As a popular saying goes, “You can’t judge a book by its cover”, the same is applicable to judging a camera purely by its specification sheet. The Canon M50 and the Sony ZVE10, similar in their price points, are both fantastic cameras in their own right. However, the suitability of these cameras can greatly vary depending on individual use-case scenarios. This review will dissect the key differences between these two cameras, which can help potential buyers make an informed choice.
Starting with the Canon M50, its unique selling points are quite remarkable for videographers and photographers alike. For those heavily involved in video creation, this camera offers a user-friendly flip-out screen. This feature becomes indispensable for vloggers and creators often in front of the camera. On the other hand, photographers tend to lean towards the Electronic View Finder (EVF) for composing their shots. The absence of an EVF in the Sony ZVE10 can be a dealbreaker for some photography enthusiasts.
The Canon M50 does have a caveat, however. For those engaged in long-duration video shooting, the camera’s 30-minute recording cap can be limiting. This means that after 30 minutes of continuous recording, the camera will stop, and the user has to manually press the record button again. If unbroken footage is a priority, then the Sony ZVE10, which has no record time limit, may be a better fit.
For solo content creators, the Canon M50’s touchscreen interface offers a handy solution for changing settings without disturbing the camera’s position. This flexibility can be beneficial, especially when changing settings like ISO on the fly. On the contrary, the Sony ZVE10 requires using the knobs for such adjustments, which can potentially disrupt the frame.
Moving onto the menu system, the Canon M50 emerges as a clear winner with its intuitive and straightforward interface, making it ideal for beginners. In contrast, Sony’s menu system in the ZVE10, borrowed from older models, has been criticized for being clunky and hard to navigate.
When it comes to image stabilization, both cameras offer electronic image stabilization, but there’s a significant difference. The Sony ZVE10 has a more substantial crop of around 45% compared to the Canon M50’s 10% crop when this feature is used.
The Canon M50 does fall short in 4K video recording. Due to an extreme crop and loss of Dual Pixel autofocus in 4K mode, the footage can be challenging to work with. However, both cameras excel in autofocus performance, with Sony having a slight edge as it maintains excellent autofocus in both 1080p and 4K modes.
For slow-motion lovers, both cameras can record at 60 frames per second in 1080p. The Sony ZVE10 goes a step further by offering 120 frames per second in 1080p, enabling ultra slow-motion footage. However, the quality of 1080p footage from the Sony ZVE10 is arguably not as good as that from the Canon M50.
The Canon M50 stands out as a fantastic beginner-friendly camera due to its intuitive menu, touchscreen interface, and excellent 1080p video quality. If the lack of 4K autofocus, the extreme crop, or absence of 120fps slow-motion isn’t a dealbreaker, this camera would make a worthy investment, especially when considering its slightly lower price point compared to the Sony ZVE10.
On the other hand, the Sony ZVE10 is better suited for users needing unlimited recording times, stronger 4K autofocus, and ultra slow-motion capabilities. Its old menu system and absence of an EVF may be a deterrent for some.
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Review
The Canon M50 and Sony ZVE10 are both highly impressive cameras, particularly when considering their price points. If you’re having trouble deciding between the two, this review will break down the key differences to help guide your decision based on how you plan on using them.
Electronic Viewfinder vs Flip-Out Screen: The Canon M50 boasts an electronic viewfinder (EVF), which many photographers find crucial for framing shots. The Sony ZVE10, on the other hand, only offers a flip-out screen, which might make it less appealing if photography is your main use case. However, for video content creators who primarily rely on the flip-out screen, this difference might be less significant.
Record Time Limit: If you’re a video shooter, be aware that the Canon M50 limits you to a 30-minute record time. This doesn’t mean you can’t create videos longer than 30 minutes, but you will need to manually restart the recording after every 30 minutes. The Sony ZVE10 does not have any such limit, making it a more practical choice if you’re filming events that last longer than 30 minutes without any interruption.
Touch Screen vs Knobs: For solo content creators, the Canon M50’s touch screen is a major plus. It allows you to change all your settings directly from the flip-out screen, ensuring your camera framing remains unchanged. Conversely, the Sony ZVE10 requires you to use knobs for setting adjustments, which could potentially disrupt your framing.
Menus and Ease of Use: The Sony ZVE10’s clunky menu system can be daunting, particularly for beginners. The Canon M50, conversely, boasts user-friendly menus and an overall ease of use that is more accommodating to those new to the world of photography and videography.
Image Stability: Both cameras offer electronic image stabilization, but the Sony ZVE10 crops in about 45% compared to the Canon M50’s 10% crop. Sony does offer Catalyst Browse for post-production stabilization using gyro data from the camera, but this requires additional steps and can alter the look of your footage.
Video Quality and 4K: The Canon M50 offers superior quality 1080p footage and keeps its excellent autofocus in this mode. However, its 4K mode is less usable due to loss of dual pixel autofocus and extreme cropping. The Sony ZVE10 keeps its autofocus across both 1080p and 4K modes, providing more flexibility.
Frame Rate Options: The Sony ZVE10 offers 60fps and 120fps in 1080p, enabling slower slow-motion capture compared to the Canon M50’s 60fps. However, the quality of Sony’s 1080p is not as good as Canon’s, making this a mixed point.
Final Thoughts: The Canon M50, with its ease of use, touch screen, excellent 1080p video, and cheaper price, could be the best beginner camera. If you desire better autofocus in 4K, less crop in 4K, or 120fps slow-motion, consider the Canon M6 Mark II, another entry-level camera. Regardless, either camera surpasses any mobile phone’s capabilities once you learn manual settings and invest in good lenses.
Don’t be deterred by the initial learning curve – with tutorials and practice, you can create stunning, cinematic footage with either camera.
