Canon T7 vs Sony H300

The Canon EOS Rebel T7 (called Canon 2000D in some regions) and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2018 and February 2014. The T7 is a DSLR, while the H300 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (T7) and a 1/2.3-inch (H300) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 19.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon T7		Sony H300
Digital single lens reflex		Fixed lens compact camera
Canon EF mount lenses		25-875mm f/3.4-6.5
24 MP – APS-C sensor		19.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/30p Video		720/30p Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)		ISO 80-3,200
Optical viewfinder		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 920k dots		3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second		0.8 shutter flaps per second
500 shots per battery charge		350 shots per battery charge
129 x 101 x 78 mm, 475 g		128 x 89 x 92 mm, 590 g

Check T7 price at
amazon.com
Check H300 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300? 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 Sony H300 are illustrated 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 size 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 Sony H300 is notably smaller (13 percent) than the Canon T7. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the T7 nor the H300 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the H300 has a lens built in, whereas the T7 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the T7 and their specifications 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 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 T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	EUR 499	amazon.com
2.		Sony H300	128 mm	89 mm	92 mm	590 g	350	n	Feb 2014	EUR 219	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.		Leica Q Typ 116	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	640 g	300	n	Jun 2015	EUR 3 999	ebay.com
14.		Sony H200	123 mm	83 mm	87 mm	530 g	240	n	Jan 2013	EUR 249	ebay.com
15.		Sony H400	130 mm	95 mm	122 mm	628 g	300	n	Feb 2014	EUR 319	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX400V	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	660 g	300	n	Feb 2014	EUR 499	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	EUR 1 149	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 listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The H300 was launched at a lower price than the T7, despite having a lens built in. 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.

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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better 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.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon T7 features an APS-C sensor and the Sony H300 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the H300 is 92 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 5.6. The sensor in the T7 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the H300 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 24MP, the T7 offers a higher resolution than the H300 (19.9MP), but the T7 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 1.19μm for the H300) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the T7 is a much more recent model (by 4 years) than the H300, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the H300 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

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 Sony H300 are 25.8 x 19.3 inches or 65.4 x 49.1 cm for good quality, 20.6 x 15.5 inches or 52.3 x 39.3 cm for very good quality, and 17.2 x 12.9 inches or 43.6 x 32.7 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300 are ISO 80 to ISO 3200 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the T7 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the H300 uses a CCD imager. 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 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.		Sony H300	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
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.		Leica Q Typ 116	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.7	2221	85
14.		Sony H200	1/2.3	15.2	5184	2930	720/30p	19.9	11.2	529	44
15.		Sony H400	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
16.		Sony HX400V	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
17.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70
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 are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the T7 provides a higher video resolution than the H300. It can shoot video footage at 1080/30p, while the Sony is limited to 720/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the T7 has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the H300 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon T7 and Sony H300 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.		Sony H300	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
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.		Leica Q Typ 116	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony H200	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony H400	210	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	0.7/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony HX400V	210	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX100 IV	2359	n	3.0 / 1228	tilting	n	1/2000s	16.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The T7 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the H300 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo 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 T7 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300 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.		Sony H300	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
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.		Leica Q Typ 116	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony H200	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony H400	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the T7 has a hotshoe, while the H300 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

The T7 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the H300 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the H300 from Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the T7 and H300 can be found, respectively, in the Canon T7 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony H300 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon T7 or the Sony H300 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS Rebel T7:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 19.9MP) with a 12% higher linear resolution.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/30p vs 720/30p).
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (920k vs 460k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/1500s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (3 vs 0.8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Can take a variety of interchangeable lenses, including specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (500 versus 350) on a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More modern: Reflects 4 years of technical progress since the H300 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with an integrated lens, while the T7 requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (128x89mm vs 129x101mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2014).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the T7 is the clear winner of the match-up (16 : 6 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 T7 and the Sony H300 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings 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 H300 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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.		Sony H300	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2014	EUR 219	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.		Leica Q Typ 116	5/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	EUR 3 999	ebay.com
14.		Sony H200	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2013	EUR 249	ebay.com
15.		Sony H400	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2014	EUR 319	ebay.com
16.		Sony HX400V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	EUR 499	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	EUR 1 149	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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, 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.

Check T7 price at
amazon.com
Check H300 offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu 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.

~

Check T7 price at
amazon.com
Check H300 offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.