EOS R50 Mirrorless Camera, 24.2MP APS-C, Compact & Portable

I'm an aspiring YouTuber and wish to post my photos and videos online, but don't want the hassle of using a smartphone. I've spent a lot of time watching reviews of mirrorless digital cameras on YouTube and the EOS R50 gets recommended time and time again, so I took the plunge and bought one! I got the R50 creators kit which comes with the R50 camera, a battery, charger with UK plug, an 18-45mm lens, 32GB SD card, a 'selfie stick' style handle/tripod with Bluetooth remote control, neck strap and a shotgun style microphone with a 3.5mm jack. The camera is very easy to use and intuitive. You can use the buttons on the back of the camera to access the settings or use the large touchscreen. The camera itself feels very small in my large hands, whether that's a good or bad thing is up to you. The Bluetooth remote control is easy to pair with the camera, although the zoom buttons don't seem to do anything. I've mostly only taken photos in auto mode so far, but I am very impressed with the results, I can only imagine the lovely images I can take if I knew what I was doing with ISOs, shutter speeds and apertures! One thing I should mention is that as this is a cropped sensor camera, the images and videos you take with the provided lens seem very 'zoomed in', this bothered me, so I bought an extra lens, a Canon RF-S 10-18mm lens which is much better for what I need, recording my electronics workbench. If I want to get close-ups I can simply reattach the 18-45mm lens. I recommend setting your camera in the video menu to NTSC, that way you have access to the lovely 60fps video in Full HD (1080p) if that's your thing, this camera also records 4K at 30fps. There are lots of options to set your image and video quality and format. The camera has USB-C and micro HDMI out, so you can use this camera as a webcam using software such as OBS. It also has a microphone jack, but no headphone jack. The camera has in-built microphone and speaker so you can replay videos and hear the audio. The camera has WiFi connectivity, although I haven't tried it, I use the SD Card to transfer images to my PC. My recommendations for anyone thinking of getting this camera: - Get a 10-18mm lens if you're going to vlog or record your face or desk - Get an extra battery or two! - Get a decent, large SD Card such as a SanDisk that is rated for fast file write speeds for video - Get a better microphone, eg the Rode Wireless GO II and a lavalier microphone - Get a dummy battery and PSU if you're planning on using the camera for long periods of time in one place - Get a tripod, such as the Amazon Basics one Pros: - A great little camera, cute size, but well-built - All the settings (ISO, aperture, etc) you'd expect on a pro camera - Great photos and video - Record up to 1hr of video per clip - 4K video at 30fps, 1080p at 60fps and even a 120fps mode for slow-mo videos - HDMI and USB-C ports - Comes with everything to start vlogging and making content for YouTube, Instagram & TikTok - Built-in WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity Cons: - Cropped sensor camera - Kit lens makes image 'zoomed in' - Sometimes overheats when recording 4K video for long periods of time - Audio quality on internal and supplied kit mic isn't great

Such a great camera with lots of accessories. Really intuitive and easy to use. Can always count on Canon.

Did a load of filming, then right near the end of making some final shots, a ‘Card Cannot Be Accessed’ message appeared. Followed all advice and instruction - the only course left would be to reformat the disc. The camera was on a tripod, and hadn’t been touched - yet the SD card just failed. This item cannot be trusted. A load of work lost. Returning it immediately.

Everything you will need to start creating video contents, latest technology which you don't need a degree to figure out how to use. Just stick everything on Auto and it already give you good results, for the experts in the field you also have the option to change and adjust just like the higher end digital cameras. The flip out screen is sharp and more than enough to see if your subject is in focus etc, touch screen is accurate and responsive. The mic did well when it is less than 2-3m from subject, I find a LAV mic much better quality when shooting with this kit. The Grip is surprisingly comfortable to hold, no the usual straight hand grip, the contoured shape feels great with my big hands. The electronic view finder is nice and bright, again sharp enough to see focus points etc. Photo take with the camera is of good quality, I find ISO up to 6400 is acceptable at all light ranges, ISO beyond that is usable but grain seeps in very early. Video is where it perform excellently, at 4k the image quality is on par with the more expensive DSLR. The kit lens is nice but I prefer wider lens and the 10-18mm EFs fit this camera nicely. Camera body weight only 380g since the body is made of plastic composite instead of metal alloys, I am sure this is not as strong as metal built but the weight saving makes this the camera I would like to carry around all the time instead of the DSLR. The only thing I did not like is the Mic in socket right by the flip out screen hinge, it obstruct part of the screen etc. Would be much better if the port is on the other side. I love the way they design the bottom battery compartment door now opens even with the tripod mount installed, no need to remove mount to access SD card and battery change is a must. I hope this is useful for anyone who is looking to buy new gear.

