The Canon EOS R10 is expected to be the surprise co-star of a double launch from the camera giant that’s rumored to be taking place in late May.
While the other rumored camera from that launch, the Canon EOS R7, was first mentioned on rumor sites as far back as 2020, the EOS R10 is more of an unknown quantity.
According to Canon Rumors, it’s expected to be a new entry-level model in the Canon EOS R series. And its rumored specs suggest it could be a solid upgrade for those who own older Canon DSLRs, but don’t want to spend megabucks on a full-frame camera like the Canon EOS R6.
24.2MP APS-C sensor
15fps (mechanical) / 23fps (electronic) burst mode
1x UHS-II card slot
HDR PQ support
Like the Canon EOS R7, the EOS R10 is expected to have an APS-C sensor, which is smaller than a full-frame sensor. This means it would have less light-gathering power than existing EOS R cameras, but could also being potential bonuses like a lower price tag and a crop factor that could be beneficial for long-range shooting.
But what exactly are the EOS R10’s rumored specs, which cameras is it replacing and what would we ideally like to see from it? We’ve rounded up all of the latest leaks, along with our early thoughts, in this handy guide to the Canon EOS R10.
Canon EOS R10 release date and price
The Canon EOS R10 is expected to land very soon, with the usually Canon Rumors predicting an announcement on May 24. It’s expected to arrive during a big launch that’ll also see the unveiling of the Canon EOS R7 and two APS-C lenses; the Canon RF-S 18-45mm f/3.5-5.6 and Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3.
We don’t yet have any leaked pricing for the EOS R10, but we can make some educated guesses based on the rumors so far. While it’s been tipped to be the entry-level model in Canon’s EOS R series, some early Canon Rumors mockups suggest it won’t be quite as budget-friendly as Canon’s smallest EOS M series models, like the Canon EOS M200.
With a similar design to full-frame models like Canon EOS R6, it seems the EOS R10 will be more like a mirrorless successor to Canon’s double-digit or triple-digit EOS DSLRs, which have traditionally been aimed at hobbyists rather than complete beginners.
Depending on its feature set, it could be priced in the ballpark of the Canon EOS 90D (which arrived in 2019 for $1,199 / £1,210 / AU$1,959) or possibly even the Canon EOS Rebel T6 / EOS 1300D. The latter arrived for just $449 / £440 in 2016, but given that the EOS R10 is expected to have an electronic viewfinder (EVF) and modern mirrorless features, it’s unlikely to be priced quite that low.
Still, something in between the price points of those two classic DSLRs could make it a very tempting proposition for photographers and videographers looking to upgrade to a mirrorless body that’s compatible with RF-mount lenses.
Canon EOS R10 specs, leak and features
So far, we only have a few rumored Canon EOS R10 specs, but these give us a sense of what kind of camera it might be.
Canon Rumors claimed on a post on May 10 that the EOS R10 will have a 24.2MP APS-C sensor and be capable of shooting at impressive burst rates of 15fps (using the mechanical shutter) and 23fps when switching to the electronic shutter.
Those continuous shooting specs aren’t far off the rumored ones for the Canon EOS R7, which will apparently be able to hit 30fps using the electronic shutter. This means the EOS R10 could be an RF-mount equivalent of cameras like the Canon EOS 90D DSLR and the Canon EOS M6 Mark II.
The main hint that the EOS R10 will be an affordable, hobbyist camera, though, is that it’s only expected to have one UHS-II card slot. Cameras that are designed for keen photographers and pros tend to have two card slots, so they can back up images as they go in case of card failure. But this would help differentiate it from the EOS R7, and the EOS 90D and M6 Mark II both only have one card slot, too.
The final leaked spec for the EOS R10, support for the HDR (High Dynamic Range) PQ standard, suggests it should support 10-bit video. Though we don’t yet know anything about frame-rates, resolutions or potential crops yet.
This means there are still quite a few gaps in our knowledge about the EOS R10. We don’t yet know if it’ll have in-body image image stabilization, a viewfinder or a flip-screen, or what kind of autofocus system it’ll have.
Without these details it’s difficult to be completely sure about what kind of camera to expect, but an affordable, hobbyist-friendly all-rounder seems to be the most likely scenario.
Perhaps the most intriguing missing detail right now, though, is its design – the RF mount’s larger size and flange distance mean it’s unlikely to be as compact as any EOS M-series cameras, so we’re interested to see how compact Canon manages to make it, given this is traditionally a big part of an entry-level camera’s appeal.
Canon EOS R10: what we want to see
One of the biggest gaps in the Canon EOS R range is an affordable model for hobbyists, particularly those looking to upgrade from an older DSLR – and it sounds like the Canon EOS R10 will be that camera.
Some might prefer to wait for the long-rumored successor to the Canon EOS RP, but not everyone needs a full-frame camera. And for those who generally shoot in daylight, but also want an affordable, high-quality mirrorless camera that can keep up with speeding objects, the EOS R10 could well fit the bill, based on the rumors so far.
We’d love to see Canon go really competitive on the EOS R10’s price tag, and perhaps even offer bundles with prime lenses like the Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM and 50mm f/1.8 STM, along with the rumored RF-S kit lenses. This could make it a fun, affordable walkaround model that might trouble the best travel cameras.
The EOS R10 could also pair nicely with the RF 600mm f/11 IS STM and RF 800mm f/11 IS STM lenses for wildlife shooting. But some important factors are what kind of autofocus system this cheaper model might be provide, and what kind of 4K video crop it’ll come with. If those factors aren’t bottle-necked too much, the EOS R10 could be a big new APS-C rival for Sony, Fujifilm and Nikon. We’ll update this guide as soon as we hear any more leaks or information about this intriguing camera.