Canon EOS M50 Mark II Mirrorless Camera Review : Best Camera for Beginners

The Canon M50 Mark II is a mirrorless camera with an APS-C sensor that is small and easy to use. It has a resolution of 24MP. It offers minor improvements over its predecessor but at a competitive price while still providing appealing ergonomics and excellent image quality. Autofocus enhancements, vertical video shooting, and the option to live stream to YouTube straight from the camera, provided that it has a strong enough Wi-Fi connection, are among the new features.

The Canon EOS M50 Mark II has finally arrived, and it appears to be a pretty unusual camera on paper. However, its 24.1-megapixel picture sensor, Digic 8 processor, 2.36-million-dot electronic viewfinder, and a 3-inch touchscreen are all recognizable features.

Canon EOS M50 Mark II + EF-M 15-45mm is STM Kit Black

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The rationale for this is understandable. Both internally and cosmetically, the Canon EOS M50 Mark II is essentially identical to the original Canon EOS M50. The Canon EOS M50 Mark II is the successor of the Canon EOS M50. The same hardware, ergonomics, sensor, and virtually everything else are the same. It’s a significant step up from Canon’s entry-level EOS M200 model, but the original was also a considerable step up.

So, what distinguishes Mark II from the other models? Even if it’s not a significant sum, it might significantly impact what you want to do with your camera. There is little value for still photographers, but there is a massive gain for video photographers and content creators. However, one major caveat is that you must be a content producer to benefit from this.

Body and Handling

The EOS M50 Mark II is designed like a mini-DSLR, and despite its small size, the grip is robust and comfortable to hold. In addition, the controls for the camera are nearly identical to those of its predecessor. Located on the upper right-hand side of the camera’s body, the control dial, shutter button, record button, and M-Fn are all easily accessible.

The rest of the camera’s controls are located along the right back side of the camera. Their size and proximity to one another mean it is quicker to modify your settings using the touchscreen; this is especially true with the little video record button, which sits flush with the camera’s body. In addition, the touchscreen on the camera makes it easier to record video than it was previously. A standard organization seen in other Canon EOS cameras is followed by the menu system, which makes navigation simple.

The M50 Mark II’s touchscreen is bright, snappy, and easy to use. While shooting in broad sunlight, we found the touchscreen interface simple to use and navigate the menu options. The fact that it’s thoroughly articulated means that it’s a flexible instrument for taking video footage. The 2.36 million-dot EVF is excellent and performs as promised in terms of brightness and clarity. Because you can use the touchscreen to place your AF point while your eye is still focused on the viewfinder, it is really convenient.

It includes an eTTL pop-up flash built-in, enough for fill lighting, and a hot shoe that lets you attach a more powerful external flash to the M50 Mark II. In addition, the camera is equipped with a 3.5mm microphone jack and micro-HDMI and USB Micro-B ports running along the side. Unfortunately, there is no headphone jack for monitoring audio levels while the video is being recorded, but this is quite normal for cameras in this price range in this category.

Because of its large grip, the M50 Mark II is quite comfortable to shoot with, even those lightweight and tiny. It has a CIPA rating of 305 photographs per charge, and if you are solely shooting still shots, we found that the battery life was adequate for a day or more of photo-centric activities. However, if you want to shoot a lot of videos, you will want to carry an extra battery because the storm drains quickly when shooting videos. Also, remember that USB charging is not supported on this device.

Autofocus

The focusing capacity of the EOS M50 Mark II is one of the most significant enhancements to the camera. However, while the camera has the exact fundamental autofocus mechanism as the previous model, the Mark II includes face and eye tracking for both stills and video while taking stills. During our time with the M50 Mark II, we discovered that the eye-tracking function performed admirably, even while photographing rapidly moving subjects in low-light situations.

However, the new eye detection system is only compatible with human subjects and isn’t as accurate as some competing systems; however, you can override it whenever you need to use the touchscreen. In addition to making adjustments while your gaze is fixed on the viewfinder, the touch-and-drag focusing option proved pretty accurate in our testing. Also of note is that you may designate specific sections of the LCD to be active, preventing you from accidentally altering focus with the tip of your nose.

