The Canon EOS R7 and EOS R10 finally came after weeks of leaks and rumors – and the two mirrorless cameras are the inexpensive, versatile cameras that amateur photographers have been waiting for. (Want to go over our early verdicts? Check out our hands-ons Canon EOS R7 review and our practical Canon EOS R10 review).
Unlike the other Canon EOS R series, EOS R7 and EOS R10 have APS-C sensors that are smaller than full-frame sensors. This means they collect half as much light as cameras such as the Canon EOS R6. But smaller sensors also have advantages such as lower prices, smaller sizes, and a crop factor that is often useful in wildlife photography.
Both cameras are, unofficially, mirrorless successors to some of Canon’s most popular digital SLRs. The better Canon EOS R7, which has a 32.5MP APS-C sensor, is located between the Canon EOS 7D Mark II and the mid-range Canon EOS 90D. Canon says the EOS R7 is its new APS-C flagship model and is designed with sports and wildlife shooters in mind.
But it is the Canon EOS R10 that will catch the eye of novice or amateur photographers who were previously priced with the EOS R system. The size and specifications of the EOS R10, including the 24.2MP APS-C sensor, mean it is more of a successor to the Canon model EOS 80D or Canon EOS Rebel SL3 / EOS 250D (called EOS 200D Mark II in Australia) from 2019. means it is aimed at anyone who wants to take family photos or travel photos.
One of the biggest improvements to the EOS R7 and EOS R10, compared to Canon’s older DSLRs, is their autofocus powers. Both cameras include Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, the same autofocus system found in more expensive cameras such as the Canon EOS R5 and EOS R6. This offers benefits such as AF coverage across the frame and Intelligent Subject Tracking that allows cameras to track people, animals (dogs, cats, birds), and vehicles. For humans and animals, the system tracks faces and eyes, and can even find heads when neither of them are visible in the frame.
Both cameras also offer fairly fast bursts of photos at 15 frames per second (using a mechanical shutter), which is again useful for taking photos of moving objects. Switch to electronic shutter and the EOS R7 offers a slightly faster 30fps burst shooting than the EOS R10 which reaches a maximum speed of 23fps.
Your hit rate will depend on the conditions and lenses used, and camera buffers are a minor bottleneck. At this maximum speed of 15fps (with mechanical shutter) the Canon EOS R7 can take unprocessed images for just over three seconds in a single burst, while the EOS R10 is limited to less than two seconds. Still, both cameras can last significantly longer when taking JPEG photos, and these are promising speeds – especially for the entry-level EOS R10.
The EOS R7 offers several features that are missing from the EOS R10. These include body image stabilization (IBIS), weather resistance (at the same level as the EOS 90D), two UHS-II card slots (there is only one in the R10) and a higher resolution sensor of 32.5MP, which is useful if you like to crop photos frequently while editing. The EOS R7 is also a stronger video tool, offering the ability to record uncut 4K / 60P videos (this is trimmed on the R10) and a headphone jack that matches the mic input.
Of course, these differences are reflected in the respective camera tags. You can pre-order the Canon EOS R7 camera, ahead of expected June shipment, for $ 1,499 / £ 1,349 / AU $ 2,349 (body only) or $ 1,899 / £ 1,699 / AU $ 2,899 with the new RF-S 18-150mm f / 3. 5- 6.3 IS STM kit lens that was announced with cameras. This price makes it a potentially strong alternative to the similarly priced Fujifilm X-T4.
Meanwhile, the Canon EOS R10 is available for pre-order for $ 979 / £ 899 / AU $ 1,499 (body only) or $ 1,379 / £ 1,249 / AU $ 2,049 with the RF-S 18-150mm lens, with shipping expected in July. For vloggers or those who just want a smaller, wider kit lens, the EOS R10 also comes bundled with the new RF-S 18-45mm f4.5-6.3 IS STM kit lens, which costs $ 1099 / £ 999 / AU 1649 dollars.
Analysis: the end of Canon’s hobby digital SLRs?
The Canon EOS R7 and EOS R10 are not entirely new cameras, and the camera giant instead combines sensors, body designs, and features known from previous models to create much-needed inexpensive options for its EOS R line.
Canon says “the new sensors share some components with the existing sensors, but have been redesigned with new microlenses and circuits.” This means the EOS R7 is possibly based on the 32.5MP sensor we saw on the Canon EOS 90D and EOS M6 Mark II, while the 24.2MP sensor on the EOS R10 will be similar to the one we saw on the Canon EOS 80D and EOS M3. .
This is common practice from Canon, and both of its new cameras clearly benefit from the new Digic X processor which unlocks these enhancements to autofocus and burst speed. But what’s particularly interesting about them, apart from being the first APS-C RF-mount cameras, is that they are the spiritual successors to some classic Canon digital SLR cameras.
Canon’s hobby DSLR cameras typically get refreshed every three years, with the latest new models – the Canon EOS 90D and Rebel SL3 / EOS 250D – reappearing in 2019. Given the specifications and pricing of the EOS R7 and EOS R10, it looks a lot like these new cameras, taking the torch from Canon’s older DSLRs into a new era of mirrorless cameras.
However, they won’t necessarily spell the end of Canon’s EOS M series. This older mirrorless system, which relies on the EF-M mount rather than Canon’s newer RF mount, has not officially been retired despite lacking development over the past few years. And while the Canon EOS R7 and EOS M10 are aimed at a similar audience, the EOS M series is likely to remain (for now) smaller and even cheaper options for beginners.
One thing is certain, however – these two new mirrorless cameras show that Canon focuses a lot on the EOS R system, which is why it was finally opened to amateurs.