Canon EOS M50 Mark II Review

Featuring an APS-C sensor with 24 megapixels and a user-friendly design, the Canon EOS M50 Mark II is a tiny mirrorless camera. Compared to its predecessor, it only has a few minor improvements, but it has a price that’s hard to beat, ergonomics that are easy on the eyes, and image quality that’s rock solid.

Improvements have been made to the focusing system. The ability to record videos in a vertical orientation and to Livestream straight to YouTube from the camera, provided the Wi-Fi connection is strong enough.

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

Last update was on: January 19, 2024 4:57 am

Key Specs

  • 24-megapixel APS-C sensor
  • Digic 8 image processor
  • Autofocus using dual pixels and eye-tracking technology
  • LCD with full articulation and touchscreen
  • 2.36M-dot electronic viewfinder
  • 7.4 frames per second in burst mode with continuously active autofocus
  • battery capacity rating of 305 shots per charge
  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies
  • Webcam functionality with the use of Canon’s EOS Webcam Utility

The EOS M50 Mark II may not be the most exciting release that Canon has come up with, but it also does not tamper too much with the formula that made the first M50 such a successful camera. This is a gentle update, and it may not be the most exciting product that Canon has developed.

As a result, the M50 Mark II is an appealing choice for users with less experience, and in particular, the fact that it is capable of live streaming helps it stand out from the competition. Therefore, in the later section of our evaluation, we will focus specifically on live streaming.

What’s Brand New?

The Dual Pixel AF system of the EOS M50 Mark II has received several improvements, the first of which is the addition of eye-tracking AF functionality for still images and video (face detection was the only option on its predecessor).

Additionally, the camera can now shoot videos in the vertical orientation, and you may use it to Livestream directly to YouTube so long as a picture is already prepared.

Canon account, in addition to having more than one thousand subscribers (more on this in the dedicated live-streaming section of the review).

Although the camera can record video in 4K at 24 frames per second, the resolution is severely reduced. In addition, the Dual Pixel focusing mode is unavailable (it maxes out at Full HD for live streaming anyway).

Body and Handling

The Canon EOS M50 Mark II has the appearance of a mini-DSLR, and despite its small size, the grip is both sturdy and pleasant to use. Furthermore, the controls of this camera are practically precisely the same as those of its predecessor. On the upper right-hand side of the camera’s body is where you will find the control dial, the shutter button, the record button, and the M-Fn button.

The remaining controls for the camera are located along the right side of the rear of the device. Unfortunately, they are pretty small and jammed together, and in many circumstances, it is quicker to use the touchscreen to alter your settings. This is especially true with the little video record button flush with the camera’s body, as it is tough to operate the other controls on the camera.

Utilizing the touchscreen on the camera makes a video recording much more straightforward. In addition, the organization of the menu is consistent with that of other Canon EOS cameras; thus, navigating it is simple.

The touchscreen integrated inside the M50 Mark II emits much light and has excellent responsiveness. So even though we were shooting in bright settings, we had no trouble using the touchscreen to navigate through the menus.

Additionally, it is thoroughly articulating, which transforms it into a flexible instrument that can be used for filming video footage. The electronic viewfinder with 2.36 million dots is bright and clear, and its performance was as expected. While keeping one eye on the viewfinder and the other on the touchscreen, you can position the autofocus point, a convenient feature.

The eTTL pop-up flash integrated into the M50 Mark II is adequate for use as a fill light, but the hot shoe allows you to attach an external flash that is far more powerful. Along the side of the camera is where you’ll find the micro-HDMI and USB Micro-B ports and the 3.5mm microphone jack. Unfortunately, the absence of a headphone jack makes it impossible to check the audio volume while the camera is capturing video, but this is very typical for cameras in this price range.

Because of its robust grip, the M50 Mark II is quite comfortable to shoot with despite its exceptionally lightweight and small size. It is rated by CIPA to take 305 photographs on a single charge, and if you are shooting stills, we found that its battery life was sufficient for at least a day’s worth of activities centered on photography.

