A couple of years ago, in the middle of a transcontinental adventure, I packed up my new mirrorless camera and mailed it home to Canada from South Dakota. I was disappointed, once again, with what was supposed to be a durable, travel-friendly, mirrorless camera.

I sifted through endless gear reviews looking for just the right equipment. It was a daunting and time-consuming—and often frustrating task, especially when it came to a camera. I bought the Olympus OMD E-M5II with a Four Thirds sensor to reduce camera size and lens cost.

The camera performed well until it didn’t.It was probably a lemon, as the camera stopped working just outside the warranty deadline.

In my search to replace it, I’ve looked at multitudes of cameras—and now Canon has a comparable new EOS R10 in an APS-C sensor. The APS-C is smaller than full frame but quite a bit larger than the Four Thirds.

Let’s take a look at the R10’s suitability for adventure motorcycle travel.

Price

佳能EOS R10不是专业相机像pricey Canon EOS R3, or the Sony Alpha 1, both coming in over $8000. The EOS R10 sits at the enthusiast’s entry-level price of just under $1000. Canon has a new sensor for the R10 and new lenses to fit. The new RF-S lenses are $499 for the 18-150 mm and $299 for the 18-45 mm. You can also use standard RF alone and Canon EOS lenses via the EF-EOS R mount adapter.

Size And Weight

If you spend long days in the saddle, on-bike charging is essential. If you are vlogging or shooting handheld, the camera shouldn’t be heavy. The R10 is just under a pound, has in-camera USB charging, and is small enough to fit in the tank bag and your hand without cramping the controls. The two new RF-S lenses take advantage of the smaller format and are smaller, lighter and less expensive.

Durability

The specs for the R10 don’t list anything about dust or moisture resistance or durability. The shutter is wide open, leaving the sensor exposed when you change lenses.

Battery Life

All the reviewers I watched on YouTube mentioned they could shoot all day with the Canon R10 without running out of battery. Isn’t that all you need? Another bonus is that you have in-camera USB-C charging if you want to charge from the tank bag.

Image Quality

The R10 has a 24-megapixel sensor that is standard for its class.
This camera has an FSI C-MOS Dual Pixel sensor. Every pixel on the camera’s sensor has two separate, light-sensitive photodiodes. Each diode gathers information and analyses It to help with fast focusing; then, instantly, the two signals combine to capture the picture detail. It has optical but no in-body image stabilization. The 15 fps mechanical shutter captures short bursts of action without any rolling shutter distortion.

What does this mean for an adventure motorcyclist? This camera isn’t bad at capturing live action. There is even a setting for vehicle auto-tracking that includes five different scenarios, including ignoring obstacles, quickly responding, fast acceleration or deceleration, and “let the camera choose.”

Video

The DIGIC X advanced image processor powers 4K video capture and reduced noise, and unlike other cameras, you can shoot for longer than 30 minutes. You can shoot until you run out of space, battery, or your camera overheats.
According to the Canon website, the R10 is the only model in its class to shoot 4K/60p.

Remote Control

Images can be viewed, controlled, and received using a smartphone and the camera can be controlled via Wi-Fii® using EOS Utility.

Summary

If you intend to vlog or use the camera to document and publish your adventure, the only thing that may hold you back is the durability factor. The Canon R10 is the right size, weight, quality and price for the enthusiast adventurer. It has a convenient flip-out touch-sensitive back screen for those hard-to-shoot angles and can fit a wide range of lenses. If you are vlogging, you will want a wider lens than provided as a kit lens if you want more than your face in the frame.