Canon EOS M200, analysis: review with characteristics and opinion

Canon EOS M200, analysis: review with characteristics and opinion

Canon continues to insist that if you like photography, you go beyond mobile photography. And for this it has in its catalog compact and easy-to-use mirrorless cameras. One of the latest to arrive is the Canon EOS M200 , a natural replacement for the Canon EOS M100. It is a mirrorless camera with a 24.1 megapixel sensor, 4K video, Dual Pixel focusing system and a flip-up screen . A camera that, combined with one of Canon's compact EF-M lenses, can be carried in practically any bag or backpack. And when we want to take photography a little further, we will have a large catalog of lenses to choose from.

As I said, the Canon EOS M200 is a camera designed to replace our mobile phone as a camera for everything . That is, it is ideal to take with us on a trip and thus give our creations an extra point of quality. All this with a very simple operation, with guided menus and many preset modes to achieve the best results quickly. I have had the opportunity to spend a few weeks with the camera and take it for a walk to take some pictures. So in this review I tell you what the Canon EOS M200 offers us.

Canon EOS M200
Sensor24.1 MP APS-C
Image processorDIGIC 8
FocusDual Pixel CMOS AF system, Maximum 143 points depending on the lens
ISO sensitivity100 - 25600 in 1/3 stop increments
Continuous shootingFrame-to-Frame AF: Approx. 6.1 shots / s

With Servo AF: Approx. 4 shots / s

ViewfinderDoes not have
screen3-inch LCD (TFT) touch panel, Flip up 180 °
Video4K up to 25p, FHD up to 60p, HD up to 120p
Connectivity802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1, HDMI micro type D, micro USB
BatteryLP-E12, Autonomy approx. 315 shots
StorageSD, SDHC, or SDXC (UHS-I compliant)
Dimensions108.2 x 67.1 x 35.1 mm
Weight299 grams (body only)
AvailabilityAvailable
Price610 euros (kit with EF-M 15-45mm lens)

Design and handling

we have tested Canon EOS M200 body

The Canon EOS M200 seeks to offer a simple operation, so that users accustomed to using the mobile as a camera can switch to this without a mirror without too much complication. And that is something that shows in its design.

we have tested Canon EOS M200 buttons top

Thus, the vast majority of controls that we find on SLR cameras or other more advanced mirrorless cameras disappear from the camera body. So much so that on the top of the EOS M200 we only have two buttons: the shutter release button and the power button . Around the trigger we have the only rotary dial that we will find on the camera. And along with the power button is a small switch that allows us to switch between a fully automatic mode, Photo mode and Video mode, nothing more.

we have tested Canon EOS M200 flash

And since we are talking about the upper part, comment that we do not have an optical viewfinder . Of course, Canon has included a retractable flash that we can take out using a small slider located on the left side (looking at the camera from behind).

we have tested Canon EOS M200 rear

If we go to the rear we will find a 3-inch screen that occupies almost the entire surface of the camera. To the right of the screen we have the Menu button, a button to record video, the Play button and a cross that will give us access to various functions.

Through this crosshead we can activate / deactivate the flash, change the information displayed on the screen and access exposure compensation.

we have tested Canon EOS M200 connectors

To complete the review of the design of the Canon EOS M200 we must take a look at the left side of the camera (looking at it from behind). In this we have two hard plastic caps. One hides the HDMI connector (micro D type connector) and the Micro USB . Under the other cover we find the slot for the Micro SD card. We can use SD, SDHC or SDXC cards (compatible with UHS-I) .

At the opposite end we have no connector. In other words, the camera does not have a connection for a remote trigger or a port to connect an external microphone . The latter could be a problem if we want to use this camera for vlogging.

we have tested Canon EOS M200 battery

On the front of the camera we only have a small button to be able to disconnect the lens. We will only have to press it and turn the objective to remove it.

Finally, we have the battery placed at the bottom. It is protected with a cover that we will have to slide to open it. Next to it we have a tripod socket.

screen

we have tested Canon EOS M200 shot down

As we do not have a viewer, we will have to use the screen for everything. The Canon EOS M200 has a 3-inch touch screen and a resolution of approximately 1,040,000 pixels . It offers 100% coverage and 170 ° viewing angles both horizontally and vertically.

On the other hand, the screen is tiltable 180 ° upwards . And only upwards. That is to say, we cannot put it slightly inclined downwards, as it happens in cameras like the Canon EOS M6 Mark II. Of course, if we take out the flash we will cover part of the screen. And, on the other hand, I was surprised that if we have the screen raised completely, the flash cannot be opened, since the screen "steps on" the flash opening mechanism. It is not a problem to record, since we will only have to move the screen a little and then put it back in place. But it has caught my attention.

we have tested Canon EOS M200 interface

From the screen of the Canon EOS M200 we can do practically everything. From positioning the focus point to configuring the vast majority of shooting options and menus.

