50d and landscape photography

swag72

swag72

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I have read a couple of comments on the forum of late about the 50d and the softness it produces on landscapes photos. Not wanting to hijack other peoples threads where the comments were made, I would really value some opinions from you on this and maybe some evidence?

I am looking at trying out the old landscapes and have just bought a 17-55 to give myself the best chance of doing so. I'm now reading that my camera may be pretty poor at this:thinking:

I hope that I won't be hugely disappointed when I venture out into the strange world of landscape photography!

All ideas and opinions gratefully received.
 
Okay well firstly the 50D isnt soft in itslef. What people are calling softness of the camera is really softness in lenses they have previously considered sharp. The pixel density of the 50D is the highest around. This puts a lot of strain on the lenses and requires excellent glass to fully resolve the pixels. The EF-S 17-55 2.8 IS has an excellent reputation as a very sharp lens so there shouldnt be too many problems for you.

Landscapes might seem a strange new world but he technique used to shoot them is generally more straightforward that other forms of photography. Generally you stop down to f8-11 put your camera on a tripod, find a composition and select a shutter speed to give the correct exposure. It isnt generally the kind of tradeoff situation you might experience in wildlife photogrpahy for example where you need to retain a fairly high shutter speed so you have to sacrifice image quality.


Alex
 
Alex is half way there, many people say the 50D is sharp when in reality, you need decent glass to get the best out of it.

One of the issues that does exist is diffraction, basically when you start using apertures above f/8 images *can* go a little soft. It depends on a lot of things and I don't fully understand it yet.

For what its worth, I bought my 50D this morning :)
 
I have only heard of this and is something i am now keenly keeping an eye on. If it sufferes from diffraction because of the high pixel count or whatever the reason then at least i know i can rely on another body. Should i need to, no, If a camera has a shortfall i want to know about it.

Mine is on the way to me sometime next week (fingers crossed) i like landscape work and am debating a 2nd bosy at the moement (30D maybe ) and this problem may swing it.
 
Thanks for your comments guys. I have posted a similar question eleswhere and I don't think there will be anything specific to worry about. Tripod, mirror lockup and remote is the name of the game wherever possible. Also I will try to keep to about F8 - Depending on the scene obviously.
 
A few of us landscapers have been re-thinking the diffraction issue lately, with regards to high density sensors.

While its certainly true that as you go up from say, 10 megapixels to 12 megapixels on a crop sensor, you move your diffraction limit from f/13 down to around f/11, its also worth pointing out that this effect is only visible when viewing at 100%.

If you print the image at the same size from a 10 megapixel and 12 megapixel sensor then the "diffraction limited" camera should still have more detail.

I'm still re-thinking my position on this one. However at this point I'm more inclined not to worry, and still shoot at say f/11 - f/16 rather than open a up a bit to avoid diffraction.
 
so you are saying that the diffraction is minimal ansd only noticable at 100% crop? Does it get worse as you close the aperture of the lens etc...

The tripod suggestion will only iliminate the camera shake wont it?
 
so you are saying that the diffraction is minimal ansd only noticable at 100% crop?

I'm suggesting that, yes

Does it get worse as you close the aperture of the lens etc...

Yes, when viewing at 100%, but if you print the "diffraction limited" image will still have more detail, even if it looks softer at 100%.

The tripod suggestion will only iliminate the camera shake wont it?

Yes.
 
Thanks for the link John, the 50D issue doesn't effect me, but that article was something I'd never considered before and I think I've learnt a fair bit there!
 
I think puddleduck has just about summed it up. Diffraction soon becomes noticeable when you're viewing an image at 100% and the 50D files are pretty huge. You're unlikely to print images at anywhere near that sort of size. Viewing the image at more usual printing or monitor sizes the diffraction issues largely disappear, but you should still be pulling more detail in the image from the larger pixel count. Lens quality will have a huge impact anyway on the diffraction issue.

This review explains the issues with the 50D and stopping down.

CLICKY

It's actually a very good review, and it speaks volumes that the reviewer is getting a 50D.
 
These shots taken with the 50D and Canon 50mm 1.4 -200 ISO - straight 100% crops with no processing applied.

F8
3086126753_44f9b7c644_o.jpg


F11
3086986990_2d3d7cf0b1_o.jpg


F16
3086126791_7de3ca6ebe_o.jpg


Edited to include F11 shot.
 
The thing is if you decreased each of the full file sizes to 800 pixels or reasonable printing size, you'd struggle to see any appreciable difference, and you'd have the sharpening option anyway.

Conventional wisdom is that you stop down a stop or two from full aperture with any lens for best performance. The problem this brings with the 50D, is that if you're using a lens with a max aperture of 5.6, stopping down just one stop puts you straight in the diffraction zone at F8, when you should really be in the lens's sweet spot. So it's faster high end glass unfortunately if you want to draw the best from the 50D. I don't think it's a deal breaker and if I was a dedicated landscape shooter I'd probably opt for full frame anyway.
 
CT said:
The thing is if you decreased each of the full file sizes to 800 pixels or reasonable printing size, you'd struggle to see any appreciable difference, and you'd have the sharpening option anyway.

Conventional wisdom is that you stop down a stop or two from full aperture with any lens for best performance. The problem this brings with the 50D, is that if you're using a lens with a max aperture of 5.6, stopping down just one stop puts you straight in the diffraction zone at F8, when you should really be in the lens's sweet spot. So it's faster high end glass unfortunately if you want to draw the best from the 50D. I don't think it's a deal breaker and if I was a dedicated landscape shooter I'd probably opt for full frame anyway.
Click to expand...

:agree:
 
CT can you post the above pics at 800 across please. its an interesting result you posted earlier I shoot most landscapes at f11 to f16. Obviously the camera @f8 doesnt look bad at all.

Also intresting would be macro work where i am usually stopping the lens down in that range 90% of the time.

would you forsee a probelm with the lenses i have in my kit bag?
 
Here you go mate this is the full frame f16 shot, so no point in posting the others.

3087160061_09313f6191_o.jpg


It's difficult to say how your lenses will perform - it's going to be a case of suck it and see, but it's nice fast glass, so you can stop down a few stops before you're in the diffraction zone.

I can't say I've done any landscape or macro with the 50D, I'll have to try some.
 
thanks CT thats a great help i'm sure i will be checking the macro side of things when mine gets delivered.
 
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