200D

[@imagesBV]

Wow, upgraded resolution and articulated screen and a trade in on the 100D....this is very tempting!

[Richard W]

Re: 200D

Still only 9 AF points through the viewfinder but "maximum of 49" in Live View. What's that all about?
Only 11 Custom Functions.
Canon seem to be making this to appeal to Smartphone users "With instinctive controls and a touchscreen that feels just like your smartphone, the EOS 200D is easy to use from the start."
Also the very weird "guided user interface" which could be very annoying to a more experienced person, unless it can be switched off.

This would seem to be the second lowest price model, big price gap between the 1300D and this.

[@imagesBV]

Re: 200D

Very true....only the articulated screen is a plus over the 1300D.....except its maybe a tad smaller. I suspect the guidance can be switched off.
I think evolutions of user interface is a good thing provided there are still traditional controls if it encourages the new generation to try proper cameras.
Maybe I'm not so excited by the 200d now!

[Richard W]

Re: 200D

It does have quite a few advantages over the 1300D, 24 megapixels, digic 7, articulated screen. Nearest to 800D which does have 45 af points, though I suppose as that is £200 more expensive, the 200D price looks in line. I'll be thinking about it, I just love the weight of the 100D.

[@imagesBV]

Re: 200D

Camera World are offering £189 for a trade-in of the 100D so if you've had value out of the 100D then thats not a bad deal. I've only had mine about 4 months though.

[Freefaller]

Re: 200D

Tempted by the trade in deal, I've had my 100D since shortly after it was released and have used it a lot as a hillwalking companion and as a travel camera. Some good results from it along the way.

I await with interest a test or two to see what the high ISO performance is like, as that was the Achilles bel compared to my 6D!

Also the recessed mode dial is less likely to be knocked when pulling it out of a belt pouch, so that is good as well.

Anyone else planning on investing in one or upgrading, once the price drops down to a more sane level?

Martin

[Richard W]

Re: 200D

Trade in does say "in excellent condition, complete and with low shutter count" so you might not get the full £189 if the camera is not pretty well perfect.

[TonyT]

Re: 200D

Still only 9 AF points through the viewfinder but "maximum of 49" in Live View. What's that all about?
Only 11 Custom Functions.
Canon seem to be making this to appeal to Smartphone users "With instinctive controls and a touchscreen that feels just like your smartphone, the EOS 200D is easy to use from the start."
Also the very weird "guided user interface" which could be very annoying to a more experienced person, unless it can be switched off.

Plainly economics, you are not going to bring out a budget model that has the equivalent or better functionality of higher value models or that item will simply not sell, you need to bring out a sufficient upgrade to tempt the punters while maintaining its relevance in your range..

[@imagesBV]

Re: 200D

I think the design brief for the 100D/200D is for it to be as compact as possible but retain all the features needed by enthusiasts...rather than a beginners stripped down auto-everything camera....though its hard to see a lot of difference in the controls, maybe just in marketing strategy.

[Richard W]

Re: 200D

I still don't understand why only 9 a/f points through the viewfinder, that's a very outdated spec. The fact that there are "up to 49" in Live view suggests to me that they are also targeting those people who think that the normal way to use a camera is at arms length looking at the LED screen. The fact that they've also introduced the faster dual pixel a/f in Live view to this model as well would seem further to support this as the Live view a/f in the 100D is pretty slow, which would probably put off Smartphone or compact camera users who are used to fast focus.

[briansquibb]

Re: 200D

I think the design brief for the 100D/200D is for it to be as compact as possible but retain all the features needed by enthusiasts...rather than a beginners stripped down auto-everything camera....though its hard to see a lot of difference in the controls, maybe just in marketing strategy.

I agree - 9 focal points just is not enough.

[El Sid]

Re: 200D

I agree - 9 focal points just is not enough.

None of my Canons have more than 9 and to be honest I rarely find it an issue. Mostly I only use the centre point and recompose.

About the only time I might use the other focus points is when using a tripod where the focus and recompose option can be cumbersome. On top of that if the camera has 49 decently quick, and accurate, live view AF points I'd use live view in preference when tripod based anyway. Even allowing for the fact that the live view AF on my IR 1000D is sluggish it's still very useful when using the tripod as the AF point can be moved almost anywhere on the image.

A while back I bought a Nikon with, I think, 49 AF points in the finder and rapidly selected the 11 point option as it is far quicker to select a usable point than trying to scroll through nearly 50...

[colin C]

Re: 200D

I agree - 9 focal points just is not enough.

I am struggling to understand the problem?

Birds in flight, especially raptors, is amongst the most difficult genres of photography to get a good shot. Rather a sweeping statement I know, but there is very little in photography that I haven't tried, so I am only speaking from experience. My Camera body has 60 odd focusing points, the majority of which are cross type and how many do I use? Centre point plus 9 surround points. I get far more keepers with this set up than expanding it further. If I was good enough, I would only use the centre point, but birds jiggle around all over the place, so I need a little safety factor.

Why do I only use the 9 points? Ignoring the extra focussing custom functions available to me, the algorithms used for multi focussing points will err towards the closest subject, so with the whole screen lit up with potential focussing points, focus is more likely to jump to something in the viewfinder that may well be closer than my subject. So, I lock on with the centre point and while I am tracking the subject, if it strays into one of the 9 surround points, I am still rewarded with a sharp shot.

Let's look at landscape; multi focus points would favour the closest item in the shot, where the experienced landscape photographer would be looking to focus at something around a third into the scene, knowing that depth of field works to a third in front of the focussed item and two thirds behind the focussed item.

I have considered this with other genres of photography and whether sport, aircraft, wildlife, studio, macro, landscape etc, I can't really think where large numbers of multi point focus points would be of advantage? Is this some clever marketing view where more must be better, or am I being a bit thick and have missed the obvious?

Hmmm, I have thought of one advantage which I have used occasionally: With the centre point and 9 surround points selected, I move the block of focus points left, right, up or down for a more pleasing composition .......... hardly a major advantage though.

[AndyMulhearn]

Re: 200D

Hmmm, I have thought of one advantage which I have used occasionally: With the centre point and 9 surround points selected, I move the block of focus points left, right, up or down for a more pleasing composition .......... hardly a major advantage though.

I think you mean 1+8 points:

x x x
x o x
x x x

But if you move that grid one place left, right, up and down it becomes a larger set of AF points:

x x x
x x x x x
x x o x x
x x x x x
x x x

Which is 21 AF points - you can't actually moved the AF point as they're etched on silicon, all you can do is change the AF points that are used by the camera.

p.s. Blast, the upper and lower sets should align with the middle three rows but don't, hopefully you can see what I mean...

[colin C]

Re: 200D

I think you mean 1+8 points:

You are technically correct Andy, But on my custom function for selectable AF point I have a choice of:

All points
Only cross type AF points
15 points
9 points

There are other custom functions to include single point spot AF, single point and 5 point.

My wording could have been more clear to avoid any confusion, but I use the 9 points, which includes the centre point. I have also just checked on my camera and it is not the block that moves, just the primary focus point within that block. In the Select AF custom function, I have all the smaller points selection active with large zone AF switched off and Auto selection AF switched off.

Gets a bit confusing at times, I recall a time where we could only focus manually.