Purchased first DSLR. Canon EOS 50D Questions???

[threeglasgows]

I have just taken my first step in to DSLR Cameras and purchased a Canon EOS 50D (Body Only)Prior to this it was just point and shoot. I have a couple of old canon lenses these are an EF 35-80mm 1:4-5.6 and an EF 75-300 1:4-5.6 II. I know these are compatible with the camera but how good / bad are they? I would also like to know what you would recomend as an upgrade. The camera will be used for all sorts of photography therefor nothing to specialized please. I was looking on Ebay and Can Pick up an 18-55 IS used Kit lens for around $100. As this lens seems to get mixed reviews is this a good choice or not for a starter lens. Money is pretty tight at the moment so nothing to expensive please. I understand this camera will have a very steep lerning curve but the price was to good to miss now that the 60D has been announced. I tried searching the forum but the search engine is unavailable at this time. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thankyou.
Darron

[XG332]

Look into the 17-85 or 15-85, i cannot remember which is the one i actually mean.
The 18-55 is a bit of s cheap horrible lens.
also the 50mm F/1.8 is very cheap and can create very dramatic results.

Best of luck, enjoy the camera.

[pernod]

+1 vote for the 50mm 1.8. It's cheap, it's plastic but it can give outstanding results.

This site is a bit techy, but you can just assume the score the better... it plots lens quality agaist price and should quickly help you gauge 'bang for buck'.

DXO Mark

DXO do a lot of the camera/lens calibration for camera manufactures so all the data is pretty reliable.

[JABB]

I am moving to full size sensor and therefore am selling a couple of lenses on Ebay.
A great Sigma 18-125 F3.5-5.6 and a Tamron 55-200.
I would say, for £100, the Sigma will take some beating!
The kit 18-55 is a bad lens. The same in IS however is a better lens. There will be C £60.
Another good starter lens would be a Sigma 18-200.

[RobDickinson]

threeglasgows said:

I have just taken my first step in to DSLR Cameras and purchased a Canon EOS 50D (Body Only)Prior to this it was just point and shoot. I have a couple of old canon lenses these are an EF 35-80mm 1:4-5.6 and an EF 75-300 1:4-5.6 II. I know these are compatible with the camera but how good / bad are they? I would also like to know what you would recomend as an upgrade. The camera will be used for all sorts of photography therefor nothing to specialized please. I was looking on Ebay and Can Pick up an 18-55 IS used Kit lens for around $100. As this lens seems to get mixed reviews is this a good choice or not for a starter lens. Money is pretty tight at the moment so nothing to expensive please. I understand this camera will have a very steep lerning curve but the price was to good to miss now that the 60D has been announced. I tried searching the forum but the search engine is unavailable at this time. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thankyou.
Darron

50D is a cracking camera, bit of a red headed stepchild though.

Dont know about the 35-80, I have a 28-80mk1 which is a good lens but not wide enough on my crop.

75-300 will be shown up a ton by the 50D.

All those pixels need a great lens and technique if your going to get shots that look OK zoomed in, but dont worry too much.

17-85 is worth it if its cheap, else get the new 8-55IS kit lens, plenty of other options if theres more cash around.

The 50/1.8 is an absolute bargainand well worth picking up regardless (unless you go for a 1.4).

[dibbly dobbler]

I've an 18-55 which came as part of a kit - perfectly respectable starter lens, dunno why it's taking all the flak

Best not spend too much till you get the hang of things and see what kind of shots are going to interest you

[paul911]

RobDickinson said:

50D is a cracking camera, bit of a red headed stepchild though.

Care to elaborate Rob

[RobDickinson]

paul911 said:

RobDickinson said:

50D is a cracking camera, bit of a red headed stepchild though.

Care to elaborate Rob

ok - at launch it had 50% more pixels than the 40D, and people compared it 100% view to the 40D and panned it for 'noise', even though it was about 1/3rd stop better overall.

Also it was nearly twice the price of the 40D , and didnt offer masses of upgrade - 15mp, better LCD etc , but not what the market/reviewers percieved as much better.

For some reason its never lost a bit of that even though the price has come down (here to below what the 40D sold out at).

[S47]

I agreee 50D is a million times better than 40D I own both so know both well.
50d needs latest firmware update, but resolution is superb with good glass. [Not cheapo zooms] only zoom I use with it is the latest EFS18-55 'IS' kit lens which is fine
I'd say noise was 2/3-1 stop better than 40d and 50d has micro AF adjustment for lenses, well worth sorting each lens out to suit the body, all mine required adjustment.
I just bought a 7D but untill I get my head around the 7D's 'improvements??' my 50D is my money body at the mo.

[M-J-B]

S47 said:

I agreee 50D is a million times better than 40D I own both so know both well.
50d needs latest firmware update, but resolution is superb with good glass. [Not cheapo zooms] only zoom I use with it is the latest EFS18-55 'IS' kit lens which is fine
I'd say noise was 2/3-1 stop better than 40d and 50d has micro AF adjustment for lenses, well worth sorting each lens out to suit the body, all mine required adjustment.
I just bought a 7D but untill I get my head around the 7D's 'improvements??' my 50D is my money body at the mo.

Interesting, how do I update the firmware?

[SamHH]

M-J-B said:

Interesting, how do I update the firmware?

Go to the Canon website's support section and download it, then load it onto the camera. There'll be an 'update firmware' option in the menu somewhere.

[M-J-B]

SamHH said:

M-J-B said:

Interesting, how do I update the firmware?

Go to the Canon website's support section and download it, then load it onto the camera. There'll be an 'update firmware' option in the menu somewhere.

Thanks......didn't realize it was as simple as that....duh!

[flat-planedCrank]

....and with the new 60D spec the 50D looks like a cut-price 7D


I'd take a 50D over a 60D even if they were the same price.