Canon EOS M50 mark II is a 24.1-megapixel entry-level mirrorless camera that replaces the original Canon EOS M50. The camera has significant upgrades which we will digest by the end of this tech review.
Canon M50 Mark II key specs
- 24.1 MP APS-C sensor
- Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus (with eye tracking)
- 1080 up to 60p, 4K up to 25p videos
- Digic 8 Image processor
- 1.04 dot fully articulating LCD touchscreen
- 2.36 M dot OLED electronic viewfinder
- 305 shots per full charge
- WI-FI & Bluetooth connectivity
Body and handling
Straight from the box, there is not much difference between Canon M50 Mark ii and the original M50. The camera is fitted with a compact body that takes the shape of a DSLR. This is because despite the Canon 50 mark ii being videography oriented, there is an electronic viewfinder in the middle for use when taking photos.
Despite the camera’s small size, it feels comfortable at hand thanks to a well-placed handgrip with a thumb rest.
The placement of the dials is similar to that of its predecessor. The Canon M50 is mostly operated on the right-hand side with the camera facing forward. However, due to its small size, the buttons are stacked closely making it difficult to operate the camera.
It is at this point when the fully articulating touch screen saves the day. You can conduct some of the camera settings using the screen with ease.
The other disadvantage associated with a small size is the battery life. In that case, we will not be too hard on Canon M50 mark 2 for taking 305 shots per full charge.
Video quality
The Canon M50 is built to win the hearts of content creators; vloggers and tiktok users. It, therefore, has videography features that will easily meet the needs of this market niche.
With Canon’s color science, the videos taken with the Canon M50 mark ii are ready to go without further editing. This means you don’t have to be a camera nerd to successfully shoot content with this camera.
The 24.1 MP CMOS sensor in the Canon M50 captures detailed videos as well as photos. You can record up to 4K/24p videos using the Canon M50 but with a few compromises. These will include cropping for just switching to 4K mode and further cropping if you use electronic image stabilization. You will also not enjoy the dual pixel autofocus feature leaving you with contrast detection only.
That mentioned I would recommend settling with Full HD (1080p) videos to enjoy minimal cropping and eye-tracking autofocus features.
Live streaming
Canon M50 mark ii has two options if you want to stream live videos;
- Using the camera as a smartphone device
- Using the camera as a webcam
For the first option, using Canon M50 to directly stream live content on Youtube, you must have at least 1000 subscribers. This is because Youtube requires mobile users to have over 1000 users. Converting the Canon M50 mark ii into a webcam will be your solution if you are facing this challenge. This is achieved by connecting your camera to a PC using a USB cable.
For high-quality audio, you can use the 3.5mm microphone jack to connect to an external microphone.
Canon M50 Mark II pros and cons
With Canon M50 Mark 2 being a content creator-oriented video camera, we will list the features in which the camera hits or miss;
Advantages of Canon M50 Mark ii
- Fully articulating touchscreen
- Vertical and Landscape Videos
- External Mic Input
- Webcam, Bluetooth & WI-FI connectivity
- Interchangeable lens
- 100-25600 ISO range
Disadvantages
- 1.6x cropping when shooting in 4K (further cropping when using electronic image stabilization)
- Short battery life (cannot be charged while using the camera)
- Slow autofocus when shooting 4K
- No headphone jack
Comparison Table
The table below shows how Canon M50 compares with Sony ZV-E10 and Panasonic Lumix G100;
Final verdict
Canon M50 Mark ii is an excellent camera for beginners who want to go a long way into photography and videography. Being an interchangeable lens camera, you can upgrade to the best EF-M lenses for Canon M50 mark ii.
Canon EOS M50 mark ii will be most beneficial to vloggers who want to upgrade from shooting with a smartphone. This camera will easily give you a professional look in your videos without much effort. If you are this person, go ahead and buy the Canon M50 mark 2.
Check out this guide by Canon Camera Assist for more information;
