Canon M50 Mark II vs Nikon Z6 III

The Canon EOS M50 Mark II and the Nikon Z6 III are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in October 2020 and June 2024. Both the M50 Mark II and the Z6 III are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on an APS-C (M50 Mark II) and a full frame (Z6 III) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 24.3 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon M50 Mark II		Nikon Z6 III
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Nikon Z mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24.3 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/24p Video		6K/60p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-64,000 (50 - 204,800)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.2" LCD – 2100k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second		14 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
305 shots per battery charge		380 shots per battery charge
116 x 88 x 59 mm, 387 g		139 x 102 x 74 mm, 670 g

Check M50 Mark II offers at
ebay.com
Check Z6 III price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M50 Mark II and the Nikon Z6 III? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon M50 Mark II and the Nikon Z6 III. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M50 Mark II can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the Z6 III 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 Nikon Z6 III is notably larger (39 percent) than the Canon M50 Mark II. Moreover, the Z6 III is substantially heavier (73 percent) than the M50 Mark II. It is noteworthy in this context that the Z6 III is splash and dust-proof, while the M50 Mark II does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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 M50 Mark II gets 305 shots out of its Canon LP-E12 battery, while the Z6 III can take 380 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL15c power pack. The power pack in the Z6 III can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras 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 M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	US$ 599	ebay.com
2.		Nikon Z6 III	139 mm	102 mm	74 mm	670 g	380	Y	Jun 2024	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
3.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	US$ 679	ebay.com
4.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
5.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
6.		Canon M6 Mark II	120 mm	70 mm	49 mm	408 g	305	n	Aug 2019	US$ 849	ebay.com
7.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
8.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
9.		Canon M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	US$ 549	ebay.com
10.		Canon R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	US$ 679	amazon.com
11.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
12.		Canon SL3	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	US$ 599	amazon.com
13.		Nikon Z5	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	470	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 1 399	amazon.com
14.		Nikon Z6	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	310	Y	Aug 2018	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
15.		Nikon Z6 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	410	Y	Oct 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
16.		Nikon Z7 II	134 mm	101 mm	70 mm	705 g	420	Y	Oct 2020	US$ 2 999	amazon.com
17.		Nikon Zf	144 mm	103 mm	49 mm	710 g	380	Y	Sep 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.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 retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The M50 Mark II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 76 percent) than the Z6 III, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon M50 Mark II features an APS-C sensor and the Nikon Z6 III a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the Z6 III is 158 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 24.3MP, the Z6 III offers a higher resolution than the M50 Mark II (24MP), but the Z6 III nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 3.72μm for the M50 Mark II) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the Z6 III is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 8 months) than the M50 Mark II, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

Unlike the M50 Mark II, the Z6 III has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (96MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Canon EOS M50 Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon Z6 III are ISO 100 to ISO 64000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

In terms of underlying technology, the M50 Mark II is build around a CMOS sensor, while the Z6 III uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
2.		Nikon Z6 III	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	6K/60p	25.4	14.8	3318	97
3.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
4.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
5.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
6.		Canon M6 Mark II	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
7.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
8.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
9.		Canon M200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/25p	24.0	13.5	1836	82
10.		Canon R50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
11.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
12.		Canon SL3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
13.		Nikon Z5	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2929	95
14.		Nikon Z6	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	3299	95
15.		Nikon Z6 II	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.0	14.4	3303	94
16.		Nikon Z7 II	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/60p	26.3	14.7	2841	100
17.		Nikon Zf	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
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 Z6 III provides a better video resolution than the M50 Mark II. It can shoot movie footage at 6K/60p, while the Canon is limited to 4K/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the Z6 III offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the M50 Mark II (5760k vs 2360k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon M50 Mark II and Nikon Z6 III along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
2.		Nikon Z6 III	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M6 Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	14.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
9.		Canon M200	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
10.		Canon R50	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon SL3	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon Z5	3690	n	3.2 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/8000s	4.5/s	n	Y
14.		Nikon Z6	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
15.		Nikon Z6 II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
16.		Nikon Z7 II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
17.		Nikon Zf	3690	n	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The M50 Mark II has one, while the Z6 III does not. While the built-in flash of the M50 Mark II is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon M50 Mark II and the Nikon Z6 III both have 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.

The M50 Mark II writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the Z6 III uses CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards. The Z6 III features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the M50 Mark II only has one slot. The Z6 III supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the M50 Mark II can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

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 M50 Mark II and Nikon Z6 III 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 M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Nikon Z6 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon M6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Canon M200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon R50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
11.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Canon SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Nikon Z5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		Nikon Z6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
15.		Nikon Z6 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
16.		Nikon Z7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
17.		Nikon Zf	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the Z6 III has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The M50 Mark II lacks such a headphone port.

The Z6 III is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the M50 Mark II has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the M50 Mark II from Canon. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon and Nikon websites.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon M50 Mark II and the Nikon Z6 III? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS M50 Mark II:

• More compact: Is smaller (116x88mm vs 139x102mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 283g or 42 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (76 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in October 2020).

Arguments in favor of the Nikon Z6 III:

• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (6K/60p vs 4K/24p).
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (5760k vs 2360k dots).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 1040k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (14 vs 10 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (380 versus 305) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 8 months of technical progress since the M50 Mark II launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Z6 III is the clear winner of the contest (21 : 5 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 M50 Mark II and the Nikon Z6 III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the M50 Mark II or the Z6 III. 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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 M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	US$ 599	ebay.com
2.		Nikon Z6 III	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2024	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
3.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	US$ 679	ebay.com
4.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
5.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
6.		Canon M6 Mark II	..	+	4.5/5	85/100	4/5	4/5	Aug 2019	US$ 849	ebay.com
7.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
8.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
9.		Canon M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	US$ 549	ebay.com
10.		Canon R50	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	US$ 679	amazon.com
11.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
12.		Canon SL3	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	US$ 599	amazon.com
13.		Nikon Z5	4/5	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jul 2020	US$ 1 399	amazon.com
14.		Nikon Z6	5/5	..	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
15.		Nikon Z6 II	4.5/5	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
16.		Nikon Z7 II	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2020	US$ 2 999	amazon.com
17.		Nikon Zf	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, 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 rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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