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Canon 50D

 
Canon EOS 50D front
 
Portability
57
Imaging
53
Features
65
Overall
57

Canon 50D overview

Canon 50D is Canon's Advanced DSLR digital camera originally announced on October of 2008. It includes a 15 MegaPixel, CMOS APS-C sized sensor and has a peak resolution of 4752 x 3168.

Canon launched this model as a way to upgrade the previous Canon 40D (Read Full Comparison) and then released the fresher Canon 60D (Read Full Comparison) as a way to upgrade this camera.

The 50D ranks at #50 out of 92 in Advanced DSLR cameras and all round #351 out of 1465 for cameras in our database. You can check our Smart camera filter to find camera listings based on your customized factors.

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Here is a diagram of specific criteria used in the scoring system.

Canon 50D history

The Canon 50D is part of a family of cameras. You can read the detailed range below.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Canon-EOS-90D front thumbnailCanon 90D
50D vs 90D
33MPAPS-C11.0 fps2019
Canon-EOS-80D front thumbnailCanon 80D
50D vs 80D
24MPAPS-C7.0 fps2016
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Canon-EOS-70D front thumbnailCanon 70D
50D vs 70D
20MPAPS-C7.0 fps2013
Canon-EOS-60D front thumbnailCanon 60D
50D vs 60D
18MPAPS-C5.0 fps2010
Canon-EOS-50D front thumbnailCanon 50D15MPAPS-C6.3 fps2008
Canon-EOS-40D front thumbnailCanon 40D
50D vs 40D
10MPAPS-C6.5 fps2007
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Canon-EOS-30D front thumbnailCanon 30D
50D vs 30D
8MPAPS-C5.0 fps2006
Canon-EOS-20D front thumbnailCanon 20D
50D vs 20D
8MPAPS-C5.0 fps2004
Canon-EOS-10D front thumbnailCanon 10D
50D vs 10D
6MPAPS-C3.0 fps2003

Canon 50D Pros and Cons

Below is a checklist of good and bad points of the Canon 50D based on factors that are often seen as necessary in a digital camera.

does have Top LCD screen
environment sealing
exports RAW formats
flash built-in
great max shutter speed (1/8,000s)
great min ISO (100)
has manual focus
includes HDMI out
megapixel count decent (15MP)
pretty good screen size (3")
sensor has phase detect AF
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
supports face detection focusing
swap lenses (Canon EF/EF-S mount)
very good screen resolution (920 k dots)
doesn't posses selfie friendly screen
lack of video recording
missing external microphone support
missing headphone support
no image stabilization
no moving screen
not so great battery power (800 shots)
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Canon 50D Sensor details

The Canon 50D features the Digic 4 processor. The sensor size on the Canon 50D is 22.3mm x 14.9mm (APS-C). The 332 mm² sensor has the ability to resolve 4752 x 3168 pixels at aspect ratios of 3:2.

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The CMOS sensor boasts 15MP and features a standard ISO range of 100 to 3200. This ISO can also be extended electronically to a high of 12800. RAW files are supported which means that you have wider room to maneuver in post.

The picture below displays the 50D's sensor dimensions compared to other popular sizes. The 50D sensor comes with a crop factor of 1.6 and is shown in green.

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To get an understanding of different aspect ratios, you should refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Canon 50D dimensions

Canon 50D weighs 1.81 lb (822 grams or 29.00 ounces) and the sizing of the camera is 146mm x 108mm x 74mm (5.7" x 4.3" x 2.9"). The weight of general Advanced DSLR camera is 776 grams and the Canon 50D is very similar as compared with its competitors.

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Listed below is a visual of the Canon 50D with a soft drink to help you have a feel for its scale.

Canon EOS 50D dimensions scale

The top view directly below will illustrate the button design on the 50D.

