Canon debuted its first APS-C format cameras in its mirrorless EOS R system in the form of the Canon EOS R7 and Canon EOS R10. While the R7 is intended to carry the torch for Canon’s speedy EOS 7D DSLRs, the R10 is said to be the next stage of its all-rounder double-digit DSLRs. So, in essence, the Canon EOS R10 is the natural successor to the last of these, the EOS 90D. In this guide we’ll examine how both APS-C format cameras stack up in our Canon EOS R10 vs 90D comparison.
- Best APS-C cameras you can buy today
- DSLR vs mirrorless cameras: pros and cons of each
Sensor
Canon EOS R10: 24.2Mp APS-C format (22.3 x 14.9mm) CMOS
Canon EOS 90D: 32.5Mp APS-C (22.3 x 14.8mm) format
The Canon EOS 90D features a 32.5MP APS-C format Dual Pixel CMOS sensor. This is the same sensor that’s used in the EOS M6 Mark II and is very similar to the chip that’s used in the new Canon EOS R7. The difference between the 90D and R7 sensors, Canon says, is that the latter has been optimised with better wiring for better performance.
The sensor in the EOS R10 offers lower resolution at 24.2MP, but it features the same Dual Pixel CMOS AF II technology as the R7 chip. Like the R7, while the R10’s basic sensor design may have been around for a while, Canon says the micro lenses and wiring have been revised to boost the performance.
Overall, the two cameras’ sensors are fairly equal. Both are APS-C format with a 1.6x crop and a native aspect ratio of 3:2. The EOS 90D offers more resolution, but the EOS R10 has larger individual pixels. This means it’s better in low light and at producing noise-free images. What’s more, the sensor in the R10 is a new design, which will benefit from recent technology.
The extra resolution of the EOS 90D, on the other hand, means you have more flexibility to crop into your images.
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Video
Canon EOS R10: 4K (3840 x 2160) at up to 60p with 64% crop, 4K (3840 x 2160) at up to 30p from 6K
Canon EOS 90D: 4K – 3840 x 2160 at 29.97, 25 fps
Like the R7, the Canon EOS R10 is capable of shooting 4K video at up to 60p, but this is subject to a 64% crop. That means that lenses look significantly longer than they do in stills mode. It’s also possible to shoot 4K video at 30P downsampled from 6K footage and Full HD video can be shot at up to 120p. The maximum duration for video-recording on the R10 is 2 hours.
The EOS R10 has a 3.5mm mic port, but it has no headphone port.
Likewise, the EOS 90D is 4K-enabled and it captures the same angle of view in 4K (3180 x 2160) mode as it does in Full-HD and in still images. The 90D’s 4K movies are shot in MP4 AVC/H.264 format at 29.97, 25fps. The maximum duration is 29mins and 59secs while the maximum file size is 4GB. You can also shoot videos in Full HD at 120fps to create slow-motion movies.
What’s more, the EOS 90D has both a 3.5mm mic port and a headphone jack.
This category is close, but when comparing the Canon EOS R10 vs EOS 90D for video, we’ll give the edge to the R10 for its faster frame rate in 4K.
Autofocus
Canon EOS R10: Dual Pixel CMOS II AF phase detection with up to 4503 positions and 651 automatically selectable points
Canon EOS 90D: TTL-CT-SIR with a CMOS sensor with 45 cross-type AF points; Live View mode: Dual Pixel CMOS AF System with phase detection pixels built onto the imaging sensor
The Canon EOS R10 uses Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS II AF technology and is sensitive down to -4EV. Like the R7, the EOS R10 also has Canon’s intelligent subject detection system which can be set to look for and focus on people, animals or vehicles. And if Eye detection is activated via the menu, the camera will prioritise the eyes of any detected subjects. It’s a major bonus for people, pet and wildlife photographers.
The R10 also benefits from 4,503 AF positions and 651 selectable points.
As it’s a DSLR, the Canon 90D has two AF systems. One is for use with the viewfinder (ie in reflex mode) while the other operates in Live View mode. The reflex mode system has 45 cross-type AF points with lenses that have a maximum aperture of f/5.6 or larger. Of these points, 27 work with lens and teleconverter combinations that result in a maximum aperture of f/8, and 9 remain cross-type. The centre point is dual-cross type with f/5.6 lenses.
Continuous shooting
Canon EOS R10: Mechanical shutter: 15fps for up to 460 Jpegs or 29 raw files, Electronic shutter: 23fps for 70 Jpegs or 21 raw files
Canon EOS 90D: 10fps for up to 58 Jpeg and 25 raw files with UHS-II card with the viewfinder, in Live View mode, up to 11fps with One-Shot AF or 7fps with Servo AF
Canon’s latest Digic X processing engine enables the EOS R10 to shoot at a maximum continuous shooting rate of 23fps with the electronic shutter and 15fps with the mechanical shutter. The faster rate with the electronic shutter is a major benefit of the mirrorless technology.
