Best Budget Mirrorless Camera 2021: Canon EOS M50

“If I could save time in a bottle…” Jim Croce pleaded sadly. But time will eventually go by, and every moment we are living is becoming a past immediately.

Cameras, one of the greatest inventions of humankind to balance up the opening between past and present. A good-performing camera can save memories to celebrate beyond time. On the other hand, the deficient one can ruin a golden opportunity to capture your precious moments.

Having said that, the need for a decent camera is always felt among enthusiasts. Whether you are an amateur or a professional, vlogger or experimentalist, you might be looking for the best budget mirrorless camera of 2021 that can do the mid-level photography job quite efficiently.

Well, you may consider yourself lucky since this article is all about the Canon EOS M50 Mirrorless Camera which has been the talk of the town for a while. We have tried to cover the key features, performance, and shortcomings of this item in this paper for people like you.

What’s the actual deal?

Let’s get this thing straight. With the best autofocus on offer along with effective image stabilization, 0.39-inch OLED electronic viewfinder, and all-new Digic 8 processor inside a budget-friendly price range, it has earned fame from thousands of photographers around the world.

If you want to hear more in a brief then I should mention its quality performance, easily interchangeable lenses, and beginner-friendly operating system for better understanding. And what’s more? It’s the company’s first-ever mirrorless camera that supports 4K filming!

Well, there are many other things to know about this device. So, allow me to go one by one, would you?

1. Design

The appearance of a camera and things that appear in the camera draw the same attention for a photographer. In the first place, you would find lots of resemblance with the EOS M5 as far as design is concerned. It’s very compact and fits easily into your hand, plus it offers a firm grip even though the handgrip is rather smaller.

The front of the camera is very simple with its leather grip and lens release button. Canon EOS M50 is intended for beginners and that’s the reason you would find most of the functions easy going than any typical DSLR.

At the top right corner, all the basic operation keys are set precisely.  The main mode dial is quite small and unfortunately, there is no exposure compensation dial here.  Nonetheless, you got everything within your index finger’s radius for a quick operation.

The back of the camera consists of a Vari-angle LCD touch screen. The handgrips’ leathery finish makes its way around the side of the screen, which gives it a kind of premium finish. And just right to it, four-way buttons are placed.

These are by default used for menu and setting navigations. Canon has doubled the use of these buttons by giving shortcut functionality such as auto/manual focus setting, EV compensation, flash mode, and delete key. You can also change their uses later on.

The device weighs just about 13 ounces and has a dimension of 2.3 x 4.6 x 3.5 inches, which is an easy fit for your pocket or shoulder bags. So, all in all, the build quality and outlook of the Canon EOS M50 are quite satisfactory.

2. On Point Autofocus

The all-new Digic 8 processor introduced in this device brings few major improvements in its performance. Now the user gets more autofocus points (up to 143) and has an advanced eye detection feature that ensures almost error-free focus both in still image and filming.

The Dual Pixel CMOS AF system is so fast in most circumstances that it perfects any stills or video within a fraction of a second. Credit also goes to Canon’s STM (stepping motor) lenses for faster and silent autofocus performance.

There are two autofocus modes in this device – One-Shot AF and Servo AF. The Servo AF ensures all the sensors keep tracking of the focused moving object as long as it is within the range of tracking. The AF sensor recognizes face automatically; however, you can also set it manually using the touch screen or buttons.

Getting a little confused with all these technical terms? Let me make this clear for you – it takes about 1.3 seconds to turn on the camera and take a perfectly focused picture. *Camera Click Sound*

3. 24.1 Megapixel APS C CMOS Sensor

24.1 Megapixel APS C CMOS sensor and the DIGIC 8 Image Processor deliver incredible colour, clear details, and stunning range. While shooting default-setting JPGs through ISO 6400, it can keep image noise under 1.5 percent. If you push ISO higher, you will notice a little less detail, but not offensively.

The 22.3 x 14.9 mm sensor has a diagonal of 26.82 mm (1.06″) and a surface area of 332.27 mm². A bigger sensor with a smaller pixel density is what makes a camera perform better. In that case, the pixel density of this sensor is 7.27 MP/cm². The sensor resolution is 6012 x 4008.

Aperture priority is enabled for this device. It helps the photographer to fix a specific stigma value while a proportionate shutter speed is selected by the camera. The chemistry between these two factors ensures better exposure in any given lighting condition.

The shutter speed also plays an important role in capturing a perfect picture. The faster the shutter speed the easier it is to capture without blur. It also reduces the camera’s shaking effect on the photograph. The minimum shutter speed is 30 seconds while the maximum is 1/4000 for this device.

4. The 4K Myth and Video Quality

It has been mentioned earlier that this is the first time you will get a 4K video feature in any canon mirrorless camera. But the question is – does it worth it?

Well, to be honest, it doesn’t perform according to the promise when you start shooting on the 4K the camera crops it by 1.7x. On top of that, you will lose the service of magnificent Dual Pixel CMOS autofocusing, and the frame rate is capped at 24p in 4k mode. The noise level also increases to an alarming level during the operation.

