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Cameras

Canon EOS R50 RF-S18-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM Lens Kit

Canon · Budget

A compact 24.2-megapixel APS-C mirrorless body with Dual Pixel autofocus, sold with the RF-S 18-45mm kit zoom, for photographing and filming trains from a platform or the lineside on a modest budget.

Expert pick · DPReview, Sep 2023

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We have not tested it ourselves: strengths and weaknesses below come from the tests cited.

Why Railfans Carry It

Moving trains reward a camera that focuses quickly and fires fast. Canon rates the R50 at up to 12 frames per second with the mechanical shutter and up to 15 with the electronic shutter, and its Dual Pixel CMOS AF II offers Servo AF with tracking. The body weighs about 375 g with card and battery, so it rides easily in a coat pocket or a small bag on a long day at a heritage line. The vari-angle touchscreen helps with low platform-edge angles, and the RF mount leaves a path to longer lenses later.

In the Field

DPReview found the autofocus very effective in stills mode, with the system sticking to moving subjects even when they were obscured, which is useful when a train passes behind masts or fencing. Burst depth is short: Canon states the top speed holds for 7 Raw or 42 JPEG frames, so time a burst for the front of the train instead of holding the button down. The kit zoom reaches 45 mm, the equivalent of about 72 mm on a full-frame camera, and DPReview describes it as soft with a limited range, so expect to crop or to buy a longer RF-S lens for distant tracks. DPReview reports slightly more noise than its peers in lower light, and JPEG detail smudged at high ISO, so shoot Raw at dawn and dusk. Battery ratings are 370 shots on the screen and 230 through the viewfinder, so carry a spare. If you film passes, DPReview notes rolling shutter when panning in 4K.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Expert pick · DPReview: DPReview calls it a very capable mirrorless camera with standout subject-tracking autofocus, good for everyday shooting, wildlife and video, but limited by a small lens range, a modest burst buffer and tight controls. It awards 84% and a silver badge. Read the review

Strengths

  • Dual Pixel autofocus that sticks to moving subjects
  • Up to 12 fps mechanical and 15 fps electronic burst
  • Light, compact body of about 375 g
  • Vari-angle touchscreen
  • RF mount with a path to longer lenses

Weaknesses

  • Burst buffer of about 7 Raw frames
  • Soft kit lens with limited reach
  • Tightly packed rear controls
  • Small grip; DPReview lists large hands and action work among weaker fits

Key Specifications

Canon EOS R50 RF-S18-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM Lens Kit — key specifications
SpecificationValue
ISO100-32000, expandable to 51200
Video4K UHD up to 30p, Full HD up to 120p
Buffer7 Raw or 42 JPEG at 12 fps
SensorAPS-C CMOS, 24.2 MP effective
WeightApprox. 376 g with card and battery
AutofocusDual Pixel CMOS AF II, up to 651 zones / 4503 positions for stills
ProcessorDIGIC X
Lens mountRF (RF and RF-S lenses)
Viewfinder0.39-inch OLED EVF, 2.36 million dots
Continuous shootingUp to 12 fps mechanical, up to 15 fps electronic

Who It’s For

Suits a newcomer or a traveller who wants a light interchangeable-lens camera for platform and lineside photos and some video, and who accepts cropping and a short buffer. If you often shoot fast passes with a long lens, have large hands, or want long continuous bursts, look at a larger body. Canon has a free-repair notice for a stiff or detaching mode dial on black bodies with serial numbers starting 19 to 23; the notice does not cover the white body, which is the version this page links to.

Alternatives

The Canon EOS R10 and the Canon EOS R7 are other APS-C bodies in the same RF mount; compare their burst and buffer figures if the R50's limits are what hold you back.

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