Canon 77D Review

Tweet Share

Camera Reviews / Canon Cameras / Canon EOS i Review

77D Overview First Shots: Closer Look

Navigate Review Jump to review page...

Basic Specifications
Full model name:	Canon EOS 77D
Resolution:	24.20 Megapixels
Sensor size:	APS-C (22.3mm x 14.9mm)
Kit Lens:	7.50x zoom 18-135mm (29-216mm eq.)
Viewfinder:	Optical / LCD
Native ISO:	100 - 25,600
Extended ISO:	100 - 51,200
Shutter:	1/4000 - 30 sec
Max Aperture:	3.5 (kit lens)
Dimensions:	5.2 x 3.9 x 3.0 in. (131 x 100 x 76 mm)
Weight:	37.2 oz (1,055 g) includes batteries, kit lens
Availability:	04/2017
Manufacturer:	Canon
Full specs:	Canon 77D specifications

Your purchases support this site

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 18-135mm lens
Kit with 18-55mm lens

77D Deals

24.20 Megapixels	Canon EF/EF-S	APS-C size sensor

77D Summary

With a newer 24MP APS-C sensor and faster DIGIC 7 processor, the Canon 77D is the successor to the Rebel T6s, despite the change in naming, and stacks up to be Canon's top-of-the-line entry-level DSLR. As expected, the image quality overall is very good, with nice detail and pleasing color. Dynamic range at low ISOs has been increased, and high ISO performance is slightly improved, though both still lag behind some competitors. The 77D also features an upgraded 45-point autofocus system as well as Dual Pixel CMOS AF, plus faster burst shooting and a much bigger RAW buffer. Like its predecessor, the 77D combines the ease-of-use of an entry-level DSLR with more advanced controls typically seen on higher-end DSLRs. It's a versatile camera for those looking to go beyond a basic DSLR yet don't want to break the bank.

Pros

Very good image quality; Improved dynamic range at low ISOs; Very fast autofocus; Dual Pixel CMOS AF in Live View; Much improved RAW buffer depth; 1080/60p video; Quick Control Dial & top-panel LCD screen.

Cons

Default JPEGs slightly soft straight out of camera; Dynamic range & high ISOs lag behind competing cameras; No 4K video resolution.

Price and availability

The 77D started shipping in April 2017 and is available in three configurations, starting with a body-only option at a list price of about US$899 at introduction. Paired with the new EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM lens, the combo was priced at US$1,049, while a longer zoom kit with the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM was priced at US$1,499. Current prices as of May 9, 2018 are $649 for the body-only, $799 for the 18-55 kit and $1,049 for the 18-135 kit.

Imaging Resource rating

4.5 out of 5.0

Canon 77D Review

by William Brawley, Jaron Schneider and Zig Weidelich
Preview posted: 02/14/2017
Updated: 05/09/2018

Updates:
03/21/2017: First Shots posted
03/31/2017: Performance posted
05/16/2017: Field Test posted
09/18/2017: Video Features & Analysis
03/14/2018: Image Quality Comparison and Print Quality
03/16/2018: Conclusion posted

Sandwiched between Canon's entry-level Rebel series and their intermediate-to-enthusiast-level 80D camera, the 77D hits a sweet spot of advanced functionality and features with a sub-$1000 price point. The Canon EOS 77D is like an upgraded Rebel T6s, with similar styling and controls, but with many of the 80D's performance and imaging capabilities. With these updates, the 77D breaks out of the "Rebel" family and into the "XXD"-class of EOS models, even if mostly just in name. However, with the 77D's mix of amenities and price point, it's quite the enticing option for advanced amateur photographers wanting to upgrade to a more feature-rich DSLR beyond the entry-level category.

Canon 77D is a multimedia DSLR aimed at advanced, step-up creators

Like the 80D and the 70D before that, the new 77D is very much a hybrid, multimedia-focused DSLR, with features that, such as its flip-out screen, make it a great choice for both photographers and videographers. As expected, the EOS ;77D also utilizes Canon's high-speed Dual Pixel CMOS AF focusing system, which provides on-sensor phase-detect AF for live view focusing. Unlike the contrast-detect autofocusing used on most earlier live-view-capable DSLRs, on-sensor phase-detect systems like Dual Pixel CMOS AF offer very fast and precise focusing -- acquiring focus is a little as 0.03 seconds according to Canon -- making live view AF quick and capable for stills and video, even with moving subjects.

77D pairs a 24MP APS-C sensor with a faster DIGIC 7 processor

Following in the footsteps of other recent Canon cameras, the 77D's APS-C-sized CMOS sensor packs in 24 megapixels and a fixed optical low-pass filter. While this newer model gets an upgrade to the faster DIGIC 7 image processor (whereas the 80D used a DIGIC 6 chip), the 77D maintains a similar ISO sensitive range of 100 up to a maximum of ISO 25,600, though you can expand it up a full stop to ISO 51,200.

