Canon 1000D versus Canon 50D

The Canon EOS 1000D (called Canon XS in some regions) and the Canon EOS 50D are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in June 2008 and August 2008. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 1000D has a resolution of 10.1 megapixel, whereas the 50D provides 15.1 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Canon 1000D vs Canon 50D

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon 1000D and the Canon 50D is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter. You can also toggle the display to switch to a percentage comparison if you prefer that the measures are being expressed in relative terms (in this case, the camera on the left side – the 1000D – represents the basis for the calculations across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 50D is notably larger (28 percent) than the Canon 1000D. Moreover, the 50D is substantially heavier (64 percent) than the 1000D. It is noteworthy in this context that the 50D is splash and dust-proof, while the 1000D does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can find an overview of suitable optics in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 1000D gets 500 shots out of its LP-E5 battery, while the 50D can take 800 images on a single charge of its BP-511A power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, just click on the right or left arrow next to the camera that you would like to inspect. Alternatively, you can also use the CAM-parator to select your camera combination among a larger number of options.

Camera Body Specifications

	Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life (CIPA)	Weather Sealing (yes/no)	Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon 1000D»	5.0 in	3.9 in	2.6 in	17.7 oz	500	n	Jun 2008	449	-		Canon 1000D
	Canon 50D«	5.7 in	4.3 in	2.9 in	29.0 oz	800	Y	Aug 2008	1,299	-		Canon 50D
	Canon 2000D« »	5.1 in	4.0 in	3.1 in	16.8 oz	500	n	Feb 2018	449			Canon 2000D
	Canon 4000D« »	5.1 in	4.0 in	3.0 in	15.4 oz	500	n	Feb 2018	399			Canon 4000D
	Canon 1300D« »	5.1 in	4.0 in	3.1 in	17.1 oz	500	n	Mar 2016	449	-		Canon 1300D
	Canon 1200D« »	5.1 in	3.9 in	3.1 in	16.9 oz	500	n	Feb 2014	449	-		Canon 1200D
	Canon 70D« »	5.5 in	4.1 in	3.1 in	26.6 oz	920	Y	Jul 2013	1,199	-		Canon 70D
	Canon SX50« »	4.8 in	3.4 in	4.2 in	21.0 oz	315	n	Sep 2012	429	-		Canon SX50
	Canon 1100D« »	5.1 in	3.9 in	3.1 in	17.5 oz	700	n	Feb 2011	449	-		Canon 1100D
	Canon 60D« »	5.7 in	4.2 in	3.1 in	26.6 oz	1100	Y	Aug 2010	1,399	-		Canon 60D
	Canon 7D« »	5.8 in	4.4 in	2.9 in	30.3 oz	800	Y	Sep 2009	1,699	-		Canon 7D
	Canon 500D« »	5.1 in	3.9 in	2.4 in	18.3 oz	400	n	Mar 2009	799	-		Canon 500D
	Canon 450D« »	5.1 in	3.9 in	2.4 in	18.5 oz	500	n	Jan 2008	799	-		Canon 450D
	Canon 40D« »	5.7 in	4.3 in	2.9 in	29.0 oz	750	n	Aug 2007	1,299	-		Canon 40D
	Canon 20D« »	5.7 in	4.2 in	2.8 in	27.2 oz	700	n	Aug 2004	1,499	-		Canon 20D
	Olympus E-450« »	5.1 in	3.6 in	2.1 in	15.5 oz	500	n	Mar 2009	499	-		Olympus E-450
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Any camera purchase will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The 1000D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 65 percent) than the 50D, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison: Canon 1000D vs Canon 50D

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the 50D is 1 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the 50D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 4) than the 1000D (DIGIC 3), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 15.1MP, the 50D offers a higher resolution than the 1000D (10.1MP), but the 50D has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.69μm versus 5.71μm for the 1000D). It is noteworthy in this context that the two cameras were released in close succession, so that their sensors are from the same technological generation.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Feature comparison: Canon 1000D vs Canon 50D

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 1000D and the 50D are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 1000D and Canon 50D in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras. The full specs-sheets can be found in the camera manual or in the dpreview camera hub.

One feature that is present on the 50D, but is missing on the 1000D is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The 1000D writes its imaging data to SDHC cards, while the 50D uses Compact Flash cards.

Both the 1000D and the 50D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on eBay. The 1000D was replaced by the Canon 1100D, while the 50D was followed by the Canon 60D.

Review summary: Canon 1000D vs Canon 50D

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 1000D or the Canon 50D – has the upper hand? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 1000D:

• More compact: Is smaller (126x98mm vs 146x108mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 320g or 39 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (65 percent cheaper at launch).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 50D:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (15.1 vs 10.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 22%.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 4 vs DIGIC 3).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (920k vs 230k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (8000/sec vs 4000/sec) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6.3 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (800 versus 500) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 50D is the clear winner of the contest (9 : 3 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the 1000D and the 50D in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The full reviews are available by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

Review Scores

	Camera Model						Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon 1000D»	82/100	HiRec	3.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2008	449	-		Canon 1000D
	Canon 50D«	HiRec	HiRec	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	1,299	-		Canon 50D
	Canon 2000D« »	rev	-	3.5/5	-	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449			Canon 2000D
	Canon 4000D« »	rev	-	3.5/5	-	3.5/5	Feb 2018	399			Canon 4000D
	Canon 1300D« »	rev	73/100	4/5	3.5/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449	-		Canon 1300D
	Canon 1200D« »	Rec	-	4/5	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	-		Canon 1200D
	Canon 70D« »	HiRec	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	1,199	-		Canon 70D
	Canon SX50« »	HiRec	72/100	4.5/5	-	4.5/5	Sep 2012	429	-		Canon SX50
	Canon 1100D« »	80/100	69/100	4/5	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	449	-		Canon 1100D
	Canon 60D« »	Rec	79/100	4/5	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	1,399	-		Canon 60D
	Canon 7D« »	HiRec	84/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	1,699	-		Canon 7D
	Canon 500D« »	HiRec	74/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	799	-		Canon 500D
	Canon 450D« »	HiRec	HiRec	4/5	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	799	-		Canon 450D
	Canon 40D« »	HiRec	HiRec	4.5/5	rev	4.5/5	Aug 2007	1,299	-		Canon 40D
	Canon 20D« »	-	HiRec	-	rev	-	Aug 2004	1,499	-		Canon 20D
	Olympus E-450« »	-	-	4/5	-	4/5	Mar 2009	499	-		Olympus E-450

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Other camera comparisons

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