Canon Rebel SL2 Review (EOS 200D) – Particularly compact entry-level DSLR. Small DSLR with folding monitor

With the Canon Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D outside US), Canon presents after more than four years the successor of the EOS 100D, the most compact Canon DSLR. As thecase of the Canon Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D outside US), which is five millimetres wider and slightly higher and deeper, shows, this is a completely new development that also incorporates Canon’s latest technology, such as the 24-megapixel APS-C sensor with dual-pixel CMOS AF. The increase in size should primarily be due to the now rotatable and swivelling display, making the Canon Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D outside US) the smallest DSLR with such a flexible screen.

Short evaluation

Pros

• Small, easy-grip housing
• Movable touch screen
• Traceable operating concept
• Good image quality up to ISO 1,600

Cons

• WLAN function “poor” on older smartphones
• Image quality at high ISO sensitivities slightly lags behind the competition
• Autofocus occasionally somewhat imprecise

 

The Canon Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) features the dual pixel CMOS AF image sensor in APS-C size in latest generation with 24.2 megapixels resolution. [Photo: Canon]

The Canon Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) is primarily aimed at beginners who want a DSLR that is as compact as possible. It is only 122 millimetres wide, 93 millimetres high and 70 millimetres deep, and weighs just over 450 grams. The APS-C sensor, which has a crop factor of 1.6 and is manufactured in a CMOS design, is the latest generation of sensors and achieves effective resolution of 24.2 megapixels. The dual pixel CMOS AF ensures that the camera can always focus quickly, even in live view and during video recordings. Each pixel is divided into two subpixels to serve as a focus measurement point.

The Canon Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) is currently the smallest and lightest DSLR with a rotatable and swivelling display. [Photo: Canon]

The Canon Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) has both automatic and creative programs that allow manual settings. Tips to help you learn the creative basics of photography. [Photo: Canon]

The conventional pentas mirror viewfinder has a 0.87x magnification (0.54x in 35mm equivalent) and covers 95 percent of the image field, a diopter correction is also available. When looking through the viewfinder, the fast phase autofocus, which works with nine measuring points, takes hold; the middle one is a high-quality cross sensor, while the others are line sensors. To use the Live View or record videos, you must switch to the monitor as the viewfinder. It measures 7.7 centimeters diagonally, has a 170 degree viewing angle and has a resolution of 1.04 million pixels. Since, like the image sensor, it has an aspect ratio of 3:2, it shows the live image without mourning borders; the image field coverage is 100 percent. Thanks to the swivel and swivel joint, the screen can be swivelled 180 degrees to the side and rotated 270 degrees, making it easy to view in portrait and landscape format for ground level and overhead shooting, and can also be rotated forward for selfies. If desired, a special selfie mode can be activated, which not only beautifies the skin, but also provides the necessary background blur to free the face.

From the end of July 2017, the Canon Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) will be available in the colors black, white (shown here) and silver for just under 600 euros. The set with the EF-S 18-55 IS STM also shown costs 100 Euro more. [Photo: Canon]

Data processing is provided by the latest processor generation Digic 7, which is intended to ensure high image quality with only low noise. A wide sensitivity range is covered from ISO 100 to 25,600, which can be extended to ISO 51200. The data is saved either in JPEG or in raw data format for further processing on the computer. In addition to automatic shooting, there are also scene mode programs and the so-called creative programs (program automatic, semi-automatic and manual exposure) available for shooting. In addition, shooting tips can be faded in to give the beginner an understanding of the creative basics of photography.

Thanks to WLAN and Bluetooth, the Canon Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) can also connect to mobile devices that can send GPS data to the camera and receive images from it. Remote control of the camera via app is also possible, including live image transmission to the smart device display. By the way, the Canon Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) records videos in maximum Full HD resolution at up to 60 frames per second. From the end of July 2017, the Canon Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) will be available in black, silver or white at a price of just under 600 euros. The set with the lens EF-S 18-55 mm 3.5-5.6 IS STM (29-88 mm 35mm equivalent) costs 100 Euro more.

