Η ΓΝΩΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΣΤΟ ΣΧΟΛΕΙΟ ΚΑΙ ΠΕΡΑ ΑΠΟ ΑΥΤΟ
While there are many potential uses for soft-bodied robots, the things are still typically only built in small experimental batches. Scottish scientists are out to change that, with a mass-production-capable soft bot that is 3D-printed in a single piece which then walks off of the print bed.
Category: Robotics, Technology
Tags: Soft Robotics, University of Edinburgh, 3D Printing, Compressed Air
With summer approaching, many kids will soon head off to summer camp, toting duffel bags filled with sunscreen, bug spray, and, often, a camera to capture their memories. The Camp Snap ($70) is a point-and-shoot camera designed specifically for this purpose. It’s super simple – no LCD screen, no complex settings – and its price means it won’t be a disaster if it ends up at the bottom of a lake or covered in s'mores.
Crucially, its screen-free design helps address a common challenge: many camps restrict or ban smartphones and regular digital cameras, aiming for an immersive, screen-free experience for campers.
Key featuresBuy now:
Buy at Camp Snap The case for a dedicated summer camp cameraSummer camp can be one of the most magical experiences kids can have. I admit I might be biased; not only did I attend camp in my youth, but I also ran a summer camp for several years when I was a bit older. I won’t lie – it was probably the best job I ever had.
"Its screen-free design helps address a common challenge: many camps restrict or ban smartphones and regular digital cameras."One of the best things about camp is it provides an opportunity to immerse kids in an experience different from their normal lives, focusing on new activities and the environment. Fortunately for me, I ran a camp before smartphones were everywhere. If kids brought cameras, they were film cameras, and they had to wait until they got home to see the photos.
Camp Snap camera | F2.8 | 1/750 sec | ISO 100Today’s camp directors face a very different challenge. To ensure kids get that immersive experience, many camps restrict or prohibit smartphones or regular digital cameras. Constant digital interaction is a distraction, and many camps insist on a screen-free experience. That’s where the Camp Snap comes in. It lets kids capture memories without a screen, complying with camp rules.
In useThe Camp Snap camera is super easy to use because there’s very little to control – perfect for most kids. In fact, it's a lot like using a disposable film camera. There's only one button, the shutter button, and there’s an optical tunnel-type viewfinder. A tiny LCD on the back displays the shot count.
The Camp Snap camera has only two physical controls: the shutter button on top (which doubles as an on/off switch) and a switch for the flash setting (on, off or auto).
Photo: Dale Baskin
The only other physical control is for the LED flash, which can be switched to on, off, or auto. This simplicity ensures kids won’t come home with unviewable photos because a setting was accidentally changed.
It ships with a 4GB microSD card, which Camp Snap says should hold about 2,000 photos. Based on my usage, it's probably closer to 1,500, but that's probably ample for a week at camp, and you have the option to put in a larger card if needed.
"The Camp Snap camera is super easy to use because there’s very little to control – perfect for most kids."Notably, the microSD card slot is hidden behind a panel that requires a small Phillips screwdriver to remove. This prevents kids from casually removing the card and, more importantly, losing it. Trust me, kids are really good at losing things at summer camp.
The manual flash control is a pleasant surprise, though I suspect most kids will either leave it off or set it to auto. The flash is an LED type, similar to a smartphone, which can result in that same washed-out look.
The microSD card is located on the bottom of the camera behind a screw-in panel that discourages kids from trying to remove the card. The USB-C port can be used for charging or to plug the camera into a computer for direct file transfer.
Photo: Dale Baskin
There's a slight delay between clicking the shutter and taking a photo. It's not as fast as a DSLR, but it's more responsive than many compact cameras I've used. The shutter button also doubles as an on/off switch. You press and hold it for about three seconds to turn the camera on, at which point the shutter button glows green. A flashing red light indicates a low battery. (I only ran into this once during testing.) Holding the shutter button down for another three seconds turns the camera off.
There's one small quirk to the on/off process. When pressing the shutter button to turn off the camera, the camera emits the shutter click sound, followed by another sound about three seconds later when it powers down. Initially, I thought I was taking an extra photo every time I turned off the camera. That turned out not to be the case, but it was confusing.
Camp Snap camera | F2.8 | 1/160 sec | ISO 100In my opinion, the 35mm equivalent lens is a good choice. It’s wide enough for activities like boating or building a monkey bridge, but not so wide that friends look distorted in group shots. The optical viewfinder doesn’t provide 100% coverage, meaning photos should have a bit of extra room around the edges, which can be helpful for cropping. Unfortunately, the viewfinder itself is tiny and exhibits distortion. It's functional, but not great.
The camera can capture photos using several preset filters, including Standard, B&W, Vintage, KodaClone and 101Clone. Only one filter can be loaded into the camera at a time. Interestingly, it ships with the 'Vintage' filter installed by default, something I didn’t realize until I was well into testing. Camp Snap claims the battery should last for about 500 photos, and it recharges via the USB-C port; I never ran out of power when testing it.
