Is the Canon EOS M50 Mark II still worth buying?

The Canon EOS M50 Mark II has long been a favorite among vloggers, content creators, casual shooters and photographers on their travels. But is this essentially 5-year-old camera still worth picking up in 2023?

On the surface, it's easy to dismiss the Canon EOS M50 Mark II. For starters, it came out in 2020. And it's largely identical to the original Canon EOS M50 that came out in 2018. And even when it was new, the EOS M system hardly a priority for Canon. And today, the EOS M system has effectively been replaced by the EOS R's APS-C bodies.

Indeed, the Canon EOS M50 Mark II has been directly superseded by the recent Canon EOS R50 – which is more advanced and uses the more advanced lens system that is Canon's top priority.

So… the M50 isn't worth a second thought, right?

Wrong, says I.

Let's get the big one out of the way first: EOS M is basically a lame duck system. I would be utterly astonished if any new lenses (or cameras, for that matter) are released. Which sounds dramatic, but really – so what?

I don't think it really needs any new lenses, because the EF-M ecosystem is already pretty well populated. And since it can easily adapt EF and EF-S lenses from DSLRs, you have access to any glass you need.

Now, it can certainly be said that the best Canon RF lenses are cutting-edge. Here's the thing, though: the RF lens mount is physically much bigger than the EF-M mount. Which means that even the most compact RF optics are never going to be as small and light as the best Canon EF-M lenses for the EOS M system.

This is a massive win for the Canon EOS M50 Mark II, whose primary selling point is its tiny size. Yes the Canon EOS R50 is technically a better camera – newer sensor, more advanced AF, uncropped 4K… but it's not a better camera if your main focus is having the smallest and lightest setup possible. Especially since there are still only a few actual RF-S lenses.

Admittedly, customers looking for the most compact camera-and-lens combo to keep in their glovebox, sling pack or handbag is pretty niche. But it's the same audience that probably doesn't care that much about 4K video, more AF points or 0.1MP of extra resolution.

If that's you, you can save at least a hundred bucks by opting for the Canon EOS M50 Mark II – and a whole lot more, if you buy one used. It's a camera that I still happily use – and even pick up in preference to the R50, precisely because it has a smaller footprint in my bag and it still takes great photos and video.

So, it's not a fashionable take, but yes – the Canon EOS M50 Mark II still has plenty going for it.

You might be interested in our Canon EOS R50 vs M50 Mark II head to head, as well as our round-up of the best travel cameras and best cameras for beginners.