With the Canon Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D), Canon offers the smallest DSLR with APS-C sensor and foldable monitor available. Whether Canon had to compromise in the construction of the small camera is revealed in this test report. The image quality of the camera and lens was also determined for this test in our own test laboratory. Of course we also took a close look at the handling of the camera and said if the camera has a real “adhesive factor” and you don’t want to give it away anymore.

Ergonomics and workmanship

After unpacking the Canon Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) from the box, you’ll be amazed that Canon has managed to get an APS-C CMOS sensor with 25.8 megapixels into a case measuring 122 x 93 x 70 mm (W x H x D). Without the lens, the weight of the camera is only 453 grams, including the lithium-ion battery and a memory card with SD form factor. Of course, SDHC and SDXC memory cards also fit into the camera, they are even recommended for continuous shooting and video recording.

The Canon Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) looks like a normal Canon EOS camera, only a bit smaller. Like any small camera, the Canon Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) is not an ideal camera for photographers with very large hands. Hands with glove size “L” have no problems grabbing the camera by the handle despite the small size. Canon has designed this in such a way that the upper finger links lie comfortably against the handle. Only towards the trigger does the grip widen in a curve and provide a surprisingly good hold. This is also supported by a genuinely non-slip rubber coating, which encloses the handle in one element. The trigger is also easy to reach for the index finger. This is characterised by a pleasant pressure point. The setting wheel behind the shutter release button and the ISO and display function buttons are also within easy reach.

Something “sunk” Canon has the mode dial. This can be easily reached by the thumb and locks securely into place in any operating mode. The on/off switch can be found right next to it. In addition to the significant function, this also has the switchover to the video function. The optical viewfinder is located below the TTL flash shoe and offers a good overview, which is still fine with about 95 percent image coverage. Technologically, the viewfinder is a mirror viewfinder in which the image is “rotated” by an arrangement of mirrors and displayed the right way round. However, eyeglass wearers have to live with restrictions due to the size of the viewfinder. If the visual defect is not yet too great, diopter compensation can be used instead. As usual, a removable rubber shell protects the glasses and the photographer’s eye from the hard camera body. The fold-out flash is also accommodated in the “hump” on top of the camera. According to our measurements, the flash has a guide number of ten, which is even higher than the manufacturer’s guide number. The button for all wireless functions of the camera is located on the very left side. What the camera offers here for the photographer, we clarify later in the test.

The Canon Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) is the smallest DSLR yet with a movable 3″ touch screen.

The back of the Canon Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) is dominated by the rotatable and foldable 3″ touch screen. The touch screen has a resolution of 1.04 million pixels. The rotating mechanism makes it easy to photograph the popular “Selfies” as well as from a frog or bird’s eye view. By turning the monitor towards the camera body, the camera body is protected from mechanical stress during transport. Other controls such as the control pad, dedicated playback buttons, exposure compensation, metering memory, and multifunction button are located on the back of the camera. There is also a switch between Live View and Viewfinder. The viewfinder then remains dark, of course.

The user interface on the touch screen is contextually dependent on the set operating mode. The touch screen works very accurately and felt without much delay. The menu structure is designed for touch operation and is clearly structured. In addition to touch operation, the control pad and the setting wheel can also be used to select functions or set values. For example, the photographer taps on the exposure time after the function input on the touchscreen has been activated and sets the desired exposure time with the control dial. Thanks to the function keys, important settings such as exposure correction and ISO can be changed directly without using the touch screen. While a fingertip is sufficient for time, aperture and ISO settings in Live View mode, the photographer must first press the “Q” button or the combined “Q/Set” button to change the desired function for more in-depth settings such as changing the exposure mode.

In DSLR viewfinder mode, on the other hand, the photographer must first activate the touchscreen with the “Q” key before using it. The test showed that a “mixed operation” consisting of function keys with the setting wheel and the touch screen was the easiest to do and that the selection of functions and settings was easy to learn. In addition to the quickly accessible basic functions, the photographer is free to make major adjustments in the form of individual functions. In most cases, changes in this area result in significant changes in camera behavior. For example, the photographer can activate a mirror lock up or decouple the autofocus from the shutter release button and place it on a different button.

