Canon EOS RP official: What's this new full-frame mirrorless camera all about?

With the new EOS RP mirrorless Canon seems to want to repeat the success the EOS 300D had 15 years ago. The EOS RP is Canon’s lightest and most affordable full frame mirrorless.

Canon EOS RP: is this a mirrorless EOS 300D?
Smaller than Micro Four Thirds
Prices may be different now, but having a model that offers “mirrorless” and “full frame” in the same package for, some say, will, no doubt, make many people think about going for a format that gives them something that seemed not viable for many: a path back to the 35mm size that the industry adopted as a standard for many years and was, somehow, lost with digital. With a EOS RP at this price, I believe people will think twice before committing to Micro Four Thirds or even APS-C models. After all, the market seems to continue to want more pixels and bigger sensors.

Before I continue, let’s look at one aspect of the new camera: its size. The numbers are out, and the dimensions have been compared with every other model available, so it’s no secret: the EOS RP is Canon’s lightest full frame mirrorless with interchangeable lens camera, but it is also, I dare say, the lightest and, apparently, most compact model around. This leads, me, again, to compare the full frame size with what Micro Four Thirds offers, and the numbers don’t lie: the full frame EOS RP is smaller than the MFT Olympus E-M1 II. I’ve written before about the disparity in camera size and sensor size, so please check my previous article.

Canon EOS RP: is this a mirrorless EOS 300D?
At 440g, is this the mirrorless EOS 300?
As usual, all the leaks come to the market through the website Nokishita. The website APOTELYT.COM has compared the camera with different models, so please follow the link to check this yourself. The Canon EOS RP is not only a compact mirrorless, it’s also, at 485g (with battery and memory card, 440g body only) the lightest model of this type launched by Canon, and probably, the lightest, compact and most affordable full frame mirrorless interchangeable lens camera launched to date.

Canon EOS RP: is this a mirrorless EOS 300D?“Who is this camera for?” many ask, but the question should probably be “what is this camera for?”. I believe Canon wants to grab a bigger share of the market, and that makes complete sense if you look at recent numbers: Canon and Nikon have taken a slice of what was Sony’s almost undisputed market in the few weeks since the Nikon Z and Canon R models were announced. Lowering prices to make the new system more accessible attracts people (probably owners of old APS-C EOS DSLRs), and that’s a card that Canon seems to be playing. The EOS RP may not be the most powerful camera in terms of specifications, but it may become as popular as the EOS 300D was on its day, or, to a certain extent, the EOS 5D when it was launched. So, maybe the P in the name stands for… Popular?

Canon EOS RP: is this a mirrorless EOS 300D?
Smaller than Micro Four Thirds
Prices may be different now, but having a model that offers “mirrorless” and “full frame” in the same package for, some say, $1399 (body only), will, no doubt, make many people think about going for a format that gives them something that seemed not viable for many: a path back to the 35mm size that the industry adopted as a standard for many years and was, somehow, lost with digital. With a EOS RP at this price, I believe people will think twice before committing to Micro Four Thirds or even APS-C models. After all, the market seems to continue to want more pixels and bigger sensors.

Before I continue, let’s look at one aspect of the new camera: its size. The numbers are out, and the dimensions have been compared with every other model available, so it’s no secret: the EOS RP is Canon’s lightest full frame mirrorless with interchangeable lens camera, but it is also, I dare say, the lightest and, apparently, most compact model around. This leads, me, again, to compare the full frame size with what Micro Four Thirds offers, and the numbers don’t lie: the full frame EOS RP is smaller than the MFT Olympus E-M1 II. I’ve written before about the disparity in camera size and sensor size, so please check my previous article.

Canon EOS RP: is this a mirrorless EOS 300D?
At 440g, is this the mirrorless EOS 300?
As usual, all the leaks come to the market through the website Nokishita. The website APOTELYT.COM has compared the camera with different models, so please follow the link to check this yourself. The Canon EOS RP is not only a compact mirrorless, it’s also, at 485g (with battery and memory card, 440g body only) the lightest model of this type launched by Canon, and probably, the lightest, compact and most affordable full frame mirrorless interchangeable lens camera launched to date.

Canon EOS RP: is this a mirrorless EOS 300D?“Who is this camera for?” many ask, but the question should probably be “what is this camera for?”. I believe Canon wants to grab a bigger share of the market, and that makes complete sense if you look at recent numbers: Canon and Nikon have taken a slice of what was Sony’s almost undisputed market in the few weeks since the Nikon Z and Canon R models were announced. Lowering prices to make the new system more accessible attracts people (probably owners of old APS-C EOS DSLRs), and that’s a card that Canon seems to be playing. The EOS RP may not be the most powerful camera in terms of specifications, but it may become as popular as the EOS 300D was on its day, or, to a certain extent, the EOS 5D when it was launched. So, maybe the P in the name stands for… Popular?