However, because the battery dies so quickly, you should bring an extra battery if you intend to record a lot of video with the camera. It is also essential to remember that charging through USB is not supported (so hang on to that charger!).

Autofocus

The autofocus capability is one of the most significant EOS M50 Mark II improvements. Even though the Mark II has the exact fundamental AF mechanism as its predecessor, the camera now includes face and eye-tracking capabilities for still and moving images. During our testing with the M50 Mark II, we discovered that the eye-tracking feature performed exceptionally well, even when photographing objects moving quickly in dimly lit environments.

The new eye detection technology can only be used on human subjects. While it isn’t nearly as accurate as some other systems on the market, you can bypass it whenever necessary by utilizing the touchscreen.

While keeping your eye on the viewfinder, you can make adjustments quickly and easily using the touch-and-drag focusing feature, which we discovered to be pretty precise. We also liked that you could configure some portions of the LCD to be active, which prevented us from inadvertently changing the camera’s focus by nudging it with our noses.

Image Quality

It should be no surprise that the camera has virtually equal image quality to its predecessor, given that it utilizes the same sensor. As a result, you’ll receive JPEGs that are rich in color and have a reasonable degree of contrast. In general, the out-of-camera JPEGs require very little further processing to get them ready to be shared on social media.

When it comes to editing, Canon’s CR3 Raw format offers a great deal more freedom than other options. For example, when reviewing Raw photos captured by the M50 Mark II at low ISOs and in well-lit environments, we did not see any problems with how shadow features in our photographs could be brought out in the light.

Even with the constantly shifting strobe lighting at the concert venue, the camera’s automatic white balance perfectly adapted to the various lighting conditions. Shooting in manual mode for stills and video offered the most control and was our preferred way to shoot with this camera. Still, the auto mode’s scene detection feature works well enough that this kind of camera can be handed off to a less experienced shooter and still turn out crisp, in-focus images. In other words, shooting in manual mode for stills and video offers the most control.

When paired with a prime lens like the EF-M 22mm F2 or the EF-M 32mm F1.4, the M50 Mark II is an acceptable and discreet option for shooting on the street or capturing nightlife. On the other hand, when using the 15-45mm lens that the M50 Mark II often comes packaged with, the camera excels in capturing candid moments, vacations, and family shots. The enhancements made to the autofocus system are responsible for a significant portion of this result. In addition, because it has an eye recognition capability, it is beneficial for taking portrait photographs.

There is also an electronic shutter option for taking stills. Still, it can only be accessed within the ‘Silent Shooting’ scene mode, which does not give you any control over the exposure of the photograph you take.

Video

Even though the EOS M50 Mark II can record in 4K, you will get the most out of it if you stick to registering in 1080p. This is because the 4K/24p video has a significant amount of its image cut off. In addition, you won’t be able to use the camera’s dual-pixel focusing because it solely uses contrast detection.

Because of this, the focus is disappointingly unreliable in 4K mode unless you are right next to your subject. In addition, the cropping makes it challenging to shoot wide-angle scenes or to film yourself holding the camera at arm’s length. Again, this means the focus is disappointingly unreliable in 4K mode.

If, on the other hand, you are satisfied with recording in Full HD or 1080p, you can use dual-pixel focusing, enabling you to employ eye-tracking on the subjects of your shots. Again, this feature we found to benefit significantly when testing the camera.

The camera maintained focus when we utilized the M50 Mark II to shoot performances in solid lighting situations. It did an excellent job in dim light, but we noticed it had trouble recognizing things when more creative lighting was used. Nevertheless, it did a good job overall.

Streaming in real-time

Live streaming to YouTube from the EOS M50 Mark II sounds intriguing, allowing customers more freedom than a desktop streaming setup and more excellent resolution than pouring from a phone camera. The EOS M50 Mark II is a professional-level mirrorless interchangeable lens camera.

If you want to broadcast directly to YouTube using the M50 Mark II, you will not be able to do so until you have attained a minimum of 1,000 subscribers to your channel on YouTube. Why?

