Introduction

Ease of Use

The Canon EOS RP In-hand

The EOS RP is Canon's second 35mm full-frame mirrorless camera, following hot on the heels of the EOS R model that was released in September 2018. Instead of being a higher-end, pro model, as had widely been predicted by the photography press and hoped for by many enthusiasts, the EOS RP is a much cheaper camera than the R - indeed, it's currently the cheapest full-frame mirrorless camera on the market, and by a large margin, significantly undercutting the likes of the Nikon Z6, Panasonic Lumix S1 and the Sony A7 III cameras.

Indeed, priced at £1,399.99 / €1,629.99 / $1,299 body-only, the EOS RP actually steps on the toes of smaller format cameras like the Fujifilm X-H1 and X-T3, Panasonic Lumix G9 and Olympus OM-D E-M1 II, which shows just how aggressive Canon have decided to be in terms of pricing and widening the full-frame market. The "P" in "EOS RP" actually stands for “popular” in Japanese, signalling Canon's intent to release a camera that will appeal to as wide an audience as possible. The sub £$2000 full-frame mirrorless barrier has been well and truly smashed with the launch of the Canon EOS RP, and it'll be very interesting to see how Canon's rivals respond in the coming months (Nikon have already signalled their intent to launch a similarly priced rival camera to the RP).

The Canon EOS RP continues to use the new RF lens mount, which made its debut on last year's EOS R camera, so this new model can utilise the four lenses that were announced alongside the EOS R - the RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM kit lens that we predominantly reviewed the camera with, the RF 50mm f/1.2L USM, the RF 28-70mm f/2L USM and the RF 35mm f/1.8 MACRO IS STM. At the time of writing, these are the only RF lenses available to buy, although Canon have released a lens roadmap with lots more RF lenses on it.

Front of the Canon EOS RP

With the exception of the RF 35mm f/1.8 MACRO IS STM, all of the RF lenses released so far are actually more expensive than the EOS RP body, which has resulted in Canon creating some rather interesting lens kits for the RP, in that two of them are based upon EF DSLR lenses mounted via the Mount Adapter EF-EOS R. While these lenses work very well on the new EOS R/RP bodies, it does perhaps illustrate the lack of affordable, compact lenses in the fledgling RF lens range, something that Canon haven't really addressed in their RF lens roadmap. At the moment, you can choose to mount big, expensive RF lenses on the EOS RP, or more compact, cheaper EF lenses.

This is especially important given just how compact the new Canon EOS RP camera is - at 132.5x85.0 x70.0mm and 440g, it's smaller and lighter by 175g than the EOS R model, and also smaller and lighter than a comparable DSLR like the 6D Mark II. This means that even the standard RF 24-105mm F/4L IS USM kit zoom lens feels front heavy on the EOS RP, especially when it's zoomed to 105mm as the lens barrel extends further. Canon have sought to address this by releasing the Extension Grip EG-E1, a nicely designed handgrip extension for the EOS RP which makes it more suitable for both people with larger hands and for using the camera with larger, heavier lenses.

The new EOS RP is the smallest and lightest full-frame camera currently available on the market. Despite the EOS RP's lightweight nature, though, the chassis is actually made of magnesium alloy, and it offers the same level of weatherproofing as the EOS 80D DSLR.

Rear of the Canon EOS RP

As mentioned above, in addition to the four native RF mount lenses, it's also possible to use EF and EF-S (but not EF-M) mount lenses on the Canon EOS RP by fitting one of four new lens adapters. There's the EF-EOS R adapter that's supplied in the box with the EOS RP, plus the EF-EOS R adapter with built-in control ring, EF-EOS R adapter with built-in circular polarizing filter, and finally the EF-EOS R adapter with built-in variable neutral density filter. All four of these adapters work equally well with both the EOS R and RP cameras.

In terms of styling, the Canon EOS RP once again looks like a DSLR camera, albeit one with the pentaprism on top chopped off. There's a surprisingly chunky handgrip on the front which is generously sized given the overall dimensions of the camera, with the small but tactile shutter button set into the sloping front of the grip. On the front of the camera, there's a porthole for the AF assist light, a lozenge shaped button for releasing the lens, and the 54mm diameter RF mount. Unlike the more expensive EOS R, though, the sensor is not protected by a physical cover when the camera is turned off, instead being left open to the elements, as with all other full-frame mirrorless cameras currently released.

