Advice for beginner setup: Canon m50 vs. ____?

Hello! I was wondering if anyone could give me their honest opinion about what I can use to get started. I've been watching some photography content online (Peter McKinnon, Potato Jet, and multiple websites and review sites such as this one) and have been really inspired to start getting into photography.

My other passions include PC building/tech, and guitar. (mostly acoustic). So .. while I'm interested in OTHER aspects, as well, I feel like the first things I would likely do would be guitar reviews and sound samples, songwriting, PC builds, etc. Video and Photo have about an equal weight with me, or perhaps slightly skewed towards video.

Some of my priorities are time lapse & slow motion.. (i'm really.. really pretty bummed that the Canon M50 only does 120fps in 720. If it did 120 in 1080 I likely wouldn't be making this post) .. and to be honest, I'm a sucker for quality. Despite being a total beginner, my gears are already turning and trying to convince me that I can somehow swing the cost of a used 1DX mk2 .. despite having nowhere near that budget.

I digress .

One thing I'm unclear about, despite trying to google and youtube it, is the M50's ability for timelapse . One of the things I definitely want to do is timelapse a couple of my upcoming custom PC builds. So.. if the ability is sorely lacking there, I might look elsewhere. My budget is flexible, but the M50 sits in a comfortable place where I could pretty much buy it right now and still be able to buy accessories. For an EOS R, for instance, I would have to plan and save up and work a little harder for, (the EOS R is another one I've been kind of.. considering.. but turned off that a camera at that price point doesn't do 1080 /120 either. and I can't see myself paying that much, despite that I would really like to keep that dual pixel AF within shooting 4k).

Another that I've been considering is Fujifilm XT3 and some of the offerings from Sony, but.. I know alot less about these . I guess I'll wrap it up here by saying this. With an emphasis on video, particularly time lapse and slow motion.. what would you all recommend? I honestly think the M50 would do the trick for the direction I want to go (think cinematic B-roll type footage set to music as I teach myself Adobe Premiere or Vegas). . . but as stated, I know nothing of its time lapse potential. And other than the specs looking VERY promising on the Fuji .. I know very little of the specs of cameras other than Canon.

thanks in advance. sorry if this post seems a little rushed or like I'm putting the cart before the horse.. I know there are alot of basics I need to get down (other than my previous dabblings in pretty much beginner level photography) , but I'm trying to do my best to look at the big picture and let you guys know what it is that I'll be shooting and my use case. Im moving in 1 month, and in our newer, slightly larger place, I'll be setting up a "battlestation" so to speak - new custom PC with a nice desk setup, with room for a couple guitars and other gear. I've been wanting to try my hand at video editing for a while.. I'm *very* drawn to a good edit and I feel like I could really utilize my creative strengths there... so I sure do appreciate and advice anyone could give me here!!!

Thanks

Scott

I understand your problem. I have same. I cannot help you on time lapse. For video I know that in 4 K there is cropping (not on 1080 P), so if you look to film in 4K, there must be better options.

I think, it is also important, don't pay more, what you do not need. Also, take 2 good cameras, the pictures of the same guy, with same idea, will be very close to each other if distinguable.

I been looking around, and The Fuji, I not felt comfortable with it. My interest went to the Sony 6400, as it was advertise as a APS-C 7 . So lighter, smaller and good quality, but no FF. I had it in my hands, together with the Canon M 50. Now between these 2 models, everybody is different, I liked the holding of the M 50, much more. The Sony 6400, felt more like a brick in your hand.

In shop, artificial lightening, very difficult to tell, difference in quality. My actual gear is Canon D 550 and Sony RX M 3. The other reason I go with Sony, was that I am so pleased with the RX 100. From all small cameras, it is the best I ever had. I like the dynamic range, colors, Sharp impression. But after using it now for 5 years, I am missing some Bokeh on pics.

The Canon 550 D is already old now. I used it with a zoom lens and the 50 mm for my portraits. But then I had to take two cameras when traveling, so the point of having a small camera becomes obsolete. The zoom lens broke, because of an accident I had in March, so I am left with only one lens.

