Canon T5i and T4i in background
Camera Comparisons
·3 min read

Canon T4i vs T5i: What’s the difference?

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T5i vs T4i: Which Should You Buy?

T2i? T3i? T4i? T5i? Canon has released so many variants of the Rebel series SLRs that it can be hard to keep track of them. The latest incarnation, the T5i, was released only 10 months after the T4i, so we expected the differences to be minor. I didn’t expect them to be this minor. Below, I’ll describe the differences. Very briefly.

The Gist of It

Let me just skip ahead to the important bit: the T4i and the T5i are virtually identical. There are no improvements in image quality, autofocus capabilities, or speed in the newer model. The T5i was probably given a new name simply because Canon wanted to release a new camera with their freshly developed 18-55mm STM kit lens. There are a couple of minor points to consider, though…

Canon T4i and T5i, back view
Matthew Gore | Light And Matter

The Differences

This is a complete list of the differences between the Canon T4i and T5i. If you’re curious how the cameras compare to more expensive models, such as the Canon 70D, my comparison of those cameras provides a much more complete listing of their stats.

Canon T4iCanon T5i
Canon T4iCanon T5i
Price
(body only)		$629$599
Typical Kit LensEF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ISEF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM
Mode DialLimited Rotation360 Degree Rotation
"Creative" FiltersProcessing Required for PreviewReal Time Preview
NOTHINGNOTHINGNOTHING

The change to the ironically named “Creative Filter” 1 These are factory pre-sets; no creation or innovation is required. preview is just a minor software update. It does appear that the change to the mode-dial is a legitimate hardware difference, though it is utterly inconsequential to the user. And that brings us to…

The Lens

The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens was new with the release of the T4i, and is a truly excellent kit lens, and as I’ve said before, I’d recommend for most entry-level photographers. The Canon T5i is also available with a new lens: the EF-S 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 IS STM, very similar to Canon’s earlier kit lens but with the addition of a faster, quieter stepping-motor for autofocus. This is unquestionably better than the earlier lens in terms of sharpness (though the previous one was just fine) and speed, but I’d still recommend the 18-135 STM as a kit lens, if you can afford it; it’s a much more useful range, allowing you to cover most shooting situations while only carrying a single lens.

Who Should Buy the T4i?

In general, prices for the T5i are lower than those for the T4i, which were quickly discontinued, so there is no reason to prefer the T4i. If you happen to run across some T4i old-stock in a store and it’s a great deal, then go ahead and buy it, especially if it’s bundled with the 18-135mm STM lens. If it’s bundled with the old 18-55mm, you might want to think about whether you’d rather spend a little more money and get the better kit-lens.

However, the Canon T3i is still around and is a great camera for significantly less money. For a full comparison, see my article comparing it to the T4i, but I’ve summed up why you might want to consider it below:

Buy the T5i or T4i  (instead of the T3i) if you:

  • want to shoot cinema quality HD video with something close to the convenience of a video-camera (the Canon 70D really takes this to the next level)
  • shoot sports or action and want the higher frame rate (5 frames per second) and superior auto-focus system of the T5i
  • would appreciate the convenience of a touch screen LCD
  • shoot low-light landscapes or other low-motion shots that can utilize the new multi-shot noise reduction in JPG mode

Buy the T3i or T2i if you:

  • would like to save $100 or more on the camera price
  • are not interested in shooting video. The still capabilities are identical, for all practical purposes
  • are interested in shooting video, but prefer to shoot with manual focus or follow-focus rails (as most professionals do)
  • shoot primarily landscape or portrait photography, so the AF differences are less important (the 5D Mark II shares the same AF system with the T3i)
  • do not require the extra appox. 1 frame per second provided by the T4i

As usual, I’ve tried to keep this comparison brief and focused on the most important features, and I’ve excluded discussion of in-camera-processing, since these features can change with firmware updates and are probably better done in post-processing software on your computer anyway. However, please feel free to ask me any questions that you may still have in the comments section below!

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Matthew Gore
Editor-in-Chief
Matthew Gore is the Editor-in-Chief and Administrator of Light & Matter Media.
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23 Comments

  3. Great articles. I have a Canon Rebel XS and I would like to upgrade the camera. I only have the cheap kit lens EF-S 18-55mm f 3.5-5.6 IS and later bought (I think another cheap lens) EFS 55-250mm f 4-5.6 IS. Never had a prime lens till recently (an EF 40mm f2.8 stm). Wanting to be a hard core enthusiast (time/work and funds permitting) I guess I would be considered a beginner. I’ve taken some really good close up shots of nature with the kit lens, have yet to use my 40mm, but I know I have a long way to go or grow.
    I think I want to stick with the crop sensor camera and was eyeing the 70d or 7d mkii body. I don’t want to move to full frame sensor but the 6d looked very tempting.
    I want to use the camera for indoor basketball, my daughter is really loving the sport and I’d like to be able to get a camera that would be suitable for taking some great shots. I know the 6d would be great but I might be buying too much camera for my skill. Maybe I could make my Canon Rebel XS work with a great lens, but I know it wouldn’t be the greatest in low light sports (then again, I confess I haven’t explored much outside my kit lenses either).
    I was looking at the T5i (cheap) and weighing my options on the 70d and 7d mkii. I don’t really care for movie options in the camera, I would like low noise at high ISO, great color depth, good dynamic range, good image quality and resolution. I like my Canons or maybe I need to consider the Nikon D5500 instead of the Canon 7dmkii (price range). What are my best options?

