Canon 100D vs 50D

The Canon EOS 100D (called Canon SL1 in some regions) and the Canon EOS 50D are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in March 2013 and August 2008. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 100D has a resolution of 17.9 megapixels, whereas the 50D provides 15.1 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon 100D		Canon 50D
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
17.9 MP – APS-C sensor		15.1 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		no Video
ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)		ISO 100-3,200 (100 - 12,800)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
4.9 shutter flaps per second		6.3 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
380 shots per battery charge		800 shots per battery charge
117 x 91 x 69 mm, 407 g		146 x 108 x 74 mm, 822 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 100D and the Canon EOS 50D? 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 100D and the Canon 50D. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The 100D can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the 50D is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 50D is considerably larger (48 percent) than the Canon 100D. Moreover, the 50D is substantially heavier (102 percent) than the 100D. It is noteworthy in this context that the 50D is splash and dust-proof, while the 100D does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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 100D gets 380 shots out of its Canon LP-E12 battery, while the 50D can take 800 images on a single charge of its Canon BP-511A power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 100D	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
2.		Canon 50D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	800	Y	Aug 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon 40D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	750	n	Aug 2007	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
5.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
6.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
7.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
8.		Canon 200D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
9.		Canon 600D	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Canon 650D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
11.		Canon 700D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	US$ 649	ebay.com
12.		Canon 1200D	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	US$ 449	ebay.com
13.		Canon 1300D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	US$ 449	ebay.com
14.		Canon 4000D	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	US$ 399	amazon.com
15.		Canon G16	109 mm	76 mm	40 mm	356 g	360	n	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
16.		Canon M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic G6	122 mm	85 mm	71 mm	390 g	340	n	Apr 2013	US$ 599	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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. 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 100D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 58 percent) than the 50D, which puts it into a different market segment. 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 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to 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.

In terms of chip-set technology, the 100D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 5) than the 50D (DIGIC 4), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the 100D offers a higher resolution of 17.9 megapixels, compared with 15.1 MP of the 50D. This megapixels advantage translates into a 9 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the 100D has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.31μm versus 4.69μm for the 50D). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the 100D is much more recent (by 4 years and 6 months) than the 50D, 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 100D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 100D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 50D are 23.8 x 15.8 inches or 60.4 x 40.2 cm for good quality, 19 x 12.7 inches or 48.3 x 32.2 cm for very good quality, and 15.8 x 10.6 inches or 40.2 x 26.8 cm for excellent quality prints.

The 100D has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS 100D 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 50D are ISO 100 to ISO 3200, 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 determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. 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 100D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
2.		Canon 50D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	none	21.8	11.4	696	63
3.		Canon 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
4.		Canon 40D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.3	703	64
5.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
6.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
7.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
8.		Canon 200D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
9.		Canon 600D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
10.		Canon 650D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
11.		Canon 700D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
12.		Canon 1200D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
13.		Canon 1300D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
14.		Canon 4000D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
15.		Canon G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
16.		Canon M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827	65
17.		Panasonic G6	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	21.3	11.5	639	61

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The 100D indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the 50D does not. The highest resolution format that the 100D can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 100D and the 50D 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 50D has a higher magnification than the one of the 100D (0.59x vs 0.54x), 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 100D and Canon 50D 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 100D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
2.		Canon 50D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.3/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 40D	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.5/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 200D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 600D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 650D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon 700D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon 1200D	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon 1300D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon 4000D	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon G16	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
16.		Canon M	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.3/s	n	n
17.		Panasonic G6	1440	n	3.0 / 1036	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
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 100D has a touchscreen, while the 50D has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The 100D writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the 50D uses Compact Flash 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 100D and Canon EOS 50D 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 100D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon 50D	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 40D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon 200D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Canon 600D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon 650D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon 700D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon 1200D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon 1300D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Canon 4000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Canon G16	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Canon M	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Panasonic G6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 50D (unlike the 100D) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 100D and the 50D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 50D was replaced by the Canon 60D, while the 100D was followed by the Canon 200D. Further information on the features and operation of the 100D and 50D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 100D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 50D Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 100D and the Canon 50D? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 100D:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (17.9 vs 15.1MP) with a 9% higher linear resolution.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 5 vs DIGIC 4).
• Broader imaging potential: Can record not only still images but also 1080/30p movies.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 920k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• More compact: Is smaller (117x91mm vs 146x108mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 415g or 50 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (58 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 6 months of technical progress since the 50D launch.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 50D:

• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.59x vs 0.54x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6.3 vs 4.9 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (800 versus 380) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in August 2008).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 100D emerges as the winner of the contest (10 : 8 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 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 100D and the Canon 50D 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 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 100D and the 50D in practical situations. 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 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	Street Price
1.		Canon 100D	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
2.		Canon 50D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon 40D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
5.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
6.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
7.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
8.		Canon 200D	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
9.		Canon 600D	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Canon 650D	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
11.		Canon 700D	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	US$ 649	ebay.com
12.		Canon 1200D	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 449	ebay.com
13.		Canon 1300D	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	US$ 449	ebay.com
14.		Canon 4000D	2.5/5	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 399	amazon.com
15.		Canon G16	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
16.		Canon M	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic G6	4/5	+ +	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) 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 comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. 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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