Canon 100D vs SL3

The Canon EOS 100D (called Canon SL1 in some regions) and the Canon EOS Rebel SL3 (labelled Canon 250D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in March 2013 and April 2019. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 100D has a resolution of 17.9 megapixels, whereas the SL3 provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon 100D		Canon SL3
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
17.9 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		4K/25p Video
ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)		ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
4.9 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
380 shots per battery charge		1070 shots per battery charge
117 x 91 x 69 mm, 407 g		122 x 93 x 70 mm, 449 g

Check 100D offers at
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Check SL3 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 100D and the Canon EOS Rebel SL3? 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.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon 100D and the Canon SL3 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Both cameras are available in two different colors (black, white).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon SL3 is notably larger (7 percent) than the Canon 100D. Moreover, the SL3 is markedly heavier (10 percent) than the 100D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 100D nor the SL3 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 SL3 can take 1070 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E17 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.

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	549	ebay.com
2.		Canon SL3	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
3.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon 200D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
5.		Canon 600D	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
6.		Canon 650D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
7.		Canon 700D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
8.		Canon 1200D	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
9.		Canon 1300D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
10.		Canon 4000D	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
11.		Canon G16	109 mm	76 mm	40 mm	356 g	360	n	Aug 2013	549	ebay.com
12.		Canon M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
13.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
14.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
15.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
16.		Canon T8i	131 mm	103 mm	76 mm	515 g	800	n	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic G6	122 mm	85 mm	71 mm	390 g	340	n	Apr 2013	599	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The 100D was somewhat cheaper (by 8 percent) than the SL3 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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.

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 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better 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.

Technology-wise, the SL3 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the 100D (DIGIC 5), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the SL3 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 17.9 MP of the 100D. This megapixels advantage translates into a 16 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the SL3 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 SL3 is much more recent (by 6 years) than the 100D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Canon SL3 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the SL3 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 100D are 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

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 Rebel SL3 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
2.		Canon SL3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
3.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
4.		Canon 200D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
5.		Canon 600D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
6.		Canon 650D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
7.		Canon 700D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
8.		Canon 1200D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
9.		Canon 1300D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
10.		Canon 4000D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
11.		Canon G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
12.		Canon M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827	65
13.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
14.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
15.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
16.		Canon T8i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.5	1873	83
17.		Panasonic G6	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	21.3	11.5	639	61
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the SL3 provides a better video resolution than the 100D. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/25p, while the 100D is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 100D and the SL3 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%), as well as the same magnification (0.54x). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 100D and Canon SL3 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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 100D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
2.		Canon SL3	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 200D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 600D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 650D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 700D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 1200D	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 1300D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 4000D	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon G16	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon M	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.3/s	n	n
13.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
16.		Canon T8i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.5/s	Y	n
17.		Panasonic G6	1440	n	3.0 / 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.

The Canon SL3 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 100D and the SL3 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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 Rebel SL3 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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 100D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon 200D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon 600D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 650D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 700D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 1200D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 1300D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon 4000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon G16	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Canon M	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Canon T8i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Panasonic G6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the SL3 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the 100D does not provide wifi capability.

The SL3 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the 100D has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the 100D was succeeded by the Canon 200D. Further information on the features and operation of the 100D and SL3 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 100D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon SL3 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 100D or the Canon SL3 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 100D:

• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in March 2013).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS Rebel SL3:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 17.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 16%.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 8 vs DIGIC 5).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/25p vs 1080/30p).
• 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.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1070 versus 380) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More modern: Reflects 6 years of technical progress since the 100D launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the SL3 is the clear winner of the contest (10 : 1 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 100D and the Canon SL3 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 technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 100D or the SL3. 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 why expert reviews are important. 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 100D	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
2.		Canon SL3	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
3.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon 200D	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
5.		Canon 600D	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
6.		Canon 650D	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
7.		Canon 700D	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
8.		Canon 1200D	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
9.		Canon 1300D	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
10.		Canon 4000D	2.5/5	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
11.		Canon G16	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	549	ebay.com
12.		Canon M	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
13.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
14.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
15.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
16.		Canon T8i	4.5/5	+	3/5	80/100	4/5	3.5/5	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic G6	4/5	+ +	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	599	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted 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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check 100D offers at
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Check SL3 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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