Canon EOS R100
24 MP APS-C, 3½ (6½) FPS, 4K/24,1,080/60, ISO 100-12,800 (25,600)
World's Lightest Interchangeable-Lens Camera with a Viewfinder.
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Performance User's Guide Recommendations
R3 R5 R5C R6 II R6 R R8 RP R7 R10 R50 R100
Bodies Compared RF Lenses EF Lenses Flash
Canon EOS R100 (12.6 oz./356 g with battery and SD card, $379) and RF-S 18-45mm. bigger. I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R100 Body: $379 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100 & RF-S 18-45mm as shown: $499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100, RF-S 18-45mm & RF-S-55-210mm: $729 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
About $350 used with lens if you know How to Win at eBay.
Ideally get the R100 as a body-only and get the RF-S 18-150mm lens separately. This lets me do what the 2-lens kit does, without having to carry and change lenses.
This 100% all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally approved sources I've used myself for way over 100 combined years when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live — but I receive nothing for my efforts if you take the chance of getting it elsewhere. Canon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, dropped, incomplete, gray-market, store demo or used R100 — and my personally approved sources allow for 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new R100. I've used many of these sources since the 1970s because I can try it in my own hands and return it if I don't love it, and because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new R100 before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I've used myself for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.
April 2024 Better Pictures Canon Reviews Mirrorless RF Lenses EF Lenses Flash All Reviews
Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji & OM SYSTEM Menu Systems Compared.
Canon EOS R100. bigger.
Canon EOS R100. bigger.
Canon EOS R100. bigger.
Sample Images top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Performance User's Guide Recommendations
(more at High ISOs)
These are just snapshots; my real work is in my Gallery.
These are all shot hand-held as NORMAL (▟ stairstep icon) JPGs; no tripods, FINE (quarter circle) JPGs or RAW CR3 files were used or needed.
BMW X5M Competition, 9:34 AM, Tuesday, 22 August 2023. Canon EOS R100, Canon 580EX II flash for fill, Canon RF-s 55-210mm IS STM at 66mm at f/8 at 1/160 at Auto ISO 100, -1 stop exposure compensation (LV 13.4), Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo). bigger or full 24 MP resolution.
Yellow Ford, 10:00 AM, Saturday, 19 August 2023. Canon EOS R100, Canon RF-s 18-45mm IS STM at 35mm at f/8 at 1/125 at Auto ISO 100, -0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 13.0), Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo). bigger.
Glenmohr Garage in Gold Leaf, 10:01 AM, Saturday, 19 August 2023. Canon EOS R100, Canon RF-s 18-45mm IS STM at 33mm at f/11 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 15.0), as shot. bigger.
Yellow Lamborghini Murciélago LP 640 Left Tail Light, 10:04 AM, Saturday, 19 August 2023. Canon EOS R100, Canon RF-s 18-45mm IS STM at 31mm at f/8 at 1/125 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 13.0), as shot. bigger or camera-original © 24 MP JPG (about 4.6 MB).
Red BMW M2 Logo, 10:13 AM, Saturday, 19 August 2023. Canon EOS R100, Canon RF-s 18-45mm IS STM at 45mm at f/8 at 1/125 at Auto ISO 100, -0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 13.0), Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo). bigger.
Cortona, Italia, 10:27 AM, Saturday, 19 August 2023. Canon EOS R100, Canon RF-s 18-45mm IS STM at 22mm at f/7.1 at 1/160 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 13.0), Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo). bigger or full-resolution image (about 7.7 MB).
Bosch H4 Headlight on Guards Red Porsche, 10:37 AM, Saturday, 19 August 2023. Canon EOS R100, Canon RF-s 18-45mm IS STM at 45mm at f/10 at 1/200 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 14.2), as shot. bigger or camera-original © 24 MP JPG (about 5.0 MB).
Roadside Junk, 11:02 AM, Saturday, 26 August 2023. Canon EOS R100, Canon RF-s 18-45mm IS STM at 42mm at f/11 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 15.0), exactly as shot. bigger or camera-original © 24 MP JPG (about 9.4 MB).
Spider (on Far Right) and His Web, 7:19 AM, Tuesday, 29 August 2023. Canon EOS R100, Canon RF-s 55-210mm IS STM at 168mm at f/7.1 at 1/320 at Auto ISO 320 (LV 12.3), Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo). bigger.