At the heart of the EOS RP lies a 26.2 megapixel CMOS sensor, this time with an optical low-pass filter rather than without as on the ESO RP. This shares the exact same specification as the sensor inside the EOS 6D Mark II DSLR, although Canon were at pains to point out that the two cameras don't share exactly the same sensor. Coupled with the latest Digic 8 processor, the EOS R has an ISO range of 100-40000, extendable to 50-102,400, which again matches the 6D Mark II and also the higher-priced EOS R.

Front of the Canon EOS RP

As on the EOS R before it, Canon have once again decided not to implement an in-camera image stabilisation system on the new RP model. For better or for worse, they've decided to omit IBIS and build it into some of their lenses instead (but not all), resolutely sticking to their guns that a lens-based system provides technically better stabilisation whilst making the camera smaller.

Whilst this was a potential deal-breaker on the more expensive, larger EOS R, especially as all of its main rivals have built-in body image stabilisation, we can forgive Canon a little more on the EOS RP, given that it's smaller in both size and price. There is a new Dual Sensing IS system that reduces camera shake for handheld photography, and also the Movie Digital IS mode provides 5-axis movie stabilisation to counteract shake during video recording.

Perhaps less forgivable is the poor implementation of 4K video on the Canon EOS RP. Thanks to the Digic 8 processor, the EOS RP is the latest Canon mirrorless camera to offer 4K video recording, which, in conjunction with the vari-angle LCD screen that be rotated to face forwards and the built-in Mic-in and Headphone ports, promises to make it a perfect camera for vlogging

All is not quite as rosy as a glance at the spec sheet would indicate, though, as the EOS RP once again automatically applies a massive 1.6x crop on the sensor in 4k mode (just like the EOS R), which effectively changes the focal length of the fitted lens, making wide-angle framing much more difficult. So difficult, in fact, that you'd currently need to use a non-RF lens achieve a natural viewing angle for video.

Battery Compartment and Memory Card Slot

Even worse than on the EOS R, the excellent Dual Pixel CMOS AF system is not available when recording in 4K, with the camera instead relying on contrast-based AF, just like the EOS M50 APS-C camera. You have to drop the video quality down to 1080p to avoid the crop factor and benefit from Dual Pixel CMOS AF, which rather defeats the purpose of buying this camera for recording 4K video.

In terms of the video specifications, the Canon EOS RP can only record internally or externally at 4:2:0 8-bit, rather than externally at 4:2:2 10-bit with C-Log as on the EOS R. There are a choice of 25p or 24p frame rates for 4K and up to 60p for Full HD, but there's no 120fps slow-motion option as on the EOS R. All-in-all, video on the EOS R is something of a disappointment, especially in 4K.

A lot more understandable on a camera like the EOS RP is Canon's decision to only implement one card slot, and for the standard to be SD UHS-II, rather than anything more technologically advanced like XQD cards. Slightly more annoying is the fact that the card slot is shared with the battery compartment in the base of the camera, which means that you have to take the camera off a tripod in order to access both the card and the battery.

Silent shooting has long been a staple feature of mirrorless cameras, but on the EOS RP Canon's engineers have effectively made it an option that's only available to beginners. They've done this by turning it into a dedicated scene mode - set the shooting mode dial to SCN, then select Silent Mode from the options - but doing so hands all creative control over to the camera. Bizarrely you can't shoot in Aperture or Shutter Priority or Manual modes and also set the camera to silent shooting, something that virtually every other mirrorless camera on the market is capable of.

Tilting LCD Screen

The Canon EOS RP uses the same LP-E17 battery as the EOS 800D DSLR and M50 mirrorless cameras, rather than the larger LP-E6N battery used in the EOS R. This provides a rather mediocre CIPA rated life of 250 shots, although you can at least recharge the camera via its USB 2.0 port as well as using the supplied charger.

Give the aggressive price-point, we like the EOS R's EVF and LCD screens. The former has a respectably high resolution of 2.36 million dots, 100% scene coverage and a magnification of 0.70x, which almost but not quite matches the EOS R which offers 0.76x magnification. The RP's LCD screen is a 3-inch unit with 1.04 million dots, again lower-specced than the EOS R, but once again vari-angle in nature, which makes it a joy to use for both stills and video.

Turning to the top of the camera, the EOS RP loses the handy top-panel LCD found on the EOS R, but gains a proper shooting mode dial, something that was sorely missed on the EOS RP's more expensive sibling. On balance on a camera like this, we'd rather have a dedicated shooting mode dial than an LCD status panel - indeed, we would have opted for the same configuration on the EOS R if given the choice, as it speeds up the operation of the camera, especially if you switch between shooting modes a lot.

