Canon EOS 50D Digital SLR
Overall, we were very pleased with the 50D’s performance and controls. The camera’s fast burst rate of 6.3 frames per second definitely puts it a notch above most entry-level D-SLRs, which generally offer about 3 frames per second. This faster speed can make a big difference in your ability to capture a shot, such as when you’re trying to get the perfect shot of a leaping athlete or the like. In addition, the camera took almost no time to power on before it was ready to take a picture.
The 50D also looks like and feels like a serious camera with its black, textured surface and beefy grip. It’s comfortable to hold and has the feel of a quality built product, in part due to its weight; with the EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens attached and a battery and memory card inserted, it weights about three pounds. Furthermore, the 50D’s controls seem to be in the right locations, and we like that Canon made better use of the Direct Print button by allowing it to serve dual purpose as easy access to Live View Mode. Canon’s Quick Control screen is another helpful addition. Both of these features also make use of the 50D's gorgeous 3-inch LCD.
For users who are transitioning from a film SLR, it’s important to keep in mind that Canon’s D-SLRs have a 1.6x digital crop factor, so a 28-135mm lens is really the 35mm equivalent of 44.8 to 216 mm lens.
The 50D's overall image quality was good and it delivered consistently clean images with crisp details. For users who are upgrading from earlier Canon D-SLR models, Canon’s across-the-range Picture Style tone and color combination will give you consistent performance between both cameras.
Canon offers the 50D in a body only configuration with an MSRP of $1,399 and as a kit version with Canon's EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM zoom lens at an MSRP of $1,599. Of course, many retailers are offering their own kit configurations or bundle deals, and you can often find better sale prices as you’ll see in our PriceGrabber listing below.