The EOS 90D can shoot at up to 10fps with continuous autofocusing when the viewfinder is in use. This rate can be maintained for up to 58 JPEG or 25 raw files when a UHS-II card is in the card slot. Alternatively, in live view mode, the 90D can shoot at 11fps in One-Shot AF mode or, 7fps in Servo AF (continuous AF) mode.
Processor
Canon EOS R10: Digic X processing engine
Canon EOS 90D: Digic 8 processing engine
While the Digic 8 processing engine isn’t that old, the EOS R10 boasts Canon’s new Digic X processor, which is much more powerful. With the Digic X engine you can expect images from the R10 to have better colours and less noise than the EOS 90D. It is also much faster.
Viewfinder
Canon EOS R10: 0.39-type 2,360,000-dots OLED EVF
Canon EOS 90D: Optical with pentaprism showing 100% field of view and 0.95x magnification
Some people love an optical viewfinder, but the EVF has come a long way. At 2.36-million-dot resolution, the R10’s OLED electronic viewfinder is bright and will allow users to see what their image will look like with the exposure settings they’ve dialled in.
Both viewfinders here offer a 100% field of view, but the EOS 90D’s optical viewfinder provides a greater magnification than the R10’s.
You can make a case for both viewfinders here, but we’re guessing this feature won’t be a deal breaker when choosing between the Canon EOS R10 or EOS 90D.
Screen
Canon EOS R10: Touch-sensitive vari-angle 2.95-inch LCD with 1.04 million dots
Canon EOS 90D: Vari-angle 3-inch 1,404,000-dot Clear View II TFT touchscreen
Both the EOS R10 and EOS 90D feature full articulated touchscreen LCDs. This should appeal to vloggers or any photographer who likes to shoot from unusual angles. Both screens here are roughly the same size, with equal resolution and touch responsiveness.
Like the viewfinder, your ultimate choice in this Canon EOS R10 vs 90D comparison likely won’t come down to this feature, but it does help illustrate how evenly matched these Canon cameras are.
Body & Weight
Canon EOS R10: 122.5 x 87.8 x 83.4mm at 429g
Canon EOS 90D: 140.7 x 104.8 x 76.8mm at 701g
If size is important to you, this is a clear distinction when comparing the Canon EOS R10 vs 90D. The R10 is about 30% smaller and 40% lighter than the EOS 90D.
In terms of its appearance, the EOS R10 is something of a mash-up of the Canon EOS M50 Mark II and a small DSLR like the Canon EOS 250D (aka the EOS Rebel SL3), with the addition of a joystick on its back. In fact, at 122.5 x 87.8 x 83.4mm, it’s smaller than the 250D/SL3 – which at launch was the smallest DSLR with a moveable screen and probably still remains so.
Plus, at 429g with memory card and battery, the R10 is lighter than the 250D, making it a highly portable camera that’s attractive for travel.
One point to note in the 90D’s favour is its weather-sealed design. The EOS 90D is resistant to splashes and dust, whereas the EOS R10 is not.
On the whole, though, the advantage probably lies with the R10 for its miniature design.
Should I sell my Canon EOS 90D?
We must admit, we were surprised after making this Canon EOS R10 vs 90D comparison just how evenly matched these cameras are. They share a number of similar features, and they are pretty comparable one the points where they differ.
With the EOS 90D you’ll be getting more detail from your sensor (32.5MP vs 24.2MP), but the larger photo sites on the R10 will provide better colour accuracy and less noise. Both cameras can shoot 4K video, but the R10 can do so at the more versatile 60fps – although it does this with a 64% crop.
But while it is close, we’ll give the edge to the EOS R10. Along with better video and faster continuous shooting, it’s dramatically smaller and lighter, making it more of an everyday, take-anywhere camera. This flexibility extends to minor features like the ability to charge the camera via its USB port.
The R10 also benefits from the innovations in mirrorless technology and Canon’s own technical progress in the nearly three years since the EOS 90D was launched. It’s faster and more powerful.
The EOS 90D is still a capable camera even after this amount of time. Whether you should sell it and upgrade really depends on what’s important to you. We’re guessing, though, that by investing in an all-rounder like the 90D, you wanted a camera for any occasion. If so, the EOS R10’s miniature size and weight marks a significant upgrade in that department. So small is this camera that, while calling it a pocket camera is probably a bit of a stretch, you could stash it in a coat pocket on a walk in the woods.
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