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Canon 1100D vs 450D

The Canon EOS 1100D (called Canon T3 in some regions) and the Canon EOS 450D (labelled Canon XSi in some countries) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2011 and January 2008. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 12.2 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications
Canon 1100D
versus
Canon 450D
Canon 1100D   Canon 450D
Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
12.2 MP – APS-C sensor 12.2 MP – APS-C sensor
720/30p Video no Video
ISO 100-6,400 ISO 100-1,600
Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
2.7" LCD – 230k dots 3.0" LCD – 230k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second 3.5 shutter flaps per second
700 shots per battery charge500 shots per battery charge
130 x 100 x 78 mm, 495 g 129 x 98 x 62 mm, 524 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 1100D and the Canon EOS 450D? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 1100D and the Canon 450D. 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.

Size Canon 1100D vs Canon 450D
Compare 1100D versus 450D top
Comparison 1100D or 450D rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 450D is somewhat smaller (3 percent) than the Canon 1100D. However, the 450D is markedly heavier (6 percent) than the 1100D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 1100D nor the 450D 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 1100D gets 700 shots out of its LP-E10 battery, while the 450D can take 500 images on a single charge of its LP-E5 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.

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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 1100D 130 mm 100 mm 78 mm 495 g 700 n Feb 2011 449ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 450D 129 mm 98 mm 62 mm 524 g 500 n Jan 2008 799ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 2000D 129 mm 101 mm 78 mm 475 g 500 n Feb 2018 449 amazon.com
4.
 
Canon 4000D 129 mm 102 mm 77 mm 436 g 500 n Feb 2018 399 amazon.com
5.
 
Canon 750D 132 mm 101 mm 78 mm 555 g 440 n Feb 2015 749ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 1200D 130 mm 100 mm 78 mm 480 g 500 n Feb 2014 449ebay.com
7.
 
Canon G1 X Mark II 116 mm 74 mm 66 mm 553 g 240 n Feb 2014 799ebay.com
8.
 
Canon 650D 133 mm 100 mm 79 mm 575 g 440 n Jun 2012 849ebay.com
9.
 
Canon G1 X 117 mm 81 mm 65 mm 534 g 250 n Jan 2012 799ebay.com
10.
 
Canon SX50 123 mm 87 mm 106 mm 595 g 315 n Sep 2012 429ebay.com
11.
 
Canon 600D 133 mm 100 mm 80 mm 570 g 440 n Feb 2011 599ebay.com
12.
 
Canon 550D 129 mm 98 mm 62 mm 530 g 440 n Feb 2010 699ebay.com
13.
 
Canon 500D 129 mm 98 mm 62 mm 520 g 400 n Mar 2009 799ebay.com
14.
 
Canon 1000D 126 mm 98 mm 65 mm 502 g 500 n Jun 2008 449ebay.com
15.
 
Canon 400D 127 mm 84 mm 65 mm 556 g 370 n Aug 2006 799ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
padding

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 1100D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 44 percent) than the 450D, 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 size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. 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, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the 450D is 2 percent bigger. 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.

In terms of chip-set technology, the 1100D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 4) than the 450D (DIGIC 3), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Canon 1100D and Canon 450D sensor measures

Even though the 450D has a slightly larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 12.2 megapixels. This implies that the 450D has a lower pixel density and marginally larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 5.19μm versus 5.15μm for the 1100D), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. It should, however, be noted that the 1100D is much more recent (by 3 years) than the 450D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The Canon EOS 1100D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 450D 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.

1100D versus 450D MP

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). 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 1100D APS-C 12.2 4272 2848720/30p21.911.075562
2.
 
Canon 450D APS-C 12.2 4272 2848none21.910.869261
3.
 
Canon 2000D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.611.9100971
4.
 
Canon 4000D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.911.469563
5.
 
Canon 750D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.712.091971
6.
 
Canon 1200D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.911.372463
7.
 
Canon G1 X Mark II 1.5-inch 13.0 4160 31201080/30p21.510.858158
8.
 
Canon 650D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.711.272262
9.
 
Canon G1 X 1.5-inch 14.2 4352 32641080/24p21.710.864460
10.
 
Canon SX50 1/2.3 12.0 4000 30001080/24p20.311.217947
11.
 
Canon 600D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.111.579365
12.
 
Canon 550D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.111.578466
13.
 
Canon 500D APS-C 15.1 4752 31681080/20p21.711.566363
14.
 
Canon 1000D APS-C 10.1 3888 2592none22.010.971962
15.
 
Canon 400D APS-C 10.1 3888 2592none22.111.066462
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The 1100D indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the 450D does not. The highest resolution format that the 1100D can use is 720/30p.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 1100D and the 450D 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 450D has a higher magnification than the one of the 1100D (0.54x vs 0.50x), 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 1100D and Canon 450D 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 1100Doptical n2.7 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
2.
 
Canon 450Doptical n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
3.
 
Canon 2000Doptical n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
4.
 
Canon 4000Doptical n2.7 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
5.
 
Canon 750Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
6.
 
Canon 1200Doptical n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
7.
 
Canon G1 X Mark IIoptional n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 5.2/s Y Y
8.
 
Canon 650Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
9.
 
