Canon M50 Mark II vs Fujifilm X-S20

The Canon EOS M50 Mark II and the Fujifilm X-S20 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in October 2020 and May 2023. Both the M50 Mark II and the X-S20 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Fujifilm provides 26 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon M50 Mark II		Fujifilm X-S20
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Fujifilm X mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		26 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/24p Video		4K/60p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 160-12,800 (80 - 51,200)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1840k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second		8 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
305 shots per battery charge		750 shots per battery charge
116 x 88 x 59 mm, 387 g		128 x 85 x 65 mm, 491 g

Check M50 Mark II offers at
ebay.com
Check X-S20 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M50 Mark II and the Fujifilm X-S20? 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 M50 Mark II and the Fujifilm X-S20. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M50 Mark II can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the X-S20 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Fujifilm X-S20 is notably larger (7 percent) than the Canon M50 Mark II. Moreover, the X-S20 is markedly heavier (27 percent) than the M50 Mark II. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the M50 Mark II nor the X-S20 are weather-sealed.

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 M50 Mark II gets 305 shots out of its Canon LP-E12 battery, while the X-S20 can take 750 images on a single charge of its Fujifilm NP-W235 power pack. The power pack in the X-S20 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	EUR 599	ebay.com
2.		Fujifilm X-S20	128 mm	85 mm	65 mm	491 g	750	n	May 2023	EUR 1 399	amazon.com
3.		Canon 200D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	EUR 599	ebay.com
4.		Canon 250D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	EUR 549	amazon.com
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	EUR 929	ebay.com
6.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
7.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	EUR 799	ebay.com
8.		Canon M6 Mark II	120 mm	70 mm	49 mm	408 g	305	n	Aug 2019	EUR 929	ebay.com
9.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	EUR 779	ebay.com
10.		Canon M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	EUR 539	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-A7	119 mm	68 mm	41 mm	320 g	440	n	Sep 2019	EUR 549	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X-H2S	136 mm	93 mm	85 mm	660 g	580	Y	May 2022	EUR 2 749	amazon.com
13.		Fujifilm X-S10	126 mm	85 mm	65 mm	465 g	325	n	Oct 2020	EUR 999	amazon.com
14.		Fujifilm X-T3	133 mm	93 mm	59 mm	539 g	390	Y	Sep 2018	EUR 1 499	ebay.com
15.		Fujifilm X-T100	121 mm	83 mm	47 mm	448 g	430	n	May 2018	EUR 599	ebay.com
16.		Fujifilm X-T200	121 mm	84 mm	55 mm	370 g	270	n	Jan 2020	EUR 749	ebay.com
17.		Fujifilm X100F	127 mm	75 mm	52 mm	469 g	390	n	Jan 2017	EUR 1 399	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 M50 Mark II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 54 percent) than the X-S20, 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its 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, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the X-S20 is 11 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.6 (M50 Mark II) and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 26MP, the X-S20 offers a higher resolution than the M50 Mark II (24MP), but the X-S20 nevertheless has marginally larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 3.72μm for the M50 Mark II) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the X-S20 is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 7 months) than the M50 Mark II, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the X-S20 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Canon EOS M50 Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Fujifilm X-S20 are ISO 160 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-51200.

