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Canon SL2 Comparison Review

The Canon EOS Rebel SL2 (called Canon 200D in some regions) is a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera that was revealed to the public in June 2017 and is equipped with an APS-C sensor. It offers a resolution of 24 megapixel.

camera

Is the Canon SL2 a good camera? The SL2 has a Camera Elo of 2377. This rating puts the SL2 among the top 20 percent of all digital single lens reflex cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (APS cameras), the SL2 ranks among the top 30 percent. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 4.5-star performance rating.

Headline Specifications
Canon SL2
Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses
24 MP, APS-C Sensor
1080/60p Video
ISO 100 - 25 600 (100 - 51 200)
Optical viewfinder
3.0 LCD, 1040k dots
Swivel touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second
650 shots per battery charge
122 x 93 x 70 mm, 453 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

An illustration of the physical dimensions of the Canon SL2 vis-à-vis a credit card is provided in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Canon SL2 vs credit card front
SL2 versus credit card top view
SL2 and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Canon SL2 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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Body Specifications
    Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon SL2 122 mm 93 mm 70 mm 453 g 650 n Jun 2017 EUR 599ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 77D 131 mm 100 mm 76 mm 540 g 600 n Feb 2017 EUR 899ebay.com
3.
 
Canon M5 116 mm 89 mm 61 mm 427 g 295 n Sep 2016 EUR 1 129ebay.com
4.
 
Canon M6 112 mm 68 mm 45 mm 390 g 295 n Feb 2017 EUR 799ebay.com
5.
 
Canon M100 108 mm 67 mm 35 mm 302 g 295 n Aug 2017 EUR 479ebay.com
6.
 
Canon SL1 117 mm 91 mm 69 mm 407 g 380 n Mar 2013 EUR 499ebay.com
7.
 
Canon SL3 122 mm 93 mm 70 mm 449 g 1070 n Apr 2019 EUR 549 amazon.com
8.
 
Canon T6 129 mm 101 mm 78 mm 485 g 500 n Mar 2016 EUR 449ebay.com
9.
 
Canon T6s 132 mm 101 mm 78 mm 565 g 440 n Feb 2015 EUR 749ebay.com
10.
 
Canon T7 129 mm 101 mm 78 mm 475 g 500 n Feb 2018 EUR 499 amazon.com
11.
 
Canon T7i 131 mm 100 mm 76 mm 532 g 600 n Feb 2017 EUR 849ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Canon SL2 was launched in the US market at a price of $549. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

The Canon SL2 features an APS-C sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Canon SL2 among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

Canon SL2 sensor measures

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for most cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of alternatives.

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Sensor Characteristics
    Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Canon SL2 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.613.4104179
2.
 
Canon 77D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.613.397178
3.
 
Canon M5 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.412.4126277
4.
 
Canon M6 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.412.6131778
5.
 
Canon M100 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.512.9127278
6.
 
Canon SL1 APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.811.384363
7.
 
Canon SL3 APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/25p23.913.4179182
8.
 
Canon T6 APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.011.778166
9.
 
Canon T6s APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.612.091570
10.
 
Canon T7 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p23.813.3168481
11.
 
Canon T7i APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.713.1158680
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The SL2 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the SL2 can use is 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the SL2 has an optical viewfinder that provides a field of view of 95% and a magnification of 0.54x. The tables below summarize some of the other core capabilities of the Canon SL2 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
    Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Canon SL2optical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
2.
 
Canon 77Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
3.
 
Canon M52360 n3.2 / 1620 tilting Y 1/4000s 9.0/s Y n
4.
 
Canon M6optional n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 9.0/s Y n
5.
 
Canon M100none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 6.1/s Y n
6.
 
Canon SL1optical n3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/4000s 4.9/s Y n
7.
 
Canon SL3optical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
8.
 
Canon T6optical n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
9.
 
Canon T6soptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
10.
 
Canon T7optical n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
11.
 
Canon T7ioptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The LCD screen on the Canon EOS Rebel SL2 is flexibly attached to the body. In particular, the LCD is hinged on the side and can be flipped out for odd-angle shots in both portrait and landscape orientation. Also, this fully articulated, swivel type of LCD attachment is often appreciated by videographers for its flexibility. Moreover, v-loggers like the design because the screen can be turned to be front-facing.

articulated screen
Flexible screen on the SL2

One convenient feature of the SL2 is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.

