RPaul3rd wrote:
I have a Canon 5D Mark III but do not take it on holidays overseas because of its weight. My main camera for traveling is a Canon SL2 which is lightweight and gives me what I want. Post-processing does the rest. I am thinking about buying a Canon mirrorless M50 as a backup. Can you offer some insight on the M50. I know Canon makes a converter for DSLR lenses. Thanks. PW/Sarasota FL
First let me say that the M50 is a fine little camera. It's very popular among vloggers, in particular. It was (maybe still is) #1 seller in Japan for some time. But also has a lot of fans worldwide.
However, you would see very little reduction in weight or size compared to your SL2.
Current model M50 Mk II vs current Canon SL3:
3.87 grams versus 449 grams (incl. battery & memory card)
4.6 x 3.5 x 2.3" versus 4.8 x 3.65 x 2.75" (W x H x D}
To put that in perspective, the 62 grams saved is just over 2 oz... or roughly equal to 15 standard paper clips.
To see very significant reduction in weight you would also need to use native EF-M lenses on the M50 camera.
EF-S 18-55mm IS STM lens 215 grams (7.6 oz.)
EF-M 15-45mm IS STM lens 130 grams (4.6 oz.)
EF-S 55-250mm IS STM lens 375 grams (13.2 oz.)
EF-M 55-200mm IS STM lens 260 grams (9.2 oz.)
Adapting EF or EF-S lenses for use on the M50 you actually end up heavier than just using those lenses directly on your SL2. The adapter isn't heavy, but it's more than the 2 oz. you saved with the M50II camera body.
There also is very limited EF-M lens selection. Canon only makes 8 (compared to 60+ EF and EF-S lenses). There are also only a few autofocus capable third party lenses for the M-series cameras: Sigma and Viltrox each make three, Tamron makes one. AFAIK, all EF-M mount lenses use STM focus drive (stepper motor... quiet and reasonably quick, but not quite as fast as USM).
I shoot with Canon DSLRs, all fitted with grips (mostly 7DII, 7D, 5DII). I also wanted a compact, lighter weight camera and ended up buying an M5 (different control layout than M50). I use it with four prime lenses: 12mm f/2.8, 22mm f/2, 56mm f/1.4 and 90mm f/2.5 macro. (The 12mm and 90mm are manual focus, manual aperture.) The entire kit weighs about the same as one of my DSLRs fitted with a moderate size lens such as a 24-70/2.8 or 70-200/2.8.
However, I didn't already have an SL2 (which is the 2n smallest DSLRs anyone has ever made.... only the original SL1, which is very stripped down in features, is lighter by a few grams).
Another thing, with M50 you'll probably end up carrying more spare batteries. It uses an LP-E12 that's smaller than the LP-E17 used by your SL2 (and my M5). 875 mAh versus 1070 mAh. The M50 with it's electronic viewfinder also is less efficient than your SL2. Where CIPA ratings say you should get about 650 shots per charge with your SL2, you should expect less than half that with the M50II... It's rated to give 305 shots per charge. If you end up having to carry around twice as many batteries, there goes the slight weight savings.
I'm not knocking the M50II. It's a nice little camera. That power hungry electronic viewfinder is cool in some other ways: It has more full coverage than your SL2's and the EVF can show exposure simulation, display a live histogram or level, has manual focus assist features and more. The M50II also has a more sophisticated AF system, though I don't know that it would be appreciably faster than yours (because you can use fast focusing USM lenses on your camera, while there are no USM lenses made for direct fit to the M50II).
The M-series cameras also use on-board software that seems more closely related to Canon's Powershot point n shoot cameras, than to the firmware in their DLSRs. So the menus are a bit different. More "beginner oriented", I suppose. I sometimes think Canon approached the M-series as "Powershots with interchangeable lenses" and was reluctant to make them "too good" in order to avoid competing with their own DSLRs.
I bought my M5 and it's lenses for travel, street photography and some candid portraiture. For other purposes, I continue to use my DLSRs and will either upgrade them with other DSLRs or with R-series mirrorless eventually.
I gotta tell you, I've found it a bit challenging getting accustomed to the small size of the M5. I've added an L-bracket to it and that makes it a little more comfortable (I avoid L-brackets on my DSLRs... too bulky).