Shot from 12 feet (4 Metres) Away!:
A Different Spider and His Prey, 2:00 PM, Thursday, 14 September 2023. Canon EOS R100, Canon EF 100~400mm L IS II at 400mm on my EF 2× II Extender on my EF 1.4× II Extender on my EF to RF adapter, wide-open at f/5.6 (equivalent to f/16 on the extenders) at 1/400 at Auto ISO 6,400 (LV 8.6), Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo). bigger.
Here's the complete rig I used to shoot this. Note the stacked tele extenders:
My R100 worked great for this. I grabbed it precisely because of its APS-C crop factor so I could shoot this up in the air 12 feet (4 meters) away with this crazy rig which gives, with the stacked extenders and APS-C crop factor, an 1,800mm equivalent (400mm × 2 × 1.4 × 1.62 = 1,800mm)! My R100's SERVO AF easily tracked the spider which was wiggling all over the place working and blowing in the wind. Long live APS-C for nature, telephoto and macro! Here's a video from my R100, with the file data reduced by half for bandwidth's sake.
The video is uncropped, and the still shot is uncropped vertically (I did cut off a little blank space on the left). I amazed myself at how I could catch this guy from far away; mirrorless rules for using tele extenders, and as I keep telling you, use Canon and their original EF or EF II extenders and you can stack them for more magnification, which you can't do with the EF III or RF extenders.
Introduction top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Performance User's Guide Recommendations
I buy only from these approved sources. I can't vouch for ads below. |
The EOS R100 is a tiny, toy-like camera with which I easily can make the same superb images as I do with my big pro cameras.
The R100 takes the same pictures at a fraction of the size, weight and expense, however the R100 skips many controls, conveniences and trick features we take for granted in larger cameras. It uses a fixed rather than a flippy LCD screen, has no rear control dial, no sensor cleaner, no level and has no automatic finder brightness control to save costs, but it does have a metal lens mount and a viewfinder diopter control, unlike the even cheaper T100 DSLR.
Picture quality is superb, however it can take a skilled user a little longer to make them because some settings advanced users often use require more clicks to set (see my R100 User's Guide).
It's slow, running at only 3½ FPS with full autofocus and exposure tracking, and 6½ FPS with locked focus and exposure, both with its mechanical shutter. The silent electronic shutter only works in single-shot mode.
This is a great camera for ultralight trekking, travel and just about every kind of picture taking, except don't get it for sports or action as its frame rates are low.
I got my R100 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R100 Body: $379 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100 & RF-S 18-45mm as shown: $499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100, RF-S 18-45mm & RF-S-55-210mm: $729 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
About $350 used with lens if you know How to Win at eBay.
Ideally get the R100 as a body-only and get the RF-S 18-150mm lens separately. This lets me do what the 2-lens kit does, without having to carry and change lenses.
New intro top
World's lightest interchangeable-lens camera with a viewfinder.
Good intro top
Built-in Flash!
Canon EOS R100. bigger.
4:3, square and 16:9 as-shot crops.
All the buttons are all on the same side of the camera, making one-handed shooting easy.
Normal fixed LCD screen, not a flippy thing.
People, Face and Eye detection.
1/250 flash sync speed.
Programmable buttons
Stereo mic-in jack (built-in mic is mono).
Wi-Fi.
Bluetooth.
Quality Made in Japan.
100% U.S.A.-based high-quality technical support at (800) OK-CANON.
Bad intro top
Very basic camera missing many features most of us have come to take for granted, but for the price, no worries!
No ultrasonic sensor cleaner, and Canon's specifications say "Manual cleaning (by hand) not supported." I don't believe that; I throw it into bulb and have at it.
No USB charging: bring the included external charger which sort of counters the ultralight part for trekking.
Missing intro top
No USB charging: bring the included external charger.
No level.
No rear control dial, so many functions require a toggle switch to set them with the front dial instead.
No automatic brightness control for finder.
No automatic brightness control for the rear LCD.
No Fv exposure mode.
No AI FOCUS autofocus mode.
No ultrasonic sensor cleaner.
Video shots cannot exceed 30 minutes, and only 7.5 minutes at trick high frame rates.
No programmable Bulb Timer as on fancier cameras.
No HEIF. So?
No sensor-shift (in-body) Image Stabilization, but works great with in-lens optical IS.
