EOS M50 IIvs Z5 IIvs ZV-1 II
Which should you buy?
Beginners & Vlogging — EOS M50 II (2020): Canon's most approachable mirrorless — Dual Pixel AF and beautiful colour science in a beginner-friendly body.
Full-Frame Value — Z5 II (2024): The most accessible full-frame mirrorless — dual card slots, weather sealing, and Nikon colour at a sensible price.
Pocket Vlogging — ZV-1 II (2023): The best pocket vlogging camera — 1-inch sensor, ultrawide zoom, flip screen, and real-time Eye AF in a shirt pocket.
Who should buy what
EOS M50 II (2020)
- You want your first mirrorless camera at the lowest possible price
- You're a vlogger or content creator just starting out
- Note: EF-M mount is discontinued — consider the EOS R50 for a future-proof system
Z5 II (2024)
- You want full-frame image quality at the lowest possible entry price
- You shoot stills primarily — portrait, landscape, or travel
- You're upgrading from a DSLR and want a familiar but thoroughly modern Nikon experience
ZV-1 II (2023)
- You create vlog content solo and want reliable face tracking in a genuinely portable camera
- You want a wide zoom range for shooting variety without ever changing lenses
- You want clearly better image quality and stabilisation than a smartphone, simply packaged
Quick take: The z5 ii has the highest resolution at 24mp; the eos m50 ii is the most affordable; only the z5 ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M50 II (2020) | Z5 II (2024) | ZV-1 II (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £449 | £1,299 | £649 |
| Sensor | 24.1MP APS-C CMOS | 24.5MP Full-frame BSI CMOS | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.1MP | 24.5MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | 4K/25p (cropped), 1080p/60p | 4K/30p oversampled, 1080p/120p, N-Log | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 143 AF points, eye detection | Phase-detect, 273 points, subject detection (human/animal/vehicle) | Phase-detect + contrast, 315 points, Real-time Eye AF |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops | Optical SteadyShot (OIS) |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 14fps mechanical, 30fps electronic | 15fps |
| Battery Life | ~305 shots (CIPA) | ~470 shots (CIPA) | ~260 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 387g body only | 700g body only | 292g |
| Dimensions | 116.3 × 88.1 × 58.7mm | 134.0 × 100.5 × 69.9mm | 105.5 × 60.0 × 43.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.39× | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.80× magnification | None |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Nikon Z-mount (full-frame) | Fixed zoom — 18–50mm f/1.8–4.0 equiv |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual SD UHS-II slots | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB Micro-B, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, micro HDMI | USB-C 3.2, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic input |
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