Canon R10 vs T1i

The Canon EOS R10 and the Canon EOS Rebel T1i (labelled Canon 500D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in May 2022 and March 2009. The R10 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the T1i is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The R10 has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the T1i provides 15.1 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon R10		Canon T1i
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
		Canon EF mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		15.1 MP – APS-C sensor
4k/60p Video		1080/20p Video
ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
15 shutter flaps per second		3.4 shutter flaps per second
450 shots per battery charge		400 shots per battery charge
123 x 88 x 83 mm, 429 g		129 x 98 x 62 mm, 520 g

Check R10 price at
amazon.com
Check T1i offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R10 and the Canon EOS Rebel T1i? 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 R10 and the Canon T1i 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.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon T1i is notably larger (17 percent) than the Canon R10. Moreover, the T1i is markedly heavier (21 percent) than the R10. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the R10 nor the T1i 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. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the R10 gets 450 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the T1i can take 400 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E5 power pack. The power pack in the R10 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

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 R10	123 mm	88 mm	83 mm	429 g	450	n	May 2022	979	amazon.com
2.		Canon T1i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
3.		Canon 250D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
4.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	979	ebay.com
5.		Canon R8	133 mm	86 mm	70 mm	461 g	220	n	Feb 2023	1,499	amazon.com
6.		Canon R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	679	amazon.com
7.		Canon R100	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	356 g	400	n	May 2023	479	amazon.com
8.		Canon RP	133 mm	85 mm	70 mm	485 g	250	n	Feb 2019	1,299	amazon.com
9.		Canon T2i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	530 g	440	n	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
10.		Canon T4i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
11.		Canon T6	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
12.		Canon T6i	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
13.		Canon XSi	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	524 g	500	n	Jan 2008	799	ebay.com
14.		Fujifilm X-E4	121 mm	73 mm	33 mm	364 g	380	n	Jan 2021	849	amazon.com
15.		Fujifilm X-T30	118 mm	83 mm	47 mm	383 g	380	n	Feb 2019	899	ebay.com
16.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	118 mm	83 mm	47 mm	383 g	380	n	Sep 2021	899	amazon.com
17.		Nikon Z fc	135 mm	94 mm	44 mm	445 g	300	n	Jun 2021	959	amazon.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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The T1i was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 18 percent) than the R10, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and 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 T1i 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.

In terms of chip-set technology, the R10 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC X) than the T1i (DIGIC 4), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the Canon R10 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 15.1 MP of the Canon T1i. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.70μm versus 4.69μm for the T1i). However, it should be noted that the R10 is much more recent (by 13 years and 2 months) than the T1i, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

The resolution advantage of the Canon R10 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the R10 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 T1i are 23.8 x 15.8 inches or 60.4 x 40.2 cm for good quality, 19 x 12.7 inches or 48.3 x 32.2 cm for very good quality, and 15.8 x 10.6 inches or 40.2 x 26.8 cm for excellent quality prints.

The R10 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS R10 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 32000, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS Rebel T1i are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-12800.

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 table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar 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 R10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2085	84
2.		Canon T1i	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	1080/20p	21.7	11.5	663	63
3.		Canon 250D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
4.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
5.		Canon R8	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.5	14.7	3295	93
6.		Canon R50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
7.		Canon R100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/24p	24.1	13.9	2197	84
8.		Canon RP	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.3	11.9	2977	85
9.		Canon T2i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	784	66
10.		Canon T4i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
11.		Canon T6	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
12.		Canon T6i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
13.		Canon XSi	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	none	21.9	10.8	692	61
14.		Fujifilm X-E4	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.7	2085	85
15.		Fujifilm X-T30	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.1	13.5	1895	83
16.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2144	85
17.		Nikon Z fc	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2131	85
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 also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the R10 provides a higher video resolution than the T1i. It can shoot video footage at 4k/60p, while the T1i is limited to 1080/20p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the R10 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the T1i 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 viewfinder in the R10 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the T1i (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the R10 has a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.54x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon R10 and Canon T1i 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 R10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon T1i	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.4/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 250D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon R8	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon R50	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon R100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.5/s	Y	n
8.		Canon RP	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
9.		Canon T2i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
10.		Canon T4i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon T6	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon T6i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon XSi	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
14.		Fujifilm X-E4	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	n
15.		Fujifilm X-T30	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
16.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
17.		Nikon Z fc	2360	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	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 R10 has a touchscreen, while the T1i has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

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 R10 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 R10 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 R10 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the T1i uses SDHC cards. The R10 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the T1i 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 R10 and Canon EOS Rebel T1i 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 R10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon T1i	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 250D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon R8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon R50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon R100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon RP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon T2i	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon T4i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon T6	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon T6i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Canon XSi	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Fujifilm X-E4	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Fujifilm X-T30	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
16.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
17.		Nikon Z fc	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the R10 has a microphone port, which is missing on the T1i. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

The R10 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the T1i has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the T1i was succeeded by the Canon T2i. Further information on the features and operation of the R10 and T1i can be found, respectively, in the Canon R10 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon T1i Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon R10 or the Canon T1i – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS R10:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 15.1MP) with a 26% higher linear resolution.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC X vs DIGIC 4).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4k/60p vs 1080/20p).
• 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 framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.58x vs 0.54x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 920k dots).
• 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.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (15 vs 3.4 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.
• More compact: Is smaller (123x88mm vs 129x98mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 91g or 17 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (450 versus 400) on a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• 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: Supports Ultra High Speed (UHS-II) SDXC cards.
• More modern: Reflects 13 years and 2 months of technical progress since the T1i launch.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS Rebel T1i:

• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (18 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in March 2009).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the R10 is the clear winner of the match-up (25 : 3 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 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 R10 and the Canon T1i place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings 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 remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the R10 or the T1i. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

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 R10	4/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2022	979	amazon.com
2.		Canon T1i	..	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
3.		Canon 250D	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
4.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	979	ebay.com
5.		Canon R8	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2023	1,499	amazon.com
6.		Canon R50	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	679	amazon.com
7.		Canon R100	3/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	May 2023	479	amazon.com
8.		Canon RP	4/5	+	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	1,299	amazon.com
9.		Canon T2i	..	+ +	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
10.		Canon T4i	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
11.		Canon T6	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
12.		Canon T6i	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
13.		Canon XSi	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	799	ebay.com
14.		Fujifilm X-E4	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2021	849	amazon.com
15.		Fujifilm X-T30	5/5	+ +	5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	899	ebay.com
16.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	5/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2021	899	amazon.com
17.		Nikon Z fc	4/5	..	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2021	959	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted 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. 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.

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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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