Canon M50 Mark II vs Pentax KP

The Canon EOS M50 Mark II and the Pentax KP are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in October 2020 and January 2017. The M50 Mark II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the KP is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Pentax provides 24.1 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		Pentax KP
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Pentax K mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24.1 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/24p Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-819,200
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
10 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
305 shots per battery charge		390 shots per battery charge
116 x 88 x 59 mm, 387 g		132 x 101 x 76 mm, 703 g

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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 Pentax KP? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon M50 Mark II and the Pentax KP is provided 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 KP 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 Pentax KP is notably larger (31 percent) than the Canon M50 Mark II. Moreover, the KP is substantially heavier (82 percent) than the M50 Mark II. It is noteworthy in this context that the KP 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 KP can take 390 images on a single charge of its Pentax D-LI109 power pack.

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.		Pentax KP	132 mm	101 mm	76 mm	703 g	390	Y	Jan 2017	1,099	ebay.com
3.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
4.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	979	ebay.com
5.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	779	ebay.com
6.		Canon M6 Mark II	120 mm	70 mm	49 mm	408 g	305	n	Aug 2019	849	ebay.com
7.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
8.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
9.		Canon M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	679	amazon.com
11.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
12.		Canon SL3	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
13.		Pentax K-3	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	560	Y	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-3 II	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	720	Y	Apr 2015	1,099	ebay.com
15.		Pentax K-5 II	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2012	1,099	ebay.com
16.		Pentax K-70	126 mm	93 mm	74 mm	688 g	410	Y	Jun 2016	649	ebay.com
17.		Pentax K-S2	123 mm	91 mm	73 mm	678 g	410	Y	Feb 2015	749	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 obviously take relative prices into account. 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 45 percent) than the KP, 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 imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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 KP 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 24.1MP, the KP offers a higher resolution than the M50 Mark II (24MP), but the KP nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.90μm versus 3.72μm for the M50 Mark II) due to its larger sensor. However, the M50 Mark II is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 8 months) than the KP, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the KP has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The M50 Mark II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Unlike the M50 Mark II, the KP has the capacity to capture high quality composite images 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 Pentax KP are ISO 100 to ISO 819200 (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 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.		Pentax KP	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.9	13.2	1699	81
3.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
4.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
5.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
6.		Canon M6 Mark II	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
7.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
8.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
9.		Canon M200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/25p	24.0	13.5	1836	82
10.		Canon R50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
11.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
12.		Canon SL3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
13.		Pentax K-3	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.7	13.4	1216	80
14.		Pentax K-3 II	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.6	13.6	1106	80
15.		Pentax K-5 II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.8	14.1	1235	82
16.		Pentax K-70	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	23.8	13.1	1639	80
17.		Pentax K-S2	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.6	12.9	1514	79
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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the M50 Mark II provides a higher video resolution than the KP. It can shoot video footage at 4K/24p, while the Pentax is limited to 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the M50 Mark II has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the KP 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 adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon M50 Mark II and Pentax KP along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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.		Pentax KP	optical	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/6000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M6 Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	14.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
9.		Canon M200	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
10.		Canon R50	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon SL3	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Pentax K-3	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	Y	Y
14.		Pentax K-3 II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	n	Y
15.		Pentax K-5 II	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Pentax K-70	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Pentax K-S2	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/6000s	5.4/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The M50 Mark II has a touchscreen, while the KP has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

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 Pentax KP 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 KP write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of 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 Pentax KP 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.		Pentax KP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	-	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon M6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Canon M200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon R50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
11.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Canon SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Pentax K-3	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
14.		Pentax K-3 II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
15.		Pentax K-5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Pentax K-70	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Pentax K-S2	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Both the M50 Mark II and the KP have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Canon and Pentax. Further information on the features and operation of the M50 Mark II and KP can be found, respectively, in the Canon M50 Mark II Manual (free pdf) or the online Pentax KP Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon M50 Mark II or the Pentax KP – 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.

Advantages of the Canon EOS M50 Mark II:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/24p vs 1080/60i).
• 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 detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 921k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (116x88mm vs 132x101mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 316g or 45 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (45 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 8 months of technical progress since the KP launch.

Arguments in favor of the Pentax KP:

• 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.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/6000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (390 versus 305) out of a single battery charge.
• 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.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2017).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the M50 Mark II is the clear winner of the match-up (15 : 8 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 Pentax KP place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR 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 M50 Mark II or the KP. 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 why expert reviews are important. 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.		Pentax KP	4/5	..	3/5	82/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	1,099	ebay.com
3.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
4.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	979	ebay.com
5.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	779	ebay.com
6.		Canon M6 Mark II	..	+	4.5/5	85/100	4/5	4/5	Aug 2019	849	ebay.com
7.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
8.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
9.		Canon M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon R50	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	679	amazon.com
11.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
12.		Canon SL3	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
13.		Pentax K-3	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-3 II	4.5/5	..	..	..	5/5	5/5	Apr 2015	1,099	ebay.com
15.		Pentax K-5 II	5/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	1,099	ebay.com
16.		Pentax K-70	4.5/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2016	649	ebay.com
17.		Pentax K-S2	4.5/5	..	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	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. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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