
In this blog post and video I talk about using the new Canon EOS M50 mirrorless camera as a timelapse camera.
Will it get a spot in my timelapse bag? Let's find out!
Make sure to watch the video below because honestly it took me ages to make.
EOS M50 specifications:
- 24.1 megapixel APS-C sized CMOS sensor
- Near 100% electronic viewfinder
- Vari-angle touch screen
- 4K movies

What I like about the EOS M50:
- The size and weight. The body only weighs 387g grams and fits in any jacket pocket.
- Use any Canon lens using the EF-M adapter. Canon has an enormous lens range and they all fit on this body with this accessory.
- Connectivity and ease of use. The wifi/NFC/bluetooth functions have become incredibly easy to use and make remote shooting and file transferring a breeze. I used the remote shoot mode on my phone (Galaxy S9+) to shoot the below flatlay.
- Timelapse shooting scenarios. There's three specific timelapse scenarios built in (fast, slow, slower subject movement) which automatically dials in the right settings for your timelapse shot. On top of that there's still Custom which gives you full control. The fact that Canon has been improving the timelapse menu over their latest few cameras is to, obviously, very exciting.
- The flip out screen. Or as Canon calls it the Vari-Angle screen. Three inches in diameter and over a million pixels makes this touch screen a pleasure to use. If you're using the viewfinder to shoot video you can control where the camera is focusing by dragging your finger over the screen. A really neat trick that more cameras should adopt. The camera also features focus peaking, which for some reason we can't find on any of the higher end models..

What I dislike about the Canon M50:
- The battery life. It's rated in normal shooting mode for only 235 shots (370 in Eco mode). This is disappointing. I managed to shoot about 8 timelapse sequences on one full battery. This has to be better, especially considering the camera isn't activating a big mirror movement which drains battery life.
- The kit lens isn't the sharpest. Maybe I'm biased because I almost exclusively shoot on L series glass but I was expecting a little bit more from this little thing. It's definitely sharp enough, just needs a touch more in my opinion.
- It could use another scroll wheel on the back to quickly change settings. Yes, the touch screen makes life easier but when you're used to shooting with two scroll wheels (one for shutter, the other for aperture) it's hard to get used to.
- No long exposures in timelapse. This is the one that put me off the most. You want to be able to ‘drag the shutter' to for example one second shutter speed when shooting at a 2 second interval. For some reason this isn't possible on this camera (trust me, I tried). It's especially strange because this limitation isn't to be found on the 6DMkII. It feels like an oversight and hopefully it gets corrected with a firmware update in the future.

Final thoughts on the Canon M50:
I really wanted to love this camera.
I've been waiting for a very long time for a capable mirrorless camera system by the brand I've been shooting on since the start.
As much as I appreciate the effort that has gone into this camera, the fact that it is entry level means that it isn't for me.
It definitely has its use for many people, however it won't be getting a spot in my timelapse bag. Hopefully the rumoured upcoming full frame mirrorless one does!
UPDATE: Read more about the Canon EOS R here.

Want to learn how to timelapse? Check out this e-book I wrote about it!