No universal preset C1, C2 or C3 memory modes to recall entire sets of camera settings in one click.
File name prefices are fixed as IMG_; you can't set them to something to read like like DOE_1234.jpg.
No way to set the minimum shutter speed in Auto ISO; it sets itself loosely based on shutter speed and that's it.
LCD doesn't flip or tilt.
No touch screen, just a regular fixed LCD.
Traditional hot shoe; has no direct-digital connections for modern microphones and some of Canon's newest flashes.
Flash doesn't work with the electronic shutter.
Not compatible with the STEREOSCOPIC RF 5.2mm f/2.8L Dual 190º Fisheye. The dual fisheye only works with the R5 and R5C.
Doesn't work with the RF 85mm F1.2 L USM DS (works fine with the regular RF 85mm f/1.2L USM).
Control Ring on the control ring EF to RF Adapter doesn't work (EF to RF Adapter otherwise works great).
Neither of the RF1.4× or RF 2× extenders work. (The EF extenders work fine on the EF to RF Adapters.)
Video mic is only mono, not stereo (there's a 3.5mm jack for an external stereo mic).
No headphone jack.
No focus stacking or focus bracketing.
Like most cameras, no illuminated buttons.
No second card slot.
Not threaded to use a standard threaded cable release.
No GPS (try the app).
The strap lugs are so tiny that you may have to fiddle to get normal-sized straps through them.
No advance mode lever.
No shutter speed dial.
No ISO dial.
No pulled ISOs below ISO 100.
No color histograms while shooting (only on playback).
Rear multi-controller doesn't rotate as an additional control.
No battery percentage meter, just an icon.
No Sony-like mode to create a new folder for each day of shooting.
Like most cameras except iPhone, no FIND mode in menu system.
Specifications top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Performance User's Guide Recommendations
I got my R100 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R100 Body: $379 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100 & RF-S 18-45mm as shown: $499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100, RF-S 18-45mm & RF-S-55-210mm: $729 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
About $350 used with lens if you know How to Win at eBay.
Ideally get the R100 as a body-only and get the RF-S 18-150mm lens separately. This lets me do what the 2-lens kit does, without having to carry and change lenses.
See also Canon's printed specifications.
Lens Compatibility specifications top
Canon EOS R100. bigger.
It works with Canon's RF and RF-S lenses.With an EF-RF adapter, it works flawlessly with every EF and EF-s lens made since 1987.
It won't work with any EOS-M lens.
The R100 is NOT compatible with the STEREOSCOPIC RF 5.2mm f/2.8L Dual 190º Fisheye. The dual fisheye only works with the R5 and R5C.
Doesn't work with the RF 85mm F1.2 L USM DS (works fine with the regular RF 85mm f/1.2L USM).
Neither of the RF1.4× or RF 2× extenders work. (The EF extenders work fine on the EF to RF Adapters.)
The control ring on the control ring EF to RF Adapter doesn't work (EF to RF Adapter otherwise works great).
Image Sensor specifications top
Canon EOS R100. bigger.
24 MP.
14.9 × 22.3 mm CMOS.
3.72 µm pixel pitch.
3:2 aspect ratio.
1.6× crop factor.
NO ultrasonic cleaner.
ISO specifications top
ISO 100 ～ 12,800 and AUTO ISO.
To ISO 25,600 if pushed.
Still Formats specifications top
JPG and/or raw.
sRGB and Adobe RGB color spaces.
Video specifications top
No time code.
File Formats
8-bit MP4 files holding H.264/MPEG-4 AVC data.
4:2:0.
BT-709
Frame Sizes and Rates
4K at 23.976 FPS.
1,080 at 119.98, 59,94, 29.97 or 23.976 FPS.
Slo-mo and Time Lapse.
Audio specifications top
AAC format recorded only along with video.
Mono mic just in front of the hot shoe.
3.5mm stereo mic-in jack.
No headphone jack.
Auto or manual level control.
Selectable low-cut ("wind") filter.
Autofocus specifications top
LV -4 to +20 with an f/1.2 lens, video or stills.
Auto-Selected
143 zones (11 x 13) for stills.
Video crops it to 117 zones (9 x 13).
Manually Selected
3,975 zones (53 x 75) for stills.
Video crops it to 3,375 zones (45 x 75).
