First Impressions of the EOS R100 with Ellie Watson

We invited content creator, business owner, mother and author, Ellie Watson to trial the EOS R100. Ellie, also known to many as @ElsasWholesomeLife on her Youtube and Instagram channel, is well versed in content creation and has been in the vlogging game since the beginning. In this guide, Ellie has shared her first impressions as well as some advice on how to get the best out of this camera.

The Canon EOS R100 is aimed at photography students just starting out, as well as being a perfect option to capture those everyday family moments – a genuine entry level mirrorless camera for those looking to step up from a phone. The EOS R100 is easy to use for those just getting started in their photography journey and provides an entry-level price point to get into the EOS R series range.

So without further ado, let’s get Ellie’s thoughts on the EOS R100.

Tell us more about you and how you first got into content creation.

Hey there! My name is Ellie, or as my online community might recognise me ‘Elsa’ from ‘Elsa’s Wholesome Life’. I live by the on the Gold Coast with my husband, two beautiful babies and adorable doggo. I co-founded an online store with my husband in 2017, called 'The Wholesome Store'.

I started content creation at university about 10 years ago while studying to become a dietitian and nutritionist. While completing my course, I built an online community via Instagram, sharing recipes and healthy lifestyle content. This proved to be very popular and by the time I had completed my degree, I had a signed book publication deal. In hindsight, this proved to be a career highlight and one that has set me up for what I am doing now.

A key part of my university course was food photography and styling. In truth, I have learnt so much through trial and error, but this is often a great way to experiment with photography. This experience helped enormously, so I now shoot all my own content using my Canon cameras. From food and nutrition, I moved into travel photography and later fashion photography for my brand The Wholesome Store, which I founded in 2017.

What do you shoot on at the moment?

I have been using the Canon EOS R5 for vlogging and shooting professional photos. Much of this is for the purpose of shooting food or products, so I tend to reach for either a 50mm or 100mm lens. For everyday lifestyle content it would be my 15-35mm lens, set to 35mm, and for vlogging I also use my 15-35mm, set at 15mm.

My passion has always been food photography, but these days being a busy mother and business owner I do enjoy shooting candid family moments too. I create content for Instagram, my blog and cookbooks, as well as my website, YouTube and TikTok. For me the platform and what I use changes depending on if it's video or photo and whether it needs to be high resolution photography or phone content. Therefore, when choosing a camera, I look for good stabilisation in video, easy upload direct to mobile, and of course good quality photos and videos.

What were your first impressions of the EOS R100?

The very first thought when the EOS R100 was placed in my hands, was that it’s so beautifully small and lightweight – but despite its size, it packs a powerful punch! It is very practical and convenient; it’s so handy for popping in my handbag and shooting candid content. My current camera setup is quite heavy and bulky, so often feels awkward using it in public places. The EOS R100 genuinely allows me to be more spontaneous with capturing video and still content on the go.

The first feature I noticed and played with on the EOS R100 was the built-in flash. This is perfect for flash photography at dusk and I couldn’t wait to try it out. Specifically, the interchangeable lens and electronic viewfinder are also really cool and quite rare for an entry level camera.

The EOS R100 offers an entry level price for our R Series Range. Who do you think would benefit and how would they use it?

This really is a great value camera – one that I think young families would really enjoy. With cost and convenience, it’s perfect for capturing those high-quality family memories. With such a lightweight camera they can pop in any bag, quickly snap some photos or videos and upload straight to their phone to post online via the Canon Connect App.

When using the EOS R100, or indeed any camera, I always look to use beautiful natural lighting. On overcast or rainy days, I pretty much avoid photography as it doesn’t have that same brightness. I also love going to the beach in the early morning or late afternoon to get nice family photos. I love capturing candid moments of my husband playing with the kids or posed family photos using the soft warm afternoon light. I think the automatic shooting modes on this camera are great to help me capture the beauty of real moments, without having to fiddle with camera settings.

‘Digi’s’ (compact digital cameras) are trending right now, so I also think it would be great for content creators. Like me, they will be able to grab it out on the fly and create content whilst travelling. They can also play around with the flash to create fun creative content, and then instantly transfer it to their phone to upload – it’s just so easy!

As an entry level camera, this is great value for money. For someone looking to move beyond a mobile phone, this is a great option. It has all the functionality of a mobile camera but with added features and quality that will hopefully take you on a new photographic journey.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the EOS R100 makes a great small camera for capturing life’s moments in quality. For those looking for a little more with features (such as a vari-angle touch screen, advanced subject tracking, additional speed and 4K uncropped video), the EOS R50 also make an excellent entry-level option to consider.