Canon EOS R10: The final nail in the Canon M series coffin?

Do you hear that? That’s the sound of the bell ringing for Canon M series cameras. If recent noise about a potentially affordable Canon EOS R10 APS-C mirrorless camera turns out to be accurate, this could be the end for Canon’s forgotten about mirrorless M series camera line.

The other week, speculation about a possible Canon RF mount APS-C camera made the rounds. I waxed lyrical about how the industry needs more pro-grade APS-C cameras and how the Canon EOS R7 would fit that bill. However, I also believe there’s still a need for consumer and prosumer APS-C cameras. They just need to be better than most of the dross that has been released over the last few years.

At this point, camera manufacturers are releasing relatively affordable APS-C cameras just for the heck of it without really putting much thought or effort into them. It’s almost like they’re just releasing them so they can maintain their presence on the shelves of big-box retailers.

However, it appears that the APS-C tide may finally be turning. If recent speculation about yet another Canon RF mount APS-C camera turns out to be accurate, I will be just as excited about it as I am about the Canon EOS R7. So let’s take a closer look at what we know.

Canon EOS R10

According to a recent post on Canon Rumors, Canon is about to drop the mic. You see, Canon will reportedly announce the professional-grade Canon EOS R7 soon, but they’re also likely to announce a wallet-friendly APS-C camera: the Canon EOS R10. Here’s what we know about the specs of Canon EOS R10:

• 24.2mp APS-C sensor
• 15 fps mechanical, 23fps electronic shutter
• 1x UHS-II card slot
• HDR picture modes

The Canon EOS R10 (if it even exists) is coming across as a very entry-level offering, and that’s fine. The R10 is not a camera designed to wow hardened gear-hungry photographers. It’s a camera designed for the masses. It’s a camera designed to sit on the shelves of Big Box retailers like the old Canon Rebel cameras did. The Canon EOS R10 will be a gateway camera into the world of Canon’s RF mount.

This is honestly fantastic. It excites me that quality, affordable cameras are returning, especially in Canon’s world. Aside from the EOS RP, the RF mount has been too pricey of a proposition for many photographers. Of course, if true, this will undoubtedly be the end of the line for cameras like the Canon EOS M50 II and EOS M6 II. This will especially be true if Canon can keep the price down. One would imagine it would be cheaper than the affordable full-frame Canon EOS RP, which costs under $1,000.

Canon EOS M — RIP July 2012 ~ May 2022?

The Canon M series was the company’s first foray into mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. There was so much promise when these cameras hit the market. The platform saw success in Asia and Europe. For example, the M50/II or KISS/II, as known in other parts of the world, was one of the bestselling cameras in Japan for a long time.

However, the M series with its EF-M mount never took off in the U.S. The popularity of the M50 and M50 II spiked for a while when everyone was jumping on the vlogging, streaming and YouTube trains. However, the cameras never found mass appeal like Canon’s previous DSLR APS-C cameras.

Poor marketing and a small selection of lenses made M series cameras a hard sell, especially when the Sony a6XXX series demolished every other APS-C camera in their path, save a few offerings from Fujifilm. Canon tried to revive the platform with the EOS M6 II. This 32.5-megapixel camera got many things right. It was small, light, boasted excellent autofocus, and the JPEGS it produced were stunning. But again, it just never took off. It was too little too late from Canon. The platform is dead.

Canon has a chance to make things right

If Canon gets it right with the Canon EOS R7 and the Canon EOS R10, they can retire M series cameras. Canon can then get themselves back into the APS-C game on consumer, prosumer and professional fronts.

Many people state that companies need to move on from APS-C cameras as they’re usually poorly supported. I’m afraid I have to disagree. I believe in options and not putting all of your eggs in one basket. I also think we will see a renewed effort when it comes to APS-C-specific lenses. Alongside the speculation of new APS-C cameras from Canon comes word about new APS-C lenses dubbed RF-S lenses. These are certainly exciting times for fans of APS-C cameras.

You might disagree with me when I say that the rebirth of APS-C cameras is good. That’s fine. Most photographers who work in the industry crave full-frame cameras. However, there are some pros out there who rely on APS-C gear. There are also untold amounts of people looking for their first traditional camera. APS-C fits the bill for them.

With the Sony a6xxx series being long in the tooth, Fujifilm cameras being hard to find, and Nikon APS-C camera being uninspiring, Canon has a real chance to take back the APS-C market.

So what do you think about the Canon EOS R10? Is Canon doing the right thing in potentially bringing the RF mount to APS-C cameras? Let us know in the comment section below.