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Canon SL2

 
Canon EOS Rebel SL2 front
 
  • 24MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Fully Articulated Display
  • ISO 100 - 25600 (Increase to 51200)
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Canon EF/EF-S Mount
  • 453g - 122 x 93 x 70mm
  • Launched June 2017
  • Alternative Name is EOS 200D / Kiss X9
  • Succeeded the Canon 100D
  • Newer Model is Canon SL3
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
71
Imaging
67
Features
85
Overall
74

Canon SL2 overview

Canon SL2 is Canon's Entry-Level DSLR camera first introduced on June of 2017. The camera includes a 24MP, CMOS APS-C size sensor with a peak resolution of 6000 x 4000. It is referred to as "EOS 200D / Kiss X9" in other markets.

Canon released this camera as a way to upgrade the earlier Canon 100D (Read Full Comparison) & subsequently released the fresher Canon SL3 (Read Full Comparison) as a way to upgrade this camera.

The SL2 ranks at #4 out of 80 in Entry-Level DSLR cameras & all-around #109 out of 1465 for cameras in our list. You can look at our Smart camera filter to get camera rankings based on your custom requirements.

Photography Glossary

Here is a chart of various criteria used in the scoring system.

Canon SL2 family

The Canon SL2 has a history of related cameras. Down below, you can see all older and the latest models alongside important features.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Canon-EOS-Rebel-SL3 front thumbnailCanon SL3
SL2 vs SL3
24MPAPS-C5.0 fps2019
Canon-EOS-Rebel-SL2 front thumbnailCanon SL224MPAPS-C5.0 fps2017
Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide
Canon-EOS-100D front thumbnailCanon 100D
SL2 vs 100D
18MPAPS-C3.0 fps2013

Canon SL2 Pros and Cons

Here is a checklist of advantages and drawbacks of the Canon SL2 based on features that are normally seen as crucial in a camera.

better than average battery power (650 shots)
built-in flash
connects via bluetooth
decent sensor size (APS-C)
exports RAW formats
good high ISO (25,600)
good min ISO (100)
has external mic jack
has HDMI support
has manual focus
has phase detect AF
has touchscreen
high res video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
includes focus by touch
NFC connection
nice screen size (3")
resolution is good (24MP)
screen can move to multiple angles
selfie friendly screen
supports face detection focusing
supports tracking autofocus
switch lenses (Canon EF/EF-S mount)
very good screen resolution (1,040 k dot)
low fps (5.0 frames per second)
no headphone jack
no image stabilization
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Canon SL2 Sensor information

The Canon SL2 is powered by the DIGIC 7 processor chip. The sensor size on the Canon SL2 is 22.3mm x 14.9mm (APS-C). The 332 mm² sensor can resolve 6000 x 4000 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9.

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The CMOS sensor has 24MP and features a native ISO range of 100 to 25600. The ISO can be widened digitally to a maximum of 51200. RAW files are supported therefore you have more room to maneuver in post.

The picture below displays the SL2's sensor size in comparison to other common sizes. The SL2 sensor has a crop factor of 1.6 and is shown in green.

Canon EOS Rebel SL2 sensor size Sora from OpenAI releases its first ever music video

To get an understanding of various aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Canon SL2 dimensions

Canon SL2 is 1.00 pounds (453g or 15.98 oz) & has exterior proportions of 122mm x 93mm x 70mm (4.8" x 3.7" x 2.8"). The weight of general Entry-Level DSLR camera is 540g and the Canon SL2 is lighter than various competitors.

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Listed below is a visual of the Canon SL2 besides a soda to help you to get a feel for its size.

Canon EOS Rebel SL2 dimensions scale

The top view directly below will show the button arrangement on the SL2.

