Canon 1300D vs M50

The Canon EOS 1300D (called Canon T6 in some regions) and the Canon EOS M50 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in March 2016 and February 2018. The 1300D is a DSLR, while the M50 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 1300D has a resolution of 17.9 megapixels, whereas the M50 provides 24 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 1300D		Canon M50
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF-M mount lenses
17.9 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		4K/24p Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)		ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 920k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
3 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
500 shots per battery charge		235 shots per battery charge
129 x 101 x 78 mm, 485 g		116 x 88 x 59 mm, 390 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 1300D and the Canon EOS M50? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon 1300D and the Canon M50 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M50 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the 1300D is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon M50 is notably smaller (22 percent) than the Canon 1300D. Moreover, the M50 is markedly lighter (20 percent) than the 1300D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 1300D nor the M50 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the 1300D gets 500 shots out of its Canon LP-E10 battery, while the M50 can take 235 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E12 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 1300D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	EUR 449	ebay.com
2.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	EUR 779	ebay.com
3.		Canon 100D	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 700D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	EUR 599	ebay.com
5.		Canon 750D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	EUR 699	ebay.com
6.		Canon 760D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
7.		Canon 1200D	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	EUR 399	ebay.com
8.		Canon 2000D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	EUR 499	amazon.com
9.		Canon 4000D	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
10.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	EUR 929	ebay.com
11.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
12.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	EUR 799	ebay.com
13.		Canon M6 Mark II	120 mm	70 mm	49 mm	408 g	305	n	Aug 2019	EUR 929	ebay.com
14.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	EUR 499	ebay.com
15.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	EUR 599	ebay.com
16.		Canon SX530	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	442 g	210	n	Jan 2015	EUR 379	ebay.com
17.		Canon SX540	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	442 g	205	n	Jan 2016	EUR 369	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 1300D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 42 percent) than the M50, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the M50 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the 1300D (DIGIC 4+), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the M50 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 17.9 MP of the 1300D. This megapixels advantage translates into a 16 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the M50 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 4.31μm for the 1300D). However, it should be noted that the M50 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 11 months) than the 1300D, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Canon M50 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the M50 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 1300D are 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The M50 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS 1300D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS M50 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 1300D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
2.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
3.		Canon 100D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
4.		Canon 700D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
5.		Canon 750D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
6.		Canon 760D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
7.		Canon 1200D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
8.		Canon 2000D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	11.9	1009	71
9.		Canon 4000D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
10.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
11.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
12.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
13.		Canon M6 Mark II	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
14.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
15.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
16.		Canon SX530	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	712	47
17.		Canon SX540	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.7	806	48
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the M50 provides a better video resolution than the 1300D. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/24p, while the 1300D is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the M50 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the 1300D has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 1300D and Canon M50 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 1300D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 100D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 700D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 750D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 760D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 1200D	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 2000D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 4000D	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
12.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon M6 Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	14.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
15.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
16.		Canon SX530	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
17.		Canon SX540	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The M50 has a touchscreen, while the 1300D has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The Canon M50 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 1300D and the M50 write their files to SDXC cards. The M50 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the 1300D cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 1300D and Canon EOS M50 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 1300D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 100D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 700D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 750D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon 760D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon 1200D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 2000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon 4000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Canon M6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
16.		Canon SX530	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Canon SX540	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the M50 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The 1300D does not feature such a mic input.

Both the 1300D and the M50 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 1300D was replaced by the Canon 2000D, while the M50 was followed by the Canon M50 Mark II. Further information on the features and operation of the 1300D and M50 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 1300D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon M50 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 1300D or the Canon M50 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 1300D:

• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (500 versus 235) on a single battery charge.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (42 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in March 2016).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS M50:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 17.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 16%.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 8 vs DIGIC 4+).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/24p vs 1080/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 920k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (116x88mm vs 129x101mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 95g or 20 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 11 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the M50 is the clear winner of the contest (18 : 5 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 1300D and the Canon M50 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the 1300D and the M50 in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 1300D	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	EUR 449	ebay.com
2.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	EUR 779	ebay.com
3.		Canon 100D	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 700D	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	EUR 599	ebay.com
5.		Canon 750D	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	EUR 699	ebay.com
6.		Canon 760D	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
7.		Canon 1200D	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	EUR 399	ebay.com
8.		Canon 2000D	3/5	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	EUR 499	amazon.com
9.		Canon 4000D	2.5/5	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
10.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	EUR 929	ebay.com
11.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
12.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	EUR 799	ebay.com
13.		Canon M6 Mark II	..	+	4.5/5	85/100	4/5	4/5	Aug 2019	EUR 929	ebay.com
14.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	EUR 499	ebay.com
15.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	EUR 599	ebay.com
16.		Canon SX530	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2015	EUR 379	ebay.com
17.		Canon SX540	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2016	EUR 369	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

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