Hands On With the New Canon EOS R50V

Canon’s new EOS R50V has just hit the shelves, and I was fortunate enough to get my hands on an early unit to put it through its paces.

Canon announced the EOS R50V on the same day as it announced its newest point-and-shoot camera, the PowerShot V1. It’s easy to see why they made this pairing. From a sheer size standpoint, the two cameras are nearly identical (in terms of the actual body). Neither has an EVF. Both pack high-end features into low-cost, affordable bodies. The main obvious difference is that the R50V offers an interchangeable lens mount, whereas the PowerShot V1’s zoom lens is built-in. As both cameras used the words “content creators” heavily in their early marketing materials, it’s not hard to see what kind of user both products are aimed at. But, as I read more of the spec sheets and learned about the two products, I’ll admit that the R50V seemed like the one better suited to my own use case. Thankfully, I was able to get a loaner R50V to put through its paces and test my hypothesis.

Excellent Value For Money

Being the careful shopper (aka cheapskate) that I am, I try to evaluate new products not only based on specs but also on the value for money they provide to a customer. At only $649, the R50V could be excused for holding back on a number of features. After all, despite the V in the name, the camera isn’t officially part of Canon’s cinema line. This is a camera squarely aimed at content creators, and many of its advanced features will no doubt go thoroughly ignored by less experienced shooters just looking for something small and affordable. But I think the R50V is the kind of camera that, if you know what you’re doing as a filmmaker, can punch well above its weight.

So why do I say that? Well, the first feature that caught my attention was the inclusion of false color. For those who don’t know, false color is an exposure tool that puts a color-coded overlay across your LCD to help you determine brightness levels within your frame. Getting your exposure right in camera is critically important when it comes to video. And while false color isn’t uncommon, it’s not the kind of feature you often find on compact cameras under $1,000. The R50V even offers four channels of 24-bit audio to maximize production sound and lay the foundation for success.

Add to this Canon’s choice to let users shoot in XF-HEVC S/XF-AVC S 4:2:2 10-bit in C-Log 3, and you now have a very versatile recording format that will give you access to better dynamic range (versus Rec. 709) and should integrate well with the more expensive cinema cameras in Canon’s line that offer similar format options. I wouldn’t necessarily choose this camera instead of the higher-end cameras in their lineup for large-scale productions. But I think it makes a great choice in addition to one of the higher-end cameras or as a beginning camera if you are just starting out.

When you take the R50V out of the box, you quickly realize that, while the camera is perfectly capable of shooting excellent 24.2 MP stills to its APS-C-sized sensor, this is a tool built with video in mind. Of the eight options on the mode dial atop the camera, only one allows you to shoot stills. The camera can shoot 4K up to 30 fps (up to 60 fps cropped or 120 fps in Full HD). It has headphone and mic jacks, a remote jack, USB power delivery, and a micro HDMI. As someone who currently has a busted micro HDMI jack on his R5 C, that last part isn’t my favorite thing to report as I am squarely in the full-size HDMI camp. But again, this camera is only $649, so I can only complain so much.

Minor Quibbles

There are a couple more minor complaints I’d like to lodge—again, with the caveat that these details are perfectly understandable given the camera’s size and price point. One, there is no EVF. True, even a dinosaur like me often uses the LCD more than the EVF when it comes to shooting video (vs. stills). And, no doubt, I think that most people who use this camera will be content creators first and more likely to lean in the direction of the LCD. But, from a standpoint of handheld stability, I would love to have the option. Also, if I were to want to use this camera for stills instead of video, I would definitely prefer an EVF. I found during my time with the camera that I virtually never opted for it as a still camera. Again, understandable given the V in the product’s title tells you that video is its main concern. But maybe there’s a way to have an add-on EVF that connects to the multifunction hot shoe? Speaking of that multifunction shoe, I noticed that it doesn’t have a center pin. This means nothing on the video side. But if stills were a priority for you, it might cause compatibility issues if your workflow includes third-party flash triggers.

Second, as someone with clubs for thumbs, I do wish the buttons and dials on this camera were a little bigger. Once more, doing this would increase the size of the camera, so I understand why they didn’t do it. The only thing that this means in practical application is that, while using the R50V, I got really used to changing my settings via the touchscreen rather than the physical dials. I found the process to be a lot easier than trying to navigate the small thumbwheel at the back which, due to my clumsiness, often resulted in me bringing up the wrong settings menu at the wrong moment. This is something I would likely get used to over a longer period of time. But to avoid mistakes, I found myself using the touchscreen almost exclusively.

