Canon T7 vs Nikon D4

The Canon EOS Rebel T7 (called Canon 2000D in some regions) and the Nikon D4 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2018 and January 2012. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (T7) and a full frame (D4) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 16.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon T7		Nikon D4
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		16.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)		ISO 100-12,800 (50 - 204,800)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 920k dots		3.2" LCD – 921k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
500 shots per battery charge		2600 shots per battery charge
129 x 101 x 78 mm, 475 g		160 x 157 x 91 mm, 1340 g

Check T7 price at
amazon.com
Check D4 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS Rebel T7 and the Nikon D4? 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 T7 and the Nikon D4 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.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D4 is considerably larger (93 percent) than the Canon T7. Moreover, the D4 is substantially heavier (182 percent) than the T7. It is noteworthy in this context that the D4 is splash and dust-proof, while the T7 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. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (T7) and the Nikon Lens Catalog (D4).

Concerning battery life, the T7 gets 500 shots out of its Canon LP-E10 battery, while the D4 can take 2600 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL18 power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the D4 has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power.

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 T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	EUR 499	amazon.com
2.		Nikon D4	160 mm	157 mm	91 mm	1340 g	2600	Y	Jan 2012	EUR 5 999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	EUR 899	ebay.com
4.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	EUR 599	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL3	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	EUR 549	amazon.com
6.		Canon T3	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	495 g	700	n	Feb 2011	EUR 399	ebay.com
7.		Canon T5	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	EUR 399	ebay.com
8.		Canon T6	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	EUR 449	ebay.com
9.		Canon T6i	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	EUR 699	ebay.com
10.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
11.		Canon T7i	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	EUR 849	ebay.com
12.		Canon T100	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
13.		Nikon D3	160 mm	157 mm	88 mm	1300 g	4300	Y	Aug 2007	EUR 4 849	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D3S	160 mm	157 mm	88 mm	1240 g	4200	Y	Oct 2009	EUR 4 999	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D4S	160 mm	157 mm	91 mm	1350 g	3020	Y	Feb 2014	EUR 6 149	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D5	160 mm	159 mm	92 mm	1415 g	3780	Y	Jan 2016	EUR 6 989	ebay.com
17.		Nikon Df	144 mm	110 mm	67 mm	760 g	1400	Y	Nov 2013	EUR 2 999	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 obviously take relative prices into account. 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 T7 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 93 percent) than the D4, 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and 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.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon T7 features an APS-C sensor and the Nikon D4 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the D4 is 159 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Canon T7 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 16.2 MP of the Nikon D4. 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 3.72μm versus 7.29μm for the D4). However, it should be noted that the T7 is much more recent (by 6 years and 1 month) than the D4, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

The resolution advantage of the Canon T7 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the T7 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 Nikon D4 are 24.6 x 16.4 inches or 62.6 x 41.7 cm for good quality, 19.7 x 13.1 inches or 50.1 x 33.3 cm for very good quality, and 16.4 x 10.9 inches or 41.7 x 27.8 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS Rebel T7 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 Nikon D4 are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

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 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 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 T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
2.		Nikon D4	Full Frame	16.2	4928	3280	1080/30p	24.7	13.1	2965	89
3.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
4.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
5.		Canon SL3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
6.		Canon T3	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	720/30p	21.9	11.0	755	62
7.		Canon T5	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
8.		Canon T6	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
9.		Canon T6i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
10.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
11.		Canon T7i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
12.		Canon T100	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
13.		Nikon D3	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	none	23.5	12.2	2290	81
14.		Nikon D3S	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	720/24p	23.5	12.0	3253	82
15.		Nikon D4S	Full Frame	16.2	4928	3280	1080/60p	24.4	13.3	3074	89
16.		Nikon D5	Full Frame	20.7	5588	3712	4K/30p	25.1	12.3	2343	88
17.		Nikon Df	Full Frame	16.2	4928	3280	none	24.6	13.1	3279	89
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

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 T7 and the D4 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 D4 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the T7 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the D4 has a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.50x), 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 T7 and Nikon D4 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 T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Nikon D4	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon SL3	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon T3	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon T5	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon T6	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon T6i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon T7i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon T100	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon D3	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
14.		Nikon D3S	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
15.		Nikon D4S	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
16.		Nikon D5	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
17.		Nikon Df	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The T7 has one, while the D4 does not. While the built-in flash of the T7 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Nikon D4 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The T7 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the D4 uses Compact Flash or XQD cards. The D4 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the T7 only has one slot.

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 T7 and Nikon D4 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 T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Nikon D4	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon T3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon T5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon T6	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon T6i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon T7i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Canon T100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Nikon D3	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Nikon D3S	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Nikon D4S	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Nikon D5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
17.		Nikon Df	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the T7 offers wifi support, while the D4 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D4 (unlike the T7) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

The T7 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the D4 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the D4 was succeeded by the Nikon D4S. Further information on the features and operation of the T7 and D4 can be found, respectively, in the Canon T7 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D4 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon T7 and the Nikon D4? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Canon EOS Rebel T7:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 16.2MP) with a 22% higher linear resolution.
• More compact: Is smaller (129x101mm vs 160x157mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 865g or 65 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (93 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 6 years and 1 month of technical progress since the D4 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon D4:

• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• 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 (0.70x vs 0.50x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (2600 versus 500) 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.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2012).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the D4 is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 8 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 T7 and the Nikon D4 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 T7 or the D4 perform in practice. 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 T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	EUR 499	amazon.com
2.		Nikon D4	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	EUR 5 999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	EUR 899	ebay.com
4.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	EUR 599	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL3	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	EUR 549	amazon.com
6.		Canon T3	..	80/100	..	69/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	EUR 399	ebay.com
7.		Canon T5	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	EUR 399	ebay.com
8.		Canon T6	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	EUR 449	ebay.com
9.		Canon T6i	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	EUR 699	ebay.com
10.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
11.		Canon T7i	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	EUR 849	ebay.com
12.		Canon T100	..	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
13.		Nikon D3	..	..	..	+ +	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	EUR 4 849	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D3S	5/5	..	..	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2009	EUR 4 999	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D4S	5/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	EUR 6 149	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D5	..	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	EUR 6 989	ebay.com
17.		Nikon Df	4/5	..	..	81/100	4/5	4/5	Nov 2013	EUR 2 999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

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