Canon M200 vs T2i

The Canon EOS M200 and the Canon EOS Rebel T2i (labelled Canon 550D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2019 and February 2010. The M200 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the T2i is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The M200 has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the T2i provides 17.9 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 T2i
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
4k/25p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
6.1 shutter flaps per second		3.7 shutter flaps per second
315 shots per battery charge		440 shots per battery charge
108 x 67 x 35 mm, 299 g		129 x 98 x 62 mm, 530 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 Rebel T2i? 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 physical size and weight of the Canon M200 and the Canon T2i are illustrated 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 measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M200 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the T2i 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 T2i is considerably larger (75 percent) than the Canon M200. Moreover, the T2i is substantially heavier (77 percent) than the M200. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the M200 nor the T2i 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.

Concerning battery life, the M200 gets 315 shots out of its Canon LP-E12 battery, while the T2i can take 440 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E8 power pack.

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, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons 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 T2i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	530 g	440	n	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
3.		Canon M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
4.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
5.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
7.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
8.		Canon R100	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	356 g	400	n	May 2023	479	amazon.com
9.		Canon SL3	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
10.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
11.		Canon T1i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
12.		Canon T3i	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
13.		Canon T4i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
14.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
15.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
16.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
17.		Fujifilm XF10	113 mm	64 mm	41 mm	279 g	330	n	Jul 2018	499	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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The M200 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 21 percent) than the T2i, 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 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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its 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.

In terms of chip-set technology, the M200 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the T2i (DIGIC 4), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the M200 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 17.9 MP of the T2i. This megapixels advantage translates into a 16 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the M200 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 4.31μm for the T2i). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the M200 is much more recent (by 9 years and 7 months) than the T2i, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Canon M200 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the M200 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon T2i are 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The M200 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS M200 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS Rebel T2i are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-12800.

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 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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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 T2i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	784	66
3.		Canon M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827	65
4.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
5.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
7.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
8.		Canon R100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/24p	24.1	13.9	2197	84
9.		Canon SL3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
10.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
11.		Canon T1i	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	1080/20p	21.7	11.5	663	63
12.		Canon T3i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
13.		Canon T4i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
14.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
15.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
16.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
17.		Fujifilm XF10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1844	83
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the M200 provides a higher video resolution than the T2i. It can shoot video footage at 4k/25p, while the T2i is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the T2i has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the M200 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon M200 and Canon T2i in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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 T2i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
3.		Canon M	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.3/s	n	n
4.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
5.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
8.		Canon R100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.5/s	Y	n
9.		Canon SL3	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon T1i	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.4/s	Y	n
12.		Canon T3i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
13.		Canon T4i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
16.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
17.		Fujifilm XF10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The M200 has a touchscreen, while the T2i has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the M200 and the T2i write their files to SDXC cards. The M200 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the T2i cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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 Rebel T2i 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 T2i	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon M	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon R100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Canon T1i	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon T3i	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon T4i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Fujifilm XF10	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the M200 offers wifi support, while the T2i does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both the M200 and the T2i have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The T2i was replaced by the Canon T3i, while the M200 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the M200 and T2i can be found, respectively, in the Canon M200 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon T2i Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon M200 or the Canon T2i – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS M200:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 17.9MP) with a 16% higher linear resolution.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 8 vs DIGIC 4).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4k/25p vs 1080/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6.1 vs 3.7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (108x67mm vs 129x98mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 231g or 44 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (21 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 9 years and 7 months of technical progress since the T2i launch.

Advantages of the Canon EOS Rebel T2i:

• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (440 versus 315) out of a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2010).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the M200 is the clear winner of the match-up (16 : 5 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. 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 T2i place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR 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 remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the M200 or the T2i perform in practice. 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 T2i	..	+ +	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
3.		Canon M	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
4.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
5.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
7.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
8.		Canon R100	3/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	May 2023	479	amazon.com
9.		Canon SL3	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
10.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
11.		Canon T1i	..	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
12.		Canon T3i	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
13.		Canon T4i	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
14.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
15.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
16.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
17.		Fujifilm XF10	..	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time 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. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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