Canon SL1 vs Rebel

The Canon EOS Rebel SL1 (called Canon 100D in some regions) and the Canon EOS Digital Rebel (labelled Canon 300D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in March 2013 and August 2003. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The SL1 has a resolution of 17.9 megapixels, whereas the Rebel provides 6.3 MP.

As their names suggest, both the Canon EOS Rebel SL1 and the Canon EOS Digital Rebel belong to Canon's Rebel line of DSLR cameras. This range of APS-C cameras, which started out with the Canon EOS Digital Rebel in 2003, has been a big commercial success and the backbone of Canon's dominance in the digital camera market. The popularity of the Rebel cameras is the result of them inheriting much of the sensor and shooting technology from earlier released professional DSLRs, while being sold at a much more budget-friendly price point. The strong brand reputation of Canon and the comprehensive EOS system of compatible lenses and accessories further contributes to the appeal of the Rebel cams, including the Canon SL1 and Canon Rebel. Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon SL1		Canon Rebel
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
17.9 MP – APS-C sensor		6.3 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		no Video
ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)		ISO 100-1,600
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		1.8" LCD – 118k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
4.9 shutter flaps per second		2.5 shutter flaps per second
380 shots per battery charge		400 shots per battery charge
117 x 91 x 69 mm, 407 g		142 x 99 x 72 mm, 649 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS Rebel SL1 and the Canon EOS Digital Rebel? 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 SL1 and the Canon Rebel is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The SL1 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the Rebel is only available in silver.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon Rebel is notably larger (32 percent) than the Canon SL1. Moreover, the Rebel is substantially heavier (59 percent) than the SL1. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SL1 nor the Rebel 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. 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 SL1 gets 380 shots out of its Canon LP-E12 battery, while the Rebel can take 400 images on a single charge of its Canon BP-511 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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 SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
2.		Canon Rebel	142 mm	99 mm	72 mm	649 g	400	n	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
3.		Canon T100	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
4.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
5.		Canon T7i	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
6.		Canon T6	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
7.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
8.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
9.		Canon T5	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
10.		Canon G16	109 mm	76 mm	40 mm	356 g	360	n	Aug 2013	549	ebay.com
11.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
12.		Canon M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
13.		Canon T4i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
14.		Canon T3i	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
15.		Canon XT	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
16.		Canon 20D	144 mm	106 mm	72 mm	770 g	700	n	Aug 2004	1,499	ebay.com
17.		Canon 10D	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	850 g	500	n	Feb 2003	1,999	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

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The SL1 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 39 percent) than the Rebel, which puts it into a different 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 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 Rebel is 3 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.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the Canon SL1 offers a higher resolution of 17.9 megapixels, compared with 6.3 MP of the Canon 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 4.31μm versus 7.38μm for the Rebel). However, it should be noted that the SL1 is much more recent (by 9 years and 7 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 SL1 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the SL1 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 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 SL1 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS Rebel SL1 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 Digital Rebel are ISO 100 to ISO 1600 (no boost).

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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). Of the two cameras under review, the SL1 has a notably higher overall DXO score than the Rebel (overall score 8 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 0.8 bits higher color depth, 0.5 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.6 stops in additional low light sensitivity. 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 SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
2.		Canon Rebel	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.0	10.8	544	55
3.		Canon T100	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
4.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
5.		Canon T7i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
6.		Canon T6	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
7.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
8.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
9.		Canon T5	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
10.		Canon G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
11.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
12.		Canon M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827	65
13.		Canon T4i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
14.		Canon T3i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
15.		Canon XT	APS-C	8.0	3456	2304	none	21.8	10.8	637	60
16.		Canon 20D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.9	11.0	721	62
17.		Canon 10D	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.1	10.9	571	57
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. The SL1 indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the Rebel does not. The highest resolution format that the SL1 can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The SL1 and the Rebel 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 field of view (95%), but the viewfinder of the Rebel has a higher magnification than the one of the SL1 (0.55x vs 0.54x), 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 SL1 and Canon Rebel 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)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
2.		Canon Rebel	optical	n	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
3.		Canon T100	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon T7i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon T6	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
8.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon T5	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon G16	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon M	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.3/s	n	n
13.		Canon T4i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon T3i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
15.		Canon XT	optical	n	1.8 / 115	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
16.		Canon 20D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
17.		Canon 10D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/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 SL1 has a touchscreen, while the Rebel has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The SL1 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the Rebel uses Compact Flash 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 Rebel SL1 and Canon EOS Digital Rebel 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 SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon Rebel	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
3.		Canon T100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon T7i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon T6	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon T5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon G16	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon M	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon T4i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Canon T3i	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Canon XT	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Canon 20D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
17.		Canon 10D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-

Both the SL1 and the Rebel have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The Rebel was replaced by the Canon XT, while the SL1 was followed by the Canon SL2. Further information on the features and operation of the SL1 and Rebel can be found, respectively, in the Canon SL1 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon Rebel Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon SL1 and the Canon Rebel? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Canon EOS Rebel SL1:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (17.9 vs 6.3MP) with a 69% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (8 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (0.6 stops ISO advantage).
• Broader imaging potential: Can record not only still images but also 1080/30p movies.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• 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).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (4.9 vs 2.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (117x91mm vs 142x99mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 242g or 37 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (2.0 vs 1.1).
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (39 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 9 years and 7 months of technical progress since the Rebel launch.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS Digital Rebel:

• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.55x vs 0.54x).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in August 2003).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the SL1 is the clear winner of the match-up (14 : 2 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. 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 SL1 and the Canon Rebel 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 SL1 or the Rebel. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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 SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
2.		Canon Rebel	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
3.		Canon T100	..	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
4.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
5.		Canon T7i	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
6.		Canon T6	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
7.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
8.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
9.		Canon T5	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
10.		Canon G16	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	549	ebay.com
11.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
12.		Canon M	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
13.		Canon T4i	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
14.		Canon T3i	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
15.		Canon XT	..	80/100	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
16.		Canon 20D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2004	1,499	ebay.com
17.		Canon 10D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Feb 2003	1,999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. 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 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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