The Canon EOS 77D (9000D in Japan) is a lightweight DSLR camera with an APS-C sensor that has 24 megapixels and boasts an outstanding Dual Pixel Autofocus, as well as superb external controls and connection through WiFi and Bluetooth. It is possible to think of it as the successor of the Rebel T6s, and if the name doesn’t make it evident, the specs and feature enhancements over its lower-end Rebel sister should. It is placed in the middle ground between the EOS 80D and the Rebel T7i.
Key Specs
- sensor with 24 megapixels and dual-pixel autofocus.
- phase-detection autofocus system with 45 points of all-cross-type coverage
- Digic 7 processor
- 3 “LCD display with the complete articulation of the touchscreen
- The LCD display on the top plate for camera information
- Dual control dials
- continuous shooting at 6 frames per second
- 1080 video capture at 60 frames per second, including a microphone input
Is there more to the EOS 77D than just a fancier version of the Rebel? However, this is not the case. Dual control dials, an LCD on the top plate, and an additional button to turn autofocus on are the only significant differences between this model and the Rebel T7i, which was launched at the same time as this one. A general button shuffle and an additional eight grams of heaviness are two examples of less noteworthy differences between the two models. The end, as they say. In other words, the Rebel T6s and the T6i shared the same connection with one another.
Having said all of that, we have to admit that the nickname “77D” seems a lot more professional than either the time-honored “Rebel” or “XX0D” appellation, and after all, this is a camera that is rather well-rounded. Despite the fact that it shares a lot of similarities with its more expensive cousin, the EOS 80D, it is priced far lower.
Let’s examine how they stack up against one another in more detail.
The Canon EOS 77D (9000D in Japan) is a lightweight DSLR camera with an APS-C sensor that has 24 megapixels and boasts an outstanding Dual Pixel Autofocus, as well as superb external controls and connection through WiFi and Bluetooth. It is possible to think of it as the successor of the Rebel T6s, and if the name doesn’t make it evident, the specs and feature enhancements over its lower-end Rebel sister should. It is placed in the middle ground between the EOS 80D and the Rebel T7i.
Important technical details
- sensor with 24 megapixels and dual pixel autofocus.
- phase-detection autofocus system with 45 points of all-cross-type coverage
- Digic 7 processor
- 3 “LCD display with the complete articulation of the touchscreen
- The LCD display on the top plate for camera information
- Dual control dials
- continuous shooting at 6 frames per second
- 1080 video capture at 60 frames per second, including a microphone input
Is there more to the EOS 77D than just a fancier version of the Rebel? However, this is not the case. Dual control dials, an LCD on the top plate, and an additional button to turn autofocus on are the only significant differences between this model and the Rebel T7i, which was launched at the same time as this one. A general button shuffle and an additional eight grams of heaviness are two examples of less noteworthy differences between the two models. The end, as they say. In other words, the Rebel T6s and the T6i shared the same connection with one another.
Having said all of that, we have to admit that the nickname “77D” seems a lot more professional than either the time-honored “Rebel” or “XX0D” appellation, and after all, this is a camera that is rather well-rounded. Despite the fact that it shares a lot of similarities with its more expensive cousin, the EOS 80D, it is priced far lower. Let’s examine how they stack up against one another in more detail.
Therefore, the EOS 77D will generally appeal to the same kind of customer as the T6s/760D; that is, the photographer who has sufficient expertise to demand a more hands-on approach and who must have some kind of optical viewfinder. Users of older Rebel cameras, including some X0D models, should strongly consider upgrading to either the EOS 77D or the Rebel T7i as a result of all of the not-insignificant improvements included in these cameras.
If you are willing to forego the use of an optical viewfinder, you could easily make a case for the Fujifilm X-T20 or Sony’s a6300. Both of these cameras offer 4K video and much faster burst shooting in smaller packages (although the a6300 does not offer the same level of direct control as the 77D does). Additionally, there is the new Canon EOS M6, which shares an awful lot of similarities with the 77D under its skin.