Also, there is no IBIS built into this camera. You can get a stabilized lens (like the kit lens) and add digital stabilization in the menu settings. But there is no IBIS in the camera. This may not be a big issue depending on your use case. But if you’re a vlogger, for example, and you want to film yourself walking and talking, this may be something to take into account.

Who Is The R50V Right For?

With all that said, my time with the R50V did nothing to dissuade me from my original theory. This is an excellent tool in the right hands while being a scalable tool in the hands of someone just starting out. Let’s start with the interchangeable lenses.

The loaner kit I tried out came with the new RF-S 14-30mm F/4-F/6.3 IS STM PZ power zoom lens ($329 sold separately or $849 when packaged in the kit with the R50V). The R50V has a zoom rocker switch on the front, allowing you to zoom in or out easily when combined with a power zoom lens like the 14-30mm. That lens is a variable aperture f/4 to f/6.3 and comes in at only 181 grams. This makes for a decidedly lightweight package ideal for content creators or anyone who wants to travel with a minimal amount of weight.

But, because of the interchangeable RF lens mount, you also have access to Canon’s entire line of RF glass. Because I needed more reach, I shot this latest episode for my oft-ignored YouTube channel, Moveable Canvas, with the R50V mounted with the 24-70.. f/2.8 L IS USM lens. Clearly, that professional lens is significantly heavier than the camera itself and might not be the first option I’d turn to when thinking about the R50V. But the point is that, because of the interchangeable mount, I can. I tried several RF lenses on the R50V from large to small, and I think this flexibility is a major plus.

I think the camera is really good value for money specifically for content creators. Like I mentioned earlier, the lack of an EVF dissuaded me from using the R50V for most major still photography applications. And Canon has an entire line of professional video cameras and hybrids for more heavy-duty filmmaking applications. But I think if I were a pure content creator making video primarily for social media platforms, the R50V would be a terrific tool. One, because the price point offers a great deal of professional-level specs for not a lot of money. And two, because the camera’s flexibility makes it a tool that I’d be able to grow with as a content creator.

The camera’s small form factor means it’s the kind of tool that someone could have on them all day without weight ever becoming an issue. One of the product’s most unique features, which I’ve always wondered why more manufacturers haven’t tried, is that it has a second 1/4-20 inch mount on the side of the camera (in addition to the one on the bottom). Because many content creators will be producing content with vertical video platforms like TikTok in mind, this small convenience could pay big dividends when needing to mount your camera vertically on a standard tripod without wanting to add the additional bulk of a camera cage. The camera also offers four separate livestream modes, which should make livestreamers (or just those like me who take too many Zoom meetings) especially happy.

I mentioned the 8-point dial earlier with seven of the points focused solely on video over stills. And while I mentioned some caveats related to stills earlier, this dial is evidence in itself that Canon understands the market for the R50V. I particularly like that S&F mode (Slow and Fast) is available on the dial. Again, for content creators who will want to move in and out of slow-motion shots frequently, this could be a major time saver and allow them to try new things behind the camera.

Pros

• 10-bit 4:2:2 C-Log 3

• False color

• 4-channel 24-bit audio recording

• Multifunction hot shoe

• Side 1/4-20 tripod mount

• Interchangeable lenses

• Lightweight

• Compact

• Great value for the price

• Styling

Cons

• No EVF

• No IBIS (you can use it with the kit lens or a digital stabilization mode inside the camera)

• Some buttons and dials feel too small

• Hot shoe doesn’t have a center pin, which limits connectivity with third-party flash triggers

Final Verdict

Because of this flexibility and the built-in options I mentioned earlier, I think the EOS R50V is well positioned for those wanting an affordable content creation camera but who also want room to eventually grow into one of Canon’s higher-end cinema systems. Or, if, like me, you already own one of Canon’s cinema cameras, you might opt for the R50V as your “extra” camera, knowing that, if pressed into action, the R50V has the codecs necessary to shoot B-roll footage that can cut seamlessly into footage captured with the more expensive systems.

From the body alone, it’s clear that this is a camera focused on video as opposed to stills. So, if photography were my primary objective, I might opt for a different camera in the Canon line. But if video—specifically content creation—is your main goal, this camera is a very affordable option that gives you an exciting feature set for video.

I feel as though the Canon EOS R50V would be a solid choice for a cost-conscious consumer who wants access to some higher-end cinema features but is not yet ready to invest cinema camera money. It’s a solid personal camera choice for users of high-end Canon products and a good growth camera for those just entering the world of content creation who want a tool that can grow with them as they progress on their journey.