So, you want to buy a digital camera. While the one on the back of your smartphone is fine enough for daily use, it’s not a bad idea to invest in a professional-quality, expertly made, meticulously crafted camera from a company that has been making them for more than 85 years. This company, of course, is Canon. Specifically, the iconic Canon EOS line. But which Canon EOS camera is the best for you?

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With the recent releases of the Canon EOS R7 and Canon EOS R10, it’s a question well worth asking. So, which is better, the Canon EOS R7 vs R10? Not to mention, what are the differences between them?

In order to paint (or photograph?) the clearest, most concise picture, we’ll need to lay it all out there. From a side-by-side comparison of the cameras’ specs to an outline of their key differences, let’s dive deep into the things that distinguish the Canon EOS R7 from the Canon EOS R10.

From there, we’ll take a look at the origins of the company and its decades-long EOS history (as well as some quick facts, too). In the end, we’ll weigh the pros and cons of the Canon EOS R7 vs R10 and decide once and for all which camera is best for you.

Canon EOS R7 vs R10: Side-by-Side Comparison

Canon EOS R7 vs R10: What’s the Difference?

Now that we’ve reviewed some of the most basic side-by-side comparisons between the Canon EOS R7 vs R10, it’s well worth diving deeper into a few key differences between the two. You can see where the two differ above.

  • Newly developed High Image Quality 32.5 megapixels APS-C sized CMOS sensorDIGIC X Image Processor with a native ISO range of 100-32000, expandable to 51200(1)Dual Pixel CMOS AF II covering approximately 100% width and height(2) with up to 651 zones down to EV -5.0.High speed shooting 15fps mechanical(3,4), 30fps high speed electronic shutter(4,5) and RAW Burst Mode with ½ second pre-shooting.Subject tracking inherited from the R3 with people, animal(6), and vehicle detection

But below, we’ll talk about what exactly these differences mean for you as a photographer. From the actual features and the design of the cameras to the cost of each one on its own, these are the major things that set apart the Canon EOS R7 vs R10.

Features

Firstly, there are the features that distinguish the R7 from the R10. Above all else, this is probably the most important consideration of all: what each camera can actually do and which features are exclusive to each one.

The R7 offers a resolution of 32.5MP. Its exposure value is -5EV, and its number of focus areas is 5,915. The R7 also boasts a mechanical shutter of 1/8000s. Additionally, it’s the first of Canon’s APS-C to incorporate IBIS (a.k.a in-body image stabilization). Plus, the R7’s viewfinder has a magnification rate of 0.72x.

The R10, on the other hand, falls short of every single one of these specs. It makes sense, considering the camera is significantly cheaper than the R7, but it’s nevertheless worth elaborating on. For one, the R10’s resolution is just 24.2MP.

Its exposure value comes in at -4EV, with its focus areas topping out at just 4,503. The mechanical shutter is another shortcoming, clocking in at 1/4000s. (However, both the R7 and the R10 have a 1/16000s electronic shutter speed.) It has no IBIS for its photography or videography, and it has a lower magnification rate of 0.59x.

Design

Many of these differences between the Canon EOS R7 vs R10 can be explained by a simple difference in design. From the size and weight to the actual layout of the cameras and their features themselves, it’s easy to see how the two can differ so drastically despite being part of the same family.

  • High Image Quality 24.2 megapixels APS-C sized CMOS sensor.DIGIC X Image Processor with a native ISO range of 100-32000 expandable to 51200(1)Dual Pixel CMOS AF II covering approximately 100% width and height(2) with up to 651 zones down to EV -4.High speed shooting 15fps mechanical(3,4), 23fps electronic shutter(4,5) and RAW Burst Mode with ½ second preshootingSubject tracking inherited from the R3 with people, animal(6), and vehicle detection

For starters, the R7 has two separate memory card slots, while the R10 has just one. What’s more, the R7 is a good half-inch taller and a third of an inch wider than the R10. This might not sound like much, but it makes all the difference internally. With smaller dimensions, there’s less space for tech.

You can really see this difference in internal tech in the weight differences between the Canon EOS R7 vs R10. The former weighs in at 21.6 ounces, while the latter comes in much lighter at just 15.1 ounces. Clearly, there’s less on the inside of the R10 compared to the heavier R7.

And yet, strangely enough, the R10 does have space for one thing that the R7 doesn’t account for: a pop-up flash. Even with its lighter weight and its overall smaller size, the R10 is equipped with that classic, iconic pop-up camera flash. The R7 isn’t as fortunate, marking a unique advantage for the R10.

Price

As to be expected (and as we’ve already alluded to once or twice before), there’s a pretty drastic difference in price between the Canon EOS R7 vs R10. The R7 is an all-around more powerful camera, sporting numerous advantages over the features and design of the R10.