Canon EOS Rebel SL2 topview buttons dials

Canon SL2 Lens information

The SL2 uses the Canon EF/EF-S mount and has 331 lenses available to buy. Here is a few of the lenses we have in our database that will work with the SL2.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Tamron-SP-150-600mm-F5-6.3-Di-VC-USD-Canon-EF lensTamron SP 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD150-600mmf/5.0-6.3 1951g
Sigma-500mm-F4.5-EX-DG-HSM-Canon-EF lensSigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM500mmf/4.5 3150g
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Sigma-70-200-F2.8-DG-OS-HSM-S-Canon-EF lensSigma 70-200 F2.8 DG OS HSM S70-200mmf/2.8 0g
Canon-EF-400mm-f2.8L-IS-USM lensCanon EF 400mm f2.8L IS USM400mmf/2.8 5370g
Tokina-Opera-16-28mm-F2.8-FF-Canon-EF lensTokina Opera 16-28mm F2.8 FF16-28mmf/2.8940g
Canon-EF-135mm-f2.8-SF lensCanon EF 135mm f2.8 SF135mmf/2.8 390g
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Voigtlander-40mm-F2-Ultron-SL-II-Canon-EF lensVoigtlander 40mm F2 Ultron SL II40mmf/2.0 200g
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Canon SL2 Connectivity

The SL2 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • Bluetooth Yes
  • NFC Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Cameras that include NFC or Bluetooth compatibility can be controlled wirelessly by smartphones. You can easily send photos and at times change settings without the hassle of connecting directly with the camera.

Several apps also give a Liveview and press the shutter when you aren't close to the camera. If the camera features a HDMI port, it can be hooked up to an external display. A good number of cameras will allow you to charge the battery using the USB socket.

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Canon SL2 Video information

The highest video quality on the Canon SL2 is 1920 x 1080 and you can save in MPEG-4 and H.264 format. 1080p quality provides a good balance in quality versus file size but FULL HD will not give you any room to crop. Although the body offers a mic port, it is sadly lacking a headphone port which means you will not have the ability to check your sound levels.

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Canon SL2 Weather Sealing

There is no weather proofing for the Canon SL2 so you have to be cautious in rainy and dusty conditions.

Canon SL2 Display and Viewfinder

The Canon SL2 includes a 3" fully articulated screen with a resolution of 1,040k dots.

It has got a selfie friendly display to take self portraits and even group photos if needed. Additionally the screen is touch friendly which means you can adjust focus point as well as adjust settings by using your fingers.

Canon EOS Rebel SL2 screen and viewfinder Photography Glossary

The ViewFinder details for Canon SL2 are the following:

  • ViewFinder Optical (pentamirror)
  • Coverage 95 percent
  • Magnification 0.54x

For bright outdoor conditions that make the camera screens washed out and hard to see, viewfinders will be quite useful.

Canon SL2 Shutter information

Canon SL2 continuous shooting speed is 5.0 frames per second. The highest shutter speed is 1/4000 seconds.

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Canon SL2 Flash and Hot shoe information

Canon SL2 features both inbuilt flash together with external flash ability. The max flash sync speed is 1/200 seconds.

Canon SL2 Autofocusing information

Canon SL2 features both Phase Detect AF as well as Contrast Based AF. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot more quicker and exact than Contrast Based autofocusing. The camera includes Face detect which makes it valuable for portrait photography.

The Sensor includes 9 focus points to choose from. Canon SL2 has tap to focus. You are able to use your fingers to shift focus points. It also comes with Tracking AF for subjects on the move. Canon SL2 comes with manual focusing if required in low light situations or you need to have more accurate control on focusing.

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Canon SL2 Battery life

The battery power (LP-E17) for the Canon SL2 is designed to last for 650 shots according to the CIPA requirements making it above the usual in comparison to its category. The typical Entry-Level DSLR camera battery life is 589. Pentax K-x has got the highest (1900) battery life in this class of cameras.

Following is a collection of Entry-Level DSLR cameras that come with the best battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth
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Canon-EOS-Rebel-SL3 front thumbnailCanon SL3
SL2 vs SL3
1070 yesnoyes

Canon SL2 for various styles of photography

The following diagram provides a analysis of the Canon SL2 for various styles of photography. To see more, go to the specific paragraph below.