Image Quality

Because the camera employs the same sensor as its predecessor, it should be no surprise that the image quality is nearly comparable across the two models. Colorful JPEGs with a reasonable degree of contrast are produced. In general, the out-of-camera JPEGs require only minor further processing to make them suitable for sharing on social media. When it comes to editing, Canon’s CR3 Raw format gives you a great deal more freedom than other formats. When we looked at raw photographs taken with the M50 Mark II at low ISOs in brightly light circumstances, we didn’t find any concerns with the camera’s ability to properly brighten shadow features in our images to a respectable extent.

The presence of noise in the shadows as you pull them up is noticeable when shooting at the top end of the ISO range in low-light circumstances; nevertheless, this is not surprising, given the lighting conditions.

Even under the shifting strobes of a music venue, the camera’s auto white balance perfectly adapted to the changing lighting conditions. Obviously, shooting in Manual mode for both video and stills gives you the most control and was our preferred method of shooting with this camera. However, the auto mode’s scene detection feature is compelling enough that you can hand this camera off to a less experienced shooter and have it produce crisp, in-focus images.

The M50 Mark II is an acceptable and discrete option for street photography or recording nighttime activities when paired with a prime lens such as the EF-M 22mm F2 or the EF-M 32mm F1.4. The camera demonstrates its exceptional ability to catch candid moments and create beautiful images by photographing candids, traveling, and family portraits with the 15-45mm lens with which the M50 Mark II is frequently sold. Much of this is due to advancements in autofocus, which have been made throughout time. Because of the eye detection feature, it is also an excellent choice for taking portraits.

If you’re taking stills, you can also use an electronic shutter, but it’s only available in one scene mode, titled ‘Silent Shooting,’ which gives you no control over your exposure.

Video

Even though the EOS M50 Mark II is capable of 4K recording, we believe it is best suited for 1080p capture. The 4K/24p footage is substantially truncated, and the camera’s dual-pixel focusing (limited to contrast detection) is unavailable. This means the focus is regrettably inaccurate in 4K mode unless you’re near your subject. In addition, the cropping makes it tough to shoot wider-angle scenes or video oneself while holding the camera at arm’s length with the lens.

You can enable dual pixel focusing, which allows you to employ eye tracking on your subjects, if you’re happy with Full HD / 1080p capture, though. This was a feature we found to be incredibly handy throughout our time with the camera. In solid lighting settings, the M50 Mark II performed an excellent job of maintaining focus when we were filming performers with it. Likewise, it performed admirably in low light. However, we noted that it struggled to distinguish between things when more creative lighting was employed.

Full specifications

Sensor
Body type	SLR-style mirrorless
Body material	Composite
Max resolution	6000 x 4000
Image ratio w h	1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels	24 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors	26 megapixels
Sensor size	APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm)
Sensor type	CMOS
Processor	Digic 8
Color space	sRGB
Color filter array	Primary color filter
Image
ISO	Auto, 100-25600 (expands to 51200)
Boosted ISO (maximum)	51200
White balance presets	7
Custom white balance	Yes
Image stabilization	No
Uncompressed format	RAW
File format	JPEG (Exif v2.31)Raw (Canon CR3 14-bit)C-Raw (Canon .CR3)
Optics & Focus
Autofocus	Contrast Detect (sensor)Phase DetectMulti-areaCenterSelective single-pointTrackingSingleContinuousTouchFace DetectionLive View.
Autofocus assist lamp	Yes
Manual focus	Yes
Number of focus points	143
Lens mount	Canon EF-M
Focal length multiplier	1.6×
Screen/viewfinder
Articulated LCD	Fully articulated
Screen size	3″
Screen dots	1,040,000
Touch screen	Yes
Screen type	TFT LCD
Live View	Yes
Viewfinder type	Electronic
Viewfinder coverage	100%
Viewfinder resolution	2,360,000
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed	30 sec
Maximum shutter speed	1/4000 sec
Exposure modes	ProgramShutter priorityAperture priorityManual
Built-in flash	Yes
Flash Range	5.00 m (at ISO 100)
External flash	Yes
Flash modes	Evaluative (face priority), Evaluative, Average
Flash X sync speed	1/200 sec
Drive modes	SingleContinuousSelf-timer
Continuous drive	10.0 fps
Self-timer	Yes (2 or 10 secs, custom)
Metering modes	MultiCenter-weighted spot
Exposure compensation	±3 (at 1/3 EV steps)
AE Bracketing	±2 (3 frames at 1/3 EV steps)
Videography features
Format	MPEG-4, H.264
Modes	3840 x 2160 @ 23.98p / 120 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 60 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 30 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC1920 x 1080 @ 23.98p / 30 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC1280 x 720 @ 120p / 52 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC1280 x 720 @ 60p / 26 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC
Microphone	Stereo
Speaker	Mono
Storage
Storage types	SD/SDHC/SDXC slot (UHS-I compatible)
Connectivity
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
USB charging	No
HDMI	Yes (micro-HDMI)
Microphone port	Yes
Headphone port	No
Wireless	Built-In
Wireless notes	802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth
Remote control	Yes (via smartphone)
Physical
Environmentally sealed	No
Battery	Battery Pack
Battery description	LP-E12 lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	305
Weight (inc. batteries)	387 g (0.85 lb / 13.65 oz)
Dimensions	116 x 88 x 59 mm (4.57 x 3.46 x 2.32″)
Other features
Orientation sensor	Yes
Timelapse recording	Yes
GPS	None

