Canon EOS 50D 15.1MP SLR vs. Nikon D90 DSLR 12.1

The Canon 50D is no major improvement over the XSi. Between those two, I would save the extra cash and get the XSi, which is a terrific camera. But if you have more to spend, the Nikon D90 is better still, clearly the best of the bunch. For starters, it has better high-ISO performance, but there are other bonuses. I'll let someone who has the time and inclination enumerate its benefits, but the D90 is probably the best camera in its class.

For what it's worth, I shoot with an XSi and love it dearly.

The first thing you should be aware of is that there isn't really a "best" camera. It's what fits your needs and does everything you need it to at a decent price, or at least in my experience.

Another thing that's good to know is the 50D's noise performance is worse than the 40D's because of the extra megapixels being crammed onto the sensor. Around ISO 400 and up, the 40D has cleaner images. The D90 is excellent at high ISOs, and you've also got that movie option if you want to have a little fun. The whole noise debacle does have a silver lining (IMO)--the 40D's price is lower now that the 50D's out.

The comparison between the D90 and XSi may be a bit unfair, since you're crossing tiers, in my view. Both are great, but with the D90 you get some more ISO stops and great noise performance, another frame per second, and a host of other things. You do have to ask yourself if you'd rather just save the money to spend on glass, though. Lenses will often make a much bigger impact on the final image than the body, so it's an accepted practice to try and spend as little as you're willing to on a body and a lot on the lenses you'll be using.

I hope I helped you. There's a lot of things to consider, but any of the cameras you listed will probably do more than exceed your IQ criteria.

I would probably go with the D90 (its feature set will do more than cover what you're planning to shoot), but as I previously stated, in the long run lenses are a much better investment. An awesome body is rendered useless with a bad lens. As Phrasikleia said, the XSi is also a great choice and leaves you some money to attach some great glass to it, or at least give you a head start on saving for some.

LittleCanonKid said:

You do have to ask yourself if you'd rather just save the money to spend on glass, though. Lenses will often make a much bigger impact on the final image than the body, so it's an accepted practice to try and spend as little as you're willing to on a body and a lot on the lenses you'll be using.

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This is excellent advice and is what I should have included in my response. It's the route I went. I have the XSi plus the extra grip, but my investment in lenses far exceeds my investment in the body and its grip. One of my lenses alone exceeds what I paid for body plus grip. The lenses are where the real fun is to be had, and they more than anything else will be what limits quality.

The 50D's screen is on par with the D3/D700/D300's screen, which is tremendous. The 40D is more in line with the D40s' and such, which is an earlier generation of displays.

In several reviews of the 50D, I've seen some version of this: "The 50D takes the APS-C sensor as far as it can go." Meaning, to me, that the 50D basically hits the limits of its sensor and does as much as possible with it. It may not be the best camera for your money, particularly with the 40D out there at a very attractive price.

Remember, the 40D is still a current camera for Canon. It has not been superseded by the 50D.

Boostin said:

but as far as taking actual pictures, is 15.1 megapixel much better then 12.2? sorry i am VERY new to photography.

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No, it's not necessarily better to have more megapixels. The more megapixels you cram onto a sensor of a given size, the smaller the photosites have to be. Smaller photosites mean a weaker signal, and a weaker signal means more noise in the photo.

Boostin said:

ok, so, if they were all the same price, which one would be the one to go with i guess is what im getting at? also, if the 50D is out of the picture, then which one. the nikon D90 or the Canon XSi?

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Well, of course the D90, since it's in a different class than the XSi. It's a "prosumer" camera and is priced accordingly.

Well... I don't quite see the point of that comparison, since they're not the same price... but, I suppose in terms of pure IQ, the D90 wins out. But for being so much less with very few compromises in image quality, the XSi should warrant your attention (oops, did I just consider price again)? If you want a lot of frames per second relatively cheap, the 40D's got 6 FPS as opposed to the D90's 4.5, so you may want to look at that.

Any choice will serve you well. I'd advise for you to look at each brand's lens lineup so you can figure out which brand will serve you the best down the road...

I'm not exactly qualified to say which camera is better, but I from the "benchmarks" i've seen, the D90 has the better sensor, and I love it because I happen to own it. (At ISO 100, it matches the D3 in dynamic range).

Oh, and another thing... perhaps the most important is the person looking through the viewfinder. Then the lens, then the body. Don't leave it on auto all the time, like a bunch (!) of SLR users I personally know. Experiment! Know how to use the camera and how each aspect of exposure affects the others. Once you know how to do that, it won't really matter what body you're holding.

The thing to focus on as well is the glass, that lasts MUCH longer then a body, so pick your brand, and stick with it, because you will be dedicating $$ towards it over many years (if you enjoy it).

