The Canon EOS R100 is the best-budget mirrorless camera for beginners, designed for photography enthusiasts and those looking to upgrade from their smartphone cameras. It is the smallest and lightest camera in the EOS R series, weighing just 356 grams (body only). The lighweight design makes it super portable and easy to carry around.
Canon EOS R100 Sensor Performance
The Canon EOS R100 has a 24.1-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor. Its perfect and delivers excellent image quality due to its vibrant colors, good dynamic range, and decent low-light performance. The 24MP sensor in the EOS R100 provides outstanding results and the dynamic range performance of this sensor is slightly lower compared to Canon’s higher-end models.
Raw and JPEG Capture
For those who shoot in JPEG mode, the EOS R100 delivers ready-to-share images straight out of the camera. For post-processing, the camera also supports Raw capture in both uncompressed and compressed (C-RAW) formats. The C-RAW format provides ample room for editing exposure and color while maintaining smaller file sizes, making it a convenient option for those who prefer to edit their images.
Rolling Shutter and Shutter Performance
The EOS R100 has an electronic first-curtain shutter system to minimize rolling shutter effects. You can expect sharp images even when shooting at slower shutter speeds. The camera’s shutter is also remarkably quiet, allowing for discreet shooting in various environments.
ISO Range
The EOS R100’s sensor has an ISO range of 100-12800 (expandable to 25600) to help in low lighting conditions. While the image quality is best at lower ISO settings, the sensor maintains impressive detail and accurate colors up to ISO 6400. At higher ISOs like 12800 and 25600, you may notice some graininess and softness in the images, but the results are still usable, especially if you don’t mind some post-processing.
Canon EOS R100 Design and Layout
The Canon EOS R100 has a compact and lightweight design and it’s one of the smallest and lightest cameras in the EOS R series. Its body is constructed mainly from polycarbonate resin with glass fiber, incorporating an aluminum alloy for added durability. With dimensions of 116.3 x 85.5 x 68.8mm (W x H x D) and a weight of approximately 356g (body only), the R100 is incredibly portable and easy to carry around.
The EOS R100 includes input/output ports for micro-HDMI, USB-C, wired remote, and a microphone input. While the USB-C port supports file transfer only without charging or powering the camera.
Body and Handling
The R100 is well-balanced and comfortable to hold, thanks to its thoughtful grip design. The available RF-S lenses complement the camera’s compact size with a well-balanced shooting experience. While the camera’s grip is small, Canon has done an excellent job of making it easy to grasp. You’ll find a decent-sized thumb rest.
Controls and Interfaces
The EOS R100 comes with a single control dial and lacks a joystick and needs to use the four-way controller for tasks like moving the focus point or adjusting settings in manual mode. The buttons are customizable to your preferences.
The camera offers two separate interfaces: a Guided beginner interface and a Standard interface for more experienced users. The Guided interface provides a splash screen for each menu section, describing its purpose and offering preset filters, background blur adjustments, and creative options like color shifts or monochrome tones.
The Standard interface, on the other hand, removes the splash screens and enables the Q overlay menu, providing quick access to various settings like autofocus, drive mode, metering pattern, and white balance. The four-way controller, or directional pad lets you navigate menus, move the focus point, and access frequently used settings like ISO, drive mode, and flash control.
Canon R100 4K Video Recording
The Canon EOS R100 offers 4K video recording at 24 frames per second (fps). The 4K recording is with a crop factor of 1.5x from the center of the sensor. When digital IS for shake reduction, an additional 1.1x crop is applied. For wide-angle footage, the RF-S 10-18mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM lens is a budget-friendly option that has a 24mm equivalent field of view at its widest setting with Digital IS disabled.
Autofocus
The Canon EOS R100 has a Dual Pixel CMOS AF system for phase-detection autofocus. With 143 AF zones and up to 3,975 selectable AF points for stills and 3,375 for videos. This advanced autofocus system provides fast and accurate focusing along with face and eye detection.
The R100 has several autofocus modes, including:
- Face detection + tracking mode
- Spot focus area
- 1-point focus area
- Zone focus area
Canon EOS R100 Display
The Canon EOS R100 features a 3.0-inch TFT color LCD monitor with approximately 1.04 million dots. This display offers a clear and detailed view of your compositions to make it easier to frame your shots and review your images. The screen is fixed and does not tilt or articulate.
The EOS R100’s LCD monitor offers manual brightness control to adjust the screen’s brightness to suit your shooting environment. The brightness can be adjusted within a range of 1 to 7 levels, ensuring optimal visibility in various lighting conditions.
Battery Life and Storage
The camera uses Canon’s LP-E17 battery with outstanding battery life for its class. In power-saving mode, you can expect up to 430 shots using the LCD or 340 shots using the viewfinder. However, frequent use of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or the “smooth” mode (which increases the display frame rate) may reduce battery life. The EOS R100 features a single SD card slot compatible with UHS-I cards, but it does not support Eye-Fi or Multimedia cards.
