Photography News 88 Newsletter

Big test

Canon EOS M50Mark II

PRICE: £589

CANON.CO.UK

SPECS

The Canon EOS M50 Mark II is a gentle refresh of its popular predecessor with many identical features, including the sensor. What are the updates, are they worthwhile – and should you get your credit card out?

› Price Canon EOS M50 Mark II with 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens £699, body with 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens £949, body only £589 › Sensor 24.1-megapixel (6000x4000 pixels), Digic 8 image processor › Sensor format APS-C, 22.3x14.9mm CMOS with low pass filter and EOS integrated cleaning system › ISO range 100-25,600 expandable to 51,200. Auto ISO 100-25,600 › Shutter range 30sec-1/4000sec plus B, 1/200sec flash sync › Drivemodes Single frame, high-speed continuous (up to 10fps in one shot AF) › Metering system Evaluative metering (384 zones), partial, centre-weighted average and spot (2.9%). Partial/spot stills only › Exposuremodes PASM, picture styles (auto, standard, faithful, etc), creative assist (background blur, monochrome), creative filters (fisheye, toy camera, etc), scene intelligent auto, hybrid auto, SCN modes (smooth skin, food, handheld night, etc) › Exposure compensation +/-3EV in 0.3EV steps, AEB in three shots +/-2 EV in 0.3EV steps › Monitor 3in touchscreen LCD, 1.04m dots, vari-angle, shows 100% coverage › Viewfinder 0.39in OLED EVF with 2.36m dots. Dioptre correction › Focusing Dual Pixel CMOS AF system. Phase detect pixels built on to imaging sensor. Contrast detect used in 4K movie servo AF. › Focus points Max 3975 points. Max 143/99 AF points for face/tracking mode. Max 25 points in zone AF › Video MP4 type, 4K 3840x2160 (23.98/25fps), Full HD 1920x1080 (59.94/50/29.97/25/23.976fps). HD 1280x720 (119.9/100/59.94/50fps). Max duration 29mins 59sec. Max file size 4GB. › Connectivity High-speed micro USB, HDMI Type D, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi › Other key features Optical image stabilisation on compatible lenses. In-body image stabilisation in movie mode, built-in flash GN5 (ISO 100/m), records Raws and JPEGs simultaneously, accepts EF and EF-S lenses via EF-EOS M mount adapter › Storagemedia 1x SD, SDHC, SDXC › Battery life Approx 250 shots with viewfinder. 305 with live view, 95mins of 4K movie recording time › Dimensions (wxhxd) 116.3x88.1x58.7mm › Weight 387g body only

WORDS AND IMAGES BY WILL CHEUNG

NATURALLY, THE CAMERA IS BLESSED WITHGOODSETSOF SHOOTING FEATURES FOR STILLS ANDVIDEO

MODERN CAMERAS ARE so highly developed, new models don’t merit a new name – just the addition of Mark II or Mark III. That said, some feature really significant upgrades, proving enough for keen users to trade in their old model for the new one. Others have undergone more of a subtle makeover – and this is where the Canon EOS M50 Mark II sits. Placing the EOS M50 and M50 Mark II next to each other is like comparing two peas in a pod. Externally, the only difference is the printed name to one side of the viewfinder eyepiece, while internally, they boast the same sensor, processor, ISO range and

shutter. The update features tweaks to the autofocus system, improved networking skills, plus the ability to shoot vertical video – but that’s about it. The cynical photographers among us might wonder why these changes could not be achieved through a firmware update. While this keeps existing owners happy, it doesn’t necessarily sell cameras. The Canon EOS M50 Mark II is an entry-level, APS-C format mirrorless model aimed at the photographic newcomer and – in the age of Instagram, TikTok and YouTube – the content creator. Its sensor is a 24.1-megapixel CMOS working with

a Digic 8 processor. The three-inch monitor is touch-sensitive and can be set to face forwards. Naturally, the camera is blessed with good sets of shooting features for stills and video. In terms of the former, the EOS M50 Mark II shoots at 10fps in single shot AF. Like its predecessor, it uses the CR3 compressed Raw format for full-size files, typically around

25-35MB each. This compares with the 40-45MB files shot by the EOS M6. In video, there’s HD, Full HD and 4K – the latter resulting in a 1.7x crop. That’s significant – and a potential drawback. In addition, it employs contrast detect AF only, proving less effective than phase detect AF. Speaking of autofocus, this camera uses Dual Pixel AF for stills and

Contact canon.co.uk

IMAGES Available in silver or black, there’s no denying that Canon has done well to pack a lot of features into a compact body, without making it look too daunting

Issue 88 | Photography News 29

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