However, with the inclusion of Dual Pixel AF, Live View photography on the EOS 77D is probably just as robust (or maybe more so, in some scenarios) than the mirrorless choices offered by Fujifilm or Sony. And this gets to the core of what really makes the EOS 77D so intriguing; it may not give the best of both the DSLR and mirrorless worlds, but it does offer a convincing balance at this price range. And this gets to the heart of what truly makes the EOS 77D so appealing.
The body, the controls, and the characteristics
No one who has used or looked at a Rebel from one of the most recent generations will be surprised by the EOS 77D because it is virtually identical to its predecessor. It is light and has a fairly plasticky texture, yet it does not have an extremely cheap feel to it. The controls are well-organized, and you can manage almost the whole camera while keeping one eye on the viewfinder. This is something we’d expect from a Canon DSLR. The ability to lock out the elements would have been good, but given the price point, it is neither here nor there.
Because of this, there is not much new to discuss in terms of the design of the EOS 77D; it is only another compact DSLR. However, this camera, along with the Rebel T7i, introduces Canon’s Dual Pixel AF to a lower price point. Because of this, it has the ability to substantially affect how you use the camera.
Control – shooting through an optical viewfinder
However, before we get to it, let’s go over some of the fundamentals first. The ergonomic design of Canon’s EOS system is fully implemented in this model, which features a shutter button and front command dial that seem like they were taken directly from the EOS 650, the company’s first EOS film camera (in fact, the EOS system as a whole is celebrating is 30th anniversary this year).
Is it then something fresh and exciting? It is dependent on the person you question, but when you have worked with the EOS 77D for a while, you will realize that it is a camera that is very well-organized.
You have almost everything you could possibly want at your disposal, and it is simple to adjust any settings while keeping one eye on the viewfinder. However, it would be wonderful to have more freedom over button customization. For example, I don’t alter my “Picture Style” very frequently, so I’d assign that button to anything else if I could. The two control knobs in particular make the process of manipulating settings quite quick. Even if you have to remove one of your eyes from the viewfinder in order to use the Q menu that is controlled by a touchscreen, thankfully it functions quite well.
When it comes to the optical viewfinder, this is unquestionably an APS-C DSLR aimed squarely at the consumer market. The optical viewfinder (OVF) is pretty dark, relatively tiny, and comes with a limited information display. However, there is an eye-sensor located above the screen, which is a good addition since it prevents you from getting distracted by the main display when you bring the camera up to your eye.
The electronic level is also helpful to have on hand in a situation; however, it is on the tiny side and does not provide particularly accurate readings. In addition, if the viewfinder frame covers less than one hundred percent of the image, you may find that unexpected shocks are seeping into the corners of your perfectly composed photographs.
In a good development, the 45-point focusing system of the EOS 80D is a significant improvement over the autofocus systems of earlier Rebels. It covers a significant percentage of the viewfinder, which is on the smaller side. It makes framing your images up that much easier by allowing you to move your focusing point about, as opposed to having to focus and recompose, and all of those cross-type points should help assure higher autofocus accuracy than prior Rebels did.
Handling – Live View
In Live View, the EOS 77D performs quite similarly to how a large-ish mirrorless camera would in terms of its handling. It has decent refresh rates and a snappy touchscreen interface. But if you have access to an optical viewfinder, there is no need for you to even consider shooting in this manner. Simply said, because Dual Pixel AF is so effective, and the fact that it covers the whole scene in which you are taking a photograph is an additional benefit.
Autofocus is not only more comprehensive in Live View than it is when viewed through the viewfinder, but it is also typically more accurate in Live View (and you won’t ever need to make an AF micro-adjustment in Live View because the focus is measured at the imaging plane). Live View gives you a larger field of view than the viewfinder. It even topic tracks better than Canon’s through-the-viewfinder iTR tracking by a significant margin – additional information about this may be found on our page devoted to autofocus.
Even in this setting, the handling is generally satisfyingly competent all around. You can still access the majority of the functions you require with just your right hand, and then you can use your left hand to cradle the flip-out screen while using your thumb to adjust the autofocus. It works wonderfully for regular shooting, and it makes working from a variety of angles a snap.
