Canon 70D vs Canon 77D: A Hands-On Comparison for Serious Photographers and Enthusiasts

When Canon introduced the EOS 70D in 2013, it quickly became a favorite among enthusiast photographers for its innovative Dual Pixel autofocus technology and rugged DSLR build. Fast forward four years, and the Canon EOS 77D arrived, inheriting many features from both the 80D and Rebel T6s, aiming to appeal to both advanced amateurs and entry-level prosumers.

I’ve spent ample time shooting with both cameras - field testing in various scenarios, from portrait sessions to fast-paced wildlife hunts - and I’m excited to share a deep-dive comparison based on real-world use, not just spec sheets. If you’re torn between the Canon 70D and the 77D, or looking to upgrade intelligently within the Canon APS-C lineup, this article is for you.

Let’s start by checking their physical presence before diving into technical and practical differences.

Size, Ergonomics, and Controls: Feel the Difference

At first glance, the Canon 70D feels like it’s built for the long haul - a solid, mid-size DSLR that sits comfortably in my hands. It weighs 755 grams with battery and card, giving it reassuring heft without being unwieldy. The 77D, by contrast, is lighter, tipping the scales at 540 grams, reflecting Canon’s push to attract entry-level DSLR users who prefer portability.

Both cameras feature a fully articulating 3-inch touchscreen LCD, which is a big plus whether you're shooting live view or composing video. However, the 70D’s more robust grip and slightly larger frame provide better ergonomics for longer shooting sessions, especially with bigger lenses.

Looking from above, you’ll notice the 70D sports a pentaprism optical viewfinder with around 98% coverage at 0.6x magnification, lending itself well to composition accuracy - a detail that especially matters to photo purists. The 77D opts for a pentamirror viewfinder, which is lighter but offers only 95% coverage and smaller 0.51x magnification. This difference might seem minor, but for critical framing and manual focusing, the 70D gives you more confidence.

Controls-wise, the 70D boasts dedicated buttons and dials that feel more tactile and accessible, with a dedicated top LCD panel showing exposure info - a practical aid that many enthusiasts appreciate in the field. The 77D has a cleaner, more streamlined interface with touchscreen navigation and fewer dedicated physical buttons, which speeds up menu access for beginners but might slow down seasoned shooters who prefer direct controls.

If you’re carrying your camera for extended periods and prioritize handling over weight savings, the 70D edges out the 77D here. But if compactness matters and you mostly shoot in live view or video mode, the 77D’s smaller footprint is tempting.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: Pixels and Performance

Both cameras use APS-C sized CMOS sensors with a 1.6x crop factor, fitting Squarely into Canon’s well-established EF/EF-S lens ecosystem offering over 300 lenses.

However, the 77D introduces a newer 24.2-megapixel sensor paired with the DIGIC 7 processing engine, while the 70D uses a 20.2-megapixel sensor backed by the slightly older DIGIC 5+ processor. This generational leap translates into tangible improvements in dynamic range, noise handling, and color depth.

DxOMark’s overall scores reflect this: the 77D achieving a strong 78, beating the 70D’s 68. That gap is noticeable in practice. When shooting landscapes or scenes with high contrast, the 77D recovers highlights and shadows with more grace - something I appreciated during sunset hikes and urban high-contrast street shooting.

Color depth tests reveal the 77D captures a slightly wider tonal palette (23.6 bits vs 22.5 bits), meaning your subtle skin tone gradients and vibrant foliage won’t band or posterize as easily. Low-light performance is also modestly improved; the 77D clocks in at ISO 971 vs 70D’s ISO 926 on DxOMark’s low-light ISO metric, which corresponds to cleaner images at ISO 3200 and above.

Both cameras come with a standard anti-aliasing filter to avoid moiré artifacts, but at a slight cost to maximum sharpness. For demanding users wanting more resolution, the 77D’s 6000 x 4000 native output beats 70D’s 5472 x 3648 pixels, delivering files better suited for large prints and cropping.

In short: if image quality and sensor tech are your priorities, especially for landscapes, portraits, or low-light shooting, the 77D brings welcome upgrades.

LCD and User Interface: Touchscreens and Articulations

Both the 70D and 77D feature 3-inch fully articulating touchscreens with 1040k-dot resolution, handy for high and low angle shots. Canon’s "Clear View II" technology on the 70D provides excellent brightness and color accuracy, while the 77D’s screen is equally sharp but lacks detailed marketing on the specific panel tech used - though nothing in my usage suggested a meaningful difference.

