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Canon 100D Comparison Review

The Canon EOS 100D (called Canon SL1 in some regions) is a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera that was revealed to the public in March 2013 and is equipped with an APS-C sensor. It offers a resolution of 17.9 megapixel.

camera

Is the Canon 100D a good camera? The 100D has a Camera Elo of 1718. This rating puts the 100D among the top 50 percent of all digital single lens reflex cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (APS cameras), the 100D ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 3-star performance rating.

Headline Specifications
Canon 100D
Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses
17.9 MP, APS-C Sensor
1080/30p Video
ISO 100 - 12 800 (100 - 25 600)
Optical viewfinder
3.0 LCD, 1040k dots
Fixed touchscreen
4.9 shutter flaps per second
380 shots per battery charge
117 x 91 x 69 mm, 407 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size of the Canon 100D vis-à-vis a credit card. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Canon 100D vs credit card front
100D versus credit card top view
100D and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Canon 100D alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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Body Specifications
#   Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon 100D 117 mm 91 mm 69 mm 407 g 380 n Mar 2013 549ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 4000D 129 mm 102 mm 77 mm 436 g 500 n Feb 2018 399 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon 200D 122 mm 93 mm 70 mm 453 g 650 n Jun 2017 549ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 1300D 129 mm 101 mm 78 mm 485 g 500 n Mar 2016 449ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 1200D 130 mm 100 mm 78 mm 480 g 500 n Feb 2014 449ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 700D 133 mm 100 mm 79 mm 580 g 440 n Mar 2013 649ebay.com
7.
 
Canon G16 109 mm 76 mm 40 mm 356 g 360 n Aug 2013 549ebay.com
8.
 
Canon 650D 133 mm 100 mm 79 mm 575 g 440 n Jun 2012 849ebay.com
9.
 
Canon M 109 mm 66 mm 32 mm 298 g 230 n Jul 2012 599ebay.com
10.
 
Canon 600D 133 mm 100 mm 80 mm 570 g 440 n Feb 2011 599ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic G6 122 mm 85 mm 71 mm 390 g 340 n Apr 2013 599ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Canon 100D was launched in the US market at a price of $549. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

The Canon 100D features an APS-C sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Canon 100D among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

Canon 100D sensor measures

For most cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of alternatives.

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Sensor Characteristics
#   Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Canon 100D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.811.384363
2.
 
Canon 4000D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.911.469563
3.
 
Canon 200D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.613.4104179
4.
 
Canon 1300D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.011.778166
5.
 
Canon 1200D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.911.372463
6.
 
Canon 700D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.711.268161
7.
 
Canon G16 1/1.7 12.0 4000 30001080/60p21.011.723054
8.
 
Canon 650D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.711.272262
9.
 
Canon M APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.111.282765
10.
 
Canon 600D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.111.579365
11.
 
Panasonic G6 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p21.311.563961
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The 100D indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the 100D can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the 100D has an optical viewfinder that provides a field of view of 95% and a magnification of 0.54x. The tables below summarize some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 100D in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
#   Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Canon 100Doptical n3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/4000s 4.9/s Y n
2.
 
Canon 4000Doptical n2.7 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
3.
 
Canon 200Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
4.
 
Canon 1300Doptical n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
5.
 
Canon 1200Doptical n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
6.
 
Canon 700Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
7.
 
Canon G16optical n3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/4000s 2.2/s Y Y
8.
 
Canon 650Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
9.
 
Canon Mnone n3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/4000s 4.3/s n n
10.
 
Canon 600Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel n 1/4000s 3.7/s Y n
11.
 
Panasonic G61440 n3.0 / 1036 swivel Y 1/4000s 7.0/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One convenient feature of the 100D is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.

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Connection comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 100D and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
#   Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Canon 100DYmono / monoY-mini2.0---
2.
 
Canon 4000DYmono / mono--mini2.0YY-
3.
 
Canon 200DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
4.
 
Canon 1300DYmono / mono--mini2.0YY-
5.
 
Canon 1200DYmono / mono--mini2.0---
6.
 
Canon 700DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
7.
 
Canon G16Ystereo / mono--mini2.0Y--
8.
 
Canon 650DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
9.
 
Canon MYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
10.
 
Canon 600DYmono / monoY-mini2.0---
11.
 
Panasonic G6Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
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It is notable that the 100D has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Further information on the features and operation of the 100D can be found in the free online Canon 100D Manual or on the Canon support site.

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Expert reviews

While the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 100D handle or perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate. This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

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Review Scores
#    Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon 100D4/5+..78/1004/54/5 Mar 2013 549ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 4000D2.5/5o3/5..3.5/53.5/5 Feb 2018 399 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon 200D4/5+ +4/578/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2017 549ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 1300D4/5o4/573/1004/54/5 Mar 2016 449ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 1200D3/5+....4/54.5/5 Feb 2014 449ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 700D......76/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2013 649ebay.com
7.
 
Canon G164/5+....4.5/54.5/5 Aug 2013 549ebay.com
8.
 
Canon 650D4/5+ +..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2012 849ebay.com
9.
 
Canon M3/5+....4/54/5 Jul 2012 599ebay.com
10.
 
Canon 600D3/5o..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2011 599ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic G64/5+ +....5/54.5/5 Apr 2013 599ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Canon 100D FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the 100D.

What type of imaging sensor is used in the Canon 100D?

The camera is build around a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.

Which image processing chip is used in the Canon 100D to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Canon equipped the 100D with the DIGIC 5 image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Canon 100D?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Canon EOS 100D?

Canon does not publish a shutter rating for the 100D. Yet, shutters in comparable cameras from other manufacturers are said to be good for at least 100 000 actuations. It should be noted, though, that this number represents a Mean Time before Failure. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust an expected shutter life of 100 000 shots over, say, three years, one would have to take about 100 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Canon 100D?

Canon embeds the number of shutter actuations in the camera firmware. You can check the number of shots that your 100D has taken up to now by using a third-party app, as described on the Canon 100D shutter count page.

Does the Canon 100D feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Canon 100D for flash photography?

The 100D's flash sync speed is 1/200 sec.

Does the Canon 100D support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?

Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-I cards (data transfer speed of up to 104 MB/s).

Which battery does the Canon 100D use?

The camera gets its power from the LP-E12 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Is there a vertical grip available for the Canon 100D?

Canon does not offer an optional battery grip, but third party suppliers do (see here on ebay).

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Canon 100D
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Canon EF mount lenses
    Launch Date March 2013
    Launch Price USD 549
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 22.3 x 14.9 mm
    Sensor Area 332 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 26.8 mm
    Crop Factor 1.6x
    Sensor Resolution 17.9 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5 184 x 3 456 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.31 μm
    Pixel Density 5.39 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 12 800 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 25 600 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC 5
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 63
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.8
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 11.3
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 843
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 95%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.54x
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.0 inch
    LCD Resolution 1040k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking Feature
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 4.9 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse Photographyno Intervalometer
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port
    Wifi Support no Wifi
    Body Specs
    Battery Type LP-E12 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)380 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 117 x 91 x 69 mm
    (4.6 x 3.6 x 2.7 in)
    Camera Weight 407 g (14.4 oz)

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