Canon Rebel vs 70D

The Canon EOS Digital Rebel (called Canon 300D in some regions) and the Canon EOS 70D are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in August 2003 and July 2013. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Rebel has a resolution of 6.3 megapixels, whereas the 70D provides 20 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon Rebel		Canon 70D
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
6.3 MP – APS-C sensor		20 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-1,600		ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
1.8" LCD – 118k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
2.5 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
400 shots per battery charge		920 shots per battery charge
142 x 99 x 72 mm, 649 g		139 x 104 x 79 mm, 755 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS Digital Rebel and the Canon EOS 70D? 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 side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon Rebel and the Canon 70D. 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 width, height and depth 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 70D is somewhat larger (3 percent) than the Canon Rebel. Moreover, the 70D is markedly heavier (16 percent) than the Rebel. It is noteworthy in this context that the 70D is splash and dust-proof, while the Rebel 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 compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the Rebel gets 400 shots out of its Canon BP-511 battery, while the 70D can take 920 images on a single charge of its Canon 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 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 Rebel	142 mm	99 mm	72 mm	649 g	400	n	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
2.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.com
3.		Canon 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
4.		Canon 10D	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	850 g	500	n	Feb 2003	1,999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 20D	144 mm	106 mm	72 mm	770 g	700	n	Aug 2004	1,499	ebay.com
6.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	1,399	ebay.com
7.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
8.		Canon G3 X	123 mm	77 mm	105 mm	733 g	300	Y	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
9.		Canon T1i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
10.		Canon T3i	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
11.		Canon T4i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
12.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
13.		Canon T7i	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
14.		Canon XT	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
15.		Canon XTi	127 mm	84 mm	65 mm	556 g	370	n	Aug 2006	799	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D70	140 mm	111 mm	78 mm	679 g	400	n	Jan 2004	999	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D7100	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	950	Y	Feb 2013	1,199	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 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 Rebel was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 25 percent) than the 70D, 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. 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. 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 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 70D is 1 percent smaller. 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.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the 70D offers a higher resolution of 20 megapixels, compared with 6.3 MP of the Rebel. 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 4.11μm versus 7.38μm for the Rebel). However, it should be noted that the 70D is much more recent (by 9 years and 10 months) than the Rebel, 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 70D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 70D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon Rebel are 15.4 x 10.2 inches or 39 x 26 cm for good quality, 12.3 x 8.2 inches or 31.2 x 20.8 cm for very good quality, and 10.2 x 6.8 inches or 26 x 17.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The 70D has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS Digital Rebel has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 70D are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

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. Of the two cameras under consideration, the 70D offers substantially better image quality than the Rebel (overall score 13 points higher). The advantage is based on 1.5 bits higher color depth, 0.8 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.8 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 Rebel	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.0	10.8	544	55
2.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
3.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
4.		Canon 10D	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.1	10.9	571	57
5.		Canon 20D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.9	11.0	721	62
6.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
7.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
8.		Canon G3 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	521	63
9.		Canon T1i	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	1080/20p	21.7	11.5	663	63
10.		Canon T3i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
11.		Canon T4i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
12.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
13.		Canon T7i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
14.		Canon XT	APS-C	8.0	3456	2304	none	21.8	10.8	637	60
15.		Canon XTi	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.0	664	62
16.		Nikon D70	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.4	10.3	529	50
17.		Nikon D7100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.7	1256	83
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. The 70D indeed provides for movie recording, while the Rebel does not. The highest resolution format that the 70D can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The Rebel and the 70D 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 viewfinder in the 70D offers a wider field of view (98%) than the one in the Rebel (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the 70D has a higher magnification (0.59x vs 0.55x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon Rebel, the Canon 70D, and comparable 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 Rebel	optical	n	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
2.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 10D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 20D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon G3 X	optional	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon T1i	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.4/s	Y	n
10.		Canon T3i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
11.		Canon T4i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon T7i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon XT	optical	n	1.8 / 115	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon XTi	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon D70	optical	n	1.8 / 130	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	Y	n
17.		Nikon D7100	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	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 70D has a touchscreen, while the Rebel has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The Rebel writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the 70D uses SDXC 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 Digital Rebel and Canon EOS 70D 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 Rebel	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
2.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 10D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
5.		Canon 20D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
6.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon G3 X	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon T1i	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon T3i	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon T4i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Canon T7i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Canon XT	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Canon XTi	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Nikon D70	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.0	-	-	-
17.		Nikon D7100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the 70D offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the Rebel does not provide wifi capability.

Both the Rebel and the 70D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The Rebel was replaced by the Canon XT, while the 70D was followed by the Canon 80D. Further information on the features and operation of the Rebel and 70D can be found, respectively, in the Canon Rebel Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 70D Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon Rebel or the Canon 70D – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS Digital Rebel:

• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 106g or 14 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (25 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2003).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 70D:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20 vs 6.3MP), which boosts linear resolution by 78%.
• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (13 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (1.5 bits more color depth).
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (0.8 EV of extra DR).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (0.8 stops ISO advantage).
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/30p video.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (98% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.59x vs 0.55x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 118k 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 shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 2.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (920 versus 400) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (2.0 vs 1.1).
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• More modern: Reflects 9 years and 10 months of technical progress since the Rebel launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 70D is the clear winner of the contest (22 : 3 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 wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 Rebel and the Canon 70D 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 partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the Rebel or the 70D. 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 adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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 Rebel	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
2.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.com
3.		Canon 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
4.		Canon 10D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Feb 2003	1,999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 20D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2004	1,499	ebay.com
6.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	1,399	ebay.com
7.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
8.		Canon G3 X	3.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
9.		Canon T1i	..	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
10.		Canon T3i	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
11.		Canon T4i	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
12.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
13.		Canon T7i	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
14.		Canon XT	..	80/100	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
15.		Canon XTi	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	4/5	Aug 2006	799	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D70	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Jan 2004	999	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D7100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, 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. 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 would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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