Canon 1200D vs 1DX

The Canon EOS 1200D (called Canon T5 in some regions) and the Canon EOS-1D X are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2014 and October 2011. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (1200D) and a full frame (1DX) 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		Canon 1D X
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 – Full Frame sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 460k dots		3.2" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second		14 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
500 shots per battery charge		1120 shots per battery charge
130 x 100 x 78 mm, 480 g		158 x 168 x 83 mm, 1551 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-1D X? 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 1200D and the Canon 1D X 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 1D X is considerably larger (104 percent) than the Canon 1200D. Moreover, the 1DX is substantially heavier (223 percent) than the 1200D. It is noteworthy in this context that the 1DX is splash and dust-proof, while the 1200D does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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. A larger imaging sensor (as in the 1DX) will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, while more compact options are available for the smaller-sensor camera (1200D). 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 1DX can take 1120 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E4N power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the 1DX has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power. In order to provide similar functionality for the 1200D, there are third party battery grips available as optional accessories (see here on ebay).

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 1200D	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	EUR 399	ebay.com
2.		Canon 1D X	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1551 g	1120	Y	Oct 2011	EUR 6 299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	150 mm	160 mm	80 mm	1385 g	1800	Y	Aug 2007	EUR 7 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D C	158 mm	164 mm	83 mm	1545 g	1120	Y	Apr 2012	EUR 13 999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	EUR 6 299	ebay.com
6.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 100D	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon 650D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	EUR 799	ebay.com
9.		Canon 700D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	EUR 599	ebay.com
10.		Canon 750D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	EUR 699	ebay.com
11.		Canon 760D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
12.		Canon 1100D	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	495 g	700	n	Feb 2011	EUR 399	ebay.com
13.		Canon 1300D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	EUR 449	ebay.com
14.		Canon 4000D	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
15.		Canon G9 X	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	209 g	220	n	Oct 2015	EUR 499	ebay.com
16.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	EUR 499	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D4	160 mm	157 mm	91 mm	1340 g	2600	Y	Jan 2012	EUR 5 999	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 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 markedly lower price (by 93 percent) than the 1DX, 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 sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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 tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 1200D features an APS-C sensor and the Canon 1D X a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the 1DX is 160 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the 1DX has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 17.9 megapixels. This implies that the 1DX has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 6.95μm versus 4.31μm for the 1200D), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. It should, however, be noted that the 1200D is much more recent (by 2 years and 3 months) than the 1DX, 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 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-1D X are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

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 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. Of the two cameras under consideration, the 1DX offers substantially better image quality than the 1200D (overall score 19 points higher). The advantage is based on 1.9 bits higher color depth, 0.5 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.9 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		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	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
2.		Canon 1D X	Full Frame	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	23.8	11.8	2786	82
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	none	24.0	12.0	1663	80
4.		Canon 1D C	Full Frame	17.9	5184	3456	4K/24p	24.3	13.0	2155	85
5.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207	88
6.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
7.		Canon 100D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
8.		Canon 650D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
9.		Canon 700D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
10.		Canon 750D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
11.		Canon 760D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
12.		Canon 1100D	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	720/30p	21.9	11.0	755	62
13.		Canon 1300D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
14.		Canon 4000D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
15.		Canon G9 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.5	12.3	495	63
16.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
17.		Nikon D4	Full Frame	16.2	4928	3280	1080/30p	24.7	13.1	2965	89
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

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).

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 1200D and the 1DX 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 viewfinder in the 1DX offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the 1200D (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the 1DX has a higher magnification (0.76x 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 1200D, the Canon 1D X, 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 1200D	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon 1D X	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 1D C	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon 1D X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
7.		Canon 100D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 650D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 700D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 750D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon 760D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon 1100D	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon 1300D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon 4000D	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon G9 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
17.		Nikon D4	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The 1200D has one, while the 1DX does not. While the built-in flash of the 1200D is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The 1200D writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the 1DX uses Compact Flash cards. The 1DX features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the 1200D only has one slot.

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-1D X 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 1200D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon 1D X	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 1D C	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Canon 100D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 650D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 700D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon 750D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon 760D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon 1100D	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon 1300D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Canon 4000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Canon G9 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Nikon D4	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the 1DX 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.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 1D X (unlike the 1200D) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 1200D and the 1DX have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 1DX was replaced by the Canon 1DX Mark II, while the 1200D was followed by the Canon 1300D. Further information on the features and operation of the 1200D and 1DX can be found, respectively, in the Canon 1200D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 1D X Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 1200D or the Canon 1D X – 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.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 1200D:

• More compact: Is smaller (130x100mm vs 158x168mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 1071g or 69 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (93 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 3 months of technical progress since the 1DX launch.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS-1D X:

• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (19 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (1.9 bits more color depth).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (1.9 stops ISO advantage).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.76x vs 0.50x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 460k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (14 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1120 versus 500) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in October 2011).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 1DX is the clear winner of the contest (17 : 5 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 1200D and the Canon 1D X 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the 1200D and the 1DX 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 expert reviews 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	Street Price
1.		Canon 1200D	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	EUR 399	ebay.com
2.		Canon 1D X	5/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2011	EUR 6 299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	..	..	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	Aug 2007	EUR 7 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D C	..	..	..	..	..	..	Apr 2012	EUR 13 999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	EUR 6 299	ebay.com
6.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 100D	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon 650D	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	EUR 799	ebay.com
9.		Canon 700D	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	EUR 599	ebay.com
10.		Canon 750D	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	EUR 699	ebay.com
11.		Canon 760D	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
12.		Canon 1100D	..	80/100	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	EUR 399	ebay.com
13.		Canon 1300D	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	EUR 449	ebay.com
14.		Canon 4000D	2.5/5	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
15.		Canon G9 X	3.5/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	EUR 499	ebay.com
16.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	EUR 499	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D4	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	EUR 5 999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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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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