The latest entry-level DSLR released from Canon, the SL2, is one with some very interesting features. It is now the cheapest DSLR currently available with Dual Pixel autofocus making this a very interesting and capable camera. If you haven't tried Dual Pixel autofocus before, it may just change the way you work because it is simply incredible. Coupled with a much-needed flip touchscreen, this autofocus system is still yet to be beaten. The beauty of this feature is that when it comes to focusing, it tracks moving subjects and locks onto stationary subjects extremely well making very useful for video.
The Canon 80D is another camera which has had this same autofocus system for some time now and Canon is now bringing it to their entry-level DSLRs. This makes the Canon SL2/200D very good value for money. Although the 80D does have some benefits over its little brother it would seem the SL2 could be a better option for many YouTubers and vloggers. Its lightweight and small form factor makes it great for traveling and the fact that it can shoot up 60p in full HD means the video quality is going to very useful. Canon is still being a little reserved when it comes to 4K, although I'm sure no one expected their entry-level cameras to start shooting at that resolution just yet.
In the video above I compare the two cameras to demonstrate how they perform in various scenarios. Find out how the SL2 performs against the 80D and whether it's worth spending more for for the bigger camera.
Both cameras are great but in particular i like the big cannon and I've always been a fan of cannon cameras
Thank you for the comment, I too like Canon cameras although I wish Canon would compete a little better for their high end range. Thank you for following me too, much appreciated.
If you recommend a Canon camera for video, you must have lived in a sealed box for the past 5 years. And if you think 60fps 1080p video is something to recommend, you have serious awareness issues and must get uptodate really, really quickly.
4k has been the standard for the past 1 year even for cheap cameras. 1080p is way behind the curve.
And if you start commenting that most viewers will watch 1080p, you have a really serious lack of knowledge.
Does Canon pay you?
And seriously, you are recommending a cheap entry level Canon camera. Get a life brother.
Most smartphones do a better video job.
Can you name a camera in this price range that shoots 4K with autofocus as good as the one in the 200D?
What's with all the negativity? Can we not comment and be friendly about it? Is it really that difficult? Do we really have to resort to ridicule and accusation to get our point across? Yes, we have the right to express our opinions. But no, not at the expense of respect for others.
It is true that a lot of people shoot in 4k these days. But there are a lot of people who still shoot at 1080p and there's nothing wrong with that. Personally, even if I have a camera that shoots 4k, I still shoot at 1080p. It's called personal preference.
Even if Canon hasn't been innovating as much as the competition lately, they still have a lot of customers and will continue to do so as long as they fulfill the needs of their users. These people don't really need to "get a life" as most of them are actually out there shooting with their cameras and creating good content rather than measurebating on the latest specs or tech.
Man, people these days!
Great article, Usman. I'm a Sony user but I have to say that I find the 200D really interesting.
You are right I should have been friendlier. But recommending a camera which is beaten by most smart new smartphones is one bridge too far for me. Even my 2 year old Nexus 6p mobile shoots 4k. There is nothing wrong with shooting in 1080p. However, new cameras that can't shoot 4k in september of 2017 are rather ridiculous. If you want to switch to 4k, you have to buy a new camera. It may be cheap but it is another iteration of a cheap Canon camera.
Hey Pieter, I do agree that any camera released today without 4K are, to use your words, ridiculous. I wish Canon would just wake up and put that feature across their product line already. It doesn't even have to be the best 4K (over-sampled a la a6500). But alas, I think they're waiting until the last minute to put it in. I hope that last minute will not be too late for them.
If I may, just to offer a different perspective on the subject, while having 4K video capability is great, it isn't a must-have for everyone. I'm thinking the 200D may still be compelling enough for some who don't even shoot video at all. I believe how value is determined for a certain product depends on a persons needs.
I just did that test and 4k from my iPhone looks significantly worse, less detailed and noisier than 1080p from my 80D on a 4k display. Granted smartphones can shoot 4k but even entry-level DSLRs will still outperform them in terms of quality regardless of resolution.
200D and 80D have exact same video quality.
Thanks for the comment Bob.
With possibly as the sole exception their top end camera the 1d, Canon doesn't have a single camera that is better than the competition at the same price level.
They used to be the leader in technology but has become a manufacturer that takes advantage of the uncritical loyalty of their users whilst innovating at the slowest rate possible.
Pieter, just to clarify I have been critical of Canon cameras in several of my videos and continue to remain critical because they seemingly refuse to compete. If it weren’t for their amazing tilt shift lenses I would quite happily move to Nikon.
They have lots of great lenses, that is for sure. However, you can use these lenses with an adapter on plenty of mirrorless offerings.
As long as people keep buying their stuff and thus accepting the fact that Canon deliberately handicappes their cameras and give you the absolute minimum they think they can get away with, they will continue to do so.
Stop buying their stuff and they will start innovating like crazy. At least Nikon seem to have understood it when they launched the D850.
Canon has become complacent, arrogant and lazy.
Preaching to the choir here lol, I have my issues with canon too however there currently isn’t a viable mirrorles option for the work I do.
The A7RII comes close and I own one but I wouldn’t ever use it for any high end work it’s just not a professionally built camera, it’s very slow in regards to usability, single card slot, not compatible with the camranger and even when using a metabones adapter wide angle tilt shift lenses are softer in the corners. This becomes worse if you need to shift the lens by any amount.
If the Mark III comes out and addresses the issues the current one suffers from I may just switch but right now native lens on a native body is far more effective.
Of course, you are the best judge for what works for you. There seems to be a Canon/Iphone bias on this site which can lead to a certain blindness to what is also available in the market.
I've been seeing a Nikon bias lol, but then the D850 looks pretty awesome.
Nikon has done a great job.
I don't even know what entry level is anymore. A price range? Lol. Cameras are stacked.