The Canon EOS M200 is a small interchangeable lens camera that is easy to use. It has a 24MP sensor, great Dual Pixel autofocus, and gives you a lot of bang for your buck in terms of image quality. It’s the new version of Canon’s M100, which we liked a lot.
Canon hasn’t changed much about how the M200 works, but is that enough to make it stand out in a market where competition is getting stronger? I took the EOS M200 on a quick trip to Oklahoma for a family wedding to see how well it works as a travel camera that can be used to take pictures of almost anything.
1. What is new?
This camera, which replaces the older EOS M100, has one less button, a micro USB connection instead of a mini one, and the “Auto” setting on the mode dial is white instead of green. Yes, there isn’t much to talk about, so I just talked about that.
Most of the important changes on the inside come from a new processor. The first is Eye Detect autofocus. Older Canon EOS cameras were pretty good at recognizing faces, but seeing the camera pick up on your subject’s eye, even when shooting in full auto, gives me more confidence that the focus will be right where I want it.
The new processor also adds 4K video (though it’s heavily cropped, making it hard to get wide-angle footage with the kit lens) and a new compressed Raw format. The battery life is a little bit better, and the battery life is a little bit longer. The old way of processing Raw files in-camera is no longer available. Instead, the Creative Assist function, which is easier to use but less powerful, has been added.
I’m torn between liking CRaw (which shrinks file sizes without losing too much quality) and being upset that “proper” in-camera Raw processing has been taken away. But I have to say that none of this matters much to the target audience and could even be a good thing. Anyone who has changed their own Instagram filters can use the simpler processing interface, which lets you change things like brightness, contrast, and color tone.
The M200 is still, at its heart, a very small, quick camera that won’t weigh you down. And that is important to me and to the people I want to reach.
2. Works
I liked how fun the M100 was, and the M200 is the same way. It’s easy to carry around and takes great pictures, whether you’re out getting pizza or taking pictures of your family dancing. The menu system is getting a little crowded, but it’s not too hard to find what you want. This is a problem that most cameras have these days.
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are also pretty polished ways to connect. Set up a Bluetooth connection with the M200, and it will keep that connection even when the camera is turned off. This won’t affect the battery life much. So, even if the camera is on a shelf across the room, you can open the app on your phone and quickly start looking through your pictures as long as you are in range of the camera.
The 15-45mm F3.5-6.3 kit lens is good, but not great, in my opinion. It has a very useful zoom range and is very small, but you’ll want to get one of Canon’s or Sigma’s EF-M mount prime lenses if you want to shoot in low light or have more creative options with your photos. The Canon EF-M 22mm F2 is a real gem because it is small, cheap, and has great optics. The only downside is that it is a bit slow to focus. But it should be the first thing anyone with a Canon EOS M buys.
Canon needs to change its full auto mode for its target audience, which is made up of new users and social media experts. This mode usually gives you good exposure and autofocus (and you can always tap the screen to choose your subject if the camera doesn’t get it right), but the M200 hates using fast prime lenses at their widest apertures. This means that photos taken with the M200 in low light aren’t as clear as they should be, and you won’t get the shallow depth-of-field effect you might want.
The above picture was taken in low light with a mostly still subject. The camera should have been set to F2 instead of F2.8. Since the ISO value would be lower, my subject would have less grain and more detail. So, if you’re looking at faster prime lenses for the M200, keep in mind that you might need to switch to a more advanced exposure mode to get the most out of them.
Canon says that the EOS M200 can now be charged over USB, but I still haven’t found a charger that will work with it. We think it needs a charger that is compatible with “Power Delivery,” but Canon hasn’t confirmed this. The autofocus system works well most of the time, but in low light it still lags and hunts more than I’d expect.
Conclusion
In general, the Canon EOS M200 is a good camera. Like its predecessor, I think this one is more than the sum of its parts. For people who are just starting out with photography, the M200 is a good, affordable option that is easy to use and makes nice photos quickly. Due to its slower burst speeds and slightly hunty autofocus, it won’t be the best choice for capturing fast-moving or unpredictable subjects like active children: For family photos, Sony’s more expensive a6100 is a better choice.
Not every experienced photographer will like it. For those people, Canon’s own EOS M6 Mark II is a better choice, but I find the M200 to be a nice escape when I want good image quality without carrying around a bigger camera.
The EOS M200 is a good choice if you want a small, casual camera that won’t scare you or your friends away. It has good wireless connectivity for easy sharing, and you might even want to add an extra lens or two in the future.
