Why a long time amateur photog buys a used M50 Mark II.
Considering more travel in retirement I had a vision of toting a Leica style camera with a thin brown strap and a leather base wrap to take fun tourist pics, aluminum silver body and mid century style! I’ve almost achieved it but in the 21^(st) century.
TL;DR Why a long time amateur photog bought a used M50 Mark II.
My first Canon was an AE-1 35mm film camera, I’ve owned a wide variety of small , medium and Large format film cameras. I loved shooting E-6 transparencies. I ran a design studio and used the cameras for all types 0of photo-documentation. For some reason I can’t let go of my Speedotron Brownline strobes and stands. Hmmm - I digress – it comes with age.
I have an adequate and useful Canon 80D sitting in a backpack with a variety of lenses and accessories. It has done me well for house photographs and for when a good camera was essential. I live in the US and Mexico, and last year I simply didn’t take it with when traveling to MX. Too bulky, too heavy, not used enough. I can use my phone. These were my mental justifications. Sad times.
Problem is – I HATE using a phone as a camera. Too few choices in taking the images … and my images are lost amongst a sea of album covers and unnecessary online image litter. Also, when travelling, why is your most precious digital life-leash held out in front of you for selfies and photos. Not smart.
I needed a small compact snapshot camera, with changeable lenses, perhaps a fast pancake. Low intimidation factor – a street camera. My 80D doesn’t meet the use case. Spent a ton of time on You-tube and Chat GPT, discovered quickly that used makes sense, came close to a Sony A6100, then interested the latest Panasonic Lumix camera. Then I discovered that the M50 came in white! Very unobtrusive, especially with small silver-colored lenses. It is APS-C like my 80D and I can leverage my broader lense family if I like. SOLD! I chased all over and bought an M50 Mark II body, the silver kit-lense and a few silver-colored lenses from Japan.
I am jazzed about photography again, and I can hardly wait for the arrival and messing with it, and toting the little thing around. I need to order the thin, brown straps and a leather base - modern mid-century!
I will share images (like so many of you) when I get all of the bits in motion!