Shutter speed range, however, is different than the higher-end 80D, with the 77D topping-out at 1/4000s for its quickest shutter speed, whereas the 80D offered a faster 1/8000s. In typical usage, this is perhaps not a major downside, but if you like to shoot with fast-aperture lenses in bright conditions, you could find yourself running out of shutter speed in order to get a properly exposed photograph. On the slow end, the 77D allows for a 30-second exposure and a Bulb mode, just like the 80D. Maximum flash sync is 1/200s, while the 80D offered a 1/250s flash sync speed.

Continuing the trend with Dual Pixel CMOS AF

We already mentioned the Dual Pixel CMOS AF feature for Live View autofocus, but for those utilizing the optical viewfinder, traditional phase-detection AF, the new 77D uses a similar 45-point all-cross-type autofocus system that we saw in the 80D. Furthermore, like the 80D, the 77D gains their 7,560-pixel RGB+IR metering sensor. In addition to its metering capabilities, the metering sensor data also works in conjunction with the AI Servo AF II autofocusing system to provide skin tone and color detection for better facial recognition and subject tracking.

According to Canon's specs, the 77D's autofocus system, at least using the central AF point, is capable of focusing down to -3.0 EV, which is quite good. AF point configurations aren't as numerous as those on Canon's higher-end models, but the 77D allows for single AF point selection, Zone AF with nine zones, Large Zone AF mode with three groupings, and a fully Automatic mode in which the camera with automatically select the appropriate point from the full 45 available points. AF microadjustment is unfortunately not supported.

Not as speedy as the 80D, but a much better buffer depth

Regarding still image capture performance, the new 77D offers similar, if not ever-so-slightly slower continuous shooting rates compared to the higher-end 80D. At up to 6fps with traditional viewfinder shooting (aka non-Live View) in High-Speed Continuous mode, the 77D is just a hint slower than the 7fps claimed by the 80D (in our review, the 80D got just shy of that spec, at 6.8fps). Not the speediest, but 6fps should do quite nicely at capturing fleeting moments for general-purpose sports, action and other moving subject matter. The camera also offers a slower 3fps continuous mode for times when you don't need to fire off such a quick burst of frames.

Best Lenses for the Canon 77D

What lens should you buy?

*Portrait:*
Standard: Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM	Upgrade: Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
*Landscape:*
Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM
*Wildlife:*
Standard: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM	Upgrade: Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM

JPEG ;buffer depth does appear to have a leg up against the earlier DIGIC 6-powered 80D. With a fast UHS-I SD card, Canon says the 77D can continuously shoot best quality JPEGs until you fill up the card. With the 80D, Canon's specs put JPEG buffer capacity with a UHS-I card at 110 frames. In our lab tests, the 80D captured just 53 best quality JPEGs before slowing down, while the 77D managed 167. For RAW-only or RAW+JPEG files, buffer depths were similar, at 24 and 19 frames respectively for the 80D, versus 23 and 21 frames respectively for the 77D. This is however a massive improvement over the 77D's predecessor, the T6s, as it managed only 6 RAW ;or RAW+JPEG frames, and that's at a slower top frame rate of 4.8fps.

Like the 80D and the 7D Mark II, the 77D includes an Anti-Flicker option, which can detect the subtle flicker of certain artificial lighting sources and react to adjust the timing of shots including bursts. Doing so, this helps eliminate the fluctuations in light levels and color casts over the course of a sequence of shots.

Capable 1080p video recording, but lacking a lot of bells & whistles

On the video side of things, the 77D very much takes after the 80D and 70D cameras, incorporating the video-centric flip-out articulated LCD touchscreen and a 3.5mm microphone input. However, there is no headphone jack, unfortunately, like there is on the 80D. In terms of video recording features, the 77D, again, includes many of the same specs as the 80D. Despite the faster DIGIC 7 image processor, however, the EOS 77D is yet another Canon camera that does not offer any 4K video recording capabilities and tops out at 1080/60p.

Video file formats are a bit more limited on this camera compared to the 80D, with MP4 being the primary video format and IPB the go-to compression setting. With the 77D, .MOV ALL-I video is only available for 1080/30p Time Lapse Movie mode; all other video recording formats, even 1080/60p, use IPB compression. It should also be noted that continuous video recording, with any resolution or framerate, is limited to 29 minutes, 59 seconds, at which point recording will stop and must be restarted manually.

Canon 77D Walkaround: Familiar design blends T6s with 80D

The physical design of the new 77D doesn't offer much in the way of surprises or radically new features, especially for those already familiar with EOS DSLRs. The 77D follows Canon's traditional DSLR aesthetic and control layout, and overall, follows closely to the T6s, though there are few features borrowed from the bigger 80D model, however weather sealing is not one of them.

