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Canon 100D vs 600D

The Canon EOS 100D (called Canon SL1 in some regions) and the Canon EOS 600D (labelled Canon T3i in some countries) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in March 2013 and February 2011. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 17.9 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Canon 100D
versus
Canon 600D
Canon 100D   Canon 600D
Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
17.9 MP – APS-C sensor 17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video 1080/30p Video
ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600) ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots 3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed touchscreen Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
4.9 shutter flaps per second 3.7 shutter flaps per second
380 shots per battery charge440 shots per battery charge
117 x 91 x 69 mm, 407 g 133 x 100 x 80 mm, 570 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 100D and the Canon EOS 600D? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

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Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon 100D and the Canon 600D are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The 100D can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the 600D is only available in black.

Size Canon 100D vs Canon 600D
Compare 100D versus 600D top
Comparison 100D or 600D rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 600D is notably larger (25 percent) than the Canon 100D. Moreover, the 600D is substantially heavier (40 percent) than the 100D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 100D nor the 600D are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 100D gets 380 shots out of its Canon LP-E12 battery, while the 600D can take 440 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E8 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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Body Specifications
# image 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 600D 133 mm 100 mm 80 mm 570 g 440 n Feb 2011 599ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 4000D 129 mm 102 mm 77 mm 436 g 500 n Feb 2018 399 amazon.com
4.
 
Canon 200D 122 mm 93 mm 70 mm 453 g 650 n Jun 2017 549ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 1300D 129 mm 101 mm 78 mm 485 g 500 n Mar 2016 449ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 1200D 130 mm 100 mm 78 mm 480 g 500 n Feb 2014 449ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 700D 133 mm 100 mm 79 mm 580 g 440 n Mar 2013 649ebay.com
8.
 
Canon G16 109 mm 76 mm 40 mm 356 g 360 n Aug 2013 549ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 650D 133 mm 100 mm 79 mm 575 g 440 n Jun 2012 849ebay.com
10.
 
Canon M 109 mm 66 mm 32 mm 298 g 230 n Jul 2012 599ebay.com
11.
 
Canon 550D 129 mm 98 mm 62 mm 530 g 440 n Feb 2010 699ebay.com
12.
 
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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Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 100D was somewhat cheaper (by 8 percent) than the 600D at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of chip-set technology, the 100D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 5) than the 600D (DIGIC 4), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Canon 100D and Canon 600D sensor measures

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 17.9 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the 100D and the 600D have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the 100D is much more recent (by 2 years and 1 month) than the 600D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The 100D has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS 100D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 600D are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-12800.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

100D versus 600D MP

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image 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 600D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.111.579365
3.
 
Canon 4000D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.911.469563
4.
 
Canon 200D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.613.4104179
5.
 
Canon 1300D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.011.778166
6.
 
Canon 1200D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.911.372463
7.
 
Canon 700D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.711.268161
8.
 
Canon G16 1/1.7 12.0 4000 30001080/60p21.011.723054
9.
 
Canon 650D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.711.272262
10.
 
Canon M APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.111.282765
11.
 
Canon 550D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.111.578466
12.
 
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. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/30p).

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 100D and the 600D are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (95%), but the viewfinder of the 100D has a higher magnification than the one of the 600D (0.54x vs 0.53x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 100D, the Canon 600D, and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
# image 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 600Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel n 1/4000s 3.7/s Y n
3.
 
Canon 4000Doptical n2.7 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
4.
 
Canon 200Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
5.
 
Canon 1300Doptical n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
6.
 
Canon 1200Doptical n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
7.
 
Canon 700Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
8.
 
Canon G16optical n3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/4000s 2.2/s Y Y
9.
 
Canon 650Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
10.
 
Canon Mnone n3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/4000s 4.3/s n n
11.
 
Canon 550Doptical n3.0 / 1040 fixed n 1/4000s 3.7/s Y n
12.
 