But the good news is the 1080p is superb. You won’t find any other cameras in this price range to offer such 1080p video quality for sure. I wonder if the 4K mode is more of a formal introduction rather than an actual service. And we can hope that Canon will work on the issue to come up with a solution.

Apart from that video quality blunder in 4k, you have time-lapse footage and an option to pull still images while filming in this mode. The same option is also available in 1080p mode, and that would offer much more satisfaction than the earlier one.

You have the option to film on 24, 30, or 60fps for 1080p mode. The autofocus, tracking, eye detection work pitch-perfect during the filming and produce well-stabilized videos. You have an additional slow-motion mode available that rolls at 120fps.

To sum up video quality in the Canon EOS M50, it can be said that the 1080p clips take the device to its standout point whereas the 4k mode fails altogether. Nonetheless, it is quite considerable as long as the device is serving everyone with its unparalleled 1080p expertise.

5. The Vari-angle LCD Display

While most of the cameras of its kind offer mounted traditional LCDs, the EOS M50 comes with a vari-angle prototype. It stays on a hinge at the side of the camera and can be swung in any direction. As a vlogger or lone videographer, you will find it very helpful to see what and how the filming is going on in real-time.

The display size is standard, which is 3 inches, and comes with numerous touch functions. It makes manual focus so easy with the touch screen. You can slide your finger on the LCD to move the active focus point while using the EVF.

The display has a 1040k dot screen which is enough to check your shots for a quick review. You can fold it to either side. The back part of the display has a textured leatherette finish and looks solid to sustain any ordinary blow.

6. Connectivity

For YouTubers or professional video makers, connectivity access remains one of the main concerns while buying a compact camera. Luckily, the Canon EOS M50 supports almost all the connection windows used frequently.

It has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and NFC support. You can also gain full access to the camera using the Canon Camera Support app downloaded from the app store. Transferring files from the camera to your phone is easier than ever before. But the raw images automatically convert into JPG during transfer.

To establish the wireless connection both the devices need to be under the same Wi-Fi network. You will be able to transfer and see any 1080p clips through wireless transfer, but 4k is not applicable.

However, it has a Micro HDMI Type-D port, a Micro-B USB 2.0 port, and also comes with a stereo microphone jack of 3.5mm. It uses SD/SDHC/SDXC cards via a single card slot with support for UHS-I.

You can turn your camera into a live webcam – thanks to Canon’s EOS Webcam Utility Beta software. Streaming with top-notch video quality on YouTube or webinars is now within your reach.

Shortcomings of the Canon EOS M50

1. Low Light Operation Needs Additional Care

In broad daylight, there is no issue regarding its performance. Colour grading, contrast, autofocus, and all other things work perfectly as promised. But as the day sinks into evening and night, low light performance starts to degrade.

In that case, you need to try different ISO settings to create the perfect shot for you. However, the higher the ISO level, the more you will notice noise in your images and uneven colour contrast.

2. Microphone Jack Issue

Though features like silent filming mode earn some applause for this device, when you put an external microphone jack into it, a big issue appears. The 3.5mm jack interferes with the vari-angle screen.

You only need an external microphone while you are shooting from a distance or doing a vlog. Simultaneously, the need for a flip-screen is felt more in that particular time too. So, you can say it is a worst-case scenario.

But the good news is, the screen flips marginally enough to see things, but quite awkwardly.

3. Lens Factor

The lens options for the EOS M50 are unsatisfactorily limited. The M50 uses EF-M lenses. It’s been a few years since the device was launched. But the lack of native lenses might hurt you badly. However, you can use lens adapters to explore a wider range of lenses.

4. Battery

It comes with a rechargeable Li-ion Battery LP-E12. You can take up to 235 shots approximately during normal mode. This number can be extended to around 370 shots if you take photos in eco mode. While filming at 1080p, the device can run for 80-85 minutes.

So, it is highly recommended to buy a few more batteries prior to a long tour.

Pros:

• Compact
• Beginner Friendly
• 24MP APS-C image sensor
• 7.4fps with tracking
• Vari-angle Touch Screen LCD
• Burst Shooting at 10fps
• Excellent 1080p Filming
• EVF
• WiFi
• Can Sustain Rough Weather

Cons:

• 4K Performance Below Standard
• Low Battery Life
• Lack of Native Lenses
• Raw buffer is shallow

FAQ

1. Are shooting modes available in Canon EOS M50?

Ans. Yes, there are numerous shooting modes available in the device such as Scene Intelligent Auto, Creative Assist, Landscape, Sports, Close Up, Time-lapse movie, and many more. All of these modes are designed for easy accessibility for new photographers.

2. What is the maximum length for a single movie shot in this device?

Ans. You can shoot for 29min and 59 seconds in a single clip.

3. Is it water-resistant?

Ans. No, it doesn’t come with any water or dust resistant certifications. But it is capable of sustaining rough weather conditions.

Final Thought

The 4K performance of this device might not be promising enough but this is the first time Canon has introduced this feature to a mirrorless camera. Other than that, top-notch 1080p shooting with industry-leading autofocus technology is greatly effective for any kind of action or vlogging photography.

Its compact build quality, solid size, incredible still image-taking capability, beginner-friendly user interface, and affordable price should earn it the title of the best budget mirrorless camera of 2021.