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Canon SL2 vs Pentax K-50 Comparison

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Canon SL2

24 MP | APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Canon SL2
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Pentax K-50

16 MP | APS-C (23.7 x 15.7 mm) CMOS Sensor

Pentax K-50
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Canon SL2 vs Pentax K-50 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing SL2 and K-50, two Entry-Level DSLR cameras from Canon and Pentax. Canon SL2 was introduced to market in June 2017 and Pentax K-50 was launched in November 2013. As you can see, K-50 is 4 years older than SL2. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Canon SL2 and Pentax K-50 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon SL2 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2017-06-29
  • 24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600 ( expands to 51200)
  • Canon EF/EF-S Mount
  • 3.00" Fully Articulated Screen
  • Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder
  • 5.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 453g. 122 x 93 x 70 mm
  • Also known as EOS 200D / Kiss X9
  • Replaced Canon EOS 100D Compare

Pentax K-50 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-11-27
  • 16MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 51600
  • Pentax KAF2 Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 6.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 650g. 130 x 97 x 71 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Pentax K-30 Compare

Canon SL2 was replaced by Canon EOS Rebel SL3. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon EOS Rebel SL3 vs Canon EOS Rebel SL2 (EOS 200D / Kiss X9)
Canon EOS Rebel SL3 vs Pentax K-50

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon SL2 and Pentax K-50 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Canon EOS Rebel SL2 over Pentax K-50
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Max Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 16 MP 50% more pixels
LCD Screen Resolution
1.040k dots vs 921k dots 12% higher resolution screen
Battery Life
650 shots vs 410 shots 240 more frames with a single charge
Weight
453 g vs 650 g 197 g lighter
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Dynamic Range
13.4 vs 13.0 higher dynamic range
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
UHS Card Support
UHS-I vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
Webcam Function
Yes vs No Use your camera as a Webcam
CHECK SL2 PRICE


Reasons to choose Pentax K-50 over Canon EOS Rebel SL2
In-built Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
Viewfinder Magnification
0.61x vs 0.54x Larger Viewfinder
Max ISO
51.600 vs 25.600 101% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
11 vs 9 2 more focus points
Number of Cross Type Focus Points
9 vs 1 8 more cross type focus points
Viewfinder Coverage
100% vs 95% More accurate viewfinder
Max Mech. Shutter
1/6000s vs 1/4000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
6.0fps vs 5.0fps 1 fps faster
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Flash Coverage
12.0m vs 9.8m 2.2m longer range
Color Depth
23.7 vs 23.6 higher color depth
Low Light ISO
1120 vs 1041 better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area
23.14µm2 vs 13.84µm2 67% larger pixel area
Optical Viewfinder Type
Pentaprism vs Pentamirror Pentaprism Viewfinders are brighter than Pentamirror type
CHECK K-50 PRICE

Common Strengths of Canon EOS Rebel SL2 and Pentax K-50
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Optical) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Continuous Shooting
5.0fps vs 6.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs Yes creative shooting
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Canon EOS Rebel SL2 and Pentax K-50
Canon SL2 vs Pentax K-50: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Canon SL2 and Pentax K-50 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon SL2 has external dimensions of 122 x 93 x 70 mm (4.8 x 3.66 x 2.76″) and weighs 453 g (1.00 lb / 15.98 oz) (including batteries). Pentax K-50 has external dimensions of 130 x 97 x 71 mm (5.12 x 3.82 x 2.8″) and weighs 650 g (1.43 lb / 22.93 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon SL2 and Pentax K-50. Canon SL2 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 8mm narrower, 4mm shorter and 1mm thinner than Pentax K-50.

Canon SL2 vs Pentax K-50 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Canon SL2 and Pentax K-50 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Canon SL2 and Pentax K-50.

Canon SL2 vs Pentax K-50 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Canon SL2 and Pentax K-50 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Canon SL2 and Pentax K-50.
Canon SL2 vs Pentax K-50 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Canon SL2 and Pentax K-50 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon SL2 is significantly lighter (197g ) than the Pentax K-50 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Canon SL2 and Pentax K-50 have the same APS-C sized sensor, their lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will be similar in size and weight.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

SL2
K-50
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

SL2
K-50
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather sealed body of K-50, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to SL2.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon SL2 and Pentax K-50's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

On the other hand, Canon SL2 sports a Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over the head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. Pentax K-50's LCD screen is a fixed type which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to SL2.
Canon SL2 vs Pentax K-50: Sensor Comparison

Canon SL2 has a 24.0MP APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features DIGIC 7 processor. On the other hand, Pentax K-50 has a 16.0MP APS-C (23.7 x 15.7 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features PRIME M processor.

Canon SL2's sensor provides 8MP more than Pentax K-50's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the SL2 and K-50 sensor size comparison.

