Canon 50D and ISO

[Aerin328]

My DSLR is a Canon 50D. I've had three more experienced photographers voice their opinions on this camera body to me, and each of them seem to include some comment regarding the ISO performance. Basically they claim that at higher ISOs (800 and higher perhaps) this body is more noisy than other Canon (cropped sensor) bodies. But one stated also that at lower ISOs (below 400) the 50D was superior in the noise department/ less noisy; that is, implying that the 50D is something like a "built for low ISO" camera. I myself do find that at higher ISOs the noise can get pretty intolerable (recognizing of course that higher ISO almost always = more noise with all bodies), but my DSLR experience is mostly limited to this body design.

So, just curious, do other Canon 50D owners out there have additional comments regarding the 50D and ISO noise?

Thanks sincerely to all for the input!

 

[Big Mike]

This is a very subjective topic...especially when your going off of the opinions of other photographers.

From what I recall, when the 50D came out...all the talk was that it didn't show significant improvement in ISO performance over the 40D. Some loud-mouths were up in arms about it. But, it did increase the size of the image (Mega Pixels)...and kept very similar ISO performance....so I'd say that it is a good upgrade.

Whether the 50D or another digital camera, the key to controlling noise is to use a lower ISO...but also maximizing the signal to noise ratio. In other words, there is less signal (image data) in the darker regions and more signal in brighter regions of an image. So you will more readily see noise in darker areas...especially if you try to brighten an image in post. To that end, you will get less overall noise if you overexpose the image...just don't go too far and blow the highlights.

 

[Aerin328]

Indeed it is a subjective topic, just looking for subjective input from other 50D owners. Thank you for the response sir.