Upgrade recommendations from EOS M50

[flarosa]

I’m ready to replace my M50 with an R series camera but can’t decide if I should get an R7 or a full frame camera like an R8. People say full frame produces better images. But the R7 has IBIS and a higher resolution so it’s a bit confusing. 

I’ve used APS-C for a long time to save money. I can afford full frame now but I’m also put off by the size of the lenses and the fact that most of the third party options are APS-C. So overall I’d rather stick with APS-C but I don’t want to find out I could have been getting much better pictures. 

[TomRamsey]

There are a lot of considerations when buying a new camera and you are doing the right thing to explore them.  I’ll take you through the process I went through when I bought my R6 Mark2, although this isn’t personalized for your needs, it’s the process.  My biggest use for a new camera was for shooting wildlife and I also shoot nature and landscapes.  I came to Canon because of the RF200-800 lens, a lens of that length and quality is rarely affordable in my experience.  So what I was looking for was good autofocus, image quality, low light ability, stabilization, and customization amongst other things.  24-36 megapixels was a range I wanted to stay in.  That’s part of the low light equation, larger pixels allow more light to get in.  I already had a couple of 24mp APS-C cameras that were pretty good in low light.  So 24mp on a full frame camera will have in larger pixels, so really 24mp is a sweet spot for me.  I have only used cameras with in body stabilization, so I knew I would not buy one without i, so that cut a few like the R8 out.  When it really got down to it, the R6 Mark2 and the R7 were the contenders in my price range.  When comparing the two there many similarities and many differences.  The differences that were in the capabilities that were important to me stood out.  The R6Mark2 had better autofocus, and better low light capability.  24mp on a full frame sensor vs 32 on an APS-C sensor is a huge difference.  
So that is my decision making process in a nutshell.  Know the things you are shooting, list the capabilities that you need and maybe want, and see what fits best in your budget, and if you have to go over budget if you can.  It may take a while, it took me maybe several weeks to choose the camera, and then a couple more to make sure it was the right one, then I also checked out what Nikon could compare with it.  I was only using Pentax at the time so I was wide open to competition.  Then it took another couple of months to decide to make the purchase.  
it all worked out for me, I love the camera and the lens.  If you do all of the research in comparing the cameras you will know what you want and will have no regrets.  
if you haven’t done it already, look at one of those graphics where they show sensor sizes over an image, because the only difference is that full frame is a larger sensor, APS-C does not give more reach as some people think, it’s just less sensor.  The larger pixels of a full frame sensor is where the better IQ camera come from.

[flarosa]

Thanks for the response. R6 II is also on my list and within my budget. Of all the features I think the IBIS is the one I'm most eager to have, because I have a lot of lenses (EF lenses and M42 lenses with adapters) that don't have their own IS, and I hate motion blur. 

I like the supposed low-light and low-noise advantages of full frame but I worry that the wider field of view will be a disappointment. On my M50 I use a 24-105mm EF zoom lens and I frequently zoom it to 105 and wish I had more. If I end up spending the money for the R6 I'm probably not going to be in the mood to drop another grand on more lenses.

I guess it comes down to whether the image quality difference is something I'm really going to notice, or another way to ask it is, if I get an R7 are the images ultimately going to be any better than my M50 in terms of noise and dynamic range. I'm aware that an R7 has lots of other features that people like, but for me, I don't really care about video or burst rate and I've never had any complaints about autofocus, or any of the dozen other things they keep improving in cameras over the years, I just want better pictures.

[TomRamsey]

The R7 should give you better dynamic range and less noise than the M50 because of a more advanced sensor, the R6ii even more so.  The R7 should be a big step up with what I have read, but I’ve not used either.  You may want to check out some photos online taken by users.  Hopefully someone that has made that step can chime in. 

[SignifDigits]

I don't understand why, if you're considering the R7 as your only APS-C consideration.  I did move to the R6 Mk 2 myself and love the IBIS, so I'm guessing that might be your thinking?  The R100 refurbished kit is a sweet deal at $369  https://www.usa.canon.com/shop/p/refurbished-eos-r100-body    That might be worth it just to dip your toes into the R-series.  I tend to encourage thinking about glass before the camera, and a) You would really need to invest in full-frame glass to capitalize on the full-frame camera benefits, also b) I'm expecting you will probably want new glass even if you go APS-C.  I have an R50V and love it even without the EVF.  It's my phone camera on steroids.  I worry that you might be too focused on just a camera and not an overall answer to your gear.  The RF 24-105mm STM and the Sigma RF-S 16-300mm and RF 16mm and R50V form a really nice bit of kit and all fit into a ThinkTank Turnstyle 2.0 sling bag and get tossed into the car pretty much everywhere I go.  Unlike some others here I can live without the EVF.  We all do on our phones already, so, as I said, it's just a phone camera with standalone camera features.  My R6 Mk2 sits behind my big-heavy glass (15-35mm, 70-200mm, 200-800mm, (and the dual-purpose 24-105 STM) for longer trips and on the 200-800mm on the table beside me at home for the birds and wildlife off my back porch. 

That combination works for me, but you haven't shared what you love to shoot, what you're planning to shoot that you don't now, why you're not happy with your M50, nor what lenses you already have besides the the 24-105.  I think the R7 Mark I is currently overpriced and I don't like the ergonomics and the R7 Mark ii that I would like better is rumored that it might wind up in the R6 Mark iii price range when announced in the next months.  I don't want a wildlife-only camera (seems that's what the R7 Mark ii might be targeted for), so my R6 Mark ii is just fine for me.

So I love my IBIS on the R6, though.  I'll admit it.  But that's especially true when mated to IS RF lenses.  I would strongly recommend considering starting your collection of RF IS lenes and a lower cost APS-C camera.  The R10 Mark II is rumored to perhaps be coming by Christmas, so keep that in mind if as you shop the R10.  I bought the R6 Mark II about 8 months prior to the Mark III release knowing I would have to deal with some buyers' remorse for not waiting to get the "latest and greatest".

Good luck on your decision making.  Let us know if you have specific technical questions.  The MANY factors of buying really are tough to offer really good advice for here.  We don't know what your love to shoot, what you want to shoot more of, etc. etc. and what your value propositions are personally.

[flarosa]

I can't make up my mind as to whether I want full frame or APS-C, so I more or less decided to get one of each. Well, I started with an inexpensive RP to see how I like using full frame. I have three "regular" full frame EF lenses I can use, plus a number of "vintage" lenses that I can use with various adapters, so there's a lot of variety. Perhaps I'll get an R7 later.

[SignifDigits · Accepted solution]

I wish you well.  When you evaluate the RP keep in mind that it is 7 year-old technology and not the latest and greatest.  I loved mine 7 years ago, and got a sweet kit deal with it and the RF 24-240.  I especially love the mirrorless - even more than full frame.  If you don't mind sharing did you buy new or used?