Canon 650D versus Canon 7D

The Canon EOS 650D (called Canon T4i in some regions) and the Canon EOS 7D are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in June 2012 and September 2009. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 17.9 megapixel. 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 650D vs Canon 7D

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 650D and the Canon 7D. 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. If you prefer, you can also use the toggle button to switch to a comparison in percentage terms (in this case, the camera on the left – the 650D – represents the basis or 100 percent 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 Canon 7D is notably larger (24 percent) than the Canon 650D. Moreover, the 7D is substantially heavier (50 percent) than the 650D. It is noteworthy in this context that the 7D is splash and dust-proof, while the 650D 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. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can find an overview of suitable optics in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 650D gets 440 shots out of its LP-E8 battery, while the 7D can take 800 images on a single charge of its LP-E6 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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 650D»	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849	-		Canon 650D
	Canon 7D«	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	1,699	-		Canon 7D
	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	849	-		Canon 760D
	Canon 1200D« »	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449	-		Canon 1200D
	Canon 7D II« »	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	1,799			Canon 7D II
	Canon 100D« »	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	-		Canon 100D
	Canon 700D« »	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649	-		Canon 700D
	Canon 70D« »	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	1,199	-		Canon 70D
	Canon G1 X« »	117 mm	81 mm	65 mm	534 g	250	n	Jan 2012	799	-		Canon G1 X
	Canon 600D« »	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	599	-		Canon 600D
	Canon 1100D« »	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	495 g	700	n	Feb 2011	449	-		Canon 1100D
	Canon 60D« »	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	1,399	-		Canon 60D
	Canon 550D« »	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	530 g	440	n	Feb 2010	699	-		Canon 550D
	Canon 500D« »	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	799	-		Canon 500D
	Canon 5D Mark II« »	152 mm	114 mm	75 mm	850 g	850	Y	Sep 2008	3,499	-		Canon 5D Mark II
	Canon 50D« »	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	800	Y	Aug 2008	1,299	-		Canon 50D
Convert to Imperial

The camera’s price is obviously a critical decision-making factor. 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 650D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 50 percent) than the 7D, 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 650D vs Canon 7D

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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 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 17.9 megapixel. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the 650D and the 7D have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the 650D is much more recent (by 2 years and 9 months) than the 7D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the 7D has a markedly higher DXO score than the 650D (overall score 4 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 0.3 bits higher color depth, 0.5 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.2 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/30p).

Feature comparison: Canon 650D vs Canon 7D

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 650D and the 7D 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 650D and Canon 7D along with similar information for a selection of comparators. If you need more detail on the specs, you can find comprehensive listings, for example, in the dpreview camera hub.

Both the 650D and the 7D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on eBay. The 7D was replaced by the Canon 7D Mark II, while the 650D was followed by the Canon 700D.

Review summary: Canon 650D vs Canon 7D

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 650D or the Canon 7D – has the upper hand? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 650D:

• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 920k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• More compact: Is smaller (133x100mm vs 148x111mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 285g or 33 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (50 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 9 months of technical progress since the 7D launch.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 7D:

• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (4 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Easier setting verification: Has a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (8000/sec vs 4000/sec) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (800 versus 440) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2009).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the match-up finishes in a tie (7 points each). 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 650D or the 7D. 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. This is why expert reviews 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). You can find the full text of the reviews 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 650D»	HiRec	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	-		Canon 650D
	Canon 7D«	HiRec	84/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	1,699	-		Canon 7D
	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
	Canon 7D II« »	Rec	84/100	4/5	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	1,799			Canon 7D II
	Canon 100D« »	Rec	78/100	4/5	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	-		Canon 100D
	Canon 700D« »	-	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	-		Canon 700D
	Canon 70D« »	HiRec	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	1,199	-		Canon 70D
	Canon G1 X« »	Rec	76/100	4/5	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	799	-		Canon G1 X
	Canon 600D« »	rev	77/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	599	-		Canon 600D
	Canon 1100D« »	80/100	69/100	4/5	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	449	-		Canon 1100D
	Canon 60D« »	Rec	79/100	4/5	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	1,399	-		Canon 60D
	Canon 550D« »	HiRec	77/100	4/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	699	-		Canon 550D
	Canon 500D« »	HiRec	74/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	799	-		Canon 500D
	Canon 5D Mark II« »	91/100	79/100	4/5	5/5	-	Sep 2008	3,499	-		Canon 5D Mark II
	Canon 50D« »	HiRec	HiRec	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	1,299	-		Canon 50D

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when refering 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 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.

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 a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored. If you cannot find the camera you are interested in, please send me an email, and I will try to add information on that model to the database.

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