The Canon EOS R50 is one of my favorite super-compact APS-C bodies – and lots of people agree, as it's been a hugely popular seller. But then Canon did an interesting thing.
You see, the Canon EOS R50 has proved so popular that the company used it as the template to launch its first ever interchangeable lens vlogging camera, the Canon EOS R50 V.
It speaks to how well the Canon EOS R50 is regarded, that the manufacturer would use it to springboard a whole new product. But the side effect is that it's created a bit of confusion – embodied by a friend of mine, who now doesn't know which one to buy.
I pointed him towards my Canon EOS R50 vs R50 V comparison, hoping that it would help him make his decision. But his response was interesting: "I know the R50 V is better, but I really want the normal R50. What should I do?"
It's a super interesting question, and it harks back to an article my colleague Sebastian wrote this week – We obsess over specs, but no one asks how the camera "feels".
Because, objectively, the R50 V is a better camera than the Canon EOS R50. It has (slightly) better autofocus. Better burst buffering. Better video and audio. Better connectivity. A better shooting experience if you use it vertically.
So technically, it's the superior choice – but to Seb's point, it's easy to obsess over the specs when arguably the most important thing is the feel. In this case my friend hasn't actually held the camera, so he hasn't physically felt it, but he clearly has a feeling about it.
And that intangible feeling is important to listen to. Because really, he already knows the answer to his question – the R50 V is the better camera, but the Canon EOS R50 is the one he actually wants. And it's not even for the obvious reasons, like it having an EVF (he prefers using the rear screen).
The R50 is simply the camera he was drawn towards and fell in love with. The one he's been picturing himself using. The one that is in his hands, when he draws a mental image of him using a camera.
And again, like Seb said, the camera you fall in love with is the one that's going to inspire you to pick it up and use it. And so, even though the R50 V is "better", I told him that yes – he should buy the Canon EOS R50.
Despite what your brain says, specs aren't everything – you should go with what your heart says. Especially when the R50 is slashed by £160 in the UK right now:
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If you already own one, take a look at the best lenses for the Canon EOS R50. If you don't, check out the best Canon cameras and the best Canon RF lenses to go with them.
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