Canon 100D versus Canon 750D

The Canon EOS 100D (called Canon SL1 in some regions) and the Canon EOS 750D (labelled Canon T6i in some countries) are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in March 2013 and February 2015. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 100D has a resolution of 17.9 megapixel, whereas the 750D provides 24 MP.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 100D and the Canon 750D. 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. You can also toggle the display to switch to a percentage comparison if you prefer that the measures are being expressed in relative terms (in this case, the camera on the left – the 100D – represents 100 percent across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 750D is notably larger (25 percent) than the Canon 100D. Moreover, the 750D is substantially heavier (36 percent) than the 100D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 100D nor the 750D 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 find an overview of suitable optics in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 100D gets 380 shots out of its LP-E12 battery, while the 750D can take 440 images on a single charge of its LP-E17 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, just select a new right or left comparator from among the camera models in the table. Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 100D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 27 percent) than the 750D, which puts it into a different market segment. 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.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color depth than smaller pixel-units 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.

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.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the 750D offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixel, compared with 17.9 MP of the 100D. This megapixel advantage translates into a 16 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the 750D has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 4.31μm for the 100D). However, it should be noted that the 750D is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 10 months) than the 100D, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

For most cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the 750D has a markedly higher DXO score than the 100D (overall score 8 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 0.9 bits higher color depth, 0.7 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.1 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the 750D provides a faster frame rate than the 100D. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the 100D is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 100D and the 750D 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 adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 100D and Canon 750D along with similar information for a selection of comparators. The full specs-sheets can be found in the camera manual or, for example, in the dpreview camera hub.

Both the 100D and the 750D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 100D was replaced by the Canon 200D, while the 750D was followed by the Canon 800D.

Summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 100D and the Canon 100D? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 100D:

• More compact: Is smaller (117x91mm vs 132x101mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 148g or 27 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (27 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in March 2013).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 750D:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 17.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 16%.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (8 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (0.7 EV of extra DR).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p vs 1080/30p).
• More flexible LCD: Has swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (440 versus 380) out of a single battery charge.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 10 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 750D emerges as the winner of the match-up (7 : 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.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the 100D and the 750D in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites. You can find the full text of the reviews, respectively, at cameralabs.com, dpreview.com, ephotozine.com, imaging-resource.com, and photographyblog.com.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Other comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored. If the camera you are interested in is not available, please contact me, and I will try to add information on that model to the database.