Canon EOS-M50 Ergonomic score July 2018

Overall  the M50 presents the photographer with a user experience which is neither especially engaging nor egregiously annoying.

Menus have a clear graphical interface and are easily navigated.

You can select either the “Guided” or “Standard” menu display. Obviously the guided display with its pictogram style is intended to make camera setup less daunting for new users but I found the standard version more direct and easier to work with.

There is a My Menu which is easily configured to individual requirements. Like items are mostly grouped together.

There is extensive Wi-fi capability.

There is a Quick access menu with a level of user item selection.

So what is there is decently well implemented. But the M50 loses points because of missing features already detailed in the previous post.

I also had some issues with button function assignment. For instance I wanted to set up AF-ON to the AE-Lock [*] button but all the available options linked the * button to the shutter button in ways which did not meet my requirements.

The tasks of Prepare Phase can be carried out decently well but most require more actions each more complex than would be the case with a camera having more direct controls.

For instance focus mode, autofocus mode, drive mode, stabiliser and many others are all accessible indirectly.

The camera can be reconfigured for changing photographic circumstances but there is quite a bit of button pushing involved.  This camera would have benefited greatly from one or two Custom positions on the Mode Dial.  

There is a small but reasonably well shaped handle which provides a comfortable grip and easy operation of the shutter button and front dial.  However the handle could have been deeper for an even better grip and if the lens were further to the left (as viewed by the user) the handle could have been fatter. Thee small changes would have permitted the inclusion of a rear dial on the top plate. The top plate could have been higher to raise shutter button height and provide more grip for the fingers.

The thumb support is well shaped and positioned for a secure grip.

The camera can easily be carried by the handle.

So holding arrangements are decent but could easily have been better with a few small design changes.

On paper the viewing arrangements look pretty good. There is a fully articulated monitor and a built in EVF with enough pixels for good image preview quality.

But the implementation is quite a let-down.  One of the main arguments in favour of the mirrorless camera type is the ability to see with considerable accuracy what the picture will look like beforeyou press the shutter. Unfortunately the M50 does not permit this.

The EVF has high contrast and saturation but only brightness is adjustable. So WYS is not WYG especially when subject brightness range is high.

It is not possible to configure the monitor and EVF to look the same in style or image characteristics.

The level gauge is very nice and easy to use, better than the one in the G1X3.

The best thing about viewing in the M50 is the absence of EVF or monitor blackout.

The main task of operating is to adjust all primary and secondary exposure and focus parameters while looking through the viewfinder and without disrupting grip with either hand.  The M50 substantially enables this by permitting multiple functions of the single dial. For instance in M Mode repeatedly pressing the exposure compensation (up) button cycles function of the dial between aperture adjustment, shutter speed adjustment and exposure compensation.

This does involve shifting grip with the right hand but not to a great extent.

Position of the active focus area can be quickly moved with monitor or EVF viewing via the very good touch screen interface.

Some thought has gone into haptics. The dial around the shutter button is well positioned (Olympus/Panasonic style) and easy to turn. The Exposure Lock and AF position buttons (on the thumb support) have little ridges above and below to make them easy to locate by feel.  The outside edge of 4-way controller is raised above the camera body with an extra little lip with a sharpish edge at each of the four positions which are easy to locate and operate by feel.  

So operation of the M50 turns out to be better than its modest specification might lead one to expect.

The M50 enables smooth completion of all the essential tasks listed on my schedule for review phase.

Neither very good nor very bad pretty much sums up the EOS-M50.

There are some nice ergonomic features like the touch screen and some of the haptics. But I suspect the missing features, capabilities and controls will prevent this camera from appealing to most enthusiast photographers.