Canon 300D vs 350D

The Canon EOS 300D (called Canon Rebel in some regions) and the Canon EOS 350D (labelled Canon XT in some countries) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2003 and February 2005. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 300D has a resolution of 6.3 megapixels, whereas the 350D provides 8 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon 300D		Canon 350D
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
6.3 MP – APS-C sensor		8 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 100-1,600		ISO 100-1,600
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
1.8" LCD – 118k dots		1.8" LCD – 115k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
2.5 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
400 shots per battery charge		400 shots per battery charge
142 x 99 x 72 mm, 649 g		127 x 94 x 64 mm, 540 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 300D and the Canon EOS 350D? 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 physical size and weight of the Canon 300D and the Canon 350D are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. 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.

The 350D can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the 300D is only available in silver.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 350D is notably smaller (15 percent) than the Canon 300D. Moreover, the 350D is markedly lighter (17 percent) than the 300D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 300D nor the 350D 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.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 300D	142 mm	99 mm	72 mm	649 g	400	n	Aug 2003	US$ 899	ebay.com
2.		Canon 350D	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	US$ 899	ebay.com
3.		Canon 10D	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	850 g	500	n	Feb 2003	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 20D	144 mm	106 mm	72 mm	770 g	700	n	Aug 2004	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
5.		Canon 30D	144 mm	106 mm	74 mm	785 g	750	n	Feb 2006	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
6.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
7.		Canon 400D	127 mm	84 mm	65 mm	556 g	370	n	Aug 2006	US$ 799	ebay.com
8.		Canon 650D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
9.		Canon 700D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	US$ 649	ebay.com
10.		Canon 750D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	US$ 749	ebay.com
11.		Canon G1 X	117 mm	81 mm	65 mm	534 g	250	n	Jan 2012	US$ 799	ebay.com
12.		Canon G1 X Mark II	116 mm	74 mm	66 mm	553 g	240	n	Feb 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D70	140 mm	111 mm	78 mm	679 g	400	n	Jan 2004	US$ 999	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The two cameras under review were launched at the same price and fall into the same 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.

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. 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, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the 350D is 4 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the 350D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC II) than the 300D (DIGIC), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the 350D offers a higher resolution of 8 megapixels, compared with 6.3 MP of the 300D. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 6.41μm versus 7.38μm for the 300D). However, it should be noted that the 350D is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 5 months) than the 300D, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that partly offset its pixel-size disadvantage.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 350D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 350D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 13.8 x 9.2 inches or 35.1 x 23.4 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 11.5 x 7.7 inches or 29.3 x 19.5 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 300D are 15.4 x 10.2 inches or 39 x 26 cm for good quality, 12.3 x 8.2 inches or 31.2 x 20.8 cm for very good quality, and 10.2 x 6.8 inches or 26 x 17.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 300D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The Canon EOS 350D offers exactly the same ISO settings.

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.

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"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the 350D has a markedly higher DXO score than the 300D (overall score 5 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 0.8 bits higher color depth, and 0.2 stops in additional low light sensitivity. 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 300D	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.0	10.8	544	55
2.		Canon 350D	APS-C	8.0	3456	2304	none	21.8	10.8	637	60
3.		Canon 10D	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.1	10.9	571	57
4.		Canon 20D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.9	11.0	721	62
5.		Canon 30D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.5	10.8	736	59
6.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
7.		Canon 400D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.0	664	62
8.		Canon 650D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
9.		Canon 700D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
10.		Canon 750D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
11.		Canon G1 X	1.5-inch	14.2	4352	3264	1080/24p	21.7	10.8	644	60
12.		Canon G1 X Mark II	1.5-inch	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	21.5	10.8	581	58
13.		Nikon D70	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.4	10.3	529	50

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 300D and the 350D 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 300D has a higher magnification than the one of the 350D (0.55x vs 0.49x), 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 300D, the Canon 350D, 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 300D	optical	n	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
2.		Canon 350D	optical	n	1.8 / 115	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 10D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 20D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 30D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 400D	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 650D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 700D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 750D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon G1 X	optical	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/4000s	1.9/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon G1 X Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	5.2/s	Y	Y
13.		Nikon D70	optical	n	1.8 / 130	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 300D and the 350D write their files to 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 300D and Canon EOS 350D 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 300D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
2.		Canon 350D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 10D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
4.		Canon 20D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
5.		Canon 30D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon 400D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 650D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 700D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon 750D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon G1 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon G1 X Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Nikon D70	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.0	-	-	-

Both the 300D and the 350D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 300D was replaced by the Canon 350D, while the 350D was followed by the Canon 400D. Further information on the features and operation of the 300D and 350D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 300D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 350D Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Canon 300D better than the Canon 350D or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 300D:

• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.55x vs 0.49x).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in August 2003).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 350D:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (8 vs 6.3MP), which boosts linear resolution by 13%.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (5 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC II vs DIGIC).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (3 vs 2.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (127x94mm vs 142x99mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 109g or 17 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (2.0 vs 1.1).
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 5 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 350D is the clear winner of the contest (8 : 2 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 wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 300D and the Canon 350D 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 300D or the 350D 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 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	Street Price
1.		Canon 300D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2003	US$ 899	ebay.com
2.		Canon 350D	..	80/100	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2005	US$ 899	ebay.com
3.		Canon 10D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Feb 2003	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 20D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2004	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
5.		Canon 30D	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2006	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
6.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
7.		Canon 400D	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	4/5	Aug 2006	US$ 799	ebay.com
8.		Canon 650D	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
9.		Canon 700D	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	US$ 649	ebay.com
10.		Canon 750D	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 749	ebay.com
11.		Canon G1 X	5/5	+	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	US$ 799	ebay.com
12.		Canon G1 X Mark II	3/5	+	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D70	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Jan 2004	US$ 999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, 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

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes 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.

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