How good is the M50 continuous AF?

[an_also]

Hey folks,

I'm curious how good the M50's continuous AF works while looking through the viewfinder ? If i used an EF adapter and the 100-400ii, is the AF-C as good as say the 80D? I usually shoot single point AF and point it at the subject (wildlife).

Thanks

 

[thunder storm]

Hey folks,

I'm curious how good the M50's continuous AF works while looking through the viewfinder ? If i used an EF adapter and the 100-400ii, is the AF-C as good as say the 80D? I usually shoot single point AF and point it at the subject (wildlife).

Thanks

 

[dave_bass5]

Hey folks,

I'm curious how good the M50's continuous AF works while looking through the viewfinder ? If i used an EF adapter and the 100-400ii, is the AF-C as good as say the 80D? I usually shoot single point AF and point it at the subject (wildlife).

Thanks

 

[an_also]

Thanks for the reply guys! Most of the time I will be using the 5Div so AF is always great.

It’s good to know the M50 is capable of good AF-C if needed.

Unfortunately i had just recently sold my 80D and got the M50 to have a smaller secondary setup.

 

[dave_bass5]

Thanks for the reply guys! Most of the time I will be using the 5Div so AF is always great.

It’s good to know the M50 is capable of good AF-C if needed.

Unfortunately i had just recently sold my 80D and got the M50 to have a smaller secondary setup.

 

[an_also]

Thanks for the reply guys! Most of the time I will be using the 5Div so AF is always great.

It’s good to know the M50 is capable of good AF-C if needed.

Unfortunately i had just recently sold my 80D and got the M50 to have a smaller secondary setup.

I too have a 5D4 and also sold my 80D for a M50. For me it was a great move. I got my M50 in May and haven't touched my 5D4 since. I plan to at some point, but the M50 is such fun to use that ive not missed the 5D4 at all.

I still love my 5D4 and use it whenever I can. mostly for wildlife. But I love the M50 + 11-22 combo as my second camera out in the field. Fun to use for sure. I probably need more lenses for both cameras to be honest. My lens collection is kindof lacking as you can see in my equipment below

 

[Myrgjorf]

Hey folks,

I'm curious how good the M50's continuous AF works while looking through the viewfinder ? If i used an EF adapter and the 100-400ii, is the AF-C as good as say the 80D? I usually shoot single point AF and point it at the subject (wildlife).

Thanks

--
https://www.instagram.com/anandstagram/

I've go a M50 both as a small, travel light camera and as an attempt to replace my 7D mk ii as a secondary camera for nature and wildlife trips . My primary camera is a 1DX mk ii. My wife has a 80D, which she uses a lot with a 100-400L mk ii.

I like the M50 for portability, compatibility with Canon DSLR's and especially the flexible touch screen with EVF option. I also like AF points to the edges and dragging the AF points.

However, I am not ready to let it replace any of my DSLR's as it is not capable enough, especially for wildlife. The camera is too small for efficient handling, the EVF is TINY and very indirect compared to my DSLRs OVFs (I haven't compared with my wifes 80D), the AF system is primitive and the AF point is too big in AF-C. I expected to get better AF precision with the mirrorless M50 than with my DSLRs. But I don't see that. Just like I used to expect better AF in live view with the DSLR's than with the OVF, but I didn't. The 1DX mk ii with OVF (at a very different price point) is still the master of AF for me (MFA is not a problem). However, I still like live view on DSLRs for some workflows and I will continue to use the M50 for other workflows. Currently, I don't get the fuss about mirrorless.

You may want to see this video, though it is not about wildlife:

Other photographers has other experiences, other needs and other preferences and that is fine. The above is just my personal, non-scientific experiences.




That M50 is small in a male hand




The M50 emphasizes the size of a 200-400L + external 1.4x. The same lens looks smaller and is easier to handle with a 1DX

--
Oh no! He should know by now that "equivalence" is a forbidden word for APS-C but perfectly allowed for 1” Sonys, compact cameras, smartphones and maybe even for M43s.

 

[dave_bass5]

Thanks for the reply guys! Most of the time I will be using the 5Div so AF is always great.

It’s good to know the M50 is capable of good AF-C if needed.

Unfortunately i had just recently sold my 80D and got the M50 to have a smaller secondary setup.

I too have a 5D4 and also sold my 80D for a M50. For me it was a great move. I got my M50 in May and haven't touched my 5D4 since. I plan to at some point, but the M50 is such fun to use that ive not missed the 5D4 at all.