Changing the aspect ratio was a bit cumbersome. This is only possible if the camera was previously set to Live View mode. If the camera is not in Live View mode, the corresponding tab does not appear in the recording menu of the camera. Here Canon could have set a discreet hint that the menu is only visible in Live View mode.

The movable 3″ touch screen Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) offers a large overview of shooting parameters and image preview. [Photo: Canon]

Due to the larger size, the different connections of the camera were distributed to the left and right side. While the HDMI mini and USB connectors are located on the right side of the camera, the photographer can connect a microphone (3.5 mm jack) and an optional cable remote trigger on the right side. On the underside there is a “¼” tripod thread and the flap that gives access to the battery and memory card. Opening the flap was no problem with a 40 x 40 mm Giotto quick-release plate attached to the tripod thread. The front of the camera features a metal lens bayonet, a lens release, and a dipping button to allow the photographer to visually control the focus area in the viewfinder.

Although the case is made of plastic, it never gives the impression of being filigree or inferiorly finished. The gap dimensions are uniform and soft plastic covers fit perfectly. The monitor’s mechanism is solid and offers enough resistance to prevent accidental opening. We tested the Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) with the EF-S 18-55 mm 4-5.6 IS STM optically stabilized lens. After the stabilizer, the fast stepper motor is the only highlight of the lens and can be precisely controlled by the camera, especially for video recordings. Unfortunately the photographer searches in vain for a metal bayonet on the lens.

Equipment

Canon classifies the Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) as an entry-level camera and for this purpose the manufacturer gave it everything it needed. In addition to an automatic motive control, eleven scene programs are available, which can be selected by the photographer himself. These include the “classics” for portrait, night, sports and landscape photography. The special thing about the scene programs is that the photographer first selects the program, then decides whether the image should be brighter or darker and whether it should be taken with continuous shooting, single shots or self-timer. The photographer then gets a kind of “guided” photography. The Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) offers further help when the “Explanations” in the menu are activated. The camera will then display a small explanation of how changes in the image can affect the mode dial each time the mode is changed.

In the top view, the operating elements of the Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) are very clear. Also good to see is how little “overhang” the camera has on the left side.

No modern camera can do without special effects. The Rebel SL2 is no exception. A total of ten different special effect filters are available, which can be slightly customized. In addition, the photographer can change the shooting characteristics. The photographer has a total of seven of these specifications at his disposal. An automatic mode is also available. Image style settings can be adjusted in various parameters such as contrast, color saturation and sharpness. In addition, a total of three memory locations are available for completely individual image style specifications. In addition, the camera can electronically correct lens errors. However, this only works if a Canon lens is also mounted. The photographer can also choose which lens errors should be corrected. A correction for transverse chromatic aberrations, vignetting, distortion and diffraction is available.

The manual white balance is somewhat cumbersome. With the Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D), this is not done in “real time” when taking a gray chart, but the gray chart must first be photographed. Then the photographer must select the main menu and the corresponding entry for manual white balance, select the image of the gray card and activate the function. The photographer can then select the stored white balance.

Entry level cameras, also in the SLR segment, have a large number of playback functions in addition to the recording function. In the case of the Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D), these include special effects in addition to the usual trim, rotation, rating and search functions. These special effects are the same as those available to the photographer in the shooting menu. However, the advantage of the special effects is that the recording can remain in the original and thus be available in both versions.

Modern digital SLR cameras have had a Live View function for several years. In this case, the mirror is folded up and the monitor on the back displays the image. The viewfinder remains dark, of course. The disadvantage of the live view was that the autofocus was controlled by the contrasts determined on the sensor. This system is very sluggish with DSLRs and made the combination of live view and autofocus a test of patience, especially in poor lighting conditions. The remedy is a so-called hybrid autofocus. In this system, the recording sensor has specialized elements that have the same functional type as the classic phase autofocus system of a DSLR. Of course, the Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) also has a phase autofocus when the Live View is not active.