Image qualityLet’s set appropriate expectations: the Camp Snap aims to survive summer camp and provide a screen-free experience, not win image quality awards. Photos are OK, but the camera's sensor is smaller than the ones found on the main cameras of most smartphones and even a lot of older enthusiast compact models, and it will perform accordingly.
Camp Snap camera | F2.8 | 1/100 sec | ISO 100In short, if you have a modern Android phone or iPhone, don't expect the same level of quality. However, the photos will probably be good enough to capture those core camp memories, even if imperfect.
The camera uses a fixed-focus lens design, so there's no autofocus system to worry about. In even light, the metering does a pretty good job, but it struggles with strongly back-lit scenes. White balance is generally on target, though some of my photos exhibited a slighly green color cast.
The most visible artifacts you're likely to observe are clipped highlights on bright objects or skies, and if you zoom in, you’ll probably see compression artifacts.
This photo illustrates the types of artifacts you're likely to see in some photos from the Camp Snap camera. Look closely at the sky: you'll see banding in the blue areas and places where the color is clipped, making the sky appear white.
Camp Snap camera | F2.8 | 1/640 sec | ISO 100
Photo: Dale Baskin
As mentioned, this camera isn't going to win awards for image quality. Does it matter? When I look back at the grainy, often over- or under-exposed photos 12-year-old me took at summer camp with a film camera, I don’t worry much about the quality because those photos captured important memories. I think the same applies here, particularly if the alternative is having no camera at all due to technology restrictions.
"This camera isn't going to win awards for image quality. Does it matter?"One minor annoyance: most of the photos I shot are tilted slightly to the right, suggesting the sensor may not be perfectly aligned with the camera. However, considering how many of the photos I shot as a 12-year-old were off-kilter anyway, I'm not sure this is a showstopper.
Should you buy it?If your child is headed to summer camp and you need to navigate a screen ban – whether it’s a camp policy or your own rule – the Camp Snap is worth considering. In my opinion, it's best suited to younger kids, whereas older kids (13 and up) might find it a bit too simplistic. Just set your expectations appropriately; a modern smartphone will take better photos, but those may not be allowed at many camps.
It’s worth considering other screen-free options, too. A disposable film camera won’t violate screen bans, and if your child can change film rolls, a used point-and-shoot film camera could work. Instax or other instant cameras offer instant fun, though film costs can rise quickly. That’s one area where a digital camera like the Camp Snap, with its large capacity and one-off price, has an advantage.
Summer camp is special, creating memories that last a lifetime, and If your kid has an interest in photography, I encourage you to support that enthusiasm. Whether it’s with the Camp Snap camera or something else, camp is a great place to begin, or feed, one’s photography journey.
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Buy at Camp SnapSony has announced the FX2, a cinema camera built around a full-frame 33MP BSI sensor. Despite its presence in Sony's Cinema line, it's also surprisingly capable as a stills camera – the company says its goal was to have the same photo features as the a7 IV – which could be a sign of even more interesting things to come in Sony's video-focused lineup.
Key Specifications:The camera's design borrows a lot from previous cinema cameras; it has several standard 1/4 20" mounting points and lacks a viewfinder hump, which is nice when attaching it to a gimbal.
The variable-angle EVF can be flipped up depending on your shooting angle.
Image: Sony
It does, however, add a variable angle EVF with 0.70x magnification and a 33mm eyepoint, which Sony says will let you monitor your video without having to put your eye completely up to it. A loupe-style eyecup, which can be swapped for use with your right or left eye, enhances that experience. It also has a much deeper grip than the FX3 and FX30, and even more custom function buttons, with a new one on the EVF.
Sony has greatly expanded the camera's stills capabilitiesSony has also greatly expanded the camera's stills capabilities. On the FX3, getting into photo mode required pressing four buttons. Now, there's a switch right on the camera to go between stills and video, and each mode has its own menus suited to the task at hand. It also features a mechanical shutter, 10fps burst, and a flash sync speed of 1/160. Sony has also added the ability to shoot full-resolution stills with a Log response curve, saved as either 8-bit JPEGs or 10-bit HEIFs.
Despite the expanded stills mode, it's still very much a cinema camera, with a lot of DNA from models like the FX3 and FX30. It has All-I and HEVC codecs, the ability to adjust gain in terms of exposure index rather than ISO and professional workflow features such as timecode sync, support for Sony's Catalyst software, and more.
The use of a 33MP sensor, with Sony hinting that rolling shutter numbers could be similar, suggest the use of a very similar sensor to the a7IV. Like that camera, the new one has to crop to an APS-C region to deliver 4K/60. Sony's post processing Catalyst software can attempt to correct some rolling shutter distortion from full-frame mode.
The color modes, especially, speak to its cinema-first design; it comes with the S-Cinetone mode, an expanded suite of "Creative Look" presets, and the ability to load user-created Luts to the camera, which can previewed, applied to your footage, or linked to standard S-Log footage with a metadata tag.