I still love my 5D4 and use it whenever I can. mostly for wildlife. But I love the M50 + 11-22 combo as my second camera out in the field. Fun to use for sure. I probably need more lenses for both cameras to be honest. My lens collection is kindof lacking as you can see in my equipment below

Thats the thing, the M50 is fun to use. For me carrying a camera ot and from work each day was getting to be a chore, especially as i dont always get it out and use it. The M50 has lightened my load a lot.

Your lens collection probably reflects what you need, so nothing got be ashamed of

I planned on just using my EF-S and FF lenses, but i did end up buying the 11-22, 22 f/2 and 18-150. It seemed a shame not to take advantage of the smaller size. The 18-150 has been used a lot. Its not going to quite match any of the other lenses i have as far as IQ goes, especially my 18-135 USM Nano (on my M50 most of the time), but its been more than good enough for travelling, and is so small and light its been a pleasure using it.

 

[thunder storm]

Hey folks,

I'm curious how good the M50's continuous AF works while looking through the viewfinder ? If i used an EF adapter and the 100-400ii, is the AF-C as good as say the 80D? I usually shoot single point AF and point it at the subject (wildlife).

Thanks

Unlike the 80D, using the VF on the M50 is the same as using the rear LCD. No AF difference.

I am not sure, but i think the single point AF-frame of the M50 might be smaller than the 80D? At least it is than on my 70D.

Furthermore: the M50 has on sensor contrast AF working in conjunction with DPAF.

Ive had good results shooting Sea Gulls with my M50 and 70-300L, the AF-C is very good, but its not quite as good as using the 80D and OVF IME. Good enough though, at least for my uses. If you aren't chasing birds or fast moving animals then you should find it as good as the 80D.

The M50 also has the FPS advantage so you may find you get more keepers due to shooting slightly more shots in burst mode.

 

[dave_bass5]

Hey folks,

I'm curious how good the M50's continuous AF works while looking through the viewfinder ? If i used an EF adapter and the 100-400ii, is the AF-C as good as say the 80D? I usually shoot single point AF and point it at the subject (wildlife).

Thanks

Unlike the 80D, using the VF on the M50 is the same as using the rear LCD. No AF difference.

I am not sure, but i think the single point AF-frame of the M50 might be smaller than the 80D? At least it is than on my 70D.

Furthermore: the M50 has on sensor contrast AF working in conjunction with DPAF.

Ive had good results shooting Sea Gulls with my M50 and 70-300L, the AF-C is very good, but its not quite as good as using the 80D and OVF IME. Good enough though, at least for my uses. If you aren't chasing birds or fast moving animals then you should find it as good as the 80D.

The M50 also has the FPS advantage so you may find you get more keepers due to shooting slightly more shots in burst mode.

You can change the AF point size if you arent using AI-Servo, not sure if the 80D can do that, and i found AF on the M50 to be superior to using Live view on any of my Canons, even the 5D4.

The thing is, the M50 is targeted at the low end of the market. I dont think anyone expects it to keep up with the higher end cameras in all areas. The fact that it can cope with all situations to a certain extent, and has a few advantages over other cameras (wifi and BT implementation, using a EVF while shooting movies spring to mind) is a good start.

The big deal about mirrorless, to me, is its size. Ok, not everyone wants a smaller size, but not everyone wants the same anyway. I cant stand those silly battery grips that some people have to put on every camera, just buy a bigger camera lol, but thats my preference.

Sony have made a huge headway in the camera market over the past few years, and its obviously mirrorless is here to stay, even though not everyone wants it. I remember the same argument about live view and shooting movies when they were first introduced.

 

[an_also]

Hey folks,

I'm curious how good the M50's continuous AF works while looking through the viewfinder ? If i used an EF adapter and the 100-400ii, is the AF-C as good as say the 80D? I usually shoot single point AF and point it at the subject (wildlife).

Thanks

I've go a M50 both as a small, travel light camera and as an attempt to replace my 7D mk ii as a secondary camera for nature and wildlife trips . My primary camera is a 1DX mk ii. My wife has a 80D, which she uses a lot with a 100-400L mk ii.

I like the M50 for portability, compatibility with Canon DSLR's and especially the flexible touch screen with EVF option. I also like AF points to the edges and dragging the AF points.

