The Canon G7x Mark ii and the Canon M50 are in competition for the coveted title of BEST vlogging camera. They are both excellent cameras for travel vlogging, family vlogging, or making YouTube videos in general.

They are both lightweight and easy to carry in a small bag.

They both have the convenient flip out screen for vloggers to actually frame up shots.

They are BOTH VERY affordable for a camera considering the image quality you get for the price.

I know a lot of you are on the fence about which of these vlogging cameras is right for you. In this two part video series, I will offer my own comparison of the two and help you decide which is the best Canon vlogging camera for you in 2019.

In the FIRST VIDEO, I compare the details of the tech specs, and how they will help you get the vlog shots you are looking for.

In the SECOND VIDEO,  I dive deep into your psyche and REALLY help you determine which of these cameras is right for your vlogging mission- because it’s not all about the tech specs all the time!

WATCH Part I ►Canon G7x ii vs Canon M50: My VLOGGING CAMERA Comparison

In the video, we compare SEVERAL different aspects of these two cameras and then declare a WINNER for each category.

Here is the graphic I use throughout the video. The categories are not left unfilled of course! I award a shiny gold star to each as I go along.

First, let’s point out some of the similarities between the Canon G7x mk ii and the Canon M50

The flip out screen is practically essential on a vlogging camera for a self-led production. The G7x screen flips to the top and the M50 screen flip to the side. I enjoy both tremendously.

They both feature the ability to shoot a time lapse, by simply using the time-lapse setting. This is nice because there is no additional work you need to do in editing to make the time-lapse flow.

They both feature the ability to capture slow motion at 60fps which is isn’t the slowest of all time, but it’s slow… and it’s nice.

And of course, they are both CANON cameras.

Canon enthusiasts will almost ALL say that there is just something ultimately beautiful about Canon’s imagery and I fully agree.

Now onto the differences..

CAMERA TYPE

While these two cameras are made by the same manufacturer, at the same price level, they are completely different camera TYPES.

The Canon G7x is a point and shoot camera.

It’s the HIGHEST end point and shoot that Canon makes, but it’s still a point and shoot. This means the lens is retractable, and it is NOT interchangeable.

The G7x does not have a cold shoe mount to rig up a light or mic. Also, there is no audio input for a separate mic- a feature that bothers many- and I will touch on that again in a minute.

Now some pros.

BECAUSE it’s a point and shoot, it’s about as small and discreet as they come. That means it’s a pocket camera and it’s NOT going to get you a bunch of attention when you use it.

This is a good thing!

It also doesn’t look expensive to an un-trained eye so that is a benefit as well, especially while traveling.

The Canon M50 is a APSC or crop sensor mirrorless camera.

It’s sort of like a newer model for the crop sensor DSLR which is Canon’s Rebel line, or even the Canon 80D.

It’s not that this camera is better than the 80D, it’s just that mirrorless technology is newer. Not having a mirror also makes the camera smaller and more lightweight than a DSLR.

Just think of it like a mini-DSLR

Of course you CAN change lenses and they even make a handful of mini lenses to keep this camera system small. You can also mount the Canon DSLR lenses you may already own, which I personally LOVE to do.

And.. I can’t really choose a winner in this category, since it’s an Apples to Oranges comparison.

BIRTH YEAR

It’s important to know that the Canon M50 is a fairly NEW camera.

It was announced in April of 2018 and while it may not be the ‘camera of the future’ it’s the latest and greatest Canon has made in THIS particular crop sensor Mirrorless line.

The G7x Mark ii was announced back in February 2016, and was built upon it’s predecessor the original G7x

It may be sort of dated but it’s still pretty awesome, and it’s important to know that there WILL be a Canon G7x Mark iii coming out sometime soon, we hope.

Because of this, the G7x Mark ii is at a GREAT price point now for a super capable camera, and it is only going to drop.

If you’re reading this sometime in the later portion of 2019, or later, then the G7x Mark iii is likely already here and when I do make some videos on it, I will link to them here as well.

COST

You will want to check these links to verify the prices for everything since they are always changing

Canon G7x Mark ii

Canon M50 Mirrorless

By the way, I greatly appreciate it if you use these affiliate links to shop on Amazon. It costs you nothing extra and it helps support the channel by allowing me to buy new gear to demo to you!

At the time of this post, the Canon G7x is Mark ii is $649 for the body- and lens- because it’s all one piece.

You may need some extra batteries and a handgrip, but essentially at this price, you are good to go.

The Canon M50 is $649 for the kit to include a EF-M 15-45mm lens.

For the sake of a proper comparison, we’ll compare this kit to the G7x.

AND, as I mentioned earlier, the real fun with the Canon M50 comes with changing the lenses, so I really wouldn’t plan to buy this with the kit lens and be done with it.

The M Mount lenses cost from $200-$400 and offer a few different styles like wide angle and macro.

OR, if you want to pair this camera with any existing EF or EF-S mount lens you’ll just need an adapter.

The one I use was less than $50 and works great.

So while the price of the cameras may be the same for now, you’re more likely to want to incur extra costs with the Canon M50 for vlogging. 

I always love to hear about the gear you decide to grab so leave me comment and also let me know if you have any additional questions about any of it!

LOW LIGHT

Ok I’ll just go ahead and say that the G7x EXCELLS in low light conditions.

There are two things that will affect low light.

1. The size of the sensor

2. The aperture of the lens.

The G7x has a 1 inch camera sensor- which is larger than most point and shoots

It also has a very large, 1.8 aperture lens, which is awesome, it’s what MAKES this camera.

In comparison, the M50 has a larger sensor, of course because these larger cameras always do.

