Canon RP Comparison Review
The Canon EOS RP is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that was revealed to the public in February 2019 and is equipped with a full frame sensor. It offers a resolution of 26.2 megapixel.
Is the Canon RP a good camera? The Canon RP has a Camera Elo of 2990. This rating puts the Canon RP among the top 30 percent of all mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (full frame cameras), the Canon RP ranks among the top 40 percent.
| Canon RP |
|---|
| Mirrorless system camera |
| Canon RF mount lenses |
| 26.2 MP, Full Frame Sensor |
| 4K/30p Video |
| ISO 100 - 40 000 (50 - 102 400) |
| Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots) |
| 3.0 LCD, 1040k dots |
| Swivel touchscreen |
| 5 shutter flaps per second |
| 250 shots per battery charge |
| 133 x 85 x 70 mm, 485 g |
Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.
Body comparison with a credit card
The physical dimensions of the Canon RP relative to a credit card are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. 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 table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Canon RP alongside a set of comparators. If you want to review a camera pair side-by-side, just select a right-side comparator from among the camera models in the table. Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.
| Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life 1 |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch 2 |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon RP | 5.2 in | 3.3 in | 2.8 in | 17.1 oz | 250 | n | Feb 2019 | 1,299 |  | |
| Canon T8i | 5.2 in | 4.1 in | 3.0 in | 18.2 oz | 800 | n | Feb 2020 | 749 | | |
| Canon SL3 | 4.8 in | 3.7 in | 2.8 in | 15.8 oz | 1070 | n | Apr 2019 | 599 | | |
| Canon T7 | 5.1 in | 4.0 in | 3.1 in | 16.8 oz | 500 | n | Feb 2018 | 449 | | |
| Canon R | 5.5 in | 3.9 in | 3.3 in | 23.3 oz | 370 | Y | Sep 2018 | 2,299 | | |
| Canon 77D | 5.2 in | 3.9 in | 3.0 in | 19.0 oz | 600 | n | Feb 2017 | 899 | | |
| Canon SL2 | 4.8 in | 3.7 in | 2.8 in | 16.0 oz | 650 | n | Jun 2017 | 549 | | |
| Canon T7i | 5.2 in | 3.9 in | 3.0 in | 18.8 oz | 600 | n | Feb 2017 | 749 | | |
| Canon M5 | 4.6 in | 3.5 in | 2.4 in | 15.1 oz | 295 | n | Sep 2016 | 979 | | |
| Canon T6i | 5.2 in | 4.0 in | 3.1 in | 19.6 oz | 440 | n | Feb 2015 | 749 | | |
| Leica TL2 | 5.3 in | 2.7 in | 1.3 in | 14.1 oz | 250 | n | Jul 2017 | 1,950 | | |
|
Notes: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. (1) Number of images that can be taken on a full battery charge according to the CIPA-standard; (2) Official announcement. |
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The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Canon RP was launched in the US market at a price of $1,299. 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.
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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide
The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. 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 are more costly to manufacture and tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
The Canon RP features a full frame sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Canon RP among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality.
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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.
| Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon RP | Full Frame | 26.2 | 6240 | 4160 | 4K/30p | .. | .. | .. | .. | |
| Canon T8i | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/24p | .. | .. | .. | .. | |
| Canon SL3 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/25p | .. | .. | .. | .. | |
| Canon T7 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/30p | .. | .. | .. | .. | |
| Canon R | Full Frame | 30.1 | 6720 | 4480 | 4K/30p | 24.5 | 13.5 | 2742 | 89 | |
| Canon 77D | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.6 | 13.3 | 971 | 78 | |
| Canon SL2 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.6 | 13.4 | 1041 | 79 | |
| Canon T7i | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | .. | .. | .. | .. | |
| Canon M5 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.4 | 12.4 | 1262 | 77 | |
| Canon T6i | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/30p | 22.7 | 12.0 | 919 | 71 | |
| Leica TL2 | APS-C | 24.1 | 6014 | 4014 | 4K/30p | .. | .. | .. | .. |
Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The Canon RP indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the Canon RP can use is 4K/30p.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the Canon RP has an electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 2360k dots. The viewfinder offers a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.70x. The adjacent tables list some of the other core features of the Canon RP along with similar information for a selection of comparators.
| Camera Model |
Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots) |
Control Panel (yes/no) |
LCD Size (inch) |
LCD Resolution (000 dots) |
LCD Attach- ment |
Touch Screen (yes/no) |
Mech Shutter Speed |
Shutter Flaps (1/sec) | Built-in Flash (yes/no) |
Built-in Image Stab |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon RP | 2360 | n | 3.0 | 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 5.0 | n | n | |
| Canon T8i | optical | n | 3.0 | 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 7.5 | Y | n | |
| Canon SL3 | optical | n | 3.0 | 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 5.0 | Y | n | |
| Canon T7 | optical | n | 3.0 | 920 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0 | Y | n | |
| Canon R | 3690 | Y | 3.2 | 2100 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 8.0 | n | n | |
| Canon 77D | optical | Y | 3.0 | 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 6.0 | Y | n | |
| Canon SL2 | optical | n | 3.0 | 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 5.0 | Y | n | |
| Canon T7i | optical | n | 3.0 | 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 6.0 | Y | n | |
| Canon M5 | 2360 | n | 3.2 | 1620 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 9.0 | Y | n | |
| Canon T6i | optical | n | 3.0 | 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 5.0 | Y | n | |
| Leica TL2 | optional | n | 3.7 | 1230 | fixed | Y | 1/4000s | 7.0 | n | n |
It is worthwhile pointing out that the Canon RP has a touchscreen. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, when trying to adjust the focus point.
