With the advent of its full-frame mirrorless EOS R line, you might be forgiven for thinking that Canon had forgotten about its EOS M range. Not so!
Last month saw the release of the EOS M6 Mark II, and just announced is the M200, a cheeky little update on 2017’s M100. Very much aimed at upgraders from compacts and smartphones, or those who want a decent, but very pocket sized body, it measures just 108x 67x35mm and weighs only 299g.
The new camera promises an updated processor in the form of Canon’s Digic 8 that’s also found in Canon’s latest DSLRs, CSCs and compacts, and this means upgraded video functions, improved noise performance, greater shooting speed, and AF performance that, like other recent bodies now adds eye detection. The M200 also uses Canon’s tried and tested Dual Pixel AF system and has 123 selectable points.
At 24.1Mp, resolution from the M200’s CMOS APS-C sensor is decent, though no upgrade on its predecessor, but video does get a hike to 4K/24p. However, like many entry level cameras, this comes with a crop factor – 1.6x in this case – and that’s on top of the APS-C sensor’s existing 1.6x crop. So wide-angle video could be a bit restrictive, unless you fit something ultra-wide like the EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 STM. There’s also crop-free 1080p at 30/60fps and 720p can reach 120fps for super slow-mo effects. Plus a 4K timelapse mode. Oh, and ISO range is a healthy 100-25,600.
Like many other entry level cameras, the M200 includes a 3in screen that flips upwards through 180º and is therefore useful for selfies and vlogging. There’s also a Selfie Mode that helps user blur the background and a neat little bounceable flash for softer portrait illumination. Rather than a traditional suite of MASP modes, the camera only has Auto (including Scene Intelligent Auto), Program, and Movie modes, all of which can be controlled from the touchscreen. There’s also a Creative Assist mode that allows you to adjust parameters like depth-of-field, brightness, colour and contrast just using sliders
Battery life is claimed to be better than the M100, and Canon rates this at 315 shots or 485 photos in Eco mode. The camera can also be charged from USB, and there are the standard connectivity options of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for image sharing and remote control.
To complement its black or white colour schemes, Canon is also giving the M200 a range of seven colourful ‘face jackets’, and they actually look pretty neat. The Canon EOS M200 is out in October with an RRP of £499, which includes the EF-M 15-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lens.