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The Canon EOS 200D, also known as the Rebel SL2 in North America, is a small, lightweight DSLR designed for photographers who are purchasing their first interchangeable lens camera. It was introduced in June 2017 and replaces the EOS 100D / SL1 that was four years old. Like that model, it offers a more advanced point-of-entry than the least expensive DSLRs and a smaller body to boot.
The Canon EOS 200D / SL2 is the company’s smallest and lightest DSLR and is available in black, white, silver, and tan. The Hybrid AF technology has been improved to Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF for smooth and secure refocusing in live view and movies, but more crucially, the resolution has increased from 18 to 24 Megapixels. Canon equipped the EOS 200D / SL2 with a fully-articulated touchscreen monitor that allows you to tap to refocus for still images or video in order to maximise the live view and movie focusing. Beginners will also value the guided user interface that aids in the creative choice exploration.
While there is no 4K, there is still an external microphone input and a small optical viewfinder with a basic 9-point AF system. Burst shooting is also somewhat faster at 5fps as opposed to 4fps, and 1080p movies may now be recorded at up to 60p with continuous autofocus. The EOS 200D / SL2 also has built-in Wifi, NFC, and Bluetooth, bringing it up to date with other recent cameras. The latter is utilised for simple communication, smooth GPS tagging, image browsing, and transfer with your phone even when the EOS itself is powered-off.
The EOS 200D / Rebel SL2 has a 3.5mm microphone input and a connector for the add-on RS-60E3 remote cable release hidden under a flap on the left side of the body for connectivity. On the right side of the main handle, a Type-C HDMI port and a USB 2 port are concealed behind a flap. There is no headphone jack, unlike the more expensive EOS 80D, but I wouldn’t anticipate one on a camera of this calibre or size.
A hotshoe for mounting external microphones or Speedlite flashguns is located on top of the camera. I experimented with vlogging using the 200D/SL2 with a Rode VideoMic Pro shotgun microphone attached to the side mic input. The setup was successful, and even with the screen turned to face you and the microphone connected, there was barely any impediment. For further information, read the review’s section on the movie mode.
With the optical viewfinder active, the LP-E17 Lithium Ion battery pack can power up to 650 shots or 260 shots in Live View. Canon says that you can record two hours of video per charge if you’re making movies, but in my experiments, I was able to record five clips totaling about 20 minutes longer. Like all Canon DSLRs, this one does not offer the convenience of in-camera USB charging like most rival mirrorless cameras do. Instead, the battery is charged externally in a conventional AC unit that requires a wall outlet.
When mounted on all but the smallest tripod plates, the door to the compartment under the camera where the battery pack and SD memory card slot are located will be obstructed. Although the camera happily accepts both UHS Class I and Class II cards, there didn’t seem to be any advantage to the quicker Class II models in terms of buffer depth or emptying times.
The 200D / SL2 is well-equipped for wireless connectivity with Wifi, NFC and Bluetooth, all of which I’ll cover later in the review. I’ll just finish for now by noting the 200D / SL2 is also compatible with Canon’s recent BR-E1 Bluetooth remote control accessory.