According to the YouTube streaming FAQ, users who broadcast from mobile devices, such as phones, must have 1,000 subscribers, but those who post from webcams, for example, are not. According to the press release for the M50 Mark II, YouTube considers the M50 Mark II to be a mobile device similar to a phone, not a camera. As a result, the arbitrary restriction of 1,000 subscribers applies to the M50 Mark II.

However, if you don’t have 1,000 subscribers but still want to utilize the EOS M50 II for live streaming, you may try a handful of other solutions.

It’s doubly aggravating since if you don’t reach the subscriber restriction, aren’t aware of the limitation, and try to broadcast anyway, the camera will display the cryptic warning “ERR 127 – an error occurred” and won’t provide any other information about what went wrong.

After experiencing this problem with one of our accounts, with a relatively modest number of members, we moved to the official DPR TV account, which has more than 300,000 subscribers and could stream content without any problems.

However, if you don’t have 1,000 subscribers but still want to utilize the EOS M50 II for live streaming, you may try a handful of other solutions.

You can live stream to YouTube by connecting it to your computer via USB and using Canon’s EOS Webcam Utility software. Once connected, your computer will recognize the M50 II as a webcam, and you can do so. However, you will need to use a microphone that isn’t built into the camera, as the microphones built into the camera won’t transmit audio over USB.

In addition, you may broadcast live content to YouTube and other platforms, such as Twitch, by using a capture card, an HDMI connection, and a streaming tool such as OBS.

However, when it comes down to it, the restriction of 1,000 subscribers appears to be nothing more than an absurdity. For instance, this restriction does not apply to Facebook Live broadcasts.

And in actuality, you could take your laptop out into the world, link it to your smartphone through a Wi-Fi hotspot, and then connect the M50 II to your computer to live stream from any place. However, it would be handier if you could do it directly with the camera. So we expect that YouTube will eventually revise its policy.

Canon EOS M50 Mark II Specifications

Body typeSLR-style mirrorless
Body materialComposite
Sensor
Max resolution6000 x 4000
Image ratio w:h1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels24 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors26 megapixels
Sensor sizeAPS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm)
Sensor typeCMOS
ProcessorDigic 8
Color spacesRGB
Color filter arrayPrimary color filter
Image
ISOAuto, 100-25600 (expands to 51200)
Boosted ISO (maximum)51200
White balance presets7
Custom white balanceYes
Image stabilizationNo
Uncompressed formatRAW
File formatJPEG (Exif v2.31)Raw (Canon CR3 14-bit)C-Raw (Canon .CR3)
Optics & Focus
AutofocusContrast Detect (sensor)Phase DetectMulti-areaCenterSelective single-pointTrackingSingleContinuousTouchFace DetectionLive View.
Autofocus assist lampYes
Manual focusYes
Number of focus points143
Lens mountCanon EF-M
Focal length multiplier1.6×
Screen/viewfinder
Articulated LCDFully articulated
Screen size3″
Screen dots1,040,000
Touch screenYes
Screen typeTFT LCD
Live ViewYes
Viewfinder typeElectronic
Viewfinder coverage100%
Viewfinder resolution2,360,000
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed30 sec
Maximum shutter speed1/4000 sec
Exposure modesProgramShutter priorityAperture priorityManual
Built-in flashYes
Flash Range5.00 m (at ISO 100)
External flashYes
Flash modesEvaluative (face priority), Evaluative, Average
Flash X sync speed1/200 sec
Drive modesSingleContinuousSelf-timer
Continuous drive10.0 fps
Self-timerYes (2 or 10 secs, custom)
Metering modesMultiCenter-weighted spot
Exposure compensation±3 (at 1/3 EV steps)
AE Bracketing±2 (3 frames at 1/3 EV steps)
Videography features
FormatMPEG-4, H.264
Modes3840 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
MicrophoneStereo
SpeakerMono
Storage
Storage typesSD/SDHC/SDXC slot (UHS-I compatible)
Connectivity
USBUSB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
USB chargingNo
HDMIYes (micro-HDMI)
Microphone portYes
Headphone portNo
WirelessBuilt-In
Wireless notes802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth
Remote controlYes (via smartphone)
Physical
Environmentally sealedNo
BatteryBattery Pack
Battery descriptionLP-E12 lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)305
Weight (inc. batteries)387 g (0.85 lb / 13.65 oz)
Dimensions116 x 88 x 59 mm (4.57 x 3.46 x 2.32″)
Other features
Orientation sensorYes
Timelapse recordingYes
GPSNone

