Canon R50 vs Fujifilm X-T3

The Canon EOS R50 and the Fujifilm X-T3 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2023 and September 2018. Both the R50 and the X-T3 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Fujifilm provides 26 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon R50		Fujifilm X-T3
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
		Fujifilm X mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		26 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/60p Video
ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 160-12,800 (80 - 51,200)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1620k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Fully flexible touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
230 shots per battery charge		390 shots per battery charge
116 x 86 x 69 mm, 375 g		133 x 93 x 59 mm, 539 g

Check R50 price at
amazon.com
Check X-T3 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R50 and the Fujifilm X-T3? 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 physical size and weight of the Canon R50 and the Fujifilm X-T3 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The R50 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the X-T3 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 Fujifilm X-T3 is notably larger (24 percent) than the Canon R50. Moreover, the X-T3 is substantially heavier (44 percent) than the R50. It is noteworthy in this context that the X-T3 is splash and dust-proof, while the R50 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 R50 gets 230 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the X-T3 can take 390 images on a single charge of its Fujifilm NP-W126S power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	US$ 679	amazon.com
2.		Fujifilm X-T3	133 mm	93 mm	59 mm	539 g	390	Y	Sep 2018	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	US$ 679	ebay.com
4.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
5.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
6.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
7.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	US$ 599	ebay.com
8.		Canon R10	123 mm	88 mm	83 mm	429 g	450	n	May 2022	US$ 979	amazon.com
9.		Canon R100	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	356 g	400	n	May 2023	US$ 479	amazon.com
10.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
11.		Canon SL3	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	US$ 599	amazon.com
12.		Canon T7i	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	US$ 749	ebay.com
13.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	495 g	350	Y	Jan 2016	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
14.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	497 g	440	Y	Oct 2019	US$ 1 799	amazon.com
15.		Fujifilm X-T2	133 mm	92 mm	49 mm	507 g	340	Y	Jul 2016	US$ 1 599	ebay.com
16.		Fujifilm X-T4	135 mm	93 mm	64 mm	607 g	500	Y	Feb 2020	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
17.		Fujifilm X-T100	121 mm	83 mm	47 mm	448 g	430	n	May 2018	US$ 599	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 R50 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 55 percent) than the X-T3, 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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 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 X-T3 is 11 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.6 (R50) and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 26MP, the X-T3 offers a higher resolution than the R50 (24MP), but the X-T3 nevertheless has marginally larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 3.72μm for the R50) due to its larger sensor. However, the R50 is a much more recent model (by 4 years and 5 months) than the X-T3, 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 X-T3 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Canon EOS R50 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 32000, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Fujifilm X-T3 are ISO 160 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-51200.

In terms of underlying technology, the R50 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the X-T3 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Like most digital cameras, the R50 uses a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. In contrast, the X-T3 employs a more randomized X-Trans layout of photosites, which according to Fujifilm helps to minimize moiré.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 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 R50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
2.		Fujifilm X-T3	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	24.0	13.4	1853	83
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 M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
7.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
8.		Canon R10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2085	84
9.		Canon R100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/24p	24.1	13.9	2197	84
10.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
11.		Canon SL3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
12.		Canon T7i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
13.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
14.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1968	84
15.		Fujifilm X-T2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.8	13.1	1653	81
16.		Fujifilm X-T4	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	24.1	13.6	1995	84
17.		Fujifilm X-T100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1829	83
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 are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the X-T3 provides a faster frame rate than the R50. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/60p, while the Canon is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond 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 X-T3 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the R50 (3690k vs 2360k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon R50 and Fujifilm X-T3 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 R50	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
2.		Fujifilm X-T3	3690	n	3.0 / 1040	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
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 M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon R10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon R100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.5/s	Y	n
10.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon SL3	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon T7i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
14.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
15.		Fujifilm X-T2	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	full-flex	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
16.		Fujifilm X-T4	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	n	Y
17.		Fujifilm X-T100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	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 R50 has one, while the X-T3 does not. While the built-in flash of the R50 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 R50 and the Fujifilm X-T3 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 R50 and the X-T3 write their files to SDXC cards. The X-T3 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the R50 only has one slot. The X-T3 supports UHS-II cards (on both slots), while the R50 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 R50 and Fujifilm X-T3 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 R50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Fujifilm X-T3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	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 M50	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 R10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon R100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Canon SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Canon T7i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	-	3.1	Y	-	Y
15.		Fujifilm X-T2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
16.		Fujifilm X-T4	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
17.		Fujifilm X-T100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the X-T3 has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The R50 lacks such a headphone port.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Fujifilm X-T3 (unlike the R50) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

The R50 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the X-T3 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the X-T3 was succeeded by the Fujifilm X-T4. Further information on the features and operation of the R50 and X-T3 can be found, respectively, in the Canon R50 Manual (free pdf) or the online Fujifilm X-T3 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon R50 better than the Fujifilm X-T3 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Canon EOS R50:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1620k vs 1040k dots).
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More compact: Is smaller (116x86mm vs 133x93mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 164g or 30 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 3.1).
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (55 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 5 months of technical progress since the X-T3 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Fujifilm X-T3:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/60p versus 4K/30p).
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (3690k vs 2360k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.75x vs 0.58x).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (390 versus 230) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• 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 heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2018).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the X-T3 emerges as the winner of the match-up (12 : 9 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 R50 and the Fujifilm X-T3 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 R50 or the X-T3 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 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	Street Price
1.		Canon R50	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	US$ 679	amazon.com
2.		Fujifilm X-T3	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2018	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	US$ 679	ebay.com
4.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
5.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
6.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
7.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	US$ 599	ebay.com
8.		Canon R10	4/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2022	US$ 979	amazon.com
9.		Canon R100	3/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	May 2023	US$ 479	amazon.com
10.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
11.		Canon SL3	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	US$ 599	amazon.com
12.		Canon T7i	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 749	ebay.com
13.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
14.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4/5	..	Oct 2019	US$ 1 799	amazon.com
15.		Fujifilm X-T2	5/5	+ +	..	86/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2016	US$ 1 599	ebay.com
16.		Fujifilm X-T4	5/5	+ +	5/5	88/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2020	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
17.		Fujifilm X-T100	4/5	+	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2018	US$ 599	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, 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 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 would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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