Canon G1 Xoptical n3.0 / 922 swivel n 1/4000s 1.9/s Y Y
10.
 
Canon SX50202 n3.0 / 461 swivel n 1/2000s 2.2/s Y Y
11.
 
Canon 600Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel n 1/4000s 3.7/s Y n
12.
 
Canon 550Doptical n3.0 / 1040 fixed n 1/4000s 3.7/s Y n
13.
 
Canon 500Doptical n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 3.4/s Y n
14.
 
Canon 1000Doptical n2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
15.
 
Canon 400Doptical n2.5 / 230 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

The 1100D writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the 450D uses SDHC 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 1100D and Canon EOS 450D 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 1100DYstereo / mono--mini2.0---
2.
 
Canon 450DY- / ---mini2.0---
3.
 
Canon 2000DYmono / mono--mini2.0YY-
4.
 
Canon 4000DYmono / mono--mini2.0YY-
5.
 
Canon 750DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
6.
 
Canon 1200DYmono / mono--mini2.0---
7.
 
Canon G1 X Mark IIYstereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
8.
 
Canon 650DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
9.
 
Canon G1 XYstereo / mono--mini2.0---
10.
 
Canon SX50Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
11.
 
Canon 600DYmono / monoY-mini2.0---
12.
 
Canon 550DYstereo / -Y-mini2.0---
13.
 
Canon 500DYmono / mono--mini2.0---
14.
 
Canon 1000DY- / ----2.0---
15.
 
Canon 400DY- / ----2.0---
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Both the 1100D and the 450D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 450D was replaced by the Canon 500D, while the 1100D was followed by the Canon 1200D. Further information on the features and operation of the 1100D and 450D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 1100D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 450D Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 1100D and the Canon 450D? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.


Advantages of the Canon EOS 1100D:

  • Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 4 vs DIGIC 3).
  • Broader imaging potential: Can record not only still images but also 720/30p movies.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (700 versus 500) on a single battery charge.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (44 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Reflects 3 years of technical progress since the 450D launch.


Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 450D:

  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.54x vs 0.50x).
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (3.5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2008).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 1100D comes out slightly ahead of the 450D (5 : 4 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

1100D 05:04 450D

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 1100D and the Canon 450D 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the 1100D and the 450D in practical situations. 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 hands-on reviews by experts 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.

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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 1100D..80/100..69/1004/54.5/5 Feb 2011 449ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 450D..+ +..+ +4/54.5/5 Jan 2008 799ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 2000D3/5o3.5/5..3.5/53.5/5 Feb 2018 449 amazon.com
4.
 
Canon 4000D2.5/5o3/5..3.5/53.5/5 Feb 2018 399 amazon.com
5.
 
Canon 750D5/5....75/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 749ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 1200D3/5+....4/54.5/5 Feb 2014 449ebay.com
7.
 
Canon G1 X Mark II3/5+..77/1004/54.5/5 Feb 2014 799ebay.com
8.
 
Canon 650D4/5+ +..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2012 849ebay.com
9.
 
Canon G1 X5/5+..76/1004/54.5/5 Jan 2012 799ebay.com
10.
 
Canon SX503/5+ +..72/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 429ebay.com
11.
 
Canon 600D3/5o..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2011 599ebay.com
12.
 
Canon 550D..+ +..77/1004/54.5/5 Feb 2010 699ebay.com
13.
 
Canon 500D..+ +..74/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2009 799ebay.com
14.
 
Canon 1000D..82/100..+ +3.5/54.5/5 Jun 2008 449ebay.com
15.
 
Canon 400D..+ +..+ +o4/5 Aug 2006 799ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
padding

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. 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. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications: Canon 1100D vs Canon 450D

    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 1100D Canon 450D
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Canon EF mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
    Launch Date February 2011 January 2008
    Launch Price USD 449 USD 799
    Sensor Specs Canon 1100D Canon 450D
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 22.0 x 14.7 mm 22.2 x 14.8 mm
    Sensor Area 323.4 mm2 328.56 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 26.5 mm 26.7 mm
    Crop Factor 1.6x 1.6x
    Sensor Resolution 12.2 Megapixels 12.2 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4272 x 2848 pixels 4272 x 2848 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 5.15 μm 5.19 μm
    Pixel Density 3.76 MP/cm2 3.70 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 720/30p Video no Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 6,400 ISO 100 - 1,600 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC 4 DIGIC 3
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 62 61
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.9 21.9
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 11.0 10.8
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 755 692
    Screen Specs Canon 1100D Canon 450D
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 95% 95%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.50x 0.54x
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 2.7inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 230k dots 230k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Fixed screen
    Shooting Specs Canon 1100D Canon 450D
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 3 shutter flaps/s 3.5 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations100 000 actuations
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDHC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support no no
    Connectivity Specs Canon 1100D Canon 450D
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI mini HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi no Wifi
    Body Specs Canon 1100D Canon 450D
    Battery Type LP-E10 LP-E5
    Battery Life (CIPA)700 shots per charge500 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 130 x 100 x 78 mm
    (5.1 x 3.9 x 3.1 in)
    129 x 98 x 62 mm
    (5.1 x 3.9 x 2.4 in)
    Camera Weight 495 g (17.5 oz) 524 g (18.5 oz)
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