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Canon 50D in the wild
And in some ways, not quite what I expected.
I just got back from a canon sponsored field workshop. If you ever get a chance to go, RUN! And Canon is on the push to do more of these all over the US!
In my case, three canon reps, including the national field manager, a well known landscape pro photographer, and more glass and bodies than even in your dreams. I had access to everything except a 1200mm. I should have played more:cry
--note: these are quick snapshots at the end of the long day at the California coast.
The good:
Awesome screen --- maybe worth upgrading just for this along wit the ISO
The bad: -- more like, why did they do that?
Blurr? Sharp Sliders????
I think they're trying to market the camera to both pro-sumers and to newbies with the "CA" more. Or, as someone called it, "more advance green button".
I expected this on the rebel series and not this body. It's not necessarily bad, just unexpected for me. :dunno
And some other snapshots:
And the reps couldn't tell us anything else, even though we begged. :wink They're all under a NDA.
EDITED:
I was wrong. No one shot with the camera. It's not allowed, especially since it was a pre-production camera. I don't want to give anyone the wrong impression that these wonderful canon reps were breaking the rules.I"m sorry for the mistake.
I just got back from a canon sponsored field workshop. If you ever get a chance to go, RUN! And Canon is on the push to do more of these all over the US!
In my case, three canon reps, including the national field manager, a well known landscape pro photographer, and more glass and bodies than even in your dreams. I had access to everything except a 1200mm. I should have played more:cry
--note: these are quick snapshots at the end of the long day at the California coast.
The good:
Awesome screen --- maybe worth upgrading just for this along wit the ISO
The bad: -- more like, why did they do that?
Blurr? Sharp Sliders????
I think they're trying to market the camera to both pro-sumers and to newbies with the "CA" more. Or, as someone called it, "more advance green button".
I expected this on the rebel series and not this body. It's not necessarily bad, just unexpected for me. :dunno
And some other snapshots:
And the reps couldn't tell us anything else, even though we begged. :wink They're all under a NDA.
EDITED:
I was wrong. No one shot with the camera. It's not allowed, especially since it was a pre-production camera. I don't want to give anyone the wrong impression that these wonderful canon reps were breaking the rules.I"m sorry for the mistake.
0
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Were you allowed to shoot with it or just shoot it?
So now tell us.... IS the 18-200 anything good? Did it seem like decent construction, or more like a basic "kit" lens has usually felt like?
Were there any new lenses around that you can talk about?
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky
We were allowed to run off with it as long as we brought it back at the end of the day.
But I didn't shoot with it. I was to busy playing with other things and trying to get shots with gear that I owned.
Jim Rose, Canon Pro. Rep. doesn't like it too much in terms of optics, but then again, he rather be shooting with a 10-22 and a 70-200 on a crop body for his two lens solution. But don't forget, the entire trunk of his car is filled with L glass (his garage too).
I spent most of time with the landscape pro and trying to use the 24 T&S by getting lessons from all three canon reps (and I still don't understand that lens) and didn't play around with toys as much as I should have.
People were using the 800mm with the 1.4TC and the 50D. Crazy length
And they can't tell us anything; the reps are bound to the NDA. However, Jim did tell us a story when the 30D came out. He was teaching a two seminars, each three days long and he was actually using the 30D for both sessions, but no one knew he was using it since the model number was covered and no one else used it. On the last day of the seminar, someone asked him a question about some rumors (or something like that) and he told the photographer to ask him again at 3 pm. And at 3 pm, he put the camera that he was using on the table and told everyone what it was. It turns out that the official canon press release came out at 3pm.
Canon Calendar of Events
I went to the "L series field workshops" and it was bargain at $50.
Canon does sponsor other workshops, some multi-days, etc, and they're not all that cheap, but if this is any indication, they're all quality.
Check if there is anything local to you!
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Thanks for sharing
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Now if only you did play with the 50D.
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What is next, program modes?
Glass: Sigma 70-200 f2.8 | Sigma 20 f1.8 | Canon 28-135 f3.5-5.6 IS USM
I felt the same way when they added windows and mouse to the computer.
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Count your blessings and go in peace:-)
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To be continued in a new thread:
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
From the chats with these rep, I did infer a few things.
