Canon 200D vs 77D

The Canon EOS 200D (called Canon SL2 in some regions) and the Canon EOS 77D are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in June 2017 and February 2017. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon 200D		Canon 77D
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
24 MP, APS-C Sensor		24 MP, APS-C Sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-25600 (100-51200)		ISO 100-25600 (100-51200)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD, 1040k dots		3.0" LCD, 1040k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second		6 shutter flaps per second
650 shots per battery charge		600 shots per battery charge
122 x 93 x 70 mm, 453 g		131 x 100 x 76 mm, 540 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 200D and the Canon EOS 77D? 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 200D and the Canon 77D. 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The 200D can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the 77D is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 77D is notably larger (15 percent) than the Canon 200D. Moreover, the 77D is markedly heavier (19 percent) than the 200D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 200D nor the 77D 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.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, just click on the right or left arrow next to the camera that you would like to inspect. Alternatively, you can also use the CAM-parator to select your camera combination among a larger number of options.

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 200D»	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	-		Canon 200D
	Canon 77D«	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899			Canon 77D
	Canon 250D« »	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599			Canon 250D
	Canon 2000D« »	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449			Canon 2000D
	Canon 800D« »	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	749			Canon 800D
	Canon G9 X Mark II« »	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	529			Canon G9 X Mark II
	Canon M100« »	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499			Canon M100
	Canon M5« »	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	979			Canon M5
	Canon 750D« »	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	-		Canon 750D
	Canon 760D« »	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	-		Canon 760D
	Canon 100D« »	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	-		Canon 100D
	Nikon D3400« »	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	445 g	1200	n	Aug 2016	499	-		Nikon D3400
Convert to Imperial
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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The 200D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 39 percent) than the 77D, 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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 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.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 24 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the 200D and the 77D have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the 200D is a somewhat more recent model (by 4 months) than the 77D, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Canon EOS 200D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The Canon EOS 77D offers exactly the same ISO settings.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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.

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 (1080/60p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 200D and the 77D 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 200D has a higher magnification than the one of the 77D (0.54x vs 0.51x), 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 200D and Canon 77D along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

One feature that is present on the 77D, but is missing on the 200D 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 Canon 77D has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 200D and the 77D write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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 200D and Canon EOS 77D and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

The 77D is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the 200D has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on eBay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the 200D was succeeded by the Canon 250D. 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 conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon 200D better than the Canon 77D or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 200D:

• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.54x vs 0.51x).
• More compact: Is smaller (122x93mm vs 131x100mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 87g or 16 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (39 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 4 months after the 77D).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 77D:

• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2017).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 200D comes out slightly ahead of the 77D (5 : 4 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 wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 200D and the Canon 77D 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 200D or the 77D 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.

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 200D»	+ +	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	-		Canon 200D
	Canon 77D«	-	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899			Canon 77D
	Canon 250D« »	o	79/100	4/5	-	4/5	Apr 2019	599			Canon 250D
	Canon 2000D« »	o	-	3.5/5	-	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449			Canon 2000D
	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« »	+	-	4/5	-	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499			Canon M100
	Canon M5« »	+	82/100	4/5	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2016	979			Canon M5
	Canon 750D« »	-	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	-		Canon 750D
	Canon 760D« »	+	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	-		Canon 760D
	Canon 100D« »	+	78/100	4/5	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	-		Canon 100D
	Nikon D3400« »	+	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	499	-		Nikon D3400
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (-) not available.

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. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. 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? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

Specifications: Canon 200D vs Canon 77D

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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