If you had asked me this time last year what I thought about owning a camera such as this, I would have argued it as a waste of money; there is so much technology currently in smartphones - something the majority of us carry at all times - that I always felt there to be very little need in carrying around an extra piece of expensive equipment I already had in my pocket. I have two teenage daughters, and while you would have expected their response to be similar to my own, you would be wrong. My eldest daughter likes to post on YouTube, and just the sight of this made her excited to try it out. My youngest daughter is currently taking art and photography classes at GCSE level, so the standard camera functions on this (ie without bothering with the microphone attachment) really appealed to her. The camera is simple to set up and get connected to, and accessing the photos/videos on your PC/laptop/smartphone is a cinch with the associated Canon apps - my daughter took the camera to the woods to take some nature shots, and I could upload the photos from home before she even returned. As someone who doesn't have much need for an expensive camera setup, the sheer number of settings and buttons on this was quite daunting - perhaps just because I'm old, but I really hope not, my daughters picked up the camera and were almost instantly clicking and recording without a care in the world. Overall, this is a great piece of kit that would and should appeal to anyone interested in photography, vlogging, and getting away from using smartphones for everything. While it may be that a phone is less to carry around, with the simplicity Canon offer on getting access to your saved data, it's no longer got the connectivity monopoly it once had.

You need to know that despite the zoom buttons being clearly visible in the sales photo, THEY DO NOT WORK, unless you spend another £160 on Canon Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E1, so it is somewhat useless as a video camera (what it's marketed as) without an expensive accessory.

The pictures and product description (at the time of writing) include mic and tripod. These are not included in the kit as suggested.

