Canon EOS R50 V review, built for creators, ready for YouTube

The Canon EOS R50 V is an entry-level APS-C mirrorless camera with a distinct focus on videography rather than stills, essentially the video version of the highly popular R50 with a few additional updates. The first thing that you notice about the camera is that it has a very different form factor compared with most of the other Canon EOS APS-C mirrorless cameras. This is due to the fact that it has been focused solely on those looking to shoot video rather than stills, although, as ever, it does have the ability to shoot both.

As you look at the body with its more boxy design and lack of viewfinder, you can see how it’s been designed to sit into larger rigs. So, if you do want to mount it onto a gimbal, shoulder rig, under a drone or into a larger system, then its design is perfectly attuned to it, especially with the quarter-inch mounting points.

When it comes to the lens, it features the RF mount, so it will take both the full-frame RF lenses and the APS-C RF-S lenses, giving you plenty of options. Whilst Canon has a decent amount of lenses already available, there’s also a significant number of third-party lenses from manufacturers such as Sigma, Tamron and of course Sirui and their range of anamorphics.

The camera itself has been designed for vloggers, streamers and content creators needing a relatively inexpensive but highly featured camera to capture video footage. One of the things that really stands out compared with previous entry-level cameras is the fact that the Canon EOS R50 V features Canon Log 3 and 4K at 60 frames per second, which will enable more cinematic-style video capture.

The body itself is really small and compact; it weighs 370g for the body on its own, and like the C-series cameras from Canon, such as the Canon R5C, it features a red button for video recording on the front. This just makes it easier if you’re solo shooting.

One of the other things that I really like about the camera, and is worth pointing out, is that it’s also fully integrated with Canon’s live switcher app, which will enable you to wirelessly stream from the camera and also use it in quite advanced multicam situations.

This makes the Canon EOS R50 V one of the best solutions out there at present for any educational facility shooting video, as it introduces students to the Canon ecosystem and offers a very good starting point for Canon enthusiasts and professional cameras, something that, at present, no other manufacturer does at this price point.

The Canon EOS R50 V is a compact mirrorless camera with a focus on videography, so it should be noted that, unlike many other video-focused cameras, it is smaller and more lightweight. It is overall entry-level and not enthusiast/pro level. However, throughout this test, I was impressed with the quality of the footage. So, if you did need this as a second B-roll camera, then it would be perfectly suited. This is, after all, a Canon camera.

The body itself is made of a magnesium alloy chassis with a decent grip, despite its square and boxy design. This boxy design makes it easy to mount onto a gimbal and into larger rig systems. One of the features that I really like is the fact that it has two quarter-inch threads, one on the base as you’d normally expect, and one on the side, so if you want to mount this in portrait mode for social media content, then that’s nice and easy. There’s no need for an L-bracket or anything else. It’ll just go straight in.

Another video-focused feature is the fact that it has a large front record button, along with a vari-angle 3-inch touchscreen, which makes it far easier for self-shooting. It does, of course, also have audio in for a wireless microphone and audio out for headphone monitoring.

One of the things that I did notice while using the camera was that it’s small and compact, and whilst that makes it very easy to carry, sometimes the handling made it just a little bit too small. But that’s just personal preference, and I think most people looking for a camera of this type will actually welcome the lightweight and small design.

The other thing is that, coming from DSLR and mirrorless cameras with viewfinders, I always find it quite tricky making the switch. There is no viewfinder or option for it; everything is done through that 3-inch vari-angle touchscreen LCD. Once you get into the role of it, it’s not too difficult to use for both composition and adjusting all the settings.

There’s also a minimal approach to the physical controls on the body. Most of it’s done through the touchscreen, which again, if you’re used to using a mobile phone rather than a camera to shoot video, will be second nature. But for those of us coming down from more advanced cameras, this does feel a little bit restrictive. However, once you dive in, you can find pretty much everything. The other point is there’s no joystick control, so again, things like navigating through menus are all done through the touchscreen or through that one main commander on the back.

The Canon EOS R50 V arrived with the kit lens, which I felt was a bit of an odd mix of a lens with built-in power zoom. It worked well, but the zoom range just seemed a little limited. I did swap the lens for one of my full-frame options, but here’s one of the other things about having a small camera: when you put those larger lenses on it, it can feel a little bit unbalanced. So, just something to note, if you are thinking of using EF lenses on this with an adapter, it’s going to feel just a little bit unbalanced due to the small size of the body.

