Canon EOS RP Review (original) (raw)

Canon is trying to go after a new market with its latest full-frame mirrorless camera, the EOS RP ($1,299, body only). It's the smallest full-frame model to date, and its price is lower than any other digital full-frame, not counting a couple of older models selling at a discount. Canon still has some work to do when it comes to developing the RF system—especially in the realm of compact and affordable lenses—but the RP itself is a solid entry-level model. If you're not an action sports photographer and are interested in moving to a full-frame system it's an appealing option, and if you're worried about lens costs you can use Canon SLR lenses via an adapter until the native RF system is more mature.

Small Body, Big Sensor

The RP's headline feature is its size. It's a light (1.1-pound), svelte (3.4 by 5.2 by 2.8 inches, HWD) camera with a comfortable grip and ample controls.

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Canon doesn't advertise the RP as being protected from dust and moisture, but does indicate the level of protection is similar to the midrange 80D SLR. I feel comfortable using the 80D in light precipitation, but would take caution to add some external protection before taking it out in heavier weather.

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Some photographers may even find the RP to be a bit too small, so Canon is bringing a modest add-on grip to market. The $79.99 Extension Grip EG-E1 adds just a little bit of height to the body and grip, without sacrificing access to the battery compartment or tripod socket. It's available in black, to match the camera body, but is also available with blue or red accents, if you want to add just a little bit of flair to the kit.

I tried the camera with and without the grip, and it's certainly more comfortable in my hands with it added. Your mileage may vary, especially if you have smaller hands. For context, I typically feel very comfortable with a full-frame mirrorless camera or SLR without an integrated grip. Huge bodies like the Canon EOS-1D X are not my cup of tea.

Lenses and Kits

The asking price is a big deal too. We've seen full-frame mirrorless cameras sell for around 1,000before,butit′salwaysbeenadiscountonamodelthatpreviouslysoldformore.Thecurrentdiscountdarlingisthe[Sonya7II](/reviews/sony−alpha−7−ii),whichcarriesa1,000 before, but it's always been a discount on a model that previously sold for more. The current discount darling is the Sony a7 II, which carries a 1,000before,butit′salwaysbeenadiscountonamodelthatpreviouslysoldformore.Thecurrentdiscountdarlingisthe[Sonya7II](/reviews/sony−alpha−7−ii),whichcarriesa1,399 body-only price tag, but is, at press time, on sale for 999asabodyonlyorfor999 as a body only or for 999asabodyonlyorfor1,199 with a basic 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens. You can also still buy the original Sony a7 for around $800 without a lens, but it's a very old camera and I'd recommend skipping it, even when bargain hunting. It was a groundbreaking camera when it was released in 2013, but today it's dated.

The RP's 1,299body−onlypriceiscompetitive,butCanon′skitoptionsdon′tlookasattractive.YoucangettheRPwiththenative[RF24−105mmF4LISUSM](/reviews/canon−rf−24−105mm−f4−l−is−usm)for1,299 body-only price is competitive, but Canon's kit options don't look as attractive. You can get the RP with the native RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM for 1,299body−onlypriceiscompetitive,butCanon′skitoptionsdon′tlookasattractive.YoucangettheRPwiththenative[RF24−105mmF4LISUSM](/reviews/canon−rf−24−105mm−f4−l−is−usm)for2,399, or in a bundle with the EF 24-105mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM and EF-EOS R adapter for $1999.

Neither kit incorporates a discount, although Canon will be offering a temporary price reduction through March 30. If you buy the RP during that time with the RF 24-105mm you'll receive a $200 discount, as well as a bundled Extension Grip.

Canon also skipped kit discounts when bundling the RF 24-105mm with the EOS R. The downside is that you're not saving money by buying the components together. If there's a silver lining, it does give you some flexibility in picking your first lens—you don't feel locked into starting with the kit zoom—but there's also a touch of gray, as there simply aren't a lot of lenses available for the RF system right now.