    Reply

    1. That’s a pretty big question :-)

      Let me start with this: since the beginning of the digital camera era, photographers have taken millions of amazing photos… and published them in magazines, hung them in galleries, and displayed them online. And until a couple of years ago, those photos were all shot with cameras that have lower resolution and dynamic range and color depth than the current models have.

      That’s all just to say: better cameras don’t mean better photos, and you can take amazing photos with just about any modern camera. Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fuji… all excellent cameras.

      I wouldn’t get too hung up on minor differences in sensors. Yes, the newest generation is going to be much better than a 10 year old camera in ISO performance, but the differences among the new ones (even a few years old) are pretty minimal. Full frame cameras are going to give you better low-light performance by at least a full f-stop, maybe two or three (depending on the cameras), so if you’re into low-light photography, a full-frame camera really is worth considering, but otherwise, you should be in good shape with a crop sensor.

      If you’d like to keep your Canon equipment, then the new Canon T6s is a great option. It has the body features of a more expensive camera, but it’s relatively cheap. The 70D is also a nice camera. The Nikon D5500 or D7200 are also excellent.

      My advise is always to buy the least expensive camera that will meet your needs, and buy the best lenses you can afford. They’ll make a bigger difference in your image quality and photography than anything.

      Reply

      1. $900-$1200 Canadian, is the extreme end of my budget. Reviews of the T5 to the T5i show the T5 has a slight edge in overall image quality (lower noise at high iso, color depth, dynamic range and slightly better image quality — from snapsort.com comparison) compared to my XS. Except for higher resolution, ISO and shutter rate, my numbers for the XS seem better than the T5i. Never thought about the T6s, it looks great! So here’s my dillema, I can get a T5 + kit lens – $349 or a T5i body – $625 I really do like the T6s body – $859 (price getting high) but the Nikon D5500 is slightly cheaper $829 with slightly better image qualities and it seems to be better than the 70d which is much more expensive except for shooting faster. So I’m leaning towards the t6s right now as I’m not sure I want to jump to Nikon. But if I decide not to go for the T6s would you recommend the T5 or the T5i or just wait till I’m more decisive? Also knowing that the Canadian dollar is at an all time low so I would expect to see camera prices in Canada jumping 30% fairly soon when new stock starts to come in.

        Reply

        1. By the way. I enjoy all your articles and replies!

          Ok, I’ve widdled my Canon decision down to the Canon T6s (funds providing). But now it’s a battle between the T6s and the NIkon D5500. Do you plan on reviewing these two together? The one major difference I see right away is the top mounted LCD on the T6s which makes that a plus.

          Reply

          1. The two cameras are pretty comparable. The D5500 doesn’t have an AA filter on the sensor, so it will technically be capable of higher resolution images (at the risk of more moire), but in practice, there won’t be any significant difference.

            The Canon supports high-speed sync for flash (which allows you to use some flash units at shutter speeds up to 1/4000th sec, though at lower power output), while the Nikon D5500 does not.

            I prefer the body style of the Canon (since it gives me a quick exposure compensation dial on the back), but that’s completely a matter of personal preference.

            In the end, what’s more important than the minor differences between the two cameras you’re considering are the differences between the two camera systems: lenses, flashes, and other accessories. Take a look at the lenses that you might want to buy in the future. Most people who are serious about photography will end up spending a lot more on lenses than on bodies, and depending on their shooting preferences, some people prefer Canon or Nikon lenses. For example, many sports photographers believe that Canon’s big white supertelepho lenses are the best. Or they prefer Canon’s 70-200 f/2.8 because of breathing problems with the Nikon. Or they prefer Nikon’s wide angle and portrait lenses. It used to be that Nikon lenses were much more expensive than Canon, but Canon is catching up in many cases now. It’s worth checking into.

            Reply

            1. Ok thanks I’ll check more into the lenses. I’ve been reading more about the two, I like the deep rich colors I’ve seen the D5500 take, I’ve seen a few from the T6s but none have stood out yet. Every time I read more I find myself swapping back and forth. I wonder if Canon removed it’s filter if it’s color depth and dynamic range would improve to match that of the D5500.

              I decided to see what national geographic photographers use, it was even draw between Canon and Nikon, some way out of my price range but I was very surprised to see someone used the T5i! But yes buy as much lens as you can afford and only buy the camera body you need.

              In some reviews I’ve found the LCD on the top of the T6s useless for some photographers and the wheel on the back extremely useful. The lack of C1, C2 and C3 settings is also a small drawback. I’ll keep looking and thanks for feedback!