Conclusion

Even while the modifications made to the EOS M50 Mark II might initially appear to be relatively insignificant, the significant improvements made to the focusing system when taking stills or video in Full HD are: The focusing of this camera is particularly outstanding because it is both swift and precise.

In the end, the M50 Mark II is simple to operate and produces JPEGs straight out of the camera that is vivid and has a pleasant contrast to them. Furthermore, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth will make it simple to transfer those graphic stills to your phone directly from the camera without the need for an intermediary device.

Even though it is a tiny camera, it is still quite comfortable to shoot. Therefore, it would be a fantastic choice for beginners searching for their first camera or for professionals seeking something lightweight to shoot while spending time with family and friends.

The touchscreen is quick and straightforward to use, which makes up for the fact that some controls are on the small side and packed closely together. The touchscreen capabilities may be used even while one’s sight is focused on the brilliant electronic viewfinder was another feature that impressed us.

Because of the 1.5x cut that occurs while recording in 4K at 24 frames per second, this is less beneficial for filmmakers and dedicated video bloggers. Even though the connector for the microphone is a good addition, we were hoping that Canon would also include a jack for headphones, but they didn’t.

The battery life is good when capturing static images, but once you start recording video, it depletes rather quickly. Ultimately, this camera shines as a tiny alternative for stills and quick video recording, mainly if the ability to record a 4K video isn’t as important to you as other video features.

Canon EOS M50 Mark II Price

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

Last update was on: January 19, 2024 4:57 am

Canon EOS M50 Mark II FAQs

Is it worth it to buy Canon M50 Mark II?

Image clarity, precision, and video recording capabilities are all strong points of the Canon M50 Mark II, making it an excellent value for the money. The particular requirements and inclinations of the photographer determine whether or not it is worthwhile to invest in.

What is Canon M50 Mark II best at?

With its flip-out screen, capable autofocus, and ability to record in 4K resolution, the Canon M50 Mark II is an excellent choice for video recording and streaming applications. Additionally, it is a perfect camera for photographing ordinary life, traveling, and taking portraits.

Is the Canon M50 Mark II good for car photography?

Because of its user-friendly interface, compact size, and many helpful features, such as autofocus and picture stabilization, the Canon EOS M50 Mark II can be considered an excellent camera for beginning photographers.

Is Canon EOS M50 Mark II good for night photography?

Although it is not the finest camera for night photography, the Canon EOS M50 Mark II can produce excellent results when used with a tripod, slow shutter speeds, and low noise settings.

Is M50 Mark II good for wedding photography?

Even though the Canon M50 Mark II is capable of being used for wedding photography, it is possible that it is not the most suitable option for this kind of photography. It’s possible that a camera with a larger sensor, faster autofocus, and a more excellent dynamic range would be better suited for wedding photographs.

Is Canon M50 Mark II mirrorless or DSLR?

Mirrorless photography was made possible by the Canon M50 Mark II. It is unlike a DSLR because it does not have a conventional reflector or an optical viewfinder.

Is M50 good for professional photography?

Although the Canon M50 Mark II can be used for professional photography, there are certain kinds of professional photography for which it might not be the idea; however, it is an option. For example, it is possible that a camera with a bigger sensor, quicker autofocus, and more excellent dynamic range would be more appropriate for professional photography.

Does M50 Mark II have WIFI?

The Canon M50 Mark II does indeed have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, which enables the quick and straightforward transmission of photogrFor example, iths to devices that are compatible with these technologies.

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