Canon T2i vs T4i

The Canon EOS Rebel T2i (called Canon 550D in some regions) and the Canon EOS Rebel T4i (labelled Canon 650D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2010 and June 2012. 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.

As their names suggest, both the Canon EOS Rebel T2i and the Canon EOS Rebel T4i 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 T2i and Canon T4i. Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon T2i		Canon T4i
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 – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
3.7 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
440 shots per battery charge		440 shots per battery charge
129 x 98 x 62 mm, 530 g		133 x 100 x 79 mm, 575 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS Rebel T2i and the Canon EOS Rebel T4i? 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 T2i and the Canon T4i is provided in the side-by-side display below. 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 width, height and depth dimensions 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 T4i is notably larger (5 percent) than the Canon T2i. Moreover, the T4i is markedly heavier (8 percent) than the T2i. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the T2i nor the T4i 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 following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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	Street Price
1.		Canon T2i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	530 g	440	n	Feb 2010	EUR 649	ebay.com
2.		Canon T4i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	EUR 799	ebay.com
3.		Canon T1i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	EUR 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon T3	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	495 g	700	n	Feb 2011	EUR 399	ebay.com
5.		Canon T3i	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	EUR 549	ebay.com
6.		Canon T5	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	EUR 399	ebay.com
7.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	EUR 599	ebay.com
8.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
9.		Canon T100	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
10.		Canon XSi	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	524 g	500	n	Jan 2008	EUR 699	ebay.com
11.		Canon XTi	127 mm	84 mm	65 mm	556 g	370	n	Aug 2006	EUR 799	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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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 T2i was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 18 percent) than the T4i, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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 sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. 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.

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.

Technology-wise, the T4i uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 5) than the T2i (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 17.9 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the T2i and the T4i have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the T4i is much more recent (by 2 years and 3 months) than the T2i, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The T4i has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS Rebel T2i 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 T4i 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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under review, the T2i has a notably higher overall DXO score than the T4i (overall score 4 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 0.4 bits higher color depth, 0.3 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.1 stops in additional low light sensitivity. 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 T2i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	784	66
2.		Canon T4i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
3.		Canon T1i	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	1080/20p	21.7	11.5	663	63
4.		Canon T3	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	720/30p	21.9	11.0	755	62
5.		Canon T3i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
6.		Canon T5	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
7.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
8.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
9.		Canon T100	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
10.		Canon XSi	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	none	21.9	10.8	692	61
11.		Canon XTi	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.0	664	62

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 (1080/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The T2i and the T4i 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 T2i has a higher magnification than the one of the T4i (0.54x vs 0.53x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon T2i and Canon T4i along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 T2i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
2.		Canon T4i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon T1i	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.4/s	Y	n
4.		Canon T3	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon T3i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
6.		Canon T5	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon T100	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon XSi	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
11.		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 differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The T4i has a touchscreen, while the T2i 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 T2i and the T4i write their files to SDXC cards. The T4i supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the T2i 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 T2i and Canon EOS Rebel T4i 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 T2i	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon T4i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon T1i	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon T3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon T3i	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon T5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon T100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon XSi	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon XTi	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

Both the T2i and the T4i have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The T2i was replaced by the Canon T3i, while the T4i was followed by the Canon T5i. Further information on the features and operation of the T2i and T4i can be found, respectively, in the Canon T2i Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon T4i Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon T2i or the Canon T4i – 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.

Advantages of the Canon EOS Rebel T2i:

• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (4 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.54x vs 0.53x).
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (18 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2010).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS Rebel T4i:

• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 5 vs DIGIC 4).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 3.7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 3 months of technical progress since the T2i launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the T4i is the clear winner of the contest (8 : 4 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 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 T2i and the Canon T4i 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 T2i or the T4i perform in practice. 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	Street Price
1.		Canon T2i	..	+ +	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	EUR 649	ebay.com
2.		Canon T4i	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	EUR 799	ebay.com
3.		Canon T1i	..	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	EUR 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon T3	..	80/100	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	EUR 399	ebay.com
5.		Canon T3i	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	EUR 549	ebay.com
6.		Canon T5	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	EUR 399	ebay.com
7.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	EUR 599	ebay.com
8.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
9.		Canon T100	..	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
10.		Canon XSi	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	EUR 699	ebay.com
11.		Canon XTi	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	4/5	Aug 2006	EUR 799	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 comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date 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? 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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