Both kits have their own appeal. If you don't have an investment in Canon EF SLR lenses, think about splurging for the RF 24-105mm F4 bundle—it's a better lens than the EF 24-105mm F3.5-5.6. If you do already have a lot of Canon lenses, getting a bundled adapter will allow you to use them with the RP, and while the 24-105mm STM doesn't have the brightest aperture, it's a fine performer.

But it does point out a weakness with the RF lens system, as it stands in its very early stages of development—affordable glass. Canon's initial batch of lenses was almost all L-series—its top-end glass—with the exception of the RF 35mm F1.8 Macro IS STM—and will be joined by a 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM later this year, although we don't know how much the 24-240mm will cost.

Canon's upcoming lens roadmap is heavily slanted toward pro users. Where are the low-cost zooms? It looks like Canon is steering you to EF SLR lenses and adapters to meet the needs of customers with tighter budgets. It's not a bad strategy—Canon has a vast library of SLR lenses at all types of price points—but we'd still like to see a lens designed and priced like the EF 24-105mm F3.5-5.6 IS STM in a native RF mount to better match the RP in price and size.

Body and Controls

We've talked about just how small the RP is, but how does it handle? Pretty well, it turns out, although photographers used to pro bodies may find it a bit lacking. I was happy to see that Canon has included two control dials—key if you want to have quick access to both shutter and aperture control when shooting in Manual or Canon's unique Flexible Priority (Fv) exposure mode. I was less happy to see the On/Off switch all by itself at the left side of the top plate, just as it is on the EOS R body—I'm more of a fan of cameras that put power around the shutter release.

Both dials are on the top plate. The front wheel sits vertically, at the top of the handgrip, just behind the angled shutter release. The rear wheel is a horizontal one. It sits flat against the rear of the top plate, so you can turn it comfortably with your right thumb. A Lock switch sits next to it, an odd feature in a camera aimed at the entry-level market. Engaging the lock turns off the controls. It's a useful feature when you have exposure settings locked in for a scene and don't want to risk accidental changes. To avoid any sort of confusion, the RP displays Controls Locked in the viewfinder and LCD when the lock is engaged.

The RP does include Canon's M-Fn button, a powerful, customizable button that, by default, is used to change the active autofocus area in conjunction with the turn of a dial. I'm not a fan of that operation, so I reprogrammed the button to toggle through the various focus area settings with a single press.

The only other button up top is Record, which starts video rolling with a single press. The button uses the controls saved in the C3 bank, so you can set the frame rate and resolution, but you'll be stuck in a Program mode. Manual exposure isn't available, although you can change the brightness of your clip using EV compensation. If you're serious about video, the RP probably isn't the camera for you, but it does allow for full manual exposure when rolling video if you move the Mode dial to the video position.

Speaking of the Mode dial, the RP has one—the higher-end EOS R does not, opting instead for a button to change the shooting mode. I like the dial approach better—you always have a visual indicator of how the camera is set. The RP offers the standard modes ranging from fully automatic to fully manual, and includes three customizable C slots, Scene settings, and Canon's unique Fv mode.

We first saw Fv—Flexible Priority—in the EOS R. It gives you ready access to the shutter, aperture, ISO, and EV control. You use the rear dial to toggle among them and the front dial to change the value. I don't personally find it to be that useful—I'm happy shooting in Manual mode with automatic ISO engaged—but I won't fault Canon for including it. Flexible Priority could come in handy for certain disciplines, and is a good tool to teach budding shutterbugs the relationship between the f-stop, shutter speed, ISO, and exposure.

The rear control layout is very similar to what you see on the EOS R, although the RP does omit the EOS R's divisive, touch-sensitive M-Fn Bar. The Menu button is at the top left corner, next to the EVF eyecup, and the remainder of the controls are on the right side. The AF ON, AE-L (*), and Focus Area buttons are at the top right corner, raised slightly when compared with the thumb rest indentation that sits next to them.

