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Canon M50 vs M6 Mark II

The Canon EOS M50 and the Canon EOS M6 Mark II are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2018 and August 2019. Both the M50 and the M6 Mark II are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The M50 has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the M6 Mark II provides 32.3 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Canon M50
versus
Canon M6 Mark II
Canon M50   Canon M6 Mark II
Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF-M mount lenses Canon EF-M mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor 32.3 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/24p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200) ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots) Viewfinder optional
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots 3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Swivel touchscreen Tilting touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second 14 shutter flaps per second
235 shots per battery charge305 shots per battery charge
116 x 88 x 59 mm, 390 g 120 x 70 x 49 mm, 408 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M50 and the Canon EOS M6 Mark II? 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.

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Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon M50 and the Canon M6 Mark II are illustrated 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M50 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the M6 Mark II is only available in black.

Size Canon M50 vs Canon M6 Mark II
Compare M50 versus M6 Mark II top
Comparison M50 or M6 Mark II rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon M6 Mark II is notably smaller (18 percent) than the Canon M50. However, the M6 Mark II is markedly heavier (5 percent) than the M50. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the M50 nor the M6 Mark II 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 gets 235 shots out of its Canon LP-E12 battery, while the M6 Mark II can take 305 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E17 power pack. The power pack in the M6 Mark II 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.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon M50 116 mm 88 mm 59 mm 390 g 235 n Feb 2018 779ebay.com
2.
 
Canon M6 Mark II 120 mm 70 mm 49 mm 408 g 305 n Aug 2019 849ebay.com
3.
 
Canon M50 Mark II 116 mm 88 mm 59 mm 387 g 305 n Oct 2020 599ebay.com
4.
 
Canon SL3 122 mm 93 mm 70 mm 449 g 1070 n Apr 2019 599 amazon.com
5.
 
Canon T7 129 mm 101 mm 78 mm 475 g 500 n Feb 2018 449 amazon.com
6.
 
Canon M6 112 mm 68 mm 45 mm 390 g 295 n Feb 2017 779ebay.com
7.
 
Canon M100 108 mm 67 mm 35 mm 302 g 295 n Aug 2017 499ebay.com
8.
 
Canon SL2 122 mm 93 mm 70 mm 453 g 650 n Jun 2017 549ebay.com
9.
 
Canon T7i 131 mm 100 mm 76 mm 532 g 600 n Feb 2017 749ebay.com
10.
 
Canon M5 116 mm 89 mm 61 mm 427 g 295 n Sep 2016 979ebay.com
11.
 
Canon M3 111 mm 68 mm 44 mm 366 g 250 n Feb 2015 679ebay.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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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 was somewhat cheaper (by 8 percent) than the M6 Mark II at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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 size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the 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 M6 Mark II is 2 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Canon M50 and Canon M6 Mark II sensor measures

With 32.3MP, the M6 Mark II offers a higher resolution than the M50 (24MP), but the M6 Mark II has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.23μm versus 3.72μm for the M50). Yet, the M6 Mark II is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 5 months) than the M50, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Canon M6 Mark II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the M6 Mark II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 34.8 x 23.2 inches or 88.4 x 58.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 23.2 x 15.5 inches or 58.9 x 39.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon M50 are 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for good quality, 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS M50 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The Canon EOS M6 Mark II offers exactly the same ISO settings.

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.

M50 versus M6 Mark II MP

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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Canon M50 APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/24p23.813.3168481
2.
 
Canon M6 Mark II APS-C 32.3 6960 46404K/30p24.013.5184883
3.
 
Canon M50 Mark II APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/24p24.013.6193983
4.
 
Canon SL3 APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/25p23.913.4179182
5.
 
Canon T7 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p23.813.3168481
6.
 
Canon M6 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.412.6131778
7.
 
Canon M100 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.512.9127278
8.
 
Canon SL2 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.613.4104179
9.
 
Canon T7i APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.713.1158680
10.
 
Canon M5 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.412.4126277
11.
 
Canon M3 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.811.8116972
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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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 M6 Mark II provides a faster frame rate than the M50. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the M50 is limited to 4K/24p.

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Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the M50 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the M6 Mark II relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the M6 Mark II can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the EVF-DC2. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon M50 and Canon M6 Mark II in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
# image 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 M502360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 10.0/s Y n
2.
 
Canon M6 Mark IIoptional n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 14.0/s Y n
3.
 
Canon M50 Mark II2360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 10.0/s Y n
4.
 
Canon SL3optical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
5.
 
Canon T7optical n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
6.
 
Canon M6optional n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 9.0/s Y n
7.
 
Canon M100none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 6.1/s Y n
8.
 
Canon SL2optical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
9.
 
Canon T7ioptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
10.
 
Canon M52360 n3.2 / 1620 tilting Y 1/4000s 9.0/s Y n
11.
 
