The Canon R50 (Amazon, B&H) replaces the Canon M50 Mark II, and now competes with the Nikon Z30 (Amazon, B&H) and Sony ZV-E10 (Amazon, B&H) for the best filmmaking camera under $700.
What’s not to like? Let’s find out with this fun comparison.
Autofocus comparison
The Canon R50 (Amazon, B&H) has Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, with 527 AF points. Both the Nikon Z30 (Amazon, B&H) and the Sony ZV-E10 (Amazon, B&H) have a hybrid autofocus with 209 and 425 AF points respectively.
All three cameras should be decent enough, though one can’t compare video autofocus performance by numbers alone, so we’ll be sure to test it out once we get our hands on the camera. Stay tuned!
Quick menu
- Comparison of sensors and video features
- Exposure, focus and ergonomics
- The costs of media and batteries
- Which is cheapest to own?
- Verdict. Who wins?
Comparison of sensors and video features
All three cameras have APS-C sensors, which is more than enough for filmmakers, being close to the Super35mm sensor size.
Here’s how the camera sensors compare:
| Camera | Sensor Size | Crop Factor |
| Canon R50 | 22.3 x 14.9 mm | 1.6 |
| Nikon Z30 | 23.5 x 15.7 mm | 1.5 |
| Sony ZV-E10 | 23.5 x 15.6 mm | 1.5 |
The R50 has a slightly smaller sensor but that’s par for the course for Canon. Their APS-C cameras have almost always had a crop factor of 1.6. On to video specs:
| Camera | Resolution | Max FPS (4K/1080p) | Video ISO Range^ |
| Canon R50 | 3840 x 2160* | 30/120 fps | 100-12800 |
| Nikon Z30 | 3840 x 2160 | 30/120 fps | 100-25600 |
| Sony ZV-E10 | 3840 x 2160* | 30/120 fps | 100-32000 | 800-32000 in S-Log3 |
*6K oversampled to UHD in the Canon R50 and the Sony ZV-E10.
^Only the ZV-E10 has log.
The Sony ZV-E10 (Amazon, B&H) has theoretically the best low light performance, though for most filmmaking work wanting to be taken seriously ISO 12,800 is plenty.
Next, the codecs and color information:
| Camera | Codec in 4K | Color Information |
| Canon R50 | H.264, H.265 | 10-bit 4:2:2* / 8-bit 4:2:0 |
| Nikon Z30 | H.264 | 8-bit 4:2:0 |
| Sony ZV-E10 | H.264 | 8-bit 4:2:0 |
*When HDR PQ is enabled.
All three cameras have an HDMI Type D (Micro) port.
All three cameras can be charged with a USB type C cable, but the Nikon Z30 (Amazon, B&H) has USB 3.0 for faster data transfer in comparison to the R50 and ZV-E10 which has only – wait for it – USB 2.0.
Exposure aids and ergonomics
All three cameras have a fully articulating 3″ LCD screen.
The Canon R50 (Amazon, B&H) is the only camera which has an electronic viewfinder with 2.36 million dots. An EVF isn’t that important for filmmaking, though.
| Camera | Dimensions | Weight (with card and battery) |
| Canon R50 | 116 x 86 x 69 mm | 375g |
| Nikon Z30 | 128 x 74 x 60 mm | 405g |
| Sony ZV-E10 | 115 x 64 x 45 mm | 343g |
The Sony ZV-E10 (Amazon, B&H) is a lighter camera compared to the other two, but it also depends on the size and capacity of the battery and media cards used. Let’s not forget, the R50 has an EVF and is still close enough you won’t feel the weight difference.
Let’s see how they compare in the little things which matter a lot,
| Camera | Exposure Aids |
| Canon R50 | Zebra, Histogram, Meter |
| Nikon Z30 | Zebra, Histogram, Meter |
| Sony ZV-E10 | Zebra, Histogram, Meter |
As far as audio is concerned, the specs should be good enough for vlogging but not for cinema. Still, the Sony ZV-E10 (Amazon, B&H) has an advantage because it is the only camera in this comparison that has a headphone port.