Below the thumb rest we find Info, Play, and Delete buttons, along with a four-way directional pad and the Q/Set button. There's no dedicated focus joystick, but you can set the rear d-pad to move the focus area around, or use the touch LCD to set the focus point.

The RP's physical interface is fairly configurable. Different buttons can be programmed to do different things. If you don't use the rear AF ON button for its default purpose you can set it to do something else. The on-screen Q menu isn't configurable, but does provide ready access to about a dozen functions, including the Drive setting, metering pattern, and focus mode.

Canon has opted to use a swing-out, vari-angle LCD on the RP. I like the versatility the screen provides—you can view it from pretty much any angle, and even face it forward for vlogging and selfies. Some other mirrorless models, including the older Sony a7 II, which is priced in line with the RP, include screens that tilt up and down, but don't swing out or face forward. The downside is that it's not as fast to simply tilt the screen for a quick low-angle shot.

The screen itself is sharp and bright, squeezing 1,040k dots into its 3-inch frame. I didn't have any issues seeing it outdoors on a bright winter morning in New Orleans. There is also an EVF for eye-level use. The viewfinder is sharp at 2.36 million dots, and refreshes at a brisk 60fps, but is rather small. At 0.7x magnification it's more in line with APS-C models in size, not the huge EVFs we've seen in the recent spate of pricey full-frame rivals like the Nikon Z 6.

Getting used to the small EVF was the biggest hurdle I faced in actually using the RP. I've grown accustomed to using cameras like the Z 6, the Sony a7 III, and Canon's own EOS R, all of which sport modern viewfinders that are as big to the eye as a pro-level SLR. From a practical standpoint, I didn't have a problem framing my subject or getting a general feel for a scene with the RP, but I did struggle to notice some smaller, distracting objects in the background of a frame that I would have likely noticed had I been using a bigger EVF.

Power and Connectivity

The EOS RP includes the normal assortment of wireless tech. It has Bluetooth, which makes it easier to connect to your phone, as well as Wi-Fi for video and image transfer. It works with both Android and iOS devices, using the Canon Camera Connect app. The app supports image and video transfer as well as remote control.

The RP is the first full-frame Canon camera in recent memory to use a battery other than the ubiquitous LP-E6N. The E6N is too big to fit in the RP's grip, so Canon has opted for a smaller battery here. Because of this, the RP is only rated to get about 250 shots per charge. Using Wi-Fi can cut into the figure, and if you use burst capture heavily you'll get more. But I found the estimate to be a good one—I got about 325 shots over a full day of photography before the battery gave up the fight.

The RP has a single UHS-II SD memory slot, located in the same compartment as the battery. It also has physical connections for a wired remote control, mini HDMI and USB-C ports, and 3.5mm headphone and microphone connections.

Autofocus and Imaging

The EOS RP isn't the camera to reach for when it's time to photograph fast-moving subjects. Its autofocus system is a little slow to lock on, requiring about 0.2-second to do so, and its burst rate is a very modest 5fps with locked focus and just 3fps when tracking moving subjects. The shooting buffer is big, though—I was able to capture about 60 Raw+JPG photos before it filled, a full 12 seconds worth of action.

The autofocus system itself, which uses the same sensor-based Dual Pixel AF technology found in the EOS R and APS-C EOS M family, is accurate and responsive, even when working in dim light.

But 3fps isn't enough for most types of action. You can work with it and still get good results, but you'll need to do a better job getting your timing down to get the shot of the soccer ball going into the goal with a camera that shoots at 3fps versus one with a speedier shooting rate.

The EOS RP enjoys a big advantage over SLRs in terms of coverage area. Because it's a mirrorless camera, the focus system is right on the image sensor, and covers most of the frame—about 88 percent from left to right and the entirety from top to bottom. SLRs, especially affordable full-frame models, group the focus points in a much smaller, central area of the frame.

