What’s up guys, Sagi here and welcome to another Tech Gear Talk. Today we’re going to take a look at the new Canon RP. I was really happy with the results I got from the EOS R so I was super excited when Canon announced a lighter and more compact full-frame mirrorless camera. I’m hoping that I can get similar results in a smaller and more portable form factor. After using it for over a month, there are some excellent features that Canon added that I don’t hear a lot of people talking about, and at the same time some interesting choices and limitations that I would want to know before buying the RP.
⭐️ Buy the Canon RP: https://geni.us/canon-rp
Let’s go over some key features before we get into the detailed review:
Ok, so let’s take a look at what Canon had in store for us with this new full frame mirrorless camera.
The RP comes with an impressive 26.2MP Full Frame CMOS sensor designed to strike a balance of output and performance. This Full Frame sensor is an excellent option for both photography and video and we have a fairly wide native ISO of 100-40,000 which allows us to work in different lighting conditions. If you’re a hobbyist photographer, or are looking to create video for YouTube looking to step into full frame mirrorless cameras, the RP is going to give you really nice and crisp images and video and of course Canon’s color science is outstanding. Moving into the full frame sensor world, we’re also able to get really nice and shallow depth of field, and I was happy with the bokeh I was getting in my images and video. That was the sensor, let’s talk a little about the processor, and with the RP, Canon opted for the new DIGIC 8 processor.
This is the same processor used on the EOS R, and other recent cameras like the SL3 and the M50. And this newer processor combined with the nice full frame sensor gives you sharper video and images and helps minimize noise and improve clarity for better low light performance. The DIGIC 8 also makes the camera nice and responsive when used for both video and stills. Startup time, image preview, video playback is and general menu operation and feature selection are fast and I never felt like there was a lag in responsiveness.
For photography, the DIGIC 8 allows the RP to have 5fps burst, or continuous, shooting in both jpeg and RAW. Now for jpegs, it will give you unlimited exposures, so basically you can hold the shutter down and it will shoot until the card is full. For RAW, you can get up to 50 exposures. So this is a feature I use all the time. I can just hold down the shutter and the camera will just keep firing. This is an excellent feature if you’re photographing your pets, kids running around, if you’re at a sporting event, or anytime when you’re shooting fast moving subjects. Now, the more exposures per second you have, the more likely you are to get the shot you want and 5fps is not as many as I would have liked to see. The M50, for example, can shoot at up to 10fps, so that’s twice as many but of course you’re shooting on a smaller APS-C sensor.
In terms of ergonomics, the RP has a very familiar form factor and feel for me because I’ve shot with so many Canon cameras. It’s definitely smaller than the EOS R and is about the same size as my A7iii; The RP is a little wider, but a little thinner. I think this size is a good compromise between performance and portability. It’s not as small as something like the M50, but you’re getting a much higher-end camera with better features and performance. I like that there are 2 dials, one for aperture and one for shutter speed, so I don’t need to hold another button down in order to change the aperture using the main dial. You’re also able to lock the back dial so you don’t accidentally change it. What I did, specifically for video is flip the shutter speed to the back dial and the aperture to the front dial. This way I can make sure that I don’t accidently change my shutter speed when I try to change the aperture and forget to turn it back to the correct setting. There are a lot of ways to customize the setup of the RP and if you’re interested in all the changes I made, let me know in the comments section and I’ll put together a video tutorial.
Overall I like the placement of the buttons and dial in the RP, and I like that the record button was moved to the top. I will say it’s a little hard to press because there is a raised edge. I’m assuming it’s there to prevent people from accidentally hitting it. What I did was just set the shutter button to also start and stop recording and I just use that instead. From a handling standpoint, the RP has been very comfortable to use. It’s not too small, and has a nice and deep grip which really felt secure in my hand. I like that Canon added some of this rubbery material on the left side. It may seem like a small detail but it adds to the stability.
Moving on to battery life, the RP uses the LP-E17, which is the same battery used on the SL2 and SL3. To me, this battery seems undersized for a full frame body and the RP is rated for about 250 shots. I would need at least one extra battery if not two, especially when I go out for a full day. The RP can be charged using a USB-C cable, but it can not be used while charging. So if you’re going from one place to another you can plug it in to portable charger and re-charge the battery, but once you turn it on it will stop charging.
