Canon EOS 70D vs Canon EOS 90D: A Hands-On Deep Dive for Serious Photographers

When Canon introduced the EOS 70D back in 2013, it bridged the gap between entry-level DSLRs and professional rigs for enthusiasts seeking a versatile, robust mid-size camera. Fast forward six years, and the 90D arrived on the scene as the natural successor - not simply an iterative update, but a meaningful leap in sensor technology, autofocus, and video capabilities. As someone who has tested thousands of cameras over the years, I find direct comparisons like this essential: which specifically suits your photographic ambitions, style, and budget?

In this exhaustive analysis, we’ll unpack how these two Canon DSLRs stack up - covering every major photography discipline from portraits to wildlife, assessing their technical prowess, real-world handled performance, and suitability across genres. I’ll draw from hands-on testing, measuring each camera’s strengths, quirks, and evolutionary progress. Consider this your one-stop expert guide before committing.

First Impressions and Physical Feel: Ergonomics in Real Life

Holding both cameras side by side reveals interesting design philosophies and improvements. The 70D and 90D share Canon’s familiar mid-size DSLR silhouette - robust, solid, and well balanced. Yet subtle refinements elevate the newer 90D’s feel.

Dimensions and Weight:

• Canon 70D is slightly thicker, measuring 139×104×79mm and weighing roughly 755g with battery.
• Canon 90D is more compact at 141×105×77mm but lighter (701g), thanks in part to internal design tweaks.

The weight difference is modest but noticeable during extended shooting sessions - favoring the 90D for travel or street photographers prioritizing reduced shoulder fatigue.

Grip and Button Layout: Ergonomically, the 90D offers a deeper, more contoured grip that feels reassuringly secure in my hands. The buttons and dials sport subtle repositioning for easier reach - critical when shooting in fast-action environments like sports or wildlife.

Canon also improved responsiveness in the 90D’s top control layout, with the addition of a silent electronic shutter mode - something the 70D lacks. This is a nod toward discreet shooting situations, where shutter noise matters, such as weddings or street photography.

Overall, both DSLRs feel professional, but the 90D’s incremental ergonomic polish makes it the clear winner for comfort and intuitive control.

Sensor and Image Quality: More Pixels Mean More Detail?

Image quality often dominates purchasing decisions, and that begins with the sensor. Canon stuck to the APS-C format on both bodies but introduced a significantly enhanced sensor in the 90D.

• Canon 70D: 20.2MP APS-C sensor (22.5x15 mm), DIGIC 5+ processor.
• Canon 90D: 32.5MP APS-C sensor (22.3x14.9 mm), DIGIC 8 processor.

The 90D’s sensor resolution leap (over 60% more pixels) brings higher detail rendition ideal for large prints, cropping for wildlife shots, or commercial use needing ultimate image fidelity.

Color Depth & Dynamic Range: While Canon never officially publishes DxOMark results for the 90D, empirical testing shows the newer DIGIC 8 processor paired with the sensor achieves improved dynamic range - approximately one stop better than the 70D. This means more latitude in recovering shadows and highlights during post-processing, essential for landscape photographers battling challenging light.

The 70D holds respectable ground with a DxOMark overall score around 68 and solid color depth (22.5 bits), but the 90D simply pushes the bar higher.

High ISO Performance: High ISO noise handling has always been a strong suit of Canon cameras. The 70D maxes native ISO at 12,800 (expandable to 25,600), while the 90D doubles this to 25,600 native (expandable to 51,200). In my low-light tests shooting handheld interiors and dim nightscapes, the 90D produced cleaner images with better maintained detail and natural tonal transitions at high ISOs than the 70D - helpful across genres like event photography or astrophotography.

Viewing and Interface: Articulated Screens and Optical Viewfinders

Both cameras feature fully articulating 3-inch LCDs with roughly 1 million-dot resolution. These screens support live view, touch focus, and menu navigation.

The 70D’s screen uses Canon’s Clear View II TFT technology, yielding sharp imagery and good color accuracy. The 90D screen feels slightly brighter and more responsive to touch - an advantage when composing video or high-angle shots.

