Canon 50D vs R100

The Canon EOS 50D and the Canon EOS R100 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2008 and May 2023. The 50D is a DSLR, while the R100 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 50D has a resolution of 15.1 megapixels, whereas the R100 provides 24 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 50D		Canon R100
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF mount lenses
15.1 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video		4k/24p Video
ISO 100-3,200 (100 - 12,800)		ISO 100-25,600
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 920k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
6.3 shutter flaps per second		6.5 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
800 shots per battery charge		400 shots per battery charge
146 x 108 x 74 mm, 822 g		116 x 86 x 69 mm, 356 g

Check 50D offers at
ebay.com
Check R100 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 50D and the Canon EOS R100? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 50D and the Canon R100. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon R100 is considerably smaller (37 percent) than the Canon 50D. Moreover, the R100 is substantially lighter (57 percent) than the 50D. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 50D is splash and dust resistant, while the R100 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the 50D gets 800 shots out of its Canon BP-511A battery, while the R100 can take 400 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E17 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 50D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	800	Y	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
2.		Canon R100	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	356 g	400	n	May 2023	479	amazon.com
3.		Canon 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
4.		Canon 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
5.		Canon 20D	144 mm	106 mm	72 mm	770 g	700	n	Aug 2004	1,499	ebay.com
6.		Canon 30D	144 mm	106 mm	74 mm	785 g	750	n	Feb 2006	1,399	ebay.com
7.		Canon 40D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	750	n	Aug 2007	1,299	ebay.com
8.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	1,399	ebay.com
9.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.com
10.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
11.		Canon 90D	141 mm	105 mm	77 mm	701 g	1300	Y	Aug 2019	1,199	amazon.com
12.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
13.		Canon M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	549	ebay.com
14.		Canon R10	123 mm	88 mm	83 mm	429 g	450	n	May 2022	979	amazon.com
15.		Canon R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	679	amazon.com
16.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
17.		Canon T1i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The R100 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 63 percent) than the 50D, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the R100 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the 50D (DIGIC 4), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the R100 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 15.1 MP of the 50D. This megapixels advantage translates into a 26 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the R100 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 4.69μm for the 50D). However, it should be noted that the R100 is much more recent (by 14 years and 9 months) than the 50D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the R100 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Canon R100 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the R100 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 50D are 23.8 x 15.8 inches or 60.4 x 40.2 cm for good quality, 19 x 12.7 inches or 48.3 x 32.2 cm for very good quality, and 15.8 x 10.6 inches or 40.2 x 26.8 cm for excellent quality prints.

The R100 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS 50D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS R100 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 50D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	none	21.8	11.4	696	63
2.		Canon R100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/24p	24.1	13.9	2197	84
3.		Canon 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
4.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
5.		Canon 20D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.9	11.0	721	62
6.		Canon 30D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.5	10.8	736	59
7.		Canon 40D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.3	703	64
8.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
9.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
10.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
11.		Canon 90D	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
12.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
13.		Canon M200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/25p	24.0	13.5	1836	82
14.		Canon R10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2085	84
15.		Canon R50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
16.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
17.		Canon T1i	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	1080/20p	21.7	11.5	663	63
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The R100 indeed provides for movie recording, while the 50D does not. The highest resolution format that the R100 can use is 4k/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the R100 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the 50D has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the R100 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the 50D (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. On the other hand, the viewfinder of the 50D has a higher magnification (0.59x vs 0.58x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 50D, the Canon R100, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 50D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.3/s	Y	n
2.		Canon R100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.5/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 20D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 30D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 40D	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.5/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon 90D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
13.		Canon M200	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
14.		Canon R10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon R50	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
16.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
17.		Canon T1i	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.4/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the 50D, but is missing on the R100 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the R100 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon R100 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The 50D writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the R100 uses SDXC cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 50D and Canon EOS R100 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 50D	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon R100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 20D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
6.		Canon 30D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 40D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon 90D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Canon M200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Canon R10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
15.		Canon R50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
16.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
17.		Canon T1i	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the R100 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the 50D does not provide wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 50D (unlike the R100) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

The R100 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the 50D has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the 50D was succeeded by the Canon 60D. Further information on the features and operation of the 50D and R100 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 50D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon R100 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Canon 50D better than the Canon R100 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 50D:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.59x vs 0.58x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (800 versus 400) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2008).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS R100:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 15.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 26%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 8 vs DIGIC 4).
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 4k/24p video.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 920k dots).
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (116x86mm vs 146x108mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 466g or 57 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (63 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 14 years and 9 months of technical progress since the 50D launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the R100 is the clear winner of the contest (17 : 9 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 50D and the Canon R100 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 50D or the R100. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 50D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
2.		Canon R100	3/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	May 2023	479	amazon.com
3.		Canon 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
4.		Canon 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
5.		Canon 20D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2004	1,499	ebay.com
6.		Canon 30D	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2006	1,399	ebay.com
7.		Canon 40D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	1,299	ebay.com
8.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	1,399	ebay.com
9.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.com
10.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
11.		Canon 90D	4/5	+	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2019	1,199	amazon.com
12.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
13.		Canon M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	549	ebay.com
14.		Canon R10	4/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2022	979	amazon.com
15.		Canon R50	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	679	amazon.com
16.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
17.		Canon T1i	..	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

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