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Canon 350D vs 500D

The Canon EOS 350D (called Canon XT in some regions) and the Canon EOS 500D (labelled Canon T1i in some countries) are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2005 and March 2009. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 350D has a resolution of 8 megapixels, whereas the 500D provides 15.1 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Canon 350D
versus
Canon 500D
Canon 350D   Canon 500D
Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
8 MP – APS-C sensor 15.1 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video 1080/20p Video
ISO 100-1,600 ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
1.8" LCD – 115k dots 3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second 3.4 shutter flaps per second
400 shots per battery charge400 shots per battery charge
127 x 94 x 64 mm, 540 g 129 x 98 x 62 mm, 520 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 350D and the Canon EOS 500D? 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.

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Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon 350D and the Canon 500D are illustrated 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The 350D can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the 500D is only available in black.

Size Canon 350D vs Canon 500D
Compare 350D versus 500D top
Comparison 350D or 500D rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 500D is notably larger (6 percent) than the Canon 350D. However, the 500D is slightly lighter (4 percent) than the 350D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 350D nor the 500D 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 adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon 350D 127 mm 94 mm 64 mm 540 g 400 n Feb 2005 899ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 500D 129 mm 98 mm 62 mm 520 g 400 n Mar 2009 799ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 77D 131 mm 100 mm 76 mm 540 g 600 n Feb 2017 899ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 750D 132 mm 101 mm 78 mm 555 g 440 n Feb 2015 749ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 760D 132 mm 101 mm 78 mm 565 g 440 n Feb 2015 649ebay.com
6.
 
Canon G1 X Mark II 116 mm 74 mm 66 mm 553 g 240 n Feb 2014 799ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 650D 133 mm 100 mm 79 mm 575 g 440 n Jun 2012 849ebay.com
8.
 
Canon G1 X 117 mm 81 mm 65 mm 534 g 250 n Jan 2012 799ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 550D 129 mm 98 mm 62 mm 530 g 440 n Feb 2010 699ebay.com
10.
 
Canon 450D 129 mm 98 mm 62 mm 524 g 500 n Jan 2008 799ebay.com
11.
 
Canon 30D 144 mm 106 mm 74 mm 785 g 750 n Feb 2006 1,399ebay.com
12.
 
Canon 400D 127 mm 84 mm 65 mm 556 g 370 n Aug 2006 799ebay.com
13.
 
Canon 20D 144 mm 106 mm 72 mm 770 g 700 n Aug 2004 1,499ebay.com
14.
 
Canon 300D 142 mm 99 mm 72 mm 649 g 400 n Aug 2003 899ebay.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 listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 500D was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 11 percent) than the 350D, 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the 500D is 1 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the 500D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 4) than the 350D (DIGIC II), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Canon 350D and Canon 500D sensor measures

With 15.1MP, the 500D offers a higher resolution than the 350D (8MP), but the 500D has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.69μm versus 6.41μm for the 350D). Yet, the 500D is a much more recent model (by 4 years and 1 month) than the 350D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 500D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 500D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23.8 x 15.8 inches or 60.4 x 40.2 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 19 x 12.7 inches or 48.3 x 32.2 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.8 x 10.6 inches or 40.2 x 26.8 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 350D are 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm for good quality, 13.8 x 9.2 inches or 35.1 x 23.4 cm for very good quality, and 11.5 x 7.7 inches or 29.3 x 19.5 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 350D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 500D are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-12800.

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.

350D versus 500D MP

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. 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.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Canon 350D APS-C 8.0 3456 2304none21.810.863760
2.
 
Canon 500D APS-C 15.1 4752 31681080/20p21.711.566363
3.
 
Canon 77D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.613.397178
4.
 
Canon 750D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.712.091971
5.
 
Canon 760D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.612.091570
6.
 
Canon G1 X Mark II 1.5-inch 13.0 4160 31201080/30p21.510.858158
7.
 
Canon 650D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.711.272262
8.
 
Canon G1 X 1.5-inch 14.2 4352 32641080/24p21.710.864460
9.
 
Canon 550D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.111.578466
10.
 
Canon 450D APS-C 12.2 4272 2848none21.910.869261
11.
 
Canon 30D APS-C 8.2 3504 2336none21.510.873659
12.
 
Canon 400D APS-C 10.1 3888 2592none22.111.066462
13.
 
Canon 20D APS-C 8.2 3504 2336none21.911.072162
14.
 
Canon 300D APS-C 6.3 3072 2048none21.010.854455
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Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The 500D indeed provides for movie recording, while the 350D does not. The highest resolution format that the 500D can use is 1080/20p.

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Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 350D and the 500D 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 500D has a higher magnification than the one of the 350D (0.54x vs 0.49x), 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 350D and Canon 500D along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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Core Features
# image 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 350Doptical n1.8 / 115 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
2.
 
Canon 500Doptical n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 3.4/s Y n
3.
 
Canon 77Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
4.
 
Canon 750Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
5.
 
Canon 760Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
6.
 
Canon G1 X Mark IIoptional n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 5.2/s Y Y
7.
 
