Canon 30D versus Canon 50D

The Canon EOS 30D and the Canon EOS 50D are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2006 and August 2008. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 30D has a resolution of 8.2 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 30D vs Canon 50D

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon 30D 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 dimensions 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 – the 30D – represents the basis or 100 percent 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 somewhat larger (3 percent) than the Canon 30D. Moreover, the 50D is markedly heavier (5 percent) than the 30D. It is noteworthy in this context that the 50D is splash and dust-proof, while the 30D 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.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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 30D»	5.7 in	4.2 in	2.9 in	27.7 oz	750	n	Feb 2006	1,399	-		Canon 30D
	Canon 50D«	5.7 in	4.3 in	2.9 in	29.0 oz	800	Y	Aug 2008	1,299	-		Canon 50D
	Canon 70D« »	5.5 in	4.1 in	3.1 in	26.6 oz	920	Y	Jul 2013	1,199	-		Canon 70D
	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 40D« »	5.7 in	4.3 in	2.9 in	29.0 oz	750	n	Aug 2007	1,299	-		Canon 40D
	Canon XTi« »	5.0 in	3.3 in	2.6 in	19.6 oz	370	n	Aug 2006	799	-		Canon XTi
	Canon XT« »	5.0 in	3.7 in	2.5 in	19.0 oz	400	n	Feb 2005	899	-		Canon XT
	Canon 20D« »	5.7 in	4.2 in	2.8 in	27.2 oz	700	n	Aug 2004	1,499	-		Canon 20D
	Canon 10D« »	5.9 in	4.2 in	3.0 in	30.0 oz	500	n	Feb 2003	1,999	-		Canon 10D
	Canon Rebel« »	5.6 in	3.9 in	2.8 in	22.9 oz	400	n	Aug 2003	899	-		Canon Rebel
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The camera’s price is obviously a critical decision-making factor. 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 50D was somewhat cheaper (by 7 percent) than the 30D at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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 30D vs Canon 50D

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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 tend to be more expensive and 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 2 percent smaller. 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 30D (DIGIC 2), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the 50D offers a higher resolution of 15.1 megapixel, compared with 8.2 MP of the 30D. This megapixel advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.69μm versus 6.42μm for the 30D). However, it should be noted that the 50D is much more recent (by 2 years and 6 months) than the 30D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the 50D has a markedly higher DXO score than the 30D (overall score 4 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 0.3 bits higher color depth, 0.6 EV in additional dynamic range, 0.1 stops of reduced low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Feature comparison: Canon 30D vs Canon 50D

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 30D 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 adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 30D and Canon 50D along with similar information for a selection of comparators. If needed, the dpreview camera hub, for example, contains further detail on the cameras' specs.

Both the 30D and the 50D write their imaging data to Compact Flash cards.

Both the 30D and the 50D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on eBay. The 30D was replaced by the Canon 40D, while the 50D was followed by the Canon 60D.

Review summary: Canon 30D vs Canon 50D

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 30D or the Canon 50D – has the upper hand? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 30D:

• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2006).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 50D:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (15.1 vs 8.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 36%.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (4 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (0.6 EV of extra DR).
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 4 vs DIGIC 2).
• 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 burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6.3 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 6 months of technical progress since the 30D launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 50D is the clear winner of the contest (9 : 1 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 30D or the 50D. 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 following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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 30D»	HiRec	HiRec	rev	rev	-	Feb 2006	1,399	-		Canon 30D
	Canon 50D«	HiRec	HiRec	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	1,299	-		Canon 50D
	Canon 70D« »	HiRec	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	1,199	-		Canon 70D
	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 40D« »	HiRec	HiRec	4.5/5	rev	4.5/5	Aug 2007	1,299	-		Canon 40D
	Canon XTi« »	HiRec	HiRec	rev	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2006	799	-		Canon XTi
	Canon XT« »	80/100	HiRec	rev	rev	-	Feb 2005	899	-		Canon XT
	Canon 20D« »	-	HiRec	-	rev	-	Aug 2004	1,499	-		Canon 20D
	Canon 10D« »	-	HiRec	-	rev	-	Feb 2003	1,999	-		Canon 10D
	Canon Rebel« »	-	HiRec	-	rev	-	Aug 2003	899	-		Canon Rebel

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting. If the camera you are interested in is not available, please contact me, and I will try to locate and add the respective data to the application.

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