Light Meter specifications top
384-zone (16 × 24) Evaluative metering, AF point-linked.
5.8% Partial center metering
2.9% center Spot metering.
Center-weighted average metering.
LV -2 to +20 stills.
LV 0 to +20 stills.
Finder specifications top
0.39" OLED.
2,360,000 dots.
0.59 × magnification with 31mm (50mm equivalent) lens (0.95 × magnification with 50mm (81mm equivalent) lens).
28.0º diagonal apparent angle.
-3 to +1 diopters.
22 mm eyepoint.
Shutter specifications top
Mechanical Shutter
1/4,000 ～ 30 seconds.
1/250 flash sync speed.
Silent Electronic Shutter
1/4,000～ 30 seconds.
Electronic shutter won't work with flash.
The sensor has the usual slow readout, so the electronic shutter has the usual rolling shutter effects and you can't use flash with it. Things can bend while panning, and if used under flickering light like dimmed LEDs you may see banding, and on the red carpet at Cannes you might see random bright bands on your subject lit by other people's flashes.
Also can use first-curtain electronic, second-curtain mechanical.
Remote Releases specifications top
2.5mm socket for the Canon RS-60E3 or similar 2.5mm remote cords.
Remote control with an app, or via Wi-Fi or USB from a computer.
BR-E1 Wireless Remote
The Canon BR-E1 Wireless Remote has a 16-foot range via Bluetooth:
Canon BR-E1 Wireless Remote. bigger.
Frame Rates (stills) specifications top
To 3½ FPS with full tracking autofocus and auto exposure.
To 6½ FPS with locked focus and exposure.
Buffer (Burst) Sizes specifications top
97 ~ 100 JPGs.
17 C-raw.
6 raw.
Flash specifications top
Canon EOS R100. bigger.
1/250 sync speed.
Canon's Specifications say "No E-TTL Balance," but it seems to do fill flash just fine.
Built-in Flash
Yes, pops up.
External Flash
Dedicated conventional hot shoe should work with just about any Canon flash made since the 1990s.
No direct-digital connections for modern microphones and some of Canon's newest flashes.
No Prontor-Compur (PC) terminal; use the built-in flash to trigger your slaves or just use a hot-shoe adapter for corded sync.
LCD Monitor specifications top
2.95" (75 mm) diagonal.
1,040,000 dots.
3:2 aspect ratio.
Does not swivel.
No auto brightness control.
No anti-smudge coating.
No anti-reflection coating.
Connectors specifications top
Canon EOS R100. bigger.
Canon EOS R100. bigger.
|
|
Canon EOS R100. bigger. |
Canon EOS R100. bigger. |
USB-C type 2.0 (modern connector with old, slow data transfer).
HDMI Micro-D, no CEC.
3.5mm mic in.
2.5mm socket for the Canon RS-60E3 or similar 2.5mm remote cords.
Wi-Fi specifications top
802.11b/g/n.
2.412 ~ 2.462 GHz.
No 5 GHz.
NFC specifications top
None.
Bluetooth specifications top
4.2 LE.
GFSK.
GPS specifications top
None.
Storage specifications top
One SD card slot.
Won't work with Eye-Fi or MMC Multimedia cards.
Body specifications top
Canon EOS R100. bigger.
Power & Battery specifications top
Battery
LP-E17 rechargeable Li-Ion battery.
Its the same battery as in the R8, R10, R50 and some of the Rebel DSLRs.
7.2V, 1,040 mAh.
1.30 x 0.55 x 1.94."
33 x 14 x 49.4mm.
1.59 oz. (45g).
Battery Meter
3-segment icon.
Charging
NO USB-C charging.
Charges only with the included Battery Charger LC-E17:
Battery Charger LC-E17. bigger.
Back, Battery Charger LC-E17.bigger.
LC-E17 folding plug 100-240V 50-60 cps charger included in U. S. A.
In other areas you may get the LC-E17E charger with a detachable cord.
2.65 x 1.09 x 3.63."
67.3 x 27.7 x 92.2 mm.
3 oz. (85g).
Rated 2 hour charge time.
AC Adapter
Optional AC Adapter AC-E6N and DC Coupler DR-E18.
Size specifications top
3.37 × 4.58 × 2.71 inches HWD.
85.5 × 116.3 × 68.8 millimeters HWD.
