Canon EOS R10 Specs, Price, Test, and Review: Mighty Camera

Canon has unveiled the renewal of its RF-mount APS-C lineup, replacing DSLRs with mirrorless cameras. The EOS R10 is looking to make a mark in the market, and we put it to the test in this review.

The future of photography is hybrid, and Canon continues to develop its R-series lineup, this time entering the APS-C realm. Indeed, this type of sensor, previously used in DSLRs and M-mount bodies, is now associated with the same R-mount found in the manufacturer’s full-frame mirrorless cameras (24 x 36 mm).

Canon is expanding its catalog to include mid-range APS-C hybrids, which are more powerful than models like the EOS M50 Mark II, released in 2021, without breaking the bank. APS-C sensors with a 1.6x multiplier allow for compact and lightweight bodies, designed primarily for the general public.

However, don’t be fooled by its compact, almost “toy-like” size: this EOS R10 has many strengths. Canon has not tried to overload the R10 with advanced features, opting for simplicity, but they do it well. As we will see throughout this review, the camera borrows components from its high-end siblings to enhance its more modest hybrids, which is a welcome addition.

Technical Specifications

Model	Canon EOS R10
Type	Mirrorless
Sensor Format	APS-C
Sensor Resolution	25.5 MP
Image Stabilization	Electronic
Video Recording Resolution	4K
AF-S	15 FPS
Articulating Screen	1
Weight	382 g
Price	$879

Design and Ergonomics

The strong point of APS-C cameras, and the R10 is no exception: it has compact dimensions of only 122.5 x 87.8 x 83.4 mm and weighs 382 grams for the body only (in comparison, the EOS R6 weighs 598 grams).

Despite its lightweight design, it still offers a comfortable grip thanks to a deep grip and Canon’s signature bulky format. Made of a magnesium alloy and plastic, it is covered with a non-slip coating that matches the look of the manufacturer’s cameras. However, it is not weather-sealed.

The top of the body includes the usual shutter and record buttons, along with a single dial featuring shooting modes M (manual), Av (aperture priority), Tv (shutter priority), P (automatic exposure), Fv (flexible priority), and B (bulb, long exposure).

Two customizable modes, C1 and C2, are also available, as are Film, Auto+, Scene, and Creative modes, which we will cover later. While the R10 is likely aimed at beginners, it doesn’t forget more experienced photographers and offers 18 customizable functions.

The EOS R10 has a single memory card slot (SD/SD UHS II), unlike the EOS R7, which has two. Located under the camera, it remains accessible even when using a tripod. The battery, LP-E17, is also inserted here. This battery doesn’t have a long lifespan, as it is compatible with the EOS M camera lineup and the EOS RP.

Canon claims a lifespan of about 430 shots via the LCD and about 260 shots through the viewfinder, which was confirmed during this review. Since the EOS R10 inherits components from its full-frame predecessors, battery life is affected. It’s essential to have multiple batteries to avoid running out of power.

Note that the battery compartment cover doesn’t seem to be very sturdy, so it should be handled with care. This fragility is due to the choice of less robust materials, which inevitably affect the weight and price of the camera body.

Limited connectivity and built-in flash: the R10 targets its audience

Interestingly, the R10 is equipped with a built-in flash, a first in the EOS R series. While it’s not a feature that should be overused – as the built-in flash isn’t known for its flexibility and output quality – its inclusion in the APS-C camera is a noteworthy point.

Again, the R10 is aimed at amateur users looking for ease and speed in using their camera, and a built-in flash can provide necessary assistance in difficult lighting conditions.

In terms of connectivity, the R10 keeps it minimal: there is a USB-C port for charging and interfacing with a computer, a Micro HDMI output, and a 3.5mm microphone input (but no headphone output). Located on the side of the camera, they are easily accessible despite the hinges of the swivel screen.

The R10 is compatible with the RF range of photo lenses, as well as the EF range using an EF-RF adapter ring. This gives buyers access to a wide catalog of native lenses, ensuring they can find the right lens for their budget and needs. Note that M-mount lenses, previously reserved for Canon’s APS-C cameras, are not compatible with the R10.

For the purpose of this test, photos were taken using Canon EF lenses mounted on an adapter ring, and the camera body experienced no latency with autofocus.

