Introduction The Canon EOS M50 is an entry-level mirrorless camera that features an electronic viewfinder, fully articulating touchscreen, single control dial and a 24MP APS-C sensor – the same used by its M-series siblings.
It has Canon's latest DIGIC 8 processor and offers expanded Dual Pixel AF coverage, 4K/24p video capture (1. 6x crop) as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC.
In a lot of ways it's a beefier, viewfinder-sporting M100, the brand's most affordable M-mount offering. And it will likely appeal to the same crowd: beginners and/or those stepping up from a smartphone as their primary photography device. Unlike the M100, the M50 has Canon's Guide Modes, like those found on the SL2 and T7i. But what's really exciting about the M50 is what it might indicate about future developments in EOS M and Rebel-series cameras.
Key Features:
24MP APS-C CMOS sensor
Dual Pixel autofocus for stills and video
DIGIC 8 processor
2. 36M-dot OLED EVF
1. 04M-dot vari-angle LCD
7. 4 fps burst in AF-C (10 fps in AF-S)
4K/24p UHD video (1. 6 x crop)
1080/60p and 720/120p HD video
Wi-Fi and NFC with Bluetooth
235 shot-per-charge battery live (via CIPA)
One year ago, we met with Canon executives in Yokohama, Japan – you can read the full interview here. At the time, they promised the brand's main strategic focus going forward would be connectivity and video. The M50 is a clear indication that Canon is making good on that promise. This is the first Canon camera that will automatically send photos to your smartphone after each shot and the first M-series to offer 4K. But before you get too excited about that latter bit, it's worth noting that 4K comes with a heavy 1. 6x crop, and Dual Pixel AF is not available in 4K (contrast detection AF is available).
The M50 is the first Canon to use the new CR3 Raw format
Dual Pixel AF can be used in all other video modes, including 1080/60p. It still covers 80% x 80% of the sensor but now with 99 selectable points (up from 49 on previous M cameras). And with certain lenses (18-150mm, 28mm macro and 55-200mm) that coverage increases to 88% x 100% with 143 points.
The M50 is the first Canon to use the new CR3 Raw format, which has an updated compression option called C-Raw (compressed full resolution, rather than the downsized 'Small' and 'Medium' Raw formats).
Other new features include an Eye Detection mode, only available in AF-S, as well as a new silent scene mode. The M50 also has a new gyro sensor that communicates movement to the lens-based IS system for better shake compensation, as well as dual Sensing IS (using data from the image sensor to compensate for shake when shooting stills or video).
Compared to. . .
Though the M50 is an entry-level camera, it's priced a bit higher than a lot of other entry-level offerings. Below we've compared it to some of its Canon peers as well as similar-priced mirrorless cameras.
Canon
M50
Canon M100
Canon M6
Panasonic G85
Sony a6300
Fujifilm X-T20
MSRP w/lens
$900
$600
$900
$1000
$1150
$1000
Resolution
24MP
24MP
24MP
16MP
24MP
24MP
Sensor size
APS-C
APS-C
APS-C
Four Thirds
APS-C
APS-C
Stabilization
Lens IS + digital
Lens IS
Lens IS
Sensor + lens IS
Lens IS
Lens IS
EVF
2. 36M-dot
No
No
2. 36M-dot
2. 36M-dot
2. 36M-dot
AF system (live view)
Dual Pixel
Dual Pixel
Dual Pixel
Depth from Defocus
Hybrid AF w/425 PDAF points
Hybrid AF w/91PDAF points
LCD
3" fully-articulating
3" tilting
3" tilting
3" fully-articulating
3" tilting
3" tilting
Number of control dials
1 top
1 top
2 top, 1 rear
2 top
1 top, 1 rear
2 top + shutter speed, exp. comp. dial
Touchscreen
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Burst speed (AF locked)
10 fps
6. 1 fps
9 fps
9 fps
11 fps
14 fps
Video
4K/24p
1080/60p
1080/60p
4K/30p
4K/30p
4K/30p
Wireless
Wi-Fi + NFC + BT
Wi-Fi + NFC + BT
Wi-Fi + NFC + BT
WiFi
WiFi + NFC
WiFi
Battery life
235 shots
295 shots
295 shots
320 shots
400 shots
350 shots
Dimensions (mm)
116x88x59
108x67x35
112x68x45
128x89x74
120x67x49
118x83x41
Weight
351 g
302 g
343 g
453 g
404 g
383 g
As you can see, the M50 stacks up quite nicely compared to other offerings at this price point, though battery life is the one area where it falls behind a bit.
Pricing and availability
The Canon EOS M50 will be available in April for $780 body-only in either black or white. It also ships in a variety of kits, including with the EF-M 15-45mm for $900, as well as with both the EF-M 15-45mm and EF-M 55-200mm for $1250.
2018-2-26 07:00