Starting at the top deck, the slightly boxier shape of the handgrip and number of controls up top closely follows that of the earlier Canon T6s. Like higher-end EOS cameras as well as the unique Rebel T6s, the 77D features a top-deck LCD info panel, and while it's slightly larger than the one on the T6s, it's smaller than the 80D's.

The number of physical controls on the top of the camera is also more limited compared to the higher-end models and follows the same layout as that of the T6s. In front of the status LCD, the camera offers an AF point selection button, ISO setting shortcut and a backlighting button for the LCD. There's no AF mode or a Drive mode like on the 80D, nor is there an extra button up next to the front control dial. The locking Mode Dial over on the left-hand side offers an array of scene mode shortcuts and other entry-level shooting modes in addition to the standard PASM options. However, unlike the 80D, there are no Custom slots for user-assignable shooting mode setups.

As with both the 80D and T6s, the 77D sports a built-in, pop-up E-TTL II flash with a guide number of around 39.4 ft. (12m) at ISO 100 that can act as a master to remote slave flash units, as well as a hotshoe for external Speedlite flash units or other compatible accessories.

Moving down to the back of the camera, again, the 77D shares a very similar layout to the T6s, including the rear control dial. There are minor design tweaks to certain button and switches, but it's mostly familiar territory for those that have used EOS Rebel cameras before. There are a couple of nice additions, most notably a dedicated AF-ON button, which is perfect for those who want more control over autofocus operation, such as with back-button AF. This button, seen on higher-end EOS cameras, is absent on Rebel-series models. The other new addition to the 77D is a Wi-Fi connection shortcut button, allowing for quick access to wireless connectivity settings and to quickly pair the camera to a smart device.

The 77D's viewfinder is similar to the T6s' smaller pentamirror type, spec'd at ~95% coverage, ~0.82x magnification, 19mm eyepoint and with an eye-sensor. The 80D has a larger and brighter pentaprism finder with ~100% coverage, ~0.95x magnification and a 22mm eyepoint, however it has no eye sensor.

The 3.0-inch touchscreen LCD features a fully articulated flip-out design, making it fantastic for video creators, especially vloggers, but also for photographers shooting from low, high or otherwise awkward angles. The screen itself has around 1.04-million dots of resolution, offers seven levels of brightness adjustment, and has both anti-smudge and anti-reflective coatings.

The sides of the camera are pretty standard fare for a DSLR. The right side houses the single SD card slot (compatible with SD, SDHC and SDXC cards with UHS-I support), while the left-hand side features a pair of covers over the various ports and connectors. The 77D includes a 3.5mm microphone input jack and a wired remote port as well as Mini (Type-C) HDMI and USB 2.0 ports. Of course, like most modern cameras, the 77D offers wireless connectivity as well with remote control capabilities. The camera features Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity, as well as new Bluetooth capability to maintain an always-on connection to a paired smart device.

Speaking of Bluetooth, Canon has also released the BR-E1 Bluetooth remote which is compatible with the 77D and the T7i. This new remote allows users to capture images from within a 5-meter/16-foot radius of the camera, and does not require line-of-sight like IR remotes do. In addition to a shutter release, the BR-E1 includes an AF button and separate W/T buttons for use with power zoom lenses. Suggested retail price is US$50.

For power, the 77D uses the smaller LP-E17 rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack -- the same one used in the Rebel T6i and T6s cameras as well as the EOS M6, M5 and M3 mirrorless models -- rather than the larger LP-E6/E6N batteries used in the 80D and other higher-end Canon DSLRs. Despite the smaller battery, Canon's CIPA rating predicts decent battery life, at up to 600 shots per charge with the optical viewfinder and 270 or thereabouts with Live View (under optimal temperatures). The T6s with the same LP-E17 battery as the 77D offers just 440 (OVF) and 180 (Live View) shots, however the 80D with the LP-E6N is rated significantly higher at 960 (OVF) and 300 (Live View) shots.

Canon 77D versus Canon T7i

Feature	Canon 77D	Canon T7i
Top Status LCD	Yes	No
Locking Mode Dial	Yes	No
Dedicated AF-ON Button	Yes	No
Second Control Dial (Quick Control Dial)	Yes	No
Multi Function Lock Switch	Yes	No
Display-off Sensor (Eye Sensor)	Yes	No
Built-in Stills Intervalometer	Yes	No
Bulb Mode Timer	Yes	No
Customizable Buttons	4	2
Weight (body-only)	493g / 17.4 oz	485g / 17.1 oz
Body-only Price (as of May 9, 2018)	US$649	US$699
Everything else is the same...

