Canon 1D X Mark II vs T7

The Canon EOS-1D X Mark II and the Canon EOS Rebel T7 (labelled Canon 2000D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2016 and February 2018. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a full frame (1DX Mark II) and an APS-C (T7) sensor. The 1DX Mark II has a resolution of 20 megapixels, whereas the T7 provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon 1D X Mark II		Canon T7
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
20 MP, Full Frame Sensor		24 MP, APS-C Sensor
4K/60p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-51200 (50-409600)		ISO 100-6400 (100-12800)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.2" LCD, 1620k dots		3.0" LCD, 920k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
16 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Not weather sealed
1210 shots per battery charge		500 shots per battery charge
158 x 168 x 83 mm, 1530 g		129 x 101 x 78 mm, 475 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II and the Canon EOS Rebel T7? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon 1D X Mark II and the Canon T7 is provided 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 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 T7 is considerably smaller (51 percent) than the Canon 1D X Mark II. Moreover, the T7 is substantially lighter (69 percent) than the 1DX Mark II. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 1DX Mark II is splash and dust resistant, while the T7 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 Mark II) will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, while more compact options are available for the smaller-sensor camera (T7). You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 1DX Mark II gets 1210 shots out of its LP-E19 battery, while the T7 can take 500 images on a single charge of its LP-E10 power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the 1DX Mark II has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power.

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, just use the right or left arrows in the table to switch to the respective camera. Alternatively, you can also navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from the full list of cameras there.

Camera Body Specifications

	Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life (CIPA)	Weather Sealing (yes/no)	Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon 1D X Mark II»	6.2 in	6.6 in	3.3 in	54.0 oz	1210	Y	Feb 2016	5,999			Canon 1D X Mark II
	Canon T7«	5.1 in	4.0 in	3.1 in	16.8 oz	500	n	Feb 2018	449			Canon T7
	Canon SL3« »	4.8 in	3.7 in	2.8 in	15.8 oz	1070	n	Apr 2019	599			Canon SL3
	Canon T100« »	5.1 in	4.0 in	3.0 in	15.4 oz	500	n	Feb 2018	399			Canon T100
	Canon 6D Mark II« »	5.7 in	4.4 in	3.0 in	27.0 oz	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999			Canon 6D Mark II
	Canon 77D« »	5.2 in	3.9 in	3.0 in	19.0 oz	600	n	Feb 2017	899			Canon 77D
	Canon SL2« »	4.8 in	3.7 in	2.8 in	16.0 oz	650	n	Jun 2017	549	-		Canon SL2
	Canon T6« »	5.1 in	4.0 in	3.1 in	17.1 oz	500	n	Mar 2016	449	-		Canon T6
	Canon 5DS« »	6.0 in	4.6 in	3.0 in	32.8 oz	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699			Canon 5DS
	Canon 1D C« »	6.2 in	6.5 in	3.3 in	54.5 oz	1120	Y	Apr 2012	14,999	-		Canon 1D C
	Canon 5D Mark III« »	6.0 in	4.6 in	3.0 in	33.5 oz	950	Y	Mar 2012	3,499	-		Canon 5D Mark III
	Canon 6D« »	5.7 in	4.4 in	2.8 in	27.2 oz	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099	-		Canon 6D
	Canon 1D X« »	6.2 in	6.6 in	3.3 in	54.7 oz	1120	Y	Oct 2011	6,799	-		Canon 1D X
	Canon 5D Mark II« »	6.0 in	4.5 in	3.0 in	30.0 oz	850	Y	Sep 2008	3,499	-		Canon 5D Mark II
	Canon 1Ds Mark III« »	5.9 in	6.3 in	3.1 in	48.9 oz	1800	Y	Aug 2007	7,999	-		Canon 1Ds Mark III
	Canon 1Ds Mark II« »	6.1 in	6.2 in	3.1 in	42.9 oz	1200	Y	Sep 2004	7,999	-		Canon 1Ds Mark II
	Nikon D5« »	6.3 in	6.3 in	3.6 in	49.9 oz	3780	Y	Jan 2016	6,499			Nikon D5
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Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The T7 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 93 percent) than the 1DX Mark II, 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. 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 tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 1D X Mark II features a full frame sensor and the Canon T7 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the T7 is 62 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the T7 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 20 MP of the 1DX Mark II. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 6.57μm for the 1DX Mark II). However, it should be noted that the T7 is much more recent (by 2 years) than the 1DX Mark II, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