Things you should consider purchasing AFTER you get to know your camera would surely be the speedlight series, like the SB-600 for external flash, and again, an assortment of lens, from your wide angles, telephotos, and prime lens like the 50mm F1.8 (cheap and popular). There's more experts on the subject, but that's just from my personal experience..

I started with D90 and 18-105 kit lens, then ended up getting 50mm 1.8, 70-300mm, SB-600, and some other filters and goodies...the collection is still building as finances slowly trickle in. (May I add the movie mode kicks ass).

When I mean get to know your camera, I mean what the post above says, MASTER the settings, know how settings effect your image and learn the basics of photography like composition and the like. I've been using manual since day 1, auto is not for SLR's, you're wasting your money if you are not taking full control of your investment.

Good luck on your decision!

Personally, I think the D90 is an excellent choice. I played with my friend's D90, and it was lots of fun. I still have lots more fun with my 5D Mark II, although you wouldn't have gone wrong with any of the other cameras. The video mode on the 5D Mark II is loads better though, since the "jello effect" isn't anywhere as bad. Anyway, I'm just not into crop frame cameras anymore after making the move to full-frame.

Like I tell everyone, do your RESEARCH, and go to the store and play around with the camera's that you're looking at. And this is also very important: LOOKING AT EACH BRAND'S LENSE! I think Canon's lineup is a lot less confusing, and generally costs a little cheaper when making comparisons. They separate their consumer lines and pro lines by standard EF/EF-S and L series lenses. Makes a lot more sense than Nikon's gibberish.

IQ wise, the D90 is the best of the bunch.

The 50D or 40D will win in other areas, such as construction where the D90 is made of plastic, the 40D and 50D are made from magnesium. I also perfer the "Canon style" button placement on the 40D and 50D over the D90, I like that I can change most of the shooting settings with only one hand, but this is mainly a personal preference.

The 40D and 50D also shoot faster, the 40D at 6.5 and the 50D at 6.3 vs the D90's 4.5fps

The D90 obviously has the leg up in some areas as well, so it's not exactly a clear-cut winner.

The best advice anyone can give is to make a visit to your local photo shop, and spend some time with both cameras and find out what you like using the most.

Personally, I think the 50D's image quality is not as good as the D90's (or the Canon 40D's), but that's just me. I haven't looked at images from the 50D in ages, but I do remember seeing comparisons between the 50D and D90 early on in a thread on another website, and even most loyal Canon fanboys were saying the D90's images were better (in absolute disgust, of course ). I was shocked, because.....well....fanboys are fanboys, after all.

Phrasikleia said:

Well, of course the D90, since it's in a different class than the XSi. It's a "prosumer" camera and is priced accordingly.

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The D90 is considered a consumer model, not a prosumer one.

Of those 3 choices the D90 is the best, but it costs a little more than the XSi. Maybe you should go to a store and try them all out. When you buy a body you also invest in a camera system. I assume you will buy lenses, flashes, etc.. You invest in a system and once you do you are committed pretty much so make sure you like that particular brand. I love Nikon for myself, but Canon is just as good. Each of us is different.

Oh to the poster who said that Nikon's way of separating pro from consumer lenses is hard to understand and gibberish. We don't need a fancy "L" or a white lens to let it scream pro. We are more secure on the Nikon side. That was a joke like I'm assuming yours was.

Nikons lens lineup is very easy to understand for Nikon owners. Pretty straightforward.

Boostin said:

so, i have aquestion then, why is the 50D sooooo much more money? is megapixel not the key to good quality pics, (assuming i use glass it comes with). thanks again guys for help/advice/tips.

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One main difference between the XSi and the 50D, and even the 40D is that with the latter two you have total control of all the camera settings, and more weather resistance. Thats all i can remember at the moment, and I am certain there is more. But the XSi is a nice little camera you can pair to some good glass. I used a Rebel XT for over four years before upgrading to the 40D, and it was a great little camera.

About the ISO noise, I would not worry about that too much, unless you are always going to shoot at the highest ISO speeds. Take a look at what some have to say on this issue:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=660257

for me megapixels doesnt matter to me. i want a camera that has a good Frames per second speed and ISO sensitivity's (I shoot sports and indoor/night time events most of the time). Thats why i have a 30D and planning to get a 40D as my last investment. 50D is nice but too overkill (in my opinion) i rather spend the extra cash on buy good glass.

i don't believe the 50D is in the same class as the D90...doesn't it compete with the D300?

in terms of image quality, they're all more or less the same. the 50D has better noise handling than the XSi, i can't speak for the D90. the thing about 40D having less noise than the 50D is a pointless argument...oh no, there's a smidgen more noise at 100%! no one will notice in a print, much less in a 600x900 image in your web browser.

anyways, the most noticeable advantage of the 40/50D over the consumer bodies is build and ergonomics.