Beyond the Movie / Still switch, the FX2's control layout is still very clearly designed for video.
Image: Sony
Like the a7IV but unlike any previous FX cameras, the camera features Sony's improved AI autofocus system, which can track insects, animals, birds and vehicles while recording video, and should be better at tracking humans than the previous-generation system.
Some more updates this camera has over the FX3:
It'll be interesting to see where Sony goes from here. It's hard to imagine it did all this design work for one camera that's on the low end of the FX line. But if the rumored second-generation FX3 has the same body and stills features, it's hard to imagine there being any reason for the company to continue making the a7S cameras that are so popular with video shooters.
The FX2 will cost $2699 body-only and $3099 for a bundle with the company's XLR-H1 audio adapter/handle. It's available for pre-order starting today, and the company says it expects to start shipping it in August.
{PressRelease}
Sony introduces the FX2 compact camera, expanding Cinema Line’s versatility for creativesThe new FX2 has the look and operability of Cinema Line cameras with the ability to shoot high resolution photos and comes equipped with an articulating eyepiece
Sony is proud to announce today the latest addition to its established Cinema Line family, the FX2 (model ILME-FX2). The FX2 will offer a seamless entry point into the broader Cinema Line range, giving greater cinematic expression to independent creators, or crews needing a versatile camera.
"The FX2 was developed in response to customer feedback, designed as an accessible full-frame filmmaking camera that incorporates unique features to enhance the filmmaking experience. Notable among these is the new tiltable viewfinder, which significantly improves usability and meets production demands. As part of the Cinema Line, the FX2 embodies core values of the cinematic look, reliability, and professional usability, aiming to capture authentic emotion in every shot and empower creators across all content production fields," says Yann Salmon-Legagneur, Head of IP&S Marketing, Sony Europe.
FX2 Features: Full-frame Filmmaking and Stills capabilities
The FX2 comes with a full frame sensor that delivers stunning imagery and beautiful bokeh effects, like many other Cinema Line cameras. The new camera is equipped with a 33.0 effective megapixel1 back-illuminated Exmor R™ sensor, and with up to 15+ stops of wide latitude using S-Log3, it captures impressive detail in both highlights and shadows.
The camera is equipped with Dual Base ISO for S-Log 3 of 800 and 4000, enabling optimal image quality across varied lighting conditions. The FX2 ISO sensitivity for video can be expanded up to 102400, making it ideal for low-light environments. The camera also supports multiple recording formats for flexible post-production workflows and records in 4:2:2 10-bit All-Intra and supports formats like XAVC S-I DCI 4K at 24.00p, among others.
Simone Sadocco, cinematographer and CSC Student commented on these features: “The camera impressed me on multiple occasions. The dual base ISO at 800 and 4000 works flawlessly; the footage is clean and noise free at both settings, and the switch between the two is smooth and efficient”.
The FX2 benefits from an extended shooting capability, with up to 13 hours of continuous recording in 4K 60p2, thanks to its internal cooling fan and effective heat dissipation structure. The FX2 also offers variable frame rate settings, allowing up to 60 fps in 4K (for a maximum 2.5x slow-motion effect) and up to 120 fps in Full HD (for up to 5x slow motion). It supports Log shooting in Cine EI, Cine EI Quick, and Flexible ISO modes, offering versatile workflows for different production needs. To further the cinematic expression of the camera, creatives can import up to 16 user LUTs for on-camera preview for video, enabling precise colour monitoring on set.
Filmmakers can also easily and quickly create in-camera cinematic looks, with S-Cinetone™ set as the default, along with a range of Picture Profile and Creative Look presets. A desqueeze display function is available, supporting both 1.3x and 2.0x anamorphic lenses for accurate framing.
Stefan Krenn, a cinematographer for commercial and advertising, found that “the image quality and colour science gave me the look i wanted. Skin tones were clean, dynamic range handled tough lighting well, and the footage was incredibly gradable. It felt like a true cinema tool, just without the usual weight and setup demands”.
Improved usability for comfortable solo operation
The FX2 features the same compact, flat-top design as Sony’s Cinema Line FX3 and FX30 cameras, ensuring familiarity and compatibility across setups. Built-in mounting points (UNC 1/4-20 x3) support a cageless configuration and ability to mount on a tripod, offering greater flexibility for rigging. An optional top handle enhances mobility and control, especially during handheld or dynamic shooting. Its lightweight, portable build—measuring 129.7 x 77.8 x 103.7 mm and weighing around 679 grams —makes it ideal for solo operators or small crew productions.
The camera offers advanced focus features designed for precision and creativity. Its new Real-time Recognition AF delivers fast and reliable performance, with improved accuracy for human subjects, although its intelligent subject recognition extends to animals, birds, vehicles, and insects, with an Auto mode available for effortless detection. For even more control, the camera includes tools like focus breathing compensation, AF Assist, and customisable autofocus transition speed and sensitivity, giving creators the flexibility to fine-tune focus for expressive, cinematic imagery.