The optical pentaprism viewfinders differ as well:

• The 70D provides 98% frame coverage.
• The 90D offers 100% coverage with the same 0.6x magnification.

For those who favor viewfinder use, the 90D’s 100% coverage gives more confidence framing complex scenes - critical in street photography or sports where composition is key.

Autofocus Systems: Eye Detection to Burst Speed

Autofocus advancements are among the 90D’s marquee features.

• Canon 70D: 19-point all cross-type AF system.
• Canon 90D: 45-point all cross-type AF system.

In my testing, the additional AF points and upgraded tracking algorithms on the 90D are tangible improvements - providing more accurate continuous focus tracking on moving subjects in wildlife, sports, and fast events.

Both cameras offer Dual Pixel CMOS AF for live view and video, but the 90D’s version is noticeably faster and smoother. When shooting in live view or video, I saw less hunting or focus lag on the 90D.

Canon 70D front Canon 70D screen back Canon 90D front Canon 90D screen back

Burst shooting rates reflect this as well:

• 70D: 7 fps continuous
• 90D: 11 fps continuous

The 90D’s speed edge makes a difference capturing action sequences - whether a bird takeoff or a child’s sprint.

Video Capabilities: HD vs 4K

Video shooters will find important distinctions here.

• The 70D offers Full HD 1080p video up to 30fps, encoded in H.264, with built-in microphone input but no headphone jack for monitoring.
• The 90D upgrades to UHD 4K at 30fps, also supporting Full HD up to 120fps for slow motion. It adds a headphone jack alongside mic input - critical for professional audio control.

Both cameras feature fully articulating touchscreens, excellent for vloggers or run-and-gun videographers. The 90D’s improved DIGIC 8 processor facilitates cleaner 4K video with less overheating compared to earlier Canon models I have tested.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance

While neither camera is truly weatherproof, both feature dust- and splash-resistant bodies - important when shooting outdoors in rugged conditions.

The 70D and 90D have magnesium alloy top plates and polycarbonate bodies reinforced internally.

Canon made only minor physical dimension changes between models, preserving durability while trimming some thickness and weight on the 90D for greater portability.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility

Both DSLRs employ the Canon EF/EF-S mount, compatible with the same extensive Canon lens lineup of over 320 lenses - versatility isn’t sacrificed here.

This access to a wide range of primes and zooms - from professional L-series glass to budget-friendly third-party options - ensures the cameras are ready for portrait, macro, wildlife telephoto, or wide-angle landscape shooters.

Battery Life and Storage

A pragmatic factor - especially for travel and event shooters.

• The 70D’s LP-E6 battery rated around 920 shots per charge.
• The 90D’s LP-E6N model extends this considerably to approximately 1300 shots.

I found the 90D noticeably more efficient in the field, letting me shoot longer without swapping batteries. Charging via USB-PD (Power Delivery) is a welcome modern convenience on the 90D for topping off on the go.

Both cameras take a single SD card slot, but the 90D supports faster UHS-II cards - speeding up buffer clearing during continuous bursts.

Connectivity and Wireless Features

Wireless control and transfer are standard.

Both offer Wi-Fi with companion mobile app integration for remote shooting, image sharing, and geotagging.

The 90D includes Bluetooth for instant pairing and low-energy connection maintenance, something the 70D lacks.

Discipline-Specific Performance Overview

No single metric tells the whole story. Let’s break down how these cameras perform by genre and user needs.

Portrait Photography

The 90D’s higher resolution sensor and refined autofocus yield more detailed skin textures and improved eye detection reliability - even though neither incorporates Canon’s recent animal eye AF.

• Bokeh: Since lens choice matters most, both models achieve creamy background separation when paired with wide aperture primes.
• Skin tones: Canon’s color science is consistent, rendering pleasing, natural tones on both.

Recommendation: For pro portrait photographers wanting more cropping flexibility and reliable focus tracking, 90D edges out.

Landscape Photography

Dynamic range and pixel count are critical here.

The 90D’s broader latitude and higher resolution provide more detail and tonal information essential for printing large or stitching panoramas.

Weather sealing on both helps combat the elements, though neither is fully weatherproof.

Wildlife Photography

The 90D crushes the 70D in this category.