Viewfinder

The R10’s 0.39-inch OLED viewfinder has 2.36 million dots. However, a slight delay and not always sharp resolution are noticeable, justified by the R10’s price point. Due to the small size, the eyecup is quite tiny. The viewfinder still displays all the necessary information for proper use of the camera body and a refresh rate of 60 to 120 frames per second.

A beautiful, high-quality swivel screen accompanies the viewfinder. Fully touchscreen, it measures no less than 3 inches and has a resolution of 1.04 million dots. Canon seems to have fully embraced this type of adjustable screen for its R series, and it’s brilliant.

There are no compromises with this screen. The brightness is adjustable to your liking, allowing for use even in bright sunlight. Likewise, its sturdy hinges offer a wide range of use possibilities, ticking the box for versatility. Vlogging, selfies, low or high-angle framing, the R10’s screen responds to your touch.

Control and Navigation

Navigating within the EOS R10 is particularly simple for Canon users. The same menus are found, organized in the same order for years with easy-to-understand color codes. To navigate, you can use the directional pad, AF stick, or simply your finger via the touchscreen.

While the directional pad may be a bit small for larger thumbs, the autofocus joystick is commendable. Located next to the viewfinder, it is both flexible and durable. Inherited from its R5 and R6 siblings, it is very responsive.

Guided modes for beginners: Canon holds your hand

Canon has included a default guided interface to assist complete photography beginners. With each mode change, an explanatory screen informs the user about the selected mode. This helpful feature, which can be disabled in the menu, is a great way to support learning for everyone.

Performance

The R10 truly shines in its autofocus capabilities. It houses a highly efficient Dual Pixel CMOS AF II autofocus system, enhanced by deep learning-based AI. This technology, derived from the full-frame EOS R5, EOS R3, and EOS R6 models, is more advanced and expensive than the R10.

Nonetheless, Canon decided to implement this technology in its mid-range APS-C camera, a decision that greatly benefits the R10 and is highly commendable.

The autofocus is capable of tracking subjects and detecting people, animals, and vehicles, proving to be very convincing. It has been tested on various subjects and is nearly infallible.

The subject selection can be done using the joystick, by touching the screen, or letting the camera manage focus automatically. It is worth noting that the focus points cover almost 100% of the sensor.

This feature is invaluable for beginners who may not be comfortable with the concept of focus, as it offers a powerful tool for learning photography without frustration and developing creativity.

In a series of portraits, there is a loss of focus on the last photo due to the subject being too close for the mounted 70-200mm lens to focus correctly, rather than the autofocus system.

The R10 also excels in tracking animals, especially birds, as evidenced by a seagull perfectly captured by the camera’s autofocus. The camera maintains focus throughout the burst and only loses it at the end, an excellent result.

In terms of continuous shooting, the hybrid camera promises a respectable performance, capturing 15 frames per second with the mechanical shutter and up to 23 frames per second with the electronic shutter. These numbers are contingent on the write speed of the SD card used but have been confirmed in real-world tests.

Scene, Creative and Auto+ modes to overcome technical constraints

The R10 features Scene, Creative, and Auto+ modes to overcome technical constraints. These modes cater to beginners learning photography, those seeking speed in execution, or users exploring their own creativity.

The Scene mode includes a series of presets tailored to various situations such as portraits, selfies, landscapes, and panoramas. The Auto mode, as the name implies, takes full control of the camera settings, making it ideal for first-time users. The Creative mode is more playful and offers various visual effects (blur, fisheye, watercolor, etc.) without providing real settings.

These creative filters may serve as an introduction to photo editing for novices.

Image Quality

The hybrid camera features a 24.2-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor. Equipped with the DIGIC X processor (shared with the EOS R7, R6, R5, and even R3), it ensures good responsiveness in the camera body. Canon does not disappoint its hybrid camera buyers by choosing the best processor in its design.

The manufacturer also offers two kit lenses to accompany the purchase of the EOS R10: the RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM and the RF-S 18-150mm f:3.5-6.3 IS STM. For the purposes of this test, the first lens was put to the test.

The 18-45mm is a small, lightweight, and versatile lens suitable for basic photography needs. Its advantage is its compact size, so it doesn’t weigh down your camera bag, but it quickly reaches its limits when the light decreases.

Likewise, I can only recommend that R10 buyers who want to push their photography skills further purchase a body-only option and choose a faster, more efficient lens that is better suited to their preferred subjects. Like the 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM (equivalent to a 50mm in APS-C), sold by Canon for $550, which promises excellent speed and superb bokeh.

