50d

Apple's photography software now can accommodate raw images from some newer digital cameras through the release of Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update 2.3.

Specifically, the update to iPhoto '08 and Aperture 2 means that the photography software can deal with raw images from three prominent new digital SLR (single-lens reflex) cameras: Canon's midrange EOS 50D, Nikon's video-enabled midrange D90, and Sony's ambitious 24-megapixel full-frame Alpha DSLR-A900.

Also supported is Nikon's high-end compact camera, the Coolpix P6000.

Raw images are taken directly from higher-end cameras with no in-camera processing into a JPEG. That means photographers … Read more

A new update expands the range of cameras supported by a program that can ease the pains photography buffs often have when viewing images stored in hard-to-decode raw image formats.

Michael Tapes released Instant JPEG from Raw 1.1 on Wednesday, a month after the IJFR debut. The software extends file-browser software to show thumbnail views of raw images, doing so by extracting the JPEG that's typically stored within the raw image.

Photo enthusiasts and pros like raw files for their flexibility, but because each camera has its own format, handling them can be a pain. IJFR extends Mac … Read more

Adobe Systems has updated Photoshop's ability to deal with raw-format images from several of the latest SLR cameras with its new version 4.6 of the Camera Raw plug-in. Adobe's John Nack has the download links.

Less than a month after beginning beta testing, the final version is out with support for Canon's newer entry-level EOS Rebel XS, its brand-new midrange EOS 50D, Nikon's freshly released midrange D90 and full-frame D700, Pentax's newest entry-level model, the K2000, and Sony's ambitious 24-megapixel full-frame Alpha A900.

Also released is a new version of the DNG Converter … Read more

New beta software for Adobe Systems' Photoshop means those with Nikon's latest SLRs, the mid-range D90 and higher-end, full-frame D700, now can handle those cameras' raw files with the company's widely used image-editing software.

In addition, the software supports Nikon's Coolpix P6000, a high-end compact camera, and the Fuji Finepix IS Pro, said Adobe's Tom Hogarty in a blog post Wednesday.

The update includes unofficial, preliminary support for Canon's 50D, a mid-range SLR due to ship in October, Canon's new low-end Rebel XS, Sony's ambitious full-frame Alpha A900 SLR due in November, the … Read more

Rumors of a successor to the Canon 5D have been circulating for a while and now the digital-imaging blogsphere is churning again--this time with a brooding ad Canon has posted on some of its Web sites featuring the murky outline of mysterious dSLR and the phrase "Destined Evolution." Everybody thinks its the Canon 5D Mark II because it appears to lack a pop-up mount and has some design features that harken to Canon's other high-end EOS dSLRs.

A next-gen 5D--the current model retails for about $2,300 (body only)--has been a long time coming, and advanced … Read more

My coworker Lori Grunin already covered Canon's announcement of its $1,400 mid-range EOS 50D SLR, but as somebody who's in the market for a new SLR, I thought I'd weigh in with some thoughts of my own. I'm glad Canon is investing where perhaps it counts most: the sensor. If the reviews look good, this will be the first time I've really been tempted to upgrade from my well-used Canon Rebel XT.

When it ships in October, the 50D will sport a 15.1 megapixel sensor, up from 10.1 megapixels in the current 40D. The increase in megapixels is nice for the poster-print and microstock-sales crowds, but what's most notable is the increase of the top ISO from 3,200 to 12,800.

That means Canon has done some serious work to cut down on the noise levels inside the sensor, which bodes well for image quality not just at the new extremes but also at more ordinary sensitivity settings. ISO 3,200, for example, is now part of the ordinary range, not the extended range that must be manually enabled before it's available. Canon hit some sweet spots in sensor design, for example with its earlier 20D and the full-frame 5D, and the 50D holds the potential of being another model that balances megapixels with low noise and accurate color.

Canon attributes the advance to "newly designed gapless microlenses over each pixel to reduce noise." Microlenses gather light for the light-sensitive part of the image sensor, compensating for surface area occupied by other electronics. Gapless microlenses presumably stretch across the entire pixel width. Perhaps this technology will also help out whatever model will succeed Canon's 5D, my other obvious upgrade path but one that likely would require spending twice the price for the camera body and that would require me to shell out another few hundred dollars for a new wide-angle lens to support the full-frame sensor size.

Fending off Nikon Higher sensitivity is important for Canon. It's been losing market share to Nikon, which has pushed high sensitivity as an advantage, though with lower megapixel counts. The full-frame sensors on Nikon's D3 and D700 can reach ISO 25,600, though reaching that level was made easier through a sensor design that emphasizes a smaller number of larger pixels. … Read more

Bringing another rumor cycle to an end, Canon has announced the EOS 50D, a follow-up to the popular 40D, which will remain available at least through the end of the year. Though the timing seems a bit surprising--the 40D is only a year old, and midrange dLSR cycles tend to run closer to 18 months rather than 12--it was probably inevitable once the Rebel XSi, which is very similar to the 40D, shipped.

Built around the identical body as the 40D--the only differences are the name plate and mode-dial bezel--the 50D brings with it a bump to 15 megapixels. According to Canon, the new sensor has smaller pixels than that of the 40D's 10-megapixel version, but the company claims superior noise and image quality; 1.5 stops better, in fact, thanks to an improved manufacturing process and larger, gapfree microlenses that effectively result in the same light-sensitive area, according to Canon.

In combination with an upgrade to a newer version of the company's image processor, dubbed Digic 4, Canon also says that the higher resolution won't impose a significant performance penalty, and that the 50D will be able to maintain burst speeds close to the 40Ds. And now that the camera's CompactFlash supports UDMA, the burst buffer can process more shots--JPEGs, at least.

And though it has a 3-inch LCD like the 40D, Canon has switched to the same higher-resolution display found on the Nikon D300… Read more

Whoops. It looks like Canon's China site accidentally posted specs for the company's upcoming Canon 50D dSLR, which seems all but confirmed. The Web page that the specs were on has been taken down, but the Photography Bay grabbed them before it disappeared. The biggest highlights include a 15.1-megapixel CMOS sensor (yes, you heard right, 15), ISO 100-12,800, and a 920,000 points VGA 3.0-inch LCD monitor.

No word on price, when the 50D will actually be available, or whether it will replace the 40D--but stay tuned.

Find the full leaked specs at Photography Bay. … Read more

The one model I was positive wouldn't be replaced this year is the Canon EOS 40D; though it shipped almost a year ago, the product cycle for dSLRs tends to be closer to 18 months than the 12-month-or-less cycle for snapshot cameras. But a secondhand reputable source--I trust PhotographyBay and they think there's something to recent rumors on Dpreview--has speculated on specs for a 50D.

Those specs include a bump to 12 megapixels (from 10), an increase to ISO 6400 (up from ISO 3200), a 3-inch OLED display, and 11-point AF system (up from 9).