Canon EOS R100 Canon EOS R100 4K Video Mirrorless Camera 2 Lens Review

The Canon EOS R100 is a two-lens kit that's trying to be an all-in-one starter package. It lands with a total score of 23.6 out of 100, which puts it firmly in the budget entry-level category. That score tells you most of what you need to know: this isn't a camera for pushing limits. It's for someone who wants to step up from a phone without breaking the bank or getting lost in menus.

The kit includes two lenses: an RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 for everyday shots and an RF-S 55-210mm f/5-7.1 for getting closer to the action. That dual-lens approach is the main draw here, giving you a wide focal range right out of the box. Just don't expect flagship performance. Its weakest area is vlogging, scoring a dismal 14.9, so content creators should look elsewhere.

Performance is, frankly, average to below average across the board. There's no single standout metric. The autofocus system sits in the 45th percentile, meaning it's just about middle-of-the-road. It'll lock onto a subject in decent light, but don't expect it to track a sprinter or a bird in flight with much consistency. The sensor performance is in the 30th percentile, which is one of its lowest scores. That translates to more noise in low light and less dynamic range compared to most modern cameras.

Video capabilities are in the 32nd percentile, and it lacks in-body stabilization (41st percentile). You get 4K recording, but the overall video feature set is basic. The burst shooting rate is in the 39th percentile, so it's not built for high-speed action. For sports and wildlife, it scores 29.6, which confirms it's not a specialist in that area either.

You can find this two-lens kit for between $725 and $779. For that money, you're paying for convenience and system entry. The value is in getting two lenses that cover from wide-angle to telephoto in one box. On a pure price-to-performance ratio, it's not great, as the core camera components are toward the bottom of the pack. You're trading outright capability for a simplified, longer-reaching kit. If your primary goal is to have a camera with two lenses immediately, this delivers. If your goal is the best image quality for your dollar, this isn't it.

Compared to something like the Sony a6400 (body only around $900), you sacrifice sensor quality, autofocus performance, and a fully articulating screen for the convenience of two included lenses. The a6400 runs circles around the R100 in most metrics but leaves you to buy lenses separately. Against the Fujifilm X-S20, the gap is even wider in Fuji's favor for video and overall handling, but again, at a higher starting price without a lens. The Canon EOS R6 Mark II is in a completely different league and price bracket, so that's not a fair fight. The R100's real competition is other budget bundles, and its main advantage is being a newer RF-mount camera versus older DSLR kits.

The Canon EOS R100 with two lenses is a straightforward package for an absolute beginner who values simplicity and focal range over image quality and advanced features. If you want one box that lets you shoot wide landscapes and zoom in on distant subjects without any extra purchases, this does that. But you have to accept its limitations: mediocre low-light performance, average autofocus, and no good vlogging features. For anyone even slightly serious about improving their photography, saving up for a better body like the a6400 and one good lens is a much wiser long-term investment. This camera gets you in the door, but you might outgrow it quickly.