Canon m50 vs m50 Mark ii [Ultimate Comparison]

The Canon m50 has been a popular choice for photographers and filmmakers for its cost, performance, and quality.

But what about the upcoming Canon m50 mark ii? Is it worth upgrading to?

In this article, we’ll take a look at the differences between the two models and help you decide if the upgrade is worth it.

Keep reading to learn more!

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Review in One Minute

With only a few additional benefits to indicate that it’s an updated model, the Canon EOS M50 Mark II is a perplexing camera to use. It’s a feature-rich camera in and of itself, but most of those specifications are already available on the original EOS M50.

The M50 Mark II is virtually identical to its predecessor, both internally and externally — the only thing that has changed is that it is entirely software-based, which might be extremely important to up-and-coming content makers. Additional features include eye-detect autofocus for both stills and video, as well as the ability to capture vertical videos for use on social networking platforms like Instagram.

Another feature that distinguishes the M50 Mark II from the previous model is the addition of a video-recording button on the touchscreen, as well as a movie self-timer that gives you between 2 and 10 seconds to prepare yourself before the camera begins recording. If you happen to have more than 1,000 YouTube followers, the M50 II will also allow you to wirelessly live stream to your channel on the video-sharing website.

While the M50 II’s video capabilities appear to be impressive on paper, it suffers from the same heavy 1.5x crop for 4K video as its predecessor, as well as a slower phase-detect autofocus system that can be problematic when recording fast-moving subjects. While compared to, instance, the Canon EOS R6, the camera’s eye AF is rather good for a camera that has been branded as an entry-level model. It works well for stills and 1080p video – however, it is hit-and-miss when shooting in 4K.

Just as the previous M50 performed admirably in still photography, so does the M50 II: it produces excellent pictures, has the same (and fairly respectable) 10fps burst speed, has high dynamic range, and has reasonable noise performance. For videography, the M50 II works admirably as well. In short, if you currently own the EOS M50 and are a photographer, it’s difficult to recommend the Mark II; nevertheless, for videographers – notably content makers – who don’t require high-end specifications, the new model is worth considering.

Canon m50 vs m50 Mark ii Video

1. Build and Handling

The Canon EOS M50 Mark II is a high-quality camera with excellent build and handling.

Identical to the Canon EOS M50

Conveniently small and lightweight

EVF with 2.36 million dots

We’ll make this short and sweet because the M50 II is virtually identical to the original M50. It’s the same well-built body as before, but with a smaller, more compact form factor that makes it a perfect travel companion. In fact, it’s even more compact than some Micro Four Thirds cameras on the market. That also means you’re not getting a particularly strong grip, though it’s sufficient to keep the camera from falling out of your hands.

A sharp 2.36 million dot viewfinder, a fully articulating LCD touchscreen with 1.04 million dots, and a control arrangement with a single dial will all be included in this model. Everything you need is accessible via the touchscreen, including touch-and-drag focusing, or by pressing the rear buttons on the camera body.

Despite the fact that this is a new model, there is no weather sealing on this camera. However, don’t be deceived by the camera’s plasticky appearance – it has a robust build and doesn’t feel fragile in the hand.

2. PERFORMANCE OF THE CANON EOS M50 MARK II

We put the M50 Mark II through its paces with a variety of EF-M lenses as well as full-frame EF glass via a simple mount adapter – which is a significant advantage of the EOS M system over other systems. The EF-M lenses, which are intended exclusively for Canon’s mirrorless APS-C format, have a reasonably well-rounded ecosystem of compatible lenses. However, you can easily mount Canon’s bigger EF lenses, which are designed for full-frame DSLRs.

This provides you with access to an extremely broad variety of optics and provides the M50 Mark II with an incredible amount of lens possibilities – but they will be subject to a 1.6x crop factor due to the lower sensor size, which makes them less usable in low light (so a 50mm EF lens would have an effective focal length of 80mm here).

In general, we were able to capture rich, clear, and detailed photographs of a variety of things — the 24.1MP sensor may not be brand new, but it continues to produce great images. The newly added eye recognition isn’t quite as reliable as the eye detection on Canon’s other cameras; it didn’t nail the eyes 100 percent of the time in our test images, though we have been spoilt by the unrivaled eye AF on the EOS R5 since its introduction.

