Canon 850D vs R10

The Canon EOS 850D (called Canon T8i in some regions) and the Canon EOS R10 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2020 and May 2022. The 850D is a DSLR, while the R10 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 850D		Canon R10
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/24p Video		4k/60p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
7.5 shutter flaps per second		15 shutter flaps per second
800 shots per battery charge		450 shots per battery charge
131 x 103 x 76 mm, 515 g		123 x 88 x 83 mm, 429 g

Check 850D offers at
ebay.com
Check R10 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 850D and the Canon EOS R10? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon 850D and the Canon R10 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon R10 is notably smaller (20 percent) than the Canon 850D. Moreover, the R10 is markedly lighter (17 percent) than the 850D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 850D nor the R10 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 and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

The power pack in the R10 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 850D	131 mm	103 mm	76 mm	515 g	800	n	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
2.		Canon R10	123 mm	88 mm	83 mm	429 g	450	n	May 2022	979	amazon.com
3.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon 200D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
5.		Canon 250D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
6.		Canon 750D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
7.		Canon 760D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
8.		Canon 800D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
9.		Canon 2000D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
10.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	899	ebay.com
11.		Canon G7 X Mark III	105 mm	61 mm	41 mm	304 g	235	n	Jul 2019	749	amazon.com
12.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	979	ebay.com
13.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
14.		Canon R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	679	amazon.com
15.		Canon R100	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	356 g	400	n	May 2023	479	amazon.com
16.		Canon RP	133 mm	85 mm	70 mm	485 g	250	n	Feb 2019	1,299	amazon.com
17.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The 850D was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 23 percent) than the R10, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the R10 is 1 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the R10 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC X) than the 850D (DIGIC 8), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Even though the 850D has a slightly larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the 850D has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 3.70μm for the R10), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. It should, however, be noted that the R10 is much more recent (by 2 years and 3 months) than the 850D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The Canon EOS 850D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS R10 are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 850D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.5	1873	83
2.		Canon R10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2085	84
3.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
4.		Canon 200D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
5.		Canon 250D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
6.		Canon 750D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
7.		Canon 760D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
8.		Canon 800D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
9.		Canon 2000D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	11.9	1009	71
10.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
11.		Canon G7 X Mark III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
12.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
13.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
14.		Canon R50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
15.		Canon R100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/24p	24.1	13.9	2197	84
16.		Canon RP	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.3	11.9	2977	85
17.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the R10 provides a faster frame rate than the 850D. It can shoot movie footage at 4k/60p, while the 850D is limited to 4K/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the R10 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the 850D has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the R10 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the 850D (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the R10 has a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.51x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 850D and Canon R10 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 850D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.5/s	Y	n
2.		Canon R10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 200D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 250D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 750D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 760D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 800D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 2000D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon G7 X Mark III	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon R50	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon R100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.5/s	Y	n
16.		Canon RP	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
17.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the R10 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon 850D and the Canon R10 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 850D and the R10 write their files to SDXC cards. The R10 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the 850D can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 850D and Canon EOS R10 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 850D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon R10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon 200D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon 250D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon 750D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon 760D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon 800D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Canon 2000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Canon G7 X Mark III	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
12.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Canon R50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Canon R100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
16.		Canon RP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y

The R10 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the 850D has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the 850D from Canon. Further information on the features and operation of the 850D and R10 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 850D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon R10 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 850D and the Canon R10? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 850D:

• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (800 versus 450) on a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (23 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2020).

Advantages of the Canon EOS R10:

• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC X vs DIGIC 8).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4k/60p versus 4K/24p).
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.51x).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (15 vs 7.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (123x88mm vs 131x103mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 86g or 17 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 3 months of technical progress since the 850D launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the R10 is the clear winner of the contest (14 : 4 points). 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. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 850D and the Canon R10 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the 850D and the R10 in practical situations. 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.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 850D	4/5	+	3/5	80/100	4/5	3.5/5	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
2.		Canon R10	4/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2022	979	amazon.com
3.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon 200D	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
5.		Canon 250D	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
6.		Canon 750D	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
7.		Canon 760D	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
8.		Canon 800D	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
9.		Canon 2000D	3/5	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
10.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	899	ebay.com
11.		Canon G7 X Mark III	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	..	Jul 2019	749	amazon.com
12.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	979	ebay.com
13.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
14.		Canon R50	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	679	amazon.com
15.		Canon R100	3/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	May 2023	479	amazon.com
16.		Canon RP	4/5	+	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	1,299	amazon.com
17.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

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. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, 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.

Check 850D offers at
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Check R10 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

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