New 15 MP Rebel Vs. 50D

[Alan PAine]

I know this will open a can of worms, but wonder what experinces wer between the 2 models. I would like to upgrade from a 30D this fall, and wonder whats people's thoughts were

I am mostly Macro and flowers, with some lanscape thrown in, although I do have a Sigma 50-500 for birds. Being on a budget, wondering if the 15 MP Rebel will be OK vs. the D50. I am disappointed that the rebel takes SD cards as opposed to the investment I have in CF's :)

Thanks,
Alan Paine
Madison,WI

[Ed Cordes]

Alan, Welcome to BPN. You will learn a lot here among the great people who participate.

RE your question If funds are available I would consider the Canon 50D. The image quality of the Rebel, while not bad, is not as good as with the 50D. The 50D is also a more robust body with some weather sealing.

Just my $0.02

[Glen Fox]

Alan,

I am using the XSi and find this 12 mpx camera a real little gem. I gives you almost everything the 50D does, or that is useful on the 50D, without all the problems that accompany the 15 mpx. I think it is a great compromise between the 40D and the 50D. Its great value for money. The Rebels get a bad rap, but those of us that use them have found them to be reliable and robust. I suspect that the guts of all these cameras is the same and there is a lot of "badge engineering" going on. Before you buy a 50D have a look at all the threads about IQ and performance of the 50D here on BPN. If you go ahead and buy a 50D, informed, that is one thing, but pushing your budget and then being surprised, disappointed, and very confused is another. There are many of us currently in the latter boat.

[Aidan Briggs]

I've never used this Rebel model before, but I previously used a Rebel XTi, and when I got the 50D, it was a big improvement, especially in the AL Servo AF department. The LCD screen on the back was also much better, as was the FPS rate. So I would take the 50D any day.

[Glen Fox]

I suggest you get the two cameras side-by-side, as well as compare their specs, reviews, and feature lists. You'll find that the XSi has a similar sized viewing screen (not as good though) and many things you find in the 40D and 50D. It will only shoot 3.5 fps but that is not a problem if you are not shooting BIF. The XSi is not the equivalent camera, but it is a very good substitute if you cant afford the 40/50D. It depends what you want and what you need.