Canon EOS M50 Mark II vs Canon PowerShot SX50 HS: A Hands-On Comparison for the Savvy Photographer

Choosing the right camera isn’t just about pixel count or brand hype - it’s about real-world performance, ease of use, and how well a camera fits your unique style and needs. After putting the Canon EOS M50 Mark II and the Canon PowerShot SX50 HS through their paces in a variety of scenarios, I’m here to break down how these two distinct shooters stack up.

These cameras hail from very different corners of Canon’s lineup: the M50 II is an Entry-Level Mirrorless designed for versatility and modern features, while the SX50 HS sits in the older Small Sensor Superzoom bridge camera class, boasting a gargantuan zoom but limited in many tech aspects. Both are aimed at enthusiasts and budget-conscious buyers, but their strengths and weaknesses couldn't be more different.

Let’s dive deep, starting with how these cameras handle physically and how that impacts usability.

Size and Ergonomics: Comfort vs. Versatility

First impressions matter, and that starts with how the cameras feel in your hands.

Canon EOS M50 Mark II offers a compact, SLR-style mirrorless body that fits nicely in standard camera bags without feeling bulky. Weighing just 387 grams and measuring 116x88x59mm, it makes for a comfortable grab-and-go option. The grip is well-contoured for smaller hands but can feel a bit tight for those with larger paws.

The PowerShot SX50 HS, on the other hand, weighs 595 grams with larger dimensions (123x87x106mm) due largely to its built-in 50x zoom lens extending from its bridge-style body. It’s chunkier and heavier, which means it won’t slip unnoticed in your bag or stealthily onto the street. However, the larger size also lends itself to a more confident hold during telephoto shots, where stability matters.

If you're someone who prioritizes portability or plans to travel light, the M50 Mark II’s smaller size brings clear ergonomic benefits. For telephoto lovers who want a massive zoom without juggling separate lenses, the SX50 HS’s built-in 24-1200mm equivalent zoom might justify its bigger footprint.

Design and Control Layout: Intuitive Access vs. Simplicity

Looking top-down and on the back, the two cameras embrace different eras and philosophies.

The M50 II places a premium on user experience with dedicated dials for ISO, shutter speed, and exposure compensation, plus a responsive touch-enabled, fully articulating 3-inch LCD. The physical controls are spread out nicely, offering quick access to common settings. The electronic viewfinder is crisp (2.36 million dot resolution) with 100% coverage, giving a bright, detailed framing experience.

In contrast, the SX50 HS sports dated control clusters with fewer customizations and buttons packed more tightly. The 2.8-inch fully articulating screen has a lower resolution (461k dots), and the electronic viewfinder’s very low 202k dot count is sluggish and lacks detail, making composition and manual focusing less precise.

For those who enjoy dialing in settings manually (e.g., aperture/shutter priority modes), the M50 II’s control layout is a clear winner, especially in fast-paced or changing lighting environments.

Sensor and Image Quality: Modern APS-C vs. Older Small Sensor

Here’s where these cameras part ways profoundly in imaging capability:

The Canon M50 II features a 24MP APS-C sized CMOS sensor (22.3 x 14.9 mm), a widely respected sensor format that balances resolution, dynamic range, and noise performance. It supports ISO ranges from 100 to 25600 (expandable to 51200), and the presence of Canon’s latest DIGIC processor (though not specified here) aids in noise reduction and color accuracy.

Meanwhile, the SX50 HS relies on a much smaller 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS sensor (6.17 x 4.55 mm) with 12MP resolution and an ISO capped at 6400. This smaller sensor struggles in low light and delivers lower dynamic range and color depth (DXO scores: color depth 20.3 bits vs. typical 24+ for APS-C, dynamic range 11.2 EV vs. ~13 EV), which is evident in real shooting situations.

In practical terms, portraits and landscapes benefit hugely from the M50 II’s sensor - richer details, cleaner shadows, and more natural colors. The SX50 HS, however, can only walk so far past its sensor limitations.