Connection 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 RP and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
| Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Microphone |
Internal Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support | NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon RP | Y | stereo | mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
| Canon T8i | Y | stereo | mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
| Canon SL3 | Y | stereo | mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
| Canon T7 | Y | mono | mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
| Canon R | Y | stereo | mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.1 | Y | - | Y | |
| Canon 77D | Y | stereo | mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
| Canon SL2 | Y | stereo | mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
| Canon T7i | Y | stereo | mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
| Canon M5 | Y | stereo | mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
| Canon T6i | Y | stereo | mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
| Leica TL2 | Y | stereo | mono | - | - | micro | 3.0 | Y | - | - |
It is notable that the Canon RP has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.
Expert reviews
While the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the Canon RP handle or perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog).
| Camera Model |
camera labs |
dp review |
ephoto zine |
imaging resource |
photography blog |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon RP | + | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2019 | 1,299 | |
|
| Canon T8i | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Feb 2020 | 749 | |
|
| Canon SL3 | o | 79/100 | 4/5 | .. | 4/5 | Apr 2019 | 599 | |
|
| Canon T7 | o | .. | 3.5/5 | .. | 3.5/5 | Feb 2018 | 449 | |
|
| Canon R | o | 79/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | Sep 2018 | 2,299 | |
|
| Canon 77D | .. | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2017 | 899 | |
|
| Canon SL2 | + + | 78/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2017 | 549 | |
|
| Canon T7i | .. | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2017 | 749 | |
|
| Canon M5 | + | 82/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Sep 2016 | 979 | |
|
| Canon T6i | .. | 75/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2015 | 749 | |
|
| Leica TL2 | .. | .. | 4/5 | .. | 4/5 | Jul 2017 | 1,950 | |
|
| Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. | |||||||||
The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time 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. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.
Canon RP FAQ
Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the Canon RP.
What technology is the imaging sensor in the Canon RP based on?
The camera has a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor at its core.
Which image processing chip is used to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?
Canon equipped the Canon RP with the DIGIC 8 image processor.
What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Canon RP?
The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 40000, which can be extended to ISO 50-102400.
Does the camera have a selfie-friendly screen?
Yes, the LCD-screen of the Canon RP is flexible and can be turned to be front-facing for capturing selfies.
What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Canon EOS RP?
Canon mentions a shutter rating of 100 000 actuations for the Canon RP. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the Canon RP over, say, three years, one would have to take about 100 pictures each and every day.
Do I need to purchase an external camera trigger to shoot time-lapse sequences?
No, the Canon EOS RP has an intervalometer built-in, so that low frequency shooting (for example, flower blooming, sunset, moon rise) can be undertaken without the need to purchase a separate external intervalometer and related software.
Does the Canon RP feature an autofocus assist light?
Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.
What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with flash?
The Canon RP's flash sync speed is 1/180 sec.
Does the Canon RP support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?
Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-II cards (data transfer speed of up to 312 MB/s).
Which battery does the Canon RP use?
The camera gets its power from the LP-E17 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.
Where can I find the best deals for the Canon RP?
Grey imports from Asia, as found on eBay, are often very attractively priced. However, these cameras come without a warranty from Canon.
Camera to camera comparisons
In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.
| Camera Model | Canon RP | |
| Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | |
| Camera Lens | Canon RF mount lenses | |
| Launch Date | February 2019 | |
| Launch Price | USD 1 299 | |
| Sensor Specs | ||
| Sensor Technology | CMOS | |
| Sensor Format | Full Frame Sensor | |
| Sensor Size | 35.9 x 24.0 mm | |
| Sensor Area | 862 mm2 | |
| Sensor Diagonal | 43.2 mm | |
| Crop Factor | 1.0x | |
| Sensor Resolution | 26.2 Megapixels | |
| Image Resolution | 6 240 x 4 160 pixels | |
| Pixel Pitch | 5.74 μm | |
| Pixel Density | 3.01 MP/cm2 | |
| Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | |
| Movie Capability | 4K/30p Video | |
| ISO Setting | 100 - 40 000 ISO | |
| ISO Boost | 50 - 102 400 ISO | |
| Image Processor | DIGIC 8 | |
| Screen Specs | ||
| Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | |
| Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.70x | |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 2360k dots | |
| LCD Framing | Live View | |
| LCD Size | 1040k dots | |
| LCD Attachment | Swivel screen | |
| Touch Input | Touchscreen | |
| Shooting Specs | ||
| Focus System | On-Sensor Phase-detect | |
| Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | |
| Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/4000s | |
| Continuous Shooting | 5 shutter flaps/s | |
| Shutter Life Expectancy | 100 000 actuations | |
| Silent Shooting | no E-Shutter | |
| Time Lapse Photography | Intervalometer Built-in | |
| Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | |
| Storage Medium | SDXC cards | |
| Second Storage Option | Single card slot | |
| UHS card support | UHS-II | |
| Connectivity Specs | ||
| External Flash | Hotshoe | |
| USB Connector | USB 2.0 | |
| HDMI Port | micro HDMI | |
| Microphone Port | External MIC port | |
| Headphone Socket | Headphone port | |
| Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | |
| Bluetooth Support | Bluetooth built-in | |
| Body Specs | ||
| Battery Type | LP-E17 power pack | |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 250 shots per charge | |
| In-Camera Charging | USB charging | |
| Body Dimensions |
133 x 85 x 70 mm (5.2 x 3.3 x 2.8 in) |
|
| Camera Weight | 485 g (17.1 oz) |
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