Whilst the overall build quality of the camera is good, it does feel entry-level. And whilst it does have Canon’s build quality, you can feel that it’s lighter weight than some of its more premium models. The rubber wrap around the side feels very basic. Likewise, the door to the battery/memory card slot just felt a little bit cheaper and looser than on some of the more premium models. In fact, to be honest, it felt more flimsy than some of the cheaper entry-level mirrorless and DSLR cameras from Canon that I’ve seen in the past.

However, as a whole, considering the price and what’s on offer here, it’s all exceptionally well balanced.

There are plenty of features, as you would expect from the Canon EOS R50 V, and what I want to do here is just focus on some of those features that really stood out to me. So, first and foremost, at the top of the list has to be the form factor. That boxy design just makes it far easier to mount on a gimbal or put it into a rig, so there are plenty of options. It’s so nice and lightweight that it makes it very easy to handle despite its small size. Although I would say, if I were going to be using this for any length of time, then I would look at putting it into a larger rig just to make it a little bit easier in the hand.

The other big feature for me is the fact that it features Canon Log 3 for cinematic colour grading in post-production. This is a major feature, and as I shot using the Canon EOS R50 V alongside the Canon R5C, it was actually incredibly easy to blend the footage from the two cameras together. You really can’t see a huge amount of difference, and this is something that I really liked. OK, there is some oversampling, and at 4K 60 frames per second, there is a heavy crop, but side-by-side for straight footage – as long as there isn’t a great deal of movement – the match is near perfect.

It also features Movie Digital IS, and, like on many of the action cameras, this does a significant job of stabilising the footage. It’s a shame that it’s not optical or in-body stabilisation and instead relies purely on digital encoding. At this entry level, that’s not really going to be an issue. You just want to be able to capture the best footage possible, and to be honest, it’s so small and lightweight, popping it onto something like the DJI Ronin 4 Mini would be a superb option.

One of the other features that I was really quite taken aback by was the intelligent subject detection, which selects humans, animals and vehicles automatically. This worked quickly and, whilst the AF might not have been as snappy as some of the more expensive models, when you’ve been shooting video for many years where AF is traditionally sluggish, it was quite nice and quick.

4K 60 frames per second video  is oversampled from 6K, enabling sharper footage, and to be honest, this worked exceptionally well, although there was a heavy crop. I’ll come onto that in the performance section later on.

Another surprise is that it features four-channel audio. Alongside the headphone and mic ports, this gives you plenty of flexibility over your audio production. During this test, I used the built-in mics on the body of the camera, which were, as ever, OK for laying down a base track. Then I plugged in the DJI Mic 3’s for the audio production, and this gave an absolutely superb audio track. While the preamp in the body is never as good as an external recorder, for most people, that’ll be more than sufficient, and definitely better than your mobile phone.

It’s also good to see both mic in and audio out, something which is pretty much standardised these days, but in the early days of video, this was something that everyone wanted. It’s just great that on an entry-level model, this is all present and correct.

As soon as you start to use the Canon EOS R50 V, you can tell what a different camera it is, and how all of the changes Canon has made to the Canon EOS R50 have been adapted to make it purely focused towards video.

The first thing that struck me about the Canon EOS R50 V was the form factor. The small, square body is far easier to use in video production, not only mounting on a tripod, but also putting it into some sort of video rig.

Especially when using it with a gimbal such as a DJI Ronin 4 Mini, it’s just smooth and fluid, and that square form factor is more akin to professional-level cameras such as RED and even Canon’s modular broadcast cameras.

The body itself is also small and lightweight, so it’s extremely easy to handle. Whilst those with big hands might find it a little bit tricky because it is quite small, you can get used to it. For video production, even as a B-roll camera or a second camera, it works incredibly well, and I particularly like it due to the price compared with the Canon EOS R5 C that we use at the moment.

It does take a little bit to get used to, but if you’re a main video shooter, while LCDs have for a long time been the primary resource for composition, the switch here to the Canon EOS R50 V with no viewfinder isn’t too much of a leap. Especially for its focused market, those migrating from shooting on smartphones to this more professional-level (although entry-level) mirrorless camera make a lot of sense. That 3-inch LCD touchscreen is fully articulated, the touch response is nice and smooth, and over the years, Canon has taken on a lot of feedback from users. The user interface is one of the easiest to navigate on the market.

