Are DSLR cameras becoming obsolete? I have been diligently following the trends in mirrorless technology for the last few years, and I certainly believe that mirrorless camera technology is the new standard and that it will eventually replace DSLR’s entirely. However, we are not quite there so DSLR enthusiasts need not worry just yet. Although the technology is mature, it is not sufficiently affordable to be considered as a replacement for DSLR’s.

First, let me start off by saying that I have been an ardent Canon fan for many years, so let’s get that out of the way. I have owned a Canon EOS 400D, 50D, 1Ds Mk 3 as well as an EF-S 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM and EF-S 70-200mm F2.8L USM (the 70-200mm being my favourite lens of all time).

I realised the significance of mirrorless technology a few years ago and which resulted in me selling my trusted Canon DSLR gear and replacing them with Canon mirrorless products. The reason for the decision to change was largely due to changing priorities, based on the practicalities of travelling with all my DSLR gear and an infant and his necessities. Something had to give and I was not in a position to leave my infant behind. So, the DSLR gear starting getting left behind and gathering dust.

At that time, I opted for the Canon M5 with the EF-M 55-200mm and EF-M 18-55mm lenses. This is an awesome piece of kit, especially when coupled with my trusty 580 EX II flash and a Joby Gorillapod. This setup has served me well for a few years now.

CANON EOS RP

I have been looking at the Canon R body for a while now, but to be honest, the price has put me off, especially after using the cheaper EF-M system for a while now. I have been patiently waiting and watching Canons progress in the mirrorless market. So, with the introduction of the Canon EOS RP, my interested in mirrorless has been renewed. When the opportunity recently presented itself to get my hands on the Canon EOS RP, I jumped with joy. The time had finally come to see if Canon had made sufficient progress for me to consider replacing my trusted M5.

Some noteworthy specs on the Canon EOS RP first:

• 26.2MP Full Frame CMOS
• DIGIC 8 Processor
• Dual Pixel CMOS AF with 4779 positions (143 zones)
• ISO 100-40000 (expandable 50 to 102,400)
• 0.39inch OLED Electronic Viewfinder with 2.36 million dots
• 3” LCD II display with 1.04 million dots
• 4K Video at 25fps ; HD Video at 60,50,30 or 25 fps
• Max Burst: 5pgs (One Shot) or 4fps (Servo AF)
• Size and Weight: 132.5x85x70mm (440g body only)
  
  You can find the full specification list for the Canon EOS RP at https://www.canon.co.za/cameras/eos-rp/specifications/.

To be brutally honest, Canon has been lagging in the mirrorless market for some time now. But the Canon fans (myself included) have persisted with the brand, in the hope that Canon would finally give us the mirrorless products we wanted and needed. With the release of the EOS R Canon made up significant ground on its competitors in the mirrorless market. And then came the EOS RP, which has changed the game! Why?

The camera market is obsessed with packing more features and technology into high end mirrorless cameras. And as nice as that is from a technology point of view, it does not address one of the core problems.

With the release of the EOS RP, Canon went back to basis. They listened to what their customers asked for and they gave us what we wanted….a full frame mirrorless camera body with 4K video at an affordable price.

Firstly, the EOS R is not cheap at around R33,000 at Outdoorphoto or Orms Direct. And that’s for the body and RF adaptor only. The RF lenses to go with the EOS R is just as expensive.

The EOS RP although not cheap is much more affordable at around R20,000 for the body and RF adaptor. This is comparable in price to the Canon 6D MKII, which would be considered the DSLR equivalent. That makes the EOS RP extremely attractive if you are looking to upgrade from a full frame DSLR or an APSC mirrorless system to a full frame mirrorless system.

CANON RF 24-240MM F/4-6.3 IS USM

And yes, the EOS RP is fully compatible with existing EF and EF-S lenses through the RF adaptor, which is bundled with the camera body. So, you can still have the benefit of using your existing lenses and only replacing the camera body. This is the general trend in the photography industry.

However, if you prefer not to carry around multiple lenses, Canon offers the RF 24-240mm F/4-6.3 IS USM. It is an absolutely fantastic general-purpose lens, with a huge 10x zoom range. At around R15,000 it is extremely good value for money and a very capable piece of kit.

You do have the option to go for EOS RP kit bundle for around R32,000 which includes the EOS RP body, RF adapter and the RF 24-240mm lens! I would definitely recommend this route for those who don’t have or want to invest in specialist lenses.

CONCLUSION

Keep an eye out for a full review for both the Canon EOS RP and the RF 24-240mm F/4-6.3 to find out why I believe this system is such a huge step for Canon.

---

Disclaimer: This is post is a contribution by my husband. The Canon EOS RP was sent to us for review purposes by Canon SA