Canon 77D Price & Availability

Canon 77D Field Test

Rebel in Disguise

by Jaron Schneider | 05/16/2017

Canon 77D Body and Ergonomics

The 77D has the exact same body size and general exterior design as the Rebel T7i, save for a few minor tweaks, the addition of a top-panel status LCD and the addition of a rear dial. Aside from the relocation of a few rear buttons to make room for the lock switch for that aforementioned dial (which is a necessary add-on and common on all Canon cameras that feature a fully rotating dial in that position), the only other major difference between the two cameras is the relocation of the mode dial from the right side of the camera to the left (as viewed from the left) to make room for that LCD.

Basically, from a physical standpoint, the 77D body adds a scant few features and controls (which are expounded on in detail below) that make it look more like the higher-end DSLRs in Canon's lineup. It is otherwise largely identical, weighing in at only 8 grams more than the T7i.

Read our Canon 77D Field Test

Canon 77 Video

Features, Specs & Analysis

by Jaron Schneider | 09/18/2017

The 77D and T7i share a lot in common, especially their sensor and the performance of it. In that same vein, the 77D video performance and feature sets are pretty identical to that of the T7i.

Canon 77D Video Recording Options & Quality

There is no 4K, but you can shoot in 1080p at 60 frames per second (technically 59.94 but you get the idea), but it's at a relatively low bit rate of 60 Mbps. That means that though you can get good video, you'll want to nail the shots in camera, as the dynamic range is going to be very limiting if you try and adjust scenes in post. You can also max out at 90 Mbps.

Click to read about the 77D's video capabilities

Canon 77D Image Quality Comparison

See how the 77D compares to cameras in the same price range

by Zig Weidelich | 03/14/2018

Here we present crops from our laboratory Still Life target comparing the Canon 77D's image quality to its predecessor's, the T6s, as well as against several competing APS-C models -- and one full-frame camera for good measure -- which all sit at similar price points or product categories: the Nikon D5600, Pentax K-3 II, Sony A6300 and Sony A7. (You may be wondering why we included higher-end models like the Pentax K-3 II and full-frame Sony A7 in the mix; the reason is at the time of writing they are priced very similarly to the 77D.)

NOTE: These images are from best quality JPEGs straight out of the camera, at default settings including noise reduction and using the camera's actual base ISO (not extended ISO settings). All cameras in this comparison were shot with our very sharp reference lenses. Clicking any crop will take you to a carrier page where you can click once again to access the full resolution image as delivered straight from the camera. For those interested in working with the RAW files involved: click these links to visit each camera's respective sample image thumbnail page...

See our 77D Image Quality Comparison

Canon 77D Print Quality Analysis

But how does it look on paper?

by William Brawley | 03/14/2018

Print quality and image quality are similar but not identical, because what you see on a print isn't always the same as what you see on the screen. Our print quality analysis answers the important question: "Just how big can I print my photos at higher ISOs?"

Sporting Canon's DIGIC 7 image processor and a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor, the step-up DSLR beyond the entry-level Rebel series offers similar yet pleasing performance in the print quality department. Following other Canon 24MP APS-C models, the Canon 77D is capable of large, wall-sized prints (at least up to 30 x 40 inches) all the way until ISO 400. Visible ISO noise starts to creep in fairly early in the ISO range, but nevertheless, the 77D is capable of large prints as the ISO rises. For instance, you can easily get a great 16 x 20 inch print at ISO 1600 or even a pleasing 8 x 10 at ISO 6400. At the upper ends of the ISO range, prints get rather noisy and color vibrancy drops off slightly, yet it still managed a usable 4 x 6 at the camera's highest native ISO of 25,600. The expanded ISO 51,200 is not recommended for prints, however.

Read about the Canon 77D's Print Quality

Canon 77D Conclusion

by William Brawley | 03/16/2018

The Canon 77D is an interesting model for the EOS family, sitting in between the entry-level Rebel series and more advanced consumer models like the 70D and 80D. It seems Canon introduced a little model name confusion back in 2015 with the introduction of both the Rebel T6i and Rebel T6s cameras. For the most part, these two DSLRs were strikingly similar, with the same sensor, processor, performance and image quality. The T6s was aimed at intermediate photographers, though, and featured design changes like a top-deck status LCD and upgraded rear controls more akin to higher-end EOS models. This time around, we get the follow-up to the T6i in the Rebel T7i, and yet the Rebel T6s successor receives a nomenclature change, to 77D.

Despite the plan to separate and perhaps elevate the 77D from more entry-level Rebel models, the change is mostly in name, as the 77D looks, feels and has (or lacks) features more akin to its Rebel siblings than the 80D, for example. Nevertheless, the 77D hits a nice sweet spot for those step-up users who want a more advanced APS-C DSLR at a sub-$1000 price point.