Canon’s $680 EOS R50, its most affordable RF-camera yet, is Canon

Canon has introduced a new entry point to its RF mirrorless camera system that is more affordable. Canon today announced the EOS R50 APS-C RF mounting camera, which will be available later in the year for $680. Canon didn’t send over a full spec sheet, but judging from the information the company did share, the R50 could quickly become a go-to for many beginners.

It features a 24.2-megapixel sensor that can capture uncropped 4K video at 30 frames per second. The R50 can also shoot 1080p video at up to 60 frames per second and S&Q-style slo-mo footage at up to 120 frames per second. What’s more, Canon claims the camera can capture a full hour of continuous footage. The R50 is a modestly priced camera that also features Canon’s Dual Pixel autofocus technology. This includes subject detection for animals, people, and vehicles. This tech is available in both video and still formats.

You don’t get any log modes, but it does have HDR PQ which also gives you 10-bit video — not bad for a budget camera. You also get a microHDMI port to connect externally, as well as both mic and headphones ports. There is also UVC compatibility for webcam streaming.

At this price, burst speeds are excellent: 12 fps electronic first-curtain mode (there is no full mechanical shutter) or 15 fps electronic shutter mode with servoAF. The slow UHS-I SD Card support means that it can only capture 13 CRAW+JPEG files per burst. It doesn’t have in-body stabilization at this price. However, it can use digital stabilization (with crop) or the IS built into lenses for vlogging. The OLED viewfinder can be used, which is something that many cameras in this price range do not have, but the resolution is very low at 2.36 million dots.

Canon is expanding its range of RF lenses to include crop sensor glass. The RF S55-210mm compact telephoto lenses has a full frame equivalent field of view between 88mm – 336mm. The lens features a variable aperture from f/5 to 7-1, as well as four-and-a half stops of optical stabilization built-in and close-focusing capabilities. The RF-S55-210mm IS STM isn’t the fastest option in Canon’s RF lens stable, but it does add some much-needed choice on the APS-C side of things.

The R50 slots are $680 body-only. EOS R10, which was previously Canon’s most affordable RF mirrorless camera. The R50 is an improved version of the R50. EOS M50 Mark II that’s less than $100 more expensive doesn’t limit you to Canon’s dead-end EF-M mount system. It’s also competitive against Sony’s ZV-E10 and Nikon’s Z30, which cost about the same but don’t offer an electronic viewfinder. The EOS R50 will be available later in the year. Canon will not only sell the body as a standalone item, but it will also include a Content Creator Kit which includes a microphone and 18-45mm kit lens, grip, and $800.