Canon EOS 50D topview buttons dials

Canon 50D Lens specs

The 50D uses the Canon EF/EF-S mount and has 331 lenses that you can purchase. Below is a small number of the lenses we have in our database which will work with the 50D.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Tamron-AF-28-80mm-F3.5-5.6-Aspherical-Canon-EF lensTamron AF 28-80mm F3.5-5.6 Aspherical28-80mmf/3.5-5.6 237g
Tamron-AF-18-250mm-F3.5-6.3-Di-II-LD-Aspherical-IF-Macro-Canon-EF lensTamron AF 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 Di II LD Aspherical IF Macro18-250mmf/3.5-6.3 430g
Photography Glossary
Tamron-18-400mm-F3.5-6.3-Di-II-VC-HLD-Canon-EF-S lensTamron 18-400mm F3.5-6.3 Di II VC HLD18-400mmf/3.5-6.3 710g
Tamron-SP-AF-200-500mm-F5-6.3-Di-LD-IF-Canon-EF lensTamron SP AF 200-500mm F5-6.3 Di LD IF200-500mmf/5.0-6.3 1237g
Canon-EF-S-55-250mm-f4-5.6-IS-STM lensCanon EF-S 55-250mm f4-5.6 IS STM55-250mmf/4.0-5.6 375g
Sigma-50-500mm-F4.5-6.3-DG-OS-HSM-Canon-EF lensSigma 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM50-500mmf/4.5-6.3 1970g
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Canon-EF-50mm-f1.4-USM lensCanon EF 50mm f1.4 USM50mmf/1.4 290g
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Canon 50D Connectivity

The 50D has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Cameras which have NFC or Bluetooth compatibility can easily be used wirelessly by smartphones. You can easily send files and sometimes adjust settings without connecting physically to the camera.

Several applications even provide a Liveview and press the shutter when you aren't close to the camera. If the camera has a HDMI out, it could be connected to an external display. Almost all cameras will allow you to charge the battery using the USB port.

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Canon 50D Video specs

Canon 50D doesn't capture video. If you are wanting a digital camera to take only pictures, this might not be a problem.

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Canon 50D Weather Sealing

Canon 50D comes with environment sealing which makes it a very good pick to use during challenging climates. This can be particularly useful in case you are unsure about the elements you may encounter during outdoor photography.

Canon 50D Screen and Viewfinder

The Canon 50D includes a 3" fixed display boasting a resolution of 920k dots.

Please be aware that the display screen offers no touch support. The 50D also includes a Top LCD screen so it’s possible to quickly see camera settings.

Canon EOS 50D screen and viewfinder Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

The View Finder details regarding Canon 50D are as follows:

  • ViewFinder Optical (pentaprism)
  • Coverage 95 percent
  • Magnification 0.6x

In those bright outdoor situations which make the camera screens washed out and challenging to view, viewfinders are particularly useful.

Canon 50D Shutter specs

Canon 50D continuous shooting speed is 6.3 frames per second. The maximum shutter speed is 1/8000 seconds.

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Canon 50D Flash and Hot shoe specs

Canon 50D has got both built in flash plus external flash ability. The max flash sync speed is 1/250 seconds.

Canon 50D Autofocusing specs

Canon 50D has got both Phase Detect Auto Focus and Contrast Based Auto Focus. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot snappier and precise when compared with Contrast Based autofocusing. The camera includes Face detection which can be valuable for taking portraits of people.

The Sensor includes 9 focus points to select from. Canon 50D includes manual focusing if needed during low light or you require more exact focusing control.

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Canon 50D Battery life

The battery power (BP-511A) in the Canon 50D is fashioned to last for 800 clicks with respect to the CIPA requirements making it less compared to its competition. The typical Advanced DSLR camera battery life is 909. Nikon D780 offers the highest (2260) battery life within this class of cameras.

Listed below is a number of Advanced DSLR cameras that have the highest battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth
Nikon-D780 front thumbnailNikon D780
50D vs D780
2260 yesnoyes
Nikon-D850 front thumbnailNikon D850
50D vs D850
1840 yesyesyes
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Nikon-Df front thumbnailNikon Df
50D vs Df
1400 yesnono
Canon-EOS-90D front thumbnailCanon 90D
50D vs 90D
1300 yesnoyes
Nikon-D500 front thumbnailNikon D500
50D vs D500
1240 yesyesyes

Canon 50D for varying kinds of photography

The following diagram provides a analysis of the Canon 50D for varying kinds of photography. To check out more, go to the specific paragraph below.

