The M200 aims to win over the smartphone community, but it’s also a solid choice for enthusiastic beginners who want to take their photography more seriously. The 24.1MP APS-C dual-pixel CMOS sensor enables phase-detection autofocus, and users can shoot in RAW, record 4K video, easily share images via WiFi, and swap out the kit lens for a more serious Canon optic later.The Canon EOS M200 replaces the older EOS M100, and little has changed in design other than a micro USB port instead of a mini port. Like its predecessor, the M200 is small, sleek and simple. Available in either black or white, it’s sure to please the Instagram fan base, but the build quality is what you’d expect for this price. It’s lightweight but feels a bit cheap, as it’s made of a polycarbonate that won’t survive many bumps or drops.The 3-inch, 1,040,000-dot LCD screen is satisfyingly responsive, and a light touch is all it takes to focus a shot, change settings, or navigate the main menu in more detail. Touch Shutter is also an option, releasing the shutter with a single touch, but that causes more false triggers than is helpful.The EOS M200 is designed to be easy to use for beginners, and as such it shines in Auto mode. In this mode, the camera selects all the settings for you, and the results are pleasing enough for general use – even if they don’t encourage the user to bother with exposure. With a tap of the LCD, novice photographers can apply presets, add background blur, switch to black and white, and more via a creative assistant button. These effects are visible in real time on the LCD screen, and while the results are somewhat rudimentary, they make it easy to take creative shots in an accessible way.What the camera lacks is a viewfinder for composing images, as well as a hot shoe for attaching accessories like an electronic viewfinder or flash. This is not surprising given the size of the camera. Instead, there is a pop-up flash housed in the top plate and activated via a slide switch on the side of the camera. Turning the flash on and off is easy to understand, of course, and it’s powerful enough to take group shots when going out or at a family dinner.
