2025-09-10 Default , Products , Release

Canon EOS C50 is its smallest and lightest cinema camera ever

The company says it's the smallest and lightest cinema camera in its lineup.

Despite the size, it packs many of the features people would expect from a cinema camera, such as internal Raw recording, a full-size HDMI port and a fan for active cooling. However, it also gives up an EVF and a stabilized sensor, and doesn't have features found on the larger cinema cameras, such as internal ND filters or support for large, video-style batteries.

Key Specifications:

32MP full-frame CMOS sensor
7K recording up to 60p (Canon Cinema Raw Lite)
Oversampled 4K <60p
4K 120p
3:2 Open Gate recording up to 30p
'Dual Pixel CMOS AF II' with human and animal recognition
Dual gain steps
CLog 2/ CLog 3
Included top-handle with 2 XLR inputs
3" 1.62M dot (900 x 600px) display

Given its capabilities, the EOS C50 seems to be aimed at small-to-mid-size professional production houses and studios, similar to the Canon EOS C80, rather than at consumers like the vlogging-friendly EOS R50 V.

A brand new sensor

Image: Canon

Canon says the 32MP full-frame sensor in the EOS C50 is a brand new model that it hasn't used in previous cameras. The company didn't explicitly say what technology the sensor used, but given the camera's price point, it's likely not a Stacked model, though the camera reads out fast enough to deliver full-width 7K at up to 60p. We'll have to wait until review units make their way to press to see what kind of rolling shutter rates the camera provides.

The sensor is a dual conversion gain design, and uses ISO 800 as its low gain step and ISO 6400 as its high gain step when shooting in Log.

Video capabilities

Every numbered button on the EOS C50 can be reassigned with one of over 150 functions.
Image: Canon

As you'd expect from a modern cinema camera, the EOS C50 supports a wide array of codecs and resolutions, including three quality levels of Canon's Cinema Raw Light. Any of them can be recorded to a CFexpress Type B card. In contrast, the SD card slot is limited to 4K and below, likely making it most useful for recording proxies or other variations (interlaced versions of progressive footage, Long-GOP versions of intra footage, etc).

	Dimensions	Rates	Raw
1.89:1
7K	6960 x 3672	60, 50, 48, 30, 25, 24, 23.98	HQ (up to 30p), ST, LT
5K (1.6x crop)	5036 x 2656	60, 50, 48, 30, 25, 24, 23.98	HQ (up to 30p), ST, LT
DCI 4K	4096 x 2160	120, 100, 60, 50, 48, 30, 25, 24, 23.98
2K (3x crop)	2524 x 1332	150, 120, 100, 60, 50, 48, 30, 25, 24, 23.98	HQ (up to 60p) ST (up to 60p) LT (up to 60p)
16:9 modes
UHD 4K	3840 x 2160	120, 100, 60, 50, 48, 30, 25, 24, 23.98
3:2 Open gate
7K	6960 x 4640	30, 25, 24, 23.98	ST, LT
7K Compressed	6912 x 4608	30, 25, 24, 23.98

The EOS C50 supports oversampling its 4K modes up to 60p, and is also Canon's first camera to support 3:2 'open gate' recording, which uses the sensor's full height. The format has become popular on Panasonic's video-focused cameras, as it lets you shoot with anamorphic lenses and gives you more flexibility to re-frame a shot in post, or to crop for both horizontal and vertical delivery.

If you're shooting in DCI or UHD 4K, the camera also lets you simultaneously record a full HD vertical or square crop onto the SD card for quick turnaround shoots. The camera even lets you record the main video in Log, while applying a Rec709 LUT to the cropped footage.

Extra features

Image: Canon

The EOS C50 comes with a detachable top handle that includes two XLR inputs, a zoom rocker, cold accessory shoe and a record button. In addition to the several 1/4-20" sockets built-in to its body, it also has four screws around its RF lens mount for installing heftier adapters, such as the one that lets the camera use PL-mount lenses.

The camera also has a new 'LCD Luminance Boost' mode for its 1.62M-dot 3" rear panel, designed to improve its visibility outdoors and in bright light. Canon hasn't provided an exact brightness rating yet, and the company says that the mode may make your preview less accurate, so you'll want to rely on exposure assistance tools like waveforms and false color overlays when using it.

Canon has added a few features that will make run-and-gun shooting with the camera a bit easier. There's now a flexible zone mode for the camera's autofocus, a digital zoom feature that crops in on footage from a prime lens for a bit of extra reach, and an auto shutter mode, which lets you use it in a full-auto exposure setup when combined with auto-iris and auto-ISO.

As with many of Canon's recent video-focused cameras, the EOS C50 can shoot in HLG or PQ video modes for HDR. It can also be used as a USB webcam without the need for extra software or drivers, thanks to UVC/UAC support.

Ports and battery

The camera has several ports, including USB-C, full-size HDMI, 3.5mm microphone in and 3.5mm headphone out, an E3 remote control terminal and a DIN timecode jack. Canon says the latter will be easier to use than the one on the EOS R5 C, as it's less recessed. You can connect the camera to Frame.io's Camera To Cloud service using its built-in Wi-Fi or a USB-C to Ethernet adapter.

The EOS C50 uses the same 16Wh LP-E6P battery as the EOS R5 II, which it claims will provide up to 90 minutes of continuous Cinema Raw Light recording in the camera's open gate mode. Compressed formats, like XF-HEVC and XF-AVC, will run through it a bit faster.

Canon says the camera should provide better battery life than the EOS R5 C, though if you need more recording time, it's compatible with the BG-R20 battery grip used for the EOS R5, R5 II, R6 and R6 II. The company also says that the camera will work with older LP-E6NH batteries, but that you can expect them to last up to 30 minutes less.