Image Stabilization
None of the three cameras in this comparison have IBIS. All of them are limited to digital image stabilization. This means you might want a gimbal for handheld shots.
Batteries and media cards
Here’s a look at the media:
| Camera | Card slots | Price per GB for 64 GB* |
| Canon R50 | SD/SDHC/SDXC slot (UHS-I compatible) | $0.23/GB |
| Nikon Z30 | SD/SDHC/SDXC slot (UHS-I compatible) | $0.23/GB |
| Sony ZV-E10 | SD/SDHC/SDXC + Memory Stick Pro Duo | $0.23/GB |
And data rates:
| Camera | Data rate | Recording Limit* |
| Canon R50 | 120 Mbps | 1 hour |
| Nikon Z30 | 144 Mbps | 4K – 35 minutes 1080p – 125 minutes |
| Sony ZV-E10 | 100 Mbps | 13 hours |
*Overheating and battery limits apply.
Cost per 4 hours of data in 4K 30p:
| Camera | Total Data | Cost for 4 hours |
| Canon R50 | 211 GB | $48.50 |
| Nikon Z30 | 253 GB | $58.20 |
| Sony ZV-E10 | 176 GB | $40.00 |
What about battery life?
| Camera | Battery life | Cost one one battery | Cost of 6 hours of operation |
| Canon R50 | 80 minutes | $60 | $270 |
| Nikon Z30 | 60 minutes | $57 | $342 |
| Sony ZV-E10 | 80 minutes | $54 | $243 |
Which is cheaper to own?
Let’s just add up the costs:
| Camera | Canon R50 | Nikon Z30 | Sony ZV-E10 |
| Camera body | $679 | $656 | $698 |
| Media and Accessories | $48.50 | $58.20 | $40.00 |
| Batteries | $270 | $342 | $243 |
| Total | $997.5 | $1056 | $981 |
Obviously price isn’t a factor or shouldn’t be a factor in your comparison. Let’s see what else we can come up with.
Recap
Who wins each feature?
| Feature | Winner |
| Sensor and ISO | Sony ZV-E10 |
| Video features | Sony ZV-E10 |
| Color and Codec | Canon R50 |
| Exposure Aids | Tie |
| Media | Tie |
| Ergonomics | Canon R50 |
| Audio | Sony ZV-E10 |
| Lenses | Sony ZV-E10 |
| Autofocus | TBD |
| Battery life | Tie |
Before we take our final decision, we’ll let the cameras tell us what they offer that the others don’t:
| Camera | USP | Major Cons |
| Canon R50 | 6K oversampling, 10-bit 4:2:2, EVF | Recording limit |
| Nikon Z30 | USB 3.0 | Recording limit, 8-bit 4:2:0 |
| Sony ZV-E10 | 6K oversampling, Headphone jack, 13 hour limit, Log | 8-bit 4:2:0 |
My Verdict
Here’s what I think:
| Type of Filmmaking | Preferred Camera | Major Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| Documentaries, journalism and corporate videos | Sony ZV-E10 | Long recording times |
| Short or feature films | Canon R50 | 10-bit 4:2:2 |
| Music Videos | Sony ZV-E10 | Low light |
| Wildlife | Sony ZV-E10 | Low light |
| Weddings and Events | Sony ZV-E10 | Long recording times and low light |
If I had to pick one camera as a winner in this comparison, I’d pick the Sony ZV-E10 (Amazon, B&H). It will give you the most options as a filmmaker plus it has the widest selection of lenses if you’re going down that route.
If you absolutely need 10-bit 4:2:2, the Canon R50 (Amazon, B&H) is the only camera you need to look at.
Either way, you should be happy with both.
What do you think?