Full-frame for everyone? Canon EOS RP debuts entry-level full-frame mirrorless with impressive low price
posted Thursday, February 14, 2019 at 12:02 AM EDT
Click here to read our Canon EOS RP Hands-On Preview
While a lot of folks get caught in the hype for the latest high-end flagship camera, most of those types of camera are big, feature-packed and complex to operate, not to mention often extremely expensive for the majority of photographers out there. Canon's latest mirrorless offering, the full-frame EOS RP, is a rather impressive little camera, with an equally impressive price tag for a full-frame camera. In fact, at this point, the Canon EOS RP is the most affordable all-new full-frame camera on the market.
Back towards the end of 2018, Canon debuted their first full-frame mirrorless camera, the Canon EOS R. Compact, sturdy and built around a big 30MP full-frame sensor from the 5D Mark IV, the EOS R -- though not a "pro-tier" camera -- was aimed at a more enthusiast audience, with a characteristically higher price tag to match. At $2300 for just the body, the EOS R is a serious purchase, especially so for many photographers contemplating their first move into a full-frame camera system.
However, with the new Canon EOS RP, photographers can get into the full-frame world without an enormous investment (and if they already have Canon EF lenses, even better). At just $1,299 for the body, the Canon EOS RP is very affordable for a full-frame camera, coming in well under the original $2000 MSRP of the 6D Mark II, Canon's "entry-level" full-frame DSLR. Plus, unlike a large DSLR, the new EOS RP is exceptionally compact, feeling more like an APS-C camera than a full-frame offering.
Specs-wise, the Canon EOS RP is understandingly a more beginner-focused camera, with a healthy but manageable megapixel count, modest burst rates and simplified video shooting capabilities. Sporting a 26.2-megapixel full-frame sensor pulled from the 6D Mark II (though tuned for the mirrorless RF-mount) but paired with Canon's latest DIGIC 8 image processor, the EOS RP offers the same ISO range as the 6D II, captures images at up to 5fps with S-AF (or up to 4fps with C-AF), and is capable of 4K video (though only at 24fps).
Like the EOS R, the RP uses Dual Pixel CMOS AF phase-detection autofocus with impressive coverage across the frame and a vast number of AF points. Now, despite the entry-level category, the EOS RP does have new tricks up its sleeve, including Eye AF that works with Servo AF, a new more precise Spot AF point mode and automatic focus bracketing.
We were invited to a pre-launch press event and had the chance to get hands-on and shoot with the new Canon EOS RP for a day. Smaller, lighter and yet still well-built and weather-sealed, the EOS RP is a fun little camera that's super easy to carry with you all day. Though not a speed demon for sports and action by any means when it comes to burst shooting, the camera's phase-detect AF system is fast, responsive and more than capable for general shooting. Image quality, from an initial look at real-world photos, looks great, with lots of detail and vibrant colors. Of course, it's way too early to make any final verdicts on the camera, and we still need to get a sample into the IR Testing Lab, but from what we've seen so far, the Canon EOS RP looks to be a really pleasing and impressive entry-level full-frame camera.
For all the details on the camera's specs and features as well as how the camera handles and performs out in the field, check out our in-depth Canon EOS RP Hands-On Preview. Also, be sure to check our Image Gallery for a handful of real-world photos.
• Canon EOS RP Hands-On Preview • Gallery Images •