Because of this the RP can find a subject almost anywhere in an image. And the Dual Pixel AF system does a very good job of locking onto something. I was a little disappointed with its Face and Eye detection, however. The camera tended to lose faces if they were even partially obscured, and didn't lock onto eyes with the same confidence and readiness as the Sony a7 III. I saw the same behavior with the EOS R—not surprising, as it uses a very similar focus system.

Of course, you don't have to let the RP choose the focus point or identify faces and pupils for you. There are plenty of manual focus areas available, including a small pinpoint focus all the way to larger groups of points that you can move using the touch function of the LCD or the rear directional pad. And you can always tap on the rear screen to identify a subject for focus and tracking.

The EOS RP uses the same 26MP full-frame image sensor that the company put in the 6D Mark II SLR. As expected, the RP offers image quality that is, for all practical purposes, identical to the 6D Mark II.

The sensor offers a negligible resolution increase versus the more common 24MP resolution. When shooting JPGs at default settings images show strong detail and little noise through ISO 1600. A slight loss of clarity is visible at ISO 3200—sharp edges lose some crispness due to modest blur. The blur is more pronounced at ISO 6400 and 12800. At ISO 25600 through the top ISO 102400 setting the amount of blur increases steadily. We've included crops from our test scene in the slideshow that accompanies this review so you can judge for yourself.

The RP may not be Canon's advanced model, but it does offer Raw image capture. Enthusiasts who are thinking about moving up to a full-frame system are certain to be, at the very least, intrigued by the prospect of shooting in Raw, and pros looking at the RP as a lightweight camera for travel are sure to embrace for the format.

Raw images don't have noise reduction applied, so they show more detail—and more noise—than JPGs. Details are sharp through ISO 3200. There is some loss of clarity at ISO 6400 and 12800. Grain is heavy starting at ISO 25600, but I'd still feel comfortable using the RP there and at its top standard sensitivity, ISO 40000. Grain is very heavy at ISO 51200, available as an extended setting. The RP supports a second extended option, ISO 102400, but we don't recommend using it, even in Raw format.

It has been widely reported that the 6D Mark II doesn't have the best dynamic range when compared with other full-frame cameras—even the relatively ancient Nikon D750 betters it in that regard. The same is true of the RP.

In practical terms, you'll have less ability to open up shadows or brighten an underexposed photo without introducing significant noise. If you're a serious landscape photographer who frequently dodges shadows in Adobe Lightroom Classic CC, the RP falls a little shy of expectations.

This is certainly a limitation, but I don't find it to be one that is a deal breaker for most photographers. I worked in Raw format with the RP and didn't feel limited in toning photos to my taste in Lightroom.

The RP supports automated focus bracketing. You'll access the feature via the camera menu, there's no other way to get to it. It brackets as many shots as you want, up to 999, and shifts the plane of focus slightly between each. With software you can combine the photos into one image, with greater depth of field than you'd be able to get with a single exposure. Take a look at the two images above—a single exposure at f/1.8 on the left, and a stacked composite of 100 images on the right—to get an idea of how it can increase depth of field for close focus work. Canon provides software to merge the images together.

The RP utilizes a fully electronic shutter in order to quickly, and silently, capture the full swath of images for stacks. Oddly enough, you can't turn the electronic shutter on in most modes. There is a Scene setting that takes advantage of the feature, but when you're in Scene mode you don't get access to shutter speed or aperture control. Casual snapshooters won't mind, but anyone who prefers to control exposure manually is going to be disappointed by the limitation.

Video

The EOS RP does support 4K, but with caveats. It's only an option at 24fps, there's a heavy crop applied to the footage, which limits the ability to capture wide scenes, and it disables Dual Pixel AF. The RP makes more sense to more people as a 1080p camera. It can record at 30 or 60fps (for some reason, Canon has purposefully omitted 24fps).

