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Canon 500D

 
Canon EOS 500D front
 
  • 15MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 3200 (Expand to 12800)
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Canon EF/EF-S Mount
  • 520g - 129 x 98 x 62mm
  • Introduced June 2009
  • Additionally Known as EOS Rebel T1i / EOS Kiss X3
  • Succeeded the Canon 450D
  • Refreshed by Canon 550D
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
70
Imaging
54
Features
59
Overall
56

Canon 500D summary

Canon 500D is Canon's Entry-Level DSLR camera originally introduced on June of 2009. It comes with a 15 MegaPixel, CMOS APS-C sized sensor and has a full resolution of 4752 x 3168. The camera is known as "EOS Rebel T1i / EOS Kiss X3" in certain regions.

Canon released this camera in an effort to replace the previous Canon 450D (Read Full Comparison) & then brought out the more recent Canon 550D (Read Full Comparison) in an effort to update this camera.

The 500D is ranked #45 out of 80 in Entry-Level DSLR cameras & over-all #366 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. Please check out our Smart camera finder to see camera rankings based on your custom requirements.

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Here is a chart of multiple factors used in the rating system.

Canon 500D family

The Canon 500D has a history of related digital cameras. Here, you can check out all previous and more recent models alongside key specifications.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Canon-EOS-750d front thumbnailCanon 750D
500D vs 750D
24MPAPS-C5.0 fps2015
Canon-EOS-700D front thumbnailCanon 700D
500D vs 700D
18MPAPS-C5.0 fps2013
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Canon-EOS-650D front thumbnailCanon 650D
500D vs 650D
18MPAPS-C5.0 fps2012
Canon-EOS-600D front thumbnailCanon 600D
500D vs 600D
18MPAPS-C4.0 fps2011
Canon-EOS-550D front thumbnailCanon 550D
500D vs 550D
18MPAPS-C4.0 fps2010
Canon-EOS-500D front thumbnailCanon 500D15MPAPS-C3.0 fps2009
C500 Mark II gets new Cinema RAW Light modes from Canon
Canon-EOS-450D front thumbnailCanon 450D
500D vs 450D
12MPAPS-C4.0 fps2008
Canon-EOS-400D front thumbnailCanon 400D
500D vs 400D
10MPAPS-C3.0 fps2006
Canon-EOS-350D front thumbnailCanon 350D
500D vs 350D
8MPAPS-C3.0 fps2005
Canon-EOS-300D front thumbnailCanon 300D
500D vs 300D
6MPAPS-C3.0 fps2003

Canon 500D Pros and Cons

Below is a collection of advantages and drawbacks of the Canon 500D based on things that are typically regarded as useful in a camera.

comes with phase detect AF
delivers RAW formats
does have HDMI out
good resolution (15 megapixels)
great minimum ISO (100)
has built in flash
high res video (1920 x 1080 resolution)
includes face detect focusing
screen has good resolution (920 k dots)
screen size is good (3 inch)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
switch lenses (Canon EF/EF-S mount)
you can focus manually
display is not selfie friendly
low fps (3.0 frames per second)
missing headphone support
missing microphone support
missing Timelapse function
no image stabilization
screen is fixed
terrible battery life (440 per charge)
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Canon 500D Sensor specifications

The Canon 500D is powered by the Digic 4 processor. The dimension of the sensor in the Canon 500D is 22.3mm x 14.9mm (APS-C). The 332 mm² sensor is able to capture 4752 x 3168 pixels at aspect ratios of 3:2.

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The CMOS sensor has 15 megapixels and gives a native ISO range of 100 - 3200. This ISO can be widened electronically to a high of 12800. RAW files are saved so you have wider margin for error.

The picture below illustrates the 500D's sensor dimensions when compared to other common sizes. The 500D sensor has a crop factor of 1.6 and is pointed out in green.

Canon EOS 500D sensor size AI-made Images of Food Appear More Delicious Than Real Photos

To get a sense of various aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Canon 500D dimensions

Canon 500D is 1.15 lb (520g or 18.34 oz) & the over all size of the camera is 129mm x 98mm x 62mm (5.1" x 3.9" x 2.4"). The weight of average Entry-Level DSLR camera is 540g so the Canon 500D is similar as compared to other rivals.

