I used Canon’s new R50 V and it finally feels like a camera built for content creators

When Canon launched the R50, it quickly became my go-to recommendation for beginners. I’ve personally suggested it to students, workshop attendees and even friends starting out—it’s compact, light, and delivers great results with minimal fuss. The flip-out screen, easy-to-navigate menus and intuitive handling made it a great choice for anyone getting started in digital photography. I was lucky enough to take a look at the Canon EOS R50 V review for a quick hands-on pre-release.

At first glance at the specifications, the R50 V might seem like a sequel or a “Mark II”, but that’s not quite accurate. It shares a lot of internals with the R50—the 24.2MP APS-C sensor, Canon’s excellent Dual Pixel CMOS AF system, and the same photo quality, at least from what I could gauge from the few lakeside images I took during a hands on with the Canon EOS R50 V review at the Canon HQ—but the external design has been completely reworked entirely with video in mind.

There’s no viewfinder, the body is boxier and flatter and while that might seem like a strange design choice, it makes a lot of sense once you start rigging it out. When I get a longer test with the R50 V I’ll kit it out with a small gimbal and an external mic, and that modular shape should make for a far better setup than the old R50 – think Sony ZV-E1.

Canon has clearly pulled from its broadcast and cinema background here. The R50 V just feels like it belongs in a more complex video setup—whether that’s on a drone, mounted in a cage, or hooked up with accessories.

So while it technically remains a hybrid, the R50 V really is a dedicated video tool—and using it feels far more inline with what many are looking for in a camera these days – just look at the success of the Sony ZV-E1, and Sony ZV-E10 II.

Canon’s nailed the build quality here. While this sits at the higher end of the entry-level range, it still feels solid and robust in the hand. The plastic shell doesn’t feel cheap—just light enough to make it ideal for on-the-go shooting.

I’ve got to call out the screen. It’s reinforced, the hinge feels durable, and it held firm throughout my tests. Whether I was flipping it forward for selfies or angling it up, it never felt flimsy. Honestly, this is a camera I’d happily recommend to students or beginner creators who’ll be adjusting that screen daily and finally it also gives me something other than the Sony ZV-E1 to recommend.

The controls also impressed Canon’s familiar layout is here, so if you’ve used any of their mirrorless models, it’ll feel natural. That said, there are some welcome tweaks—like the second record button on the front. It’s great when filming vertical video or when the camera’s facing you on a tripod. Simple idea, but it really improves usability. Especially when coupled with the likes of the Vanguard Alta Pro 3VL 303CV 18 tripod that I reviewed back in January last year

The grip is quite shallow, which initially threw me off. But I can see how when using it with a cage and gimbal this will make more sense. That flatter body balances better with rigs and drones. It’s not just about saving space—it’s about making the camera more flexible.

For stills, I found some handling quirks—mainly the touchscreen reliance for exposure tweaks. It’s not as tactile as the stills-first body of the R50. But if you’re coming from a smartphone or you’re mainly focused on video, this won’t be an issue.

The screen is ultimately bright and sharp, but I did find it quite reflective in the strong sunlight of the hands-on session. A few times, I had to shield it with my hand to check settings. It’s a minor thing, but if you’re planning to shoot a lot outdoors without an external monitor, worth keeping in mind.

Overall, though, the handling is excellent; there’s no doubt that it’s comfortable and offers a well thought out design with a clear focus on video which makes this a real rival to the Sony ZV-E10 II review

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The R50 V might look simple on the surface, but once I started digging into the features, I realised how much it’s packing in. That dual record button setup is genuinely useful as an example. Whether I was trying out the camera from behind or in front of the camera, it made recording easy, even with the Canon team closely in tow.

The exposure dial is almost entirely video-focused, which again signals that this isn’t a stills-first machine. Instead of a PSAM(PTvAvM in the case of Canon) layout , you get direct access to different video shooting modes. Small change, big workflow impact.

Then there’s the colour button on the back—another superb addition and really this is something that is so simple but a really great addition – with teh R5 C that I use for video work, I’ve assigned this to one of the custom buttons so to have this out of the box is a great beginner friendly feature. It gives you quick access to in-camera looks, which is perfect if you don’t want to grade in post. That said, if you do want more control, Canon has included C-Log, so you can shoot flat and grade later. Gone I hope are the days when Log modes required an additional payment.