For those new to shooting video on cameras, it’s actually an extremely easy migration from a smartphone over to this system. The user interface, whilst it has been updated over the years, is much the same as previous EOS cameras from the DSLRs through to the latest mirrorless. So, if you are shooting on a still Canon and you want to migrate over to this more video-focused camera, then that transition will be equally easy.

Finding flaws in this camera is actually relatively difficult when you consider what the price is, who the primary audience is, and the fact that it is an entry-level video camera, not primarily aimed at stills. However, I’ll run through a few of the negative points that I came up with during the review in one chunk, because then I can get on to just how good the camera is.

So, starting at the top, shooting 4K 60 frames per second. The video is actually filmed at 6K, then sampled down to 4K in order to create good, sharp footage. What I did notice was that you can get some slow rolling shutter effects when panning, far more than when I was shooting with the Canon EOS R5C. So that’s just one thing to highlight.

For me, one of the main usability issues is that there’s only a single command dial. I always find it easier when shooting to have command dials, one on the front of the camera and generally one on the back, so your index finger and thumb can adjust settings. If you’ve got the ability to customise those for shooting video or stills, it just makes life a lot easier. Here, with just one, it does make things a little bit trickier, and you do need to use button combinations or delve into the LCD menu. Again, it slows things down. But if you’re using this for its intended use, entry-level, that’s not going to be too much of an issue, and actually reflects the models of still cameras that are out at present.

One of the big features that is missing, but also kind of makes sense, is the fact that it has no electronic viewfinder, so it’s purely the LCD. This is in line with where it’s focused, but those migrating from DSLR or hybrid mirrorless cameras might find this a little bit challenging. However, for those coming from a smartphone, it’s going to make absolute sense.

The other slight oddity is that while it has Movie Digital IS, essentially electronic image stabilisation, there’s no sensor-level stabilisation or IBIS . So, there is going to be a little bit of image cropping when image stabilisation is activated. This, for its entry-level user base, won’t be too much of an issue. But if you’re using this on a more professional level or as a second camera or B-roll camera, then it could be a slight problem. However, again, for its intended audience, electronic stabilisation I would perceive as being more than adequate.

For me, one of the bigger issues is that at present, the RF-S range of lenses from Canon is particularly weak. There just isn’t a great deal of choice, and those that are available, such as the 18–45mm, are relatively weak in aperture range. That is something to bear in mind. You can obviously use an EF to RF adapter so that you can use older lenses, or you can buy the full-frame RF lenses, but these are both quite expensive, and due to the size of the body, it does cause a bit of imbalance.

One of the other points that I did note, and initially I thought this was due to the speed of the SD card I was using, is that the buffer size for RAW images under continuous shooting is relatively small. However, once again, this is a camera designated for video, with stills being secondary, so that shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

Really, that’s about it from the negative points that I felt while using the camera. Otherwise, as an entry-level video hybrid camera, it all seemed very finely tuned.

One of my first observations was that the exposure mode dial – that normally seen on a Canon camera as P, Tv, Av and M, along with a load of presets and auto modes, has been adapted along the same lines, but for video. For entry-level, I really liked this. Again, if you want to switch between video and stills modes, then there’s the usual switch, which makes it very easy to use when you know the procedure.

Getting into filming is all very easy, using the shutter button or the large button on the front. Again, a feature that filters down from the pro range of video cameras, and just shows that this camera has been very carefully thought out as a first step into the world of video production and Canon’s range of video cameras.

In use, the LCD user interface is well thought out and perfectly tuned for video. You just tap on the functional feature or setting you want, and you can quickly swipe your finger left or right to adjust. So, if you need to adjust the aperture, that’s all easy enough.

The autofocus modes were also pretty good. If you’re using continuous autofocus, then it was very good at tracking moving subjects as they moved around the frame, from left to right, being tracked not only by the camera but by the DJI gimbal. It seemed to keep up focus really nicely.

However, the only issue I had with autofocus was when I was taking still images – occasionally it would miss the subject or just become very difficult to actually focus on what I wanted. This could’ve been due to the kit lens that I was using, but I felt it was a bit more of an issue, so I put on the 24–70mm, which might have been a little bit overkill for this particular body.