Weight specifications top
12.56 oz. (356 g) with battery and card.
10.90 oz. (309 g), stripped.
Environment specifications top
Operating
0º ～ 40º C (32º ～ 104º F).
0 to 85% RH.
Canon's Model Numbers specifications top
R100 Body: 6052C002.
R100 & R100 & RF-S 18-45mm kit: 6052C012.
R100, RF-S 18-45mm & RF-S-55-210mm kit: 6052C022.
Included specifications top
EOS R100 body.
RF-5 body cap.
LP-E17 rechargeable Li-Ion battery and cover.
Announced specifications top
12:08 AM, Wednesday, 24 May 2023, NYC Time.
Promised for specifications top
July 2023.
Price, U. S. A. specifications top
26 April 2024 ($100 off)
R100 Body: $379 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100 & RF-S 18-45mm as shown: $499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100, RF-S 18-45mm & RF-S-55-210mm: $729 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
About $350 used with lens if you know How to Win at eBay.
15 January 2024
R100 Body: $479 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100 & RF-S 18-45mm as shown: $599 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100, RF-S 18-45mm & RF-S-55-210mm: $829 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
About $350 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
24 November (Black Friday) ~ 19 December 2023
R100 Body: $429 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100 & RF-S 18-45mm as shown: $499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100, RF-S 18-45mm & RF-S-55-210mm: $699 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
About $400 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
September ~ November 2023
R100 Body: $479 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield, and used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R100 & RF-S 18-45mm as shown: $599 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
R100, RF-S 18-45mm & RF-S-55-210mm: $829 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
About $450 used, or $540 used with 18-45mm lens if you know How to Win at eBay.
June ~ July 2023
R100 Body: $479 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield, and used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R100 & RF-S 18-45mm as shown: $599 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
R100, RF-S 18-45mm & RF-S-55-210mm: $829 at Adorama, at Amazon, at B&H and at Crutchfield.
24 May 2023 (introduction)
Body-only: $479 at Adorama and at B&H.
R100 & RF-S 18-45mm as shown: $599 at Adorama and at B&H.
R100, RF-S 18-45mm & RF-S-55-210mm: $829 at Adorama and at B&H.
Canon EOS R100. bigger.
Canon EOS R100. bigger.
Optional Accessories top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Performance User's Guide Recommendations
I got my R100 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R100 Body: $379 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100 & RF-S 18-45mm as shown: $499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100, RF-S 18-45mm & RF-S-55-210mm: $729 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
About $350 used with lens if you know How to Win at eBay.
Ideally get the R100 as a body-only and get the RF-S 18-150mm lens separately. This lets me do what the 2-lens kit does, without having to carry and change lenses.
Canon RS-60E3 or similar 2.5mm remote cords.
Canon BR-E1 Wireless Bluetooth Remote Control.
Canon RF and RF-s Lenses.
Canon EF and EF-s Lenses.
Canon Flash.
Canon OC-E3 Flash Shoe Extension Cord.
Performance top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Performance User's Guide Recommendations
Overall Audio Autofocus Manual Focus
Focus Stacking Auto ISO Auto White Balance
Color Rendition Crop Modes Ergonomics Exposure
Finder Flash HDR High ISOs Lens Corrections
Long Exposures Mechanics Shutter Stabilization
Rear LCD Playback Data Clock Accuracy
I got my R100 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R100 Body: $379 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100 & RF-S 18-45mm as shown: $499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100, RF-S 18-45mm & RF-S-55-210mm: $729 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
About $350 used with lens if you know How to Win at eBay.
Ideally get the R100 as a body-only and get the RF-S 18-150mm lens separately. This lets me do what the 2-lens kit does, without having to carry and change lenses.
Overall performance top
The R100 offers first-rate picture quality in a tiny, inexpensive body. It lacks many controls, conveniences and trick features of larger cameras, however the pictures are just as good for any normal picture taking. For instance, it's a pain to select AF areas manually because you have to make a few clicks before you can get the rear controller to move a single AF area.
The R100 is so tiny that I only can fit two fingers on its tiny grip.
The mechanical shutter sounds great: smooth and quiet.
Audio performance top
The built-in mic is mono.
The Mic-In jack is stereo.
You can select Auto or Manual levels in the menus, complete with a stereo level meter, and there's also a low-cut (wind) filter.
