Canon G16 vs SL2

The Canon PowerShot G16 and the Canon EOS Rebel SL2 (labelled Canon 200D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2013 and June 2017. The G16 is a fixed lens compact, while the SL2 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a 1/1.7-inch (G16) and an APS-C (SL2) sensor. The G16 has a resolution of 12 megapixels, whereas the SL2 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 G16		Canon SL2
Fixed lens compact camera		Digital single lens reflex
28-140mm f/1.8-2.8		Canon EF mount lenses
12 MP – 1/1.7" sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 80-12,800		ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
2.2 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
360 shots per battery charge		650 shots per battery charge
109 x 76 x 40 mm, 356 g		122 x 93 x 70 mm, 453 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot G16 and the Canon EOS Rebel SL2? 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

The physical size and weight of the Canon G16 and the Canon SL2 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The SL2 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the G16 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 Canon SL2 is notably larger (37 percent) than the Canon G16. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the G16 nor the SL2 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the G16 has a lens built in, whereas the SL2 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the SL2 and their specifications in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the G16 gets 360 shots out of its Canon NB-10L battery, while the SL2 can take 650 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E17 power pack.

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	Street Price
1.		Canon G16	109 mm	76 mm	40 mm	356 g	360	n	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
2.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
3.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
4.		Canon G1 X	117 mm	81 mm	65 mm	534 g	250	n	Jan 2012	US$ 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon G1 X Mark II	116 mm	74 mm	66 mm	553 g	240	n	Feb 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
6.		Canon G12	112 mm	76 mm	48 mm	401 g	370	n	Sep 2010	US$ 499	ebay.com
7.		Canon G15	107 mm	76 mm	40 mm	352 g	350	n	Sep 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
9.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
10.		Canon T6	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	US$ 449	ebay.com
11.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
12.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
13.		Fujifilm X20	117 mm	70 mm	57 mm	353 g	270	n	Jan 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Fujifilm X30	119 mm	72 mm	60 mm	423 g	470	n	Aug 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Nikon P7800	119 mm	78 mm	50 mm	399 g	350	n	Sep 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX7	111 mm	68 mm	46 mm	298 g	330	n	Jul 2012	US$ 499	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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. 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 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.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon G16 features a 1/1.7-inch sensor and the Canon SL2 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the SL2 is 690 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 4.65 and 1.6. The sensor in the G16 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the SL2 offers a 3:2 aspect.

Technology-wise, the SL2 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 7) than the G16 (DIGIC 6), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 24MP, the SL2 offers a higher resolution than the G16 (12MP), but the SL2 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 1.87μm for the G16) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the SL2 is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 10 months) than the G16, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Canon SL2 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the SL2 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 G16 are 20 x 15 inches or 50.8 x 38.1 cm for good quality, 16 x 12 inches or 40.6 x 30.5 cm for very good quality, and 13.3 x 10 inches or 33.9 x 25.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The SL2 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon PowerShot G16 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS Rebel SL2 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

In terms of underlying technology, the G16 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the SL2 uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the SL2 offers substantially better image quality than the G16 (overall score 25 points higher). The advantage is based on 2.6 bits higher color depth, 1.7 EV in additional dynamic range, and 2.2 stops in additional low light sensitivity. 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 G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
2.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
3.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
4.		Canon G1 X	1.5-inch	14.2	4352	3264	1080/24p	21.7	10.8	644	60
5.		Canon G1 X Mark II	1.5-inch	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	21.5	10.8	581	58
6.		Canon G12	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	720/24p	20.4	11.2	161	47
7.		Canon G15	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	19.9	11.5	165	46
8.		Canon M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827	65
9.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
10.		Canon T6	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
11.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
12.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
13.		Fujifilm X20	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	20.1	10.9	-462	46
14.		Fujifilm X30	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	20.4	11.2	-312	49
15.		Nikon P7800	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/30p	21.2	11.7	200	54
16.		Panasonic LX7	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	1080/60p	20.7	11.7	147	50
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

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 (1080/60p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The G16 and the SL2 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 table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon G16 and Canon SL2 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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 G16	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon G1 X	optical	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/4000s	1.9/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G1 X Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	5.2/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon G12	optical	n	2.8 / 461	swivel	n	1/4000s	1.1/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon G15	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.1/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon M	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.3/s	n	n
9.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
10.		Canon T6	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Fujifilm X20	optical	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Fujifilm X30	2360	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Nikon P7800	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Panasonic LX7	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
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 SL2 has a touchscreen, while the G16 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The Canon G16 and the Canon SL2 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 G16 and the SL2 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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 PowerShot G16 and Canon EOS Rebel SL2 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 G16	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon G1 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon G1 X Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon G12	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon G15	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon M	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon T6	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Fujifilm X20	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Fujifilm X30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Nikon P7800	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Panasonic LX7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the SL2 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The G16 does not feature such a mic input.

Both the G16 and the SL2 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SL2 was replaced by the Canon SL2, while the G16 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the G16 and SL2 can be found, respectively, in the Canon G16 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon SL2 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Canon G16 better than the Canon SL2 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Canon PowerShot G16:

• Ready to shoot: Comes with a built-in lens, while the SL2 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (109x76mm vs 122x93mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the SL2).
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2013).

Advantages of the Canon EOS Rebel SL2:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 12MP), which boosts linear resolution by 44%.
• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (25 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (2.6 bits more color depth).
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (1.7 EV of extra DR).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (2.2 stops ISO advantage).
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 7 vs DIGIC 6).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 922k 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 (5 vs 2.2 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Makes it possible to change lenses and thus to use specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (650 versus 360) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 10 months of technical progress since the G16 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the SL2 is the clear winner of the contest (18 : 5 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 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon G16 and the Canon SL2 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings 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 partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the G16 or the SL2. 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	Street Price
1.		Canon G16	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
2.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
3.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
4.		Canon G1 X	5/5	+	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	US$ 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon G1 X Mark II	3/5	+	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
6.		Canon G12	4/5	+	..	73/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	US$ 499	ebay.com
7.		Canon G15	4/5	+	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon M	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
9.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
10.		Canon T6	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	US$ 449	ebay.com
11.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
12.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
13.		Fujifilm X20	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Fujifilm X30	4/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Nikon P7800	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX7	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) 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. 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.

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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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