Canon M50 Mark II vs Sony ZV-E10

The Canon EOS M50 Mark II and the Sony ZV-E10 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in October 2020 and July 2021. Both the M50 Mark II and the ZV-E10 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

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		Sony ZV-E10
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/24p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
305 shots per battery charge		440 shots per battery charge
116 x 88 x 59 mm, 387 g		115 x 64 x 45 mm, 343 g

Check M50 Mark II offers at
ebay.com
Check ZV-E10 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 Sony ZV-E10? 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 Sony ZV-E10 is provided in the side-by-side display below. 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Both cameras are available in two different colors (black, white).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony ZV-E10 is notably smaller (28 percent) than the Canon M50 Mark II. Moreover, the ZV-E10 is markedly lighter (11 percent) than the M50 Mark II. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the M50 Mark II nor the ZV-E10 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 ZV-E10 can take 440 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The power pack in the ZV-E10 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. 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	Street Price
1.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	EUR 599	ebay.com
2.		Sony ZV-E10	115 mm	64 mm	45 mm	343 g	440	n	Jul 2021	EUR 749	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-T200	121 mm	84 mm	55 mm	370 g	270	n	Jan 2020	EUR 749	ebay.com
13.		Sony A5100	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	283 g	400	n	Aug 2014	EUR 499	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	EUR 549	ebay.com
15.		Sony A6100	120 mm	67 mm	59 mm	396 g	420	n	Aug 2019	EUR 899	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 III	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	290 g	320	n	May 2014	EUR 849	ebay.com
17.		Sony ZV-1	105 mm	60 mm	44 mm	294 g	260	n	May 2020	EUR 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 obviously take relative prices into account. 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 somewhat lower price (by 14 percent) than the ZV-E10, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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. 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. 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 more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the ZV-E10 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.

Even though the ZV-E10 has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the ZV-E10 has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 3.72μm for the M50 Mark II), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the ZV-E10 is a somewhat more recent model (by 9 months) than the M50 Mark II, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

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 Sony ZV-E10 are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

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 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.		Sony ZV-E10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2134	85
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.		Sony A5100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	12.7	1347	80
14.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
15.		Sony A6100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1947	84
16.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67
17.		Sony ZV-1	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.6	669	66
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. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the ZV-E10 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

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), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the ZV-E10 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon M50 Mark II, the Sony ZV-E10, 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.		Sony ZV-E10	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
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.		Sony A5100	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony A6100	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony RX100 III	1440	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony ZV-1	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/2000s	24.0/s	n	n
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 ZV-E10 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 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 M50 Mark II writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the ZV-E10 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo 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 Sony ZV-E10 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.		Sony ZV-E10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	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.		Sony A5100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A6100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony RX100 III	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony ZV-1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the ZV-E10 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 ZV-E10 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. 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 ZV-E10 can be found, respectively, in the Canon M50 Mark II Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony ZV-E10 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon M50 Mark II and the Sony ZV-E10? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS M50 Mark II:

• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 922k dots).
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (14 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in October 2020).

Arguments in favor of the Sony ZV-E10:

• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/30p versus 4K/24p).
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More compact: Is smaller (115x64mm vs 116x88mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 44g or 11 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (440 versus 305) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (9 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the ZV-E10 emerges as the winner of the match-up (9 : 6 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 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 Sony ZV-E10 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the M50 Mark II and the ZV-E10 in practical situations. 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 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.		Sony ZV-E10	4/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2021	EUR 749	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-T200	3.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2020	EUR 749	ebay.com
13.		Sony A5100	4.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2014	EUR 499	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	EUR 549	ebay.com
15.		Sony A6100	..	..	4/5	82/100	4/5	5/5	Aug 2019	EUR 899	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 III	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	EUR 849	ebay.com
17.		Sony ZV-1	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2020	EUR 799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. 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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