In photography, the choice of the lens makes a real difference, and a higher-quality lens will make this APS-C camera an incredible hybrid. The R10 is indeed capable of delivering impressive results, and limiting it to the kit lenses does not do it justice.

The ISO performance of the EOS R10

The R10 offers an ISO range from 100 to 32,000 (expandable up to 51,200). As seen in the images below, the hybrid camera manages the ISO increase without issues. Up to ISO 6400, the images remain usable. Beyond that, the grain becomes particularly imposing, and the lines lose too much precision.

This series of photos was captured using an EF 24-70mm f/2.8 II USM lens mounted on an adapter ring.

Canon promises low-light autofocus up to -4 EV with the R10, provided, of course, that a large aperture lens is used. In the test, the low-light autofocus is indeed quite convincing.

Canon’s consistent color accuracy

The images below were captured in RAW and exported to JPEG from Lightroom. Only the exposure was slightly adjusted for better readability. It can be particularly seen in the first pair of photos that the images from the R10 (left) are cooler than those from the Canon EOS R6 (right).

The white balance in Lightroom confirms this. Set to automatic on both cameras, it is not analyzed in the same way on each of them. Other than that, the two Canon hybrids do not show any significant differences in color accuracy, which is a good point for the R10, which is entirely capable of holding its own next to a full-frame camera body.

The Canon EOS R10 offers three photo formats: RAW (14-bit), JPEG (8-bit), and HEIF (10-bit), keeping it simple and in line with its product focus. The RAW files are in CR3 format, supported by major photo editing software.

Video Quality

The R10 keeps it simple in the video department, without 6K, C-Log, or multiple video codecs support. It’s primarily designed for quick and spontaneous shooting. The APS-C sensor enables 4K recording at 30p up to 60p with a crop. In Full HD, it can deliver 120p for beautiful slow-motion shots and time-lapse recording. The R10 supports H.265 and H.264 codecs.

Unfortunately, the R10 suffers from significant rolling shutter distortion, particularly noticeable at 30 frames per second during fast horizontal movements.

Up to 2 Hours of Recording and Top-notch Autofocus

Canon promises continuous recording up to 2 hours, limited by SD card capacity, battery life, and temperature conditions. In Full HD/120p, this duration drops to 30 minutes. The autofocus, excellent for photography, also shines in video.

Features like face and subject detection, tracking, and AF servo ensure successful videos. The transition between subjects is smooth and natural. The camera allows ISO up to 12,800 for videos.

The video below demonstrates the autofocus maintaining focus on a person even when their eyes are not in frame. Whether the subject moves away, turns around, or comes closer, they remain sharp. Here, the video is recorded in 4K/60p and digitally stabilized by the EOS R10.

Similarly, vehicle tracking is excellent: when the tractor passes behind parked cars along the road, the R10 maintains focus effortlessly. Here, the image is in 4K/30p. Whether used for vacation videos or artistic projects, the APS-C hybrid will always be up to the task.

 

While the EOS R10 doesn’t have internal stabilization, it offers digital stabilization (IS mode) with adjustable intensity for the desired result, despite a severe crop. Without this or a stabilized lens, it’s challenging to achieve a pleasant result without post-production correction.

 

In the video above, handheld shooting with an unstabilized camera produces a shaky image. From 0:09, applying a warp stabilizer on Premiere Pro significantly improves the result. Activating IS mode and ignoring the crop is recommended for usable footage without external software.

Pricing and Availability

The Canon EOS R10 is available for purchase on Amazon at $879 for the body only, $1,099 with an 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 lens and an EF-EOS R adapter, and $1,399 with an 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 lens and an adapter. Among APS-C cameras, the R10 easily finds its place with competitive capabilities and pricing.

The Nikon Z50 and Fujifilm X-S10 are available for $999, while the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III remains around $1,000, even three years after its release. Nikon offers a more affordable video-oriented camera with the Z30, and Sony offers the ZV-E10, also aimed at video usage.

As for the EOS R7, sold at $1,499 (body only), it targets more advanced users (32.5 million pixels, dual memory slot, and C-Log 3 format). If these features don’t make a significant difference for you, the R10 is likely a better fit. Lighter, more accessible, and just as capable, it competes well with its bigger sibling. The $500 saved can be invested in a quality lens to maximize its potential.