Canon 100D versus Canon T5i

The Canon EOS 100D (called Canon SL1 in some regions) and the Canon EOS Rebel T5i (labelled Canon 700D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were officially introduced in March 2013. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 17.9 megapixel. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Canon 100D vs Canon T5i

The physical size and weight of the Canon 100D and the Canon T5i are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size 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 T5i is notably larger (25 percent) than the Canon 100D. Moreover, the T5i is substantially heavier (43 percent) than the 100D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 100D nor the T5i 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 T5i can take 440 images on a single charge of its LP-E8 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 camera comparisons there.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 100D was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 15 percent) than the T5i, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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: Canon 100D vs Canon T5i

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to 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.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 17.9 megapixel. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the 100D and the T5i have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. Moreover, the two cameras were released in close succession, so that their sensors are from the same technological generation.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 image quality. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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).

Feature comparison: Canon 100D vs Canon T5i

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 100D and the T5i 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 T5i 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 T5i have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on eBay. The 100D was replaced by the Canon 200D, while the T5i was followed by the Canon T6i.

Review summary: Canon 100D vs Canon T5i

So what is the bottom line? Is the Canon 100D better than the Canon T5i or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 100D:

• More compact: Is smaller (117x91mm vs 133x100mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 173g or 30 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (15 percent cheaper at launch).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS Rebel T5i:

• 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.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 100D comes out slightly ahead of the T5i (3 : 2 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.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 100D or the T5i. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The full reviews are available by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

Review scores
Camera							Camera Launch (year)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (amazon)	Used Price (ebay)
	Canon 100D (⇒ rgt)	Rec	78/100 Gold	4/5	4/5	4/5	2013	549	discont.	check
	Canon T5i (⇒ lft)	-	76/100 Silver	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	2013	649	discont.	check
	Canon 200D (⇒ lft | rgt)	HiRec	78/100 Silver	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	2017	549	latest	check
	Canon T6i (⇒ lft | rgt)	-	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	2015	749	discont.	check
	Canon 1200D (⇒ lft | rgt)	4/5	-	4/5	4/5	4.5/5	2014	449	discont.	check
	Canon T5 (⇒ lft | rgt)	4/5	-	4/5	4/5	4.5/5	2014	449	discont.	check
	Canon 700D (⇒ lft | rgt)	-	76/100 Silver	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	2013	649	discont.	check
	Canon 70D (⇒ lft | rgt)	HiRec	83/100 Gold	4.5/5	4.5/5	5/5	2013	1,199	discont.	check
	Canon G16 (⇒ lft | rgt)	Rec	-	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	2013	549	latest	check
	Canon M (⇒ lft | rgt)	Rec	-	4/5	3.5/5	4/5	2012	599	discont.	check
	Canon 650D (⇒ lft | rgt)	HiRec	77/100 Silver	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	2012	849	discont.	check
	Canon T4i (⇒ lft | rgt)	HiRec	77/100 Silver	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	2012	849	discont.	check
	Canon 600D (⇒ lft | rgt)	reviewed	77/100 Silver	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	2011	599	discont.	check
	Canon T3i (⇒ lft | rgt)	reviewed	77/100 Silver	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	2011	599	discont.	check
	Canon T2i (⇒ lft | rgt)	88/100 HiRec	77/100 Gold	4/5	5/5	4.5/5	2010	699	discont.	check
	Canon 500D (⇒ lft | rgt)	88/100 HiRec	74/100 HiRec	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	2009	799	discont.	check
	Panasonic G6 (⇒ lft | rgt)	HiRec	-	5/5	-	4.5/5	2013	599	discont.	check

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price 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 camera comparisons

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