The RP has a really nice 2.36M dot OLED electronic viewfinder which is super bright and sharp. So far it’s worked really well for me and I like that you can see a level and a histogram through the viewfinder.
Next I want to talk about resolution, framerates and image quality. For stills, the RP has a maximum resolution of 6240x 4160 which is really nice. As I mentioned before, it can shoot in both JPEG and RAW. The image quality is similar but slightly better than the 6DMKII. I think that for a mirrorless camera at this price, the images have the quality, and dynamic range I expect. Overall I was really happy with the images I get form the RP, Canon’s color science is proven and the images are clean and crisp and vibrant.
For Video, the RP can record 4k video at 24 and 25 fps which is great but there are some limitations which I will discuss later on in the video. The RP and also shoot video at FULL HD, or 1080P at 25, 30, 50 and 60 fps. And just like with my SL3 review, I just don’t know what to say about the fact that Canon took away the option to shoot 24fps at Full HD. In case you’re not familiar with framerates, it comes down to what kind of look you prefer to have for your video. If you like a more cinematic look, you can go with 24fps and if you like a sharper more crisp look you can shoot at 60fps. If you edit your videos at 30 fps like I do, you can play your 60fps SL3 footage at 30fps and you can slow things down by 50%. So by removing the 24fps option for 1080p Canon made so that you have to shoot in 4k if you want to get the most cinematic look. I usually can think of a reason why a company chooses to hold a feature back, but this is just a really strange move. It’s not like it’s a higher frame-rate which the sensor can’t handle. It’s not something they would be “saving” for higher-end models, because pretty much every entry-level DSLR and Mirrorless camera they put out in the past bunch of years has had this capability. And even though I have not heard any rumors about this, I really hope it’s something they can take care of with a firmware upgrade. I wasn’t expecting to get 120fps at Full HD because Canon doesn’t offer that on any consumer camera, but I’m surprised they didn’t include 120fps @ 720p like on the M50. In terms of image quality, the Full HD video is very good for a camera at this price. The footage is crisp, the colors are great and I’m super happy with what I get right out of the camera at the different picture styles.
Going back to 4k, I wanted to get back to some of the limitations. As I mentioned earlier, the RP can shoot 4k at 24/25 fps but like the Canon M50 and the SL3 there is an additional crop, and in this case we’re looking at 1.7x. There is a significant difference between the three because the RP has a full frame sensor whereas the M50 and the SL3 have an APS-C sensor. So in terms of field of view, if we take a 50mm lens and put it on an APS-C sensor, I’m immediately applying a 1.6x crop factor which gives me an 80mm field of view, and on top of that, I would apply another 1.6x crop factor giving me around a 130mm field of view.
On the RP, I’m only getting the 1.7x crop, so the 50mm would give me an 85mm field of view. I’m saying “only” here because it’s by comparison to the APS-C sensor, but that’s still significant. This is something that you need to be aware of because you will either need to get wider lenses to shoot in 4k, or you will need to move your camera farther away from your subject to get the same framing. There is one other restriction with the 4k footage which I will discuss in the autofocus section. One of my favorite features with the RP is that it has a clean HDMI. This means that we can now livestream with the RP while using autofocus and we won’t get the white face-tracking square in our frame like we did with the SL2 or the M50. So if you’re someone who wants to use this camera for streaming, you can just use the HDMI out right into your capture card and you’re good to go. You can also record 4:2:2 8bit video externally and get fantastic footage with more information to use when color correcting and grading.
Alright, let’s move to lens options which is something that traditionally is a strong suit for canon. The RP uses the new Canon RF mount. This new mount has a wide diameter and a 20mm flange focal distance so it’s supposed to allow Canon to create lenses that are smaller and faster than their DSLR equivalents. There is also a 12-pin electronic contact system which Canon syas supports more sophisticated autofocus and image stabilization capabilities. So that sounds all nice and good but what does that mean to you? At the time this video is being made, the RF lineup of lenses is, to be fair, limited and quite expensive. So far there is a 24-105mm f/4 for $899, and new 85mm f/1.2 for $2,699, a 28-70mm f/2 for $2,999, a 35mm f/1.8 macro for $449 and a 50mm f/1.2 for $2,099. So while all of these lenses are super fast, and the performance is absolutely fantastic, I think we can all agree that they are up there in price. And this might present a serious challenge to someone who’s admittingly buying and entry-level full frame sensor mirrorless camera. If these are all completely out of your price range or if you have EF or EF-S-mount lenses, you can buy an EF-EOS R Mount adapter and then use them on the RP. There are 3 different type of adapters, the most basic just allows you to attach EF/EF-S mount lenses to the RP. The second adds Control Ring functionality by using a ring in the adapter itself. And the third is really cool because it allows for drop-in filters to be added between the lens and the camera. This lets you use something like an ND filter if you want to open up the aperture for video and get that shallow depth of field while shooting in bright light. You can also use a circular polarizer filter to help increase saturation and contrast while reducing reflections. What’s great about these adapters is that some of them add functionality to existing gear in a super convenient way.
