Canon 50D vs Fujifilm X-Pro1

The Canon EOS 50D and the Fujifilm X-Pro1 are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2008 and January 2012. The 50D is a DSLR, while the X-Pro1 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 15.1 megapixels, whereas the Fujifilm provides 16 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 50D		Fujifilm X-Pro1
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF mount lenses		Fujifilm X mount lenses
15.1 MP – APS-C sensor		16 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video		1080/24p Video
ISO 100-3,200 (100 - 12,800)		ISO 200-6,400 (100 - 25,600)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 920k dots		3.0" LCD – 1230k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
6.3 shutter flaps per second		6 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
800 shots per battery charge		300 shots per battery charge
146 x 108 x 74 mm, 822 g		140 x 82 x 43 mm, 450 g

Check 50D offers at
ebay.com
Check X-Pro1 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 50D and the Fujifilm X-Pro1? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon 50D and the Fujifilm X-Pro1 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Fujifilm X-Pro1 is notably smaller (27 percent) than the Canon 50D. Moreover, the X-Pro1 is substantially lighter (45 percent) than the 50D. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 50D is splash and dust resistant, while the X-Pro1 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. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (50D) and the Fujinon X Lens Catalog (X-Pro1). Mirrorless cameras, such as the X-Pro1, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.

Concerning battery life, the 50D gets 800 shots out of its Canon BP-511A battery, while the X-Pro1 can take 300 images on a single charge of its Fujifilm NP-W126 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 50D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	800	Y	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
2.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	140 mm	82 mm	43 mm	450 g	300	n	Jan 2012	1,699	ebay.com
3.		Canon 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
4.		Canon 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
5.		Canon 20D	144 mm	106 mm	72 mm	770 g	700	n	Aug 2004	1,499	ebay.com
6.		Canon 30D	144 mm	106 mm	74 mm	785 g	750	n	Feb 2006	1,399	ebay.com
7.		Canon 40D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	750	n	Aug 2007	1,299	ebay.com
8.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	1,399	ebay.com
9.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.com
10.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
11.		Canon 90D	141 mm	105 mm	77 mm	701 g	1300	Y	Aug 2019	1,199	amazon.com
12.		Canon T1i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
13.		Fujifilm X-E2	129 mm	75 mm	37 mm	350 g	350	n	Oct 2013	999	ebay.com
14.		Fujifilm X-M1	117 mm	67 mm	39 mm	330 g	350	n	Jun 2013	699	ebay.com
15.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	495 g	350	Y	Jan 2016	1,699	ebay.com
16.		Fujifilm X-T1	129 mm	90 mm	47 mm	440 g	350	Y	Jan 2014	1,299	ebay.com
17.		Fujifilm X100S	127 mm	74 mm	54 mm	445 g	330	n	Jan 2013	1,299	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. 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 launched at a somewhat lower price (by 24 percent) than the X-Pro1, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the 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 X-Pro1 is 11 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.6 (50D) and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 16MP, the X-Pro1 offers a higher resolution than the 50D (15.1MP), but the X-Pro1 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.80μm versus 4.69μm for the 50D) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the X-Pro1 is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 4 months) than the 50D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the X-Pro1 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Canon EOS 50D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Fujifilm X-Pro1 are ISO 200 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Like most digital cameras, the 50D uses a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. In contrast, the X-Pro1 employs a more randomized X-Trans layout of photosites, which according to Fujifilm helps to minimize moiré.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/24p	23.1	12.3	1238	74
3.		Canon 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
4.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
5.		Canon 20D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.9	11.0	721	62
6.		Canon 30D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.5	10.8	736	59
7.		Canon 40D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.3	703	64
8.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
9.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
10.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
11.		Canon 90D	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
12.		Canon T1i	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	1080/20p	21.7	11.5	663	63
13.		Fujifilm X-E2	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1400	77
14.		Fujifilm X-M1	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	23.4	12.6	1371	76
15.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
16.		Fujifilm X-T1	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.5	12.7	1426	77
17.		Fujifilm X100S	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.3	12.5	1329	75
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The X-Pro1 indeed provides for movie recording, while the 50D does not. The highest resolution format that the X-Pro1 can use is 1080/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the X-Pro1 has an electronic viewfinder (1440k dots), while the 50D has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 50D and Fujifilm X-Pro1 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 50D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.3/s	Y	n
2.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	1440	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 20D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 30D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 40D	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.5/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon 90D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon T1i	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.4/s	Y	n
13.		Fujifilm X-E2	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
14.		Fujifilm X-M1	none	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.6/s	Y	n
15.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
16.		Fujifilm X-T1	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	n
17.		Fujifilm X100S	2360	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The 50D has one, while the X-Pro1 does not. While the built-in flash of the 50D is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The 50D writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the X-Pro1 uses SDXC cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 50D and Fujifilm X-Pro1 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 50D	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 20D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
6.		Canon 30D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 40D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon 90D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Canon T1i	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Fujifilm X-E2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Fujifilm X-M1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Fujifilm X-T1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Fujifilm X100S	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Both the 50D and the X-Pro1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 50D was replaced by the Canon 60D, while the X-Pro1 was followed by the Fujifilm X-Pro2. Further information on the features and operation of the 50D and X-Pro1 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 50D Manual (free pdf) or the online Fujifilm X-Pro1 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 50D and the Fujifilm X-Pro1? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 50D:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (800 versus 300) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (24 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2008).

Reasons to prefer the Fujifilm X-Pro1:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/24p video.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1230k vs 920k dots).
• More compact: Is smaller (140x82mm vs 146x108mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 372g or 45 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 4 months of technical progress since the 50D launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 50D comes out slightly ahead of the X-Pro1 (9 : 8 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 50D and the Fujifilm X-Pro1 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 50D or the X-Pro1 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 50D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
2.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	1,699	ebay.com
3.		Canon 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
4.		Canon 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
5.		Canon 20D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2004	1,499	ebay.com
6.		Canon 30D	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2006	1,399	ebay.com
7.		Canon 40D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	1,299	ebay.com
8.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	1,399	ebay.com
9.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.com
10.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
11.		Canon 90D	4/5	+	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2019	1,199	amazon.com
12.		Canon T1i	..	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
13.		Fujifilm X-E2	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	999	ebay.com
14.		Fujifilm X-M1	3/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	699	ebay.com
15.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	1,699	ebay.com
16.		Fujifilm X-T1	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	1,299	ebay.com
17.		Fujifilm X100S	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2013	1,299	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Check 50D offers at
ebay.com
Check X-Pro1 offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

~

Check 50D offers at
ebay.com
Check X-Pro1 offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.