Canon T4i vs 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 megapixels, whereas the T7i provides 24 MP.

As their names suggest, both the Canon EOS Rebel T4i and the Canon EOS Rebel T7i 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 T4i and Canon T7i. Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

	VS
Canon T4i		Canon T7i
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
17.9 MP, APS-C Sensor		24 MP, APS-C Sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-12800 (100-25600)		ISO 100-25600 (100-51200)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD, 1040k dots		3.0" LCD, 1040k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second		6 shutter flaps per second
440 shots per battery charge		600 shots per battery charge
133 x 100 x 79 mm, 575 g		131 x 100 x 76 mm, 532 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS Rebel T4i and the Canon EOS Rebel T7i? 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 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.

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 compare the optics available 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)	Camera Model
	Canon T4i»	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849		Canon T4i
	Canon T7i«	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	749		Canon T7i
	Canon T8i« »	131 mm	103 mm	76 mm	515 g	800	n	Feb 2020	749		Canon T8i
	Canon T7« »	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449		Canon T7
	Canon 77D« »	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899		Canon 77D
	Canon T6i« »	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749		Canon T6i
	Canon T6s« »	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649		Canon T6s
	Canon T5« »	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449		Canon T5
	Canon T5i« »	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649		Canon T5i
	Canon T3i« »	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	599		Canon T3i
	Canon T2i« »	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	530 g	440	n	Feb 2010	699		Canon T2i
	Canon T1i« »	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	799		Canon T1i
	Canon XSi« »	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	524 g	500	n	Jan 2008	799		Canon XSi
	Canon XTi« »	127 mm	84 mm	65 mm	556 g	370	n	Aug 2006	799		Canon XTi
	Canon XT« »	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	899		Canon XT
	Canon Rebel« »	142 mm	99 mm	72 mm	649 g	400	n	Aug 2003	899		Canon Rebel
Convert to Imperial
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. 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

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 megapixels, compared with 17.9 MP of the T4i. This megapixels 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.

The resolution advantage of the Canon T7i implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the T7i for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inch or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inch or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inch or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon T4i are 25.9 x 17.3 inch or 65.8 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 13.8 inch or 52.7 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 11.5 inch or 43.9 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS Rebel T4i 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 Rebel T7i are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

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

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 viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (95%), but the viewfinder of the T4i has a higher magnification than the one of the T7i (0.53x vs 0.51x), 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 T4i and Canon T7i in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the T4i and the T7i write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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 T4i and Canon EOS Rebel T7i and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

It is notable that the T7i offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the T4i does not offer wifi capability.

Both the T4i and the T7i have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on eBay. The T4i was replaced by the Canon T5i, while the T7i was followed by the Canon T8i. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon website.

Review summary

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

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS Rebel T4i:

• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.53x vs 0.51x).
• 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 built 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 : 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 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 T4i and the Canon T7i 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 incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the T4i or the T7i 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.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). 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.

Review Scores

	Camera Model	cam era   labs	dp re   view	e photo   zine	ima ging resource	photo graphy   blog	Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon T4i	+ +	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 T8i	..	..	..	..	..	Feb 2020	749		Canon T8i
	Canon T7	o	..	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449		Canon T7
	Canon 77D	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899		Canon 77D
	Canon T6i	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749		Canon T6i
	Canon T6s	+	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649		Canon T6s
	Canon T5	+	..	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	o	77/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	599		Canon T3i
	Canon T2i	+ +	77/100	4/5	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	699		Canon T2i
	Canon T1i	+ +	74/100	4.5/5	5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	799		Canon T1i
	Canon XSi	+ +	+ +	4/5	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	799		Canon XSi
	Canon XTi	+ +	+ +	o	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2006	799		Canon XTi
	Canon XT	80/100	+ +	o	o	..	Feb 2005	899		Canon XT
	Canon Rebel	..	+ +	..	o	..	Aug 2003	899		Canon Rebel
Notes: (+ +) 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. 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

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 use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

Specifications: Canon T4i vs Canon T7i

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

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