Less ambitious and elitist than the mirrorless cameras it launched recently, Canon is returning to the field of consumer APS-C cameras with the EOS R50. A box that targets “creators” and all those who want to go beyond photography to smartphones.
In addition to its EOS R8 launched today at €1,799, Canon is also announcing a less ambitious and less professional device: the EOS R50. Wanting to “recreate ranges for the general public as in the era of SLRs” as the teams of Canon France told us, the image giant is launching a device here with a smaller sensor. Point of “full format” 24×36 mm, but an APS-C sensor “already another less four times larger than smartphone sensors”, we are assured. Well, that doesn’t apply to the (rare) smartphone models equipped with 1-inch sensors, but you get the idea.
Read also: EOS R7 and EOS R10: Canon gives a boost to its APS-C hybrids (May 2022)
With a bare body price of €829, the EOS R50 is currently a rarity in the world of photography: a device for less than €1,500-2,000. While the photo has refocused on its historical audience of enthusiasts and smartphones continue to progress, there is still room for those who crave optics, (naturally) blurred backgrounds and others… without having to bleed (too much).
Fix Canon’s entry-level video flaw
The target of this device is as often in this price category, “the creators”. Understand all those who want to make still and animated images and who seek to distinguish themselves from the renderings of the small sensors of smartphones. In the range, it fits between the aging EOS M50 Mark II launched at the end of 2020 in the USA (and only at the beginning of 2021 in Europe!) and the EOS R10 launched at the beginning of 2022. The latter retains the advantage in terms of buffer depth – number of images it can take in bursts. But gives in on a defect of Canon’s entry-level video: cropping.
The EOS R50 is indeed equipped with a Dual Pixel sensor devoid of cropping coefficient. A major asset for those who want to take full advantage of their wide-angle lenses. More modest than its big brother the EOS R8, the EOS R50 is content with 4K30p (instead of 4K60p). But it retains its 6K sampling, which should guarantee excellent image quality – the more pixels the processor has to sample, the higher the level of detail output. For slow motion, a Full HD 120p mode is available, but filmmakers will regret the lack of a headphone output to control the volume level.
Solid photo partition, lacks native optics
The 24.2 Mpix Dual Pixel sensor is not the latest generation, but should already offer solid autofocus performance. The burst is more than enough for normal use, with 15 fps in electronic shutter and 12 fps in mechanical shutter – this was the speed level of sports cameras ten years ago. In terms of buffer depth, however, we are on a lighter score, with only 42 Jpeg images or 7 in RAW at 12fps and 28 Jpeg and 7 RAW at 15fps. It helps out for an action scene, but it doesn’t “work” – Canon has other (more expensive) cameras for that!
Designed as a box for the very general public, the EOS R50 benefits from an electronic viewfinder in addition to the screen (not luxurious with its 2.36 Mpix, but it will do the job) but it does not have a wheel or joystick. And its hot shoe is not compatible with old flashes (no ISO switch), etc. Shortcomings that we cannot blame him for the price. What we regret a little more is the lack of native APS-C optics that Canon currently has, with only three native models. Three will you tell me?
Yes, because at the 18-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM and 18-150mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM already in the catalog, a new reference is launched at the same time as this small camera. A consumer small telephoto lens called the RF-S 55-210 f/5-7.1 IS STM. An optic whose name is decoded as follows: a zoom in RF mount for the smallest APS-C sensors ranging from 55 to 210 mm (and therefore equivalent to an 88-336 mm with the multiplier coefficient of x1.6). Optics with a sliding aperture of f/5.0 (widest angle position 55mm) to f/7.1 (most telephoto position), an optical stabilization mechanism equivalent to 4.5 stops and up to 7 stops if the body has a mechanical stabilization of the sensor. All with a quiet stepping focus mechanism. An optic far from being top of the range since it is displayed at 449 € alone. But a featherweight of 270 g which makes it relevant with a case of only 375 g with the battery.
Note that if you can mount all the RF optics on this EOR R50 (with a multiplier of x1.6), only a few fixed focal lengths (16mm, 24mm, 35mm and 50mm) make sense on such a small body than the R50. Canon would benefit from accelerating a little on this side in order to provide quality zooms for the APS-C sensor – we are mainly thinking of a 24-70/24-105 mm equivalent.
Connected and focused on creatives
Canon has limited the physical controls as much for the price (the more complex it is to produce, the more expensive it is), as much as for the simplicity of piloting the device. Which is therefore essentially controlled through the touch screen, like the smartphones from which the target customers are supposed to come. As such, Canon has taken care and adapted its interface: in addition to a creative bracketing mode which allows you to apply several renderings on a single shot to choose your preferred mode, the device offers an assisted creation system. Which consists in making intelligible the concepts of depth of field and others to an audience who does not yet have the vocabulary. An always beneficial approach, the photo having an easily elitist jargon!
Connected, the R50 is certainly connected with, in addition to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, the possibility of transforming the box into a webcam. Whether through Canon Camera Connect or UVC/UAC compatibility. Which allows you to use the device without having to install drivers on the PC (but theoretically offers fewer setting options than through the official software).
The Canon EOS R50 will be available in two colors: black and white. The white model will only exist in kit version with an 18-45 mm silver.
The versions marketed from the end of March will be as follows:
- EOS R50 bare body (black only): €829
- EOS R50 + 18-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM (black or white with silver lens): €949
- EOS R50 (black only) + 18-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM + RF-S 55-210 f/5-7.1 IS STM: €1199