Canon SL2 Portrait photography information

The Canon SL2 has a points tally of 80 which is excellent, meaning that it is a tremendous choice for portraits. Photographing portraits favors heavily to sensor dimension, RAW support along with the option to work with off-camera flash.

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manual focus
megapixel count decent (24 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
provides face detect focusing
saves RAW formats

Canon SL2 Street photography information

With a above average points total of 74, the Canon SL2 is a very decent pick to buy for street photography. A good street photography camera offers a good balance of image quality plus portability.

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fully articulated screen
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
delivers RAW files
comes with focus via touch
very good ISO range (25,600)
no image stabilization

Canon SL2 Sports photography details

A nice sports photography points total of 69 means the Canon SL2 is a respectable choice for photographing sports. A camera needs to have fantastic focusing plus fast shutter speeds for sports photography.

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megapixel count decent (24MP)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
has tracking focus
good battery pack (650 shots)
comes with phase detect AF
max fps low (5.0 frames/s)
no image stabilization

Canon SL2 Travel photography factors

Weight is really crucial when selecting a camera for travel. All round, the Canon SL2 gets a wonderful 81 as a travelling camera which is a awesome fit to buy for your holidays.

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great battery pack (650 CIPA)
connects via bluetooth
comes with focus via touch
resolution is good (24 megapixels)
has built in flash
display is selfie friendly

Canon SL2 Landscape photography factors

For anyone who is looking to buy a camera for landscape photographs, the most critical aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Canon SL2 and it's great grade of 78 for a landscape camera is a awesome fit compared to its competition.

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you can focus manually
switch lenses (Canon EF/EF-S mount)
nice screen size (3 inches)
MP count good (24 megapixels)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
very good ISO range (25,600)
supports RAW files
better than average battery pack (650 per charge)
does not have image stabilization

Canon SL2 as a Vlogging camera

A vlogging camera preferably should come with a articulating display, microphone port and ideally IBIS. Considering everything, the Canon SL2 is a fine fit as a vlog camera as it comes to a above average score of 75.

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display is selfie friendly
touch screen
features face detection autofocus
video res high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
does have external mic jack
lack of image stabilization

Canon SL2 Alternatives

If you are trying to find replacements to the SL2, here is a range of the highest rated cameras which fall under the family of Entry-Level DSLR.

The line chart followed below will give you a summary of the SL2 vs it's top scoring competitors suggested above.

Here are a handful of other cameras you might look at as alternate options. To check out a detailed comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.

Photography Glossary

Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Canon
Model type
Canon EOS Rebel SL2
Alternate name
EOS 200D / Kiss X9
Class
Entry-Level DSLR
Launched
2017-06-29
Body design
Compact SLR
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Chip
DIGIC 7
Sensor size
APS-C
Sensor dimensions
22.3 x 14.9mm
Sensor surface area
332.3mm²
Sensor resolution
24MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution
6000 x 4000
RAW data
Max native ISO
25600
Max boosted ISO
51200
Lowest native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
Continuous AF
AF single
AF tracking
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Total focus points
9
Cross type focus points
1
Lens
Lens support
Canon EF/EF-S
Amount of lenses
326
Focal length multiplier
1.6
Screen
Display type
Fully Articulated
Display sizing
3"
Display resolution
1,040k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder coverage
95 percent
Viewfinder magnification
0.54x
DXO scores
DXO All around rating
79
DXO Color Depth rating
23.6
DXO Dynamic range rating
13.4
DXO Low light rating
1041
Features
Lowest shutter speed
30s
Highest shutter speed
1/4000s
Continuous shooting speed
5.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation
Yes
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance
9.80 m (at ISO 100)
External flash
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Highest flash sync
1/200s
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions
1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 60 Mbps, MP4, H.264, AAC
Max video resolution
1920x1080
Video file format
MPEG-4, H.264
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
453g (1.00 lbs)
Dimensions
122 x 93 x 70mm (4.8" x 3.7" x 2.8")
Other
Battery life
650 images
Style of battery
Battery Pack
Battery ID
LP-E17
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 secs)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage
SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I compatible)
Storage slots
Single
Cost at launch
$699