With the full-frame digital camera market steadily expanding beyond the professional realm, camera manufacturers see an opportunity to showcase the benefits of having a full-frame body to pretty much everyone, from enthusiasts and bloggers/influencers to stay-at-home moms and dads. The new Canon EOS RP is small, lightweight, super easy to use for new and experienced photographers, and very affordable.
For context, when the Canon EOS 6D Mark II debuted in the summer of 2017, it was positioned as an entry-level full-frame DSLR for $2,000. The EOS RP shares a few specs with the 6D2, but debuted at a $1,300 price-point while adding capabilities from the EOS R as well as access to Canon’s outstanding new RF lenses.
“The concept behind this camera is to make full-frame mirrorless more accessible to a larger audience, and to make the RF mount more accessible. To do so, the price was key. We had to make sure to get the right price point,” says Yoichi Sato, Senior Project Manager for Canon Inc’s Image Communication Business Products Development Centre.
We first took the EOS RP out for a spin in New Orleans where we had a chance to test out its main features for a day. A few days later, Canon sent us a review unit, alongside two lenses, to really explore its capabilities. Lenses included:
- Canon RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM
- Canon RF 35mm F1.8 MACRO IS STM
- Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L USM
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II USM
Keep an eye out for our RF lens reviews in the near future, but of the four lenses we tested during our review, the RF 50mm F1.2 was our favorite. It’s an expensive but spectacular prime lens.
Key Features
- 26.2MP Full-frame CMOS Sensor
- DIGIC 8 Image Processor
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF for Fast and Accurate AF
- 143 area pisions for AF mode; 4779 selectable positions
- Eye detection with One Shot and Servo AF
- ISO 100-40,000 (50-102,400 expanded)
- 4fps on continuous
- 2.36M-dot 0.39-inch EVF
- 3-inch 1.04M-dot Vari-angle Touchscreen LCD with Touch and Drag AF
- USB charge compatible
- WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity
- Focus Bracketing, with Stacking using Canon’s DPP4 Software
- Dual Sensing IS up to 5 stops
- Cropped 4K @ 24p, 4K timelapse
- Single SD slot for UHS-II
- Dimensions: 132.5 x 85.3 x 70mm
- Weight: 485g
- Battery life: Approximately 250 shots per full charge
What’s In the Box?
- EOS RP Camera Body
- Battery Pack LP-E17
- Battery Charger LC-E17
- Wide Neck Strap
Pricing & Availability
The Canon EOS RP is available now in two variations:
- Body Only – $1299 MSRP
- With RF 24-105mm IS USM Kit – $2399 MSRP (it’s probably the best “kit lens” ever made)
Also, Canon is running a promotion through the end of March where, if you buy the RP, the RP + RF 24-105 kit, OR the RP with the EF 24-105mm F4 (the dSLR version), they’ll include a free EF adapter, which will let you use any EF or EF-S lens with the RP, as well as an EG-E1 grip extension grip, which makes the camera taller.
EOS RP vs. EOS R
Here are the main differences between the EOS R and its entry-level counterpart:
- Price: the RP is $1,000 cheaper at $1,299
- Megapixels: the R has 30.3MP while the RP has 26.2MP
- SD Card Slots: the R has a dual card slot, both support UHS-II
- Focus Bracketing: the RP is the first Canon body to feature it
- AF Points: the RP has less, with only 4779 selectable points
- 4K Frame Rates: the RP shoots 4K at 24fps while the R captures 4K at up to 30fps
- EVF: the RP has a 0.39-inch 2.36M-dot EVF while the R has a 0.5-type 3.69M-dot one
- LCD Monitor: the RP has a 3-inch 1.04M-dot screen while the R has a 3.15-inch 2.10M-dot one
- Multi-Function Bar: The RP lacks the multi-function bar found on the R
- Size and Weight: the RP is 175 g lighter and considerably smaller
Note: head over to Steve’s Digicams for the Canon EOS RP Full Review.