In terms of underlying technology, the M50 Mark II is build around a CMOS sensor, while the X-S20 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Like most digital cameras, the M50 Mark II uses a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. In contrast, the X-S20 employs a more randomized X-Trans layout of photosites, which according to Fujifilm helps to minimize moiré.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
2.		Fujifilm X-S20	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	24.3	14.0	2315	86
3.		Canon 200D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
4.		Canon 250D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
6.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
7.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
8.		Canon M6 Mark II	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
9.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
10.		Canon M200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/25p	24.0	13.5	1836	82
11.		Fujifilm X-A7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1955	84
12.		Fujifilm X-H2S	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	6.2k/30p	24.3	13.9	2224	86
13.		Fujifilm X-S10	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.7	2057	85
14.		Fujifilm X-T3	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	24.0	13.4	1853	83
15.		Fujifilm X-T100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1829	83
16.		Fujifilm X-T200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1991	84
17.		Fujifilm X100F	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
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 can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the X-S20 provides a faster frame rate than the M50 Mark II. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/60p, while the Canon is limited to 4K/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The M50 Mark II and the X-S20 are similar in the sense that both feature an electronic viewfinder, which is helpful when framing images in bright sunlight. Moreover, their viewfinders offer an identical resolution of 2360k dots. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon M50 Mark II, the Fujifilm X-S20, 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 M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
2.		Fujifilm X-S20	2360	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon 200D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 250D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon M6 Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	14.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon M200	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
11.		Fujifilm X-A7	none	n	3.5 / 2760	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
12.		Fujifilm X-H2S	5760	Y	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	n	Y
13.		Fujifilm X-S10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Fujifilm X-T3	3690	n	3.0 / 1040	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
15.		Fujifilm X-T100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
16.		Fujifilm X-T200	2360	n	3.5 / 2780	swivel	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
17.		Fujifilm X100F	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that differentiates the X-S20 and the M50 Mark II is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The X-S20 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the M50 Mark II offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

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, both cameras under consideration feature an 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 M50 Mark II and the Fujifilm X-S20 both have 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the M50 Mark II and the X-S20 write their files to SDXC cards. The X-S20 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the M50 Mark II can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

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 M50 Mark II and Fujifilm X-S20 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 M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Fujifilm X-S20	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 200D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon 250D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon M6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon M200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Fujifilm X-A7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Fujifilm X-H2S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Fujifilm X-S10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		Fujifilm X-T3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
15.		Fujifilm X-T100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
16.		Fujifilm X-T200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
17.		Fujifilm X100F	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-

It is notable that the X-S20 has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The M50 Mark II lacks such a headphone port.

The X-S20 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Fujifilm. In contrast, the M50 Mark II has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the M50 Mark II from Canon. Further information on the features and operation of the M50 Mark II and X-S20 can be found, respectively, in the Canon M50 Mark II Manual (free pdf) or the online Fujifilm X-S20 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Canon M50 Mark II better than the Fujifilm X-S20 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS M50 Mark II:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 104g or 21 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (54 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in October 2020).

Arguments in favor of the Fujifilm X-S20:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/60p versus 4K/24p).
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1840k vs 1040k dots).
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (750 versus 305) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 7 months of technical progress since the M50 Mark II launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the X-S20 is the clear winner of the contest (10 : 5 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 M50 Mark II and the Fujifilm X-S20 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing 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 M50 Mark II or the X-S20. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera 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	Street Price
1.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	EUR 599	ebay.com
2.		Fujifilm X-S20	5/5	+ +	5/5	86/100	..	4.5/5	May 2023	EUR 1 399	amazon.com
3.		Canon 200D	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	EUR 599	ebay.com
4.		Canon 250D	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	EUR 549	amazon.com
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	EUR 929	ebay.com
6.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
7.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	EUR 799	ebay.com
8.		Canon M6 Mark II	..	+	4.5/5	85/100	4/5	4/5	Aug 2019	EUR 929	ebay.com
9.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	EUR 779	ebay.com
10.		Canon M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	EUR 539	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-A7	3/5	..	3.5/5	81/100	4/5	3.5/5	Sep 2019	EUR 549	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X-H2S	5/5	+	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	May 2022	EUR 2 749	amazon.com
13.		Fujifilm X-S10	5/5	..	4.5/5	86/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	EUR 999	amazon.com
14.		Fujifilm X-T3	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2018	EUR 1 499	ebay.com
15.		Fujifilm X-T100	4/5	+	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2018	EUR 599	ebay.com
16.		Fujifilm X-T200	3.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2020	EUR 749	ebay.com
17.		Fujifilm X100F	5/5	+	3.9/5	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	EUR 1 399	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

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