Canon M200 vs Canon R

The Canon EOS M200 and the Canon EOS R are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2019 and September 2018. Both the M200 and the Canon R are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on an APS-C (M200) and a full frame (Canon R) sensor. The M200 has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Canon R provides 30.1 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon M200		Canon R
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Canon RF mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		30.1 MP – Full Frame sensor
4k/25p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-40,000 (50 - 102,400)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.2" LCD – 2100k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
6.1 shutter flaps per second		8 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
315 shots per battery charge		370 shots per battery charge
108 x 67 x 35 mm, 299 g		139 x 98 x 84 mm, 660 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M200 and the Canon EOS R? 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

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon M200 and the Canon R. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M200 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the Canon R is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon R is considerably larger (88 percent) than the Canon M200. Moreover, the Canon R is substantially heavier (121 percent) than the M200. It is noteworthy in this context that the Canon R is splash and dust-proof, while the M200 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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.

Concerning battery life, the M200 gets 315 shots out of its Canon LP-E12 battery, while the Canon R can take 370 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6N power pack. The power pack in the Canon R 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 M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	549	ebay.com
2.		Canon R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	2,299	ebay.com
3.		Canon R100	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	356 g	400	n	May 2023	479	amazon.com
4.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	2,499	amazon.com
5.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
6.		Canon SL3	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
7.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
9.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
11.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
12.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
13.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
14.		Canon M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
15.		Fujifilm XF10	113 mm	64 mm	41 mm	279 g	330	n	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
16.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	2,299	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

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The M200 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 76 percent) than the Canon R, 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon M200 features an APS-C sensor and the Canon R a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the Canon R is 160 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 30.1MP, the Canon R offers a higher resolution than the M200 (24MP), but the Canon R nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.36μm versus 3.72μm for the M200) due to its larger sensor. However, the M200 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year) than the Canon R, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Canon R implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the Canon R for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 33.6 x 22.4 inches or 85.3 x 56.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 26.9 x 17.9 inches or 68.3 x 45.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 22.4 x 14.9 inches or 56.9 x 37.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon M200 are 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for good quality, 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS M200 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS R are ISO 100 to ISO 40000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 M200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/25p	24.0	13.5	1836	82
2.		Canon R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
3.		Canon R100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/24p	24.1	13.9	2197	84
4.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
5.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
6.		Canon SL3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
7.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
8.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
9.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
11.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
12.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
13.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
14.		Canon M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827	65
15.		Fujifilm XF10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1844	83
16.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
17.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
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 can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the Canon R provides a faster frame rate than the M200. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the M200 is limited to 4k/25p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the Canon R has an electronic viewfinder (3690k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the M200 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon M200 and Canon R 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 M200	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
2.		Canon R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon R100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.5/s	Y	n
4.		Canon R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
5.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon SL3	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
11.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
12.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
13.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
14.		Canon M	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.3/s	n	n
15.		Fujifilm XF10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
16.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
17.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The M200 has one, while the Canon R does not. While the built-in flash of the M200 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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 Canon R 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).

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the M200 and the Canon R write their files to SDXC cards. The Canon R supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the M200 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 M200 and Canon EOS R 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 M200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon R100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Canon M	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Fujifilm XF10	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
16.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
17.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-

It is notable that the Canon R has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The M200 lacks such a headphone port.

Both the M200 and the Canon R have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Canon. Further information on the features and operation of the M200 and Canon R can be found, respectively, in the Canon M200 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon R Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon M200 and the Canon R? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS M200:

• More compact: Is smaller (108x67mm vs 139x98mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 361g or 55 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (76 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year after the Canon R).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS R:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (30.1 vs 24MP), which boosts linear resolution by 12%.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/30p versus 4k/25p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 1040k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 6.1 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (370 versus 315) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.1 vs 2.0).
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2018).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Canon R is the clear winner of the contest (23 : 5 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 wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 M200 and the Canon R place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing 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 remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the M200 or the Canon R. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

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 M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	549	ebay.com
2.		Canon R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	2,299	ebay.com
3.		Canon R100	3/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	May 2023	479	amazon.com
4.		Canon R6	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	2,499	amazon.com
5.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
6.		Canon SL3	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
7.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
9.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
11.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
12.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
13.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
14.		Canon M	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
15.		Fujifilm XF10	..	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
16.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	2,299	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted 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. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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