoulder supported stuff doesn't bother me at all and I like the out of the way, but quick access of the Slingshots.  FYI, there's a 100 model that is a bit smaller also.

Dan