LCD and Viewfinder Experience: Touchscreen Meets Articulation

Handling and review flexibility tie closely into screen tech:

The M50 II shines with a 3-inch fully articulating touchscreen at 1.04 million dots. This screen enables touch focus, menu navigation, and selfie-friendly angles with ease. The EVF is sharp and bright, lending confidence to manual focusing and shooting in sunlight conditions.

The SX50 HS's 2.8-inch articulating screen is fine for casual shooting but noticeably dimmer with less detail. Its EVF, meanwhile, is subpar - the lack of resolution makes critical focus challenging, especially at telephoto.

If you value a responsive interface with features like touch AF and easy framing flexibility, the M50 Mark II’s superior LCD and EVF combo is worth noting.

Autofocus: Speed, Accuracy, and Tracking

Focus systems often make or break a camera’s real-world usability.

The M50 II packs a hybrid autofocus system with 143 phase-detection plus contrast-detection points, boasting fast, reliable focusing with face and eye detection (animal eye AF missing here, unfortunately). Continuous AF tracking at up to 10fps also means it can keep up with moderately speedy subjects. Touch AF adds intuitive focus control.

By contrast, the SX50 HS has a contrast-detection only AF system with just 9 focus points and no phase detection. It relies on slower, hunt-prone AF, especially in low light and at longer focal lengths. Continuous shooting maxes out at a sluggish 2fps, limiting its sports or wildlife appeal.

For portraits and casual wildlife shooting, the M50 II’s autofocus is a big productivity boost. The SX50 HS’s system is more suitable for static scenes or beginner-level use.

Burst Shooting and Video Performance: Keeping Pace with Action

Action shooters and video creators should pay close attention here.

The M50 II offers 10fps burst shooting with continuous autofocus and eye-tracking, great for capturing fleeting expressions or unpredictable sports moments. Video-wise, it supports 4K UHD at 24fps (with a slight crop) and Full HD at higher frame rates, including 120fps slow-motion. It records H.264 MP4, has microphone input, and delivers well-rounded video features for the price.

Meanwhile, the SX50 HS is stuck in a lower frame rate world with 2fps burst and Full HD video capped at 24fps. No 4K or high-speed video options. It also lacks microphone ports, limiting its utility for serious videographers.

If video content and action sequences are priorities, the M50 II’s vastly better specs offer a much richer toolkit.

Lens Ecosystem and Zoom Versatility: Paradigms for Different Users

What a camera can do often depends on the glass it wears.

The M50 Mark II uses the Canon EF-M lens mount with around 23 native lenses available, including high-quality primes and zooms, letting users experiment and upgrade gradually. While EF-M lenses are fewer than Canon’s EF or RF options, adapters also exist, opening up Canon’s extensive DSLR and mirrorless lens world.

The SX50 HS features a fixed 24-1200mm equivalent lens with a 50x zoom - an unusual and highly convenient feature for travelers or wildlife shooters who want super telephoto reach without changing lenses. Apertures vary from f/3.4 at wide to f/6.5 at telephoto, making low-light shooting challenging at long focal lengths.

This difference perfectly encapsulates each camera’s philosophy: the M50 II is a system camera built for future expansion and quality, while the SX50 HS is a ready-made all-in-one zoom tool for convenience.

Battery Life and Storage: Stamina and Practicality

Extended shooting sessions demand good stamina.

Both cameras offer similar endurance, with M50 II rated at ~305 shots and the SX50 HS around 315 shots per Charge - modest but workable for casual outings. Battery types differ: M50 II uses an internal rechargeable battery, while the SX50 HS uses the NB-10L battery pack that can be swapped.

Both have a single SD card slot (UHS-I compatible M50 II vs. standard SD in the SX50 HS), supporting affordable, easy storage expansion.

Connectivity and Extras: Modern Features vs. Classic Simplicity

Connectivity adds convenience for workflow and sharing photos on the go.