- Canon wants to be the solution from start to finish. Shoot with a canon camera, process with canon software (DPP), print with a canon printer on canon paper using canon ink.
- Canon is pushing eduction in order to improve market share in all areas from photography to printing.
- Canon isn't happy at all with losing market share to Nikon -- not happy at all. This applies to both the consumer and pro space.
- Canon has nearly always outsold Nikon in the past, but in the recently months, Nikon has been beating canon (from the camera store rep that hosted the event, not from the canon rep).
- At least one of canon reps shot with a D3 for a while, and while he doesn't like everything (probably due layout of the menu system, etc), he did grudgingly admit Nikon did some things right with the camera and wasn't happy that in some specific ways, better than the canon equivalent
- I didn't get any specifics, but reps didn't like the way Nikon is going after the pro photograph market (no details were given). If you watched the Olympics, you saw a lot less white lenses and more black ones. And looking at SI, and other high profile photographers, a bunch of them getting incredible images with the D3 and other Nikon bodies. I think the new Nikon bodies are amazing cameras.
Note -- these were my interpretation of the various conversations and does not necessary indication the direction of canon. It's just what I took away after chatting with them.So.. what does this mean for us? Canon seems pissed and playing catch up. It's going to be interesting what they come up with.
No matter what happens, its going to be a win for the consumers.
Canon of Singapore has some sample shots, they include high ISO's 800, 1600, 3200, and 12800.
I think the 800's are find and the 1600 ok.
The 3200 seems a bit too noisy for me and the 12800 seems like something for maybe small online images but not for prints.
Seeing as I don't find the ISO 1600 shots usable from my 30D, I guess this may be an improvement. I suspect that these are JPEG images, so I'll have to wait and see how much noise is in the RAW files to see how much noise reduction has been applied by the camera's processing. ISO 12800 seems to show banding which I also saw on high ISO images from another person who tooks some shots with a 50D.
Tom,
thanks for sharing!
I dowloaded one of the 12800 samples and loaded it in PS. Simple "Dust and scratches" at 1/1 took care of 90 of the noise, and noise removal pretty much cleaned it up. Naturally it's still not on par with ISO100, but.. come on, it's 8 stops!!!
http://www.pdnpulse.com/2008/09/canon-50d-gets.html
I wonder why does innovation always have to be MP sensor etc.,
Having worked in VLSI field for 8 years, I can confidently say that the 50D could have had many more features which were either a small increase in cost for manufacturer(1-2$/cam) or nil cost increase.
1. IR remote facility
2. Common remote shutter relase across cams, N-3 is so stupid, how much do they make with shutter releases anyways, and someone will always create cheaper version
3. Bulb mode programability, Why use 30 sec max. why not let user select how long exposure is needed. Let the user dial in 1000 seconds if user wants so. Whats with this bulb mode thing!
4. Easily can implement time lapse in camera. Its such a simple software function!
Its the small things which make a camera great. Slight changes in useability can go a long way.
I am frankly dissapointed. And no I don't want video,
I think I will upgrade from my 350D to the next version of 450D. I always use center focus, and if center focus point of 500D is as good as that of 50D, I am good!
Of course I will need to sell my CF cards,.... But then SD is much cheaper.
I get to retain the remote(IR) and remote shutter release.
And please canon if the 18-200IS is lousy let the 18-55IS stay. For the first time in history you have made a kit lens thats not embarassing, keep it that way
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I have a 50D arriving tomorrow, looking forward to working with it for a while
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What the..... how did you swing that??
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You get all the fun toys early!
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I'll be looking forward to your opinion. I'm anxiously waiting to purchase a new camera and was looking at the 40D, but am also considering this one.
The reason why? My 20D recently bit the dust, and my insurance has covered a replacement. I've got £810 in vouchers, and it has to be from a specific store... the 40D, plus BG-E2N, plus 4GB Sandisk Extreme III is £780... leaving me with £30 for a filter or something.
The 50D body-only is £1200 from that same store. In other words... there's about a £400 price difference which I'd have to pay for myself...
So... I'm currently leaning towards a 40D with grip and memory card, or perhaps a second flash unit for off-camera creative work... but if the 50D is that special on low-light (concert photography, etc.) I might reconsider.
Reviews/thoughts gratefully appreciated!
it's here, in hand - I'll try and shoot with it today
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One of the firsts ?
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