On the other hand, if there are occasions when you’d rather use an optical viewfinder, you’ll find that option ready and waiting for you. Users who consider an electronic viewfinder to be an absolute requirement probably won’t give a hoot about this feature because they won’t be looking at the 77D as a potential camera purchase. On the other hand, users who want the option of an optical viewfinder in addition to a refined Live View experience will find that the 77D has it covered.
You will be delighted to know that the experience is rather constant even if you switch back and forth between the two different ways of shooting on a frequent basis. If you consider ‘Face + Tracking’ to be synonymous with ‘Auto AF point selection,’ then the Q menus of both cameras will feel quite familiar to you. This holds true even for the terminology used to describe the autofocus settings.
Features
When it comes to its features, the Canon EOS 77D is a mixed bag. There are guided shooting screens and menus, lots of scene shooting modes on the top dial, and an assortment of ‘creative’ filters such as miniature effect’ and ‘toy camera effect’ in case you find yourself feeling uninspired when taking pictures.
You can shoot in Raw format using the automatic mode, then after the fact, you may apply any of the ‘creative’ filters to the Raw files you’ve shot. Unfortunately, you cannot conduct more standard Raw processing in-camera, such as adjusting the white balance or exposure, which would be beneficial for refining a picture for Wi-Fi upload. If you want to do that, you will need to shell out the cash for the EOS 80D.
The EOS 77D inherited a very rudimentary version of Canon’s Auto ISO control, which simply allows you to choose an ISO range. The camera will automatically try to keep your shutter speed at roughly 1/125 of a second regardless of the ISO setting you choose (2 x focal length). There is no opportunity to manually pick a minimum shutter speed, nor is there a way to bias the shutter speed that the camera uses.
Through the use of Canon’s Camera Connect software, which is downloadable for both iOS and Android, users may take use of comprehensive Wi-Fi and Bluetooth implementation. If you’re using iOS, the initial setup will take a few minutes, however, pairing an Android phone with another device via NFC is a fairly quick process.
Those of you who use iOS, on the other hand, have the option to maintain a Bluetooth connection at all times, which will make subsequent pairings go much more rapidly. In addition to being able to see and download photographs from the camera, you can also use your phone to add information such as the exact time and location to the images. Vloggers will like the fact that the camera can be controlled remotely, that settings can be manipulated, and that autofocus tracking can even be set.
Image quality
The most recent version of our test setting replicates photography in both daytime and low light. You may switch between the two by pressing the ‘lighting’ buttons that are located at the very top of the widget. When shooting in daylight, the white balance of the picture is adjusted manually to produce neutral grays; however, when testing in low light, the camera is kept in its default Auto setting. Raw files require human editing to rectify errors. We provide three distinct viewing sizes, which are referred to as “Full,” “Print,” and “Comp.” The latter two viewing sizes allow “normalized” comparisons since they use matching viewing sizes.
The ‘Comp’ option selects the camera with the highest possible resolution that is also shared by the other cameras being evaluated.
The Canon EOS 77D produces results in our test scene that are almost identical to those of the more expensive EOS 80D as well as the EOS M5 (which you can read more about here); this isn’t surprising as all three cameras share what is likely the same sensor, and even though the M5 and 77D both have newer Digic 7 processors compared to the 80D’s older Digic 6, there does not appear to be any significant impact on image quality.
In general, you may thus anticipate colors that are normally attractive from Canon, with reds that are less murky than those produced by a Nikon D7200 and less yellow-tinged than those produced by a Sony a6300. The JPEG engine, on the other hand, continues to exhibit quite a simplistic sharpening that is prone to haloing and may benefit from some more development.
The higher ISO values result in a loss of clarity in areas of low contrast while leaving lots of noise behind. Raw noise performance is just somewhat inferior to that of the D7200 and the a6300. Even though it captures a reasonably decent amount of detail, the Canon EOS 77D displays less moiré than the Sony (exactly like the Canon EOS 80D), which suggests that it has an anti-aliasing filter.