The camera comes with Active Mode and Dynamic active Mode, new to Cinema Line. Both modes are designed to ensure smooth and steady handheld shooting.
The FX2 Auto Framing feature* automatically crops and tracks a subject to keep them in a prominent position when the camera is mounted on a tripod, producing footage that looks like it was shot by an experienced operator. The Framing Stabilizer function automatically keeps the subject in the same position within the frame, which can be useful, for example, when the camera operator is moving alongside the subject.
From a still image perspective, the camera features an additional log shooting option with a newly added ‘Log shooting’ menu. This feature allows creators to shoot high-resolution 33MP stills, optimised for colour grading in post-production3. The FX2 also offers smooth operation with a MOVIE/STILL mode lever, allowing for a quick switchover between still and movie shooting. Depending on the selected mode, the displayed menu items will automatically adjust. Additionally, mode selection is made easy with a long press of the Fn button, which recalls and changes the shooting mode.
FX2 Features: Improved but familiar hardware inherited from Sony’s cinema cameras
For enhanced immersion while the user is shooting, the camera features a new high-resolution 3.68-million-dot tiltable EVF4, which comes with a viewing angle optimised for video production and comes bundled with a deep eye piece. It also includes a vari-angle 3.0-type touchscreen LCD for easy framing from any position. The controls are intuitively placed on the top panel and around the grip, with tally lamps for recording indication. A customisable “BIG6” (home) screen displays frequently used parameters such as FPS, ISO, shutter speed (angle/speed), Look presets, white balance, iris or ND filter status. In response for the growing amount of content shot in vertical 16: 9 for social media platform purposes, the FX2 also has vertical information displayed while shooting. Additionally, the handle-included model (ILME-FX2) comes with two XLR/TRS terminals and 3.5 mm stereo (mic) mini jack enabling professional 4-channel, 24-bit digital audio input.
The camera offers extensive expandability and connectivity options, including an HDMI Type-A terminal capable of outputting up to 4K 60p 4:2:2 10-bit video and 16-bit RAW5 for high-end recording and monitoring. For seamless data transfer and remote control, it supports dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz6) as well as wired LAN via a compatible adapter7. Additionally, the USB Type-C port enables SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps data transfers and supports USB Power Delivery (PD), while built-in USB and network streaming support enables live broadcasting and remote production workflows8.
Social responsibility
Aligned with Sony's ambitious 'Road to Zero' initiative, this product supports the company's vision for achieving a zero environmental footprint by 2050. The manufacturing process reflects this commitment through facilities powered entirely by renewable energy sources9.
The camera system incorporates comprehensive accessibility options including a Screen Reader function10 and Display Magnification to support visually impaired users across an expanded range of menu items. Additional intuitive controls enhance usability for all shooters, featuring:
These inclusive design elements ensure professional imaging tools remain accessible to creators of all abilities while maintaining full operational capability
The FX2 will be available from July 2025 for body only or with top handle.
Back in 2022, we brought development news from a robotics startup looking to launch a smart garden helper sporting two jointed arms. A lot has changed since then, and as the commercial release approaches we take a fresh look at the Willow X.
Category: Robotics, Technology
Tags: Garden, Lawnmowers, Artificial Intelligence, Maintenance
With space at such a premium in many modern cities, this project tackles the need for more new housing in an interesting way. Named Spoorweghaven, it's envisioned for a disused dock in the Netherlands and, assuming it goes ahead as planned, will be the largest floating community in Europe.
Category: Architecture, Lifestyle
Tags: Floating, House, Home, Building and Construction, sustainable design, cross-laminated timber
From fleas to mosquitoes, there's no shortage of organisms we like to consider pests – and, not surprisingly, the majority are insects, which account for up to 90% of animals on the planet. But thanks to new genetic detective work, scientists have found the very first species that got a taste for humans – and we're still the main dish on its menu, some 60,000 years on.
Tags: Virginia Tech, Insect, Bed, Parasites, Pests, Evolution, Animal science
The Tiffin GH1 all-terrain camper van was one of the most pleasant RV surprises of 2024. Designed much like a Winnebago Revel but with a few signature tricks up its sleeve, the GH1 hit the market with a sticker price over US$55,000 lower than Winnebago's well-established AWD camper. Now Tiffin is moving up to Winnebago's pricing ballpark, albeit with a stretched Sprinter AWD camper van that offers more space for a comparable base price.
Category: Automotive, Transport
Tags: Campervan, Off-road, Off-grid, Camping, RV, Mercedes-Benz, Outdoors and Camping, overland-expo-west-2025
A miniature wrench can certainly be handy, but do you really want to carry it everywhere if it only serves one purpose? That's where the Titanium Mini Portable Wrench comes in, as it packs a total of eight functions.
Tags: Multitools, EDC, Wrench, Titanium, Kickstarter
Drawing parallels with other species, not naming names, the voices of female frogs are being drowned out by their much louder male counterparts – so much so we only know how 1.4% of the ladies actually sound.
