Beginners & Vlogging — EOS M50 II (2020): Canon's most approachable mirrorless — Dual Pixel AF and beautiful colour science in a beginner-friendly body.
Film Photography Enthusiasts & Diptych Storytelling — Pentax 17 (2024): The best new film camera of the decade — manual controls, a sharp lens, and a half-frame format that doubles your roll and forces a new way of seeing.
Who should buy what
EOS M50 II (2020)
Quick take: The pentax 17 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M50 II (2020) | Pentax 17 (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £449 | £400 |
| Sensor | 24.1MP APS-C CMOS | 35mm half-frame (18 × 24mm) |
| Resolution | 24.1MP | — |
| Video | 4K/25p (cropped), 1080p/60p | N/A — film camera |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 143 AF points, eye detection | Zone focus (0.35m / 1m / 3m / ∞) |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | N/A — film camera |
| Burst Rate | 10fps | Manual wind-on |
| Battery Life | ~305 shots (CIPA) | 2× CR2 lithium batteries |
| Weight | 387g body only | ~165g (without batteries) |
| Dimensions | 116.3 × 88.1 × 58.7mm | 113 × 66 × 44mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.39× | Optical viewfinder with half-frame framelines |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen | N/A |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | 35mm film (ISO 25–3200 via DX coding + manual dial) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | 35mm 135-format film cartridge |
| Connectivity | USB Micro-B, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, micro HDMI | N/A |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M50 II | Pentax 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Street | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Low Light | — |
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