              Reply

              1. For what it’s worth….

                You can’t take the colors in web photos that you’ve seen to be representative of what a camera can capture. That’s mainly the result of in camera processing to JPG and post processing. The fact is, if you can’t get good colors from ANY camera on the market now, the problem is with your technique, not the camera.

                All cameras out there now can capture a huge color gamut. If you process the RAW files in the ProPhotoRGB color space, you can retain most of them, and you can even keep a lot of them with the AdobeRGB color space. But ALL of the pictures that you’ve seen on the web are sRGB, which is a much smaller color gamut. And if you’re like most people, the images we see on the web are sufficient, when it comes to color… in fact, they can look really amazing.

                So, again, don’t get too hung up on the theoretical differences between the sensors. I’ve seen people blame bad colors on cameras and on lenses, but for the most part, the difference is knowledge of post-processing and exposure.

    1. At this point, there’s a significant improvement in autofocus performance for video with the Canon T6i, so you should consider that over the T5i and T4i. Ideally, the 70D and 7D Mark II are better than both of them, but they’re also more expensive. If the T4i and T5i are your options, though, go with the T5i.

      Reply

  5. I’m stuck on which camera to purchase….My boys play youth football and I missed out on their very first sport ever. I’d like to take video. Does the T5i have night shot capabilities, I read somewhere it doesn’t.

    Reply

    1. The Canon T5i is a good camera if you want to shoot video… it has a nice autofocus system for it. For a camera to be good for shooting at night, there are two things that are important: strong high-ISO performance, and a lens that lets in a lot of light (and, of course, knowing how to set your camera to make use of it… but that’s possible with any DSLR). The T5i is compatible with the full range of Canon SLR lenses, including those that let in lots of light (like f/2.8 zoom lenses, or f/1.4 or f/1.8 prime lenses). However, the kit lens that comes with it will not give you more light than f/5.6 when zoomed all the way in… that means 4 times less light than f/2.8, which is 4 times less light than f/1.4. (If you’d like some quick, simple information about the basics of this stuff, watch my quick explanatory video, here: The 3 Basics of Photography). So, you’d need to choose the right lens… but that’s true no matter what camera you buy.

      So the issue becomes how good the high-ISO performance is. The answer there is: it’s OK. It’s good enough. It’s not as good as a camera with a larger sensor like the Canon 6D (or 5D Mark III), and some other brands have sensors that might perform nominally better at high-ISO, but it’s amazingly good compared to what was available to us when we were shooting film, and in fact, compared to digital cameras from 6 years ago.

      Reply

  6. I have been doing some research on a camera that would be a good fit for myself with a budget in mind. I have been considering the t5i as well as the t3i but I’m not sure what is most cost efficient for what I’m getting. I’m mainly going to be using this camera for landscapes and portraits and I don’t need much video capability but want something that is superior in image quality and definition.

    Reply

    1. Hi Breanna,

      If you’re mostly interested in image quality, there’s no real difference between the T3i and T5i; the T5i’s improvements are with the video and touch screen. My advice is always this: buy the least expensive camera that will meet your needs, and buy the best lenses you can afford… that will give you the best image quality. So, I’d check the current prices of the T3i and T5i on a place like Amazon that still sells both, and take it from there.

      Reply

  7. Thanks! That’s what I ended up doing! Good to know I made the right call! I appreciate all the information!

    Reply

  9. Hi Matthew. Thanks for this article! I have a question about one of the reasons you list for getting the T3i over the newer models:
    “are interested in shooting video, but prefer to shoot with manual focus or follow-focus rails (as most professionals do).”

    This makes it sound like the newer T4i and T5i are incapable of doing manual focus or follow-focus rails. Is that true? I don’t know what “follow-focus rails” is/are, but I love using manual focus on my pictures, and imagine I will when I get more into videography. Any info on this would be appreciated. Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi Erynne,

      The newer versions, particularly the T5i, have significantly better autofocus for video. You can, however, use manual focus with any of the models.

      Focus Rails are just a setup that lets you follow focus a little more easily with lenses that might not otherwise have been designed with manual focusing in mind, and they let you set focus stop points along the focus range. Here’s a popular, inexpensive version of what I’m talking about: https://www.amazon.com/Fancierstudio-RIG-Follow-Focus-Counterweight/dp/B005UF3G2Y/ref=as_sl_pc_ss_til?tag=lighandmatt-20&linkCode=w01&linkId=BQL63WKTX442MCCR&creativeASIN=B005UF3G2Y

      Reply

  10. I plan on shooting a lot of children’s potraits. Because they move around a lot, I am not sure if the T5i would be better than the T3i for me. With the 9 points of focus of the 5, and as I am a beginner, would it be reasonable to spend more money on it. Or will it make that much of a difference, if I just get the correct lens? Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi Nikki,

      For portraits, the difference between the T3i and the T5i autofocus systems won’t make much difference… both systems should be great for that type of work.

      My general advice is always to buy the least expensive camera that will meet your needs, and buy the best lenses you can afford. If you want to do portrait work, a good large aperture prime lens or two would be the perfect place to start, like the Canon 85mm f/1.8.

      – Matthew

      Reply

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