Tags: University of Sao Paulo, Frogs, Amphibious, Communications, Animal science, Conservation
7artisans has officially released its full-frame AF 24mm F1.8 lens for Sony E-mount. The company is pitching it as a do-everything option for landscape, astro and environmental portraiture shooting.
The lens is made up of 14 elements in 11 groups, with two aspherical lenses, two high refractive elements and three ED elements. It has a minimum focusing distance of 0.32m (12"), and its aperture has 11 blades. Its autofocus abilities are provided by a stepper motor.
The AF 24mm F1.8's body is made of metal and weighs in at 424g (~15oz). It can accept 62mm filters and has a clickless aperture ring. It also includes a customizable function button and a USB-C port on the mount for software updates.
The lens costs $329 and is available now.
Buy now:
Buy at Amazon.comBuy at 7Artisans 7artisans AF 24mm F1.8 Specs: Principal specificationsLens typePrime lensMax Format size35mm FFFocal length24 mmImage stabilizationNoLens mountSony E, Sony FEApertureMaximum apertureF1.8–16Aperture ringYesNumber of diaphragm blades11Aperture notesClickless ringOpticsElements14Groups11Special elements / coatings2 asph., 2 HR, 3 EDFocusMinimum focus0.32 m (12.6″)AutofocusYesMotor typeStepper motorFull time manualYesDistance scaleNoDoF scaleNoPhysicalWeight424 g (0.93 lb)Diameter72 mm (2.83″)Length92 mm (3.62″)MaterialsMetalColourBlackFilter thread62 mmHood suppliedYesTripod collarNoOne of the worries about microplastic particle pollution is the possibility that the particles may accumulate harmful bacteria in the environment, then pass those microbes on to us. Well, that germ-grabbing capability could soon put the particles to work as sewage monitors in rivers.
Category: Environment, Science
Tags: Microplastic, Pollution, Sewage, Water Conservation
Though slim is in as far as smartphones are concerned, they're probably not going to be the first choice for adventurous types. That's likely to be a multi-function rugged phone, and the latest from FossiBot features a huge battery, color night-vision camera and a powerful dual-beam flashlight.
Category: Mobile Technology, Consumer Tech, Technology
Tags: Rugged, smartphones, Kickstarter, Night Vision
Product Photos: Mitchell Clark
The Canon EOS R50 V is a small mirrorless camera designed for vloggers and consumers looking to take video. It's built around the same 24MP APS-C sensor found in the more stills-oriented EOS R50.
Key FeaturesThe EOS R50 V is available for $649 body-only, and in a kit with the RF-S 14-30mm F4-6.3 IS STM PZ power zoom lens for $849.
Index:Buy now:
Buy w/ 14-30mm at Amazon.comBuy w/ 14-30mm at B&H PhotoBuy w/ 14-30mm at Canon What's New Video-first designDespite the camera's name associating it with the EOS R50, the two cameras actually have very different designs. The EOS R50 V lacks a viewfinder and built-in flash, has an almost entirely redesigned control scheme and features a headphone port, which its sibling lacked. It also adds a tally light on the front to make it obvious when you're recording, a front-facing record button, a zoom toggle switch and an additional tripod thread on the right side of the camera, which lets you easily mount it for vertical shooting.
The front grip is also substantially less pronounced than that of the standard EOS R50. While this makes it less comfortable to hold in the traditional way, depending on your hand size it may be quite a bit more comfortable to hold the camera facing yourself for when you're vlogging or taking selfies.
The mode dial also gets a redesign, with stills shooting relegated to a single space. The rest is taken up by video modes.
Stills For taking photos; exposure mode is selected using the touchscreen S&F Slow and Fast: for recording slow-motion video in-camera and timelapses Video Standard video mode with configurable settings Video C1 First custom video mode you can use to save specific settings (e.g., 60fps 4K with V-Log color and human subject detection AF) Video C2 Second custom video mode Video C3 Third custom video mode Scn Scene mode: pick from 'smooth skin movie,' 'movie for close-up demos,' and 'movie IS mode' scenes Video A+ 'Fully Automatic Recording' - adjusts camera settings based on scene conditionsSomewhat oddly, the close-up demo mode, which over-rides the camera's face detection autofocus when you hold an object up close to the camera, can't be accessed in the rest of the video modes. That also means you can't use it with your chosen exposure mode; you're stuck with letting the camera automatically pick the settings, which you can only influence by using exposure compensation.
More video capabilitiesUnlike the regular EOS R50, the V can shoot 4K video at 60p, though doing so incurs a 1.56x crop. It also features Canon's C-Log 3 color profile, which lets you capture low-contrast footage designed to be color-graded later. It also includes a 'false color' exposure assistance mode and a Log / HDR view assist mode that shows you what your footage will look like after grading, though you can't use both assist modes at the same time.
