Canon 1200D vs 600D

The Canon EOS 1200D (called Canon T5 in some regions) and the Canon EOS 600D (labelled Canon T3i in some countries) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2014 and February 2011. 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		Canon 600D
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 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 460k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second		3.7 shutter flaps per second
500 shots per battery charge		440 shots per battery charge
130 x 100 x 78 mm, 480 g		133 x 100 x 80 mm, 570 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 600D? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 1200D and the Canon 600D. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions 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 600D is somewhat larger (2 percent) than the Canon 1200D. Moreover, the 600D is markedly heavier (19 percent) than the 1200D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 1200D nor the 600D 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 LP-E10 battery, while the 600D can take 440 images on a single charge of its 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 1200D	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
2.		Canon 600D	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
3.		Canon 4000D	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
4.		Canon 1300D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
5.		Canon 750D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
6.		Canon 760D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
7.		Canon G9 X	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	209 g	220	n	Oct 2015	529	ebay.com
8.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
9.		Canon 100D	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon 700D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
11.		Canon 650D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
12.		Canon 1100D	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	495 g	700	n	Feb 2011	449	ebay.com
13.		Canon 550D	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	530 g	440	n	Feb 2010	699	ebay.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 25 percent) than the 600D, 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 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 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 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.

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 600D have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the 1200D is much more recent (by 3 years) than the 600D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Canon EOS 1200D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800. The Canon EOS 600D offers exactly the same ISO settings.

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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar 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 1200D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
2.		Canon 600D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
3.		Canon 4000D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
4.		Canon 1300D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
5.		Canon 750D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
6.		Canon 760D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
7.		Canon G9 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.5	12.3	495	63
8.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
9.		Canon 100D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
10.		Canon 700D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
11.		Canon 650D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
12.		Canon 1100D	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	720/30p	21.9	11.0	755	62
13.		Canon 550D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	784	66

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

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 1200D and the 600D 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 600D has a higher magnification than the one of the 1200D (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 table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 1200D and Canon 600D in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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 600D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 4000D	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 1300D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 750D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 760D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon G9 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 100D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 700D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon 650D	optical	n	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 550D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
Notes: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 1200D and the 600D write their files to SDXC 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 1200D and Canon EOS 600D 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 600D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 4000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon 1300D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon 750D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon 760D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon G9 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon 100D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon 700D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon 650D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon 1100D	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon 550D	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the 600D 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 600D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 600D was replaced by the Canon 650D, while the 1200D was followed by the Canon 1300D. Further information on the features and operation of the 1200D and 600D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 1200D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 600D Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 1200D and the Canon 600D? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 1200D:

• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 90g or 16 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (500 versus 440) on a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (25 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years of technical progress since the 600D launch.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 600D:

• 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).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 460k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (3.7 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2011).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 600D emerges as the winner of the match-up (7 : 4 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 600D 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 remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 1200D or the 600D perform in practice. 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 1200D	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
2.		Canon 600D	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
3.		Canon 4000D	2.5/5	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
4.		Canon 1300D	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
5.		Canon 750D	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
6.		Canon 760D	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
7.		Canon G9 X	3.5/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	529	ebay.com
8.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
9.		Canon 100D	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon 700D	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
11.		Canon 650D	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
12.		Canon 1100D	..	80/100	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	449	ebay.com
13.		Canon 550D	..	+ +	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
Notes: (+ +) 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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, 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 your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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