What’s not so great is that it’s another thing you have to buy. I wanted to mention that there is a limitation when using EF-S mount lenses. When shooting video, You can only use EF-S lenses when shooting in 4k or when shooting in HD, or 720p. So you can’t use EF-S mount lenses for any Full HD or 1080p footage. For photos, we are limited to 3888 x 2592px resolution, again, because we’re using a cropped version of the sensor to account for the lens design.
Alright, next, let’s talk about autofocus which has been a Canon strength for years. If you’ve watched any of my Canon reviews you’ve already heard of Canon’s Dual Pixel autofocus. This is definitely one of the best autofocus system on the market and it’s outstanding for both photography and video. I’ve been using it for years on my Canon DSLRs, mirrorless and cinema cameras and it’s just so good. I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again, I don’t worry about focus at all when using the Dual Pixel AF system. I can just hold the camera up facing me, and I know even without looking that the RP identified my face, put a little white square around it, and will now track it and keep it in focus even if I move. It’s not going to hunt or anything like that and for me, autofocus is right there toward at the top of the list in terms of priorities. If my picture or video is not in focus, not much else matters. This face detection is a great feature for video whether you’re shooting interview-style videos, if you’re vlogging or if you’re just using it to shoot video for fun. I can also have the RP track a subject by clicking on it. Once the subject has been identified by the RP, you’ll see a white square around it and the Dual Pixel AF system will keep adjusting focus as it moves through the frame. I can can also have the camera rack focus for me from one subject to another. So I can have the focus point in one area, then simply click on something else in the frame, and the RP will smoothly rack focus for me. I don’t have to mess around with manual focus or the focus ring, I just click on it and it’s done. I don’t need to mess around with manual focus or the focus ring, I just click on where I want focus to be and it’s done. One thing that is disappointing about the RP is that it does not use the Dual Pixel Autofocus System when shooting in 4k.
For photography, you can use the electronic viewfinder with dual pixel AF and you can either use the arrows on the back of the camera to move the focus point, or there is a cool drag-to-focus feature. If you enable that feature, you can use your thumb on the LCD to drag and move the AF point around. You can of course also use the LCD for still and shoot in liveview mode. If you do that, you can enable the touch shutter so that with a single click the RP will quickly attain critical focus and then take the shot. An awesome new feature in the RP is eye-detection autofocus which can be used to prioritize focus on the subject’s eye. This is a great feature for portraits where you no longer have to worry about where the focus point is, and we’re getting a more precise focus-point on the eye, rather than just the face. This feature also works when shooting video in both 4k and full HD so as long as your subject is facing the camera both face and eye-detection work great. For multiple faces in the same shot, in both photography and video, you can use the right and left arrows to select a different subject. If eye detection is on, you can use the arrows to switch between the subject’s eyes.
Next I want to discuss the RP’s a fully articulating touch screen which I absolutely love for both photography and video. I love being able to position the screen just how I want it whether I’m behind the camera, below it, above or to the side. And I always think it’s important to give you some practical examples. So when I need to shoot over a group of people, or the camera is high on a tripod I can easily point the screen down, all the way to 90 degrees and that makes it really simple to frame my shot. If I’m on a slider or photographing from the hip, I can have the screen pointed up. And if I’m doing product photography or are working on a gimbal, I can point the screen to either side to accommodate for different scenarios. Finally, if I’m in front of the camera, I can just flip it 180 degrees to the side, and I can always see just how I’m framed and that the RP has me in focus. I’m amazed that not every single dslr and mirrorless camera has a fully articulating screen because I think it’s such a useful feature. Next, the screen is a full touch screen – so unlike some brands where you might only be able to use the screen for focus, or for focus and settings but not for feature selection on the menu; With the RP you can control everything with the touchscreen. We’re so used to using our phones and other touch enabled devices every day and it’s great to be able to use the menu, change exposure, select settings and set focus all using a touchscreen. The screen is nice and bright and with the various brightness levels, it worked great for me when shooting photos and video indoor and outdoors.