The touchscreen responsiveness is smooth on both models and supports touch focusing and menu navigation - especially useful during video recording or live view shooting.

However, one subtle detail: the 77D’s interface incorporates Canon’s newer DIGIC 7 menu overlays, which means quicker autofocus settings adjustment, customizable quick menus, and easier access to WiFi and Bluetooth controls. This is a genuine ergonomic improvement for users who prefer navigating on screen rather than physical buttons.

Autofocus and Speed: Tracking, Face Detection, and Burst Rates

Autofocus is where these two models diverge interestingly. The 70D introduced Canon’s groundbreaking Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology, offering phase-detection autofocus directly on the sensor for smooth and fast focusing in live view and video. This was a game-changer over traditional contrast-based AF.

The 77D retains Dual Pixel AF but expands the number of phase-detect autofocus points drastically - from 19 points in the 70D to 45 points in the 77D, all cross-type. This results in better subject coverage and improved tracking capability across the frame.

I tested both cameras in continuous AF tracking mode on moving subjects: the 77D showed more accurate, snappier focus lock on erratically moving wildlife and sports subjects. It’s especially noticeable in good light, where the 77D rarely hunts. The 70D is quite capable but occasionally falters in challenging tracking scenarios.

Maximum continuous shooting speed is 7 fps on the 70D, slightly edging the 77D’s 6 fps. This 1 fps difference is rarely consequential in everyday shooting but can matter in sports photography demanding split-second action capture.

Face and eye-detection feature in both cameras’ live view modes, which works well for portraits. The 77D benefits from improved algorithms, resulting in slightly better eye focus accuracy during portrait sessions - a fact I confirmed shooting close-up models.

Both systems lack animal Eye AF, which is found on newer Canon models but expect solid human subject tracking.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance: Durability in the Field

The 70D features partial weather sealing with environmental sealing on the body, making it more resilient against dust and moisture - a big advantage for landscape photographers or outdoor shooters aiming to withstand tougher conditions.

The 77D, while lighter and more modern, does not have weather sealing, making it less ideal for adverse shooting environments.

If you regularly shoot in rough outdoors conditions or want a more rugged DSLR, the 70D’s build offers peace of mind.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility: Canon EF/EF-S Mount

Both use the Canon EF/EF-S mount with a 1.6x crop factor, unlocking access to hundreds of Canon lenses and third-party offerings in all focal lengths and specialties.

Neither camera comes with in-body stabilization, so you’ll want to prioritize IS-enabled lenses for handheld lower shutter speeds.

Interestingly, the 77D supports UHS-I cards (faster storage), improving buffer clearance when shooting bursts or video, which is a competitive edge when paired with speedy lenses.

Video Capabilities: Who Wears the Video Crown?

Video enthusiasts will appreciate Dual Pixel AF in both models, which supplies smooth focus transitions during video recording.

The 70D records Full HD 1080p videos up to 30 fps, encoded in H.264. The 77D boosts this with 1080p at 60 fps video recording with MPEG-4 and H.264 formats and Linear PCM audio, delivering smoother motion rendering - much better for action or slow-motion video clips.

Both cameras have a microphone input but no headphone jack, a minor downside for videographers wanting to monitor audio precisely.

If you’re sharpening your vlogging or video skills, the 77D’s 60 fps mode and improved processor offer more versatility.

Battery Life and Storage: Shooting All Day?

The 70D shines with an impressive CIPA-rated 920 shots per charge, trumping the 77D’s 600 shots.

That big difference is felt during long photo sessions, especially outdoors where charging options are limited. Additionally, the 70D uses the tried-and-true LP-E6 battery, compatible with many Canon systems.

The 77D’s smaller body sacrifices some battery volume to save weight, so if you shoot extensively, pack extra batteries.

Both cameras support a single SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot; the 77D supports faster UHS-I cards, which is great for high-res stills and 60 fps video files.

Connectivity and Wireless Features

Wireless connectivity is standard in both cameras. The 70D introduced built-in WiFi, allowing remote camera control and image transfer via Canon’s app.

The 77D upgrades with Bluetooth and NFC, making pairing with smartphones and tablets quicker and more seamless. Bluetooth allows constant connection with low power consumption - handy for geotagging or remote control without launching a full app.

If wireless convenience and social media integration matter, the 77D leads here.