The resolution advantage of the Canon T7 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the T7 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inch or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inch or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inch or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 1D X Mark II are 27.4 x 18.2 inch or 69.5 x 46.3 cm for good quality, 21.9 x 14.6 inch or 55.6 x 37.1 cm for very good quality, and 18.2 x 12.2 inch or 46.3 x 30.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The 1DX Mark II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS-1D X Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-409600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS Rebel T7 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-12800.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the 1DX Mark II provides a higher video resolution than the T7. It can shoot video footage at 4K/60p, while the T7 is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 1DX Mark II and the T7 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 Mark II offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the T7 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the 1DX Mark II 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 table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 1D X Mark II and Canon T7 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

One feature that is present on the 1DX Mark II, but is missing on the T7 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The 1DX Mark II writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or CFast cards, while the T7 uses SDXC cards. The 1DX Mark II features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the T7 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-1D X Mark II and Canon EOS Rebel T7 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

It is notable that the 1DX Mark II has a microphone port, which is missing on the T7. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 1D X Mark II (unlike the T7) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the 1DX Mark II has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the 1DX Mark II and the T7 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The 1DX Mark II replaced the earlier Canon 1DX, while the T7 followed on from the Canon T6. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon website.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 1D X Mark II or the Canon T7 – 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-1D X Mark II:

• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/60p vs 1080/30p).
• 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.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while 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 an LCD display on top to control 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 (1620k vs 920k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (16 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1210 versus 500) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• 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 available for much longer (launched in February 2016).

Advantages of the Canon EOS Rebel T7:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 20MP), which boosts linear resolution by 10%.
• More compact: Is smaller (129x101mm vs 158x168mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 1055g or 69 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (93 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years of technical progress since the 1DX Mark II launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 1DX Mark II is the clear winner of the match-up (24 : 8 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 1D X Mark II and the Canon T7 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 1DX Mark II and the T7 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 (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). 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.

Review Scores

	Camera Model						Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon 1D X Mark II»	-	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	5,999			Canon 1D X Mark II
	Canon T7«	o	-	3.5/5	-	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449			Canon T7
	Canon SL3« »	o	79/100	4/5	-	4/5	Apr 2019	599			Canon SL3
	Canon T100« »	o	-	3.5/5	-	3.5/5	Feb 2018	399			Canon T100
	Canon 6D Mark II« »	+	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	4/5	Jun 2017	1,999			Canon 6D Mark II
	Canon 77D« »	-	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899			Canon 77D
	Canon SL2« »	+ +	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	-		Canon SL2
	Canon T6« »	o	73/100	4/5	3.5/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449	-		Canon T6
	Canon 5DS« »	+	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699			Canon 5DS
	Canon 1D C« »	-	-	-	-	-	Apr 2012	14,999	-		Canon 1D C
	Canon 5D Mark III« »	+ +	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2012	3,499	-		Canon 5D Mark III
	Canon 6D« »	+ +	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099	-		Canon 6D
	Canon 1D X« »	-	-	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2011	6,799	-		Canon 1D X
	Canon 5D Mark II« »	91/100	79/100	4/5	5/5	-	Sep 2008	3,499	-		Canon 5D Mark II
	Canon 1Ds Mark III« »	-	+ +	4.5/5	-	-	Aug 2007	7,999	-		Canon 1Ds Mark III
	Canon 1Ds Mark II« »	-	+ +	-	-	-	Sep 2004	7,999	-		Canon 1Ds Mark II
	Nikon D5« »	-	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	6,499			Nikon D5
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (-) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, 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, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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.

Specifications: Canon 1D X Mark II vs Canon T7

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.

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