• 45 AF points versus 19
• 11 fps burst versus 7 fps
• Faster buffer and card speeds
• Improved tracking algorithms

These let you capture fleeting animal expressions or wing beats with greater keeper rates.

Sports Photography

Similar story - when tracking fast athletes, more AF points and faster frame rate matter greatly. The 90D offers enhanced low-light ISO handling for early morning or indoor arenas.

Street Photography

For candid street shooting, the 70D’s slightly larger size and louder shutter make it less discreet. The 90D’s silent electronic shutter mode provides stealth advantages.

Both have fully articulating screens helpful for creative compositions.

Macro Photography

Though both lack dedicated macro focusing modes like focus stacking, their autofocus precision and the Canon lens ecosystem’s macro primes support excellent close-up photography.

Night and Astro Photography

High ISO performance and noise disciplines favor the 90D. Its cleaner output at ISO 3200+ and ability to shoot longer bulb exposures with precision make it more suitable for star field and nightscape photography.

Video

The 90D is the clear choice with 4K, headphone jack, and higher frame rate options. The 70D suits beginners who only need 1080p but lacks advanced video features.

Travel Photography

Here, battery life and weight are crucial. 90D’s longer battery endurance and lighter feel help make it a better traveler’s companion. The articulating touchscreens and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth also enhance convenience.

Professional Work

The 90D’s newer processing engine, refined ergonomics, and image quality improvements make it better suited for demanding workflows requiring more versatility, faster operation, and better file flexibility.

Honest Strengths and Weaknesses Summarized

Decoding Performance Scores

To quantify performance, we aggregated expert tests and lab results.

The 90D dominates in resolution, autofocus, and video innovation, while the 70D holds its own in reliability and solid construction.

Who Should Buy Which?

Buy the Canon EOS 70D if…

• You want a budget-friendly advanced DSLR for general photography.
• Your work is mostly still photography at modest resolutions.
• You prefer a mid-range body with excellent handling and familiar Canon controls.
• You don’t require 4K video or ultra-fast continuous shooting.
• You own EF or EF-S lenses and want solid autofocus performance without the latest bells and whistles.

Buy the Canon EOS 90D if…

• You need high-resolution files for prints, commercial or crop-heavy work.
• You shoot fast-moving subjects, sports or wildlife, and want superior autofocus.
• You are into 4K video recording with headphone monitoring.
• Long battery life and wireless connectivity are important priorities.
• You want the best APS-C Canon DSLR performance for diverse photography disciplines.
• Budget is less constrained and you appreciate the latest tech refinements.

Closing Thoughts and Future-Proofing Your Investment

Having spent hours testing both bodies under varied conditions, I am genuinely impressed with how Canon engineered the 90D to meet today’s photography demands while maintaining continuity in handling and lens compatibility.

The 70D remains a capable, enthusiastic photographer’s companion with classic Canon color science and approachable build - but the 90D pulls ahead decisively in image quality, autofocus sophistication, speed, and multimedia features.

Canon 70D front Canon 70D screen back Canon 90D front Canon 90D screen back

My recommendation is simple: for newcomers or budget-conscious enthusiasts, the 70D offers excellent value and reliability. For semi-professionals and serious hobbyists needing to future-proof their kit, invest in the 90D - it’s a versatile workhorse across nearly every photographic genre, backed by Canon's latest technology.

Final Performance Snapshot

Canon 70D front Canon 70D screen back Canon 90D front Canon 90D screen back

How We Tested

Our evaluation considered both lab measurements - DxOMark data, AF tests, battery endurance - and extensive field shooting. We captured portraits, landscapes, wildlife, sports sequences, macro compositions, and video clips under diverse lighting and environmental conditions to ensure representative performance insights.

In a nutshell: the Canon 90D embodies six years of Canon’s incremental innovation distilled into a highly competent APS-C DSLR platform, ideal for those demanding flexibility across photo and video applications. Meanwhile, the 70D remains a venerable classic for users making practical compromises in exchange for affordability and trusted usability.

With this detailed, first-hand comparison, you’re better equipped to decide which model matches your vision behind the lens.

Happy shooting!