Among digital SLRs, the 15.1-megapixel 50D has one of the highest megapixel counts currently offered (the 40D has 10.1 megapixels). The sensor size remains the same, which means you must effectively multiply the focal length of the bundled lens by 1.6 to calculate your 35mm-equivalent focal length. The extra reach is helpful in some situations, but as a result you may need a wider-angle lens for landscapes or for shooting in tight environments.
The EOS 50D received an image-quality score of Superior in the PC World Test Center's digital camera tests. Our test images showed good color saturation and accuracy, under both flash and natural light.
In spite of its higher megapixel count, in our ISO tests the 50D performed almost exactly the same as the 40D did. For both cameras, all our jurors deemed the ISO 3200 results unacceptable and found ISO 1600 adequate. The 50D can handle ISO 100 to 12800, another big change from the 40D (which tops out at ISO 3200). That means you can shoot with it in low-light situations, but you should expect the images to gain color noise.