However, the largest aperture on the kit lens is 3.5.

That is going let in LESS light than a 1.8 aperture.

Now, here’s where considerations get really tricky and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone on YouTube fully explore this..

It’s that if the M50 has a larger sensor, the the G7x has a larger aperture- WHICH camera actually produces a brighter image in low light conditions?

The answer is still the G7x, as you can see in the comparisons in the video.

I know it’s easy to think you can just put a 1.8 aperture lens on the M50 to get the same effect.

That does works, but you’ll have to use a prime lens, which is a fixed focal length- no zoom-

OR a very long lens , or generally, a VERY expensive lens.

There is no regular run around and vlog your day lens with a 1.8 aperture AND a zoom that will keep the M50 in a cost efficient comparison to the G7x. 

Now that doesn’t mean the Canon M50 doesn’t perform well in low light, or can’t be used in 90% of situations.

It’s just that the G7x KILLS it in low light- always.

CREATIVE CAPABILITIES

Now that the G7x has won a few categories, it’s important to shine a light on the fact that when you do have the option to change lenses, your ability to create interesting shots SKYROCKETS and that is a BIG deal.

If you’re looking for a super close up macro shot or a super wide angle shot with lots of landscape then THAT will come from a lens.

If you’re looking for some really serious bokeh it will mostly come from your lens.

One of my favorite pairings on the M50 is this super fun fixed 50mm 1.8 apertures lens which I use for cinematic B Roll shots.

I just made a video that is literally a visual tribute to this explaining more about it and how to create shots like this, so check that out if you’d like to learn more.

CAMERA CONTROLS

Now while we’re on lenses, but moving into controls, one thing we must discuss is the zoom, specifically HOW you zoom.

On the G7x it’s that little trigger you operate with your pointer finger.

You wait for the lens to slowly telescope out.

It’s kinda annoying and in my opinion you really don’t want to use footage of this mechanical zoom.

Some people think you shouldn’t use footage of any zooming action but I REALLY enjoy the quick twist of a lens to get that in your face video style.

It’s just really fun and it also gives you that nice FEEL of really working with a lens.

Also if you’re originally a DSLR lover you’ll know that the big chunky buttons and dials are kinda ADORED by users.

Of course they do nothing to decrease the cameras size or weight, but using tactile controls like this is just so much more authentic than using a touchscreen to change things.

That being said I thought I’d really miss the chunkiness of DSLR controls when switched to the M50, but I am finding that the M50 controls are just enough to feel great in my hand and still be somewhat small.

AUTO FOCUS

While I’ve never had much issue with the autofocus on the Canon G7x, I do know that some people do.

In my recent video about the best settings for the Canon G7x I lead you through a solution to program your face for better recognition and face focus. This should help to keep YOUR face in focus and not drift to somebody else. 

Watch that video to learn more about the G7x in general!

And while I do think the G7x autofocus is good, The M50 has Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus which is really REALLY amazing.

It’s what they use in their much higher end cameras, and it is WELL LOVED by industry pros.

So while I do think the G7x autofocus is good, clearly the M50 wins this round.

USER ISSUES & CONCERNS

Here I speak for the people in voicing YOUR most commonly expressed issues and concerns with each camera.

People don’t like that the G7x does not have an external audio input.

The built audio isn’t THAT great, and people also complain about the auto focus making a noise in video..

If you’re looking to film sit down videos like this one, you can always record audio externally with a LAV mic- problem solved.

In fact I made a whole video detailing exactly how to do this if you’d like to learn the technique.

And generally speaking, those moments when your camera is autofocusing, you really don’t want to be using that audio anyway. If it’s B Roll, you would cut the audio out completely.

I can see that this is annoying if you’re talking to the camera and it’s focusing on other things, but if that’s the case, then you’d have a focus issue anyway and you might just want to redo the shot.

And just to go deeper here, say you ARE talking to the camera but you WANT it to focus on something else as you’re still talking and need to maintain audio, I would just accept that the tiny noise is part of vlog production.

In contrast, the M50 does have an external audio input so you can hook up a mic on top and do away with many annoying noises.

Here is the MIC that I use.

4K ABILITIES

Of course everybody wants cameras to have 4k these days and the G7x Mark II does not shoot 4k.

The M50 does shoot 4k at 24p, however there is a crop factor involved, so the image is literally cropped when in 4K.

You will also lose that ability to use Canon’s Dual Pixel AF when using 4K. Lame, I know.

Really, this level of camera is just not there yet with 4K.

But before you jump to feeling like you NEED 4K, you really should consider that it will only take up more memory and require more processing power on you computer, maybe even more than your computer can handle.

Don’t get me wrong, 4k is GREAT to have because you can do much more with cropping IN on a shot.

Essentially, when you shoot something at 4k it gives you the ability to crop in to 1080p without losing resolution.

4K also ‘future proofs’ your content by giving you the HIGHEST resolution possible to shoot footage that will still look good may years from now.

If you do need to go with 4k, you can always consider Canon or Sony’s higher end levels of full frame cameras.

Here are a few to check out!

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Sony a7R ii

Panasonic Lumix GH5s

So that’s all for the first video, that was a LOT of information and hopefully you’ve taken some notes and gained some clarity on the actual technical capabilities of these two cameras.

And now, I invite you to watch Part II of this video, where I REALLY help you figure out which camera is RIGHT for YOU- your brain, your soul, your YouTube channel, and your life’s purpose.

If you’re not subscribed on YouTube already do that now and hit the notification bell so you don’t miss that video the second it’s released- it will also be linked in the video description below.

I’m Alicia and I will see you all again soon, bye!

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