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Listed below is a visual of the Canon 500D next to a soft drink so you can get a feel for its scale.

Canon EOS 500D dimensions scale

The top view directly below will provide the button arrangement on the 500D.

Canon EOS 500D topview buttons dials

Canon 500D Lens specifications

The 500D fits the Canon EF/EF-S mount and has 331 lenses on sale. Below is a few of the lenses we have in our database which will fit the 500D.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Carl-Zeiss-Distagon-T2.8-21-Canon-EF lensCarl Zeiss Distagon T 2,82121mmf/2.8 600g
Sigma-120-300mm-F2.8-EX-DG-HSM-Canon-EF lensSigma 120-300mm F2.8 EX DG HSM120-300mmf/2.8 2600g
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Hartblei-Superrotator-Macro-120mm-F4-TS-Canon-EF lensHartblei Superrotator Macro 120mm F4 TS121mmf/4.0 965g
Sigma-85mm-F1.4-EX-DG-HSM-Canon-EF lensSigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM85mmf/1.4 725g
Canon-EF-S-15-85mm-f3.5-5.6-IS-USM lensCanon EF-S 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM15-85mmf/3.5-5.6 575g
Lensbaby-Burnside-35-Canon-EF lensLensbaby Burnside 3535mmf/2.8374g
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Canon-EF-S-18-55mm-f3.5-5.6-IS-II lensCanon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS II18-55mmf/3.5-5.6 200g
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Canon 500D Connectivity

The 500D has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras with NFC and / or Bluetooth compatibility can be used wirelessly with smartphones. You can send photos and at times change camera settings without connecting straight to the camera.

Many applications even allow a Liveview and release the shutter in case you are not close to the camera. If the camera provides a HDMI port, it can be connected to an external display. Nearly all cameras will allow you to charge the battery pack with the USB socket.

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Canon 500D Video specifications

The highest possible video resolution in the Canon 500D is 1920 x 1080 and you can capture in H.264 format. 1080p resolution provides a good balance between quality vs file sizes but 1080p will not leave you with any room to downsample. The camera does not offer a microphone and / or headphone port so you have got no control over the sound. It is probably best to find a different camera if you want good sound for your video clips.

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Canon 500D Weather Sealing

There is no environment proofing on the Canon 500D so you need to be careful in rainy or dusty situations.

Canon 500D Display and Viewfinder

The Canon 500D comes with a 3" fixed screen boasting a resolution of 920k dots.

Please note that the screen has no touch support.

Canon EOS 500D screen and viewfinder TikTok Developing Photo App to Challenge Instagram's Dominance

The View Finder specifications for Canon 500D are below:

  • ViewFinder Optical (pentamirror)
  • ViewFinder Coverage 95 percent
  • ViewFinder Magnification 0.55x

Viewfinders are rather useful during bright outdoor situations which will make the camera display washed out and hard to see.

Canon 500D Shutter specifications

Canon 500D continuous shooting speed is 3.0 frames per second. The highest shutter speed is 1/4000s.

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Canon 500D Flash and Hot shoe specifications

Canon 500D features both in-built flash along with external flash support. The max flash sync speed is 1/200s.

Canon 500D Autofocus specifications

Canon 500D features both Phase Detect Autofocus plus Contrast Based Autofocus. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot snappier and exact compared with Contrast Based autofocusing. The camera comes with Face detect which makes it handy for people photography.

The Sensor comes with 9 focus points to pick from. Canon 500D includes manual focusing if required during low light conditions or you need to have more exact focusing control.

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Canon 500D Battery life

The battery life (LP-E5) on the Canon 500D is designed to last for 440 photographs according to the CIPA benchmarks which is less as compared with it's rivals. The average Entry-Level DSLR camera battery life is 589. Pentax K-x features the best (1900) battery life within this kind of cameras.

Underneath is a number of Entry-Level DSLR cameras that come with the strongest battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth
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Canon-EOS-Rebel-SL3 front thumbnailCanon SL3
500D vs SL3
1070 yesnoyes

Canon 500D for specific styles of photography

The following diagram indicates a outline of the Canon 500D for specific styles of photography. To read more, have a look at the specific section below.