The Canon EOS 77D produces results in our test scene that are almost identical to those of the more expensive EOS 80D as well as the EOS M5 (which you can read more about here); this isn’t surprising as all three cameras share what is likely the same sensor, and even though the M5 and 77D both have newer Digic 7 processors compared to the 80D’s older Digic 6, there does not appear to be any significant impact on image quality.
In general, you may thus anticipate colors that are normally attractive from Canon, with reds that are less murky than those produced by a Nikon D7200 and less yellow-tinged than those produced by a Sony a6300. The JPEG engine, on the other hand, continues to exhibit quite simplistic sharpening that is prone to haloing and may benefit from some more development.
The higher ISO values result in a loss of clarity in areas of low contrast while leaving lots of noise behind. Raw noise performance is just somewhat inferior to that of the D7200 and the a6300. Even though it captures a reasonably decent amount of detail, the Canon EOS 77D displays less moiré than the Sony (exactly like the Canon EOS 80D), which suggests that it has an anti-aliasing filter.
It is important to note that when shooting in the real world, you may find that one of the packed kit lenses for the EOS 77D does not satisfy your needs. The EF-S 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS USM has a respectable reach, excellent build quality, and blazing-fast AF; nonetheless, our sample suffered from general softness over the entire zoom range. Although the 18-135mm will continue to be a good option for video, we discovered that the EF-S 24mm F2.8 STM was a far more satisfying partner for the 77D.
Video
The EOS 77D is capable of recording video at resolutions of up to 1080/60p. As you can see from the comparison that was just made, in terms of the detail capture that it offers on our test scenario, it is almost comparable to the older EOS 80D. There are certain trade-offs in terms of sharpness against moiré, and it exhibits generally equivalent detail capture while having less moiré than the Sony a6300 in 1080p; to put it another way, it’s not that fantastic. The Fujifilm X-T20 produces images that are slightly crisper, but there is a significant amount of artificial color.
In terms of its handling, the EOS 77D has a limited number of capture aids; yet, it maintains Canon’s heritage of making the recording of wonderfully steady video as simple and straightforward as possible. The built-in Digital IS works extremely well, and there is a microphone port so that you can obtain higher quality audio even if it does remove some of the information from the film you record. It is possible to view a histogram before you begin recording, but after you begin your clip, the histogram is no longer visible. Additionally, there is neither manual focus peaking nor zebra highlight warnings.
Face detection and tracking are both very, very good, and this continues to be one of the most convincing use cases for Dual Pixel Autofocus in general. It should be noted that this is one of the only consumer cameras currently on the market that offers easy and dependable autofocus while shooting video clips, alongside other recent Canons. This distinction should be noted because this is one of the only consumer cameras currently on the market.
Last but not least, the video shooting mode is limited to either full-automatic or full-manual, which means that users do not have the choice to film in aperture or shutter priority. In manual shooting mode, you’ll be happy to know that Auto ISO is an option.
The EOS 77D is not going to be anyone’s first pick for high-end cinema shooting; nevertheless, it will be an excellent choice for individuals who are seeking for a camera to use for vlogging, and it also has the potential to be a terrific home movie machine for families.
Performance
The EOS 77D is not going to be anyone’s first pick for high-end cinema shooting; nevertheless, it will be an excellent choice for individuals who are seeking a camera to use for vlogging, and it also has the potential to be a terrific home movie machine for families.
Burst shooting is respectable at 6 frames per second with full focusing, despite the fact that it cannot match the performance of mirrorless competitors like the Fujifilm X-T20 and the Sony a6300 (though this drops to between 4 and 5fps in Live View with Dual Pixel AF). In addition to this, you can keep firing at a rate of 6 frames per second for around four seconds before the buffer becomes full (and unlike some other Canon cameras, this is unaffected by the Auto Lighting Optimizer, Lens Corrections, and ISO settings you choose).