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Connection comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS Rebel SL2 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
    Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Canon SL2Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
2.
 
Canon 77DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
3.
 
Canon M5Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
4.
 
Canon M6Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
5.
 
Canon M100-stereo / mono--micro2.0YYY
6.
 
Canon SL1Ymono / monoY-mini2.0---
7.
 
Canon SL3Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0Y-Y
8.
 
Canon T6Ymono / mono--mini2.0YY-
9.
 
Canon T6sYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
10.
 
Canon T7Ymono / mono--mini2.0YY-
11.
 
Canon T7iYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY

It is notable that the SL2 has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Further information on the features and operation of the SL2 can be found in the free online Canon SL2 Manual or on the Canon support site.

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Expert reviews

While the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the SL2. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

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Review Scores
     Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon SL24/5+ +4/578/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2017 EUR 599ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 77D4.5/5..4/582/1004.5/54/5 Feb 2017 EUR 899ebay.com
3.
 
Canon M54/5+4/582/1004/54/5 Sep 2016 EUR 1 129ebay.com
4.
 
Canon M6......80/1004/54/5 Feb 2017 EUR 799ebay.com
5.
 
Canon M1003/5+....4/53.5/5 Aug 2017 EUR 479ebay.com
6.
 
Canon SL14/5+..78/1004/54/5 Mar 2013 EUR 499ebay.com
7.
 
Canon SL34/5o4.5/579/1004/54/5 Apr 2019 EUR 549 amazon.com
8.
 
Canon T64/5o4/573/1004/54/5 Mar 2016 EUR 449ebay.com
9.
 
Canon T6s5/5+..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 EUR 749ebay.com
10.
 
Canon T7..o3.5/5..3.5/53.5/5 Feb 2018 EUR 499 amazon.com
11.
 
Canon T7i4.5/5..3.5/580/1004.5/54/5 Feb 2017 EUR 849ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Canon SL2 FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the SL2.

What is the technology behind the imaging sensor in the Canon SL2?

The camera is build around a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.

Which image processing chip is used in the Canon SL2 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Canon equipped the SL2 with the DIGIC 7 image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Canon SL2?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600.

Does the Canon SL2 have a selfie-friendly screen?

Yes, the LCD-screen of the SL2 is flexible and can be turned to be front-facing for capturing selfies.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Canon EOS Rebel SL2?

Canon mentions a shutter rating of 100 000 actuations for the SL2. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the SL2 over, say, three years, one would have to take about 100 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Canon SL2?

Canon embeds the number of shutter actuations in the camera firmware. You can check the number of shots that your SL2 has taken up to now by using a third-party app, as described on the Canon SL2 shutter count page.

Do I need to purchase an external camera trigger to shoot time-lapse sequences with the Canon SL2?

No, the Canon EOS Rebel SL2 has an intervalometer built-in, so that low frequency shooting (for example, flower blooming, sunset, moon rise) can be undertaken without the need to purchase a separate external intervalometer and related software.

Does the Canon SL2 feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Canon SL2 for flash photography?

The SL2's flash sync speed is 1/200 sec.

Does the Canon SL2 support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?

Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-I cards (data transfer speed of up to 104 MB/s).

Which battery does the Canon SL2 use?

The camera gets its power from the Canon LP-E17 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Is there a vertical grip available for the Canon SL2?

Canon does not offer an optional battery grip, but third party suppliers do (see here on ebay).

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Canon SL2
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Canon EF mount lenses
    Launch Date June 2017
    Launch Price USD 549
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 22.3 x 14.9 mm
    Sensor Area 332 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 26.8 mm
    Crop Factor 1.6x
    Sensor Resolution 24 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 6 000 x 4 000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.72 μm
    Pixel Density 7.22 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 25 600 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 51 200 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC 7
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 79
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 23.6
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 13.4
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 1041
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 95%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.54x
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.0 inch
    LCD Resolution 1040k dots
    LCD Attachment Swivel screen
    V-logging Friendliness Front-flip possible
    Touch Input Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking Feature
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 5 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer Built-in
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication NFC built-in
    Bluetooth Support Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs
    Battery Type Canon LP-E17 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)650 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 122 x 93 x 70 mm
    (4.8 x 3.7 x 2.8 in)
    Camera Weight 453 g (16.0 oz)

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