Canon 200D versus Canon M6

The Canon EOS 200D (called Canon SL2 in some regions) and the Canon EOS M6 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in June 2017 and February 2017. The 200D is a DSLR, while the M6 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixel. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Canon 200D vs Canon M6

The physical size and weight of the Canon 200D and the Canon M6 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter. If you prefer, you can also use the toggle button to switch to a comparison in percentage terms (in this case, the camera on the left – the 200D – represents the basis or 100 percent across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon M6 is considerably smaller (33 percent) than the Canon 200D. Moreover, the M6 is markedly lighter (14 percent) than the 200D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 200D nor the M6 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, just select a new right or left comparator from among the camera models in the table. Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 200D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 30 percent) than the M6, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison: Canon 200D vs Canon M6

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 24 megapixel. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the 200D and the M6 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the 200D is a somewhat more recent model (by 4 months) than the M6, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

For most cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/60p).

Feature comparison: Canon 200D vs Canon M6

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the 200D has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the M6 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 200D and Canon M6 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras. If needed, the dpreview camera hub, for example, contains further detail on the cameras' specs.

Both the 200D and the M6 are current models that good online retailers will have in stock. You can check the latest prices, for example, at amazon. The M6 replaced the earlier Canon M5, while the 200D followed on from the Canon 100D.

Review summary: Canon 200D vs Canon M6

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 200D or the Canon M6 – has the upper hand? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 200D:

• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image framing and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (650 versus 295) on a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (30 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 4 months after the M6).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS M6:

• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (9 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (112x68mm vs 122x93mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 63g or 14 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2017).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the match-up finishes in a tie (5 points each). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 200D or the M6 handle or perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable. This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites. You can find the full text of the reviews, respectively, at cameralabs.com, dpreview.com, ephotozine.com, imaging-resource.com, and photographyblog.com.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool. If you do not see the camera that you are looking for, please contact me, and I will try to update the database with the necessary infos.

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