Canon SL2 vs Pentax K-50 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon SL2 and Pentax K-50 Cameras


As seen above, Pentax K-50 has a 1.1x Larger sensor area than Canon SL2. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores
At Camera Decision, we also look at Dxo Mark sensors when available as we think it is a good indicator of image quality.
Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Canon SL2 79 23.6 bits 13.4 Evs 1041 ISO
Pentax K-50 79 23.7 bits 13.0 Evs 1120 ISO
Canon SL2 vs Pentax K-50 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Canon SL2 has an advantage over Pentax K-50. There are 333 lenses for Canon SL2's Canon EF/EF-S mount, on the other hand there are only 161 lenses for Pentax K-50's Pentax KAF2 lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Pentax K-50 has a big advantage in this regard because it has a sensor based image stabilization which means that all the lenses mounted to this body will be stabilized. On the other hand, Canon SL2 doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 113 lenses for Canon EF/EF-S mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type # of Canon SL2 Lenses # of Pentax K-50 Lenses
Standard Zoom 40 23
Standard Prime 21 23
Wideangle Zoom 37 12
Wideangle Prime 51 26
Telephoto Zoom 59 21
Telephoto Prime 44 15
SuperZoom 28 15
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 7 3
Macro Prime 28 14
Perspective Control Prime 16 8
Telephoto Mirror Prime 1 n/a
TOTAL 333 161


Now let's compare some sample lenses from each mount with typical Focal ranges for Canon SL2 and Pentax K-50 to see how these lenses compares:

Fast Standard Zoom Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens Canon 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM
27.2 - 88mm 645gr 1098gr 111mm Amazon B&H Photo
Pentax smc 16-50mm F2.8 ED Lens Pentax smc 16-50mm F2.8 ED
24 - 75mm 565gr 1215gr 99mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM Lens Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM
80 - 240mm 1350gr 1803gr 198mm Amazon B&H Photo
Pentax DA 50-135mm F2.8 ED Lens Pentax DA 50-135mm F2.8 ED
75 - 202.5mm 685gr 1335gr 136mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Normal Prime Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM Lens Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM
48mm 435gr 888gr 63mm Amazon B&H Photo
Pentax FA 31mm F1.8 L Lens Pentax FA 31mm F1.8 L
31mm 345gr 995gr 69mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Wideangle Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sigma 10-20mm F3.5 EX DC HSM Lens Sigma 10-20mm F3.5 EX DC HSM
16 - 32mm 520gr 973gr 88mm Amazon B&H Photo
Pentax 12-24mm F4.0 ED AL Lens Pentax 12-24mm F4.0 ED AL
18 - 36mm 430gr 1080gr 84mm Amazon B&H Photo
24-105mm f4 Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM
24 - 136mm 575gr 1028gr 88mm Amazon B&H Photo
Pentax 17-70mm F4.0 AL SDM Lens Pentax 17-70mm F4.0 AL SDM
25.5 - 105mm 485gr 1135gr 94mm Amazon B&H Photo
Super-Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM
100 - 400mm 1590gr 2043gr 193mm Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 120-400mm F4.5-5.6 DG HSM Lens Sigma 120-400mm F4.5-5.6 DG HSM
120 - 400mm 1640gr 2290gr 203mm Amazon B&H Photo
What types of Photography are Canon SL2 and Pentax K-50 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Canon SL2 and Pentax K-50 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Canon SL2 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Pentax K-50 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Read the details

Canon SL2 for Street Photography

GOOD

Pentax K-50 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Large Body
Read the details

Canon SL2 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Pentax K-50 for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
1 Cross Type Focus sensors
Good Battery Life: 650 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/6000s
9 Cross Type Focus sensors
11 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 6.0fps
Read the details

Canon SL2 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Pentax K-50 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Large Body
453g
Body Thickness 70mm
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
650g
Body Thickness 71mm
Read the details

Canon SL2 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Pentax K-50 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Read the details

Canon SL2 vs Pentax K-50: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Canon SL2 and Pentax K-50, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Canon SL2 and Pentax K-50 scores compare:

Canon SL2
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #7 out of 79 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #137 out of 1243 in all Cameras
Pentax K-50
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #26 out of 79 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #233 out of 1243 in all Cameras

Canon SL2 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Pentax K-50 in all criteria. It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Canon SL2
Canon SL2
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Pentax K-50
Pentax K-50
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Pentax K-50 vs Canon SL2 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Canon EOS Rebel SL2 Pentax K-50
Brand Canon Pentax
Announced 2017-06-29 2013-11-27
Body Type Compact SLR Compact SLR
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size APS-C APS-C
Dimensions 22.3 x 14.9 mm 23.7 x 15.7 mm
Area 332.27mm2 372.09mm2
Megapixels 24 megapixels 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 6000 x 4000 4928 x 3264
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 51,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 51200 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 9 11
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Canon EF/EF-S Pentax KAF2
Number of Available Lenses 333 161
Screen
Type Fully Articulated Fixed type
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 1,040k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentamirror) Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage 95% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.54x 0.61x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/6000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization No Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 9.80 m (at ISO 100) 12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Max Flash Sync 1/200s 1/180s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 6.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 453g 650g
Dimensions 122 x 93 x 70mm 130 x 97 x 71mm
Battery Life 650 shots 410 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 79 79
DxO Color Depth 23.6 23.7
DxO Dynamic Range 13.4 13.0
DxO Low Light ISO 1041 1120
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