The EOS 50D and EOS T2i are both digital SLR cameras from Canon. The 50D was released in 2008 with an original MSRP of $1,100 and the T2i was released in 2010 with an original MSRP of $800. Though similar in appearance, there are numerous technical differences between the two cameras that you should consider before making your purchase.
Physical Specifications
The EOS 50D is 5.7 inches wide, 4.3 inches high and 2.9 inches deep. It weighs 1.6lbs. The T2i is comparatively smaller. It is 5 inches wide, 3.8 inches high, 2.4 inches deep and weighs 1lbs 8 oz. The 50D's body is constructed of magnesium alloy while the T2i's is made of stainless steel and polycarbonate resin.
Imaging
The EOS 50D is capable of producing images up to 15.1 megapixels while the T2i can take pictures as large as 18 megapixels. Both use a single 14.9mm by 22.3mm CMOS image sensor and have ISOs (sensitivity to light) from 100 (little light sensitivity) to 12800 (high light sensitivity). The 50D has a maximum shutter speed of 1/8000 of a second, the T2i has a max speed of only 1/4000 of a second.
Features
Both cameras have different light presets for taking a variety of pictures in different settings. The EOS 50D and T2i both have a sports mode, night portrait, close-up mode, portrait mode and landscape mode. The 50D has 35 exposure metering zones for measuring light exposure while the T2i has 63. The T2i also has an optical image stabilizer to prevent blurry pictures that result from shaky hands.
Video Capability
One feature present on the T2i that the 50D lacks is the ability to shoot high definition video. With the T2i, you can record video at a 1920x1080 (full HD, 1080p) resolution and export them as film clips to your computer.
Memory
The EOS 50D only uses Compact Flash to store photographs. The T2i is capable of storing images on SDHC memory cards, SD cards, and SDXC memory cards. The T2i does not have a slot for Compact Flash.
Ports
The EOS 50D comes with one composite video output port for displaying pictures on a TV, an HDMI port and a USB port. The T2i has all of those with the addition of a 3.5mm microphone jack for enhancing the audio of your film clips.
Tags: Compact Flash, deep weighs, film clips, high inches, high inches deep, inches deep