Canon 50D Portrait photography factors

The Canon 50D gets a rating of 71 which is nice, and means the camera is a good pick to use for portrait images. Taking portraits favors greatly towards sensor dimensions, RAW support along with the capability to use external flash.

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focusing manually
decent sensor resolution (15 megapixels)
good sensor size (APS-C)
offers face detect autofocus
supports RAW formats

Canon 50D Street photography information

With a modest rating of 57, the Canon 50D is relatively suited for street photography. A decent street photography camera comes with a perfect balance of picture quality and portability.

Photography Glossary
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
delivers RAW formats
weather proof
screen is fixed
lack of image stabilization

Canon 50D as a Sports photography camera

A very good sports photography rating of 62 means the Canon 50D is a fine option for taking photos of sports. A camera must have good tracking plus continuous shooting for sports photography.

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max shutter speed is good (1/8,000s)
good resolution (15MP)
good sensor size (APS-C)
environment proof
has phase detect auto focus
no image stabilization
terrible battery life (800 CIPA)

Canon 50D Travel photography info

Portability is really important when selecting a travel camera. All round, the Canon 50D gets a decent 57 as a travelling camera which is reasonably adequate to purchase for your travels.

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environment proof
decent MP (15MP)
built-in flash
terrible battery life (800 shots)
screen is not selfie friendly

Canon 50D Landscape photography info

If you are looking to buy a camera for landscape photography, the biggest aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Canon 50D with it's above average rating of 65 as a landscape camera is a respectable fit among its rivals.

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has manual focus
switch lenses (Canon EF/EF-S mount)
nice screen size (3 inches)
good MP (15MP)
sensor size is good (APS-C)
delivers RAW formats
environment proof
no image stabilization
low battery life (800 per charge)

Canon 50D Vlogging factors

A camera for vlogging should offer a articulating display screen, mic input and preferably IBIS. Considering all things, the Canon 50D is not acceptable as a vlog camera as it gets a terrible score of 9.

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lack of video recording

Canon 50D Alternatives

If you are shopping for replacements to the 50D, below is a number of the highest rated cameras which fall in to the class of Advanced DSLR.

The graph just below offers you a summary of the 50D vs it's highest ranked rivals mentioned earlier.

These are some more cameras you might see as alternate options. To review a complete comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Brand
Canon
Model type
Canon EOS 50D
Category
Advanced DSLR
Introduced
2008-10-30
Physical type
Mid-size SLR
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Powered by
Digic 4
Sensor size
APS-C
Sensor measurements
22.3 x 14.9mm
Sensor surface area
332.3mm²
Sensor resolution
15MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
3:2
Full resolution
4752 x 3168
RAW files
Max native ISO
3200
Max boosted ISO
12800
Min native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
Continuous AF
AF single
AF tracking
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Total focus points
9
Lens
Lens support
Canon EF/EF-S
Number of lenses
326
Focal length multiplier
1.6
Screen
Type of screen
Fixed Type
Screen size
3"
Screen resolution
920k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch display
Screen tech
TFT liquid-crystal color LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage
95 percent
Viewfinder magnification
0.6x
DXO scores
DXO All around rating
63
DXO Color Depth rating
21.8
DXO Dynamic range rating
11.4
DXO Low light rating
696
Features
Lowest shutter speed
30 seconds
Highest shutter speed
1/8000 seconds
Continuous shooting rate
6.3 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation
Yes
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance
13.00 m (ISO 100)
Flash modes
Auto, On, Off, Red-eye
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Highest flash synchronize
1/250 seconds
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Max video resolution
None
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
822 gr (1.81 lb)
Physical dimensions
146 x 108 x 74mm (5.7" x 4.3" x 2.9")
Other
Battery life
800 pictures
Style of battery
Battery Pack
Battery ID
BP-511A
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Type of storage
Compact Flash (Type I or II), UDMA
Card slots
One
Price at launch
$996