How many Megapixels does the Canon 50D have?

The Canon EOS 50D is equipped with a an APS-C sensor that offers an image resolution of 15.1 megapixels (MP), or 15.1 million pixels. With its native aspect ratio of 3:2, the sensor has 4 752 horizontal pixels and 3 168 vertical pixels.

A 35mm film slide or negative contains 5-15 MP of useful detail, so that the Canon 50D can be considered to be a high-resolution camera that outresolves any 35mm film camera.

A high megapixel count makes it possible to crop any captured image substantially or to make very large prints from the image file. On the downside, large megapixel files are slower to transfer and take up more storage space on the computer harddisk. Also, high-resolution imaging requires sharper, more expensive lenses than low-res picture taking.

How large can I print with 15.1 MP?

The maximum print size of the Canon 50D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23.8 x 15.8 inches or 60.4 x 40.2 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 19 x 12.7 inches or 48.3 x 32.2 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.8 x 10.6 inches or 40.2 x 26.8 cm. Few people actually print their images that large on a regular basis, but it is nice to have the option to make very large prints of exceptional shots. Also, as mentioned earlier, a key advantage of high-MP cameras is that it is possible to crop an image ex-post and thereby, for example, change the composition of the capture or zoom in on some detail.

Sensor specs and performance

The table below compares the sensor specs of the Canon 50D to those of several similar cameras. In addition to sensor class and megapixel count, DXO values are reported as indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better). Three aspects are covered: color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape), and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 50D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	none	21.8	11.4	696	63
2.		Canon 90D	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
3.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
4.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
5.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
6.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
7.		Canon 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
8.		Canon T1i	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	1080/20p	21.7	11.5	663	63
9.		Canon 40D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.3	703	64
10.		Canon 30D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.5	10.8	736	59
11.		Canon 20D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.9	11.0	721	62
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

In the United States, the 50D was initially launched in August 2008 at a price of $1,299.

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Camera to camera comparisons

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