However, I am not ready to let it replace any of my DSLR's as it is not capable enough, especially for wildlife. The camera is too small for efficient handling, the EVF is TINY and very indirect compared to my DSLRs OVFs (I haven't compared with my wifes 80D), the AF system is primitive and the AF point is too big in AF-C. I expected to get better AF precision with the mirrorless M50 than with my DSLRs. But I don't see that. Just like I used to expect better AF in live view with the DSLR's than with the OVF, but I didn't. The 1DX mk ii with OVF (at a very different price point) is still the master of AF for me (MFA is not a problem). However, I still like live view on DSLRs for some workflows and I will continue to use the M50 for other workflows. Currently, I don't get the fuss about mirrorless.

You may want to see this video, though it is not about wildlife:

Other photographers has other experiences, other needs and other preferences and that is fine. The above is just my personal, non-scientific experiences.


That M50 is small in a male hand


The M50 emphasizes the size of a 200-400L + external 1.4x. The same lens looks smaller and is easier to handle with a 1DX

Thanks for the input. I will watch that video when I get home from work today. At end of the day, I’ll probably have to get an adapter and test it out for myself and judge. I’ve been spoilt with the 5D4 AF for wildlife and I would probably be disappointed if I expected results from the M50 on that level.

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www.instagram.com

 

[an_also]

Thanks for the reply guys! Most of the time I will be using the 5Div so AF is always great.

It’s good to know the M50 is capable of good AF-C if needed.

Unfortunately i had just recently sold my 80D and got the M50 to have a smaller secondary setup.

I too have a 5D4 and also sold my 80D for a M50. For me it was a great move. I got my M50 in May and haven't touched my 5D4 since. I plan to at some point, but the M50 is such fun to use that ive not missed the 5D4 at all.

I still love my 5D4 and use it whenever I can. mostly for wildlife. But I love the M50 + 11-22 combo as my second camera out in the field. Fun to use for sure. I probably need more lenses for both cameras to be honest. My lens collection is kindof lacking as you can see in my equipment below

Thats the thing, the M50 is fun to use. For me carrying a camera ot and from work each day was getting to be a chore, especially as i dont always get it out and use it. The M50 has lightened my load a lot.

Your lens collection probably reflects what you need, so nothing got be ashamed of

You’re totally right. I have the lenses That I absolutely need. Nothing more. I am really curious about getting the 22nn f2 but I don’t know what I would use it for. All I shoot is wildlife and landscape. Maybe the addition of the 22 f2 will let me take just general photos (street, at dinner, with friends etc)

I planned on just using my EF-S and FF lenses, but i did end up buying the 11-22, 22 f/2 and 18-150. It seemed a shame not to take advantage of the smaller size. The 18-150 has been used a lot. Its not going to quite match any of the other lenses i have as far as IQ goes, especially my 18-135 USM Nano (on my M50 most of the time), but its been more than good enough for travelling, and is so small and light its been a pleasure using it.

 

[an_also]

Hey folks,

I'm curious how good the M50's continuous AF works while looking through the viewfinder ? If i used an EF adapter and the 100-400ii, is the AF-C as good as say the 80D? I usually shoot single point AF and point it at the subject (wildlife).

Thanks

AF of the M50 is very good in low light, but it just hates back lit situations. An 80D might better perform in back lit situations.

I don't use long lenses like you do. I do shoot apertures like f/1.8 or f/2.0 using single point AF and touch&drag, especially when face tracking is struggling for some reason (low/back light, faces turning away often). The single point AF frame is small enough for me. The small single point AF frame does not feel larger than a 70D AF point. Focusing like this is better than using off center single point AF on my 70D. Using touch&drag is smooth and fast enough (generally a bit faster than switching AF points on my 70D), but more often than i would like it has a black out. You will have to get your face from the viewfinder and back to get it working again when this black out occurs. For my use this is not such a big deal as i can live with Face tracking in a lot cases too, but it gives me i pause in recommending the M50 over the 80D with that lens and what such a lens is generally used for.

If you always want to get the shot no matter what, i would go with the 80D or even the 7DmkII.

If it is o.k. to miss a shot occasionally (something i would estimate like not more than 2% of the times) because of this touch&dragAF black out, the M50 can do the job just like the 80D, maybe a bit better as moving focus points is generally a bit faster. Coverage of the frame by AF points is also very good with the M50 .

Maybe for your use the best set up might be using the whole screen for touch&drag AF, choosing absolute in stead of relative, and just flip out the screen to prevent "nose focus". I never used touch&drag this way, but it might be better for your use.

