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Canon 1200D vs 100D

The Canon EOS 1200D (called Canon T5 in some regions) and the Canon EOS 100D (labelled Canon SL1 in some countries) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2014 and 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 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications
Canon 1200D
versus
Canon 100D
Canon 1200D   Canon 100D
Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
17.9 MP – APS-C sensor 17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video 1080/30p Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800) ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)
Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 460k dots 3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Fixed touchscreen
3 shutter flaps per second 4.9 shutter flaps per second
500 shots per battery charge380 shots per battery charge
130 x 100 x 78 mm, 480 g 117 x 91 x 69 mm, 407 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 1200D and the Canon EOS 100D? 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 physical size and weight of the Canon 1200D and the Canon 100D 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.

The 100D can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the 1200D is only available in black.

Size Canon 1200D vs Canon 100D
Compare 1200D versus 100D top
Comparison 1200D or 100D rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 100D is notably smaller (18 percent) than the Canon 1200D. Moreover, the 100D is markedly lighter (15 percent) than the 1200D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 1200D nor the 100D 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 1200D gets 500 shots out of its Canon LP-E10 battery, while the 100D can take 380 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E12 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 1200D 130 mm 100 mm 78 mm 480 g 500 n Feb 2014 449ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 100D 117 mm 91 mm 69 mm 407 g 380 n Mar 2013 549ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 4000D 129 mm 102 mm 77 mm 436 g 500 n Feb 2018 399 amazon.com
4.
 
Canon 200D 122 mm 93 mm 70 mm 453 g 650 n Jun 2017 549ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 1300D 129 mm 101 mm 78 mm 485 g 500 n Mar 2016 449ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 750D 132 mm 101 mm 78 mm 555 g 440 n Feb 2015 749ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 760D 132 mm 101 mm 78 mm 565 g 440 n Feb 2015 649ebay.com
8.
 
Canon G9 X 98 mm 58 mm 31 mm 209 g 220 n Oct 2015 529ebay.com
9.
 
Canon M10 108 mm 67 mm 35 mm 301 g 255 n Oct 2015 499ebay.com
10.
 
Canon 700D 133 mm 100 mm 79 mm 580 g 440 n Mar 2013 649ebay.com
11.
 
Canon G16 109 mm 76 mm 40 mm 356 g 360 n Aug 2013 549ebay.com
12.
 
Canon 650D 133 mm 100 mm 79 mm 575 g 440 n Jun 2012 849ebay.com
13.
 
Canon 1100D 130 mm 100 mm 78 mm 495 g 700 n Feb 2011 449ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic G6 122 mm 85 mm 71 mm 390 g 340 n Apr 2013 599ebay.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 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 1200D was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 18 percent) than the 100D, 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.

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 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 100D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 5) than the 1200D (DIGIC 4), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Canon 1200D and Canon 100D sensor measures

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 17.9 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the 1200D and the 100D have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the 1200D is a somewhat more recent model (by 10 months) than the 100D, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The 100D has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS 1200D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 100D 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.

1200D versus 100D 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 1200D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.911.372463
2.
 
Canon 100D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.811.384363
3.
 
Canon 4000D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.911.469563
4.
 
Canon 200D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.613.4104179
5.
 
Canon 1300D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.011.778166
6.
 
Canon 750D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.712.091971
7.
 
Canon 760D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.612.091570
8.
 
Canon G9 X 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p21.512.349563
9.
 
Canon M10 APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.211.475365
10.
 
Canon 700D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.711.268161
11.
 
Canon G16 1/1.7 12.0 4000 30001080/60p21.011.723054
12.
 
Canon 650D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.711.272262
13.
 
Canon 1100D APS-C 12.2 4272 2848720/30p21.911.075562
14.
 
Panasonic G6 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p21.311.563961
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/30p).

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Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 1200D and the 100D 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 100D has a higher magnification than the one of the 1200D (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 1200D and Canon 100D 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 1200Doptical n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
2.
 
Canon 100Doptical n3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/4000s 4.9/s Y n
3.
 
Canon 4000Doptical n2.7 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
4.
 
Canon 200Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
5.
 
Canon 1300Doptical n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
6.
 
Canon 750Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
7.
 
Canon 760Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
8.
 
Canon G9 Xnone n3.0 / 1040 fixed Y 1/2000s 6.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Canon M10none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 4.6/s Y n
10.
 
Canon 700Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
11.
 
Canon G16optical n3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/4000s 2.2/s Y Y
12.
 
Canon 650Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
13.
 