Another welcome omission from the design of the EOS RP is the lack of a M-Fn Bar. On the EOS R, this rather strange touch-sensitive control located underneath your right thumb can be customised to access different key settings, and the way that it works can also be customised too. It's fair to say that the M-Fn Bar takes some getting used to, so much that we were never convinced that it was a particularly good idea on the EOS R, so it's with a sigh of relief that we see that it hasn't also made its way onto the new EOS RP.

Top of the Canon EOS RP

Unfortunately, Canon haven't actually put anything in place of the M-Fn Bar on the EOS RP - instead there's just a blank area. Consequently there's still no AF joystick and/or an AEL button, one of our main criticisms of the EOS R, which again makes it much harder to set the AF point than on rival cameras. Instead you have to use the 4-way navigation pad or touch and drag the AF point on the rear LCD, both much less satisfying alternatives to a good joystick, which is something that power users will definitely miss on the EOS RP.

You can at least use almost the whole screen when touch and dragging the AF point, or you can apportion a section of the screen, for example the bottom right, to allow you to change the AF point. This is particularly handy if you find that your nose or face is accidentally moving the AF point when you don’t want it to whilst using the viewfinder.

On a more positive note, the Canon EOS RP has one of the more advanced AF systems on the market. Canon have built on the proven phase-detect Dual Pixel CMOS AF System in their DSLRs to develop a new variant with no less than 4,779-points, almost as many as the 5,655 points on the EOS R. These cover almost the entire frame - 88% vertical and 100% horizontal - making tracking moving subjects easier and more precise, and allowing you to focus on off-centre subjects without having to reframe. The EOS RP's AF system is also capable of reacting in just 0.05 seconds, which Canon claim make it the quickest full-frame mirrorless camera in the world. Finally, the EOS R can also focus in low-light down to a CIPA-rated -5EV (with certain lenses), an incredible achievement that's almost as good as the -6EV rating on the EOS R.

Less impressive, though, is the Eye AF system, which is enabled as part of the Face Detect AF option rather than as a dedicated option. It worked fine reliably outside in bright sunlight, but struggled a lot more in low-light conditions. On a more positive note, you can now enable it in AF-C mode, as well as AF-S, something that we'd hope to see implemented soon on the EOS R via a firmware update. There's also a new Single-Point Spot AF mode, again not found on the more expensive EOS R.

The Canon EOS RP with the RF 24-105mm F4 Kit Lens

When it comes to capturing fast moving subjects, the Canon EOS RP lags behind its main rivals in terms of all-out shooting speed, and is also slightly slower than the EOS R. The headline figure is 5fps burst shooting, but that's only when setting the focus point at the first frame, useful for golfers but little else - it drops to a pedestrian 4fps with AF tracking. There's a decent buffer of 50 Raw files or unlimited JPEGs, but the camera simply isn't fast enough for sports and action photography.

The Canon EOS RP offers both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. You can use the latter as a low-power alternative to Wi-Fi to control the camera and for automatically transferring images across to your phone ready for super quick sharing. It’s also easier and quicker to set up and use than connecting to the camera’s Wi-Fi network, which is still a rather long-winded process.

The EOS RP also has one unique feature never before seen on any Canon camera - focus bracketing. You can take up to 999 shots in total and then blend them together in Canon's Digital Photo Professional software, although at the time of writing a version of DPP that that could do focus bracketing wasn't available for review. Unfortunately you can't blend the images together in-camera.

Overall, in terms of handling, the Canon EOS RP actually gets more things right than it's big brother, the EOS R, largly thanks to taking a more proven, traditional approach to its overall design. Now let's take a close look at the EOS RP's image quality...

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 26.2 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 8Mb.

Noise

ISO sensitivity can be set between ISO 50 and ISO 102400 in full-stop increments. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting, with JPEG on the left and RAW on the right.

JPEG	RAW
ISO 50 (100% Crop)	ISO 50 (100% Crop)
ISO 100 (100% Crop)	ISO 100 (100% Crop)
ISO 200 (100% Crop)	ISO 200 (100% Crop)
ISO 400 (100% Crop)	ISO 400 (100% Crop)
ISO 800 (100% Crop)	ISO 800 (100% Crop)
ISO 1600 (100% Crop)	ISO 1600 (100% Crop)
ISO 3200 (100% Crop)	ISO 3200 (100% Crop)
ISO 6400 (100% Crop)	ISO 6400 (100% Crop)
ISO 12800 (100% Crop)	ISO 12800 (100% Crop)
ISO 25600 (100% Crop)	ISO 25600 (100% Crop)
ISO 51200 (100% Crop)	ISO 51200 (100% Crop)
ISO 102400 (100% Crop)	ISO 102400 (100% Crop)

File Quality

The Canon EOS RP has three different file quality settings - Raw, Fine and Normal. Here are some 100% crops which show the difference.

Raw (29.8Mb)	Fine (8.3Mb)
Normal (4.3Mb)

Low Light

The Canon EOS RP's maximum shutter speed is 30 seconds and there's a Bulb mode for even longer exposures, which is excellent news if you're seriously interested in low light photography.

HDR

The Canon EOS RP's HDR Mode captures three different exposures and combines them into one, retaining more shadow and highlight detail, with an Auto mode, three different strengths and several types of HDR style available.

Off

1EV

2EV

3EV

Multiple Exposure

The EOS RP's multiple exposure mode allows you to take between two and nine images and merge them into a single photo in-camera.

Picture Styles

Canon's Picture Controls are preset combinations of different sharpness, contrast, saturation and colour tone settings. The EOS RP's seven available Picture Controls are shown below in the following series, which demonstrates the differences. There are also three User Defined styes so that you can create your own look.

Standard

Portrait

Landscape

Fine Detail

Faithful

Neutral

Monochrome

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Canon EOS RP camera, which were all taken using the 26.2 megapixel Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Canon EOS RP enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Canon RAW (CR3) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movies & Video

Product Images

Conclusion

The new Canon EOS RP certainly isn't the best full-frame mirrorless camera in terms of features, performance or image quality, but it is crucially the cheapest, and it offers more than enough to justify its modest asking price.

While Canon fans might have preferred a new pro-level model to rival the likes of the Sony A7R III, Nikon Z7 and Panasonic Lumix S1R, the entry-level EOS RP shouldn't be overlooked in a year that has already seen a wealth of new cameras launched. The EOS RP provides a logical and affordable upgrade path for owners of Canon's vast selection of APS-C DSLRs who are looking to step-up to full-frame, but who don't need the complexity or expense of cameras like the EOS R, Sony A7 III and Nikon Z6.

Sure, Canon have cut more than a few corners to hit the aggressive price point that the EOS RP enters the market at. These include reusing the same sensor technology as the now aging EOS 6D Mark II DSLR, implementing a lower resolution LCD screen and electronic viewfinder than those seen on the EOS R, featuring an even worse 4K video mode than the EOS R offered, pedestrian 4fps burst shooting with continuous AF, and rather mediocre 250-shot battery life.

On the other hand, the EOS RP is surprisingly well-built, with the same level as weather-proofing as the popular EOS 80D DSLR, makes more logical design decisions, most notably the removal of the M-Fn bar and the addition of a dedicated shooting mode dial, and has a great 1080p video mode. It also offers fantastic auto-focusing, USB charging and Bluetooth connectivity, all in a very compact and lightweight chassis. And in some ways, the EOS RP even manages to outperform its big brother, the EOS R, most notably by offering Eye AF in both AF-S and AF-C focusing modes, and incorporating Focus Stacking for the first time on any Canon camera.

Lens selection is one area where the EOS RP makes less sense for a prospective buyer, currently at least. It's not well suited to the majority of RF lenses that have been released so far, or the ones on the RF lens roadmap, which are all large and heavy and really require that pro-level body that we mentioned earlier. The RF 35mm F1.8 is a good match, and a great lens, but you'll need to consider using Canon's EF lens range via the supplied adapter, at least until Canon start to fill their RF range with smaller, more affordable options. Thankfully, Canon offer the best adapter in the business - using EF lenses on the new EOS R and RP cameras is just as good an experience as using them on EOS DSLRs.

Ultimately, the new EOS RP camera adds up to a lot more than the sum of its parts, offering full-frame mirrorless image quality at an APS-C price point. While it's far from being the most technologically advanced camera ever released, Canon's cunning repackaging of existing tech in a logical design for its target audience could make it one of the best-selling. Pro users will have to wait for the next Canon R model, but prosumers who are interested in what full-frame cameras can offer without having to break the bank should certainly take a long, hard look at the new Canon EOS RP.

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	4
Features	3.5
Ease-of-use	4
Image quality	4
Value for money	5

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Canon EOS RP.

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Canon EOS RP from around the web.

Specifications

News

The Canon EOS RP is a small, light and practical full frame mirrorless camera aimed at advanced amateurs looking to take a step-up into Canon’s new EOS R System. The EOS RP’s 26.2 Megapixel full frame CMOS sensor, coupled with Canon’s latest DIGIC 8 processor, offers a creative step-up with the optimal balance of detail, control over depth of field and incredible low light shooting performance.

The Canon EOS RP will be available from 27th February 2019 with the Mount Adapter EF-EOS R priced at £1,399.99/€1,629.99.

Canon UK Press Release

Step into the creative world of EOS R: Canon launches the compact, full frame EOS RP

United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, 14 February 2019 – Canon today launches the EOS RP - a small, light and practical full frame mirrorless camera, for advanced amateurs looking to take a step-up into Canon’s revolutionary EOS R System. Ideal for travel, landscape and portrait photography and videography, the EOS RP promises greater potential opening up all the benefits of the EOS R System – including the world’s fastest autofocus . As Canon’s smallest, lightest  full frame digital interchangeable lens camera to date, it provides the ultimate blend of practicality and ease of use, with impressive image quality. The EOS RP also allows photographers and videographers to explore and utilise Canon’s full portfolio of EF and EF-S lenses. 

Today, Canon also announces the development of the RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM – the perfect travel companion – practical in both size and performance. It is a versatile all-purpose lens for the advanced amateur photographer or videographer offering a range of focal lengths for capturing extraordinary shots. 

Enter the full frame world of EOS R 

The EOS RP is an affordable yet advanced camera in Canon’s full frame line-up. Offering next generation full frame optical performance with the potential to explore future RF lenses, such as the RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM, the EOS RP features the innovative RF Mount with its high-speed 12-pin communication system, short back focus and wide 54-mm mount diameter. Built from the ground up, the RF Mount provides lenses with new levels of optical performance, responsiveness and functionality. Photographers and videographers can also experience the full performance of their existing EF and EF-S lenses thanks to three EF-EOS R adapter options, with additional functionality when using the control ring or drop-in filter adapter.

Supporting creativity with silence, speed and quality 

The EOS RP’s 26.2 Megapixel full frame CMOS sensor, coupled with Canon’s latest DIGIC 8 processor, offers a creative step-up with the optimal balance of detail, control over depth of field and incredible low light shooting performance. Optimised for low light conditions, the ISO 40,000 ¬¬– expandable up to a range of ISO 102,400 – works alongside the powerful Dual Pixel CMOS AF system to enable photographers to shoot in even the darkest environments with confidence, with a shooting capability down to -5 EV . 

With an emphasis on achieving optimal clarity straight from the camera, DLO (Digital Lens Optimiser) correction is applied in-camera to RF lenses and up to five EF lenses when registered in the camera. For post-editing options, the EOS RP offers the latest generation CR3 14-bit RAW file format, alongside a compact RAW option to save approximately 40 per cent on the file size of standard RAW files. This increases the number of images that can be stored on a memory card whilst retaining the flexibility of shooting with RAW. For instant editing, images can be processed in-camera with Creative Assist offering a range of filters, effects and controls that make it simple to obtain the desired result for instant sharing. 

EOS handling, no compromise 

Portable and practical, the EOS RP is Canon’s lightest and most affordable full frame digital interchangeable lens camera launched to date. In a body weighing just 485g , it is great for travel when space and weight are at a premium. Engineered to shoot in a range of situations, the camera is built around a magnesium alloy chassis with high precision outer body parts, including sealing materials to provide dust and moisture resistance. Versatile in its usage, the EOS RP offers a powerful Dual Sensing IS system that reduces camera shake for handheld photography, and a silent shooting scene mode for discreet shooting. A continuous shooting rate of up to 5 fps, or 4 fps with Servo AF, combined with a UHS-II card slot, gives an unlimited  buffer when shooting JPEG or RAW files – enough for capturing action when travelling. The EOS RP’s familiar EOS handling is both easy, familiar and comfortable to use with the flexibility of customisable controls, scene modes and a graphical menu interface – great for adapting to different skill levels, when shooting either stills or video. The well-designed, EOS-style grip, high resolution 7.5-cm Vari-Angle touch screen and 0.39-type OLED electronic viewfinder inspires next generation handling with full creative framing and tactile controls at one’s fingertips – from menu options to the point of focus. The EOS RP is compatible with a range of EOS accessories including the Extension Grip EG-E1 - which also launches today – for added comfort, and the Canon Speedlite 470EX-AI with AI bounce (launched February 2018). 

Focus on every detail 

The EOS RP takes a no compromise approach to autofocus with Dual Pixel CMOS AF offering the world’s fastest AF speed of 0.05 seconds  and accuracy with up to 4779 selectable AF positions over a wide frame area of up to 88 per cent x 100 per cent. The EOS RP’s electronic viewfinder (EVF) – with 2.36 million dots and approximately 100 per cent coverage of the scene – allows great shots to be captured and previewed in challenging and diminished lighting. Touch and Drag AF is one of the four methods that makes it easy to control the focus area while framing using the viewfinder or simply touching the LCD screen. For impactful portraits, Eye AF with continuous tracking focuses on the subjects’ eye when in Face Detect mode, making it easy to achieve professional results and critical sharpness every time. Whether capturing moving subjects for stills or videos, the EOS RP can track the subject continuously to react to the action in the frame. For extended depth of field for macro shooting, focus bracketing allows for stunning depth of focus to be achieved ensuring ultimate sharpness. With a single press of the shutter, the mode continuously shoots with a range of automatically adjusted focal positions. Digital Photo Professional for PC or Mac can then be used for depth composition, creating a final shot which is in focus over the desired depth of field. Spot AF provides precise focusing when taking macro shots. Other AF modes include Face AF, 1pt AF, Expanded AF and Zone AF – providing flexibility for a range of subjects. 

Shoot, share and stay connected  

Thanks to smart Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity for shooting and sharing, the EOS RP allows users to control their camera from their smart device to shoot images or video remotely via Wi-Fi. This is advantageous to avoid distracting the subject or to get a creative edge, whether observing animals or achieving a remote or unique angle in-and-amongst sporting action. Once downloaded, the Canon Connect App gives full control over camera settings, a live view and even the option to wake-up the camera remotely over Bluetooth. When connected to compatible iOS or Android devices, the EOS RP can embed GPS coordinates into images allowing photographers to keep a record of their travel locations. For sharing while on the move, the EOS RP can automatically synchronise images to a smart device, as well as transfer RAW data to the Canon DPP Express app for mobile editing.

Make high-quality, 4K movies on-the-go

The EOS RP delivers freedom and possibilities for videographers looking for a portable and easy-to-use camera. With its DIGIC 8 processor, the EOS RP can capture movies in up to 4K resolution at 25 fps and Full HD at 60 fps. With features including 4K time-lapse, interval timer, Movie Servo AF and HDR movies, users can capture fast action and slow-motion sequences as well as achieve an expanded dynamic range. Dual Pixel CMOS AF  enables accurate focusing and face detection, while Movie Digital IS provides 5-axis movie stabilisation to counteract shake when footage is captured handheld. The microphone and headphone jacks help to capture and monitor audio in real time, while the Vari-Angle touch screen makes it comfortable to shoot at a variety of angles. The Video Snapshot function is a simple way to create a video summary of a travel adventure, combining 4, 6, or 8-second clips to give a digest of memorable events and scenes. An easy to manage codec enables a swift editing workflow and reduced file sizes for storage. 

Full frame today, the RF lens capability of tomorrow 

Canon today reaffirms its ongoing commitment to its recently launched EOS R System and RF Mount, announcing the development of six full frame lenses for release in 2019 in celebration of reaching a production milestone of 140 million EF and RF lenses . Included in the lens development roadmap is the RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM, the perfect travel companion – practical in both size and performance. This versatile all-purpose lens for the advanced amateur photographer or videographer, offers a range of focal lengths for capturing extraordinary shots. The five other full frame RF lenses currently in development suit the needs of every user from advanced amateurs to professional photographers and videographers, all in pursuit of the perfect shot. Building on Canon’s optical lens heritage, this range of lenses will push forward the frontiers of creative capture thanks to the new cutting-edge optics and advanced image processing for both stills and video.

EOS RP Key Features

• 26.2 Megapixel full frame CMOS sensor

• Lightweight body with magnesium alloy chassis

• Dual Pixel CMOS AF

• 4K Movie 

• DIGIC 8 processor

• Three EF-EOS R adapter options enabling compatibility with EF and EF-S lenses

• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Pricing and availability

The Canon EOS RP will be available from 27th February 2019 with the following RSPs:

• EOS RP body with Mount Adapter EF-EOS R £1,399.99/€1,629.99 / $1,299

• EOS RP with RF 24-105mm F/4L IS USM and Mount Adapter EF-EOS R £2,329.99/€2,729.99

Pre-order or buy the Canon EOS RP with a selected lens and save. These offers are available for a limited time (14th Feb – 13th March).

• EOS RP with EF 24-105mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM and Mount Adapter EF-EOS R £1,599.98 (save £215.00) / €1,889.98 (save €240.00) / $1,699 (save $300)

• EOS RP with RF 35 f/1.8 and Mount Adapter EF-EOS R £1,799.98 (save £120.00) / €2,129.98 (save €100.00)

• EOS RP with EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM and Mount Adapter EF-EOS R £1,999.98 (save £200.00) / €2,369.98 (save €220.00) / $2,199 (save $200)

Image Gallery

Click on a thumbnail to see the full version.

First Impressions

The Canon EOS RP is a new full-frame mirrorless camera, offering 26 megapixels and using the Canon RF lens mount.

We were shown a final version of the EOS RP by Canon ahead of today's launch. We weren't allowed to take any photos with the camera or of the presentation slides, but did get some hands-on time with the EOS RP.

So read on for our initial first impressions of the new Canon EOS RP full frame mirrorless camera...

Canon only recently launched the EOS R camera back in September 2018, but they obviously feel that they still have some room to grow their market share, hence their announcement of another new compact system camera, this time at a much more aggressive price point.

The lower-resolution, cheaper Canon EOS RP is taking on the likes of the Nikon Z6, Panasonic Lumix S1 and the Sony A7 III, but it significantly undercuts all of those cameras in terms of price - it will be very interesting to see how Canon's rivals respond.

Indeed, it's so cheap that smaller format cameras like the Fujfilm X-H1 and X-T3, Panasonic Lumix G9 and Olympus OM-D E-M1 II are also under threat price-wise from the EOS RP.

With regards to the new camera's name, the P in EOS RP stands for “popular” in Japan, signalling that it's intended as a camera for the masses, just like the 80D and 800D DSLR cameras that have gone before it.

Canon told us that the APS-C EOS-M series will definitely continue as a small, lightweight camera system. Canon feel strongly that it's really important to have a mix of products, both mirrorless and DSLR. There's no question that there’s still a place for the DSLR, as there isn’t just one camera type that suits everybody.

The EOS 5D Mark IV, EOS R, EOS 6D Mark II and the new EOS RP now constitute Canon's mainstream full-frame camera line-up.

Key Specifications

Here's a list of the key specifications for the EOS RP:

• 26.2 megapixels, low pass filter
• DIGIC 8 processor
• 2.36-million-dot, 0.39-inch OLED electronic viewfinder
• Vari-angle 3-inch touchscreen LCD with 1.04-million-dot resolution
• ISO 50-102400
• Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 4779 AF points
• 0.05 sec autofocusing down to -5EV
• Eye AF in one-shot and continuous AF modes
• 4fps burst shooting with continuous AF/AE, 5fps fixed at the first frame
• 4K video at up to 25/24p, no Dual Pixel CMOS AF
• 1080p video at 60fps with Dual Pixel CMOS AF and full-sensor readout
• Bluetooth and wi-fi connectivity
• Single SD memory card slot
• USB battery charging
• 250-shot battery life
• Size: 132.5x85.0 x70.0 mm
• Weight: 440g

Design

The size and weight, or lack of it, is one of the key attractions of the new EOS RP - it weights a mere 485g including the battery and memory card, 440g body only, and measures 132.5x85.0 x70.0mm, making it the smallest and lightest full-frame camera currently available on the market.

The Canon RP is smaller than the EOS 6D Mark II and very similarly sized to the EOS 800D DSLR camera, which is actually slightly heavier at 485g body only.

The chassis is made of magnesium alloy, and it offers the same level of weatherproofing as the EOS 80D.

Note that officially we were using a pre-production camera and the design may change before the final launch, although we wouldn't expect too many tweaks to the body at this late stage.

Megapixels

The EOS RP has 26.2 megapixels, making it the lower resolution model below the EOS R which has 30 megapixels. Canon describe the EOS RP's sensor as being "very, very similar to the 6D Mark II" DSLR, so expect to see similar image quality from the EOS RP.

ISO Speed

The EOS RP uses the latest DIGIC 8 processor, so its highest native ISO speed is 40,000, which can be expanded to ISO 102,400 if required.

Autofocusing

Canon continue to use Dual Pixel CMOS AF for auto-focusing on the EOS RP and EOS R mirrorless cameras, inherited from their DSLR range.

The EOS RP's AF system is capable of reacting in just 0.05 seconds, which Canon claim make it the quickest full-frame mirrorless camera in the world, and there are a whopping 4,779 AF points to choose from.

Autofocus also works in low light all the way down to -5 EV, comparable to the Canon EOS R, although note that this is measured using the rather expensive RF 50mm F1.2 lens.

Unlike the EOS R, which offers full frame coverage, the cheaper EOS RP only offers 88% horizontal and 100% vertical coverage.

The EOS RP also boasts a couple of features that the more expensive EOS R doesn't offer, namely Eye AF which works in both the One-shot and Servo AF modes (on the EOS R it only works in One-shot AF mode) and a new Single-Point Spot AF mode. We're unsure at this point if and when these new features will make it onto the EOS R via a firmware update.