According to CIPA, the battery life of the camera when utilizing the optical viewfinder is a reasonable 600 shots, and as a result, a single battery should easily be enough to power the camera for an entire day of the shooting provided that flash use and chimping are kept to a minimum. However, you might want to think about purchasing a second battery if you use Live View somewhat frequently.
Let’s check how well the EOS 77D’s autofocus works, shall we?
Autofocus
The Canon EOS 70-300mm F4-5.6 IS II USM lens was used for all of our tests here at this location. It is important to note that this lens makes use of Canon’s new Nano USM technology, which is a fancy way of saying that the focusing element is able to move very quickly. We carried out all of our evaluations with this lens.
The EOS 77D does not offer any autofocus customization options at all; there are no presets, no ‘focus/release’ priority, and not even any AF micro adjustment. The only autofocus customization option available is the ‘Color Tracking’ option found in the Auto AF Point selection, which we left enabled because it is enabled by default.
The tests that we have carried out are intended to quantify the movement of subjects at a medium distance from the camera. This movement includes bicycles, of course, but it is also a fair indication of how well a camera will handle topics such as children running around in the garden, for example. We put the Canon EOS 77D through its paces by putting it through our battery of tests using both the optical viewfinder and the Live View mode. First, let’s take a look at the optical viewfinder.
A viewfinder that uses optics.
Live View support for Dual Pixel Autofocus
Now comes the part where things start to become interesting. When utilizing the optical viewfinder, Canon’s iTR tracking was consistently inferior to the performance of their Dual Pixel AF in tracking Dan throughout the frame. In other words, the live view autofocus is able to perform a better job of detecting and following a subject that is moving in an unpredictable manner because it has access to information about the entire scene.
Canon has said that the new Digic 7 processor that is included in the 77D, the Rebel T7i, as well as the EOS M5 and M6 cameras, should result in improved Dual Pixel tracking performance, and it appears that this is precisely the case. It is always a pleasant surprise when marketing promises can be supported by outcomes that can be replicated.
The moment has come for us to put our close-range autofocus to the test. It is intended that this will replicate subject tracking in informal social contexts. This will be accomplished by commencing tracking, freely framing images, and snapping pictures of friends and acquaintances while attending some kind of dimly light social event. To start things off, we’ll look via the optical viewfinder using Canon’s iTR.
Canon EOS 77D Specifications
| Body type | Mid-size SLR |
|---|---|
| Body material | Composite |
| Sensor | |
| Max resolution | 6000 x 4000 |
| Image ratio w:h | 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 |
| Effective pixels | 24 megapixels |
| Sensor photo detectors | 26 megapixels |
| Sensor size | APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) |
| Sensor type | CMOS |
| Processor | DIGIC 7 |
| Color space | sRGB, Adobe RGB |
| Color filter array | Primary color filter |
| Image | |
| ISO | Auto, 100-25600 (expands to 51200) |
| Boosted ISO (maximum) | 51200 |
| White balance presets | 6 |
| Custom white balance | Yes |
| Image stabilization | No |
| Uncompressed format | RAW |
| JPEG quality levels | Fine, normal |
| File format | JPEG (Exif v2.3)Raw (14-bit Canon CR2) |
| Optics & Focus | |
| Autofocus | Contrast Detect (sensor)Phase DetectMulti-areaCenterSelective single-pointTrackingSingleContinuousTouchFace DetectionLive View |
| Autofocus assist lamp | Yes (flash) |
| Digital zoom | No |
| Manual focus | Yes |
| Number of focus points | 45 |
| Lens mount | Canon EF/EF-S |
| Focal length multiplier | 1.6× |
| Screen / viewfinder | |
| Articulated LCD | Fully articulated |
| Screen size | 3″ |
| Screen dots | 1,040,000 |
| Touch screen | Yes |
| Screen type | TFT LCD |
| Live view | Yes |
| Viewfinder type | Optical (pentamirror) |
| Viewfinder coverage | 95% |
| Viewfinder magnification | 0.82× (0.51× 35mm equiv.) |
| Photography features | |
| Minimum shutter speed | 30 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/4000 sec |