Conclusion

However, although the upgrades to the EOS M50 Mark II appear to be minor at first glance, the advancements to the focusing system when shooting Full HD video or stills are significant. The camera’s focusing system is excellent since it is quick and accurate creating for, a fantastic shooting experience. Ultimately, the M50 Mark II is a simple camera to handle and produces vivid JPE with good contrast from the camera’s lens. Furthermore, having built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth sharing are those bright images from your camera phone or other devi simplices.

However, even though it is a tiny camera, it is pretty pleasant. It would be an excellent choice for newbies seeking their first camera or professionals seeking something lightweight to shoot while spending quality time with family and friends. Our testing revealed that the touchscreen is snappy and simple to use despite some of the controls being tiny and tightly packed together. Another feature we liked was that the touchscreen capabilities may be used even while your eyes focus on the brilliant electronic viewfinder.

For filmmakers and dedicated vloggers, the 1.5x crop while filming in 4K/24p makes this less helpful than it could be. Although including a microphone connector is a lovely touch, we would have preferred that Canon include a headphone jack. When taking still photographs, the battery life is adequate; however, as soon as you begin recording video, the energy degrades rapidly. Ultimately, this camera excels as a tiny alternative for still photography and simple video recording, especially if 4K video capabilities aren’t a must-have feature for you.

Thinking of buying the Canon M50 Mark II but aren’t sure if it’s a good fit?

What other say

It offers just minor improvements over its predecessor, yet it does so at a competitive price, while still providing appealing ergonomics and excellent image quality.
DSLRCameraSearch

However, although a total novice may use this camera to simply shoot photographs of good quality, an expert user who invests the necessary time in learning how to utilise the camera’s more complex functions can exert significant control over their photography. The M50 II’s possibilities are virtually limitless, thanks to the fact that it is compatible with the full Canon EOS system of accessories. With professional-grade image quality, the Canon EOS M50 II may be carried in a pocket, stored in a camera bag for backup reasons, or used as a primary camera that is always with you at all times, no matter where you are.
10BestCameras

While we would not advocate upgrading to the Canon EOS M50 Mark II if you already possess the original camera, if you’re new to the system, there are a number of things to enjoy about it that you should take into consideration. As a result, it’s highly portable and powerful, capturing beautiful stills and high-definition video in 1080p. This makes it excellent for travel, everyday imaging, vlogging, and content production, particularly for streaming and vertical shooting.
eDigitalReviews

Canon’s EOS M50 Mark II is a befuddling tiny camera — while it is crammed with features, it is just a slight upgrade over the original EOS M50 camera in terms of performance. Aside from the inclusion of eye AF and the ability to capture vertical video, there isn’t much of a difference between the two cameras’ specifications. While we do not recommend that owners of the EOS M50 switch to the latest model, the EOS M50 is an excellent choice for people who are just getting started in their photography and content production careers.
GoodProductReview

In the end, I really like this compact mirrorless crop camera from Panasonic. It delivers high-quality photographs as well as good video quality on a consistent basis. There are several capabilities on this little camera that make it a very capable companion for your photography and video trips. What do you think of the Canon EOS M50 Mark II? Do you have any questions? Would you consider purchasing such a camera, or would you prefer to get a camera of a similar type from a different manufacturer? I’d appreciate it if you could share your ideas in the comments section below, as well as which camera you think is the best for both photography and vlogging.
10BestPick