Let’s move on to connectivity The RP has built in Wi-Fi which lets you easily pair it with a smartphone or tablet so you can wirelessly share images and video. This is awesome for when you’re doing a shoot or traveling and maybe you took some stills that you want to post to Instagram or Facebook, you can quickly transfer them to your phone, give them a quick edit and post them. With bluetooth you can also have remote control the camera from a mobile device using the Canon camera connect app. That’s huge when you’re working alone, you can literally use your phone as a remote monitor and control. There is a slight delay but it’s an awesome feature and one that I use all the time when I’m shooting alone.
For photography, I like to use this feature for my macro shot, so I can take a picture without having to touch the camera and introduce any possible shake.
For video, it’s great to be able to sit down, make sure I’m framed well and I have the proper exposure and then start and stop recording.
I also want to talk about some additional features that the RP has that may help you make a buying decision. I’m going to start out with one of my favorites which is in-body timelapse. This is something that I absolutely love and use all the time in the Canon cameras that offer it. Just like the EOS R, we have in-body time lapse in both Full HD (1080) pand 4k which I absolutely love. As usual, Canon made this very simple, you just select the interval in seconds, which is how long you want it to wait between each exposure. You then select how many exposures you want it to take and this will control how long your final timelapse video will be. Finally, you select whether you want the RP to expose for each shot or keep the exposure settings from the first shot and apply them for all subsequent shots. What’s great about this is that you don’t need to take individual photos and then process them yourself in Post. When the camera is finished taking pictures, it will compile the timelapse for you and it’s ready to be viewed. Next I want to talk about audio – the RP of course has a built-in stereo microphone, but if you’re looking to up your production value, there is also an external mic input which lets you connect an external microphone and then get much better audio right in-camera.
One of my absolute favorite upgrades in the RP over something like an M50 or an SL3 has to do with audio levels. With the RP, you can see your audio levels before and even during recording. This is something that is also available on the new SL3 but here is where the RP takes it to the next level. If I’m monitoring my audio with headphones, or just by looking at the LCD, I can click on the Quick Control button or on the touchscreen and then modify my audio levels during my recording. If you’re using the RP for video, this is a game changer because with my other cameras, I had to stop the clip, change the levels and start recording again.
Ok so we talked about some of the functions and features, but who do I think the RP right for? It’s designed, and priced, for someone who is looking to get into a full frame mirrorless camera with an entry-level body. If you’re a beginner, you can still set everything to auto, turn it on and start shooting. The RP has a lot of presets and scene modes that will help you get better shots. As you start learning about how your new camera works, you can start moving to Aperture, or Shutter priority and let the camera help you achieve a proper exposure. A new mode that is very interesting is the Fv or Flexible Priority mode. This is super cool because it let’s you start out with everything on auto but still adjust certain parameters and let the camera see what you’ve done and automatically adjust the rest of the parameters. And I’ll do a dedicated tutorial about that because it’s an awesome new feature so if you’re interested, hit that subscribe button and make sure you have notification turned on. For more advanced users, there is a ton of manual control that you can have for both video and photography. So you can put the RP in manual mode and then set aperture, shutter speed and ISO to get the exposure you want.
Alright so to recap, the RP is a great entry-level full frame sensor mirrorless camera from Canon. If you’re looking to get into this space but want to do it with a smaller and less expensive body than the EOS R, you should give this camera a look. Relatively-speaking it’s smaller and lighter, it has a proven Full Frame sensor and the new DIGIC 8 processor. You can shoot really nice 26MP images, there are built-in scene modes to help beginners get better images, and the new Flexible Priority Mode is really great. We have the excellent dual pixel autofocus which now comes with eye detection.
For video we can shoot 4k at 24/30 fps and we can also shoot nice and crisp Full HD or 1080p at up to 60fps and remember that there isn’t an option for 24 fps. There is an awesome 3” fully articulating screen which is great for both photography and video. The new 4k timelapse feature makes it super easy to quickly do in-camera 4k timelapse. I love the new audio functionality, the clean HDMI out and the ability to record externally.
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