Stills Capabilities

Despite its video focus, the EOS C50 has a fairly capable stills mode as well. It can shoot Raw images at up to 40fps, has a pre-burst capture mode and even supports registered person priority for autofocus. However, unlike cameras such as the Sony FX2 or Canon EOS R5 C, it doesn't have a mechanical shutter, so there's essentially no option to sync with flash, and its rolling shutter performance may be a concern for shooting fast-moving subjects.

The EOS C50 is an interesting release from Canon. With the EOS R5 C, the company essentially took its existing hybrid mirrorless camera, added more cooling and cinema-style menus, removed the IBIS and called it a day. Theoretically, it could've done the same with the EOS R5 II, and wound up with a very capable camera, albeit one that would likely be quite costly thanks to the Stacked sensor.

But that's not the camera we see today. Instead, Canon has built a camera from the ground up, even going through the trouble of developing a brand new sensor for it. The end result, though, is a camera that's very similar in size to the EOS R5 C if you subtract the EVF hump. It seems like Canon is serious about competing in the mid-range production space against the likes of BlackMagic and Sony, and it'll be interesting to see how this camera performs.

Press release:

Canon U.S.A. Announces New EOS C50 7K Full-Frame CMOS Sensor Cinema Camera and RF-Mount RF85mm F1.4 L VCM Hybrid Lens

Firmware updates for select Canon Cinema EOS cameras and new PowerShot ELPH 360 HS A camera also available

MELVILLE, NY, September 9, 2025 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is excited to introduce the new EOS C50 cinema camera, the newest addition to Canon’s cinema EOS system. The EOS C50 is a compact, full-frame cinema camera featuring a brand new 7K full-frame CMOS sensor, 7K 60P internal RAW recording and 32 megapixel still photo capture, making it a true hybrid camera. Weighing approximately one and a half pounds, the EOS C50 is Canon’s smallest and lightest cinema camera ever, making it ideal for handheld and verité shooting.

The lightweight design and hyper-mobile form factor the EOS C50 camera meets growing demands from shooters who are increasingly looking for compact, ergonomic cinema cameras for a variety of settings and shooting styles. Excellent for large and small scale productions, documentary shooting in the field, social media video creation, sports, and more, the EOS C50 camera features a detachable top handle which adds two full-size XLR audio inputs, a start-stop button, and a zoom rocker for unbeatable agility. It also features an RF-mount, lending it native compatibility with a wide variety of Canon lenses, such as the new RF85mm F1.4 L VCM Hybrid Lens.

EOS C50 Camera Recording Options

At the heart of the EOS C50 camera is the 7K full-frame CMOS sensor, which is capable of a Dual Base ISO of 800 and 6400 in Canon Log 2, and 12-bit Cinema RAW Light recording at up to 7K 60P. This powerful sensor is coupled with a DIGIC DV7 processor. The EOS C50 is the first camera in the Cinema EOS lineup to feature the full frame 3:2 open gate recording. In addition to Cinema RAW Light and the standard XF-AVC, the EOS C50 camera also features XF- AVC S and XF-HEVC S recording codecs, proving an easy-to-manage naming system and folder structure, all while preserving metadata and recording in the familiar MP4 format.

Social media shooters will enjoy that the EOS C50 camera is capable of simultaneous crop recording when shooting in 4K DCI or UHD, allowing you to record at a chosen aspect ratio while also recording a cropped portion of the frame in 2K. When shooting in simultaneous crop mode, the three format options include: 9:17, 9:16, or 1:1.

For those looking for camera connectivity, the EOS C50 camera supports XC protocol which allows for remote control over IP via Wi-Fi® or a compatible third-party USB-C ethernet adapter. The EOS C50 camera is also compatible with the Multi Camera Control App and features native integration of frame.io camera to cloud.

New RF-Mount RF85mm F1.4 L VCM Hybrid Lens

The new RF-Mount RF85mm F1.4 L VCM Hybrid lens is the latest addition to Canon’s line of VCM lenses, designed for shooters who increasingly are seeking powerful options whether shooting stills or video content. The RF85mm F1.4 L VCM has a focal length of 85mm, making it perfect for portrait-style shooting. The lens provides beautiful background blurring, as well as a F1.4 Maximum aperture, and well-controlled focus breathing.

Firmware Updates for EOS C400, C80, C70, and R5C Cameras

A new firmware update for select Canon Cinema EOS cameras bring in a few of these bleeding-edge features, available later this year. New firmware updates will enable full frame 3:2 open gate recording (EOS C400), view assist in media mode, quality improvement of focus peaking, improved assign buttons, improved Joy-Stick operability (EOS C80 and EOS C400), and more.

New PowerShot ELPH 360 HS A

Originally released in 2016, the PowerShot ELPH 360 HS still remains a popular compact camera. Appealing to fans of pocketable point and shoot style cameras, the newly updated PowerShot ELPH 360 HS A camera’s memory card slot will be changed from SD to microSD to help meet emerging needs in the compact camera market. The PowerShot ELPH 360 HS A camera will be available in two colors, black and silver.

Pricing and Availability

The Canon EOS C50 camera is currently scheduled to ship towards the end of Q4 of 2025. The firmware updates for EOS C400, C80, C70, and the R5C cameras are currently scheduled to be available in Q4 of 2025. The RF85mm F1.4 L VCM lens is currently scheduled to be available in September 2025. The new PowerShot ELPH 360 HS A camera is currently scheduled to be available in October 2025. For more information, please visit www.usa.canon.com.

* Specifications, availability and prices are subject to change without notice.