Canon SX400 vs T3

The Canon PowerShot SX400 IS and the Canon EOS Rebel T3 (labelled Canon 1100D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in July 2014 and February 2011. The SX400 is a fixed lens compact, while the T3 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (SX400) and an APS-C (T3) sensor. The SX400 has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the T3 provides 12.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon SX400		Canon T3
Fixed lens compact camera		Digital single lens reflex
24-720mm f/3.4-5.8		Canon EF mount lenses
15.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		12.2 MP – APS-C sensor
720/30p Video		720/30p Video
ISO 100-1,600		ISO 100-6,400
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 230k dots		2.7" LCD – 230k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
0.8 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
190 shots per battery charge		700 shots per battery charge
104 x 69 x 80 mm, 313 g		130 x 100 x 78 mm, 495 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX400 IS and the Canon EOS Rebel T3? 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 SX400 and the Canon T3 are illustrated 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 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 T3 is considerably larger (81 percent) than the Canon SX400. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX400 nor the T3 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the SX400 has a lens built in, whereas the T3 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 T3 and their specifications in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the SX400 gets 190 shots out of its Canon NB-11LH battery, while the T3 can take 700 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E10 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	Street Price
1.		Canon SX400	104 mm	69 mm	80 mm	313 g	190	n	Jul 2014	US$ 249	ebay.com
2.		Canon T3	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	495 g	700	n	Feb 2011	US$ 449	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X	117 mm	81 mm	65 mm	534 g	250	n	Jan 2012	US$ 799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	US$ 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX410	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	185	n	Feb 2015	US$ 279	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX420	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	195	n	Jan 2016	US$ 299	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX510	104 mm	70 mm	80 mm	349 g	250	n	Aug 2013	US$ 249	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX530	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	442 g	210	n	Jan 2015	US$ 429	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX600	104 mm	61 mm	26 mm	188 g	290	n	Jan 2014	US$ 249	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX610	105 mm	61 mm	27 mm	191 g	270	n	Jan 2015	US$ 249	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX700	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	250	n	Feb 2014	US$ 349	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX710	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	230	n	Jan 2015	US$ 349	ebay.com
14.		Canon T5	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	US$ 449	ebay.com
15.		Canon T6	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	US$ 449	ebay.com
16.		Canon T100	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	US$ 399	amazon.com
17.		Canon XS	126 mm	98 mm	65 mm	502 g	500	n	Jun 2008	US$ 449	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 SX400 was launched at a lower price than the T3, despite having a lens built in. 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. 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. 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. 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon SX400 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Canon T3 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the T3 is 1054 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 1.6. The sensor in the SX400 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the T3 offers a 3:2 aspect.

In terms of chip-set technology, the SX400 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 4+) than the T3 (DIGIC 4), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Canon SX400 offers a higher resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 12.2 MP of the Canon T3. 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 1.33μm versus 5.15μm for the T3). However, it should be noted that the SX400 is much more recent (by 3 years and 5 months) than the T3, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the SX400 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Canon SX400 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the SX400 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon T3 are 21.4 x 14.2 inches or 54.3 x 36.2 cm for good quality, 17.1 x 11.4 inches or 43.4 x 28.9 cm for very good quality, and 14.2 x 9.5 inches or 36.2 x 24.1 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon PowerShot SX400 IS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS Rebel T3 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the SX400 is build around a CCD sensor, while the T3 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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon SX400	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	720/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
2.		Canon T3	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	720/30p	21.9	11.0	755	62
3.		Canon G1 X	1.5-inch	14.2	4352	3264	1080/24p	21.7	10.8	644	60
4.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
5.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
6.		Canon SX410	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.2	11.6	720	47
7.		Canon SX420	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.3	11.7	806	48
8.		Canon SX510	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/24p	20.0	11.3	586	45
9.		Canon SX530	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	712	47
10.		Canon SX600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.0	11.4	620	45
11.		Canon SX610	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	712	47
12.		Canon SX700	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
13.		Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	712	47
14.		Canon T5	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
15.		Canon T6	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
16.		Canon T100	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
17.		Canon XS	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.0	10.9	719	62
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 can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (720/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the T3 has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the SX400 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon SX400 and Canon T3 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 SX400	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/1600s	0.8/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon T3	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon G1 X	optical	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/4000s	1.9/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
6.		Canon SX410	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX420	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX510	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/1600s	3.8/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX530	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX600	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	3.9/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon SX610	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/2000s	2.5/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX700	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	8.5/s	Y	Y
13.		Canon SX710	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	6.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Canon T5	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon T6	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
16.		Canon T100	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
17.		Canon XS	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the SX400 and the T3 write their files to 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 PowerShot SX400 IS and Canon EOS Rebel T3 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 SX400	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon T3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon G1 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon SX410	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon SX420	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon SX510	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Canon SX530	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon SX600	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon SX610	-	- / -	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon SX700	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Canon SX710	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Canon T5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Canon T6	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Canon T100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Canon XS	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the T3 has a hotshoe, which makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun. The SX400 does not feature such an accessory-socket.

Both the SX400 and the T3 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The T3 was replaced by the Canon T5, while the SX400 was followed by the Canon SX410. Further information on the features and operation of the SX400 and T3 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX400 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon T3 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Canon SX400 better than the Canon T3 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon PowerShot SX400 IS:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (15.9 vs 12.2MP) with a 12% higher linear resolution.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 4+ vs DIGIC 4).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.7") for image review and settings control.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with a built-in lens, while the T3 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (104x69mm vs 130x100mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the T3).
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 5 months of technical progress since the T3 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS Rebel T3:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/1600s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (3 vs 0.8 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 (700 versus 190) out of a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2011).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the T3 emerges as the winner of the match-up (12 : 10 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 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 SX400 and the Canon T3 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best DSLR 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 SX400 or the T3. 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 hands-on reviews by experts 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 SX400	..	+	..	..	..	..	Jul 2014	US$ 249	ebay.com
2.		Canon T3	..	80/100	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	US$ 449	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X	5/5	+	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	US$ 799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	US$ 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX410	..	o	..	..	..	..	Feb 2015	US$ 279	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX420	..	..	..	..	..	3/5	Jan 2016	US$ 299	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX510	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2013	US$ 249	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX530	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2015	US$ 429	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX600	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2014	US$ 249	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX610	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2015	US$ 249	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX700	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	US$ 349	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX710	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2015	US$ 349	ebay.com
14.		Canon T5	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 449	ebay.com
15.		Canon T6	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	US$ 449	ebay.com
16.		Canon T100	..	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 399	amazon.com
17.		Canon XS	..	82/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2008	US$ 449	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated 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 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

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