EOS 200D full review
Canon’s baby DSLR gets a long-awaited replacement and now punches well above its weight, says ben andrews
The crop-sensor DSLR gets a full test
the EOS 100D was blessed with such petite proportions that you could almost have called it cute. But size isn’t everything, and after four years of technology advances, the new EOS 200D is bristling with enhancements. At its heart is a new 24.2MP sensor and cutting-edge DIGIC 7 image processor, upping sensitivity to ISO 51200 in expanded mode. Built-in Wi-fi, NFC and Bluetooth are also on hand, and photographers new to DSLR shooting will appreciate Canon’s guided shooting mode.
Build & handling
One of the 200D’s most obvious new features is its articulating screen; but this adds bulk, so it’s not surprising that the 200D is fractionally larger than its predecessor, and 46g heavier.
The 200D’s grip is relatively cramped if your paws are on the large side, and there isn’t much space to rest your thumb. The redesigned power switch is ideally positioned for your thumb to operate, though, while some pleasantly responsive touch-screen controls easily help to compensate for the relatively fiddly rear directional pad. The display itself is also a pleasure to view, with excellent viewing angles, brightness and colour accuracy.
Performance
The combination of Canon’s Dual Pixel AF and stepping motor lens provides near-instantaneous focussing in good light, and only a half-second pause with no focus hunting in dimmer conditions. Focusing is also impressively rapid in Live View, and the STM kit lens manages silent focus transitions during video capture, albeit with around a two-second lag when
Specifications
Sensor 24.2MP APS-C CMOS
Image processor Digic 7
af points 9 (1 cross type)
ISO range 100-25,600 (51,200 exp)
max Image Size 6000x4000
metering zones 63
HD VIDEO 1080p at 60 and 50fps
Viewfinder Pentamirror, 95%
memory card SD/SDHC/SDXC
LCD 3-inch vari-angle touch-screen,
1040k dots
max burst 5fps (6 Raw/unlimited JPEG)
connectivity Wi-fi, NFC, Bluetooth
Size 122.4x92.6x69.8mm
weight 453g
web www.canon.co.uk
body only price £579/$549
refocusing between near and far focal points.
Unfortunately, having just nine phase-detect AF points in regular viewfinder shooting, across a limited frame area, makes it tricky to lock onto off-centre objects, but you get 49 contrast-detect focus points if you switch to Live View.
image quality
Canon’s 24.2MP sensor produces attractive images with pleasing colours and good dynamic range at lower sensitivities. Go past ISO 3200 and highlights are prone to burning out, but noise is wellcontrolled, with images taken at ISO 12800 being very usable, providing you accept some fine detail loss. The 18-55mm IS STM kit lens also puts in a solid performance: it’s sharp right into the corners of the frame, while the 200D’s lens aberration correction eliminates fringing.
The 100D’s compactness has secured it a distinct niche. The 200D is only marginally larger, though it’s enough to bring it close to the size of competing cameras, diminishing any novelty factor.
The 200D is nevertheless a very capable all-round DSLR that’s easy to use. It’s more compelling than Canon’s EOS 1300D, especially with the excellent IS STM kit lens, but it does cost nearly twice as much.