While the M50 Mark II’s dynamic range isn’t the best in its class, there is still a significant amount of data present in the files recorded by the camera – which means there is a significant amount of play in the shadow and highlight areas to ‘pull back’ your shots if they are over or underexposed, particularly if you shoot in raw format.

While things are generally fine in the still-image area, things are a little more tricky when it comes to video. While still images are generally fine, video is a little more complicated.

First and foremost, as previously stated, this is a poor 4K camera. The idea of having a truncated 4K image in 2021 (you can see the severity of the 1.6x reduction in the sample clip below) is simply unacceptable, let alone when it means that you lose the Dual Pixel AF, which is one of the camera’s most compelling selling aspects.

The replacement contrast-detect AF is exceedingly hit-and-miss, and it pulses and hunts so much that you run the danger of ruining images or losing focus totally when you use it. In addition, the 4K video suffers from an unappealing rolling shutter effect (the ‘Jell-O effect’ as you pan from side to side) that is particularly noticeable.

However, for vloggers and other video makers, the camera’s substandard 4K performance may not make much of a difference because most creators filming for YouTube only record in 1080p anyway – and this is a camera that produces mainly fantastic 1080p footage.

You’ll be better served using a gimbal or tripod because there is no in-body image stabilization, but you can shoot at up to 60p (for smooth motion or slow motion, depending on your needs), and you maintain the excellent Dual Pixel AF. It also implies that you can mount an external microphone such as a shotgun mic or even put in a lav mic in order to capture the finest audio possible.

Despite the fact that the ability to record vertical video will be laughed at by purists, the M50 Mark II is a crucial tool for content creators who are creating material for platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook stories, as well as the ever-growing tide of portrait-oriented media.

Unfortunately, we were unable to test the camera’s capacity to Livestream directly to YouTube during the review time; despite sifting through YouTube’s maze of menus and settings, we were just unable to get the platform to accept a direct feed from the M50 Mark II. When we have more time, we expect to be able to put this functionality through its paces.

3. Image quality with the Canon EOS M50 Mark II

A wide dynamic range is desirable.

The level of noise is properly regulated.

Why fix something that isn’t broken? In the previous M50, there was absolutely nothing wrong with the 24MP sensor, and reusing it in the Mark II was a wise decision. It generates photos that are extremely clear and crisp, similar to those produced by the M50, with superb color rendition and a great deal of detail.

Fortunately, we were able to bring the camera along with us to Tasmania, Australia, and we were really pleased with the results (which you can see in the gallery above).

There’s plenty of resolution here for A3 prints or some heavy cropping before the image quality starts to deteriorate too much.

While the M50 II’s dynamic range isn’t quite up to par with that of more advanced cameras, it still manages to deliver a respectable result when shooting in raw format. A significant amount of detail in the highlights and shadows of JPEGs was also retrieved, which was a pleasant surprise.

Even at high sensitivity levels, noise is well controlled up to ISO 6400; nonetheless, images captured at ISO 12,800 are useable despite the presence of grain and loss of resolution at that sensitivity level. At ISO 25,600, noise becomes a concern and is a level we would not advocate utilizing, even if you want to use the images on the web at their original size.

Both the auto white balance setting and the evaluative metering mechanism of the camera are reliable, and the camera can handle a wide range of settings with balanced exposures.

Aside from its 4K limitations, the M50 Mark II’s video quality is quite good, and it is on par with the camera’s still-image quality performance.

4. LAB DATA FOR THE CANON EOS M50 MARK II

In our lab data comparison, we pitted the M50 Mark II against three other popular APS-C cameras aimed toward vlogging and blogging: the Sony A6100, the Nikon Z50, and the Fujifilm X-S10, all of which are targeted toward vlogging and blogging.

Resolution:

The resolution of a sensor is measured using standardized text charts that produce values in line widths/image height, which is independent of the sensor size used.

