Canon T7i vs SX60

The Canon EOS Rebel T7i (called Canon 800D in some regions) and the Canon PowerShot SX60 HS are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2017 and September 2014. The T7i is a DSLR, while the SX60 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (T7i) and a 1/2.3-inch (SX60) sensor. The T7i has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the SX60 provides 14.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon T7i		Canon SX60
Digital single lens reflex		Fixed lens compact camera
Canon EF mount lenses		21-1365mm f/3.4-6.5
24 MP – APS-C sensor		14.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-3,200 (100 - 6,400)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (922k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
6 shutter flaps per second		6.4 shutter flaps per second
600 shots per battery charge		340 shots per battery charge
131 x 100 x 76 mm, 532 g		128 x 93 x 114 mm, 650 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS Rebel T7i and the Canon PowerShot SX60 HS? 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 T7i and the Canon SX60. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. 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 SX60 is notably smaller (9 percent) than the Canon T7i. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the T7i nor the SX60 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the SX60 has a lens built in, whereas the T7i 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 T7i and their specifications in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the T7i gets 600 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the SX60 can take 340 images on a single charge of its Canon NB-10L power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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 T7i	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
3.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	116 mm	74 mm	66 mm	553 g	240	n	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
5.		Canon G16	109 mm	76 mm	40 mm	356 g	360	n	Aug 2013	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX50	123 mm	87 mm	106 mm	595 g	315	n	Sep 2012	429	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX70	127 mm	91 mm	117 mm	608 g	325	n	Sep 2018	549	amazon.com
9.		Canon T1i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
10.		Canon T2i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	530 g	440	n	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
11.		Canon T4i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
12.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
13.		Canon T6i	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
14.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
15.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
16.		Canon T8i	131 mm	103 mm	76 mm	515 g	800	n	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic FZ300	132 mm	92 mm	117 mm	691 g	380	Y	Jul 2015	599	amazon.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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The SX60 was launched at a lower price than the T7i, despite having a lens built in. 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. 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.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon T7i features an APS-C sensor and the Canon SX60 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the SX60 is 92 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 5.6. The sensor in the T7i has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the SX60 offers a 4:3 aspect.

In terms of chip-set technology, the T7i uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 7) than the SX60 (DIGIC 6), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 24MP, the T7i offers a higher resolution than the SX60 (14.2MP), but the T7i nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 1.40μm for the SX60) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the T7i is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 5 months) than the SX60, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the SX60 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

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 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon SX60 are 23 x 15.4 inches or 58.5 x 39 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 12.3 inches or 46.8 x 31.2 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 10.2 inches or 39 x 26 cm for excellent quality prints.

The T7i has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS Rebel T7i has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon PowerShot SX60 HS are ISO 100 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-6400.

In terms of underlying technology, the T7i is build around a CMOS sensor, while the SX60 uses a BSI-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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 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 T7i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
2.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
3.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	1.5-inch	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	21.5	10.8	581	58
5.		Canon G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
6.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
7.		Canon SX50	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	20.3	11.2	179	47
8.		Canon SX70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1063	51
9.		Canon T1i	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	1080/20p	21.7	11.5	663	63
10.		Canon T2i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	784	66
11.		Canon T4i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
12.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
13.		Canon T6i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
14.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
15.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
16.		Canon T8i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.5	1873	83
17.		Panasonic FZ300	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	19.3	11.0	97	38
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 are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/60p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the SX60 has an electronic viewfinder (922k dots), while the T7i has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon T7i and Canon SX60 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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 T7i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	5.2/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G16	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon SX50	202	n	3.0 / 461	swivel	n	1/2000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX70	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon T1i	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.4/s	Y	n
10.		Canon T2i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
11.		Canon T4i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon T6i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
16.		Canon T8i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.5/s	Y	n
17.		Panasonic FZ300	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
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 T7i has a touchscreen, while the SX60 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the T7i and the SX60 write their files to SDXC cards. The T7i supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the SX60 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 T7i and Canon PowerShot SX60 HS 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 T7i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
2.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon G16	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX50	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon SX70	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon T1i	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon T2i	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon T4i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon T6i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Canon T8i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Panasonic FZ300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-

Both the T7i and the SX60 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX60 was replaced by the Canon SX70, while the T7i was followed by the Canon T8i. Further information on the features and operation of the T7i and SX60 can be found, respectively, in the Canon T7i Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon SX60 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Canon T7i better than the Canon SX60 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS Rebel T7i:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 14.2MP) with a 30% higher linear resolution.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 7 vs DIGIC 6).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 922k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• More flexible: Can take a variety of interchangeable lenses, including specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (600 versus 340) on a single battery charge.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 5 months of technical progress since the SX60 launch.

Advantages of the Canon PowerShot SX60 HS:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with an integrated lens, while the T7i requires a separate lens.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2014).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the T7i is the clear winner of the match-up (17 : 6 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 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 T7i and the Canon SX60 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the T7i and the SX60 in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon T7i	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
2.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
3.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	3/5	+	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
5.		Canon G16	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX50	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	429	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX70	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Sep 2018	549	amazon.com
9.		Canon T1i	..	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
10.		Canon T2i	..	+ +	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	699	ebay.com
11.		Canon T4i	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
12.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
13.		Canon T6i	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
14.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
15.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
16.		Canon T8i	4.5/5	+	3/5	80/100	4/5	3.5/5	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic FZ300	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	599	amazon.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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