Remember that the RP doesn't have in-body stabilization, so you'll want to use a stabilized lens for handheld video. Our test footage was shot with a lens without IS, the RF 28-70mm F2 L USM, so it's a bit shaky.

Aside from the lack of IBIS—Canon plans on adding the tech to future EOS R cameras, but I'd be surprised to see it in a body this small—the 1080p quality is very nice. Details are as crisp as you'd expect from the format, which puts 2MP of information into every frame versus the 8MP offered by 4K, and autofocus is smooth.

Light, Affordable, Full-Frame

Given its price and feature set, Canon's target market for the RP is pretty clear—buyers stepping up to a full-frame system, whether it be from an APS-C model or a smartphone. The camera itself will serve them quite well. It's the lenses that won't, at least not yet.

The RF mount is very young—the first camera to feature it has only been on sale for a few months. Canon concentrated on pro- and enthusiast-grade lenses at launch, which is great news for serious photographers who want an f/2 standard zoom or an f/1.2 prime, but leaves other potential customers with the prospect of buying a native zoom that costs nearly as much as the camera body itself.

The $1,100 RF 24-105mm F4 L is worth its price, but may be out of the reach of potential RP customers. That leaves you with the prospect of using adapted SLR lenses. To Canon's credit, its lenses work just as well with the RP and adapter as they do on an SLR. But even just adding the adapter takes away from the RP's sized-down design.

I'd love to see Canon release some less ambitious, less costly lenses for the RF system. And I've no doubt it will—just not this year. The upcoming slate of lens releases includes one consumer zoom, a 24-240mm, and a spate of exotic f/2.8 pro zooms and f/1.2 primes. The EOS RP screams for a small, affordable 24-70mm f/4 or one like the EF 40mm f/2.8 STM, an affordable pancake-style lens that becomes more of a muffin when you add the required adapter to the mix.

The issue of lenses aside, I'm impressed with just how much Canon has put into the RP's small body. Its image sensor may not be class-leading, but it's by no means deficient, and controls are nearly as robust as the enthusiast-oriented EOS R. The autofocus system is responsive and accurate, even in dim light, and the vari-angle LCD makes it possible to hold the camera at interesting angles and still see your frame.

It's an appealing body for photographers who currently own a Canon Rebel and want to give full-frame a shot, especially those who have already bought a few EF lenses and opt to add an adapter to use them with the RP. Pros invested in the Canon system can also look to it as a smaller option for travel and more casual photography.

The RP doesn't quite earn Editors' Choice marks, but it still gets a strong recommendation. Its form factor and price are big reasons. But you also can't discount the compatibility with Canon flashes and (with an adapter) SLR lenses, which matter to photographers invested in the Canon system. It doesn't have the fast burst rate or 4K recording of our top recommendation, the Sony a7 III, but it also doesn't cost $2,000.

Pros

Compact body with full-frame sensor.
Vari-angle LCD.
Integrated EVF.
Quick, accurate autofocus.
Macro stacking and time-lapse tools.
Wi-Fi.
Attractive price.

Cons

Small EVF.
Low-cost native lenses not available yet.
Inconsistent face and eye detection.
4K video suffers from heavy crop.
Sensor shows limited dynamic range.
Small battery.
No built-in flash.

The Bottom Line

Canon wants to bring full-frame photography to the masses with the affordable EOS RP. It's a solid camera for the price, but Canon needs to release more low-cost RF-mount lenses to pair with it.

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About Jim Fisher

Lead Analyst, Cameras

Jim Fisher

Images, and the devices that capture them, are my focus. I've covered cameras at PCMag for the past 13 years, which has given me a front row seat for the DSLR to mirrorless transition, the smartphone camera revolution, and the mainstream adoption of drones for aerial imaging. I have extensive experience with every major mirrorless and SLR system. As a Part 107 Certified drone pilot, I’m licensed to fly unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for commercial and editorial purposes, and am knowledgeable about federal rules and regulations regarding drones. You can find me on Instagram @jamespfisher.

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