Canon 2000D versus Olympus E-400

The Canon EOS 2000D (called Canon T7 in some regions) and the Olympus E-400 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2018 and September 2006. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (2000D) and a Four Thirds (E-400) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixel, whereas the Olympus provides 10 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Canon 2000D vs Olympus E-400

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon 2000D and the Olympus E-400 is provided 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter. You can also use the toggle button to switch to a percentage comparison if you prefer that the measures are being expressed in relative terms (in this case, the camera on the left side – the 2000D – represents the basis for the calculations across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-400 is notably smaller (9 percent) than the Canon 2000D. Moreover, the E-400 is markedly lighter (8 percent) than the 2000D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 2000D nor the E-400 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. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can find an overview of optics for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (2000D) and the Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-400).

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, just select a new right or left comparator from among the camera models in the table. Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons 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 2000D»	5.1 in	4.0 in	3.1 in	16.8 oz	500	n	Feb 2018	449			Canon 2000D
	Olympus E-400«	5.1 in	3.6 in	2.1 in	15.3 oz	500	n	Sep 2006	699	-		Olympus E-400
	Canon 4000D« »	5.1 in	4.0 in	3.0 in	15.4 oz	500	n	Feb 2018	399			Canon 4000D
	Canon 77D« »	5.2 in	3.9 in	3.0 in	19.0 oz	600	n	Feb 2017	899			Canon 77D
	Canon 200D« »	4.8 in	3.7 in	2.8 in	16.0 oz	650	n	Jun 2017	549			Canon 200D
	Canon 800D« »	5.2 in	3.9 in	3.0 in	18.8 oz	600	n	Feb 2017	749			Canon 800D
	Canon G9 X Mark II« »	3.9 in	2.3 in	1.2 in	7.3 oz	235	n	Jan 2017	529			Canon G9 X Mark II
	Canon M100« »	4.3 in	2.6 in	1.4 in	10.7 oz	295	n	Aug 2017	499			Canon M100
	Canon 1300D« »	5.1 in	4.0 in	3.1 in	17.1 oz	500	n	Mar 2016	449	-		Canon 1300D
	Canon 750D« »	5.2 in	4.0 in	3.1 in	19.6 oz	440	n	Feb 2015	749	-		Canon 750D
	Canon 760D« »	5.2 in	4.0 in	3.1 in	19.9 oz	440	n	Feb 2015	849	-		Canon 760D
	Canon 1200D« »	5.1 in	3.9 in	3.1 in	16.9 oz	500	n	Feb 2014	449	-		Canon 1200D
	Olympus E-420« »	5.1 in	3.6 in	2.1 in	15.5 oz	500	n	Mar 2008	599	-		Olympus E-420
	Olympus E-410« »	5.1 in	3.6 in	2.1 in	15.3 oz	500	n	Mar 2007	699	-		Olympus E-410
	Olympus E-510« »	5.4 in	3.6 in	2.7 in	19.0 oz	750	n	Mar 2007	799	-		Olympus E-510
	Olympus E-500« »	5.1 in	3.7 in	2.6 in	16.9 oz	750	n	Sep 2005	599	-		Olympus E-500
	Panasonic L10« »	5.3 in	3.8 in	3.1 in	19.6 oz	450	n	Aug 2007	599	-		Panasonic L10
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The camera’s price is obviously a critical decision-making factor. 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 2000D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 36 percent) than the E-400, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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: Canon 2000D vs Olympus E-400

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. 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.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 2000D features an APS-C sensor and the Olympus E-400 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-400 is 32 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 2.0. The sensor in the 2000D has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the E-400 offers a 4:3 aspect.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors.

With 24MP, the 2000D offers a higher resolution than the E-400 (10MP), but the 2000D has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 4.74μm for the E-400). However, the 2000D is a somewhat more recent model (by 11 years and 5 months) than the E-400, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

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 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. The 2000D indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the E-400 does not. The highest resolution format that the 2000D can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison: Canon 2000D vs Olympus E-400

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 2000D and the E-400 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 adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 2000D and Olympus E-400 along with similar information for a selection of comparators. If needed, the dpreview camera hub, for example, contains further detail on the cameras' specs.

The 2000D writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the E-400 uses Compact Flash or xD Picture cards. The E-400 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the 2000D only has one slot.

The 2000D is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the E-400 has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on eBay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the E-400 was succeeded by the Olympus E-410.

Review summary: Canon 2000D vs Olympus E-400

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 2000D and the Olympus E-400? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 2000D:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 10MP) with a 58% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging sensor.
• Richer colors: Larger sensor generates images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Capable of capturing a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can be used in poorly lit environments and still produce good images.
• Broader imaging potential: Can record not only still images but also 1080/30p movies.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (920k vs 215k dots).
• Easier file upload: Has wifi build 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 (36 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 11 years and 5 months of technical progress since the E-400 launch.

Advantages of the Olympus E-400:

• 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 September 2006).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 2000D is the clear winner of the match-up (12 : 2 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.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 2000D or the E-400 handle or perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The full reviews are available by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

Review Scores

	Camera Model						Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon 2000D»	rev	-	3.5/5	-	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449			Canon 2000D
	Olympus E-400«	85/100	-	4/5	-	4/5	Sep 2006	699	-		Olympus E-400
	Canon 4000D« »	rev	-	3.5/5	-	3.5/5	Feb 2018	399			Canon 4000D
	Canon 77D« »	-	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899			Canon 77D
	Canon 200D« »	HiRec	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549			Canon 200D
	Canon 800D« »	-	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	749			Canon 800D
	Canon G9 X Mark II« »	-	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	529			Canon G9 X Mark II
	Canon M100« »	Rec	-	4/5	-	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499			Canon M100
	Canon 1300D« »	rev	73/100	4/5	3.5/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449	-		Canon 1300D
	Canon 750D« »	-	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	-		Canon 750D
	Canon 760D« »	Rec	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	849	-		Canon 760D
	Canon 1200D« »	Rec	-	4/5	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	-		Canon 1200D
	Olympus E-420« »	85/100	HiRec	4/5	rev	4.5/5	Mar 2008	599	-		Olympus E-420
	Olympus E-410« »	86/100	HiRec	4/5	rev	4.5/5	Mar 2007	699	-		Olympus E-410
	Olympus E-510« »	89/100	HiRec	3.5/5	rev	4.5/5	Mar 2007	799	-		Olympus E-510
	Olympus E-500« »	76/100	HiRec	-	-	-	Sep 2005	599	-		Olympus E-500
	Panasonic L10« »	85/100	Rec	3.5/5	rev	4/5	Aug 2007	599	-		Panasonic L10

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. 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. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored. If you do not see the camera that you are looking for, please send me an email, and I will try to update the database with the necessary infos.

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