Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography vs Canon EOS 5D Mark II
This is a full comparison between the cameras Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography and Canon EOS 5D Mark II. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
These cameras are both manufactured by Canon.
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography were released 2005 and Canon EOS 5D Mark II was released 2008. That is a 3 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.| Camera | Released |
| Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography | 2005 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark II | 2008 |
Type of camera
Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.
Sensors / crop factor
These cameras have different sensors. Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography has a "Canon APS-C"-sensor while Canon EOS 5D Mark II has a "Canon Full Frame"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.
| Camera | Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 ** |
| Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography | 80 mm Canon APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.6 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark II | 50 mm Full-frame sensor No crop factor/focal length 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 20D Astrophotography has a 8,2 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS 5D Mark II has 21,1 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:
| Camera | Megapixels |
| Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
8,2 MP
8185344 pixels 3504 x 2336 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark II |
21,1 MP
21026304 pixels 5616 x 3744 |
Canon EOS 5D Mark II has a 157 % larger resolution than Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography. 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 5D Mark II has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography. Canon EOS 5D Mark II has an ISO range that stretches from 50 to 25600 while Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography has 100 to 3200.
| Camera | ISO Range |
| Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography | 100-3200 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark II | 50-25600 |
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 20D Astrophotography
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Pictures per second
Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 5D Mark II can shoot up to 3,9 pictures per seconds.
| Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
| Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography | 5 |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark II | 3,9 |
Ability to record movies
It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.
It is only one of these two cameras that support recording movies and movie clips and that is Canon EOS 5D Mark II. Sadly, the Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography does not support this.
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 5D Mark II weighs 850 gr (equal to 1.87 lb) which is 10% heavier than Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography and its 770 gr (or 1.7 lb).
| Camera | Weight |
| Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography | 770 gr 1.7 lb |
| Canon EOS 5D Mark II | 850 gr 1.87 lb |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography vs Canon EOS 5D Mark II Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography and Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 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 20D Astrophotography |
Canon EOS 5D Mark II |
| Name | Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography | Canon EOS 5D Mark II |
| Manufacturer | Canon | Canon |
Release Date and Price |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Canon EOS 5D Mark II |
| Release Year | 2005 | 2008 |
| Release Date | 2005-06-01 | 2008-09-17 |
| MSRP | 1499 USD | 2699 USD |
| Buy it today |
|
|
Camera Type |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Canon EOS 5D Mark II |
| Camera Type | DSLR | DSLR |
Sensor |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Canon EOS 5D Mark II |
| Sensor Size | APS-C (approx 22.3 x 14.9 mm) | Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm) |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Resolution | 3504 x 2336 pixels | 5616 x 3744 pixels |
| Megapixels | 8,2 MP | 21,1 MP |
| Image Processor | DIGIC 2 | DIGIC 4 |
Image |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Canon EOS 5D Mark II |
| ISO Range | 100 - 3200 | 50 - 25600 |
| White Balance Presets | 6 | 6 |
| Custom White Balance | Yes | Yes |
| Image Stabilization | No | Yes |
| Image Stabilization CIPA Rating | 0 stops | 0 stops |
| Uncompressed format | RAW | RAW |
Optics & Focus |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Canon EOS 5D Mark II |
| Autofocus Motor | Yes | Yes |
| Autofocus |
Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
| Focus Points | 9 | 9 |
| Lens Mount |
Canon EF Canon EF-S See Compatible Lenses |
Canon EF 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 |
Full frame No multiplier Example: 24 mm remains 24 mm 50 mm remains 50 mm 100 mm remains 100 mm 200 mm remains 200 mm |
Screen & Viewfinder |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Canon EOS 5D Mark II |
| Articulated LCD | Fixed | Fixed |
| Screen size | 1.8” | 3” |
| Screen dots | 118000 | 920000 |
| Touch screen | No | No |
| Screen type | N/A | TFT liquid-crystal color LCD |
| Live view | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder Type | Optical (pentaprism) | Optical (pentaprism) |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 95% | 98% |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.9× (0.56× 35mm equiv.) | 0.71× |
| Viewfinder Resolution | N/A | N/A |
Photography features |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Canon EOS 5D Mark II |
| Frames per second | 5 fps | 3,9 fps |
| Minimum Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000 seconds | 1/8000 seconds |
| Built-in Flash | Yes | No |
| Built-in Flash Range | 12 meters | N/A |
| External Flash | Yes | Yes |
| Self-Timer | Yes | Yes |
| Time-lapse | Yes | Yes |
| Metering modes |
Multi Center Weighted Partial |
Multi Center Weighted Spot |
| Exposure Compensation | +/- 2 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) | +/- 2 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
Videography features |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Canon EOS 5D Mark II |
| Video recording | No | Yes |
| Video format | N/A |
H.264 |
| Video resolution | N/A |
1920 x 1080 |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Built-in Speakers | No | Yes |
Storage |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Canon EOS 5D Mark II |
| Memory Card |
Compact Flash |
Compact Flash |
Connectivity |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Canon EOS 5D Mark II |
| HDMI Output | No | Yes |
| Microphone Port | No | Yes |
| Headphone Port | No | No |
| Wireless | No |
Yes Optional |
| Remote Control | Yes (N3 connector) | Yes (N3 connector) |
| GPS | No | No |
Body & Dimensions |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Canon EOS 5D Mark II |
| Enviromentally sealed | No | Yes |
| Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
| Battery Details |
Battery Pack BP-511A
|
Lithium-Ion LP-E6 rechargeable battery & charger
|
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 1000 shots | 850 shots |
| Width | 144 mm | 152 mm |
| Height | 106 mm | 114 mm |
| Depth | 72 mm | 75 mm |
| Weight | 770 gram | 850 gram |