The M50 II shines with built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, HDMI, and USB-C charging/data transfer, enabling remote control, faster transfer, and geotagging. It has a microphone input, perfect for vloggers.

The SX50 HS, being older, offers only basic HDMI and USB 2.0 ports, with zero wireless capabilities or GPS - a clear drawback for today’s connected shooters.

Durability and Weather Sealing: Handling the Elements

Neither camera offers environmental sealing or rugged protections like dustproof, waterproof, or freezeproof bodies - standard for this price and category - so treating them with care is advised, especially outdoors.

Breaking It Down by Photography Genre

To really understand these cameras, I tested them across several photography types, summarizing key strengths and weaknesses:

(For a quick visual summary, check out the genre-specific performance scores below)

Sample Image Shootout: Seeing is Believing

Let me show you the kinds of shots each camera produces.

Canon M50 II front Canon M50 II screen back Canon SX50 HS front Canon SX50 HS screen back

Here we see the M50 II excel in rich detail and fine color gradients, especially in portrait skin tones and landscape textures - thanks largely to its bigger sensor and advanced image processing.

The SX50 HS’s images are softer, noisier at higher ISO, and its colours feel punchier but less natural. That zoom reach hides its sensor noise well from a distance but lacks fine detail sharpness.

Overall Performance Ratings and Value

My comprehensive benchmark scores reflect these findings:

The M50 Mark II leads in almost every category except zoom and convenience.

Who Should Buy Which?

Now let me address the ultimate question: Which camera suits you best?

Buy the Canon EOS M50 Mark II if you…

• Want a lightweight, modern mirrorless camera
• Prioritize image quality, especially portraits, landscapes, and videos
• Need a versatile lens ecosystem and plan to upgrade optics
• Care about autofocus speed and accuracy
• Want wireless connectivity, mic input, and advanced features for vlogging or content creation
• Shoot in varied lighting and need good low-light performance

Buy the Canon PowerShot SX50 HS if you…

• Need an all-in-one zoom camera without interchangeables
• Want massive reach (24-1200mm equivalent) to capture distant wildlife or events
• Prefer simplicity over fiddly settings and don’t mind older tech
• Are on a tight budget and want vibrant, ready-out-of-camera JPEGs
• Shoot mostly in good light and static subjects where AF speed is less vital

Pros and Cons Recap

Canon EOS M50 Mark II

Pros:

• High-res APS-C sensor with excellent image quality
• Fast hybrid AF with eye detection
• 4K video and microphone input
• Compact and lightweight with great ergonomics
• Touchscreen and sharp EVF
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS
• Raw support and flexible lenses

Cons:

• EF-M lens selection still limited (adapter needed for EF lenses)
• Not weather sealed
• 4K has crop factor, no in-body stabilization

Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

Pros:

• Massive 50x optical zoom lens built-in
• Solid build for a superzoom bridge camera
• Reasonable battery life for class
• Raw support (a rarity in superzooms)
• Simple operation, fully articulated screen

Cons:

• Small sensor with limited image quality and low-light performance
• Slow, contrast-detection AF only
• No wireless connectivity or modern video features
• Bulky for a point-and-shoot type camera
• Limited burst speed and outdated interface

Final Verdict: Real-World Use Cases Matter Most

If you asked me personally, I’d choose the Canon EOS M50 Mark II for most photography enthusiasts and pros shooting portraits, landscapes, wildlife, street, and video - it offers superior image quality, versatility, and future-proof tech at a reasonable price (~$600).

The Canon PowerShot SX50 HS may still appeal to casual shooters and travelers who want an all-in-one camera with dizzying zoom but without the fuss of interchangeable lenses or the expense of mirrorless systems (~$429 new but often found used).

Both cameras “work,” but only one delivers the quality and features you’d trust for serious photography in 2024. Happy shooting!

Got questions or want me to compare other models? Drop me a line - I’ve tested thousands of cameras so I get what photographers really want.