EOS M50 IIvs A7 IVvs 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.
Portrait & Wedding Photography — A7 IV (2021): The full-frame portrait benchmark — 33MP, AI Eye AF, and exceptional skin-tone rendering in a pro-grade hybrid body.
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
A7 IV (2021)
- You want a high-resolution full-frame all-rounder for portraits, weddings, or travel
- You're stepping up from APS-C or a DSLR and want the best all-round full-frame body under £3,000
- You shoot a mix of stills and video and need a single body that handles both seriously
- You want access to the widest lens ecosystem in the mirrorless market
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 a7 iv has the highest resolution at 33mp; the eos m50 ii is the most affordable; only the a7 iv is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M50 II (2020) | A7 IV (2021) | ZV-1 II (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £449 | £2,299 | £649 |
| Sensor | 24.1MP APS-C CMOS | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS | 20.1MP 1-inch Exmor RS CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.1MP | 33.0MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | 4K/25p (cropped), 1080p/60p | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 143 AF points, eye detection | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition | Phase-detect + contrast, 315 points, Real-time Eye AF |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops | Optical SteadyShot (OIS) |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic | 15fps |
| Battery Life | ~305 shots (CIPA) | ~580 shots (CIPA) | ~260 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 387g body only | 659g body only | 292g |
| Dimensions | 116.3 × 88.1 × 58.7mm | 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8mm | 105.5 × 60.0 × 43.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.39× | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification | None |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Fixed zoom — 18–50mm f/1.8–4.0 equiv |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB Micro-B, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, micro HDMI | USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic input |
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