Sony A77 II vs Canon M50

The Sony Alpha SLT-A77 II and the Canon EOS M50 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in May 2014 and February 2018. The A77 II is a DSLR, while the M50 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras 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

Sony A77 II		Canon M50
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Sony A mount lenses		Canon EF-M mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/24p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 51,200)		ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)
Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1229k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fully flexible screen (no touchscreen)		Swivel touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
480 shots per battery charge		235 shots per battery charge
143 x 104 x 81 mm, 647 g		116 x 88 x 59 mm, 390 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha SLT-A77 II and the Canon EOS M50? 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 Sony A77 II and the Canon M50. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M50 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the A77 II 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 M50 is considerably smaller (31 percent) than the Sony A77 II. Moreover, the M50 is substantially lighter (40 percent) than the A77 II. It is worth mentioning in this context that the A77 II is splash and dust resistant, 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 A77 II gets 480 shots out of its Sony NP-FM500H battery, while the M50 can take 235 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E12 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras 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.		Sony A77 II	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	647 g	480	Y	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
2.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
3.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
4.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	779	ebay.com
5.		Canon M6 Mark II	120 mm	70 mm	49 mm	408 g	305	n	Aug 2019	849	ebay.com
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
7.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D7100	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	950	Y	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D7200	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	1110	Y	Mar 2015	1,199	ebay.com
10.		Pentax K-3	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	560	Y	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
11.		Pentax K-3 II	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	720	Y	Apr 2015	1,099	ebay.com
12.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
13.		Sony A58	129 mm	95 mm	78 mm	492 g	690	n	Feb 2013	599	ebay.com
14.		Sony A68	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	610 g	540	n	Nov 2015	699	ebay.com
15.		Sony A77	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	732 g	470	Y	Aug 2011	1,399	ebay.com
16.		Sony A6500	120 mm	67 mm	53 mm	453 g	350	Y	Oct 2016	1,399	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6600	120 mm	67 mm	69 mm	503 g	810	Y	Aug 2019	1,399	amazon.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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The M50 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 35 percent) than the A77 II, 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. 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. 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the M50 is 10 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.5 (A77 II) and 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the A77 II has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the A77 II has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 3.72μm for the M50), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. It should, however, be noted that the M50 is much more recent (by 3 years and 9 months) than the A77 II, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

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

The Sony Alpha SLT-A77 II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 50-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS M50 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, 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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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.		Sony A77 II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.4	13.4	1013	82
2.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
3.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
4.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
5.		Canon M6 Mark II	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
7.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
8.		Nikon D7100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.7	1256	83
9.		Nikon D7200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.5	14.6	1333	87
10.		Pentax K-3	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.7	13.4	1216	80
11.		Pentax K-3 II	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.6	13.6	1106	80
12.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
13.		Sony A58	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.3	12.5	753	74
14.		Sony A68	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.5	701	79
15.		Sony A77	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.2	801	78
16.		Sony A6500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.5	13.7	1405	85
17.		Sony A6600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.8	13.4	1497	82
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 are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the M50 provides a better video resolution than the A77 II. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/24p, while the Sony is limited to 1080/60p.

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 M50 offers a slightly higher resolution than the one in the A77 II (2360k vs 2359k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sony A77 II and Canon M50 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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.		Sony A77 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon M6 Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	14.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D7100	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D7200	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
10.		Pentax K-3	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	Y	Y
11.		Pentax K-3 II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	n	Y
12.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony A58	1440	n	2.7 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony A68	1440	Y	2.7 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony A77	2359	Y	3.0 / 921	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony A6500	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony A6600	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the A77 II, but is missing on the M50 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

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.

The A77 II writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the M50 uses SDXC 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 Sony Alpha SLT-A77 II and Canon EOS M50 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.		Sony A77 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon M6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Nikon D7100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Nikon D7200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Pentax K-3	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
11.		Pentax K-3 II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
12.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony A58	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony A68	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony A77	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony A6500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony A6600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	2.0	Y	Y	Y

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A77 II (unlike the M50) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the A77 II and the M50 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The M50 was replaced by the Canon M50 Mark II, while the A77 II does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the A77 II and M50 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A77 II Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon M50 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Sony A77 II and the Canon M50? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha SLT-A77 II:

• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k 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.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (480 versus 235) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in May 2014).

Advantages of the Canon EOS M50:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/24p vs 1080/60p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (116x88mm vs 143x104mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 257g or 40 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (35 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 9 months of technical progress since the A77 II launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the match-up finishes in a tie (10 points each). 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Sony A77 II and the Canon M50 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens 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 partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the A77 II or the M50. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony A77 II	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
2.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
3.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
4.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	779	ebay.com
5.		Canon M6 Mark II	..	+	4.5/5	85/100	4/5	4/5	Aug 2019	849	ebay.com
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
7.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D7100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D7200	4/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2015	1,199	ebay.com
10.		Pentax K-3	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
11.		Pentax K-3 II	4.5/5	..	..	..	5/5	5/5	Apr 2015	1,099	ebay.com
12.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
13.		Sony A58	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	599	ebay.com
14.		Sony A68	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Nov 2015	699	ebay.com
15.		Sony A77	5/5	91/100	..	81/100	..	5/5	Aug 2011	1,399	ebay.com
16.		Sony A6500	5/5	+ +	3.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	1,399	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6600	4/5	+	4/5	83/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2019	1,399	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date 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? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu 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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