Canon 650Doptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
8.
 
Canon G1 Xoptical n3.0 / 922 swivel n 1/4000s 1.9/s Y Y
9.
 
Canon 550Doptical n3.0 / 1040 fixed n 1/4000s 3.7/s Y n
10.
 
Canon 450Doptical n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
11.
 
Canon 30Doptical Y2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y n
12.
 
Canon 400Doptical n2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
13.
 
Canon 20Doptical Y1.8 / 118 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y n
14.
 
Canon 300Doptical n1.8 / 118 fixed n 1/4000s 2.5/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
padding

The 350D writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the 500D uses SDHC cards.

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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 350D and Canon EOS 500D and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Canon 350DY- / ----2.0---
2.
 
Canon 500DYmono / mono--mini2.0---
3.
 
Canon 77DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
4.
 
Canon 750DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
5.
 
Canon 760DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
6.
 
Canon G1 X Mark IIYstereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
7.
 
Canon 650DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
8.
 
Canon G1 XYstereo / mono--mini2.0---
9.
 
Canon 550DYstereo / -Y-mini2.0---
10.
 
Canon 450DY- / ---mini2.0---
11.
 
Canon 30DY- / ----2.0---
12.
 
Canon 400DY- / ----2.0---
13.
 
Canon 20DY- / ----1.1---
14.
 
Canon 300DY- / ----1.1---
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Both the 350D and the 500D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 350D was replaced by the Canon 400D, while the 500D was followed by the Canon 550D. Further information on the features and operation of the 350D and 500D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 350D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 500D Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 350D or the Canon 500D – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.


Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 350D:

  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2005).


Advantages of the Canon EOS 500D:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (15.1 vs 8MP), which boosts linear resolution by 37%.
  • More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (0.7 EV of extra DR).
  • Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 4 vs DIGIC II).
  • Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/20p video.
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.54x vs 0.49x).
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (920k vs 115k dots).
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (3.4 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (11 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Reflects 4 years and 1 month of technical progress since the 350D launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 500D is the clear winner of the contest (10 : 1 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.

350D 01:10 500D

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 350D and the Canon 500D 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 technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 350D or the 500D. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon 350D..80/100..+ +o.. Feb 2005 899ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 500D..+ +..74/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2009 799ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 77D4.5/5..4/582/1004.5/54/5 Feb 2017 899ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 750D5/5....75/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 749ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 760D5/5+..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 649ebay.com
6.
 
Canon G1 X Mark II3/5+..77/1004/54.5/5 Feb 2014 799ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 650D4/5+ +..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2012 849ebay.com
8.
 
Canon G1 X5/5+..76/1004/54.5/5 Jan 2012 799ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 550D..+ +..77/1004/54.5/5 Feb 2010 699ebay.com
10.
 
Canon 450D..+ +..+ +4/54.5/5 Jan 2008 799ebay.com
11.
 
Canon 30D..+ +..+ +o.. Feb 2006 1,399ebay.com
12.
 
Canon 400D..+ +..+ +o4/5 Aug 2006 799ebay.com
13.
 
Canon 20D......+ +.... Aug 2004 1,499ebay.com
14.
 
Canon 300D......+ +.... Aug 2003 899ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
padding

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price 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 would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications: Canon 350D vs Canon 500D

    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.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Canon 350D Canon 500D
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Canon EF mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
    Launch Date February 2005 March 2009
    Launch Price USD 899 USD 799
    Sensor Specs Canon 350D Canon 500D
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 22.2 x 14.8 mm 22.3 x 14.9 mm
    Sensor Area 328.56 mm2 332.27 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 26.7 mm 26.8 mm
    Crop Factor 1.6x 1.6x
    Sensor Resolution 8 Megapixels 15.1 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 3456 x 2304 pixels 4752 x 3168 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 6.41 μm 4.69 μm
    Pixel Density 2.42 MP/cm2 4.53 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability no Video 1080/20p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 1,600 ISO 100 - 6,400 ISO
    ISO Boost no Enhancement 100 - 12,800 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC II DIGIC 4
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 60 63
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.8 21.7
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 10.8 11.5
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 637 663
    Screen Specs Canon 350D Canon 500D
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 95% 95%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.49x 0.54x
    LCD Framing Live View
    Rear LCD Size 1.8inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 115k dots 920k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Fixed screen
    Shooting Specs Canon 350D Canon 500D
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 3 shutter flaps/s 3.4 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy50 000 actuations100 000 actuations
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium CF cards SDHC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    Connectivity Specs Canon 350D Canon 500D
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port no HDMI mini HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi no Wifi
    Body Specs Canon 350D Canon 500D
    Battery Type Canon NB-2LH Canon LP-E5
    Battery Life (CIPA)400 shots per charge400 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 127 x 94 x 64 mm
    (5.0 x 3.7 x 2.5 in)
    129 x 98 x 62 mm
    (5.1 x 3.9 x 2.4 in)
    Camera Weight 540 g (19.0 oz) 520 g (18.3 oz)
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