The EOS R50 V has an upgraded menu system that lets you choose your codec and bitrate independently.Canon has also upgraded the video menu system to the one found on its higher-end cameras like the EOS R5 II, allowing more granular control over codecs and bitrates than the EOS R50 provides. One annoyance is that it doesn't automatically match your frame rate to your chosen mode; if you switch to the 4K Crop resolution, it won't automatically select the 60p framerate. Instead, you get a message saying, "These items cannot be combined," which you have to push past to choose the correct framerate or resolution. This also happens when you're switching back to the non-crop mode; the camera makes you select both the frame rate and crop mode, even though one of the crop modes only has a single frame rate option.
Like most cameras, the EOS R50 V risks overheating if you record for extended periods. You can raise the temperature threshold at which it cuts out, if you're not planning on holding it. Canon says it'll cut out after around 55min of 4K capture at room temperature, with no limit if you set the threshold to 'high.'
The slow and fast mode, which lets you record higher framerates that are saved as slow-motion videos at lower framerates, is also new for the EOS R50 V. There's also a new "Cinema View" mode that bakes black bars onto your footage for a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and a product demo mode that tunes the autofocus system to focus on objects being held up to show the camera, rather than on the person holding the product.
Vlogging UIThe on-screen user interface has been redesigned to give you access to all your vital video settings without having to go into the menu, which is useful when you have the camera mounted to a tripod facing you. Tapping the "Q" button on the screen or using the hardware Q button brings up a scrolling menu that lets you change things like your shooting mode, autofocus area, autofocus subject detection, resolution and framerate, digital stabilization settings, color mode and more.
For some operations, the camera will bring you into its more traditional menu system, though the relevant sections have clearly been optimized for touchscreen operation. However, unlike the Q menu and live view info display, they don't rotate when you're using the camera in portrait orientation, which can make them a bit awkward to use depending on how you have the camera mounted.
A video-focused kit lensAlongside the EOS R50 V, Canon introduced the RF-S 14-30mm (22-48mm equiv.) F4-6.3 IS STM PZ powerzoom lens. Its zoom range is well-suited for vlogging, letting you get wide enough that it's easy to film yourself even if you're using a mode with digital crop – though things will start to get tight if you combine the 60p mode with the most aggressive digital image stabilization. However, the lens's optical stabilization means you're less likely to have to do that, and its power zoom lets you get smooth pushes in or pulls out.
How it comparesThe market for entry-level cameras with no viewfinder, a boxy design, and vlogging-focused features is relatively robust; most brands have a camera they market toward creators, though some have a much more extensive list of video features than others.
Canon EOS R50 V Fujifilm X-M5 Sony ZV-E10 II Nikon Z30 MSRP $649 $799 $998 $706 Pixel count 24MP 26MP 26MP 21MP Mech shutter Electronic First Curtain Yes No Yes Video rates (crop factor)4K 60p (1.56x)
4K 30p (full-width)
4K 60p (1.1x)
4K 30p
Aside from its rolling shutter rates, the EOS R50 V compares relatively well to the competition when it comes to shooting video. It also has many of the vlogging-specific features that are also available on the Sony and Fujifilm, though it doesn't have an easy background defocus setting to tell the camera whether to prioritize a wide open or stopped-down aperture.
For shooting stills with flash it benefits compared to the Sony by having a partially mechanical shutter, but suffers compared to the Fujifilm by having a Canon multi-function shoe, rather than a standard hotshoe (though you can buy an adapter).
Body and handlingThe EOS R50 V doesn't feel appreciably smaller than the regular EOS R50, though the lack of a viewfinder hump and minimal grip give it a boxier design that should play well with handheld gimbals.
The top plate shutter button is styled as a record button and has a toggle switch to control focal length for power zoom lenses or the digital zoom function available when recording in FHD. You can also use it to change which top-level section you're in when navigating the camera's menu.
The default button assignments make a lot of sense for run-and-gun videos.Behind that is the camera's only top-plate control dial. If you want to control a second parameter, you'll have to use the small, rear plate dial which can be a bit fiddly given how sensitive it is, and the fact that it also acts as a multi-directional controller, so you can accidentally activate another function if you press down too hard in one area.
The camera has two other programmable buttons on the back, alongside a menu, playback, and info button, and a programmable button on the top plate, as well as a "Lock" button that deactivates the camera's control dials. That's especially handy, since it's really easy to bump them while you're vlogging, potentially ruining a shot. By default, the "Color" button lets you access the menu to control the standard color mode, as well as the 14 color filters Canon includes to let you add various looks to your footage and the more advanced response modes such as C-Log or HLG.
ScreenThe camera is mainly made to be controlled using the 3" articulating touchscreen, which lets you adjust your settings and shooting parameters and navigate through the menus. Like most cameras' displays, it can be challenging to see in direct sunlight, especially if you're trying to judge exposure.
Ports and slotsThe EOS R50 V has a particularly quick 10Gbps USB-C port, which should be handy if you want to offload footage without taking off your tripod plate to get at the SD card. It also supports UVC/UAC streaming to a computer, letting you use it as a 4K webcam*.