Canon 500D Portrait photography details

The Canon 500D receives a points tally of 72 which is nice, and means the camera is a fine choice to use for portrait images. Taking portrait images favors greatly towards sensor resolution, support for RAW files in addition to the capability to utilize external flash.

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you can focus manually
megapixel count decent (15MP)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
provides face detection focusing
delivers RAW formats

Canon 500D Street photography factors

Getting a moderate points tally of 59, the Canon 500D is somewhat appropriate to use in street photography. A good street photography camera features a good balance of picture quality and portability.

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sensor size is nice (APS-C)
exports RAW formats
screen does not articulate
does not have image stabilization

Canon 500D as a Sports photography camera

A average sports photography score of 52 means the Canon 500D is relatively appropriate for taking photos of sports. A camera needs fantastic tracking and fast shutter speeds for sports photography.

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good resolution (15MP)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
supports phase detect auto focus
low frames per second (3.0 frames/s)
no image stabilization
terrible battery pack (440 CIPA)

Canon 500D Travel photography advice

Portability is really critical in picking a travel camera. On the whole, the Canon 500D gets a modest 54 for a travel camera which makes it relatively suitable to take with you on your vacations.

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decent MP (15 megapixels)
built-in flash
no Time Lapse recording
bad battery (440 CIPA)
screen is not selfie friendly

Canon 500D Landscape photography highlights

For anybody looking to purchase a camera for landscape pictures, the most critical aspect will be image quality. The Canon 500D with it's nice score of 61 for a landscape camera is a good fit in the current market.

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focusing manually
switch lenses (Canon EF/EF-S mount)
good sized screen (3 inch)
good megapixels (15 megapixels)
sensor size is good (APS-C)
delivers RAW files
lack of image stabilization
low battery life (440 CIPA)
missing Timelapse recording

Canon 500D Vlogging features

A camera for vlogging should have a articulating screen, mic port and preferably image stabilization. Considering all things, the Canon 500D is simply not very good for vlogging as it receives a awful score of 27.

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features face detection autofocus
video res high (1920 x 1080 resolution)
display isn't selfie friendly
lack of image stabilization
no external mic port

Canon 500D Alternatives

If you are searching for alternatives to the 500D, here is a selection of the highest rated cameras which fall into the family of Entry-Level DSLR.

The line chart here offers you an overview of the 500D vs it's highest scored competitors shown above.

There are more cameras you might regard as alternatives. To go through a detailed comparison, simply click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Company
Canon
Model type
Canon EOS 500D
Otherwise known as
EOS Rebel T1i / EOS Kiss X3
Category
Entry-Level DSLR
Introduced
2009-06-08
Physical type
Compact SLR
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Processor Chip
Digic 4
Sensor size
APS-C
Sensor measurements
22.3 x 14.9mm
Sensor surface area
332.3mm²
Sensor resolution
15 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
3:2
Max resolution
4752 x 3168
RAW photos
Max native ISO
3200
Max enhanced ISO
12800
Min native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Total focus points
9
Lens
Lens mount type
Canon EF/EF-S
Total lenses
326
Crop factor
1.6
Screen
Display type
Fixed Type
Display size
3 inch
Resolution of display
920k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Display tech
TFT color LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder coverage
95 percent
Viewfinder magnification
0.55x
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating
63
DXO Color Depth rating
21.7
DXO Dynamic range rating
11.5
DXO Low light rating
663
Features
Minimum shutter speed
30s
Fastest shutter speed
1/4000s
Continuous shutter rate
3.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation
Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance
13.00 m
Flash modes
Auto, On, Off, Red-eye
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Fastest flash synchronize
1/200s
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (20 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Max video resolution
1920x1080
Video format
H.264
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless
Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
520g (1.15 lbs)
Physical dimensions
129 x 98 x 62mm (5.1" x 3.9" x 2.4")
Other
Battery life
440 photos
Battery style
Battery Pack
Battery ID
LP-E5
Self timer
Yes (2 sec or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage
SD/SDHC
Card slots
1
Cost at release
$650