Canon T4i versus Canon T7i

The Canon EOS Rebel T4i (called Canon 650D in some regions) and the Canon EOS Rebel T7i (labelled Canon 800D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in June 2012 and February 2017. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The T4i has a resolution of 17.9 megapixel, whereas the T7i provides 24 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Canon T4i vs Canon T7i

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon T4i and the Canon T7i. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter. You can also toggle the display to switch to a percentage comparison if you prefer that the measures are being expressed in relative terms (in this case, the camera on the left side – the T4i – represents the basis for the calculations across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon T7i is somewhat smaller (2 percent) than the Canon T4i. Moreover, the T7i is markedly lighter (7 percent) than the T4i. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the T4i nor the T7i 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 find an overview of suitable optics in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the T4i gets 440 shots out of its LP-E8 battery, while the T7i can take 600 images on a single charge of its LP-E17 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, just use the right or left arrows in the table to switch to the respective camera. Alternatively, you can also navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from the full list of cameras there.

Camera Body Specifications

	Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life (CIPA)	Weather Sealing (yes/no)	Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon T4i»	5.2 in	3.9 in	3.1 in	20.3 oz	440	n	Jun 2012	849	-		Canon T4i
	Canon T7i«	5.2 in	3.9 in	3.0 in	18.8 oz	600	n	Feb 2017	749			Canon T7i
	Canon 77D« »	5.2 in	3.9 in	3.0 in	19.0 oz	600	n	Feb 2017	899			Canon 77D
	Canon SL2« »	4.8 in	3.7 in	2.8 in	16.0 oz	650	n	Jun 2017	549			Canon SL2
	Canon T6i« »	5.2 in	4.0 in	3.1 in	19.6 oz	440	n	Feb 2015	749	-		Canon T6i
	Canon T6s« »	5.2 in	4.0 in	3.1 in	19.9 oz	440	n	Feb 2015	849	-		Canon T6s
	Canon T5« »	5.1 in	3.9 in	3.1 in	16.9 oz	500	n	Feb 2014	449	-		Canon T5
	Canon T5i« »	5.2 in	3.9 in	3.1 in	20.5 oz	440	n	Mar 2013	649	-		Canon T5i
	Canon T3i« »	5.2 in	3.9 in	3.1 in	20.1 oz	440	n	Feb 2011	599	-		Canon T3i
	Canon T2i« »	5.1 in	3.9 in	2.4 in	18.7 oz	440	n	Feb 2010	699	-		Canon T2i
	Canon T1i« »	5.1 in	3.9 in	2.4 in	18.3 oz	400	n	Mar 2009	799	-		Canon T1i
	Canon XSi« »	5.1 in	3.9 in	2.4 in	18.5 oz	500	n	Jan 2008	799	-		Canon XSi
	Canon XTi« »	5.0 in	3.3 in	2.6 in	19.6 oz	370	n	Aug 2006	799	-		Canon XTi
	Canon XT« »	5.0 in	3.7 in	2.5 in	19.0 oz	400	n	Feb 2005	899	-		Canon XT
	Canon Rebel« »	5.6 in	3.9 in	2.8 in	22.9 oz	400	n	Aug 2003	899	-		Canon Rebel
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The camera’s price is obviously a critical decision-making factor. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The T7i was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 12 percent) than the T4i, 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison: Canon T4i vs Canon T7i

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 and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the T7i uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 7) than the T4i (DIGIC 5), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the T7i offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixel, compared with 17.9 MP of the T4i. This megapixel advantage translates into a 16 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the T7i has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 4.31μm for the T4i). However, it should be noted that the T7i is much more recent (by 4 years and 8 months) than the T4i, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.

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.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the T7i provides a faster frame rate than the T4i. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the T4i is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison: Canon T4i vs Canon T7i

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The T4i and the T7i 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 T4i and Canon T7i in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras. The full specs-sheets can be found in the camera manual or in the dpreview camera hub.

Both the T4i and the T7i write their imaging data to SDXC cards.

The T7i is a current model that online retailers, such as amazon, will have in stock. In contrast, the T4i has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on eBay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the T4i was succeeded by the Canon T5i.

Review summary: Canon T4i vs Canon T7i

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon T4i and the Canon T7i? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS Rebel T4i:

• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in June 2012).

Advantages of the Canon EOS Rebel T7i:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 17.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 16%.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 7 vs DIGIC 5).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (600 versus 440) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi build in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (12 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 8 months of technical progress since the T4i launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the T7i is the clear winner of the contest (10 : 1 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.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the T4i or the T7i handle or perform in practice. 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. This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The full reviews are available by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

Review Scores

	Camera Model						Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon T4i»	HiRec	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	-		Canon T4i
	Canon T7i«	-	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	749			Canon T7i
	Canon 77D« »	-	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899			Canon 77D
	Canon SL2« »	HiRec	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549			Canon SL2
	Canon T6i« »	-	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	-		Canon T6i
	Canon T6s« »	Rec	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	849	-		Canon T6s
	Canon T5« »	Rec	-	4/5	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	-		Canon T5
	Canon T5i« »	-	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	-		Canon T5i
	Canon T3i« »	rev	77/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	599	-		Canon T3i
	Canon T2i« »	HiRec	77/100	4/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	699	-		Canon T2i
	Canon T1i« »	HiRec	74/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	799	-		Canon T1i
	Canon XSi« »	HiRec	HiRec	4/5	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	799	-		Canon XSi
	Canon XTi« »	HiRec	HiRec	rev	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2006	799	-		Canon XTi
	Canon XT« »	80/100	HiRec	rev	rev	-	Feb 2005	899	-		Canon XT
	Canon Rebel« »	-	HiRec	-	rev	-	Aug 2003	899	-		Canon Rebel

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Other camera comparisons

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