Canon R100 vs SL2

The Canon EOS R100 and the Canon EOS Rebel SL2 (labelled Canon 200D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in May 2023 and June 2017. The R100 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the SL2 is a DSLR. 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 R100		Canon SL2
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
		Canon EF mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
4k/24p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
6.5 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
400 shots per battery charge		650 shots per battery charge
116 x 86 x 69 mm, 356 g		122 x 93 x 70 mm, 453 g

Check R100 price at
amazon.com
Check SL2 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R100 and the Canon EOS Rebel SL2? 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 R100 and the Canon SL2. 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 SL2 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the R100 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 SL2 is notably larger (14 percent) than the Canon R100. Moreover, the SL2 is markedly heavier (27 percent) than the R100. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the R100 nor the SL2 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 following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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 R100	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	356 g	400	n	May 2023	479	amazon.com
2.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
3.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
5.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
6.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
7.		Canon M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	549	ebay.com
8.		Canon R10	123 mm	88 mm	83 mm	429 g	450	n	May 2022	979	amazon.com
9.		Canon R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	679	amazon.com
10.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
13.		Canon T6	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
14.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
15.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The R100 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 13 percent) than the SL2, 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. 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 tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies 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 R100 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the SL2 (DIGIC 7), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 24 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the R100 and the SL2 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the R100 is much more recent (by 5 years and 10 months) than the SL2, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the R100 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Canon EOS R100 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS Rebel SL2 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, 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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). 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 R100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/24p	24.1	13.9	2197	84
2.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
3.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
4.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
5.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
6.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
7.		Canon M200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/25p	24.0	13.5	1836	82
8.		Canon R10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2085	84
9.		Canon R50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
10.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
11.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
12.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
13.		Canon T6	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
14.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
15.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
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 R100 provides a higher video resolution than the SL2. It can shoot video footage at 4k/24p, while the SL2 is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the R100 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the SL2 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 R100 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the SL2 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the R100 has a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.54x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon R100 and Canon SL2 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 R100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.5/s	Y	n
2.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M200	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
8.		Canon R10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon R50	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
11.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Canon T6	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/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 SL2 has a touchscreen, while the R100 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

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 R100 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 R100 and the Canon SL2 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 R100 and the SL2 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of 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 R100 and Canon EOS Rebel SL2 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 R100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon M200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon R10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon R50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Canon T6	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-

The R100 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the SL2 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the SL2 was succeeded by the Canon SL2. Further information on the features and operation of the R100 and SL2 can be found, respectively, in the Canon R100 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon SL2 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon R100 and the Canon SL2? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS R100:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 8 vs DIGIC 7).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4k/24p vs 1080/60p).
• 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 0.54x).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6.5 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (116x86mm vs 122x93mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 97g or 21 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (13 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 10 months of technical progress since the SL2 launch.

Advantages of the Canon EOS Rebel SL2:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (650 versus 400) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in June 2017).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the R100 is the clear winner of the match-up (13 : 8 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 R100 and the Canon SL2 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the R100 or the SL2. 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 R100	3/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	May 2023	479	amazon.com
2.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
3.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
5.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
6.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
7.		Canon M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	549	ebay.com
8.		Canon R10	4/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2022	979	amazon.com
9.		Canon R50	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	679	amazon.com
10.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
13.		Canon T6	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
14.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
15.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, 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.

Check R100 price at
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Check SL2 offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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