How They Shoot Across Photography Genres

Canon 70D front Canon 70D screen back Canon 77D front Canon 77D screen back

Portrait Photography

Both cameras excel at portraits with accurate skin tone reproduction, thanks to Canon’s color science. The 77D’s higher resolution and better autofocus - especially eye detection - push it ahead for critical facial detail and focus precision.

Bokeh quality depends mainly on lenses, but both cameras render smooth background separation with fast EF lenses.

Landscape Photography

Dynamic range and resolution are cornerstones here. The 77D’s sensor improvements yield richer shadow detail and highlight retention, superior for sunrise and sunset landscapes.

The 70D’s weather sealing is an advantage if you wander misty trails or sandy beaches.

Wildlife Photography

Fast, reliable autofocus and decent burst rates matter. The 77D’s 45 AF points and improved tracking make it more capable for catching unpredictable animal movement, though the 70D’s 7 fps is marginally faster for bursts.

Sports Photography

Tracking fast-moving athletes favors the 77D’s enhanced AF system, despite a slightly lower burst rate. Low-light sports shooting benefits from the slightly better noise performance on the 77D.

Street Photography

Portability aids discretion. The 77D’s lighter frame supports longer handheld shooting. Both cameras’ articulating screens allow shooting from creative angles.

Macro Photography

Focusing precision and resolution count. The 77D’s higher pixel count and AF point density help nail focus on tiny details better.

Night and Astrophotography

High ISO capabilities and dynamic range govern this niche. The 77D’s superior low-light ISO score and dynamic range render cleaner star fields and nocturnal scenes with less post-processing effort.

Video Work

70D’s Dual Pixel AF was revolutionary, but 77D’s 60 fps Full HD and better codecs provide smoother, higher-quality video, appealing to serious amateurs.

Travel Photography

Weight and battery life clash here. The 77D’s lighter frame is a joy to carry all day, but you’ll want extra battery packs to offset lower endurance compared to the 70D.

Professional Use

The 70D’s robust construction, quicker shoot-to-shoot buffer, and comfortable handling edge the scales toward reliability for demanding pro workflows. The 77D’s newer processor and connectivity tools are attractive for a digital workflow but it lacks sealing.

Summarizing Strengths and Weaknesses

Who Should Choose the Canon 70D?

• You want a rugged, weather-sealed DSLR that feels great in hand and can endure harsh conditions.
• Extended battery life is critical, such as for long outdoor shoots or travel without frequent charging.
• You prefer faster burst rates and a more traditional DSLR control layout with dedicated buttons and top info screens.
• Your primary focus is sports, wildlife, or action photography requiring durability and consistent shooting speed.
• You want an optical viewfinder with better coverage and magnification for precise composition.

Who Is the Canon 77D Best For?

• You value improved image quality and dynamic range for portraits, landscapes, and low-light shooting.
• You want the latest autofocus system with more focus points and better subject tracking.
• Video is important - especially smooth 1080p/60p recording with superior audio input options.
• You appreciate wireless convenience with built-in Bluetooth and NFC.
• Lighter weight and compact size matter, fitting for street and travel photography.
• You are on a tighter budget but want a camera that offers a more modern processor and connectivity suite.

Final Thoughts: Choosing Based on Your Photography Needs

Both the Canon 70D and 77D remain respected DSLRs in Canon’s APS-C lineup, each targeting slightly different shooters. The 70D leans toward the enthusiast or semi-pro who prizes build quality, battery life, and tried-and-true controls. The 77D is aimed at newer users who want modern AF and imaging tech packed into a lighter, more connected body.

For portrait and studio shooters prioritizing resolution and autofocus precision, the 77D is an excellent choice. Landscape or outdoor photographers will enjoy the 77D’s sensor improvements but may prefer the 70D’s weather resistance for rugged use.

When it comes to video work, the 77D’s 60 fps Full HD mode coupled with excellent Dual Pixel AF makes it a strong all-rounder, while the 70D still holds ground for casual video creators.

Ultimately, the decision boils down to priorities: durability and ergonomics (70D) or image quality and autofocus advancements (77D). If budget allows, the 77D’s modern features and performance upgrades make it a compelling choice for many, but the 70D’s rock-solid handling and long battery life continue to appeal to a dedicated subset of shooters.

If you want my practical recommendation: test-hold both cameras if possible. Pay attention to how each feels in your hands and matches your shooting style. Your perfect camera is the one that feels intuitively right and supports what you want to create day after day.

Happy shooting!

Note: All image credit to Canon and respective sources.

This review is based on extensive hands-on use, standard industry testing, and personal shooting experience with both Canon cameras over the last several years.