Autofocus performance top
Autofocus is great. It can track action and focus on just about anything, fast and easy. Don't tell Nikon shooters, but I prefer the R100's AF performance even to Nikon's top-of-the-line Z8 and Z9 cameras!
The biggest concern with autofocus isn't the performance of the AF system; it's the ergonomics of having too few buttons on this tiny camera so it takes more clicks than usual to set and select the AF system as we want.
Specifically, it takes a few clicks to be able to select and move a single AF area, which is a pain if you like to select AF areas. See my User's Guide for more.
Manual Focus performance top
Manual focus is swell.
You can get peaking or magnification, or just look at the screen.
More at my User's Guide.
Focus Stacking & Depth Compositing performance top
Nope, doesn't do it.
Auto ISO performance top
Auto ISO is basic. All you can set is the maximum ISO.
You can't set the minimum shutter speed; it sets itself loosely based on focal length and that's it.
Auto White Balance performance top
Auto White Balance is swell, no problems here.
You have two kinds of AWB, Ambient and Preserve White, and have full two-axis color trimming.
Color & Tonal Rendition performance top
Color rendition is how pictures look in the real world. Real-world color rendition has nothing to do with color accuracy measured in a lab. Color rendition is dependant on how a maker programs all the color matrices, curves, and look-up tables to generate color from the data read from the sensor, and varies widely between makers once you set a camera away from its defaults. I never shoot at defaults.
I love the colors I get from my Canons. Set to the same Picture Style, the R100 matches any other Canon set the same way. Bravo!
If you shoot raw then your colors and tones aren't created until you process the raw data later in software, and your choice of software will have as much effect on your images as the camera itself.
It's like pianos: anyone can talk forever about how pianos are made, but to most ordinary players the subtle variations between different samples of a Steinway Model D are eclipsed by their own limitations in playing, but when you're a virtuoso even subtle differences become obvious to the seasoned master. That's why when you buy, or choose a Steinway for your tour as a Steinway Artist, you go to Steinway's Astoria factory and pick from among several samples of the same model which suits your style best. To a master, the subtle details are everything, just like subtle differences in color rendition between different brands of camera. Art is not the duplication of reality; art is the expression of imagination.
I'm a working artist, not some online tweaker, YouTuber or tech blogger. Color is my life. I'm pickier about color than almost anyone; I see things most people don't.
This is just me; your preferences and results will vary. This is art.
Crop Modes performance top
4:3, square and 16:9 as-shot crops.
You can program a button to make setting these easy, or set them with the Q Set button.
More at my User's Guide.
Ergonomics performance top
Ergonomics are limited by the R100's fewer controls and buttons, which make common settings like selecting AF areas or exposure compensation take more clicks than they do on larger cameras. These are the worst things about the R100 for serious shooters: taking more time to make basic settings. More at my User's Guide.
The card is far enough away from everything else that it's easy to reach.
The power switch is great.
All the buttons are all on the same side of the camera, making one-handed shooting easy.
There's no spring on the card-door latch; you have to slide the latch home manually or else the door will flip back open.
The card faces away from you as you pop it in.
The camera locks-up while the built-in flash is recycling.
Exposure performance top
Exposure accuracy is great, no surprises here.
Finder performance top
The finder is fine.
It's not as large as bigger cameras, as expected.
It can't get as bright as larger cameras so in sunlight it can seem dim, and it's more than bright enough indoors.
It has no automatic brightness control so it may need to be set manually. I leave mine set to maximum and it's fine.
Flash performance top
Dedicated 5-pin conventional hot shoe should work with just about any Canon flash made since the 1990s:
BMW X5 M Competition, 9:34 AM, Tuesday, 22 August 2023. Canon EOS R100, Canon 580EX II flash for fill, Canon RF-s 55-210mm IS STM at 66mm at f/8 at 1/160 at Auto ISO 100, -1 stop exposure compensation (LV 13.4), Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo). bigger or full 24 MP resolution.
The camera locks-up while the built-in flash is recycling.
HDR performance top
It has but one basic HDR setting hidden at the SCN position of the top dial.
High ISO Performance performance top
I painted the wall of this test set as of January 2023, so avoid comparing color to earlier tests.
