Canon 7D vs SL1

The Canon EOS 7D and the Canon EOS Rebel SL1 (labelled Canon 100D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2009 and March 2013. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 17.9 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon 7D		Canon SL1
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
17.9 MP – APS-C sensor		17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)		ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 920k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second		4.9 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
800 shots per battery charge		380 shots per battery charge
148 x 111 x 74 mm, 860 g		117 x 91 x 69 mm, 407 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 7D and the Canon EOS Rebel SL1? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon 7D and the Canon SL1 is provided in the side-by-side display below. 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.

The SL1 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the 7D 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 SL1 is considerably smaller (35 percent) than the Canon 7D. Moreover, the SL1 is substantially lighter (53 percent) than the 7D. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 7D is splash and dust resistant, while the SL1 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 7D gets 800 shots out of its Canon LP-E6 battery, while the SL1 can take 380 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E12 power pack.

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 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	EUR 1 499	ebay.com
2.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark IV	156 mm	157 mm	80 mm	1230 g	1500	Y	Oct 2009	EUR 4 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5D Mark II	152 mm	114 mm	75 mm	850 g	850	Y	Sep 2008	EUR 3 299	ebay.com
5.		Canon 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	EUR 1 699	ebay.com
6.		Canon 50D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	800	Y	Aug 2008	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
7.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	EUR 1 149	ebay.com
8.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
9.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	EUR 1 285	ebay.com
10.		Canon G3 X	123 mm	77 mm	105 mm	733 g	300	Y	Jun 2015	EUR 899	ebay.com
11.		Canon M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	EUR 599	ebay.com
12.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	EUR 599	ebay.com
13.		Canon T3i	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	EUR 549	ebay.com
14.		Canon T4i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	EUR 799	ebay.com
15.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	EUR 599	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D7000	132 mm	105 mm	77 mm	780 g	1050	Y	Sep 2010	EUR 1 399	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX10 III	133 mm	94 mm	127 mm	1051 g	420	Y	Mar 2016	EUR 1 599	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

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 SL1 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 68 percent) than the 7D, 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 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.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 17.9 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the 7D and the SL1 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the SL1 is much more recent (by 3 years and 6 months) than the 7D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The SL1 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS 7D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS Rebel SL1 are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

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 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
2.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
3.		Canon 1D Mark IV	APS-H	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	22.8	12.0	1320	74
4.		Canon 5D Mark II	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	1080/30p	23.7	11.9	1815	79
5.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
6.		Canon 50D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	none	21.8	11.4	696	63
7.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
8.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
9.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
10.		Canon G3 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	521	63
11.		Canon M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827	65
12.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
13.		Canon T3i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
14.		Canon T4i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
15.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
16.		Nikon D7000	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/24p	23.5	13.9	1167	80
17.		Sony RX10 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.1	12.6	472	70

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/30p).

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 7D and the SL1 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 viewfinder in the 7D offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the SL1 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the 7D has a higher magnification (0.63x 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 7D and Canon SL1 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 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 1D Mark IV	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 5D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.9/s	n	n
5.		Canon 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 50D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.3/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon G3 X	optional	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon M	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.3/s	n	n
12.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon T3i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
14.		Canon T4i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon D7000	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
17.		Sony RX10 III	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	14.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the 7D, but is missing on the SL1 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.

The 7D writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the SL1 uses SDXC 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 7D and Canon EOS Rebel SL1 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 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 1D Mark IV	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 5D Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 50D	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon G3 X	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon M	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Canon T3i	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Canon T4i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Nikon D7000	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony RX10 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 7D (unlike the SL1) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 7D and the SL1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 7D was replaced by the Canon 7D Mark II, while the SL1 was followed by the Canon SL2. Further information on the features and operation of the 7D and SL1 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 7D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon SL1 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon 7D better than the Canon SL1 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 7D:

• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.63x vs 0.54x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 4.9 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (800 versus 380) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2009).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS Rebel SL1:

• 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: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More compact: Is smaller (117x91mm vs 148x111mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 453g or 53 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (68 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 6 months of technical progress since the 7D launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 7D emerges as the winner of the contest (9 : 7 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision 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 7D and the Canon SL1 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 partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 7D or the SL1. 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 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	EUR 1 499	ebay.com
2.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	EUR 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark IV	5/5	..	..	89/100	..	..	Oct 2009	EUR 4 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5D Mark II	4/5	91/100	..	79/100	4/5	..	Sep 2008	EUR 3 299	ebay.com
5.		Canon 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	EUR 1 699	ebay.com
6.		Canon 50D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
7.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	EUR 1 149	ebay.com
8.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
9.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	EUR 1 285	ebay.com
10.		Canon G3 X	3.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	EUR 899	ebay.com
11.		Canon M	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	EUR 599	ebay.com
12.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	EUR 599	ebay.com
13.		Canon T3i	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	EUR 549	ebay.com
14.		Canon T4i	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	EUR 799	ebay.com
15.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	EUR 599	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D7000	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	EUR 1 399	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX10 III	5/5	+	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2016	EUR 1 599	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, 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 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

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