Canon M50 vs SX30

The Canon EOS M50 and the Canon PowerShot SX30 IS are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2018 and September 2010. The M50 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the SX30 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (M50) and a 1/2.3-inch (SX30) sensor. The M50 has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the SX30 provides 14 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 SX30
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Canon EF-M mount lenses		24-840mm f/2.7-5.8
24 MP – APS-C sensor		14 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4K/24p Video		720/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-1,600 (100 - 6,400)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (202k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		2.7" LCD – 230k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
10 shutter flaps per second		0.6 shutter flaps per second
235 shots per battery charge		370 shots per battery charge
116 x 88 x 59 mm, 390 g		123 x 92 x 108 mm, 601 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 PowerShot SX30 IS? 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 and the Canon SX30 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.

The M50 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the SX30 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 SX30 is notably larger (11 percent) than the Canon M50. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the M50 nor the SX30 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the SX30 has a lens built in, whereas the M50 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

Concerning battery life, the M50 gets 235 shots out of its Canon LP-E12 battery, while the SX30 can take 370 images on a single charge of its Canon NB-7L power pack.

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 SX30	123 mm	92 mm	108 mm	601 g	370	n	Sep 2010	429	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 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	599	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 SL3	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
11.		Canon SX20	123 mm	88 mm	87 mm	600 g	..	n	Aug 2009	399	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX40	123 mm	92 mm	108 mm	600 g	380	n	Sep 2011	429	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX50	123 mm	87 mm	106 mm	595 g	315	n	Sep 2012	429	ebay.com
14.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
15.		Canon T7i	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic FZ100	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	540 g	410	n	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic FZ150	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	528 g	410	n	Aug 2011	499	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 retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The SX30 was launched at a lower price than the M50, despite having a lens built in. 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon M50 features an APS-C sensor and the Canon SX30 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the SX30 is 92 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 5.6. The sensor in the M50 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the SX30 offers a 4:3 aspect.

In terms of chip-set technology, the M50 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the SX30 (DIGIC 4), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 24MP, the M50 offers a higher resolution than the SX30 (14MP), but the M50 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 1.41μm for the SX30) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the M50 is a much more recent model (by 7 years and 5 months) than the SX30, and its sensor will 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 SX30 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Canon M50 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the M50 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 Canon SX30 are 21.6 x 16.2 inches or 54.9 x 41.1 cm for good quality, 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 cm for very good quality, and 14.4 x 10.8 inches or 36.6 x 27.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

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

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 PowerShot SX30 IS are ISO 100 to ISO 1600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-6400.

In terms of underlying technology, the M50 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the SX30 uses a CCD imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar 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 SX30	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	720/30p	19.4	10.7	320	39
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 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
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 SL3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
11.		Canon SX20	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	720/30p	19.2	10.5	225	37
12.		Canon SX40	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	19.6	10.9	409	41
13.		Canon SX50	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	20.3	11.2	179	47
14.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
15.		Canon T7i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
16.		Panasonic FZ100	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	1080/60i	19.4	10.7	306	39
17.		Panasonic FZ150	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.4	10.9	132	40
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 M50 provides a higher video resolution than the SX30. It can shoot video footage at 4K/24p, while the SX30 is limited to 720/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the M50 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the SX30 (2360k vs 202k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon M50 and Canon SX30 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	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon SX30	202	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.6/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 Mark II	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 SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon SL3	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon SX20	202	n	2.5 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.7/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX40	202	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	10.3/s	Y	Y
13.		Canon SX50	202	n	3.0 / 461	swivel	n	1/2000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
14.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon T7i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
16.		Panasonic FZ100	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Panasonic FZ150	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	12.0/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 has a touchscreen, while the SX30 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The Canon M50 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the M50 and the SX30 write their files to SDXC cards. The M50 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the SX30 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD 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 PowerShot SX30 IS 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 SX30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
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 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	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 SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Canon SX20	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon SX40	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon SX50	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Canon T7i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Panasonic FZ100	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Panasonic FZ150	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the M50 has a microphone port, which is missing on the SX30. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Both the M50 and the SX30 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX30 was replaced by the Canon SX40, while the M50 was followed by the Canon M50 Mark II. Further information on the features and operation of the M50 and SX30 can be found, respectively, in the Canon M50 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon SX30 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon M50 and the Canon SX30? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS M50:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 14MP) with a 34% 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.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 8 vs DIGIC 4).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/24p vs 720/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2360k vs 202k dots).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 230k dots).
• 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 shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/3200s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 0.6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 7 years and 5 months of technical progress since the SX30 launch.

Advantages of the Canon PowerShot SX30 IS:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the M50 necessitates an extra lens.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (370 versus 235) out of a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2010).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the M50 is the clear winner of the match-up (23 : 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 and the Canon SX30 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the M50 or the SX30 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 why hands-on reviews by experts 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	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX30	3/5	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Sep 2010	429	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 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	599	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 SL3	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
11.		Canon SX20	..	+ +	..	73/100	..	4/5	Aug 2009	399	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX40	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2011	429	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX50	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	429	ebay.com
14.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
15.		Canon T7i	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic FZ100	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic FZ150	3/5	+ +	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2011	499	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. 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. 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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