Most countries need maps of 1: 50,000 or smaller scales, such as 1: 100,000 and 1: 250,000: 1, for use in civilian constructions and military activities. In design of ground military operations, most of the maps used are of 1: 50,000: scale, and for this reason, these maps should be accurate, up-to-date, reliable and timely (prepared instantly). Throughout the world, the main source of data for preparation of 1: 50,000 topographic maps are up-to-date photographs. Due to a number of technical problems and other issues described in the paper, the production of linear analogue or digital maps of 1: 50,000 directly and by using aerial photographs in appropriate scales is not practiced in Turkey. Instead, first analogue or digital linear maps are produced on a scale of 1:25,000 using aerial photographs, and then topographic maps of scale 1: 50,000 are derived from 1: 25,000 maps using the generalization technique. It is also possible to produce topographic maps of 1: 50,000 scale directly using Mono or Stereo photographs with good resolution available in the market. In this research, the methods of production of topographic maps of 1:50,000 scale from aerial photographs in appropriate scale and Spot Satellite’s panchromatic stereo images have been compared and examined in terms of time and speed of production, the main components related to cost, the ability to discover and interpret 330 different features existing in the standard for preparation of 1: 25000: 1 and 1: 50,000 maps the results’ accuracy, comprehensiveness and interpretability and the need for ground completion of the results obtained from the two methods.