You also get 4K recording at up to 60fps, which worked well in my testing, I always want that push to 4K at 120fps but in reality most machines struggle with the footage so at this level 4K 60p is fine. There is of course HD options as well although I forgot to check out what the options were, so I’ll update here asap.

One of my favourite touches is the mic input and headphone output essentially meaning you can plugin the likes of the DJI Mic 2 you can check out what I thought of this simple to use but professional wireless mic system here. That combo is rare at this price. Most budget cameras give you one or the other—but being able to monitor audio live is an essential for solo creators.

I also appreciated the physical layout: two tripod threads, one on the base and one on the side. It means you can mount vertically without needing an L-bracket. It’s such a social-friendly touch, and shows Canon is paying attention.

Even though it shares the same sensor as the R50, image quality remains excellent. And with Canon’s colour science and fast Dual Pixel AF, it’s look to be a great camera primarily for video and the occassional use for stills.

In practice, during the Canon EOS R50 V review it felt fast and robust from the moment I powered it on. Everything—from AF tracking to menu response—was quick and intuitive, possibly because I’ve been using Canon DSLR since the 1D in 2001. It really does feel like a menu system designed to get your to the options you want easily so you can take the pictures you want.

I took a few stills during testing, and while that’s clearly not the main focus here, the results were sharp and vibrant. Paired with the new 14–30mm power zoom lens, I got clean, punchy images with Canon’s signature colour style and tone. Compared with something like Sony, the images feel a little softer and more natural, which I personally prefer for teaching and for larger scale prints and book publishing.

Autofocus was solid in both stills and video mode. The Dual Pixel system locked on quickly and tracked faces, eyes and objects with minimal fuss—even in less-than-ideal lighting. Using the video feature the AF seemed exceptionally good and better than many of my Pro level camcorders that I use.

Where the R50 V really excels is with the ability to equially easily shoot vertical as well as horizontal video. With the side thread and front record button, I could set up, face the camera, and hit record without any fiddling. If you’re a solo creator making Instagram Reels or TikToks, this workflow just makes sense.

The 14–30mm power zoom itself is a great pairing. While it doesn’t have physical switches for AF or IS, it does offer a responsive zoom ring and a control ring, plus the ability to zoom using the shutter rocker. That’s a small touch, but very welcome in a hybrid context.

All in all, the camera just felt easy to use—whether I was testing static shots, moving subjects (although the ducks did seem quite lethargic), or switching between horizontal and vertical layouts, the camera handled all well. The controls, the speed, the layout—they’ve all been tuned for quick, creative shooting.

Even with limited hands-on time, it was clear how well this would slot into my regular workflow. I currently use a mix of Canon gear—R5 C’s Rebel T7s, 77Ds, and even a 5D Mark II—and this feels like a natural evolution for lighter, faster shooting at exceptional quality.

At the end of this Canon EOS R50 V review I realise that Canon hasn’t just chopped up the R50 and repackaged it. They’ve taken a step back, looked at what modern creators actually need, and delivered something that answers those needs directly. Really this is as finely tuned rival to the superb Sony ZV-E1 as you can get.

While the original R50 was a fantastic entry point for photographers, the R50 V turns that same core into something that’s optimised for video-first creators. It’s still a hybrid on paper—but in spirit, it’s a focused, modern tool for content production.

Everything about the design—from the record buttons to the modular shape—suggests a camera built with creators in mind. And with C-Log, headphone monitoring, a tilting screen, and that ultra-handy colour button, it overdelivers for the money.

If you’re just starting out with video, or you’re an educator, vlogger or even an experienced shooter looking for a lightweight B-cam, the R50 V genuinely holds its own. It’s not flashy. It’s not over-specced. But it gets the job done—and it gets it done well.

After this Canon EOS R50 V review, I came away impressed; this camera isn’t just beginner-friendly—it’s future-friendly.

As ever, you can check out more details about the Canon EOS R50 V at the official canon website

I was one of a few UK Journalists at Canon UK headquarters who was able to get an early hands on – I would highly recommend you check out the initial reviews from techradar.com/uk/cameras, digitalcameraworld.com/uk/reviews and amateurphotographer.com/review-category/reviews/

If you’re interested in getting started with video but you’re not sure where to start, then check out our guide or drop us a message if you have any specific questions.