50D image quality

qoman60

I have I believe an issue with my Canon 50D's image quality. I notice much more graininess or noise in the images compared to the images I get from my 6+ year old Canon Digital Rebel. I took both outside today and took some test photos with each one to verify my issue. I loaded the raw images into Photoshop Elements 8 on my Mac Book Pro, importing them without any post processing adjustments. I've uploaded a screen capture that I think shows the issue. Any 50D owners have similar issues? I'll upload hq jpegs of both images too. Here is the link:

http://topperphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/11229494_C59Mt#787497182_q5yv6

If this is a problem as I think it is, I want to get Canon to correct it before my warranty expires in a few months.

Scott_Quier

What you've loaded is a good start, but doesn't really allow a comparison of apples to apples.

What needs to be done is to use the same lens, use MANUAL settings on each camera. The images you uploaded ... the 50D is more than 1 stop less exposed than is the Rebel image. And, if you really want to get pedantic about it, mount the cameras on a tripod and shoot the same scene.

Photometric

Scott_Quier wrote:

pedantic.

Good word.

jeffreaux2

...and remember that the 50D has nearly three times the resolution. Thats a LOT more pixel sites on the same sized sensor....so comparing a 100% crop won't really demonstrate the benifits of the resolution vs noise. Compare prints and the 50D should prove its value.

paddler4

I don't think you really need to bother with a tripod for this, but you do need: 1) to expose them identically, and 2) show the same view. the 50D has almost 3 times the pixel density, so a 100% crop is not a reasonable comparison. Expose the same, and make the view identical in both images. If the 50D still looks noisier at 200, I think then you may have a problem.

my 50D is buttery smooth at 200.

ExposeTheMoment

50D Repair
Last year after buying a barly used 50D, I was having issues with noise and branding and sent it in for repare, and I recived it back with:

We have examined the product according to your request and upon close inspection the exact cause could not be identifed but it was found that noise appeared in the image from time to time. The internal component was replaced. Other electrical adjustments inspection and cleaning and parts replacements were carried out. REPLACED MAIN PCB. C-MOS ADJ.

dmmattix

ExposeTheMoment wrote:

Last year after buying a barly used 50D, I was having issues with noise and branding and sent it in for repare, and I recived it back with:

We have examined the product according to your request and upon close inspection the exact cause could not be identifed but it was found that noise appeared in the image from time to time. The internal component was replaced. Other electrical adjustments inspection and cleaning and parts replacements were carried out. REPLACED MAIN PCB. C-MOS ADJ.

How was it after you got it back?

Mike

ExposeTheMoment

The images are good, but I dont think are as clean as the 40D images. But that can be very subjective

dmmattix

ExposeTheMoment wrote:

The images are good, but I dont think are as clean as the 40D images. But that can be very subjective

Thanks. I just was interested in clarification. I agree regarding subjectivity. Noise, sharpness, over-sharpness what is good/bad is a personal preference.

Regards,

Mike

qoman60

Follow up, I am not a professional photographer, photography is only a hobby of mine.

I contacted Canon customer support about the issue, emailing them the same link I posted here. The rep that contacted me thinks there is an issue and I have sent the camera out for repairs. I'll have to see if any repairs make a difference.

I used a Digital Rebel since they were first introduced in Sept 2003. That slr replaced a Sony DSC 770 camera I had. Having used a 35mm slr since the mid 1970's I am more comfortable with that sized camera rather than a smaller point and shoot.

My subjective view of the image quality of my 50D is based solely on my experience with the Digital Rebel. When the time came to upgrade I wanted something better that the latest, at that time, Rebel T1i. I didn't like that Canon made the camera body smaller in newer Rebel models. From the beginning using the 50D I thought the image quality was not as good overall from what I was seeing with my D. Rebel. However, I figured it was because I was not used to the 50D's multitude of settings that I didn't have with my Rebel. It has taken me many months to determine, to my satisfaction, that there was an issue with the 50D. Now that I have sent it out, I am hopeful my concerns will be addressed and I can finally learn to properly use the 50D.

ziggy53

Good luck with the repairs.

dmmattix

ziggy53 wrote:

Good luck with the repairs.

Ditto. I hope it works for you.

I hate to say it but sometimes the only way you know if a camera will work for you is to try it as you normally shoot. Every camera has flaws and if your type of shooting exposes them then you will have problems with the camera. I went from a D30 to a 20D and now to a 7D. I never seemed to master the 20D, I would take what were reasonably well composed shots but I never liked the images it produced. I even thought about going back the D30 (which I loved). Now I have the 7D and I love it. Now you could say well the 7D is a hell of a jump up from a 20D and you should see the difference but the 20D should have been a similar jump from the D30 but I never saw it. The camera just never clicked with me.

Mike

keith breazeal

A fellow shooter had the same problem with his new 50D. Seems there are some random DOA 50Ds. I have two and they are good. Here's a couple of shots with areas of bright and black. I was very happy with the "true to life reproduction". There are times that a deep blue sky will exhibit some noise when the subject properly exposed and a few stops brighterthan the sky.

click on image to enlarge

http://www.asb.tv/files/photo/gallery/photos/orig_579_a6b8d.jpg

http://www.asb.tv/files/photo/gallery/photos/orig_579_bae5b.jpg

Noise in the darker sky

http://www.asb.tv/files/photo/gallery/photos/orig_579_2dd73.jpg

qoman60

Got my 50D back today. Canon service adjusted the alignment of the c-mos sensor, adjusted the white balance, exposure, and focus. Initial outdoor testing seems to show much less noise, however further testing will have to wait for a sunny day here. Overcast today with rain in the forecast, at least no more snow! Four feet in less than a week was more than enough.

One interesting thing I noticed, I shoot in raw with a saved large jpeg image, when imported into Photoshop Elements 8 the raw file has much more noticeable noise than the jpeg of the same image. The 50D must do some noise reduction in camera to the jpeg file and not the raw one. I put a screen capture in the original linked gallery in my first post in this thread if anyone is interested.

scorch07

qoman60 wrote:

Got my 50D back today. Canon service adjusted the alignment of the c-mos sensor, adjusted the white balance, exposure, and focus. Initial outdoor testing seems to show much less noise, however further testing will have to wait for a sunny day here. Overcast today with rain in the forecast, at least no more snow! Four feet in less than a week was more than enough.

One interesting thing I noticed, I shoot in raw with a saved large jpeg image, when imported into Photoshop Elements 8 the raw file has much more noticeable noise than the jpeg of the same image. The 50D must do some noise reduction in camera to the jpeg file and not the raw one. I put a screen capture in the original linked gallery in my first post in this thread if anyone is interested.

Good to hear! But yes, cameras do anti-noise processing on jpegs that you have to do on RAW files.