Canon M3optional n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 4.2/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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Both cameras have an articulated rear screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This feature will be particularly appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies.

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 M6 Mark II 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 M50 and the Canon M6 Mark II 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 and the M6 Mark II write their files to SDXC cards. The M6 Mark II supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the M50 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

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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 and Canon EOS M6 Mark II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Canon M50Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y-Y
2.
 
Canon M6 Mark IIYstereo / monoY-micro2.0Y-Y
3.
 
Canon M50 Mark IIYstereo / monoY-micro2.0Y-Y
4.
 
Canon SL3Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0Y-Y
5.
 
Canon T7Ymono / mono--mini2.0YY-
6.
 
Canon M6Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
7.
 
Canon M100-stereo / mono--micro2.0YYY
8.
 
Canon SL2Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
9.
 
Canon T7iYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
10.
 
Canon M5Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
11.
 
Canon M3Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
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Both the M50 and the M6 Mark II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The M50 was replaced by the Canon M50 Mark II, while the M6 Mark II does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the M50 and M6 Mark II can be found, respectively, in the Canon M50 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon M6 Mark II Manual.

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Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon M50 or the Canon M6 Mark II – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.


Advantages of the Canon EOS M50:

  • Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
  • More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2018).


Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS M6 Mark II:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (32.3 vs 24MP), which boosts linear resolution by 16%.
  • Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/30p versus 4K/24p).
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (14 vs 10 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • More compact: Is smaller (120x70mm vs 116x88mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (305 versus 235) out of a single battery charge.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
  • More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 5 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the M6 Mark II is the clear winner of the contest (9 : 3 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.

M50 03:09 M6 Mark II

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon M50 and the Canon M6 Mark II 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 and the M6 Mark II 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 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon M50..+4/579/100..3.5/5 Feb 2018 779ebay.com
2.
 
Canon M6 Mark II..+4.5/585/1004/54/5 Aug 2019 849ebay.com
3.
 
Canon M50 Mark II4/5..4/5..4.5/53.5/5 Oct 2020 599ebay.com
4.
 
Canon SL34/5o4.5/579/1004/54/5 Apr 2019 599 amazon.com
5.
 
Canon T7..o3.5/5..3.5/53.5/5 Feb 2018 449 amazon.com
6.
 
Canon M6......80/1004/54/5 Feb 2017 779ebay.com
7.
 
Canon M1003/5+....4/53.5/5 Aug 2017 499ebay.com
8.
 
Canon SL24/5+ +4/578/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2017 549ebay.com
9.
 
Canon T7i4.5/5..3.5/580/1004.5/54/5 Feb 2017 749ebay.com
10.
 
Canon M54/5+4/582/1004/54/5 Sep 2016 979ebay.com
11.
 
Canon M34/5o..75/1004.5/54/5 Feb 2015 679ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods 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? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications: Canon M50 vs Canon M6 Mark II

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Canon M50 Canon M6 Mark II
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Canon EF-M mount lenses Canon EF-M mount lenses
    Launch Date February 2018 August 2019
    Launch Price USD 779 USD 849
    Sensor Specs Canon M50 Canon M6 Mark II
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 22.3 x 14.9 mm 22.5 x 15.0 mm
    Sensor Area 332.27 mm2 337.5 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 26.8 mm 27 mm
    Crop Factor 1.6x 1.6x
    Sensor Resolution 24 Megapixels 32.3 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 6000 x 4000 pixels 6960 x 4640 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.72 μm 3.23 μm
    Pixel Density 7.22 MP/cm2 9.57 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 4K/24p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 25,600 ISO 100 - 25,600 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 51,200 ISO 100 - 51,200 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC 8 DIGIC 8
    Screen Specs Canon M50 Canon M6 Mark II
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Viewfinder optional
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Resolution 2360k dots
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 1040k dots 1040k dots
    LCD Attachment Swivel screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Canon M50 Canon M6 Mark II
    Focus System On-Sensor Phase-detect On-Sensor Phase-detect
    Manual Focusing AidFocus PeakingFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 10 shutter flaps/s 14 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations100 000 actuations
    Electronic Shutterno E-Shutterup to 1/16000s
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inIntervalometer built-in
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I UHS-II
    Connectivity Specs Canon M50 Canon M6 Mark II
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI micro HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port External MIC port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Bluetooth Support Bluetooth built-in Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Canon M50 Canon M6 Mark II
    Battery Type Canon LP-E12 Canon LP-E17
    Battery Life (CIPA)235 shots per charge305 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging no USB charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 116 x 88 x 59 mm
    (4.6 x 3.5 x 2.3 in)
    120 x 70 x 49 mm
    (4.7 x 2.8 x 1.9 in)
    Camera Weight 390 g (13.8 oz) 408 g (14.4 oz)
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