This Canon E50 Creator Kit arrives in a large outer Canon branded cardboard box, that is nicely designed, and more than suitable should you be wishing to give it as a gift. Inside this box are three equally good looking, smaller boxes. One for the Canon EOS R50 camera, 32GB SD Card and RF-S 18-45mm lens; one for the Canon HG-100TBR tripod grip, and one for the Canon DM-E100 stereo microphone. *** CAMERA & LENS *** The EOS R50 is Canon’s new entry level mirrorless APS-C camera, that utilises their relatively new RF mount. The camera itself is small and lightweight, being made of hard plastic. The build quality is excellent and it has a good finish throughout. Like all entry level cameras, it doesn’t have as many controls and dials as you would find on more expensive cameras. That being said the controls it does have are well thought out. Whilst the grip is reasonably deep for a camera of this size, I must admit due to the size and shape of the camera, I still got thumb ache after a while when using the rear controls, and did also accidentally hit the controls with my palm by mistake on occasions. I have large hands though, so hopefully smaller hands will fare better. The electronic viewfinder (EVF) is comfortable to use, and whilst not the largest, gives a nice, sharp image. The 2.95-inch TFT touchscreen monitor is fully articulated, and can be flipped forward for when taking selfies or videoing yourself. It is responsive to touch and allows you to do things like select where to focus, or change various settings. The camera uses Canon’s new RF mount. Whilst the camera’s sensor is APS-C, this RF mount allows the camera to use both Canon’s “RF-S” APS-C lenses and their “RF” full-frame lenses. The camera also uses Canon’s new propitiatory muti-function hot shoe, rather than Canon’s traditional hot-shoe mount. It’s nice to see an on-body flash, however it has to be popped up manually and doesn’t have the same quality feel that the other parts of the camera do. The results from it are not terrific, but acceptable for those times when you have no other option. The menu system is excellent, and well thought out. The camera also has auto-shooting modes that make it very easy for beginners to take photos. Its creative assist mode also does a nice job of bridging the gap for people used to taking photos with phones; allowing them to adjust the camera settings in ways/terminology familiar to them. (e.g. Allowing you to adjust “Background Blur” instead of adjusting the aperture.) The autofocus system is on the whole good. Subject tracking is also good when there is a clear background, however it can get confused with a busy background. Impressively for an entry level model, there are several tracking options, including Humans (Eyes/Face/Head/Body), Animals (Dogs, Cats and Birds) or Vehicles (Racing cars or Motor bikes). When shooting video, there is also a product mode which is very useful when making video content. When stood in front of the camera if you hold up an item/product, the camera changes focus from your face to whatever you are holding, so that you can show your viewers products/items you are talking about easily. The camera can shoot 12fps using the 1st curtain electronic shutter or 15fps when using the silent electronic shutter; which is very fast for an entry-level camera. However, this benefit is negated a little by the fact that the buffer quickly fills up (after just 7 images when shooting RAW or 28 when shooting jpeg). Also, the rolling shutter effect is very pronounced when using the electronic shutter. The camera does not have any in-body image stabilisation (IBIS), so you are reliant on using lenses with optical image stabilisation (IOS). Thankfully the 18-45mm lens does. There is electronic image stabilization (EIS) for when filming, however this will crop the image slightly (1.1x for normal and 1.4x for the enhanced EIS). Talking of video, the camera can film up to 4k at 30fps 10-bit. It is also capable of 120fps at 1080p with full autofocus but no sound, for getting slow motion shots. The camera supports live streaming to YouTube as well as vertical video capture. You can also use the camera as a webcam by plugging it into your computer via the USB cable, and using Canon’s EOS Webcam Utility software. Battery life is ok for an entry-level camera, but you will want to carry a spare, especially when filming. Disappointingly, whilst it is possible to charge the battery and power the camera directly via the USB-C slot, in order to do so you will need to additionally purchase the PD-E1 USB power adaptor. Ports wise, the camera is fairly well catered for given it’s entry-level status. There’s both a USB-C 2.0 port as well as a mini-HDMI port. In the battery compartment is a single SD Card slot, but disappointingly its just a UHS-I SD, rather than the more faster UHS-II. The real frustration comes with the fact that whilst there is a 3.5mm mic in port, there is no headphone port to enable you to monitor audio. The camera also has both Bluetooth 4.2 and 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connectivity. Another disappointment is the lack of weather sealing, but again, its important to remember that despite its many great features, this is still an entry-level camera. The RF-S 18-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM kit lens (which due to Canon’s 1.6x APS-C crop factor equates to a “35mm equivalent” field of view of 29-72mm) is reasonably good for a kit lens, but doesn’t excel beyond that. So whilst fine for starting out as a general lens, you will probably soon want something with better low light capabilities and a bit sharper. It’s also worth noting that although one is available (model no. EW-53), the lens doesn’t come with a lens hood. This is a head-scratching decision, given that this camera is aimed at novice users not used to handling a camera, and a lens cap would offer the lens some extra protection. So enough about the hardware, what about performance? In this the camera punches well above its weight. Photo quality is excellent, especially when the camera is paired with better lenses than the kit lens. Images are also being blessed by Canon’s eye pleasing colour science. Noise is handled well in