Canon M50 vs R5

The Canon EOS M50 and the Canon EOS R5 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2018 and July 2020. Both the M50 and the R5 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on an APS-C (M50) and a full frame (R5) sensor. The M50 has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the R5 provides 44.8 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon M50		Canon R5
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Canon RF mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		44.8 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/24p Video		8K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.2" LCD – 2100k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second		12 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
235 shots per battery charge		320 shots per battery charge
116 x 88 x 59 mm, 390 g		138 x 98 x 88 mm, 738 g

Check M50 offers at
ebay.com
Check R5 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M50 and the Canon EOS R5? 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 and the Canon R5. 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 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the R5 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 Canon R5 is notably larger (32 percent) than the Canon M50. Moreover, the R5 is substantially heavier (89 percent) than the M50. It is noteworthy in this context that the R5 is splash and dust-proof, while the M50 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 gets 235 shots out of its Canon LP-E12 battery, while the R5 can take 320 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6NH power pack. The power pack in the R5 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
2.		Canon R5	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	738 g	320	Y	Jul 2020	3,899	amazon.com
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
4.		Canon SL3	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
5.		Canon M6 Mark II	120 mm	70 mm	49 mm	408 g	305	n	Aug 2019	849	ebay.com
6.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
7.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	779	ebay.com
8.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
9.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon T7i	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
11.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	979	ebay.com
12.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
13.		Nikon Z7	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	330	Y	Aug 2018	3,399	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic S1R	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1016 g	380	Y	Feb 2019	3,699	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7R IIIA	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Apr 2021	3,199	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7R III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
17.		Sony A99 II	143 mm	104 mm	76 mm	849 g	490	Y	Sep 2016	3,199	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

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 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 80 percent) than the R5, 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. 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 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.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon M50 features an APS-C sensor and the Canon R5 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the R5 is 160 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the R5 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC X) than the M50 (DIGIC 8), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 44.8MP, the R5 offers a higher resolution than the M50 (24MP), but the R5 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.39μm versus 3.72μm for the M50) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the R5 is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 4 months) than the M50, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Canon R5 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the R5 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 41 x 27.3 inches or 104 x 69.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 32.8 x 21.9 inches or 83.2 x 55.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 27.3 x 18.2 inches or 69.4 x 46.3 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 corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS R5 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

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 is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
2.		Canon R5	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8K/30p	25.3	14.6	3042	95
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
4.		Canon SL3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
5.		Canon M6 Mark II	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
6.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
7.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
8.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
9.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
10.		Canon T7i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
11.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
12.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
13.		Nikon Z7	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/30p	26.3	14.6	2668	99
14.		Panasonic S1R	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	26.4	14.1	3525	100
15.		Sony A7R IIIA	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
16.		Sony A7R III	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
17.		Sony A99 II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	25.4	13.4	2317	92
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 also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the R5 provides a better video resolution than the M50. It can shoot movie footage at 8K/30p, while the M50 is limited to 4K/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the R5 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the M50 (5760k vs 2360k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon M50, the Canon R5, 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	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon R5	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon SL3	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon M6 Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	14.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
9.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon T7i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon Z7	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
14.		Panasonic S1R	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A7R IIIA	3686	n	3.0 / 2340	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A7R III	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A99 II	2400	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/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 has one, while the R5 does not. While the built-in flash of the M50 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, the R5 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 R5 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.

The M50 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the R5 uses CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards. The R5 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the M50 only has one slot. The R5 supports UHS-II cards (on both slots), while the M50 can use UHS-I cards.

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 R5 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	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon R5	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon M6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Canon T7i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Nikon Z7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic S1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
15.		Sony A7R IIIA	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony A7R III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony A99 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the R5 has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The M50 lacks such a headphone port.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon R5 (unlike the M50) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

The R5 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the M50 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the M50 was succeeded by the Canon M50 Mark II. Further information on the features and operation of the M50 and R5 can be found, respectively, in the Canon M50 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon R5 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon M50 or the Canon R5 – 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.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS M50:

• More compact: Is smaller (116x88mm vs 138x98mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 348g or 47 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (80 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2018).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS R5:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (44.8 vs 24MP), which boosts linear resolution by 37%.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced 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.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC X vs DIGIC 8).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (8K/30p vs 4K/24p).
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (5760k vs 2360k dots).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 1040k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 10 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (320 versus 235) out of a single battery charge.
• 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 data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 4 months of technical progress since the M50 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the R5 is the clear winner of the contest (24 : 5 points). 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 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 and the Canon R5 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 or the R5 perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
2.		Canon R5	4.5/5	+	4/5	91/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2020	3,899	amazon.com
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
4.		Canon SL3	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
5.		Canon M6 Mark II	..	+	4.5/5	85/100	4/5	4/5	Aug 2019	849	ebay.com
6.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
7.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	779	ebay.com
8.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
9.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon T7i	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
11.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	979	ebay.com
12.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
13.		Nikon Z7	5/5	+	4.8/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	3,399	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic S1R	4.5/5	..	4.6/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	3,699	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7R IIIA	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2021	3,199	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7R III	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
17.		Sony A99 II	..	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

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. 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

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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