Canon EOS R100 vs Canon EOS R50 — Which Is Better?

The Canon EOS R100 and the Canon EOS R50 are both 2023 mirrorless cameras using Canon's RF mount and an APS-C sensor, so either gives you the same entry into Canon's native lens system. Their bodies share the same measurements at 116 x 86 x 69 mm, but the R100 is the lighter camera at 356 g, against 375 g for the R50.

That 19 g difference is small next to the splits that matter more here, in shooting speed, screen control and charging.

The R50 is the stronger choice for action photography, with continuous shooting at up to 12 frames per second against 6.5 on the R100. Its Digic X processor pairs with a native ISO range extending to 32000, versus 12800 on the R100's Digic 8, giving you higher settings to work with when the light drops. The R100 counters with 3975 autofocus positions against 651, spreading more selectable points across the frame.

Each camera pairs a 24 MP APS-C CMOS sensor with a 100 ISO base, so both give the same cropping latitude for distant subjects. The shutter limit is shared at 1/4000 second, and both viewfinders are 2,360,000-dot electronic panels.

For slow motion the R50 gives you more room, with frame rates reaching 120 fps against 100 fps on the R100. Both cameras top out at 4K resolution, and each offers a built-in timelapse mode, so interval work needs no accessories on either body.

The R50 also offers H.265 recording alongside H.264, a more efficient codec for keeping clip sizes down. The R100 records in MPEG-4, MOV and H.264, so it covers the common editing formats without the newer codec.

Touch control is the R50's clear advantage at the rear screen: you can navigate menus and playback by touch, while the R100 relies on buttons alone. Its screen is also sharper, at 1,620,000 dots against 1,040,000 on the R100, which helps when checking focus and detail during playback.

The two share the same 3-inch LCD that flips out for selfies and vlogging, plus Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for wireless transfer to a phone. Neither camera has GPS or weather sealing, so location tagging and wet-weather protection are absent from both.

Both cameras draw on the same LP-E17 battery with a 370-shot rating under their test conditions, and each carries a single SD card slot, so neither offers a backup card for event shooting.

The R50 pulls ahead for workflow and travel: its slot supports UHS-II cards for quicker offload of large files, and it charges over USB, so you can top up the battery from a power bank between locations. The R100 does not charge over USB, so its LP-E17 battery needs an external charger.