Canon 90D vs R50 V

The Canon EOS 90D and the Canon EOS R50 V are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2019 and March 2025. The 90D is a DSLR, while the R50 V is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 90D has a resolution of 32.3 megapixels, whereas the R50 V 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 90D		Canon R50 V
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF mount lenses
32.3 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/60p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)
Optical viewfinder		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
11 shutter flaps per second		12 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
1300 shots per battery charge		390 shots per battery charge
141 x 105 x 77 mm, 701 g		119 x 74 x 45 mm, 370 g

Check 90D price at
amazon.com
Check R50 V price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 90D and the Canon EOS R50 V? 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 90D and the Canon R50 V. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon R50 V is considerably smaller (41 percent) than the Canon 90D. Moreover, the R50 V is substantially lighter (47 percent) than the 90D. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 90D is splash and dust resistant, while the R50 V 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 90D gets 1300 shots out of its Canon LP-E6N battery, while the R50 V can take 390 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E17 power pack. The power pack in the R50 V 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. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 90D	141 mm	105 mm	77 mm	701 g	1300	Y	Aug 2019	EUR 1 299	amazon.com
2.		Canon R50 V	119 mm	74 mm	45 mm	370 g	390	n	Mar 2025	EUR 759	amazon.com
3.		Canon 30D	144 mm	106 mm	74 mm	785 g	750	n	Feb 2006	EUR 1 399	ebay.com
4.		Canon 40D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	750	n	Aug 2007	EUR 1 299	ebay.com
5.		Canon 50D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	800	Y	Aug 2008	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
6.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	EUR 1 149	ebay.com
7.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
8.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	EUR 1 285	ebay.com
9.		Canon 2000D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	EUR 499	amazon.com
10.		Canon G3 X	123 mm	77 mm	105 mm	733 g	300	Y	Jun 2015	EUR 899	ebay.com
11.		Canon G7 X Mark II	106 mm	61 mm	42 mm	319 g	265	n	Feb 2016	EUR 685	ebay.com
12.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
13.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	EUR 799	ebay.com
14.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	EUR 779	ebay.com
15.		Canon R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	EUR 2 499	ebay.com
16.		Canon R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	EUR 829	amazon.com
17.		Panasonic GH5s	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	660 g	440	Y	Jan 2018	EUR 2 499	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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. 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 R50 V was launched at a markedly lower price (by 46 percent) than the 90D, 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 sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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 tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the R50 V is 2 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the R50 V uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC X) than the 90D (DIGIC 8), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 32.3MP, the 90D offers a higher resolution than the R50 V (24MP), but the 90D has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.23μm versus 3.72μm for the R50 V). Moreover, the R50 V is a much more recent model (by 5 years and 6 months) than the 90D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 90D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 90D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 34.8 x 23.2 inches or 88.4 x 58.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 23.2 x 15.5 inches or 58.9 x 39.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon R50 V are 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for good quality, 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 90D 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 Canon EOS R50 V are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, 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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar 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 90D	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
2.		Canon R50 V	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	24.1	14.1	2383	85
3.		Canon 30D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.5	10.8	736	59
4.		Canon 40D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.3	703	64
5.		Canon 50D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	none	21.8	11.4	696	63
6.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
7.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
8.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
9.		Canon 2000D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	11.9	1009	71
10.		Canon G3 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	521	63
11.		Canon G7 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.8	11.9	260	62
12.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
13.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
14.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
15.		Canon R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
16.		Canon R50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
17.		Panasonic GH5s	Four Thirds	9.9	3680	2700	4K/60p	23.1	12.8	1154	74
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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the R50 V provides a faster frame rate than the 90D. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/60p, while the 90D is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the 90D has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the R50 V relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 90D, the Canon R50 V, and comparable 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 90D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon R50 V	none	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 30D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 40D	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.5/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 50D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.3/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 2000D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon G3 X	optional	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon G7 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
13.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
16.		Canon R50	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
17.		Panasonic GH5s	3680	n	3.2 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	n
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 90D has one, while the R50 V does not. While the built-in flash of the 90D 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 90D and the Canon R50 V 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 90D and the R50 V write their files to SDXC 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 90D and Canon EOS R50 V 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 90D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon R50 V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 30D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 40D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 50D	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon 2000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon G3 X	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon G7 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
15.		Canon R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
16.		Canon R50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
17.		Panasonic GH5s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y

Both the 90D and the R50 V are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The 90D replaced the earlier Canon 80D, while the R50 V does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon website.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 90D or the Canon R50 V – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 90D:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (32.3 vs 24MP) with a 16% higher linear resolution.
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1300 versus 390) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2019).

Advantages of the Canon EOS R50 V:

• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC X vs DIGIC 8).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/60p versus 4K/30p).
• More compact: Is smaller (119x74mm vs 141x105mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 331g or 47 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (46 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 6 months of technical progress since the 90D launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the R50 V comes out slightly ahead of the 90D (9 : 8 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 90D and the Canon R50 V 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 remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 90D or the R50 V. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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 90D	4/5	+	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2019	EUR 1 299	amazon.com
2.		Canon R50 V	..	..	..	84/100	..	..	Mar 2025	EUR 759	amazon.com
3.		Canon 30D	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2006	EUR 1 399	ebay.com
4.		Canon 40D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	EUR 1 299	ebay.com
5.		Canon 50D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
6.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	EUR 1 149	ebay.com
7.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
8.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	EUR 1 285	ebay.com
9.		Canon 2000D	3/5	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	EUR 499	amazon.com
10.		Canon G3 X	3.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	EUR 899	ebay.com
11.		Canon G7 X Mark II	4.5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	EUR 685	ebay.com
12.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
13.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	EUR 799	ebay.com
14.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	EUR 779	ebay.com
15.		Canon R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	EUR 2 499	ebay.com
16.		Canon R50	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	EUR 829	amazon.com
17.		Panasonic GH5s	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2018	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Check 90D price at
amazon.com
Check R50 V price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

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