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advances and technology improvements to
the sensor, plus countermeasures that help
suppress noise from other camera circuits, are
responsible for the sensor’s high signal to
noise ratio, enabling higher ISO speeds and
improved dynamic range at low ISOs.
Those are impressive sensor improvements,
considering that the original EOS 5D had
larger 8.2µm pixels compared to 6.4µm pixels
on the EOS 5D Mark II, and that pixel
noise usually increases as size decreases.
Next, an optimized output amp with high-speed reading capability that is approximately 2.2
times faster than on the EOS 5D enables a faster burst mode of 3.9 fps (compared to 3.0 fps
on the EOS 5D’s lower resolution 12.8-megapixel full-frame sensor) and makes it possible to
readout a 30 fps HD video signal without overheating the sensor. The full-frame, 35mm
“film” size of the EOS 5D Mark II’s sensor also maximizes the field of view of Canon’s EF
lenses without adding the 1.6x lens crop factor found in APS-C sensor-based DSLRs. This is
especially important when shooting with fisheye, ultra-wide, and wide-angle lenses, as it
maintains the same field of view as those lenses have when mounted on conventional 35mm
SLRs. It also improves depth-of-field control with normal lenses compared to APS-C sensor
cameras, with dramatic DOF control when shooting HD video.
EOS 50D’s newly developed,15.1-megapixel APS-C sized CMOS sensor: Even though the
new EOS 50D doesn’t have the full-frame sensor of the EOS 5D Mark II, it benefits from
numerous advances in sensor technology. Offering the highest performance to date of any APS-C
sized imaging sensor, the new Canon-manufactured, 22.3mm x 14.9mm CMOS sensor found in
the EOS 50D helps maintain a heritage of innovation and superior image quality found in all of
its predecessors. It contains approximately 15.1 effective megapixels, gapless microlenses, improved
noise reduction, and a Live View silent shooting mode with electronic 1st curtain
shutter. As with the EOS 40D, the sensor size creates a lens crop factor of 1.6x
for all Canon EF and EF-S lenses.
22
IV. PERFORMANCE AND RELIABILITY
Photo diode area
Pixel size
EOS 5D Mark II
(6.4 x 6.4µm)
EOS 5D
(8.2 x 8.2µm)
Opening Ratio (Conceptual Diagram)
22.3mm
14.9mm
42.0mm
28.0mm
EOS 50D CMOSSensor
Sensor Comparison Chart
Specification EOS 50D EOS 40D
Effective pixels Approx. 15.10 million
(4752 x 3168)
Approx. 10.10 million
(3904 x 2598)
Total pixels Approx. 15.50 million
(4848 x 3204)
Approx. 10.50 million
(3996 x 2620)
Effective sensor size [mm] 22.3 x 14.9 22.2 x 14.8
Pixel size [µm] 4.7 5.7
Color filter RGB primary color filter
Aspect ratio 3:2