Canon 1100Doptical n2.7 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
14.
 
Panasonic G61440 n3.0 / 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.
padding

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The 100D has a touchscreen, while the 1200D 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 1200D and the 100D write their files to SDXC cards. The 100D supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the 1200D cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD 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 1200D and Canon EOS 100D 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 1200DYmono / mono--mini2.0---
2.
 
Canon 100DYmono / monoY-mini2.0---
3.
 
Canon 4000DYmono / mono--mini2.0YY-
4.
 
Canon 200DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
5.
 
Canon 1300DYmono / mono--mini2.0YY-
6.
 
Canon 750DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
7.
 
Canon 760DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
8.
 
Canon G9 X-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
9.
 
Canon M10-stereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
10.
 
Canon 700DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
11.
 
Canon G16Ystereo / mono--mini2.0Y--
12.
 
Canon 650DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
13.
 
Canon 1100DYstereo / mono--mini2.0---
14.
 
Panasonic G6Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
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It is notable that the 100D has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The 1200D does not feature such a mic input.

Both the 1200D and the 100D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 100D was replaced by the Canon 200D, while the 1200D was followed by the Canon 1300D. Further information on the features and operation of the 1200D and 100D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 1200D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 100D Manual.

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Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon 1200D better than the Canon 100D or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.


Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 1200D:

  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (500 versus 380) on a single battery charge.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (18 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 10 months after the 100D).


Advantages of the Canon EOS 100D:

  • Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 5 vs DIGIC 4).
  • 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 (0.54x vs 0.50x).
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 460k dots).
  • Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (4.9 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • More compact: Is smaller (117x91mm vs 130x100mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
  • Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 73g or 15 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in March 2013).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 100D is the clear winner of the contest (11 : 3 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.

1200D 03:11 100D

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 1200D and the Canon 100D 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 1200D or the 100D. 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 why expert reviews are important. 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 1200D3/5+....4/54.5/5 Feb 2014 449ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 100D4/5+..78/1004/54/5 Mar 2013 549ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 4000D2.5/5o3/5..3.5/53.5/5 Feb 2018 399 amazon.com
4.
 
Canon 200D4/5+ +4/578/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2017 549ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 1300D4/5o4/573/1004/54/5 Mar 2016 449ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 750D5/5....75/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 749ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 760D5/5+..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 649ebay.com
8.
 
Canon G9 X3.5/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Oct 2015 529ebay.com
9.
 
Canon M10..........4/5 Oct 2015 499ebay.com
10.
 
Canon 700D......76/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2013 649ebay.com
11.
 
Canon G164/5+....4.5/54.5/5 Aug 2013 549ebay.com
12.
 
Canon 650D4/5+ +..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2012 849ebay.com
13.
 
Canon 1100D..80/100..69/1004/54.5/5 Feb 2011 449ebay.com
14.
 
Panasonic G64/5+ +....5/54.5/5 Apr 2013 599ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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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 comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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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 1200D vs Canon 100D

    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 1200D Canon 100D
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Canon EF mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
    Launch Date February 2014 March 2013
    Launch Price USD 449 USD 549
    Sensor Specs Canon 1200D Canon 100D
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 22.3 x 14.9 mm 22.3 x 14.9 mm
    Sensor Area 332.27 mm2 332.27 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 26.8 mm 26.8 mm
    Crop Factor 1.6x 1.6x
    Sensor Resolution 17.9 Megapixels 17.9 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5184 x 3456 pixels 5184 x 3456 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.31 μm 4.31 μm
    Pixel Density 5.39 MP/cm2 5.39 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/30p Video 1080/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 6,400 ISO 100 - 12,800 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 12,800 ISO 100 - 25,600 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC 4 DIGIC 5
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 63 63
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.9 21.8
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 11.3 11.3
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 724 843
    Screen Specs Canon 1200D Canon 100D
    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 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 460k dots 1040k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Fixed screen
    Touch Input no Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Canon 1200D Canon 100D
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 3 shutter flaps/s 4.9 shutter flaps/s
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support no UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs Canon 1200D Canon 100D
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Wifi Support no Wifi no Wifi
    Body Specs Canon 1200D Canon 100D
    Battery Type Canon LP-E10 Canon LP-E12
    Battery Life (CIPA)500 shots per charge380 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 130 x 100 x 78 mm
    (5.1 x 3.9 x 3.1 in)
    117 x 91 x 69 mm
    (4.6 x 3.6 x 2.7 in)
    Camera Weight 480 g (16.9 oz) 407 g (14.4 oz)
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