Are Canon’s cheap APS-C cameras about to enter the Mark II era? I suspect 2026 will be the year Canon’s budget mirrorless models finally get a refresh

Canon ended 2025 with a bang when it launched the full-frame powerhouse that seemed to instantly hit best-seller status, the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. But as 2026 moves forward, speculation is heating up on a mirrorless of a different sort: updates to the popular budget APS-C mirrorless models, like the Canon EOS R10 and the EOS R7.

Canon’s RF mount, crop sensor bodies are all first-generation models. There are no “Mark II” monickers tacked onto the end of any of the brand’s current APS-C models, a list that includes the R100, R50 V, R50, R10, and R7. There’s the R50 V, but that’s a video-focused remake and not a true Mark II. Cameras like the R50 are an RF update to the M50, but Canon’s RF mount crop sensor bodies are all first-generation models for the mount.

Those APS-C bodies – except for the R50 V – are beginning to show their age. The R50 and R100 launched in 2023. The R10 and R7 were Canon’s first RF-mount cameras with APS-C sensors, which launched together in June of 2022.

Speculation is never a sure thing, but I’m fairly confident in my guess that Canon fans will see some APS–C mirrorless launches in 2026 – and perhaps even more than one. Why am I so certain? Well, Canon practically said so themselves.

During the company’s last report to investors, the company hinted that budget mirrorless cameras will be a focus for 2026: “In 2026 as well, the number of new camera users, especially younger people, is expected to continue increasing. To capture this demand, we will maintain the growth of our entry-level models, such as the EOS R50 and EOS R100, as well as the EOS R50 V, which is designed with a strong focus on shooting video,” Canon said.

Canon’s push for entry-level in 2026 makes a lot of sense because Canon’s budget models are aging, while full-frame models like the R5 Mark II, R6 Mark III, and R1 are all under two years old. (The R8 and R3 are a bit older and, if I had to guess, the full-frame cameras most likely to see a refresh soon.)

Meanwhile – excluding the March 2025 launch of the R50 V – Canon’s crop sensor models were all announced in 2023 or before.

Now, Canon didn’t specifically say that they would launch new entry-level models, but Canon’s statement seems to hint that entry-level will be a focus for 2026. (Canon Rumors predicts both a Canon EOS R10 Mark II and R7 Mark II will arrive sometime in 2026.)

My personal prediction? I wouldn’t be surprised to see a refresh of the R10 and the R7 this year. The number of consumers looking for an entry-level, affordable camera seems to be growing right along with the resurgence of the compact camera. The price of the R10 and R50 means the entry-level cameras are still topping best-seller lists even as the cameras start to show their age.

Of course, my predictions for new budget Canon mirrorless cameras to launch in 2026 are just that – predictions. I’m just making educated guesses here based on the age of Canon’s cameras and the current market. I could certainly be wrong. But, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a refresh on Canon’s most popular budget mirrorless options this year.

I could be wrong about a Mark II for the R10 and R7. Budget cameras don’t need to be updated as often as pro models that sit at price levels that demand the latest tech. Or perhaps Canon may take a different route in naming the next generation of entry-level models, and they won’t be called a Mark II. (I do think the name R7 sounds too much like a full-frame model with its single digit, but that's a topic for another time.)

I’m excited to see what form Canon’s quoted “growth of our entry-level models” will look like for 2026. But, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see Canon usher in the Mark II era for its budget mirrorless models.