The EOS R100 has great high ISO performance, even if it's not quite as good as the EOS R50, R7, R8 or other high-end modern APS-C cameras, it's still more than enough for any normal photography. While I can see differences in the lab looking carefully at my sample images at those links, but in actual shooting it's no big deal and works just as well.
Complete Images details dark detail performance top
As seen at normal image sizes below, the EOS R100 pretty much makes the same images from ISO 100 to ISO 12,800.
ISO 25,600 (H) gets a little noisier, but still quite usable if I need it for normal-sized images.
There's no mystery to comparing cameras; I shoot this same test at all the ISOs of every other camera I review so you can compare for yourself. Caveat: I repainted these walls white from their previous tan as of January 2023. The background wall won't match in older reviews.
Click any for the camera-original © LARGE NORMAL JPG files:
Click any for the camera-original 24 MP © JPG files (about 6 MB each).
Fine Details: 600 × 450 Pixel Crops (10× magnification) High ISOs details dark detail performance top
Here are crops from the same images as above, showing the clock on the right.
What we see at the high magnifications below is that fine details go away as the ISO increases. This happens with all cameras (and our own eyes) and is an artifact of the noise reduction working harder as the ISO increases.
In the R100, the most detail is at ISO 100, and becomes softer at every higher ISO. This is normal and how noise reduction works in every camera.
By ISO 3,200 most of the detailed scrollwork between the clock numbers is gone.
By ISO 12,800 the minute marks are mostly gone.
By ISO 25,600 (H) all the detail is gone from the clock face and the second hand is gone, leaving only the numbers and the .
It's normal for details to go away at higher ISOs in all digital cameras.
These are 600 × 450 pixel crops that vary in size to fit your browser window.
If these are about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 20 × 30" (50 × 75 cm) at this same high magnification.
If these are about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 40 × 60" (1 × 1.5 meters) at this same extreme magnification.
If these are about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 80 × 120" (2 × 3 meters) at this same insanely high magnification.
Click any for the camera-original © LARGE NORMAL JPG files:
Click any for the camera-original 24 MP © JPG files (about 6 MB each).
Dark-Area 600 × 450 Pixel Crops (10× magnification) High ISOs details dark detail performance top
Here are different crops from the same images as above, now showing the dark grillwork of the fireplace.
Higher ISOs greatly reduce the details in the shadows, as we expect.
Note how the most detail in the grill and fine screen is at ISO 100.
The screen is gone by ISO 800.
At ISO 25,600 (H) even the big bars are gone, leaving nothing but noise!
Again, it's normal in all digital cameras for details to go away at higher ISOs.
These are 600 × 450 pixel crops that vary in size to fit your browser window.
If these are about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 20 × 30" (50 × 75 cm) at this same high magnification.
If these are about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 40 × 60" (1 × 1.5 meters) at this same extreme magnification.
If these are about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 80 × 120" (2 × 3 meters) at this same insanely high magnification.
Click any for the camera-original © LARGE NORMAL JPG files:
Click any for the camera-original 24 MP © JPG files (about 6 MB each).
Lens Corrections performance top
It can correct automatically for falloff (peripheral illumination) and distortion, and has a Digital Lens Optimizer which corrects for a suite of other aberrations. You usually can turn each of these ON or OFF, although sometimes with some basic lenses you can't turn OFF distortion correction.
If you turn off the Digital Lens Optimizer, you are then offered à la carte ON/OFF options for Chromatic Aberration Correction and Diffraction Correction.
If you shoot raw data rather than JPG images, whatever software you use to create visible images from raw data may or may not correct the distortion as is done in-camera as JPGs. You're on your own there; I don't bother with raw data.
Long Exposures performance top
You have timed exposures out to 30 seconds, and then you have Bulb, with which you want to use a remote release and a stopwatch like it's 1955.
There is no programmable Bulb Timer as on fancier cameras.
Mechanical Quality performance top
It's a very well-made mostly plastic camera, with the lens mount and other key items in metal:
Metal
Strap lugs, hot shoe, bottom door pivot and slide, tripod socket.
Plastic
Everything else.
Rubberized
Textured grips, eyecup, connector flaps.
Serial Number
Printed on a sticker glued into recess on the bottom.
Date Code
None found.
Noises When Shaken
None; it's a solid little camera..
Made in
Made in Japan.
Shutter performance top
The little mechanical shutter sounds great.
