Canon 1100D vs 650D

The Canon EOS 1100D (called Canon T3 in some regions) and the Canon EOS 650D (labelled Canon T4i in some countries) are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2011 and June 2012. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 1100D has a resolution of 12.2 megapixels, whereas the 650D provides 17.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon 1100D		Canon 650D
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
12.2 MP – APS-C sensor		17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
720/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-6,400		ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
2.7" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
3 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
700 shots per battery charge		440 shots per battery charge
130 x 100 x 78 mm, 495 g		133 x 100 x 79 mm, 575 g

Check 1100D offers at
ebay.com
Check 650D offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 1100D and the Canon EOS 650D? 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 1100D and the Canon 650D are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 650D is somewhat larger (2 percent) than the Canon 1100D. Moreover, the 650D is markedly heavier (16 percent) than the 1100D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 1100D nor the 650D 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 Canon LP-E10 battery, while the 650D can take 440 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E8 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

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 1100D	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	495 g	700	n	Feb 2011	449	ebay.com
2.		Canon 650D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849	ebay.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 1200D	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
6.		Canon 700D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
7.		Canon G1 X	117 mm	81 mm	65 mm	534 g	250	n	Jan 2012	799	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX50	123 mm	87 mm	106 mm	595 g	315	n	Sep 2012	429	ebay.com
9.		Canon 600D	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
10.		Canon 550D	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	530 g	440	n	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
11.		Canon 500D	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
12.		Canon 450D	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	524 g	500	n	Jan 2008	799	ebay.com
13.		Canon 1000D	126 mm	98 mm	65 mm	502 g	500	n	Jun 2008	449	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 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 1100D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 47 percent) than the 650D, 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 size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. 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 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, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the 650D is 3 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.

Technology-wise, the 650D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 5) than the 1100D (DIGIC 4), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 17.9MP, the 650D offers a higher resolution than the 1100D (12.2MP), but the 650D has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.31μm versus 5.15μm for the 1100D). Yet, the 650D is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 4 months) than the 1100D, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 650D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 650D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 1100D are 21.4 x 14.2 inches or 54.3 x 36.2 cm for good quality, 17.1 x 11.4 inches or 43.4 x 28.9 cm for very good quality, and 14.2 x 9.5 inches or 36.2 x 24.1 cm for excellent quality prints.

The 650D has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS 1100D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 650D are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

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 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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-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 1100D	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	720/30p	21.9	11.0	755	62
2.		Canon 650D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
3.		Canon 2000D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	11.9	1009	71
4.		Canon 4000D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
5.		Canon 1200D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
6.		Canon 700D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
7.		Canon G1 X	1.5-inch	14.2	4352	3264	1080/24p	21.7	10.8	644	60
8.		Canon SX50	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	20.3	11.2	179	47
9.		Canon 600D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
10.		Canon 550D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	784	66
11.		Canon 500D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	1080/20p	21.7	11.5	663	63
12.		Canon 450D	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	none	21.9	10.8	692	61
13.		Canon 1000D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.0	10.9	719	62

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the 650D provides a better video resolution than the 1100D. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/30p, while the 1100D is limited to 720/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 1100D and the 650D 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 650D has a higher magnification than the one of the 1100D (0.53x vs 0.50x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 1100D, the Canon 650D, and comparable 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 1100D	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon 650D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 2000D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 4000D	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 1200D	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 700D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon G1 X	optical	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/4000s	1.9/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX50	202	n	3.0 / 461	swivel	n	1/2000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon 600D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 550D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
11.		Canon 500D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.4/s	Y	n
12.		Canon 450D	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
13.		Canon 1000D	optical	n	2.5 / 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.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The 650D has a touchscreen, while the 1100D has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 1100D and the 650D write their files to SDXC cards. The 650D supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the 1100D cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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 650D 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 1100D	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon 650D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 2000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon 4000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon 1200D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 700D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon G1 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon SX50	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 600D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon 550D	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon 500D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon 450D	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon 1000D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the 650D has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The 1100D does not feature such a mic input.

Both the 1100D and the 650D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 1100D was replaced by the Canon 1200D, while the 650D was followed by the Canon 700D. Further information on the features and operation of the 1100D and 650D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 1100D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 650D Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Canon 1100D better than the Canon 650D or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 1100D:

• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 80g or 14 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (700 versus 440) on a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (47 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2011).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 650D:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (17.9 vs 12.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 21%.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 5 vs DIGIC 4).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/30p vs 720/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.53x vs 0.50x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 230k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 4 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 650D is the clear winner of the contest (14 : 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 before making a camera decision. 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 1100D and the Canon 650D 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 650D in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

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.

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 1100D	..	80/100	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	449	ebay.com
2.		Canon 650D	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
3.		Canon 2000D	3/5	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
4.		Canon 4000D	2.5/5	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
5.		Canon 1200D	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
6.		Canon 700D	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
7.		Canon G1 X	5/5	+	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	799	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX50	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	429	ebay.com
9.		Canon 600D	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
10.		Canon 550D	..	+ +	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
11.		Canon 500D	..	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
12.		Canon 450D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	799	ebay.com
13.		Canon 1000D	..	82/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2008	449	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. 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. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check 1100D offers at
ebay.com
Check 650D offers at
ebay.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 your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

~

Check 1100D offers at
ebay.com
Check 650D offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.