For this reason, it’s only natural that its starting price would be $1,499. The R10, on the other hand, is appropriately priced, since it’s more than $500 cheaper at just $979. Make no mistake, this high price proves that the R10 is not a bad camera whatsoever. It’s still a fantastic product, even if it comes off as inferior to the R7.

The History of Canon

Founded all the way back in August 1937, Canon Inc. has been synonymous with photography for over 85 years now. Beginning with their first product, the Kwanon — Japan’s very first 35mm film camera equipped with a focal-plane-based shutter — Canon Inc. has gone on to specialize in everything from optics to imaging and medical equipment to printers and semiconductors (and, obviously, lenses, cameras, and other forms of imaging).

Based in Tokyo, Japan, the company brought in an estimated $30.5 billion in 2021 alone. Around 20 years after the introduction of the Kwanon, Canon again revolutionized the camera industry with the release of the Reflex Zoom 8 in 1959.

The world’s very first movie camera equipped with its own zoom lens, the Reflex Zoom 8 stood as the next logical step after the company created the field zoom lens for television stations the year before. This product — alongside the 35mm film camera the Canonflex, also released in 1959 — helped to elevate Canon closer to the high status we know it to hold today.

In the 1970s, Canon continued its upward ascent within the camera industry. The Canon F-1 from 1971 served as one of the first high-end offerings for the company, while the Canon AE-1 from 1976 served as the first camera in the world to be equipped with a microcomputer inside.

The 1980s were no different, bringing with them the now-iconic Canon Inkjet printer in 1985 — just one year after Hewlett-Packard’s model hit the shelves. Then, in 1986, Canon debuted its most significant product to date: the Canon Electro-Optical System, a.k.a the Canon EOS.

The Canon EOS

Initially dubbed the Canon EOS 650, this first Canon EOS marked the start of the company’s still-ongoing series of autofocus SLR (i.e. single-lens reflex) mirrorless cameras. Deriving its name from Eos, the mythological Greek goddess of dawn, the EOS name appropriately connoted the dawn of a new era for Canon from this point onward.

In the wake of the Canon EOS 650 in 1987, the EOS name soon became a signifier of revolutionary new technology in both the amateur and professional photography spheres alike. Today, it’s about more than just the Canon EOS R7 vs R10.

The Canon EOS family encompasses more than 30 different products between 1987 and today, stretching across both digital and film cameras, as well as collaborations with the Kodak and Sigma brands. Not to mention, the EOS line has dabbled in everything from the entry-level to professional markets throughout its 35-year history.

As you can see, the Canon EOS R7 vs R10 are just two small players in this wide-ranging field. In addition to the Canon EOS film and digital photography cameras, there are also more than a dozen Canon Cinema EOS cameras.

First launched in 2011 with the help of legendary director Martin Scorsese, the latest Canon Cinema EOS is capable of shooting digital film as high in quality as 8K. Some films shot (either entirely or partially) on the Canon Cinema EOS include Black Panther (2018), Isle of Dogs (2018), Jason Bourne (2016), and more.

In this context, the debate is less about Canon EOS R7 vs R10 and more about Canon EOS vs the rest of the competition.

Canon EOS R7 vs R10: Pros and Cons

Canon EOS R7 vs R10: 5 Must-Know Facts

  • The Canon EOS line began in 1987 with the release of the Canon EOS 650.“EOS” technically stands for Electro-Optical System, but its name can also be credited to the goddess of the same name from Greek mythology. Eos is the goddess of the dawn.Today, 35 years after the initialization of the Canon EOS line, nearly three dozen cameras have been released across both the digital and film photography markets.The Canon EOS family also includes the Canon Cinema EOS, an early digital camera that emerged at the start of the 2010s and was backed by the likes of legendary filmmakers Martin Scorsese and Wes Anderson alike.Known for its durability and ease of use, the Canon EOS has products at every level of the photography market (including entry-level, midrange, high-end, and professional).

Canon EOS R7 vs R10: Which One Is Best?

If you’ve made it this far, then you probably already know the answer to the question of which camera is better: the Canon EOS R7 vs R10. Again and again, the R7 came out on top. Whether it be specs, features, or image quality, the R7 is the obvious winner.

However, the R10 does come with its own set of advantages. Namely, smaller size, lighter weight, and cheaper price. This complicates things, as it sets the pair of EOS Rs into two distinct categories: the R10 is entry-level and the R7 is mid-range.

Think of it this way, while the R7 is objectively the superior camera, the R10 might be the better choice for someone on a budget or just starting out with photography. What’s more, neither the R7 nor the R10 would be capable of providing everything a seasoned pro might need to get a job done.

This is the one aspect of the wide-ranging EOS family of Canon cameras that has been so appealing for decades: the sheer amount of versatility within the lineup for photographers of all types. The R7 is definitely better than the R10 on paper, but in practice, the winner will vary.