I picked up my 50D on Monday, but really havn't had a chance to shoot much until tonight. I understand these aren't the best shots, but I do believe they are a pretty demanding test for the camera because of the cropping involved, and also my lack of proper exposure. I'll get out on the river and/or blind this weekend to hopefully get some better shots where I'll get closer to the birds. All shot with a 400 f5.6L, RAW, and processed with DPP with finished with CS3.
The first two are tremendously oversharpened, so we really can't see what the camera is doing. Unless that's the out of camera JPEG, in which case, turn down the sharpening!
Okay, apparently I've failed at using DPP. I'm not really a fan of it and use lightroom and CS3, but I'm waiting for Adobe to release their updates to Camera Raw. I've been shooting raw since the D30.
I think you really gave a good try to make something out of this shot with difficult light conditions. But sometimes it is very difficult. While you caught the hawk with his wings spread and it looks great, the branch is in the way. A lot of times it seems the cards are just stacked against getting THE shot. Sometimes the PP just cannot replace correct lighting, a longer lens or a saw.
You were very far away from the birds, al least so it seems... Still, the 50D is able to catch many details... The 15MP make it possible to crop a little more. So in essence I think the 50D is a excellent birding cam. However, I do have to agree with some of the others that the pics seem rather noisy (probably due to oversharpening) for ISO 800 shots. In case of the second shot this is understandible, since you had to recover two stops. Maybe you should experiment with PP NR / sharpening a little more or use in-camera JPEG for now. I use only ACR / LR and hate to use DPP and wish Adobe would release their official 50D RAW support quickly. I am holding off my purchase until I have had the opp to test a few RAW files in LR (with official support). Still, I think DPP can give good results
BTW What is your opinion on the 50D's AI Servo? If you used a 40D also, can you notice any differences in speed and accuracy (center AF point)?
Eek, they are not nice to look at! The composition etc is fine but the IQ is dreadful! Did you boost the exposure in RAW? If not then this is nothing like I hoped/expected.
Nothing against the OP, but I don't think this is a good representation of what the 50D can do. Heck, even a 1DsIII can be made to look pitiful if put in the proper hands.
Come on guys, give the OP a break. He mentioned he is not used to DPP and posted these so the group here could get some actual BIF test shots. These aren't proofs.
I guess I can relate a bit to the OP trials. I have used Capture ONE for years as my RAW software and lately have tried ACR so I can use Lightroom. I can get great results out of Capture One, but not out of ACR. Not in 30 minutes of experimenting anyway.
Pafoote, thanks for posting these. I find them helpful as I figure the IQ is there in the 50D, and I am looking more for feedback on the focusing. These do seem to be in focus.
When the bus is full they'll tell ya "no more on". As a reference I posted what ISO looks like OOC w/ a 40D
and wouldn't dream of judging a camera I've yet to hold in my fat hands. I question posting poor quality shots
as first glimpses, for many of us, at a 50D in action. Doesn't really set the tone for rushing out and getting one,
software problems notwithstanding.
Yep, so we should discourage the 50D owners from posting images unless they are perfect sales examples for the 50D. Then, all the people here will whine that the 50D owners aren't posting images for us.
Constructive criticism would be more beneficial than the whining and insulting comments.
