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Should you upgrade to the Canon M50 Mark II for Video? | Is it good for Entrepreneurs?

Oct 25, 2020

When it comes to the original Canon M50 versus the Mark II there really aren't a ton of differences between them. And there has been a lot of changes in the camera industry that really makes this camera fall flat I think.

I think that is not an upgradable camera at all.

I will honestly say, consider moving to a different system like a Fuji or a Sony. Even some of Nikon offerings are a bit better, and I'm gonna be covering in a future video some of the options that maybe you could consider that meet some of those advanced creator's needs and entrepreneurial needs when it comes to content creation. But let's not all be doom and gloom here.

Let's really cover some of the new changes that they've made into the mark two. And whether or not this is something you should upgrade to, which I use that word very loosely.

What features are new?

#1 CLEAN HDMI OUT

The most important feature that the new Canon M50 Mark II has is the clean HDMI out feature means that you can use that micro HDMI port on the side of the camera and live stream.

You don't have to worry about turning off the autofocus so you don't get icons on the screen.

Now, you can connect your ATEM Mini camera switcher if you're wanting to use this for your nonprofit or churches streaming or if it's for your business.

If you're wanting to use a capture card, you can use one similar to the Elgato Cam Link or a much more budget-friendly and surprisingly good $20 HDMI capture card that works phenomenally to stream in 1080p Full HD video.

#2 Native Mobile Live Streaming from the Camera Directly

Another awesome feature that the Mark II has is it has native live streaming directly to YouTube from the camera.

We're not seeing this anywhere else in the industry except with Canon cameras like their Canon G7X Mark III.

But on the M50 Mark II, this is a sweet spot that I think fits in really well with this specific camera.

However, with YouTube specific requirements, you do have to have 1000 subscribers in order to use this.

Unfortunately, there is no way to kind of push this out to Facebook to do some kind of Instagram life.

I'm not sure if it's just easier to use YouTube and their mobile set up versus other platforms, but I really hope that this is something that they expand and we see in a ton more cameras and really across the industry because it's kind of dated that cameras can't connect better with our phones or we can't live, go live to Instagram Live, for example using our cameras and just have more freedom and flexibility But this is a great feature that the Mark II has.

#3 Digital Record Button on Screen

Now the Canon M50 Mark II now includes a digital on-screen record button that's accessible on the touch screen.

Most video creators have programmed the shutter button to already double as another type of recording button or using a custom function button for this capability.

So, at this point, that's a little redundant. But I'm not going to knock it for something that it has, and that's a win in my book.

#4 Vertical Video???

Canon has also "introduced" a vertical video format for the Canon M50 Mark II...but vertical video is already a thing on...any camera.

The difference is that Canon has programmed the camera's software to rotate the video file so when you import it into your computer the video is already vertical vs you having to properly orient it in editing.

So, nothing wrong with introducing a new time-saving feature but if rotating a video file is considered one of its premiere video features, it definitely leaves a lot to be desired.

So, what's the same?

4K Video Crops

Some of the same features that we're having on the Canon M50 is crops in 4K, meaning that when you switch this camera into 24fps for 4K video that's the highest the camera can go.

That's the same as the original 2018 version where you are losing dual pixel autofocus (DPAF), which is Canon's good autofocusing system that Canon is known for.

Why is this a problem you ask?

Poor Autofocus in 4K Video

Not only will the focus bounce around on you and lose focus more often than not, but you also have a big crop.

So, when you put on a kit lens, that 15mm to 45mm kit lens, it's almost as if you are zooming in to about 35mm, a 1.5x crop.

When you switch over to 4K, the lens hasn't moved, but that digital crop has affected your image, so that's something that's still there.

Very Old & Low-Quality Video Frame Rates

We also are still saying the 720p 120 frames per second that honestly, is things that we saw in a 2012 type of a camera. That's how old 720p is.

It's ridiculous but it's there. So that's still a thing with it.

Not having autofocus, you need to manually focus if you're going to use that because once you hit record you're just kinda stuck with whatever it is that you have it set to.

No Audio in 720p 120fps

You also don't have audio when recording in 720p.

So if you were trying to record your video and then eventually slow it down, that's not gonna happen. So, no 1080p 120fps or anything like that still dealing with 720p just based HD video.

Same Small Battery (LP-E12)

We're still dealing with the smaller battery, the LP-E12 battery instead of the LP-E17 that we've seen in other cameras.

Even when I had the original Canon M six that had the LP-E17 battery, it's just a little bit bigger, gives you more wiggle room. But I guess since we're pretty much using the same camera again, just a 2020 version, I guess they figured it was no need for more battery life since you're not really getting any more features.

Is the Canon M50 Mark II Worth It?

The honest answer is this..mostly NO.

Condition #1: If you're an existing Canon M50 User? - NO

If you are an existing Canon M50 owner and you are looking for some more advanced features, maybe you've been doing podcast recording.

You've kind of been hitting at 30-minute mark consistently or missing key points of your interviews or talks because you have to stop and rerecord Or maybe you forgot to restart the recording.

I think that that is not an upgradable camera at all.

Condition #2 If you've never bought a camera before? - NO

What if your new you've never bought a camera before?

Maybe you're using your phone and you're ready to transition to creating videos with an actual camera.

This is a very hard question because you have to know what kinds of video you're going to be creating.

You probably don't know how long it would take you to make it and stuff like that, so it's a little bit difficult.

But if you're just creating content for the first time I would really say lean to your expertise of using your phone thus far have you been making videos that run over 30 minutes or in a session of creating videos you're enjoying?

Just recording that nonstop, you maybe know that you need some other things. The answer is no because you're already exceeding the Canon 50 Mark II's limited features with the work you're already doing on your phone.

You probably are getting better quality 4K video already on your phone compared to what the Canon M50 Mark II can produce.

Yes, you can always try to help the quality by getting higher quality lenses but that becomes a waste of money if you're buying a $500 camera and investing in an $800 lens to get better quality.

I always suggest buying a camera based on the features you need and then get lenses that are the focal length you need.

Great lenses can't make the camera record longer or really help with being more efficient.

So, is it worth it?

Honestly, no.

Who is the Canon M50 Mark II best for?

Unless you just want another M50 and maybe this will be your second one, then it makes sense to buy the upgraded one for about the same price.

If you sincerely just want a base level camera that honestly has fewer features than your phone but you're okay with that simply because you could get a Sigma 16mm f1.4 lens and use it, then it might be for you.

But if you're really on a budget and you're trying to get started and you're an entrepreneur I think it makes sense to buy based on the features that you need, not just for right now, but for next year as well.

Is it time to leave Canon for another brand?

For many Canon M50 owners, I believe the answer is yes.

Save the extra dollars go with a different brand that has more lenses, better options, and better features.

So, if you're doing a podcast, you have unlimited recording not only just clean HDMI out, but you also have lenses and more lens options. A bigger upgrade path where the ceiling is much higher with other brands right now more than, unfortunately, it is with Canon.

So maybe consider Fuji. Maybe consider Sony. Even some of Nikon offerings are a little bit better than what Canon has in my opinion. But who should buy this camera?

So what are some of the better cameras to upgrade from the Canon M50 when it comes to Fuji?

When it comes to Sony? Even some of Nikon's new mirrorless cameras and maybe which ones if you are an original Canon M50 user, would you wanna upgrade to, I'm gonna be talking about that in the next videos so make sure you're subscribed to EntreWoman TV on YouTube to check the latest recommendations.

 

Up Next: What's Better Than the M50 Mark 2?