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Canon 70D vs 90D

The Canon EOS 70D and the Canon EOS 90D are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in July 2013 and August 2019. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 70D has a resolution of 20 megapixels, whereas the 90D provides 32.3 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Canon 70D
versus
Canon 90D
Canon 70D   Canon 90D
Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
20 MP – APS-C sensor 32.3 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600) ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)
Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots 3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Swivel touchscreen Swivel touchscreen
7 shutter flaps per second 11 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
920 shots per battery charge1300 shots per battery charge
139 x 104 x 79 mm, 755 g 141 x 105 x 77 mm, 701 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 70D and the Canon EOS 90D? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 70D and the Canon 90D. 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 measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Canon 70D vs Canon 90D
Compare 70D versus 90D top
Comparison 70D or 90D rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 90D is somewhat larger (2 percent) than the Canon 70D. However, the 90D is markedly lighter (7 percent) than the 70D. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

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 70D gets 920 shots out of its Canon LP-E6 battery, while the 90D can take 1300 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6N 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, 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 70D 139 mm 104 mm 79 mm 755 g 920 Y Jul 2013 1,199ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 90D 141 mm 105 mm 77 mm 701 g 1300 Y Aug 2019 1,199 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon 80D 139 mm 105 mm 79 mm 730 g 960 Y Feb 2016 1,199ebay.com
4.
 
Canon G3 X 123 mm 77 mm 105 mm 733 g 300 Y Jun 2015 999ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 7D II 149 mm 112 mm 78 mm 910 g 670 Y Sep 2014 1,799ebay.com
6.
 
Canon T5 130 mm 100 mm 78 mm 480 g 500 n Feb 2014 449ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 6D 145 mm 111 mm 71 mm 770 g 1090 Y Sep 2012 2,099ebay.com
8.
 
Canon 60D 145 mm 106 mm 79 mm 755 g 1100 Y Aug 2010 1,399ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 7D 148 mm 111 mm 74 mm 860 g 800 Y Sep 2009 1,699ebay.com
10.
 
Canon 50D 146 mm 108 mm 74 mm 822 g 800 Y Aug 2008 1,299ebay.com
11.
 
Canon 40D 146 mm 108 mm 74 mm 822 g 750 n Aug 2007 1,299ebay.com
12.
 
Nikon D7100 136 mm 107 mm 76 mm 765 g 950 Y Feb 2013 1,199ebay.com
13.
 
Sony RX10 129 mm 88 mm 102 mm 813 g 420 Y Oct 2013 1,299ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
padding

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. 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 two cameras under review were launched at the same price and fall into the same market segment. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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 generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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.

Technology-wise, the 90D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the 70D (DIGIC 5+), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Canon 70D and Canon 90D sensor measures

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the 90D offers a higher resolution of 32.3 megapixels, compared with 20 MP of the 70D. This megapixels advantage translates into a 27 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the 90D has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.23μm versus 4.11μm for the 70D). However, it should be noted that the 90D is much more recent (by 6 years and 1 month) than the 70D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 90D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 90D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 34.8 x 23.2 inches or 88.4 x 58.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 23.2 x 15.5 inches or 58.9 x 39.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 70D are 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm for good quality, 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm for very good quality, and 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 70D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 90D 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.

70D versus 90D 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 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 70D APS-C 20.0 5472 36481080/30p22.511.692668
2.
 
Canon 90D APS-C 32.3 6960 46404K/30p24.013.5184883
3.
 
Canon 80D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.613.2113579
4.
 
Canon G3 X 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p21.412.352163
5.
 
Canon 7D II APS-C 20.0 5472 36481080/60p22.411.8108270
6.
 
Canon T5 APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.911.372463
7.
 
Canon 6D Full Frame 20.0 5472 36481080/30p23.812.1234082
8.
 
Canon 60D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.211.581366
9.
 
Canon 7D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.011.785466
10.
 
Canon 50D APS-C 15.1 4752 3168none21.811.469663
11.
 
Canon 40D APS-C 10.1 3888 2592none22.111.370364
12.
 
Nikon D7100 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.213.7125683
13.
 
Sony RX10 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p22.912.647469
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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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, but the 90D provides a better video resolution than the 70D. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the 70D is limited to 1080/30p.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 70D and the 90D 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 magnification (0.59x), but the one in the 90D has a wider field of view (100%) than the finder in the 70D (98%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 70D and Canon 90D in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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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 70Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 7.0/s Y n
2.
 
Canon 90Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 11.0/s Y n
3.
 
Canon 80Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 7.0/s Y n
4.
 
Canon G3 Xoptional n3.2 / 1620 tilting Y 1/2000s 5.9/s Y Y
5.
 
Canon 7D IIoptical Y3.0 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 10.0/s Y n
6.
 
Canon T5optical n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
7.
 
Canon 6Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 fixed n 1/4000s 4.5/s n n
8.
 
Canon 60Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel n 1/8000s 5.3/s Y n
9.
 
