Canon 80D vs Fujifilm X-T2

The Canon EOS 80D and the Fujifilm X-T2 are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2016 and July 2016. The 80D is a DSLR, while the X-T2 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras 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 80D		Fujifilm X-T2
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF mount lenses		Fujifilm X mount lenses
24 MP, APS-C Sensor		24 MP, APS-C Sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-16,000 (100 - 25,600)		ISO 200-12,800 (100 - 51,200)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0 LCD, 1040k dots		3.0 LCD, 1040k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting screen (not touch-sensitive)
7 shutter flaps per second		8 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
960 shots per battery charge		340 shots per battery charge
139 x 105 x 79 mm, 730 g		133 x 92 x 49 mm, 507 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 80D and the Fujifilm X-T2? 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 80D and the Fujifilm X-T2 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 dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The X-T2 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the 80D 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 Fujifilm X-T2 is notably smaller (16 percent) than the Canon 80D. Moreover, the X-T2 is markedly lighter (31 percent) than the 80D. 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. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (80D) and the Fujinon X Lens Catalog (X-T2). Mirrorless cameras, such as the X-T2, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.

Concerning battery life, the 80D gets 960 shots out of its LP-E6N battery, while the X-T2 can take 340 images on a single charge of its NP-W126S power pack. The power pack in the X-T2 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

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 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	1,199
2.		Fujifilm X-T2	133 mm	92 mm	49 mm	507 g	340	Y	Jul 2016	1,599
3.		Canon 90D	141 mm	105 mm	77 mm	701 g	1300	Y	Aug 2019	1,199
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999
5.		Canon G3 X	123 mm	77 mm	105 mm	733 g	300	Y	Jun 2015	999
6.		Canon T6i	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749
7.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649
8.		Canon 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	1,799
9.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	1,199
10.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	1,399
11.		Fujifilm X100V	128 mm	75 mm	53 mm	478 g	420	Y	Feb 2020	1,399
12.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	497 g	440	Y	Oct 2019	1,799
13.		Fujifilm X-T3	133 mm	93 mm	59 mm	539 g	390	Y	Sep 2018	1,499
14.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	495 g	350	Y	Jan 2016	1,699
15.		Fujifilm X-T1	129 mm	90 mm	47 mm	440 g	350	Y	Jan 2014	1,299
16.		Nikon D7500	136 mm	104 mm	73 mm	720 g	950	Y	Apr 2017	1,299
17.		Nikon D7200	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	1110	Y	Mar 2015	1,199
Notes: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 80D was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 25 percent) than the X-T2, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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 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 X-T2 is 9 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.6 (80D) and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the X-T2 has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the X-T2 has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 3.92μm versus 3.75μm for the 80D), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the X-T2 is a somewhat more recent model (by 4 months) than the 80D, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the X-T2 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Canon EOS 80D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 16000, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Fujifilm X-T2 are ISO 200 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 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 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
2.		Fujifilm X-T2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
3.		Canon 90D	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
5.		Canon G3 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	521	63
6.		Canon T6i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
7.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
8.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
9.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
10.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
11.		Fujifilm X100V	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
12.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	..	..	..	..
13.		Fujifilm X-T3	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	..	..	..	..
14.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
15.		Fujifilm X-T1	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	..	..	..	..
16.		Nikon D7500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.3	14.0	1483	86
17.		Nikon D7200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.5	14.6	1333	87

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 X-T2 provides a better video resolution than the 80D. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the X-T2 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the 80D has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the X-T2 has a higher magnification than the one of the 80D (0.77x vs 0.59x), 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 80D and Fujifilm X-T2 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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)	Mech Shutter Speed	Shutter Flaps (1/sec)	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0	Y	n
2.		Fujifilm X-T2	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	n	1/8000s	8.0	n	n
3.		Canon 90D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	11.0	Y	n
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5	n	n
5.		Canon G3 X	optional	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/2000s	5.9	Y	Y
6.		Canon T6i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
7.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
8.		Canon 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0	Y	n
9.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0	Y	n
10.		Canon 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3	Y	n
11.		Fujifilm X100V	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0	Y	n
12.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0	n	n
13.		Fujifilm X-T3	3690	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/8000s	11.0	n	n
14.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0	n	n
15.		Fujifilm X-T1	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0	n	n
16.		Nikon D7500	optical	Y	3.2 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0	Y	n
17.		Nikon D7200	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0	Y	n

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The 80D has one, while the X-T2 does not. While the built-in flash of the 80D is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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 X-T2 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 80D and the Fujifilm X-T2 both have 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 80D and the X-T2 write their files to SDXC cards. The X-T2 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the 80D only has one slot. The X-T2 supports UHS-II cards (on both slots), while the 80D can use UHS-I 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 80D and Fujifilm X-T2 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 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Fujifilm X-T2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon 90D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon G3 X	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon T6i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Fujifilm X100V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
12.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	-	3.1	Y	-	Y
13.		Fujifilm X-T3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
14.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Fujifilm X-T1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Nikon D7500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Nikon D7200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the 80D has a headphone jack, which is not present on the X-T2 This port makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Fujifilm X-T2 (unlike the 80D) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 80D and the X-T2 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on eBay. The 80D was replaced by the Canon 90D, while the X-T2 was followed by the Fujifilm X-T3 . Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon and Fujifilm websites.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon 80D better than the Fujifilm X-T2 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 80D:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• More flexible LCD: Has a 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 selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (960 versus 340) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (25 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2016).

Advantages of the Fujifilm X-T2:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.77x vs 0.59x).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (133x92mm vs 139x105mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 223g or 31 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (4 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the X-T2 emerges as the winner of the match-up (15 : 12 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 80D and the Fujifilm X-T2 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 80D or the X-T2. 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 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 (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 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	1,199
2.		Fujifilm X-T2	5/5	+ +	..	86/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2016	1,599
3.		Canon 90D	4/5	+	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2019	1,199
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	1,999
5.		Canon G3 X	3.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	999
6.		Canon T6i	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749
7.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649
8.		Canon 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	1,799
9.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	1,199
10.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	1,399
11.		Fujifilm X100V	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2020	1,399
12.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4/5	..	Oct 2019	1,799
13.		Fujifilm X-T3	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2018	1,499
14.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	1,699
15.		Fujifilm X-T1	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	1,299
16.		Nikon D7500	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2017	1,299
17.		Nikon D7200	4/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2015	1,199
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, 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.

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.

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Specifications: Canon 80D vs Fujifilm X-T2

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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