Canon 450D vs 850D

The Canon EOS 450D (called Canon XSi in some regions) and the Canon EOS 850D (labelled Canon T8i in some countries) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2008 and February 2020. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 450D has a resolution of 12.2 megapixels, whereas the 850D 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 450D		Canon 850D
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
12.2 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video		4K/24p Video
ISO 100-1,600		ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
3.5 shutter flaps per second		7.5 shutter flaps per second
500 shots per battery charge		800 shots per battery charge
129 x 98 x 62 mm, 524 g		131 x 103 x 76 mm, 515 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 450D and the Canon EOS 850D? 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 450D and the Canon 850D is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear 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 850D is notably larger (7 percent) than the Canon 450D. However, the 850D is slightly lighter (2 percent) than the 450D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 450D nor the 850D 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 450D gets 500 shots out of its Canon LP-E5 battery, while the 850D can take 800 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E17 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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 450D	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	524 g	500	n	Jan 2008	799	ebay.com
2.		Canon 850D	131 mm	103 mm	76 mm	515 g	800	n	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
3.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon 250D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
5.		Canon 400D	127 mm	84 mm	65 mm	556 g	370	n	Aug 2006	799	ebay.com
6.		Canon 500D	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
7.		Canon 650D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
8.		Canon 750D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
9.		Canon 760D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
10.		Canon 800D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
11.		Canon 1000D	126 mm	98 mm	65 mm	502 g	500	n	Jun 2008	449	ebay.com
12.		Canon 1100D	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	495 g	700	n	Feb 2011	449	ebay.com
13.		Canon G1 X	117 mm	81 mm	65 mm	534 g	250	n	Jan 2012	799	ebay.com
14.		Canon G1 X Mark II	116 mm	74 mm	66 mm	553 g	240	n	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D5000	127 mm	104 mm	80 mm	590 g	510	n	Apr 2009	749	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

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 850D was somewhat cheaper (by 6 percent) than the 450D at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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. 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 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, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the 850D 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 850D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the 450D (DIGIC 3), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 24MP, the 850D offers a higher resolution than the 450D (12.2MP), but the 850D has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 5.19μm for the 450D). Yet, the 850D is a much more recent model (by 12 years) than the 450D, 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 850D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 850D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 450D are 21.4 x 14.2 inches or 54.3 x 36.2 cm for good quality, 17.1 x 11.4 inches or 43.4 x 28.9 cm for very good quality, and 14.2 x 9.5 inches or 36.2 x 24.1 cm for excellent quality prints.

The 850D has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS 450D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 850D are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

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.

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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-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 450D	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	none	21.9	10.8	692	61
2.		Canon 850D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.5	1873	83
3.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
4.		Canon 250D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
5.		Canon 400D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.0	664	62
6.		Canon 500D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	1080/20p	21.7	11.5	663	63
7.		Canon 650D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
8.		Canon 750D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
9.		Canon 760D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
10.		Canon 800D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
11.		Canon 1000D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.0	10.9	719	62
12.		Canon 1100D	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	720/30p	21.9	11.0	755	62
13.		Canon G1 X	1.5-inch	14.2	4352	3264	1080/24p	21.7	10.8	644	60
14.		Canon G1 X Mark II	1.5-inch	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	21.5	10.8	581	58
15.		Nikon D5000	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	868	72
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The 850D indeed provides for movie recording, while the 450D does not. The highest resolution format that the 850D can use is 4K/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 450D and the 850D 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 450D has a higher magnification than the one of the 850D (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 following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 450D, the Canon 850D, and comparable 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 450D	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
2.		Canon 850D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.5/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 250D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 400D	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 500D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.4/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 650D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 750D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 760D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 800D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon 1000D	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon 1100D	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon G1 X	optical	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/4000s	1.9/s	Y	Y
14.		Canon G1 X Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	5.2/s	Y	Y
15.		Nikon D5000	optical	n	2.7 / 230	full-flex	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The 850D has a touchscreen, while the 450D has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The Canon 850D 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.

The 450D writes its imaging data to SDHC cards, while the 850D uses SDXC cards. The 850D supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the 450D cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD 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 450D and Canon EOS 850D 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 450D	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon 850D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon 250D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon 400D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 500D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 650D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 750D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon 760D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon 800D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Canon 1000D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon 1100D	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon G1 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Canon G1 X Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Nikon D5000	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the 850D offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the 450D does not provide wifi capability.

Both the 450D and the 850D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 450D was replaced by the Canon 500D, while the 850D does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the 450D and 850D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 450D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 850D Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Canon 450D better than the Canon 850D or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 450D:

• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.54x vs 0.51x).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in January 2008).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 850D:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 12.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 40%.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 8 vs DIGIC 3).
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 4K/24p video.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 230k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7.5 vs 3.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (800 versus 500) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 12 years of technical progress since the 450D launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 850D is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 2 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 450D and the Canon 850D 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the 450D and the 850D in practical situations. 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 hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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 450D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	799	ebay.com
2.		Canon 850D	4/5	+	3/5	80/100	4/5	3.5/5	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
3.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon 250D	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
5.		Canon 400D	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	4/5	Aug 2006	799	ebay.com
6.		Canon 500D	..	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
7.		Canon 650D	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
8.		Canon 750D	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
9.		Canon 760D	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
10.		Canon 800D	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
11.		Canon 1000D	..	82/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2008	449	ebay.com
12.		Canon 1100D	..	80/100	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	449	ebay.com
13.		Canon G1 X	5/5	+	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	799	ebay.com
14.		Canon G1 X Mark II	3/5	+	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D5000	..	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2009	749	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated 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 comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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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 make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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