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Canon 10D vs XT

The Canon EOS 10D and the Canon EOS Rebel XT (labelled Canon 350D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2003 and February 2005. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 10D has a resolution of 6.3 megapixels, whereas the XT provides 8 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Canon 10D
versus
Canon XT
Canon 10D   Canon XT
Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
6.3 MP – APS-C sensor 8 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video no Video
ISO 100-3,200 ISO 100-1,600
Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
1.8" LCD – 118k dots 1.8" LCD – 115k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second 3 shutter flaps per second
500 shots per battery charge400 shots per battery charge
150 x 107 x 75 mm, 850 g 127 x 94 x 64 mm, 540 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 10D and the Canon EOS Rebel XT? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon 10D and the Canon XT is provided 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The XT can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the 10D is only available in black.

Size Canon 10D vs Canon XT
Compare 10D versus XT top
Comparison 10D or XT rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon XT is notably smaller (26 percent) than the Canon 10D. Moreover, the XT is substantially lighter (36 percent) than the 10D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 10D nor the XT 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 10D gets 500 shots out of its Canon BP-511 battery, while the XT can take 400 images on a single charge of its Canon NB-2LH power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

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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 10D 150 mm 107 mm 75 mm 850 g 500 n Feb 2003 1,999ebay.com
2.
 
Canon XT 127 mm 94 mm 64 mm 540 g 400 n Feb 2005 899ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 77D 131 mm 100 mm 76 mm 540 g 600 n Feb 2017 899ebay.com
4.
 
Canon T6i 132 mm 101 mm 78 mm 555 g 440 n Feb 2015 749ebay.com
5.
 
Canon T6s 132 mm 101 mm 78 mm 565 g 440 n Feb 2015 649ebay.com
6.
 
Canon T5 130 mm 100 mm 78 mm 480 g 500 n Feb 2014 449ebay.com
7.
 
Canon SL1 117 mm 91 mm 69 mm 407 g 380 n Mar 2013 549ebay.com
8.
 
Canon T4i 133 mm 100 mm 79 mm 575 g 440 n Jun 2012 849ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 7D 148 mm 111 mm 74 mm 860 g 800 Y Sep 2009 1,699ebay.com
10.
 
Canon 40D 146 mm 108 mm 74 mm 822 g 750 n Aug 2007 1,299ebay.com
11.
 
Canon 30D 144 mm 106 mm 74 mm 785 g 750 n Feb 2006 1,399ebay.com
12.
 
Canon XTi 127 mm 84 mm 65 mm 556 g 370 n Aug 2006 799ebay.com
13.
 
Canon 20D 144 mm 106 mm 72 mm 770 g 700 n Aug 2004 1,499ebay.com
14.
 
Canon Rebel 142 mm 99 mm 72 mm 649 g 400 n Aug 2003 899ebay.com
15.
 
Canon D60 150 mm 107 mm 75 mm 855 g 620 n Feb 2002 2,999ebay.com
16.
 
Nikon D100 144 mm 116 mm 81 mm 780 g 370 n Feb 2002 1,999ebay.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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The XT was launched at a markedly lower price (by 55 percent) than the 10D, 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.

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, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the XT is 4 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the XT uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC II) than the 10D (DIGIC), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Canon 10D and Canon XT sensor measures

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the XT offers a higher resolution of 8 megapixels, compared with 6.3 MP of the 10D. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 6.41μm versus 7.38μm for the 10D). However, it should be noted that the XT is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 11 months) than the 10D, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that partly offset its pixel-size disadvantage.

The resolution advantage of the Canon XT implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the XT for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 13.8 x 9.2 inches or 35.1 x 23.4 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 11.5 x 7.7 inches or 29.3 x 19.5 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 10D are 15.4 x 10.2 inches or 39 x 26 cm for good quality, 12.3 x 8.2 inches or 31.2 x 20.8 cm for very good quality, and 10.2 x 6.8 inches or 26 x 17.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 10D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS Rebel XT are ISO 100 to ISO 1600 (no boost).

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.

10D versus XT MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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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 10D APS-C 6.3 3072 2048none21.110.957157
2.
 
Canon XT APS-C 8.0 3456 2304none21.810.863760
3.
 
Canon 77D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.613.397178
4.
 
Canon T6i APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.712.091971
5.
 
Canon T6s APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.612.091570
6.
 
Canon T5 APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.911.372463
7.
 
Canon SL1 APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.811.384363
8.
 
Canon T4i APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.711.272262
9.
 
Canon 7D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.011.785466
10.
 
Canon 40D APS-C 10.1 3888 2592none22.111.370364
11.
 
Canon 30D APS-C 8.2 3504 2336none21.510.873659
12.
 
Canon XTi APS-C 10.1 3888 2592none22.111.066462
13.
 
Canon 20D APS-C 8.2 3504 2336none21.911.072162
14.
 
Canon Rebel APS-C 6.3 3072 2048none21.010.854455
15.
 
Canon D60 APS-C 6.3 3072 2048none20.39.830147
16.
 
Nikon D100 APS-C 6.0 3008 2000none20.49.939448
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Neither the 10D nor the XT offer Live View, so that they cannot project the live image that the sensor receives onto the rear screen. Moreover, both cameras are still-image focused and cannot record videos.
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Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 10D and the XT 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 10D has a higher magnification than the one of the XT (0.55x vs 0.49x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 10D and Canon XT along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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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 10Doptical Y1.8 / 118 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
2.
 
Canon XToptical n1.8 / 115 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
3.
 
Canon 77Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
4.
 
