Canon EOS RP

Canon EOS RP Review: budget, shooting quality, and portability

Equipped with a 26.2Mp full-frame sensor, the Canon EOS RP was launched in 2019 claiming to be “the cheapest full frame of all time”. Probably this proclamation was true for a few months, but it is equally undeniable that, more than two years after its launch, the Canon EOS RP continues to be highly sought-after by those on a (relatively) limited budget that are looking for a mirrorless which is an excellent compromise between portability, quality shots and indeed… street price.

Despite the obvious similarities with its older sibling of 2018, the EOS R, the Canon EOS RP has often been compared to the EOS 6D Mark II reflex model, from which it borrows a very similar CMOS sensor (6240x4160 pixels).

From a market placement point of view, on the other hand, the Canon EOS RP is an entry-level that represents the second generation of Canon mirrorless cameras. Not only they are much lighter than SLRs - as were the first models of the EOS M line - but also attentive to the qualitative aspects deriving from the full-frame format. And it is by pursuing this policy that a model like the Canon EOS RP has managed to attract a segment of the public with these strengths: a full-frame format with the same price as the top of the range with APS-C or Micro 4/3 sensors.

Construction and ergonomics of the Canon EOS RP

Smaller, lighter, and more manageable than the EOS R model, the Canon EOS RP has the right weight and dimensions: it does not tire the arm, but it does not even give the unpleasant impression of having a technological toy in your hands. With its 485 grams of weight (battery included) and measures of 132.5x85.0x70.0mm, the Canon EOS RP also has a pronounced grip in rubbery material and the rest of the camera body (tropicalized) is solidly produced with polycarbonate resin and glass fiber, with a magnesium and aluminum alloy frame.

Aesthetically speaking, the camera body is characterized by a matte texture, which makes this Canon EOS RP very elegant, although it’s more exposed to possible scratches. The ergonomic aspects, primarily the layout of the physical controls, have been improved compared to the more chaotic EOS R.

The front view of the Canon EOS RP highlights a very inclined shutter button compared to the top plate, almost in the front position, the release of the optics, the focus light, the in-body microphone for recordings. Seen from above, the Canon EOS RP shows, from the handle side, the shutter button, the M-Fn multifunction - ISO, AF, white balance - the video rec button, and the two command dials. Under the initials EOS RP, the program ring is found. To the left of the flash attachment, the power ring and... nothing else.

On the opposite side of the grip, you find these connectors: microphone, headphones, external remote control, HDMI type C (mini), USB Type-C (which can also be used for charging). The SD card slot is located on the bottom plate of the Canon EOS RP.

On the back, the pad plays a central role, both for shooting (AF point selection), settings, and for its playback. The display is a 3” articulated 1.04 million dot touchscreen, that can be closed to prevent scratches. This is a panel that offers good performance, even though slightly inferior to the Canon EOS R's display, while the EVF is a decent 2.36 million dot OLED, equipped with a sensor that recognizes the eye as it gets closer to it, for the switch with the display. The 0.70x magnification does not represent excellence but it’s enough for a good view of the shots.

La Canon EOS RP at a glance

• Sensor: 26.2Mp CMOS (35.9x24mm) (3:2 aspect ratio)
• Processor: DIGIC8
• Viewfinder: 0.39" color OLED EVF, 2.36 million dots, 100% coverage, 0.70x magnification
• Display: 3” LCD, 1.04 Million dots, 100% coverage, can be rotated 170° vertically and horizontally.
• AutoFocus system: phase difference detection (4779 AF areas)
• ISO range: 50-102400
• Continuous shooting: 4Fps with AF active, 5Fps (without AF)
• Video mode: 4K (16:9) 3840x2160 (25, 23.98 fps); Full HD (16:9) 1920x1080 (59.94, 50, 29.97, 25 fps)
• Interfaces: USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, mini HDMI (Type C), external microphone input, headphone jack, remote control terminal.
• Memory: SD, SDHC, SDXC (UHS-II)
• Battery: LP-E17 rechargeable lithium-ion (about 250 shots)

AF system of the Canon EOS RP

The Canon EOS RP proposes the much known Dual Pixel AF system, together with the renewed Digic 8 processor. The tracking of this Canon EOS RP is therefore reliable, especially in regards to face and eye recognition, quite precise but not lightning-fast. Unless set otherwise, the Canon EOS RP uses the “servo” mode, an autopilot in continuous AF to detect subjects and their movements, but if we scan the AF menu, you can change priorities, customizing the focus. Quick settings are controlled from the “Q” menu, while the display management is very fluid and reactive.

The problem of the Canon EOS RP is the slowness of its sensor in AF reading (1/8 of a second) which can cause on some occasions (not so frequent, fortunately) the notorious rolling shutter effect and some banding problems - the “banded” shades of color - in scenes with artificial lighting.

Canon EOS RP: ISO, photo, and video quality

The Canon EOS RP has a qualitative rendering similar to that of the Canon 6D Mark II but, with a more recent processor, it offers better results in Jpegs, while with RAW files, things do not change: the colors of the Canon EOS RP are very natural, with an Auto mode excellent for natural lights, while for artificial ones, it is better to use the Ambience AWB Priority function, to make the nuances of the skin more believable.

Digital noise does not cause problems up to ISO 3200, it is tolerable at ISO 6400 and is invasive starting from 12800. To limit digital noise, the Canon EOS RP offers a function on three levels, in which the halfway one represents the default.

If the photographic quality of the Canon EOS RP turns out to be close to excellence, the same cannot be said of the video footage, despite reaching the UltraHD standards. Yes, because with the 4K of the EOS RP the problem is the image crop, and by cropping we do not mean only a loss of wide-angle vision, but also of details... since with the cropping the sensor is not used in its entirety. Also, in 4K the AutoFocus Dual Pixel system is missing, with a setback to contrast detection only.

Fortunately, by recording in FullHD things improve, with the possibility of shooting videos at 1080 up to 60p and with the option "HDR" video up to 30p. And let's not forget the presence in this Canon EOS RP of the microphone and headphone jacks: if the recordings are just enough, at least their sound can be of high quality.

Canon EOS RP vs. Canon EOS R

Launched three years ago, the Canon EOS R still has a significantly higher price than the Canon EOS RP. Is this a justified difference, Since the two models have similar characteristics? Maybe this gap is not really there, especially because the sensor of the EOS R is a 30Mp, against the 26 of the Canon EOS RP and we certainly cannot speak of a huge difference.

In addition to this, the Canon EOS RP and its older sibling have the same ISO range, they both have DIGIC 8 processors, microphones, and headphone jacks. They have the same lens adapter, but both lack a built-in flash.

The Canon EOS R, however, has something more: a superior electronic viewfinder, an LCD panel with a better resolution, a burst of 8Fps (and not 4/5Fps), an autonomy of almost 400 shots (the EOS RP attests to around 250) an AutoFocus with 5655 points. Slightly inferior on a technical level, the Canon EOS RP is instead more manageable, has a better ergonomic organization, but above all it is much lighter, with its 485 grams (against 660 of the EOS R). Quality shots and good portability: the Canon EOS RP is the ideal full-frame mirrorless for travel.