The camera I recommend to most new photographers is not a Sony or Panasonic (and it’s $180 off)

It is a good time to be a photographer nowadays, because it’s simpler than ever to entry nice cameras. Particularly, mirrorless cameras like Canon’s EOS R100. Certain, our smartphones are able to capturing fairly good photographs, however in the event you’re a real photographer at coronary heart, you are finally going to need extra out of your digital camera. 

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You are going to need extra flexibility in post-processing and, fairly frankly, higher picture high quality. Fortunately, Canon has a number of digital camera our bodies in its mirrorless product line, together with the R100: a compact mirrorless digital camera aimed on the newbie photographer who’s recent off their smartphone.

The Canon R100 is likely one of the lightest digital camera our bodies in the marketplace, however do not let its weight idiot you into assuming it will possibly’t create high quality photographs or video. It has an APS-C sensor that may seize 24 megapixels and 1080p video at 60 frames per second. It is also able to capturing 4K (UHD) video at 24 frames per second.

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While you’re simply beginning out in images, the very last thing you wish to do is wrestle with flipping via menus, buttons, and dials. You wish to begin taking pictures as quickly as attainable to get used to the texture of the digital camera and its capabilities. Canon’s intuitive menu design together with its dial-and-button structure makes the R100 a simple sale for brand new photographers.   

Sure, it is compact, however the shutter button and rear buttons are proper the place they must be to your index finger and thumb, respectively. I’ve actually giant palms, so I battle with holding smaller cameras. With the R100, nevertheless, it solely took a couple of minutes for me to get used to the way it feels.

I am a agency believer {that a} digital camera has to really feel good in your palms; I do not care about its elaborate record of bells and whistles, it ought to simply “really feel proper” if you are going to shoot with it usually. Canon does a very good job with this.

Picture high quality

The picture high quality is on par with what I anticipated from a budget-friendly digital camera with a cropped sensor (APS-C). You will hear smartphone producers comparable to Apple and Samsung boast having over 40 megapixels of their smartphone cameras, so in the event you’re not sure if a digital camera with solely half that may stand as much as them in high quality, the reply is a powerful sure. This is why. 

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The picture sensor on this digital camera is a lot bigger than these in any smartphone, so the picture high quality will nearly all the time be higher. Listed below are two pattern photographs captured with the R100 in two barely totally different situations. Picture one utilized the package lens (18mm-45mm) that got here with the R100. 

On this first picture, you may discover the picture high quality is fairly strong. I did not do any post-processing aside from adjusting the white steadiness. My canine Kylo seems fairly good right here. Even after I zoomed into the picture, I seen the noise wasn’t unhealthy, contemplating I shot this in a shaded space on a sensor smaller than what I normally use (full body).

The ISO was cranked as much as 3,200, so getting picture noise is nearly assured. Take a look at the primary picture and evaluate it to the zoomed-in model of the picture beneath. The noise is not a lot of a difficulty. 

I captured yet one more picture, however I will admit, I cheated just a bit. Within the second picture, I hooked up an 85mm prime lens, which has a wider aperture for extra gentle. Additionally, it is only a higher lens due to the standard of the glass. 

I also needs to word that I hooked up this lens onto the R100 through an RF to EF lens adapter. Most of my Canon lenses are EF mount, which is not appropriate with the mirrorless our bodies except you employ an adapter. With that stated, the R100 did a stellar job.

This 24 megapixel APS-C sensor did an incredible job in capturing advantageous particulars. Sure, I’ve a greater lens on the physique, however this additionally proves {that a} photographer can begin with this digital camera and improve to higher lenses through the years till they’re prepared to maneuver onto an upgraded mirrorless physique from Canon. As within the first picture, I solely corrected the white steadiness. No different post-processing was completed. 

How the Canon handles video

Taking pictures video on the R100 is easy, with full HD at 60 frames per second. That is nice for reside motion, however in the event you’re making an attempt to shoot one thing in a “cinematic flare,” again the body price all the way down to at the very least 30 frames per second, ideally 24 frames per second. 

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If you happen to’re curious to shoot in 4K (UHD), word that your picture shall be offered at a tighter focal size as a result of the video mode makes use of the middle of the APS-C sensor and never the complete working space. This might be an inconvenience, however not a dealbreaker for a digital camera on this worth vary. 

If you happen to’re questioning whether or not the R100 can be utilized for vlogging and reside streaming, the reply is sure and no. If you wish to vlog, you possibly can, however you will not be capable to see your self as there is not any flip-out display screen discovered on most vlogging cameras. Concerning reside streaming, you should utilize the micro HDMI to attach the R100 to your laptop through a seize card or an HDMI switcher comparable to an ATEM Mini. 

My issues with the R100

I haven’t got many issues. First, the dearth of a flip-out display screen is moderately inconvenient. Flip-out screens are helpful past simply vlogging functions. For instance, in the event you’re photographing one thing from a excessive or low angle, having the choice to rotate the display screen is tremendous useful in composing and framing your shot. 

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Secondly, the APS-C sensor shouldn’t be a dealbreaker, however taking pictures video ought to be completed within the highest decision obtainable. Taking pictures in 4K (UHD) is an possibility, however cropping in on the sensor would not give your 4K footage the look of a clear 4K video, only a 4K file measurement. On a constructive word, the APS-C sensor is nice for taking pictures moon images, and it has a full-frame telephoto lens hooked up. You will achieve slightly extra attain in focal size by roughly 1.4x. 

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

If you happen to’re an aspiring photographer trying to scratch the itch that your smartphone digital camera can not seem to fulfill, the Canon EOS R100 is a strong digital camera at a budget-friendly $449 (with the 18-45mm package lens). The starter lens is not the most effective, however you may positively see an enchancment over your trusty smartphone. 

One other wonderful thing about the R100 is that it has the potential to develop with you as you purchase barely higher lenses, such because the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM. This one gives a wider aperture, higher glass, and nice portraits proper out of the field. So, even with the addition of the 50mm lens, you are still beneath $1,000 spent for an incredible choice to get began with images.