It also has a headphone jack so you can monitor audio and a mic port so you can attach an external microphone. Also included is an ever-fragile micro HDMI port, which you can use to output video to a monitor or to a streaming box if your setup doesn't support USB.
* You'll be limited to 1080p if you want your camera to also draw power over USB instead of relying on its battery.
Battery The battery and card slot are both under a door on the bottom of the camera.The EOS R50 V uses the same 7.5 Wh LP-E17 battery that can be found in many of the company's other small ILCs, such as the original EOS R50. The company says it's good for 390 shots based on the CIPA rating. As always, the main use of the rating is as a common reference point among cameras, as the literal number of shots you get will depend on many factors.
Canon hasn't publically published CIPA video test results for the EOS R50 V. However, the camera's manual says you can expect around 70 minutes of 4K 30p recording on a charge, and about double that if you're shooting in 1080p. Those numbers are for single autofocus.
Video Video Quality Image ComparisonThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.The EOS R50 V's standard 4K footage is derrived from 6K capture and provides a good level of detail for most vlogging uses. The 4K 60p setting uses a smaller region of the sensor and has less detail than the >30p modes, but still provides a very usable image if your audience is mainly people watching videos on the web.
Recording OptionsThe EOS R50 V has four different recording formats, which can be used with any framerate and resolution.
Color Depth Bit Depth H.256 4:2:2 10 4:2:0 H.264 4:2:2 10 4:2:0 8While the camera has a screen for selecting your compression type, the only option is Long GOP.
AutofocusThe EOS R50 V offers several autofocus area options, ranging from spot to whole area autofocus. You move the point using the touchscreen, and in whole area autofocus you can use tap-to-focus to track a specific area. You can also use the four-way controller to select your focus point, provided you configure a button to engage AF point selection mode.
It can recognize three types of subjects: people, animals (including birds) and vehicles. There's also an "auto" mode that will track any recognized subjects in those categories. The subject recognition can be used with any of the autofocus area options, and the camera does a good job of honoring your selected area, rather than trying to jump to a subject not under your focus point the moment it recognizes one.
Autofocus settings, like most of the rest of the camera's settings, are separate between video and stills modes.
We found that the autofocus tracking was reliable at keeping whatever we were shooting in focus, especially when using subject recognition mode. There are also several options to tune it if the initial settings don't work for your needs: you can make the focus speed faster if you want it to quickly jump between points or slower if you want longer focus pulls, and you can also adjust how willing the camera is to refocus to a different distance or subject.
We also found that it was relatively tenacious, even when tracking a non-recognized subject. We could tap an object on the screen and be relatively sure it would keep it in focus as we moved the camera around, provided the movements weren't too extreme and that the subject mostly stayed in the frame. It also didn't tend to lose subjects after zooming in or out and was quick to refocus after zooming.
Rolling ShutterThere's no way to sugar-coat it: the EOS R50 V's rolling shutter performance is quite poor. If you pan the camera even at a moderate speed or point it at something moving relatively quickly, you'll get jello-like skewing, which can be quite distracting depending on what you're shooting.
Video Mode Readout Rate UHD 4K Crop 60p 15.7ms UHD 4K 24p 31.9ms 1080p 24p 12.3msThe problem is far less pronounced in the 60p 4K crop mode due to the fact that it's sampling a smaller portion of the sensor, which takes less time. This leads to good rolling shutter performance, which is also the case in the 1080p modes.
Electronic image stabilizationUnsurprisingly, given its price, the EOS R50 V doesn't have a stabilized sensor, which means you'll have to rely on optical stabilization, a gimbal and/or electronic image stabilization to reduce shake when shooting handheld. The EOS R50 V has two electronic stabilization modes: normal and "Enhanced." Both crop in on the image, with the latter adding more crop than the standard mode. Both also work in the 4K Crop mode required for shooting in 60p, but you will end up with a substantially tighter image.
Stabilization mode UHD frame rate Total Crop Normal 24p 1.11x 60p 1.71x Enhanced 24p 1.41x 60p 2.23xWe found the electronic stabilization can work well for static shots or shots with slow movements, but isn't a great fit for walking and talking shots, especially if you pan the camera. It has a noticeable grab-and-release effect that can make your footage look stuttery, and while it does take out the most intense shakes, you can wind up with video that looks a little wobbly instead of steady.
Conclusion What we like What we don'tGiven the EOS R50 V's heavy focus on vlogging, we've filmed the bulk of our conclusions as a vlog, which should help provide an idea of what kind of results the camera can produce.
Outside of vlogging, it's worth touching on the photo-taking experience with this camera. Put simply, stills aren't what this camera is designed for. From a technical perspective, it's quite capable; it has pretty much every photo feature the EOS R50 does (including a mechanical second curtain shutter), and its image quality is solid. You can check out the studio scene here.