However, when it came to shooting video and the quality of that video, I was absolutely stunned by just how good it was. The fact that I could shoot in all the standard profile modes and had all the standard colour profiles gave me an instant look straight out of the box. But then, when I switched over to Canon Log 3, I was able to shoot really good flat footage. Whilst it might not have the bit rate of some of the more expensive premium cameras, it’s still good enough to blend perfectly with other cameras. And if you’re shooting solely on Canon EOS R50 V cameras, then there’s absolutely no reason you couldn’t produce a very cinematic effect with beautiful imagery and grading for a professional result.

The quality of the 4K footage really is something to write home about. Canon has a long tradition of superb video quality, right from the outset with the Canon EOS 5D Mk II, and here that quality is reflected even with this entry-level model. Anyone who has been shooting video for years won’t fail to be impressed by just how good it is.

Shooting at 4K 30fps and 60fps produces some superb quality. OK, you’re not going to get the professional level that you would from the Canon EOS R5C, but it’s so close that, for its intended market, once again, it’s going to be more than good enough.

Away from the video quality, there are several other factors that make this camera so good to use for video. The fully articulated screen makes it easy to shoot from behind the camera and also in front, giving you a good, bright view of what you’re actually capturing. Then there’s the form factor of the camera itself, which makes it so easy to mount to gimbals and larger rigs. And for me, the ability to plug in headphones and a wireless microphone, such as the DJI Mic 3’s , just makes the whole process that much easier.

This is an absolutely ideal camera for education, for those looking to get into videography, and for occasional use within business. In fact, when it comes to businesses looking to shoot video, this camera is so well priced for that market, and for people who aren’t necessarily trained in shooting video, it gives you all the tools to take a step up from shooting on your mobile phone.

Overall, it is a camera focused on video production. For vloggers and content creators, as well as for education and business, the Canon EOS R50 V is absolutely spot on.

At the end of the test, I was really impressed. The EOS R50 V was small, compact, easy to mount onto a gimbal, and shot superb footage – especially considering that it also shoots Canon Log 3 and blends in with some more professional cameras.

And yes, it did take a little bit of getting used to; there is, after all, no viewfinder, but then, when shooting video, that’s not really an issue. For those migrating, as I’ve said many times through the review, from a smartphone, this is actually an advantage. The touchscreen interface is easy to use, and the fact that it has full integration with the Canon app once again just gives it even greater appeal, especially if you’re shooting content yourself and you need to be able to operate the camera remotely.

The camera itself is focused on video production, and what’s really nice here is that it will equally well shoot stills, although with all of its options and menu features, it is clearly focused towards video. Underneath the hood, aside from a few additional buttons and dials, it should be noted that it really is just an EOS R50 with a few enhancements. So, if you are looking for a camera primarily for video, but you also need to shoot very good stills, then the EOS R50 V will perfectly meet those needs.

However, it’s been highly tuned for filming and streaming content, and the button layout and dials have been adapted to make that as easy as possible. Canon have even included a live button which, once connected to the app, enables you to live stream your content directly from your camera to your mobile phone or hub and then out to the wider world, a feature I really liked. It did take a little bit of getting set up, but once it was done, I was able to stream without too many issues and without a network hub.

The small size also makes it incredibly versatile. It’s easy to mount to gimbals and larger rigs, which is exactly what you want from any video camera. And whilst it can feel a little bit unbalanced with larger lenses due to its small size, if it is in a rig, then that’s not too much of an issue, although I did have balancing issues with those larger lenses on some of the gimbals. So, it’s best to keep it small and lightweight when using it in this way.

The 4K video footage looks exceptionally good, and again, the fact that it has Canon Log 3 just enables you to blend it in with other cameras all the way up to professional level. The video quality, as long as you’ve got the right lens combination, is good.

There are, of course, a few downsides. For me, the major ones are the lack of front and back dials, which can be a bit of an issue, and then the rolling shutter, which is quite apparent when panning from left to right.

However, some issues that I thought were going to be greater, such as the lack of IBIS, really weren’t, and I was really impressed with the speed of the AF tracking (if not the stills AF, but I’m sure that’s more to do with the lens). One of the other points, which hopefully will be addressed, is the lack of RF-S lenses. At the moment, it is really limited. Whilst the RF lens range is rapidly expanding, it would be great to see that same input put into the cheaper, entry-level lenses for APS-C – and even some more premium-level options to match the quality of the Canon EOS R50 V.

If you’re looking for a video-focused camera to take a step up from your smartphone, for content creation, for your business, or for education, then the Canon EOS R50 V is the option that I would recommend.