It's quiet and sweet, much nicer than the mechanical shutters of larger and faster cameras.
Image Stabilization performance top
Canon's marketing literature was unclear; if a lens has Image Stabilization (IS), it works great.
The R100 has no sensor-shift stabilization, and works great with in-lens stabilization.
LCD Monitor performance top
The rear LCD is swell.
It doesn't swivel and you have to set its brightness manually, and otherwise it's sharp and accurate.
Playback performance top
Sadly it lacks smart rotation (missing in many cameras), so the pictures don't rotate as you turn the camera as an iPhone does. It does flag vertical shots so they play normally on your computer.
Playback is the usual, minus some buttons and control dials which will make some things like jumping by 10 images or being able to go backwards among the various INFO impossible to do. In the R100 we have to swap among playback frames one by one and we have to click the INFO button numerous times to go far enough to get to the previous info display, since we can't hit the down button to go back.
Data performance top
Cards are titled as "EOS_DIGITAL."
LARGE NORMAL (▟ stairstep icon) JPG file sizes vary with subject complexity as they should, varying from about 2.6 MB to 9.4 MB, with a median size of 5.7 MB. of course your file sizes will vary with the level of detail in what you're shooting; more details need more bits.
LARGE FINE (quarter-circle icon) JPG files run about 11 MB.
They are tagged as 72 DPI.
File name prefices are fixed as IMG_; you can't set them to something to read like like DOE_1234.jpg.
Clock Accuracy performance top
Every sample is different, but mine runs fast by 846 milliseconds per day (25 seconds per month).
This matters when you shoot multiple cameras (or this camera and an iPhone) and then sort all the images based on capture time to compare the similar views of each scene. The more accurate a camera's internal clock, the less often you need to reset it.
Recommendations top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Performance User's Guide Recommendations
I got my R100 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R100 Body: $379 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100 & RF-S 18-45mm as shown: $499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100, RF-S 18-45mm & RF-S-55-210mm: $729 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
About $350 used with lens if you know How to Win at eBay.
Ideally get the R100 as a body-only and get the RF-S 18-150mm lens separately. This lets me do what the 2-lens kit does, without having to carry and change lenses.
The R100 is a very basic camera for folks who need the absolute lowest cost, size or weight while retaining great picture quality. Personally I shoot every day so I'd get the EOS R7 because it does a little bit more of everything and adds features I appreciate and makes it faster for me to set because it has more knobs and dials — while the R100 is intended for people who have no ides what these features are so they'd rather pay less and get the same great pictures. While the R100 is the world's lightest, any of the R7, R10, R50 or R100 are so light that it doesn't really matter which is the lightest.
Any of the R7, R10 or R50 cost more, weigh more, and do more, while the pictures are ultimately the same.
Which is best for you depends on what you're trying to do and how much money you want to spend. If money's not an issue, even the extraordinary R7 is very light weight.
These are all APS-C cameras best for small size and for people who need the extra 1.6× lens magnification the smaller sensor gives for long-distance shooting.
Full frame cameras like the R3, R5, R5C, R6 II, R6, R, R8 and RP take the same pictures, just that they're bigger, more expensive cameras that have less depth of field (less in focus) at the same aperture and angle-of view because they need longer, bigger lenses to get the same field of view. Full-frame is for people very concerned about wide-angle lenses, of which there are many more options for full-frame than APS-C.
I got my R100 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R100 Body: $379 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100 & RF-S 18-45mm as shown: $499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R100, RF-S 18-45mm & RF-S-55-210mm: $729 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
About $350 used with lens if you know How to Win at eBay.
Ideally get the R100 as a body-only and get the RF-S 18-150mm lens separately. This lets me do what the 2-lens kit does, without having to carry and change lenses.
Lens Suggestions recommendations top
I'd get my R100 as a body-only and get the RF-S 18-150mm lens separately. This lets me do what the 2-lens kit does, without having to carry and change lenses.
This 100% all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally approved sources I've used myself for way over 100 combined years when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live — but I receive nothing for my efforts if you take the chance of getting it elsewhere. Canon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, dropped, incomplete, gray-market, store demo or used R100 — and my personally approved sources allow for 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new R100. I've used many of these sources since the 1970s because I can try it in my own hands and return it if I don't love it, and because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new R100 before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I've used myself for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.
Thanks for helping me help you!
Ken.
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