The side of the handle houses the HDMI and USB ports. [Photo: Canon]

The Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) showed the longest shutter release delay with autofocus at 55 mm focal length adjustment with Live View. This was 0.75 seconds, the measurement under the same conditions with phase autofocus was only 0.4 seconds. At 18 mm wide-angle the speed was 0.3 seconds and at 0.5 seconds with Live View. Despite the hybrid autofocus system, the phase autofocus is faster. The photographer has a total of 49 measurement fields in Live View and nine measurement fields including a central Kreuss sensor for phase autofocus at his disposal. The other sensors are less accurate line sensors. Focus tracking for moving objects and objects to be moved as well as face recognition are also available. In our laboratory test, we occasionally experienced imprecise focusing behavior, both in phase and live view autofocus.

The built-in flash unit is, as already mentioned, with a measured guide number of ten slightly above the power specified by the manufacturer. The photographer has a separate flash exposure compensation and a function to fire the flash at the end of the shot. This allows a better use of the available light during recording. All in all, the built-in flash is only an “emergency light”. The flash is better with an external clip-on flash. The Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) has a TTL flash shoe to match. With this, the camera can communicate with a compatible flash and precisely control the amount of light depending on the requirements. The Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) offers a control for the unleashed flash only with an external system flash or control unit on the flash shoe.

The video function of the Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) can be described as standard without sounding degrading. More than a Full HD resolution (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) with 50 frames per second in PAL mode and 60 frames per second in NTSC mode are not possible. The camera does not offer 4K resolution. As in the photo mode, the video mode is equipped with an automatic motif mode, manual and semi-automatic operating modes are also available. Special effects can also be recorded during recording. The photographer has a total of five different special effects at his disposal, which, for example, provide the video with a retro effect, so that the video resembles an old scratched analog film. However, these effects are permanent and cannot be undone. The Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) has a built-in stereo microphone that is automatically controlled. If this is not sufficient, a microphone with a 3.5 mm jack plug can be connected. If the videos are to be viewed immediately, the camera can be connected to a TV set with HDMI connection. Autofocus tracking is satisfactory when using the STM set lens.

On the left side of the housing you will find the connectors for microphone and cable remote control. You can also see the button to unlock the flashgun and the dipping button here. [Photo: Canon]

As mentioned before, the Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) has a WLAN and Bluetooth function. The connection of the camera via Bluetooth with the smartphone was unfortunately very fiddly. So the app only accepts connections created with the Canon Camera Connect app. Connections created manually via the smartphone system menu must be deleted. After the Bluetooth connection is established, the photographer can activate the geotagging connection. The Rebel SL2 (Canon EOS 200D) requires a permanent Bluetooth connection so that the position data can be written into the metadata of the image. If the photographer selects the remote control function, the WLAN is activated. According to theory, the camera then automatically connects to the smartphone. In our test, the app refused to establish a WLAN connection between a Samsung S6 and Rebel SL2. The connection between a Sony Xperia XZ and the camera, on the other hand, worked smoothly and quickly. The Sony Xperia Z Ultra could even be used as a pure remote trigger without live view. The NFC function helps to establish the WLAN connection quickly. With the smartphone, the photographer can change all recording settings and trigger the recording from his smartphone once the connection has been successfully established. The images can also be transferred to the smartphone so that they can be shared and forwarded immediately.

Picture quality

We have carefully measured the Canon Rebel SL2 with the EF-S 18-55 mm 4-5.6 IS STM in our laboratory and give an overview of the expected image quality of the camera and lens in this section of the test report.