Canon 7Doptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 8.0/s Y n
10.
 
Canon 50Doptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 6.3/s Y n
11.
 
Canon 40Doptical Y3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 6.5/s Y n
12.
 
Nikon D7100optical Y3.2 / 1229 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
13.
 
Sony RX101440 Y3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/3200s 10.0/s Y Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
padding
Both cameras have an articulated rear screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This feature will be particularly appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the 90D is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon 90D 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 70D and the 90D write their files to SDXC cards. The 90D supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the 70D can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

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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 70D and Canon EOS 90D 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 70DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
2.
 
Canon 90DYstereo / monoYYmini2.0Y-Y
3.
 
Canon 80DYstereo / monoYYmini2.0YY-
4.
 
Canon G3 XYstereo / monoYYmini2.0YY-
5.
 
Canon 7D IIYstereo / monoYYmini3.0---
6.
 
Canon T5Ymono / mono--mini2.0---
7.
 
Canon 6DYmono / monoY-mini2.0Y--
8.
 
Canon 60DYmono / monoY-mini2.0---
9.
 
Canon 7DYmono / -Y-mini2.0---
10.
 
Canon 50DY- / ---mini2.0---
11.
 
Canon 40DY- / ----2.0---
12.
 
Nikon D7100Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0---
13.
 
Sony RX10Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
padding

It is notable that the 90D has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The 70D lacks such a headphone port.

The 90D is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the 70D has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the 70D was succeeded by the Canon 80D. Further information on the features and operation of the 70D and 90D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 70D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 90D Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 70D and the Canon 90D? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.


Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 70D:

  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in July 2013).


Advantages of the Canon EOS 90D:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (32.3 vs 20MP), which boosts linear resolution by 27%.
  • Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 8 vs DIGIC 5+).
  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
  • Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
  • More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 98%).
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1300 versus 920) out of a single battery charge.
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
  • More modern: Reflects 6 years and 1 month of technical progress since the 70D launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 90D is the clear winner of the contest (13 : 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.

70D 01:13 90D

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 70D and the Canon 90D 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 70D or the 90D perform in practice. 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.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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 70D5/5+ +..83/1004.5/55/5 Jul 2013 1,199ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 90D4/5+4.5/585/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2019 1,199 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon 80D4/5+ +4.5/584/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2016 1,199ebay.com
4.
 
Canon G3 X3.5/5+....4.5/54/5 Jun 2015 999ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 7D II4.5/5+3.5/584/1004/54.5/5 Sep 2014 1,799ebay.com
6.
 
Canon T53/5+....4/54.5/5 Feb 2014 449ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 6D5/5+ +..83/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 2,099ebay.com
8.
 
Canon 60D5/5+..79/1004/54.5/5 Aug 2010 1,399ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 7D5/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2009 1,699ebay.com
10.
 
Canon 50D..+ +..+ +4.5/54.5/5 Aug 2008 1,299ebay.com
11.
 
Canon 40D..+ +..+ +4.5/54.5/5 Aug 2007 1,299ebay.com
12.
 
Nikon D71005/5+ +..85/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2013 1,199ebay.com
13.
 
Sony RX105/5+..80/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2013 1,299ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
padding

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. 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. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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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. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications: Canon 70D vs Canon 90D

    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 70D Canon 90D
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Canon EF mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
    Launch Date July 2013 August 2019
    Launch Price USD 1,199 USD 1,199
    Sensor Specs Canon 70D Canon 90D
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 22.5 x 15.0 mm 22.5 x 15.0 mm
    Sensor Area 337.5 mm2 337.5 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 27 mm 27 mm
    Crop Factor 1.6x 1.6x
    Sensor Resolution 20 Megapixels 32.3 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5472 x 3648 pixels 6960 x 4640 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.11 μm 3.23 μm
    Pixel Density 5.91 MP/cm2 9.57 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/30p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 12,800 ISO 100 - 25,600 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 25,600 ISO 100 - 51,200 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC 5+ DIGIC 8
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 68 ..
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 22.5 ..
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 11.6 ..
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 926 ..
    Screen Specs Canon 70D Canon 90D
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 98% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.59x 0.59x
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 1040k dots 1040k dots
    LCD Attachment Swivel screen Swivel screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Canon 70D Canon 90D
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 7 shutter flaps/s 11 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations100 000 actuations
    Electronic Shutterno E-Shutterup to 1/16000s
    Time-Lapse Photographyno IntervalometerIntervalometer built-in
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I UHS-II
    Connectivity Specs Canon 70D Canon 90D
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket no Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Bluetooth Support no Bluetooth Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Canon 70D Canon 90D
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Canon LP-E6 Canon LP-E6N
    Battery Life (CIPA)920 shots per charge1300 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 139 x 104 x 79 mm
    (5.5 x 4.1 x 3.1 in)
    141 x 105 x 77 mm
    (5.6 x 4.1 x 3.0 in)
    Camera Weight 755 g (26.6 oz) 701 g (24.7 oz)
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