For me the decision of choosing between the Sony or Canon is difficult, because if I never owned a camera, and if they WERE SIMILAR PRICED!!!! I go for the Sony. I like its colors and dynamic range. I am used to the Sony menu system now. I been looking on this forum and Flickr to pics taken with both cameras, and the pics I saw from Sony also looked sharper. But then the users could be more talented, better use of Post-processing. In general I found the colors more neutral of the Sony, and bit warmer with the canon. But does this matter in digital Photography?

But now I come to an essential point, the price. Now I can have here in France the Canon M 50 with kit lens for 550 €. I can use my 50 mm lens on it for portraits in low light. If I go the Sony 6400 route, it be more then twice as much, without being sure, I will see any difference. And if there is, would that be worth, that price tag difference?

The line up in lenses is not perfect on the M, neither on the 6400, and they are expensive. The Auto-focus system, should be superieur on the Sony, but the Camera has no stabilisation, that will be for the successor of the 6500. And the M 50, has decent auto-focus too.

To be short, it is that I was so thrilled by results of the Sony, otherwise I would not hesitate to buy the Canon M 50, and maybe I will. Price is just incredible, for what you get. I also think we are not in the perfect time, to buy a camera. The M 5 is getting old, and there should be a possibility of a new model. The 6400, may be a nice camera, but the looks, basic, is also another concept. But as you state, you are beginner, I think you get excellent results with the M 50, can afford a better lens with it for the kind of photography, you like most.

--
see my pictures at
https://www.flickr.com/photos/125991523@N03/albums

v32finish said:

Hello! I was wondering if anyone could give me their honest opinion about what I can use to get started. I've been watching some photography content online (Peter McKinnon, Potato Jet, and multiple websites and review sites such as this one) and have been really inspired to start getting into photography.

My other passions include PC building/tech, and guitar. (mostly acoustic). So .. while I'm interested in OTHER aspects, as well, I feel like the first things I would likely do would be guitar reviews and sound samples, songwriting, PC builds, etc. Video and Photo have about an equal weight with me, or perhaps slightly skewed towards video.

Some of my priorities are time lapse & slow motion.. (i'm really.. really pretty bummed that the Canon M50 only does 120fps in 720. If it did 120 in 1080 I likely wouldn't be making this post) .. and to be honest, I'm a sucker for quality. Despite being a total beginner, my gears are already turning and trying to convince me that I can somehow swing the cost of a used 1DX mk2 .. despite having nowhere near that budget.

I digress .

One thing I'm unclear about, despite trying to google and youtube it, is the M50's ability for timelapse . One of the things I definitely want to do is timelapse a couple of my upcoming custom PC builds. So.. if the ability is sorely lacking there, I might look elsewhere. My budget is flexible, but the M50 sits in a comfortable place where I could pretty much buy it right now and still be able to buy accessories. For an EOS R, for instance, I would have to plan and save up and work a little harder for, (the EOS R is another one I've been kind of.. considering.. but turned off that a camera at that price point doesn't do 1080 /120 either. and I can't see myself paying that much, despite that I would really like to keep that dual pixel AF within shooting 4k).

Another that I've been considering is Fujifilm XT3 and some of the offerings from Sony, but.. I know alot less about these . I guess I'll wrap it up here by saying this. With an emphasis on video, particularly time lapse and slow motion.. what would you all recommend? I honestly think the M50 would do the trick for the direction I want to go (think cinematic B-roll type footage set to music as I teach myself Adobe Premiere or Vegas). . . but as stated, I know nothing of its time lapse potential. And other than the specs looking VERY promising on the Fuji .. I know very little of the specs of cameras other than Canon.

thanks in advance. sorry if this post seems a little rushed or like I'm putting the cart before the horse.. I know there are alot of basics I need to get down (other than my previous dabblings in pretty much beginner level photography) , but I'm trying to do my best to look at the big picture and let you guys know what it is that I'll be shooting and my use case. Im moving in 1 month, and in our newer, slightly larger place, I'll be setting up a "battlestation" so to speak - new custom PC with a nice desk setup, with room for a couple guitars and other gear. I've been wanting to try my hand at video editing for a while.. I'm *very* drawn to a good edit and I feel like I could really utilize my creative strengths there... so I sure do appreciate and advice anyone could give me here!!!

Thanks

Scott

Click to expand...

also ask in the video section !

I use the older Canon M5 mirrorless but mostly photos, not video.

www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless