Canon SL2 (EOS 200D) – Impressions

I don’t typically review cameras I don’t own, but recently I had the Canon SL2 for a weekend and was so impressed by the way it shot that I felt compelled to take it out for a day of shooting.

Here are my initial impressions. 

The Canon SL2 is part of a new family of Canon cameras; the original SL1 was designed to be the world’s smallest DSLR, although I’m not sure if it still holds that title, as Nikon has the D5600, which is just about the same size. I’ve seen some strange things from Pentax in Japan, which were way smaller than this.

I had both the SL2 and the Nikon D5600 with me this last weekend, but chose to go out and shoot with the SL2 simply because the menus were less complicated, and it was a system I was more familiar with. However, if you’re a Nikon shooter, the D5600 is also a competent camera.

Canon SL2 Tech Specs

Sensor – 24.2MP APS-C
Processor – DIGIC 7
Video – 1080p 60 fps
Autofocus – 9-Point AF System; Dual Pixel
Continuous – 5 fps
Connection – Wi-Fi with NFC / Bluetooth

Canon SL2 Experiences

This is one of those cameras where I feel like 90% of the people who buy it are just going to keep it in JPEG mode. At least that’s what I notice every time I encounter a tourist with a Canon and ask them to take their group picture. Of course, there is nothing wrong with that. I’ve mostly shot JPEG when shooting casually as well.

My point is that I decided to shoot JPEGs for most of the images in this review to see what the camera could produce and where it fell short. Long story short, I had a lot of fun.

Who’s this camera for?

The Canon SL2 is the perfect camera for the average user looking for something that will take better pictures than an iPhone without adding too much weight or breaking the bank.

Beyond that, it’s also a great backup or auxiliary camera for more serious shooters seeking something compact and lightweight, compatible with Canon lenses, and capable of producing some excellent image quality.

I also think the Canon JPEGs look great, and Canon cameras have always been excellent at rendering skin tone while capturing the proper white balance and exposure.

Sure, they don’t match the specs of a Sony camera or the color of a Fujifilm, but when it comes to what matters in the end— having good photos and having fun taking them — Canon will never let you down.

 Handling

Although I used an adapted retro lens (the Helios 44-4), I found the camera to have excellent handling.

Side note – if you want to use manual lenses, a mirrorless camera or a Nikon is a better option, as they provide a focus indicator or peaking that at least lets you know when you’re in focus. For some reason, the Canon does not, so shooting with manual focus is a little bit more difficult; I had to either eyeball it or use the live view for shots I wanted to be perfect.

In terms of size and feel, the camera is compact and feels great in the hand, while also feeling very solid. Nothing rattles, feels loose, or appears to be made of cheap plastic, which is something I can’t say about Sony consumer cameras. I say that as someone who likes and shoots a lot with Sony,

One thing I miss about shooting with these DSLR cameras, compared to my mirrorless systems, is the mirror flap that opens and closes with each picture. It feels good; it sounds cool, and it gives you that feedback that reminds you you’re shooting with a camera instead of some digital gadget.

What else is cool about this mirror in these DSLRs is that you also don’t have to worry as much about sensor burn from leaving your camera out in the sun for more than ten seconds without the lens cap on, or shooting into the sun for too long. Something that’s happened to me and friends shooting with mirrorless cameras, where the lens acts as a magnifying glass, melting the inner components of the camera – not fun!

The Technicals

I don’t want to delve too deeply into ISO control, sharpness, and dynamic range, because, honestly, with any of these modern cameras, if you just go out and shoot, you can’t tell the difference. Well, maybe a little bit, but it’s usually nothing game-changing, and it matters even less if you shoot JPEG, which I do 90% of the time for my work.

For an APS-C camera, I feel that my XT2 handled low-light situations a little better, perhaps. However, I don’t think that’s solely due to the better sensor, which it probably is, but rather because of how the image processor handles denoising. Where Fujifilm used to have a problem with waxy skin tones from its in-camera denoise processes, the Canon SL2, to me, now has a slightly waxy feel. It’s not the end of the world, as you can always work around this by turning off or reducing the noise reduction settings and handling it yourself in post.

That said, I was shooting in some pretty dark locations and didn’t notice any limitations that prevented me from getting nice shots. I was pretty impressed that such a small and inexpensive camera could produce such excellent results.

The Limitations

The Canon SL2 has a few limitations, but Canon seems to have intentionally made these Limitations to make the camera more distinct from its consumer and prosumer counterparts.

You’ll mostly see these limitations with 4k video, the continuous shoot speeds, and the buffer size. I believe these features were intentionally simplified because the Digic 7 processor is more than capable of handling anything you throw at it.

No 4K Video

There is no 4 K video, but again, the average consumer is likely to shoot video on their phone anyway. At least I do. I’m a film major who has shot numerous films (shorts and a feature) and professionally edited trailers. I still shoot mostly video on my phone, set to 1080p mode.

Why? Because it’s easier to send to my friends and family. 

When I need to shoot video of big moments with my child, I almost always use my GoPro at 4k with the Karma grip—I love that thing. If I want to shoot a short film or something, I usually get a camera designed for video.

But that’s me, some people need a single camera that can multitask well, so no 4k is a deal breaker.

Continuous Burst Speeds

Another significant limitation is that continuous shooting is limited to 5 fps. What’s annoying about this is that Canon could make that faster without raising the cost if they wanted to.

Small Buffer

The camera has a very small buffer, around 100 – 125MB. That’s approximately 6 RAW shots before the buffer fills, which takes around 1.25 seconds. Of course, if you shoot JPEG, this is significantly less of an issue, as you can shoot for quite some time before the buffer fills using JPEG. 

Another issue is that the Canon SL2 doesn’t write to memory cards as quickly as it should. The fastest I clocked was around 39 MB/s. Of course, this is still better than any Sony camera other than the A9, and it also outperforms many Nikon cameras. Additionally, it will clear the tiny buffer in about 4.5 seconds.

See the fastest memory cards for the Canon SL2.

Canon SL2 Review | Bottom Line

The Canon SL2 features many notable enhancements that make the camera enjoyable to use. The Wi-Fi is handy, and the new processor makes the camera very snappy. 

While this is obviously a camera not designed for professionals, you can still get some amazing results without any serious limitations. 

It’s probably even safe to say that this camera is better than any pro camera of 15 years ago, and 15 years ago people were producing some fantastic photography.

Ultimately, I found the Canon SL2 to be both enjoyable and intuitive to use. I didn’t break down all the specs like I do in most of my reviews (things like ISO and Dynamic Range); instead, I took it out and shot it in a way consumers would use it, and I achieved some amazing results, even with a manual lens.

This camera is ideal for someone looking to upgrade from their iPhone, and Canon has one of the best ecosystems of lenses available to choose from. I’ve always loved shooting with Canon cameras, and I’ve never gotten frustrated with them.

The best part about a little camera like this, too, is that it doesn’t really intimidate anyone around you. You just look like a tourist tinkering around with a camera, and nobody really pays attention. It’s great!

In conclusion, I would say that this camera is one of the best options in this price range. Yes, the Nikon D5600 is also great and offers a few more features, such as the ability to set a minimum shutter speed. Still, I think their menus are ugly and complicated, and then they have this whole issue where only some of their lenses can autofocus on this body. Sony cameras are also decent at this price, but they won’t match the overall feel and build quality of a Canon.