Canon T6ioptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
5.
 
Canon T6soptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
6.
 
Canon T5optical n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
7.
 
Canon SL1optical n3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/4000s 4.9/s Y n
8.
 
Canon T4ioptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
9.
 
Canon 7Doptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 8.0/s Y n
10.
 
Canon 40Doptical Y3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 6.5/s Y n
11.
 
Canon 30Doptical Y2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y n
12.
 
Canon XTioptical n2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
13.
 
Canon 20Doptical Y1.8 / 118 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y n
14.
 
Canon Rebeloptical n1.8 / 118 fixed n 1/4000s 2.5/s Y n
15.
 
Canon D60optical Y1.8 / 114 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
16.
 
Nikon D100optical Y1.8 / 118 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
padding

One feature that is present on the 10D, but is missing on the XT is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 10D and the XT write their files to Compact Flash 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 10D and Canon EOS Rebel XT 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 10DY- / ----1.1---
2.
 
Canon XTY- / ----2.0---
3.
 
Canon 77DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
4.
 
Canon T6iYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
5.
 
Canon T6sYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
6.
 
Canon T5Ymono / mono--mini2.0---
7.
 
Canon SL1Ymono / monoY-mini2.0---
8.
 
Canon T4iYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
9.
 
Canon 7DYmono / -Y-mini2.0---
10.
 
Canon 40DY- / ----2.0---
11.
 
Canon 30DY- / ----2.0---
12.
 
Canon XTiY- / ----2.0---
13.
 
Canon 20DY- / ----1.1---
14.
 
Canon RebelY- / ----1.1---
15.
 
Canon D60Y- / ----1.1---
16.
 
Nikon D100Y- / ----1.1---
padding

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 10D (unlike the XT) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 10D and the XT have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 10D was replaced by the Canon 20D, while the XT was followed by the Canon Xti. Further information on the features and operation of the 10D and XT can be found, respectively, in the Canon 10D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon XT Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 10D or the Canon XT – 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 10D:

  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.55x vs 0.49x).
  • Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (500 versus 400) on a single battery charge.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2003).


Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS Rebel XT:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (8 vs 6.3MP), which boosts linear resolution by 13%.
  • Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC II vs DIGIC).
  • More compact: Is smaller (127x94mm vs 150x107mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
  • Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 310g or 36 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
  • Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (2.0 vs 1.1).
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (55 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 11 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the XT emerges as the winner of the match-up (7 : 5 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.

10D 05:07 XT

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 10D and the Canon XT 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 incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 10D or the XT perform in practice. 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.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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 10D......+ +.... Feb 2003 1,999ebay.com
2.
 
Canon XT..80/100..+ +o.. Feb 2005 899ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 77D4.5/5..4/582/1004.5/54/5 Feb 2017 899ebay.com
4.
 
Canon T6i5/5....75/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 749ebay.com
5.
 
Canon T6s5/5+..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 649ebay.com
6.
 
Canon T53/5+....4/54.5/5 Feb 2014 449ebay.com
7.
 
Canon SL14/5+..78/1004/54/5 Mar 2013 549ebay.com
8.
 
Canon T4i4/5+ +..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2012 849ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 7D5/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2009 1,699ebay.com
10.
 
Canon 40D..+ +..+ +4.5/54.5/5 Aug 2007 1,299ebay.com
11.
 
Canon 30D..+ +..+ +o.. Feb 2006 1,399ebay.com
12.
 
Canon XTi..+ +..+ +o4/5 Aug 2006 799ebay.com
13.
 
Canon 20D......+ +.... Aug 2004 1,499ebay.com
14.
 
Canon Rebel......+ +.... Aug 2003 899ebay.com
15.
 
Canon D60......+ +o.. Feb 2002 2,999ebay.com
16.
 
Nikon D100......+ +o.. Feb 2002 1,999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
padding

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. 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. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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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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    Specifications: Canon 10D vs Canon XT

    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 10D Canon XT
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Canon EF mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
    Launch Date February 2003 February 2005
    Launch Price USD 1,999 USD 899
    Sensor Specs Canon 10D Canon XT
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 22.7 x 15.1 mm 22.2 x 14.8 mm
    Sensor Area 342.77 mm2 328.56 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 27.3 mm 26.7 mm
    Crop Factor 1.6x 1.6x
    Sensor Resolution 6.3 Megapixels 8 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 3072 x 2048 pixels 3456 x 2304 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 7.38 μm 6.41 μm
    Pixel Density 1.84 MP/cm2 2.42 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability no Video no Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 3,200 ISO 100 - 1,600 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC DIGIC II
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 57 60
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.1 21.8
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 10.9 10.8
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 571 637
    Screen Specs Canon 10D Canon XT
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 95% 95%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.55x 0.49x
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel no Top Display
    Rear LCD Size 1.8inch 1.8inch
    LCD Resolution 118k dots 115k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Fixed screen
    Shooting Specs Canon 10D Canon XT
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 3 shutter flaps/s 3 shutter flaps/s
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium CF cards CF cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    Connectivity Specs Canon 10D Canon XT
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket no PC Sync
    USB Connector USB 1.1 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port no HDMI no HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi no Wifi
    Body Specs Canon 10D Canon XT
    Battery Type Canon BP-511 Canon NB-2LH
    Battery Life (CIPA)500 shots per charge400 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 150 x 107 x 75 mm
    (5.9 x 4.2 x 3.0 in)
    127 x 94 x 64 mm
    (5.0 x 3.7 x 2.5 in)
    Camera Weight 850 g (30.0 oz) 540 g (19.0 oz)
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