I understand that a lot of people get persuaded into buying a DSLR looking at just the specs alone. It’s sometimes just a battle of megapixels versus the price that people fall for. However, one should consider other aspects like ease of use, post-processing, compatibility before they make the final buying decision. I had the Canon M50 Mark II for about a month, and it brings a host of new features for people who are into video blogging. But do the updates make the Mark II a compelling bargain? Let’s take a look.
Design
The M50 even today is a good camera but even if you decide to buy the upgrade, you’re not losing anything rather gaining incremental updates. Not a lot of changes have been made in terms of the design but that works for many.
Some of the video record options for video have now been moved to the touchscreen which just helps move things along well.
Not only that, but you also get a dedicated application for the Mark II that lets you control the shutter of the device, transfer images and video and even adjust settings. Canon has also added a record timer option on the Mark II that gives the user a window to prepare themselves before the recording can begin.
A feature that’s been carried forward from the original M50 is the electronic viewfinder which I personally prefer over an optical viewfinder. This helps mostly in conditions that are brightly lit and the digital viewfinder also shows exactly the kind of changes that you are making to the setting of the image.
Speaking of the touchscreen, you will struggle with it a bit in terms of visibility. Missing out on the slightest details and focus is a possibility on the small 7.62-centimetre display. Since video bloggers are mostly at the mercy of the display for that perfect shot, I believe they will have to be extra careful before they hit that record button.
Despite that little caveat, the touchscreen offers that flexibility whereby you can position the display any way you want. So, you can position yourself anywhere and position the LCD the way to want to see the frame. This also helps when you are shooting in portrait mode.
I asked a budding photographer about his inputs while he was shooting stills with the M50 Mark II and he said that he struggled with the grip and would have preferred more area to grab on to while shooting. He also complained about the LCD screen which is almost not usable under sunlight.
Photography, video and performance
The Canon EOD M50 Mark II comes bundled with the same 24-megapixel sensor Digic 8 image processor.
The Mark II comes with dual pixel autofocus which is what we get when we are shooting at 1080p. Even in low lighting, it was able to track my face without any issues and the camera has added face and eye detection this time around for photography. The camera is more accurate in terms of catching the subject and it doesn’t struggle even when your subject is at a distance. You also get a new electronic shutter option and burst speeds top out at 7.4fps with continuous autofocus.
You can view some of the samples clicked with the M50 Mark II here.
Even while you are shooting video, the Mark II now gets eye-tracking that makes sure your shots are in focus and that something important for people who shoot a lot of video blog on their own.
The dual-pixel is a major upgrade over the contrast detection system in the previous variant and definitely worth considering especially on a camera in the entry-level segment.
Though the M50 Mark II comes with 5-axis electronic image stabilisation I always recommend that you use the camera with a gimbal system. In the box, you get a 15-44mm zoom lens.
You can now stream directly to YouTube from the camera and do not need a laptop now. All you need to do is connect the camera with Wi-Fi, set up the stream on your smartphone and connect it to the camera and hit record.
If you’ll be shooting a lot of videos, you will need some extra battery life and the M50 has added almost 30 percent more battery than the previous iteration. Charging time also isn’t a lot which makes it perfect for people on the go.
Features that make it a dealbreaker
I wouldn’t recommend it for people who want to shoot a lot of 4K videos as autofocus will be a challenge as in that most it is still heavily dependant on the contrast detection system. Also, there is no option for 4K at 30fps which can be a dealbreaker for many.
For slow-motion videos, you get the option of 60fps at 1080p. If you want to shoot at 120fps you need to drop the resolution to 720p which affects the overall quality. In this mode, you also don’t get autofocus, no image stabilisation and no audio recording.
Should you upgrade?
As a standalone camera system, the EOS M50 Mark II is a well-balanced package for those interested in both videography and still photography. Some of the new features do make this a compelling bargain compared to its previous iteration and that is something you can consider in the sub-Rs 50,000 range. If you’re looking to kick off a career in vlogging and also short filmmaking, then the M50 Mark II is a good option.