| Exposure modes | ProgramShutter priorityAperture priorityManual |
| Scene modes | Group PhotoKidsFoodCandlelightNight PortraitHandheld Night SceneHDR Backlight ControlPortraitLandscapeClose-upSports |
| Built-in flash | Yes |
| Flash range | 12.00 m (at ISO 100) |
| External flash | Yes (via hot shoe) |
| Flash X sync speed | 1/200 sec |
| Drive modes | SingleHigh-speed continuousLow-speed continuousSelf-timerSelf-timer + continuous |
| Continuous drive | 6.0 fps |
| Self-timer | Yes (2 or 10 sec) |
| Metering modes | MultiAverageSpotPartial |
| Exposure compensation | ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
| AE Bracketing | ±3 (3 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
| Videography features | |
| Format | MPEG-4, H.264 |
| Modes | 1920 x 1080 @ 60p / 60 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 30 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 30p / 12 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 23.98p / 30 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1280 x 720 @ 60p / 26 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1280 x 720 @ 30p / 4 Mbps, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM |
| Microphone | Stereo |
| Speaker | Mono |
| Storage | |
| Storage types | SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I compatible) |
| Connectivity | |
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| HDMI | Yes |
| Microphone port | Yes |
| Headphone port | No |
| Wireless | Built-In |
| Wireless notes | Includes Bluetooth LE and NFC |
| Remote control | Yes (via smartphone or Bluetooth remote) |
| Physical | |
| Environmentally sealed | No |
| Battery | Battery Pack |
| Battery description | LP-E17 lithium-ion battery & charger |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 600 |
| Weight (inc. batteries) | 540 g (1.19 lb / 19.05 oz) |
| Dimensions | 131 x 100 x 76 mm (5.16 x 3.94 x 2.99″) |
| Other features | |
| Orientation sensor | Yes |
| Timelapse recording | Yes |
| GPS | Optional |
Final Verdict
Since this is effectively a rebadged Rebel, I do not anticipate that the EOS 77D will set the world on fire in the same way that earlier members of Canon’s Rebel family have. It’s not so much a camera that you should want or fawn over; rather, it’s a camera that you should just use, and it will reward the user with nice results day in and day out. And at first, Canon’s new naming scheme for this successor to the Rebel T6s threw me off a little bit, but now that I’ve gotten used to it, I really like it.
The target audience for several recently introduced cameras is moving steadily toward more expensive models. A portion of this is down to the fact that the market is becoming smaller, but another reason is that cameras have generally grown so good in recent years that there isn’t much place for more than two tiers of so-called “entry-level” Rebels.
It’s possible that this is what Canon was thinking because it would be a disservice to bestow upon it a moniker that’s synonymous with the company’s more basic and pedestrian interchangeable lens cameras. For a camera that’s this capable and well-rounded, it would seem to be a disservice to bestow upon it a moniker that’s synonymous with the company’s EOS line.
In point of fact, the EOS 77D is unique on its own. At this price point, there is simply no other alternative available on the market that provides a satisfactory optical viewfinder, a refined Live View experience, and the same degree of control. If you don’t require a 4K video, the Canon EOS 77D is a fascinating, dependable, and reasonably inexpensive jack-of-all-trades camera that can do a little bit of everything well. However, it may not be the camera that catches the attention of everyone.
Canon EOS 77D Price
Pros & Cons
- The dual control dials provide a greater degree of direct manipulation.
- Improvements to Dual Pixel AF and dynamic range come courtesy of the 24MP sensor.
- The Digic 7 processor allows for improved autofocus tracking in Live View.
- Friendly user interface and quick response times on touchscreens
- 45-point autofocus system that has been upgraded to include all cross-type points for improved accuracy
- Lacking 4K video
- subject tracking via iTR AF is still not reliable.
- A little bit of a plasticky construction
- There is no raw processing done in-camera.
- Implementation of auto ISO is too fundamental
- The dynamic range is still behind that of competitors.