Image Stabilisation

Sadly, there stil isn't any image stabilisation built-in to the camera body. There is a new Dual Sensing IS system that reduces camera shake for handheld photography, and also the Movie Digital IS mode provides 5-axis movie stabilisation to counteract shake during video recording, but that's it, so as with the EOS R, image stabilisation is only available if the lens supports it.

Electronic Viewfinder

The Canon EOS RP uses exactly the same viewfinder as the EOS M50 APS-C camera, a 0.39-inch OLED unit with 2.36-million-dots.

LCD Screen

There's a 3-inch vari-angle touchscreen display on the rear with 1.04-million-dot resolution, which can be flipped 170° both vertically and horizontally, making it ideal for vlogging or shooting from more unusual angles.

Burst Shooting

In terms of burst shooting, the EOS RP can shoot at 5fps with focus locked at the first frame, or 4fps with continuous focusing, a respectable but hardly earth-shattering rate.

The number of recordable images in a single burst is 50 14-bit RAW images or an unlimited number of JPEGs (until the memory card is full).

4K Video

The EOS RP can shoot 4K video at up to 25/24p in 8-bit, but there's no Dual Pixel CMOS AF and it's also cropped, both very much like the EOS R and EOS M50 cameras were. 

In 1080p mode the camera can shoot at up to 60fps with Dual Pixel CMOS AF and full-sensor readout.

Focus Bracketing

The EOS RP is the first ever Canon camera to offer focus bracketing. You can take up to 199 shots in total and then blend them together in the Digital Photo Professional software.

Memory Card Slot

The new camera features a single UHS-II memory card slot, just like the more expensive EOS R model.

Battery Life

The EOS RP uses the same LP-E17 battery as the EOS 800D and M50 cameras, providing a CIPA rated life of 250 shots. You can also recharge the camera via its USB port, as well as using the supplied charger.

Connectivity

The Canon EOS RP offers two different connectivity options:

• Bluetooth
  Create a constant, low-power connection between the EOS RP and a smartphone/tablet to transfer images and video using the Canon Connect smartphone app
  
• Wi-fi
  Remotely control the EOS RP via a 2.4Ghz wi-fi connection using a smartphone or tablet and the Canon app, and transfer images and video

Extension Grip EG-E1

The EG-E1 is a nicely designed handgrip extension for the EOS RP, which makes this diminutive camera better suited to those people with larger hands.

New RF Lenses

In addition to the four RF lenses that were launched in 2018, Canon have announced that six more RF lenses will be introduced by the end of 2019. They are:

• 15-35mm F2.8
• 24-70mm F2.8
• 70-200mm F2.8
• 24-240mm F4-6.3
• 85mm F1.2
• 85mm F1.2 DS - extra bokeh blur

UK Pricing

• EOS RP body with EF lens adapter - £1399
• EOS RP with EF 24-105mm STM lens - £1599
• EOS RP with RF 35mm lens - £1799
• EOS RP with EF 24-70mm F4 lens - £1999
• EOS RP with RF 24-105mm lens - £2329

US Pricing

• EOS RP body with EF lens adapter - $1299

Initial Conclusion

Canon have certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons with the pricing of the new EOS RP camera, significantly undercutting the likes of the Sony A7 III, Nikon Z6 and Panasonic Lumix S1. Sure, it can't match those cameras in terms of out-and-out specs, particularly on the video side, but Canon's name and that aggressive price tag should ensure that the RP sells in large numbers, bringing full-frame mirrorless to an even wider audience in the process...

So what do you think? Leave a comment on the new Canon EOS RP full-frame mirrorless camera below...

Hands On

Want to see exactly what the new Canon EOS RP full-frame mirrorless camera looks like in the flesh?

Check out our extensive hands-on gallery of photos of the Canon EOS RP full-frame mirrorless camera and various lenses, including side-by-side comparisons with the Canon EOS R, EOS 800D and EOS 6D Mark II.

A gallery of hands-on photos of the Canon EOS RP full-frame mirrorless camera.

Image Gallery

Click on a thumbnail to see the full version.

Preview Images

Ahead of our full review, here are some sample JPEG and Raw images and a 4K movie taken with a full production version of the brand new Canon EOS RP mirrorless camera and the RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens. We've also included the entire ISO range from 100 to 102400 for both JPEG and RAW formats.

A gallery of sample images taken with the Canon EOS RP mirrorless camera.

Canon EOS RP Sample Images

Sample RAW Images

The Canon EOS RP enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Canon RAW (CR3) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movie & Video

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