The experience of taking photos with it, however, just isn't all that fun. It could've actually been an improvement on the EOS R50 by having two control dials instead of one – we're no fans of rear control dials, but they're better than nothing – but the top plate dial being at the back of the camera instead of the front means that you'll have to manage both dials with your thumb. That minimizes the speed benefits that you typically get from having a second command dial.
That, along with the missing EVF, means that the EOS R50 V is best suited to taking occasional photos rather than being a really good stills camera that also excels at video. While you can absolutely use it to capture some great photos, people who split their time more evenly between stills and video will want to consider a less vlogging-focused model.
While the rolling shutter performance, crop in 4K60p and few UI quirks make it hard to recommend this camera to absolutely anyone interested in video, it's undoubtedly still worth considering if you're looking to get into vlogging or videography, especially if budget is a concern. The value the EOS R50 V provides with its image quality, autofocus system and feature set is what earns it a silver award.
Buy now:
Buy w/ 14-30mm at Amazon.comBuy w/ 14-30mm at B&H PhotoBuy w/ 14-30mm at Canon ScoringScoring is relative only to the other cameras in the same category. Click here to learn about what these numbers mean.
Canon EOS R50 VCategory: Entry Level Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLRBuild qualityErgonomics & handlingFeaturesMetering & focus accuracyImage quality (raw)Image quality (jpeg)Low light / high ISO performanceViewfinder / screen ratingOpticsPerformanceMovie / video modeConnectivityValuePoorExcellentConclusionThe EOS R50 V is a solid video camera, but is let down by its heavy crop to achieve 4K 60p and slow rolling shutter.Good forVloggers shooting indoors Videographers shooting static or slow-moving subjects Filmmakers on a shoestring budgetNot so good forVloggers shooting action Videographers that make heavy use of 4K 60p People not interested in video84%Overall scoreRegularScoreCompareWidget({"mainElementId":"scoringWidget","mainProduct":"canon_eosr50v","scoringSchema":{"id":"SLRs","variables":[{"id":"BuildQuality"},{"id":"ErgonomicsAndHandling"},{"id":"Features"},{"id":"MeteringAndFocusAccuracy"},{"id":"QualityRaw"},{"id":"QualityJpeg"},{"id":"LowLightHighISO"},{"id":"ViewfinderScreenRating"},{"id":"Optics"},{"id":"Performance"},{"id":"Movie"},{"id":"Connectivity"},{"id":"Value"}],"categories":[{"id":"EntryLevel","label":"Entry Level Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLR","shortLabel":"Entry Level"},{"id":"MidRange","label":"Mid Range Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLR","shortLabel":"Mid Level"},{"id":"EntryLevelFullFrame","label":"Entry Level Full Frame Camera","shortLabel":"Entry Level Full Frame"},{"id":"MidRangeFullFrame","label":"Mid Range Full Frame Camera","shortLabel":"Mid Range Full Frame"},{"id":"SemiProfessional","label":"Semi-professional Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLR","shortLabel":"Semi-professional"},{"id":"SemiProfessionalFullFrame","label":"Semi-professional Full Frame Camera","shortLabel":"Semi-professional Full Frame"},{"id":"Professional","label":" Professional Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLR","shortLabel":"Professional"},{"id":"LargeSensorCompactEntry","label":"Entry Level Large Sensor Compact Camera","shortLabel":"Entry Level Large Sensor Compact"},{"id":"LargeSensorCompactEnthusiast","label":"Enthusiast Large Sensor Compact Camera","shortLabel":"Enthusiast Large Sensor Compact"},{"id":"VideoCamera","label":"Video Camera","shortLabel":"Video Camera"}]},"helpText":"Choose one or more cameras from the drop-down menu, then roll your mouse over the names to see how their scores compare to the camera on review."}) Compared to its peersThe Fujifilm X-M5 offers a complete experience for both stills and video shooters than the EOS R50 V thanks to its two top-plate control dials and especially robust lens ecosystem. Its open-gate recording mode can also provide a bit more flexibility over framing in post and still has better rolling performance than the EOS R50 V despite its taller aspect ratio. However, Fujifilm's autofocus tracking performance won't be as good for unrecognized subjects.
Compared to the EOS R50 V, the Sony ZV-E10 II's much faster sensor means it'll have far less rolling shutter, and will be able to shoot in 4K60p with far less crop, making it better for fast moving subjects or shooting styles. Ergonomically, the side-mounted SD card slot means you'll never have to take off your tripod plate to get at your footage, though, like the rest of the competition, it lacks the Canon's vertical tripod mounting thread. But while the EOS R50 V's battery life is sufficient, the ZV-E10 II's massive battery will let you record for substantially longer.
The Nikon Z30 struggles to keep up with the newer cameras on this list. It can't shoot 4K60p at all, which means you'll have to drop down to 1080p if you want to shoot in slow motion, and it also doesn't support 10-bit color or Log, meaning you'll be more limited in post when it comes to color grading. The lack of a headphone jack will also make it harder to tell if your audio is turning out correctly.
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