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.
padding

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The 100D has a touchscreen, while the 600D has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The 600D has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the 100D does not have a selfie-screen.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 100D and the 600D write their files to SDXC cards. The 100D supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the 600D cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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Connectivity 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 Canon EOS 600D and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image 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 600DYmono / monoY-mini2.0---
3.
 
Canon 4000DYmono / mono--mini2.0YY-
4.
 
Canon 200DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
5.
 
Canon 1300DYmono / mono--mini2.0YY-
6.
 
Canon 1200DYmono / mono--mini2.0---
7.
 
Canon 700DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
8.
 
Canon G16Ystereo / mono--mini2.0Y--
9.
 
Canon 650DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
10.
 
Canon MYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
11.
 
Canon 550DYstereo / -Y-mini2.0---
12.
 
Panasonic G6Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
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Both the 100D and the 600D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 600D was replaced by the Canon 650D, while the 100D was followed by the Canon 200D. Further information on the features and operation of the 100D and 600D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 100D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 600D Manual.

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Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 100D and the Canon 600D? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.


Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 100D:

  • Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 5 vs DIGIC 4).
  • Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.54x vs 0.53x).
  • Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (4.9 vs 3.7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • More compact: Is smaller (117x91mm vs 133x100mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 163g or 29 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
  • More modern: Reflects 2 years and 1 month of technical progress since the 600D launch.


Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 600D:

  • More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (440 versus 380) out of a single battery charge.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2011).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 100D is the clear winner of the match-up (9 : 4 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

100D 09:04 600D

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 100D and the Canon 600D place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 100D or the 600D. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  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 600D3/5o..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2011 599ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 4000D2.5/5o3/5..3.5/53.5/5 Feb 2018 399 amazon.com
4.
 
Canon 200D4/5+ +4/578/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2017 549ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 1300D4/5o4/573/1004/54/5 Mar 2016 449ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 1200D3/5+....4/54.5/5 Feb 2014 449ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 700D......76/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2013 649ebay.com
8.
 
Canon G164/5+....4.5/54.5/5 Aug 2013 549ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 650D4/5+ +..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2012 849ebay.com
10.
 
Canon M3/5+....4/54/5 Jul 2012 599ebay.com
11.
 
Canon 550D..+ +..77/1004/54.5/5 Feb 2010 699ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic G64/5+ +....5/54.5/5 Apr 2013 599ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
padding

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, 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 comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications: Canon 100D vs Canon 600D

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Canon 100D Canon 600D
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Canon EF mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
    Launch Date March 2013 February 2011
    Launch Price USD 549 USD 599
    Sensor Specs Canon 100D Canon 600D
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 22.3 x 14.9 mm 22.3 x 14.9 mm
    Sensor Area 332.27 mm2 332.27 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 26.8 mm 26.8 mm
    Crop Factor 1.6x 1.6x
    Sensor Resolution 17.9 Megapixels 17.9 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5184 x 3456 pixels 5184 x 3456 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.31 μm 4.31 μm
    Pixel Density 5.39 MP/cm2 5.39 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/30p Video 1080/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 12,800 ISO 100 - 6,400 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 25,600 ISO 100 - 12,800 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC 5 DIGIC 4
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 63 65
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.8 22.1
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 11.3 11.5
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 843 793
    Screen Specs Canon 100D Canon 600D
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 95% 95%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.54x 0.53x
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 1040k dots 1040k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Swivel screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen no Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Canon 100D Canon 600D
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 4.9 shutter flaps/s 3.7 shutter flaps/s
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I no
    Connectivity Specs Canon 100D Canon 600D
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port External MIC port
    Wifi Support no Wifi no Wifi
    Body Specs Canon 100D Canon 600D
    Battery Type Canon LP-E12 Canon LP-E8
    Battery Life (CIPA)380 shots per charge440 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 117 x 91 x 69 mm
    (4.6 x 3.6 x 2.7 in)
    133 x 100 x 80 mm
    (5.2 x 3.9 x 3.1 in)
    Camera Weight 407 g (14.4 oz) 570 g (20.1 oz)
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