Canon M200 vs Sony A7C II

The Canon EOS M200 and the Sony Alpha A7C II are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2019 and August 2023. Both the M200 and the A7C II are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on an APS-C (M200) and a full frame (A7C II) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 32.7 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon M200		Sony A7C II
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		32.7 MP – Full Frame sensor
4k/25p Video		4K/60p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1037k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
6.1 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
315 shots per battery charge		540 shots per battery charge
108 x 67 x 35 mm, 299 g		124 x 71 x 63 mm, 514 g

Check M200 offers at
ebay.com
Check A7C II price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M200 and the Sony Alpha A7C II? 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 Sony A7C II are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M200 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the A7C II is also available in two color-versions, but different ones (black, silver).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A7C II is notably larger (22 percent) than the Canon M200. Moreover, the A7C II is substantially heavier (72 percent) than the M200. It is noteworthy in this context that the A7C II 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 A7C II can take 540 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. The power pack in the A7C II 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 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	Street Price
1.		Canon M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	US$ 549	ebay.com
2.		Sony A7C II	124 mm	71 mm	63 mm	514 g	540	Y	Aug 2023	US$ 2 199	amazon.com
3.		Canon M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
4.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
5.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	US$ 599	ebay.com
7.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon R100	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	356 g	400	n	May 2023	US$ 479	amazon.com
9.		Canon SL3	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	US$ 599	amazon.com
10.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	US$ 399	amazon.com
11.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
12.		Fujifilm XF10	113 mm	64 mm	41 mm	279 g	330	n	Jul 2018	US$ 499	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
14.		Sony A7 IV	131 mm	96 mm	80 mm	659 g	580	Y	Oct 2021	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7C	124 mm	71 mm	60 mm	509 g	740	Y	Sep 2020	US$ 1 799	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7R	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	465 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
17.		Sony ZV-E1	121 mm	72 mm	54 mm	483 g	570	Y	Mar 2023	US$ 2 199	amazon.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 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 75 percent) than the A7C II, 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. 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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to 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 Sony A7C II a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A7C II is 158 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 32.7MP, the A7C II offers a higher resolution than the M200 (24MP), but the A7C II nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.12μm versus 3.72μm for the M200) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the A7C II is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 11 months) than the M200, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the A7C II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A7C II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A7C II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 35 x 23.4 inches or 89 x 59.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 28 x 18.7 inches or 71.2 x 47.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 23.4 x 15.6 inches or 59.3 x 39.6 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 Sony Alpha A7C II are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

In terms of underlying technology, the M200 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A7C II uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many 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 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.		Sony A7C II	Full Frame	32.7	7008	4672	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3237	96
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 T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
12.		Fujifilm XF10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1844	83
13.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
14.		Sony A7 IV	Full Frame	32.7	7008	4672	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3379	97
15.		Sony A7C	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3407	95
16.		Sony A7R	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.6	14.1	2746	95
17.		Sony ZV-E1	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	4K/60p	25.4	14.6	3181	96
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. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the A7C II provides a faster frame rate than the M200. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/60p, while the Canon 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 A7C II has an electronic viewfinder (2360k 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 following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon M200, the Sony A7C II, and comparable 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.		Sony A7C II	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	Y
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 T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
12.		Fujifilm XF10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A7 IV	3686	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A7C	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A7R	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
17.		Sony ZV-E1	none	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
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 A7C II 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 A7C II 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 Sony A7C II has 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.

The M200 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A7C II uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A7C II 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 Sony Alpha A7C II 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.		Sony A7C II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
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 T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Fujifilm XF10	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony A7 IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Sony A7C	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony A7R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony ZV-E1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the A7C II 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.

The A7C II is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the M200 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the M200 from Canon. Further information on the features and operation of the M200 and A7C II can be found, respectively, in the Canon M200 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A7C II Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Canon M200 better than the Sony A7C II or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS M200:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More compact: Is smaller (108x67mm vs 124x71mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 215g or 42 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 (75 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2019).

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A7C II:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (32.7 vs 24MP), which boosts linear resolution by 17%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/60p 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.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 6.1 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (540 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.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 11 months of technical progress since the M200 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A7C II is the clear winner of the contest (22 : 6 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 Sony A7C II 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 A7C II. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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	Street Price
1.		Canon M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	US$ 549	ebay.com
2.		Sony A7C II	4/5	..	4/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2023	US$ 2 199	amazon.com
3.		Canon M	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
4.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
5.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	US$ 599	ebay.com
7.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon R100	3/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	May 2023	US$ 479	amazon.com
9.		Canon SL3	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	US$ 599	amazon.com
10.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	US$ 399	amazon.com
11.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
12.		Fujifilm XF10	..	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2018	US$ 499	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
14.		Sony A7 IV	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2021	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7C	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	86/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2020	US$ 1 799	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7R	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
17.		Sony ZV-E1	..	+	4/5	..	..	4.5/5	Mar 2023	US$ 2 199	amazon.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. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

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