The resolution of the cameras is roughly consistent with what you’d expect based on their megapixel numbers. When shooting at ISO 3200, the EOS M50 Mark II is on par with its 24MP competitors, however, it generates somewhat more noise at higher ISOs, concealing more fine information. The 20.9MP Nikon isn’t quite up to the task of resolving fine detail in the same way that the 24MP cameras are.

Dynamic range is defined as follows:

It is a measure of a camera’s capacity to record extreme brightness ranges while still retaining detail in both the brightest and darkest sections of the picture, which is measured in dynamic range. It is expressed in EV (exposure values, often known as stops).

At lower ISOs, the EOS M50 Mark II performs admirably in terms of dynamic range; however, at higher ISOs, it immediately falls below the class-leading Nikon and Fujifilm cameras, and even falls behind the Sony A6100 when compared to the Nikon D800. This could be related to the fact that the sensors in both the Canon and Sony cameras are beginning to fail.

The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is the ratio of the signal to the noise.

The quantity of random noise generated by the camera at different ISO settings is compared to the amount of genuine image information (the signal) captured by the camera. Higher ISO values are preferable, and we anticipate that the signal-to-noise ratio will decrease as the ISO is increased.

The M50 Mark II produces reasonably good images, albeit it struggles at higher sensitivities because of the limited dynamic range. Because of its somewhat lower megapixel count, which results in larger photosites over its image sensor surface area, the Z50 is the camera to beat in its category when it comes to noise levels.

Should I invest in the Canon EOS M50 Mark II camera?

If you want to buy it,…

You require a camera that is both dependable and capable as an entry-level model.

The EOS M50 Mark II, like its predecessor, is a top-notch performer, particularly in the still-image arena. The Canon EOS M50 is an excellent choice if you’re just starting out in photography and looking for something that offers decent value. EF-M lenses aren’t plentiful, but you can use an adaptor to mount full-frame Canon EF lenses on this camera. It’s worth noting that there aren’t many native EF-M lenses available.

You’re a rising star in the world of content creation.

The Canon EOS M50 II was created for social media networks that appeal to the mobile generation, such as Instagram and Facebook. This is made easier by the camera’s capacity to shoot vertical video, as well as the fact that it has a movie self-timer that does not require you to seek assistance to begin filming. Additionally, if you meet Google’s requirements, you can live broadcast to YouTube as well. Although the camera’s 4K video has some flaws, the 1080p video produced by the camera is flawless.

do not purchase it if…

You already own a Canon EOS M50 digital SLR camera.

Given that the two cameras are virtually identical on the inside and out, with only a few small software upgrades on the Mark II, we find it difficult to suggest the new model. When it comes to autofocus, there’s really no reason to upgrade if you’ve never had a problem with the previous M50’s, which is also quite good.

You’ll need a high-definition 4K camera for this.

Offering cropped 4K footage on a camera that was released in late 2020 is, to put it mildly, disappointing. The EOS M6 Mark II, which is Canon’s own camera, has uncropped 4K recording, so we’re not clear why the company decided to make such tiny improvements in a second-generation body. As a result, if you’re looking for a more powerful and portable 4K camera, we’d prefer the M6 II, even though it will cost you a bit more money.

Final Verdict

The Canon EOS M50 Mark II is a camera that comes with a few exclamation points attached to it. A mediocre follow-up to the original M50, this is a disappointing successor. However, when seen solely on its own merits, it is a great hybrid mirrorless camera that captures both still images and video in high quality.

Given the limitations of its 4K capabilities, we are unable to recommend this camera for those looking to shoot video in this resolution. While the M50 Mark II is not ideal for vlogging or creating content for social media platforms, it is ideal for shooting 1080p video with a strong, simple-to-use body with excellent autofocus that is equally at home for run-and-gun videography as it is for vlogging or making content for TikTok.

While Canon does provide more powerful APS-C cameras, such as the Canon EOS M6 Mark II, which produce greater results in both stills and video, the company also sells more capable full-frame cameras. The M50 Mark II’s secret weapon, on the other hand, is its flawlessly balanced performance-to-price ratio. This is a reasonably priced, powerful, compact, and simple-to-use camera that is great for travel and everyday photography, as well as for creating a variety of other types of material.

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