As someone who is always on the go, the one thing I require is that all my gear is able to be adventurous as I am. The last thing I want is to travel with delicates that can break and shatter with one wrong move, so what do I do? I look into gear that is as versatile as I am. Thats when I discovered the Canon M200, a compact camera that offers more quality than a phone, but is less delicate than a DSLR. Here is my review on why I love the M200 and why I think it’s a great beginner travel camera for travelers and travel content creators:

My Review of the Canon M200

Size and Portability:

The camera is a little bit bigger than my hands. This means that when I am holding up the camera during a tour or vlogging and recording my face the compact size and lightweight makes it inconspicuous and my arms don’t get tired. As someone who was previously carrying around a DSLR, you can definitely feel the weight difference as soon as you get your hands on it.

Build Quality and Durability:

Coming from the perspective of someone who would carry a heavy DSLR, the build quality may feel significantly different to you. This camera is so much lighter than my last camera that I almost forget that it’s a powerful device. I will include that I’ve been more willing to take out my Canon M200 to document today than my DSLR because the M200 feels easier to maneuver. The M200 definitely gets extra points for making me want to photograph more.

Ease of Use:

If you’re familiar with Canon products, then the menu will be familiar. If this is your first time with a camera, I do believe menus are pretty self-explanatory, and in combination with the manuals, you should get the hang of it in no time. After a few minutes, and your initial set up, you won’t need to fidget with the menus while you take pictures and videos.

Battery Life:

Without getting too technical, the battery life lasts a long time. I’ve taken the camera out several times without making a dent in the battery and not even needing to use the back up batteries that I pack with it. Since the batteries are so slim; it’s also easy to pack double as many batteries than you would with your DSLR.

Connectivity:

This camera provides amazing connectivity opportunities for those of you who don’t even have a laptop. I used the Canon Connect app to transfer most of my files to my iPad and was able to edit the photos and videos from there without needing a computer; the app also allows you to remote capture. The Canon Connect app isn’t just for transferring files to iPads, I originally would review some of my footage on my phone, but I just prefer a bigger workspace like an iPad.

Compatibility:

I personally have Apple/iOS devices so I can’t speak for Android, but I will say that the Canon Connect app is available for both iPhones and Androids. You can seamlessly transfer images and videos from Apple product to Apple product with AirDrop, but I’m not sure what the equivalent would be through Android. Either way, the camera is able to connect and transfer files through Wi-Fi/Bluetooth.

Accessories and Packaging:

Some of the accessories that I would recommend you have is an inconspicuous camera strap as to not cause attention.

Additional batteries so that you don’t have the pause the adventure to recharge; as well as this awesome double battery charger that allows you to charge multiple batteries at one time.

And lastly, a screen protector so you don’t have to worry about scratching the screen when you pack it away.

I found that the combination of these accessories allowed me to make the most of the camera without feeling like I’m missing anything.

Price and Value:

Canon M200 was released around 2019 so you can find this new, used as well as professionally refurbished. I purchased the content creator bundle secondhand and was able to save a bit of money, but that does include the risk of not having a professional thoroughly inspect the camera beforehand. If you want to have the device insured, you may want to purchase this from a reputable source so that you can have a receipt of sale and a warranty if anything happens.

Possible Cons:

The camera comes with a 15 – 45 mm lens which I found to be able to cover most of what I wanted to document. As a travel blogger, you can understand that some things may be a little bit further away than the camera can provide; if you solely document architecture or landscapes, this camera may not be able to document all of the things that you’re looking for. At this point, you may prefer a longer lens so that you can zoom in more and document more details. The camera does have an option for you to change the lens to something that works for you, but you would most likely need a special mount to do so.

Final Judgement

Overall, I think the Canon M200 is a great camera from beginners to someone who does not want to haul an expensive DSLR around. The camera’s small build, doesn’t stop its ability to have a long lasting battery life when you’re traveling and taking a ton of pictures or videos. It’s connectivity provides great options for those of us who may not want to connect to a computer to review/transfer files. Ultimately, this may give you more options if you’ve been hesitant to buy a camera because of sizing.

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Any gear you recommend?

Do you have any gear that you recommend I should try out and review? I do enjoy carrying around the Canon M200, but I’m always looking forward to any gear that allows me to document my adventure best. Remember that the best gear is the one that inspires you to take more pictures and photos and sometimes that means stepping down from “professional gear” to some thing that’s a little bit more fun.