Canon T6s vs T7

The Canon EOS Rebel T6s (called Canon 760D in some regions) and the Canon EOS Rebel T7 (labelled Canon 2000D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2015 and February 2018. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

As their names suggest, both the Canon EOS Rebel T6s and the Canon EOS Rebel T7 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 T6s and Canon T7. Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon T6s		Canon T7
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
5 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
440 shots per battery charge		500 shots per battery charge
132 x 101 x 78 mm, 565 g		129 x 101 x 78 mm, 475 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS Rebel T6s and the Canon EOS Rebel T7? 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 T6s and the Canon T7. 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 T7 is somewhat smaller (2 percent) than the Canon T6s. Moreover, the T7 is markedly lighter (16 percent) than the T6s. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the T6s nor the T7 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 T6s gets 440 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the T7 can take 500 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E10 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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 T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
2.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
3.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL3	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
6.		Canon T1i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
7.		Canon T2i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	530 g	440	n	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
8.		Canon T4i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
9.		Canon T5	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
10.		Canon T6	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
11.		Canon T6i	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
12.		Canon T7i	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
13.		Canon T100	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
14.		Canon XSi	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	524 g	500	n	Jan 2008	799	ebay.com
15.		Canon XT	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
16.		Canon XTi	127 mm	84 mm	65 mm	556 g	370	n	Aug 2006	799	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 listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The T7 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 31 percent) than the T6s, 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 size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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. 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 tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies 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.

In terms of chip-set technology, the T6s uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 6) than the T7 (DIGIC 4+), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 24 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the T6s and the T7 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the T7 is much more recent (by 3 years) than the T6s, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The T6s has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS Rebel T6s 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 T7 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-12800.

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 is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). 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 T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
2.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
3.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
4.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
5.		Canon SL3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
6.		Canon T1i	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	1080/20p	21.7	11.5	663	63
7.		Canon T2i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	784	66
8.		Canon T4i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
9.		Canon T5	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
10.		Canon T6	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
11.		Canon T6i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
12.		Canon T7i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
13.		Canon T100	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
14.		Canon XSi	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	none	21.9	10.8	692	61
15.		Canon XT	APS-C	8.0	3456	2304	none	21.8	10.8	637	60
16.		Canon XTi	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.0	664	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 also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The T6s and the T7 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 T6s has a higher magnification than the one of the T7 (0.51x vs 0.50x), 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 T6s, the Canon T7, 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 T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon SL3	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon T1i	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.4/s	Y	n
7.		Canon T2i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
8.		Canon T4i	optical	n	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 T6	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon T6i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon T7i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon T100	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon XSi	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
15.		Canon XT	optical	n	1.8 / 115	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
16.		Canon XTi	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.

One feature that is present on the T6s, but is missing on the T7 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the T6s and the T7 write their files to SDXC cards. The T6s supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the T7 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD 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 T6s and Canon EOS Rebel T7 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 T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon T1i	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon T2i	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon T4i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon T5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon T6	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon T6i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon T7i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Canon T100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Canon XSi	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Canon XT	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Canon XTi	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the T6s has a microphone port, which is missing on the T7. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

The T7 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the T6s has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the T6s was succeeded by the Canon 77D. Further information on the features and operation of the T6s and T7 can be found, respectively, in the Canon T6s Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon T7 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon T6s or the Canon T7 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS Rebel T6s:

• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 6 vs DIGIC 4+).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.51x vs 0.50x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 920k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2015).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS Rebel T7:

• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 90g or 16 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (500 versus 440) out of a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (31 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years of technical progress since the T6s launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the T6s is the clear winner of the match-up (12 : 4 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 T6s and the Canon T7 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 T6s or the T7 perform in practice. 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 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 (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 T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
2.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
3.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL3	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
6.		Canon T1i	..	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
7.		Canon T2i	..	+ +	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
8.		Canon T4i	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
9.		Canon T5	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
10.		Canon T6	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
11.		Canon T6i	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
12.		Canon T7i	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
13.		Canon T100	..	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
14.		Canon XSi	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	799	ebay.com
15.		Canon XT	..	80/100	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
16.		Canon XTi	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	4/5	Aug 2006	799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods 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 are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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