Canon EOS 1200D vs Canon EOS 850D

This is a full comparison between the cameras Canon EOS 1200D and Canon EOS 850D. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

These cameras are both manufactured by Canon.

Type of camera

Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

Both these cameras have the same sorts of sensor (called "Canon APS-C") which means that if you compare these cameras side by side the lenses will also have the same experienced focal length. Neither of the cameras has a Full frame sensor which means that you will get a "crop factor" where the camera's sensor size affect the focal length with a multiplier.

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Canon)

Resolution

Canon EOS 1200D has a 18 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS 850D has 24 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Canon EOS 850D has a 34 % larger resolution than Canon EOS 1200D. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Canon EOS 850D has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS 1200D. Canon EOS 850D has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 25600 while Canon EOS 1200D has 100 to 6400.

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 1200D
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 850D

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Canon EOS 1200D can shoot up to 3 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 850D can shoot up to 7,5 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

In this case, both Canon EOS 1200D and Canon EOS 850D can shoot movies.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Canon EOS 850D weighs 515 gr (equal to 1.14 lb) which is 7% heavier than Canon EOS 1200D and its 480 gr (or 1.06 lb).

Canon EOS 1200D vs Canon EOS 850D Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Canon EOS 1200D and Canon EOS 850D, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product	Canon EOS 1200D	Canon EOS 850D
Name	Canon EOS 1200D	Canon EOS 850D
Manufacturer	Canon	Canon
Release Date and Price	Canon EOS 1200D	Canon EOS 850D
Release Year	2014	2020
Release Date	2014-02-12	2020-02-12
MSRP	549 USD	749 USD
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Camera Type	Canon EOS 1200D	Canon EOS 850D
Camera Type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor	Canon EOS 1200D	Canon EOS 850D
Sensor Size	APS-C (approx 22.3 x 14.9 mm)	APS-C (approx 22.3 x 14.9 mm)
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	5184 x 3456 pixels	6000 x 4000 pixels
Megapixels	18 MP	24 MP
Image Processor	DIGIC 4	DIGIC 8
Image	Canon EOS 1200D	Canon EOS 850D
ISO Range	100 - 6400	100 - 25600
White Balance Presets	6	6
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	No	No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	0 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW	RAW
Optics & Focus	Canon EOS 1200D	Canon EOS 850D
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection LiveView
Focus Points	9	45
Lens Mount	Canon EF Canon EF-S See Compatible Lenses	Canon EF Canon EF-S See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier	APS-C Sensor 1.6x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 38 mm 50 mm becomes 80 mm 100 mm becomes 160 mm 200 mm becomes 320 mm	APS-C Sensor 1.6x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 38 mm 50 mm becomes 80 mm 100 mm becomes 160 mm 200 mm becomes 320 mm
Screen & Viewfinder	Canon EOS 1200D	Canon EOS 850D
Articulated LCD	Fixed	Fully articulated
Screen size	3”	3”
Screen dots	460000	1040000
Touch screen	No	Yes
Screen type	TFT color LCD, liquid-crystal monitor	TFT LCD
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Optical (pentamirror)	Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage	95%	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.8× (0.5× 35mm equiv.)	0.82× (0.51× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	0
Photography features	Canon EOS 1200D	Canon EOS 850D
Frames per second	3 fps	7,5 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/4000 seconds	1/4000 seconds
Built-in Flash	Yes	Yes
Built-in Flash Range	9 meters	4 meters
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	Yes	Yes
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Partial	Multi Center Weighted Spot Partial
Exposure Compensation	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)	+/- 3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features	Canon EOS 1200D	Canon EOS 850D
Video recording	Yes	Yes
Video format	H.264	MPEG4 H.264
Video resolution	1920 x 1080	1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160
Built-in Microphone	Yes	Yes
Built-in Speakers	Yes	Yes
Storage	Canon EOS 1200D	Canon EOS 850D
Memory Card	SD/SDHC	SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Canon EOS 1200D	Canon EOS 850D
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	No	Yes
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	No	Yes Built-in (802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth)
Remote Control	Yes (E3 connector)	Yes (via wireless remote or smartphone)
GPS	No	No
Body & Dimensions	Canon EOS 1200D	Canon EOS 850D
Enviromentally sealed	No	No
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	Lithium-Ion LP-E10 rechargeable battery & charger	LP-E17 lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	500 shots	800 shots
Width	130 mm	131 mm
Height	100 mm	103 mm
Depth	78 mm	76 mm
Weight	480 gram	515 gram