In addition, it will help us to see perfectly the careful guided interface that Canon offers for beginners (if we want to activate it of course). If we use the fully automatic mode we can use a preset and the camera will do everything for us. For example, we can indicate "Background blur", Brightness or Saturation, among others. However, as we will now see, I think it is not the best way to work with this camera.

Focus and shoot

The Canon EOS M200 uses the Dual Pixel CMOS AF system . It has phase detection pixels built into the image sensor with a maximum of 143 points , depending on the lens. Plus, it has face-tracking tracking and, best of all, the option to activate eye-detection autofocus .

The shooting speed is not too surprising, but perhaps sufficient for the type of user this camera is aimed at. Specifically, it offers 6 fps with one-shot AF and only 4 fps with Servo AF . So it is not the ideal camera for taking photos of sports activities, for example.

Although it is intended for beginner users or photographers who do not want to complicate their life too much, the Canon EOS M200 offers some advanced features. For example, you have the option to shoot in RAW and CRAW , Canon's compressed format.

we have tested Canon EOS M200 normal modes

Before I go on to review the image quality this camera offers, it's worth noting that it has some pretty cool auto modes. And, as I said at the beginning, Canon sees the EOS M200 as a replacement for the mobile. So the camera interface has some similarities to smartphones .

To switch between modes we do not have an external dial, so we will have to do it from the settings menu. Click on Menu and the first option in "Shooting Settings" is "Shooting Mode". Here we have the usual modes Manual, AV (we adjust aperture), TV (we adjust speed) and P (we adjust brightness, focus point and other settings). But if we continue to the right we will see new image modes.

we have tested Canon EOS M200 new modes

These new image modes are more like those offered by any mobile. And the truth is that the variety is very high. We have from a Portrait mode to creative effects such as HDR relief art, through Landscape, Sports, Close-up, Food, Night portrait and many more .

And since I have all the analysis saying that this camera is designed to replace a mobile, I have decided to do the image tests using all these shooting modes to see what results they gave. I always shoot manually for analysis, but this time it seemed appropriate to use the automatic modes and check the direct camera results.

Picture quality

The lens used was the one in the kit, a 15-45mm f / 3.5-6.3 . It offers a very useful zoom range, while keeping the compact design. It's fine to begin with, but if the photography bug bites us and we want to go a little further, we will surely end up buying an extra lens.

we-tested-Canon-EOS-M200-12

The fully automatic mode almost always gives us a good exposure and focus. However, in low-light photos it produces a bit more noise than it should . This is because it does not usually choose the maximum aperture that the lens offers, but rather increases the ISO value.

That aside, the overall image quality is very good . The colors are quite true to life and the photos are sharp. Of course, in automatic mode it tends to overexpose slightly .

Autofocus is fast and in the menu we have a Sport mode that provides a fairly effective continuous focus. The burst is not too impressive, with 4 fps if we activate the Servo, but enough for most of the users that this camera is aimed at.

we have tested Canon EOS M200 self portrait mode

The Canon EOS M200 offers us many predefined modes so that we can choose the one that best suits the type of photography we are going to take. We have a Self-Portrait mode (the one chosen to take the photo you have on these lines), a Landscape mode, a Portrait mode, an interesting Close-up mode, Food mode, Night Portrait mode, Backlight mode, Black and white mode and even several modes creative (Watercolor, Toy Camera, Miniature and many more).

They are modes that surely like those who come from a mobile. Some are quite curious and allow us to give our photographs an artistic touch. Of course we also have a fully manual mode , although with the camera having so few physical controls it is a bit cumbersome to work with it.

So that you can see some of the images that can be obtained with the predefined modes, I leave you here a small gallery with some samples. They are all direct camera JPEGs.

Gallery of photos taken with the Canon EOS M200

4K video with cropping

Another novelty regarding the Canon EOS M100 is 4K video recording . However, there are two important details to take into account when we talk about the video section of the new model. On the one hand, the AF method used when recording changes from phase detection to contrast-based detection .

And on the other hand, that the Canon EOS M200 applies a 1.6x crop to the field of view when recording in 4K resolution . As a result, the 15-45mm kit lens, which typically has an effective focal length of 24-72mm, is stretched to 38-115mm. This, which in most situations surely does not affect us, can be a problem when vlogging.

It will also be advisable to record in 1080p resolution if we are going to record moving subjects. The camera has face tracking and eye focus , but this does not work if we shoot in 4K .

Conclusions and price

The Canon EOS M200 is, overall, a good camera. It is a very capable option, fun to use and that allows us to obtain quality photographs without too many complications. It may fall short for more experienced photographers, but for beginners it is an option to consider.

we have tested Canon EOS M200 final

We can get the Canon EOS M200 in two colors: black and white with silver . Its official price is 610 euros in kit with the EF-M 15-45mm f / 3.5-6.3 IS STM lens .