What just happened? Canon has introduced a new entry-level mirrorless camera body targeting budding content creators, those looking to move beyond smartphone photography or folks seeking a solid backup solution.
The Canon EOS R50 packs a 24.4-megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor alongside a DIGIC X image processor that is capable of capturing 6K oversampled 4K uncropped video at up to 30 frames per second. Around back, you’ll find a 3.0-inch, 1.62 million dot touchscreen LCD as well as a 0.39-inch OLED electronic viewfinder, which is somewhat rare on a mirrorless in this price range.
Canon’s latest can snap up to 12 frames per second using the electronic first curtain shutter mode, or up to 15 frames per second in electronic shutter mode. The former affords shooting with less distortion while the latter benefits from silent operation, making it ideal when shooting in sound-sensitive environments.
The dual pixel CMOS auto-focus system breaks down images into up to 651 automatically-selected AF zones, and covers nearly 100 percent of the picture area.
In video mode, users can continuously record video for up to an hour (although Canon notes in the fine print that recording may stop due to battery level, card capacity or temperature). A dedicated close-up demo mode can quickly shift the focus from on-camera subjects to objects put in front of the lens, like when filming unboxing videos or cooking segments. UVC/UAC compatibility, meanwhile, allows the R50 to be used as a webcam without additional software to stream up to full HD video to popular apps like Skype, Microsoft Teams and Zoom.
The body supports just one SD card and although specialty cards like those from Eye-Fi are not supported, the camera includes built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for wireless transfers.
The Canon EOS R50 is available to pre-order starting at $679.99 (body only) in your choice of white or black. A kit with an 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 lens will set you back $799, or you can add a 55-210mm f/5-7.1 to the mix for $1,029 out the door. Look for the first shipments to head out the door this spring.