Beside AF, (sorry for the off topic) make sure you can live with the EVF. The EVF is good. I don't experience any lag or something. But using an EVF it is sometimes impossible to judge if a shot will get a beautiful result or not, especially with bright sunlight. An OVF is better in this way, and the OVF adds more to your shooting fun because of this.

Great, thanks for the detailed breakdown.

 

[dave_bass5]

You’re totally right. I have the lenses That I absolutely need. Nothing more. I am really curious about getting the 22nn f2 but I don’t know what I would use it for. All I shoot is wildlife and landscape. Maybe the addition of the 22 f2 will let me take just general photos (street, at dinner, with friends etc)

There seems to be a trend when someone gets one of these cameras. Most that i know, and i include myself here, buy the 11-22 and 22mm f/2. These are the two sharpest M lenses you can get.

Problem is, i have no real use for either so far. The 11-22 was because i love using my 16-35 f/4 on my 5D4, and, well a fast prime is something most people own at some point. it is good for many things, but so far ive really not used mine much. I dont regret buying them, but could live without either at the moment.

 

[MannyV]

There seems to be a trend when someone gets one of these cameras. Most that i know, and i include myself here, buy the 11-22 and 22mm f/2. These are the two sharpest M lenses you can get.

Problem is, i have no real use for either so far. The 11-22 was because i love using my 16-35 f/4 on my 5D4, and, well a fast prime is something most people own at some point. it is good for many things, but so far ive really not used mine much. I dont regret buying them, but could live without either at the moment.

I second that. The 11-22mm and 22mm are a real joy. Add the 18-150mm and you have a setup covering most situations where a mirrorless would perform well.

Also with the Canon adaptor, the 50mm 1.8 STM is a real joy to use and works well.

 

[beagle1]

Hey folks,

I'm curious how good the M50's continuous AF works while looking through the viewfinder ? If i used an EF adapter and the 100-400ii, is the AF-C as good as say the 80D? I usually shoot single point AF and point it at the subject (wildlife).

Thanks

 

[dave_bass5]

There seems to be a trend when someone gets one of these cameras. Most that i know, and i include myself here, buy the 11-22 and 22mm f/2. These are the two sharpest M lenses you can get.

Problem is, i have no real use for either so far. The 11-22 was because i love using my 16-35 f/4 on my 5D4, and, well a fast prime is something most people own at some point. it is good for many things, but so far ive really not used mine much. I dont regret buying them, but could live without either at the moment.

I second that. The 11-22mm and 22mm are a real joy. Add the 18-150mm and you have a setup covering most situations where a mirrorless would perform well.

Also with the Canon adaptor, the 50mm 1.8 STM is a real joy to use and works well.

Yep, those 3 M lenses all fit in a small bag and with half decent light cover all i could need for my holidays.

The attraction of the M series for me is that I can use my other lenses on them. These cameras may not be the best mirrorless cameras, but as an existing Canon owner it made so much sense to get one over, say a Sony or Fuji.

 

[thunder storm]

Hey folks,

I'm curious how good the M50's continuous AF works while looking through the viewfinder ? If i used an EF adapter and the 100-400ii, is the AF-C as good as say the 80D? I usually shoot single point AF and point it at the subject (wildlife).

Thanks

the continuous AF on the older M5 is good but really sucks down the battery life

www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

It goes off as soon as you turn off the screen. There is also an ecomode to do this for you. You can also use back button focus.

 

[dave_bass5]

Hey folks,

I'm curious how good the M50's continuous AF works while looking through the viewfinder ? If i used an EF adapter and the 100-400ii, is the AF-C as good as say the 80D? I usually shoot single point AF and point it at the subject (wildlife).

Thanks

 

[an_also]

Hey folks,

I'm curious how good the M50's continuous AF works while looking through the viewfinder ? If i used an EF adapter and the 100-400ii, is the AF-C as good as say the 80D? I usually shoot single point AF and point it at the subject (wildlife).

Thanks

Ive just realised you said Continuous focus. Ive been talking about AI-Servo. Not sure if thats what you mean. If it is then i guess my findings posted about the 80D wont be relevant as ive never used this on any camera. Its one of the first things ill turn off if a camera has it.

AI servo on the other hand is very useful. I have the button to the top of my M50 assigned to switch between one shot and servo mode.

Yes I was talking about Ai Servo