jpegs up to about ISO 3200, but images are still perfectly usable up to ISO 12800. And as mentioned before, the various creative options do a fantastic job of allowing inexperienced photographers to capture some great looking shots. Video quality is also good. The image might be a little sharp for some, being 6K footage down sampled to 4K, however this can be overcome through the use of a black filter or different lenses, to get a more filmic look. The digital image stabilisation is ok, but not great, and you do need to be careful of the rolling shutter effect, especially when panning, but for an entry-level camera it is acceptable. *** Canon HG-100TBR Tripod Grip *** This handy tripod grip can be used either as a mini-tripod or a small hand grip for taking selfies or vlogging to camera. It is easy to use and comfortable in the hand. Connecting to the camera via Bluetooth it allows you to control the camera with the same hand that you are using to hold the grip. The BR-E1 remote can be removed from the grip, allowing you to control the camera’s shutter, zoom, video recording, and autofocus from up to 5m away. *** Canon DM-E100 Stereo Microphone *** This microphone, much like the kit lens, is perfectly fine for starting out, and a step up from the camera’s in-built mic. However, sound quality is not the best and there is some noise present. Being a basic mic, you are limited to 120º unidirectional stereo, and there are no options for noise cancellation, or a low frequency filter. It is a reasonable starting point though, especially for talking directly to camera at arms length. The included “dead cat” also does a good job of cutting out wind noise. *** Conclusion *** This is a very good, small, lightweight, entry-level, mirrorless camera from Canon. As listed above, it does have its faults and missing features that I wish it had, however given the fact that it is a low cost, entry level camera, this is to be expected. And with that in mind, the features it does have, are very good indeed. The autofocus, subject matter detection and image quality are especially good for this level of camera. And the menu system and creative modes are excellent for those new to photography or looking to step up from taking pictures with their smart phone. The included lens is a reasonably good kit lens, and the tripod grip is an incredibly handy addition. The microphone is probably the weakest of the bunch, but is an ok starting point. As individual products, and bearing in mind the price and the fact that this is an entry-level camera, I would be giving the camera 5/5, the tripod grip 5/5 and the mic 3/5. However, as a package aimed at content creators and/or photographers who are just starting out, there are a couple issues that people need to be aware of, which prevent me from fully recommending this kit. Firstly, whilst the kit lens is perfectly fine if you wish to vlog by setting it up on a tripod and talking in front of it, most creators also want to be able to walk and talk to the camera at the same time. In order to do this, you will most likely need to use image stabilization, but the Electronic Image Stabilisation on the R50 introduces a crop. The kit lens, which starts at 18mm, is already equivalent to 29mm due to the 1.6x APS-C crop factor. With the enhanced EIS turned on, this gets cropped by a further 1.4x, making it equivalent to 41mm. That’s quite a tight shot when you are only holding the camera at arms length, so you will not get the nice wide shots with your face in the middle, that most content creators strive for. Now it may be if you have good technique you might not need the EIS, but if you don’t, you are either going to have to invest in a new lens, a gimble, or some sort of wide angle adapter that attaches to the front of the lens. Buying a new lens though brings up the second issue. This camera uses Canon’s relatively new RF mount. Currently there are only three APS-C (RF-S) lenses available, but none of them are wide angle lenses, and to be frank, none of them are especially good lenses. You can use the full-frame RF lenses on the camera (of which there are about 30 to chose from), but being full-frame these lenses are heavier and more expensive than what their equivalent APS-C lens would be. Whilst Canon will no doubt be releasing more lenses over the next few years, it is going to take a good few years to build up a selection of APS-C lenses that really take advantage of the mount. Worse still, Canon have announced that they will not be allowing third party manufacturers such as Tamron and Sigma to make lenses for the RF mount, so without that competition, RF and RF-S lens selection will be smaller, and likely (without that competition) more expensive as a result. Thankfully, you can use older EF or EF-S DSLR lenses on the camera, however in order to do so, you will need an adapter, which is going to cost extra, and not nearly as convenient as a native lens. Frustratingly, there is no way to use Canon’s EF-M lenses though. The same is true with the new muti-function hot-shoe interface. On previous Canon cameras that used this interface, they left in the electrical contacts needed to allow it to be backwards compatible with older Canon flashes (such as the EX-series). However, on the R50 they have removed these contacts, which means in order to use the vast majority of Canon flash equipment, you will need to purchase an additional AD-E1 adapter. So whilst this is an excellent camera and a good package in it’s own right, as a creators camera, it may not be as ideal as you would hope it would be without investing in more equipment. And as a beginners camera, whilst again it is a great camera to start on, the upgrade path once you wish to do more than what you can with the kit lens, is not as straight forward or as convenient, as it would be if there were a nice selection of RF-S APS-C lenses to chose from and if you could simply attach Canon’s existing flash equipment to the hot shoe mount. As a result of these issues, I can’t give this “Creator Kit” the full 5 stars it might otherwise deserve. ~ Amazon asked me to review this product and to give my honest opinion about it. That’s what I have set out to do, so I hope you found it helpful. ~