The drop in sharpness of the lens is quite small at 20 x 30 centimeters output size. However, since the values show an oversharpening, it can be assumed that the image processor “helps” here. Diffraction blur is not so strong at any focal length that images become visibly blurred. An edge darkening is present, but with a maximum of 0.3 EV it is almost invisible in all focal lengths. The distortion shown by the 18-55 mm is very visible in the wide-angle range in a barrel shape and visible in the telephoto range in a cushion shape. The chromatic aberrations, on the other hand, are low and only become slightly visible in the telephoto range. Although the Canon Rebel SL2 with the 18-55 mm 4-5.6 IS STM shows a respectable resolution with an open aperture in wide angle, the highest resolution of about 54 line pairs per millimeter in the middle of the picture is reached at F5.6 in the medium focal length. Towards the edge, the resolution drops significantly in all areas.

The tripod thread of the Canon Rebel SL2 is located in the optical axis, but is located quite far at the rear end of the camera. The memory card and battery compartment is concealed under the flap. [Photo: Canon]

The signal-to-noise ratio, which is important for picture quality, indicates how much the picture signal differs from the picture noise. In the case of the Canon Rebel SL2, this shows a high distance to ISO 200, then the distance continues to decrease and becomes small at slightly more than ISO 800. From ISO 6.400 on, a noise suppression is apparently applied which keeps the distance constant up to ISO 12.800. In addition, the distance decreases continuously. For this reason, recordings above ISO 12.800 are no longer recommended.

The loss of detail over the ISO levels is measured using a chart. This also confirms the impression of the camera’s internal oversharpening of the images. Above ISO 1,600, images begin to become visibly blurred. However, the threshold to a very blurred image is just not reached even at the maximum ISO of 51,200. The image noise is hardly visible up to ISO 3.200 and becomes more and more visible. The very disturbing colour noise is no problem up to ISO 6.400. Then the noise suppression strikes strongly and from ISO 12.800 the color noise increases significantly. Compared to a competitor’s equivalent camera, the Canon Rebel SL2 is slightly below its image quality in high ISO ranges.

The input dynamics of a camera show which subject contrast it can cope with. Here, the Canon Rebel SL2 achieves slightly more than twelve f-stops at ISO 200. In addition, the input dynamics continue to decline, falling below nine f-stops shortly before ISO 12.800. On the output side, i.e. the tonal value transmission, the camera shows a bulbous curve that is typical for cameras that are designed for shoot-to-print. The tonal range is very high and almost fully 256 brightness levels. Shortly before ISO 1.600 this falls below the limit between good and acceptable with 160 brightness levels. The measurement of the color fidelity shows that the EOS 200D shows the magenta tones clearly more reddish. Orange and green are only slightly shifted and cyan tones almost not at all. The color deviation is on average rather small.

The battery and memory card compartment of the EOS 200D in detail. [Photo: Carla Andersson]

All in all, the camera shows good performance in combination with the lens. However, the full potential of the camera is not scratched by the lens. Photographers who want more should consider using the Canon Rebel SL2 with a higher quality lens. The possibility to edit JPEG files is limited by the image processing, which is very much adapted to Shoot to Print. Here only the consistent use of the raw data format or the image style adjustment helps by drastically reducing the sharpness of the image.

Bottom line

The Canon Rebel SL2 clearly shows that Canon understands very well what an entry-level camera needs and what it doesn’t. Starting with the excellently processed and very handy housing up to the comprehensible operation at any time via the high-resolution and movable touch screen, there was no ambiguity in the operating concept with the camera. The switches, selector wheels and buttons are tight, but are always easy to operate. A separate memory card slot would have been nice, but is the price that has to be paid for the really small size. There is also nothing wrong with the shooting programs and the automatic scene recognition recognizes quite reliably different shooting scenarios. It’s a pity that there is no 4K video recording on the camera, especially since Canon is not a blank page when it comes to video and could have implemented such a function off the cuff. The image quality gives no cause for complaint as long as the photographer remains below ISO 1,600. In addition, image noise and noise reduction continuously increase blur. As usual with set lenses, the EF-S 18-55 mm 4-5.6 IS STM was also the limiting factor in this case. The camera can deliver much more resolution than the lens.