Canon M50 Mark II vs Olympus E-M5 III

The Canon EOS M50 Mark II and the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in October 2020 and October 2019. Both the M50 Mark II and the E-M5 III are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on an APS-C (M50 Mark II) and a Four Thirds (E-M5 III) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 20.2 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		Olympus E-M5 III
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Micro Four Thirds lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		20.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor
4K/24p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 200-25,600
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
305 shots per battery charge		310 shots per battery charge
116 x 88 x 59 mm, 387 g		125 x 85 x 50 mm, 414 g

Check M50 Mark II offers at
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Check E-M5 III offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M50 Mark II and the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III? 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 physical size and weight of the Canon M50 Mark II and the Olympus E-M5 III are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M50 Mark II can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the E-M5 III is also available in two color-versions, but different ones (black, silver).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-M5 III is somewhat larger (4 percent) than the Canon M50 Mark II. Moreover, the E-M5 III is markedly heavier (7 percent) than the M50 Mark II. It is noteworthy in this context that the E-M5 III is splash and dust-proof, while the M50 Mark II 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 M50 Mark II gets 305 shots out of its Canon LP-E12 battery, while the E-M5 III can take 310 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-50 power pack. The power pack in the E-M5 III can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras 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 M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-M5 III	125 mm	85 mm	50 mm	414 g	310	Y	Oct 2019	1,199	ebay.com
3.		Canon 200D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
4.		Canon 250D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	899	ebay.com
6.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
7.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	779	ebay.com
8.		Canon M6 Mark II	120 mm	70 mm	49 mm	408 g	305	n	Aug 2019	849	ebay.com
9.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
10.		Canon M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	549	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-A7	119 mm	68 mm	41 mm	320 g	440	n	Sep 2019	499	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X-T200	121 mm	84 mm	55 mm	370 g	270	n	Jan 2020	699	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-M1	130 mm	94 mm	63 mm	497 g	350	Y	Sep 2013	1,399	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-M5 II	124 mm	85 mm	45 mm	469 g	310	Y	Feb 2015	1,099	ebay.com
15.		Olympus PEN-F	125 mm	72 mm	37 mm	427 g	330	n	Jan 2016	1,199	ebay.com
16.		OM System OM-5	125 mm	85 mm	50 mm	414 g	310	Y	Oct 2022	1,199	amazon.com
17.		Panasonic GX8	133 mm	78 mm	63 mm	487 g	330	Y	Jul 2015	1,199	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The M50 Mark II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 50 percent) than the E-M5 III, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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 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.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon M50 Mark II features an APS-C sensor and the Olympus E-M5 III a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-M5 III is 32 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 2.0. The sensor in the M50 Mark II has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the E-M5 III offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 24MP, the M50 Mark II offers a higher resolution than the E-M5 III (20.2MP), but the M50 Mark II nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 3.34μm for the E-M5 III) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the M50 Mark II is a somewhat more recent model (by 11 months) than the E-M5 III, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the E-M5 III has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Canon M50 Mark II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the M50 Mark II 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 Olympus E-M5 III are 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

Unlike the M50 Mark II, the E-M5 III has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (80MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

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 Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III are ISO 200 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 64-25600.

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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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.		Olympus E-M5 III	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.3	13.1	1324	76
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-T200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1991	84
13.		Olympus E-M1	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	23.0	12.7	757	73
14.		Olympus E-M5 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.0	12.5	842	73
15.		Olympus PEN-F	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	23.1	12.4	894	74
16.		OM System OM-5	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.4	13.4	1622	78
17.		Panasonic GX8	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.5	12.6	806	75
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the E-M5 III provides a faster frame rate than the M50 Mark II. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 4K/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The M50 Mark II and the E-M5 III 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 Olympus E-M5 III, 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.		Olympus E-M5 III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	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-T200	2360	n	3.5 / 2780	swivel	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
13.		Olympus E-M1	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		Olympus E-M5 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Olympus PEN-F	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
16.		OM System OM-5	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
17.		Panasonic GX8	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The M50 Mark II has one, while the E-M5 III does not. While the built-in flash of the M50 Mark II is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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 Olympus E-M5 III 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 E-M5 III write their files to SDXC cards. The E-M5 III 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 Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III 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.		Olympus E-M5 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	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-T200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
13.		Olympus E-M1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Olympus E-M5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Olympus PEN-F	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		OM System OM-5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Panasonic GX8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Both the M50 Mark II and the E-M5 III have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The E-M5 III was replaced by the OM System OM-5, while the M50 Mark II does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the M50 Mark II and E-M5 III can be found, respectively, in the Canon M50 Mark II Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-M5 III Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon M50 Mark II or the Olympus E-M5 III – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS M50 Mark II:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 20.2MP) with a 11% higher linear resolution.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (50 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 11 months after the E-M5 III).

Reasons to prefer the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/30p versus 4K/24p).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in October 2019).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the match-up finishes in a tie (9 points each). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. 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 Olympus E-M5 III 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 the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the M50 Mark II or the E-M5 III perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-M5 III	5/5	+	5/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2019	1,199	ebay.com
3.		Canon 200D	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
4.		Canon 250D	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	899	ebay.com
6.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
7.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	779	ebay.com
8.		Canon M6 Mark II	..	+	4.5/5	85/100	4/5	4/5	Aug 2019	849	ebay.com
9.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
10.		Canon M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	549	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-A7	3/5	..	3.5/5	81/100	4/5	3.5/5	Sep 2019	499	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X-T200	3.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2020	699	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-M1	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2013	1,399	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-M5 II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	81/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2015	1,099	ebay.com
15.		Olympus PEN-F	..	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,199	ebay.com
16.		OM System OM-5	5/5	..	4.5/5	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2022	1,199	amazon.com
17.		Panasonic GX8	5/5	+	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	1,199	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted 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. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, 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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Other camera comparisons

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