Sony a300 vs Canon EOS 1D Mark II

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a300 and Canon EOS 1D Mark II. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a300 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS 1D Mark II is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.

Type of camera

Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a300 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Canon EOS 1D Mark II has a "Canon APS-H"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

** 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 (Sony)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Canon)

Resolution

Sony a300 has a 10 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS 1D Mark II has 8,2 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Sony a300 has a 23 % larger resolution than Canon EOS 1D Mark II. 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 1D Mark II has a larger ISO-range than Sony a300. Canon EOS 1D Mark II has an ISO range that stretches from 50 to 3200 while Sony a300 has 100 to 3200.

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 Sony a300
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 1D Mark II

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a300 can shoot up to 3 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 1D Mark II can shoot up to 8,5 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

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

Though, neither Sony a300 or Canon EOS 1D Mark II can shoot movies so if that is a functionality that you are really looking for you should look elsewhere.

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 1D Mark II weighs 1565 gr (equal to 3.45 lb) which is 148% heavier than Sony a300 and its 632 gr (or 1.39 lb).

Sony a300 vs Canon EOS 1D Mark II Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a300 and Canon EOS 1D 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	Sony a300	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Name	Sony a300	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Manufacturer	Sony	Canon
Release Date and Price	Sony a300	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Release Year	2008	2004
Release Date	2008-01-30	2004-01-29
MSRP	799 USD	4499 USD
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Camera Type	Sony a300	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Camera Type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor	Sony a300	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Sensor Size	APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm)	APS-H (approx 27.9 x 18.6 mm)
Sensor Type	CCD	CMOS
Resolution	3872 x 2592 pixels	3504 x 2336 pixels
Megapixels	10 MP	8,2 MP
Image Processor	Bionz	DIGIC 2
Image	Sony a300	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
ISO Range	100 - 3200	50 - 3200
White Balance Presets	6	8
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	Yes (Sensor-Shift)	No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	0 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW	RAW
Optics & Focus	Sony a300	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Single Continuous LiveView	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous
Focus Points	9	45
Lens Mount	Sony A See Compatible Lenses	Canon EF See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier	APS-C Sensor (1.5x) 1.5x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 36 mm 50 mm becomes 75 mm 100 mm becomes 150 mm 200 mm becomes 300 mm	APS-H Sensor 1.3x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 31 mm 50 mm becomes 65 mm 100 mm becomes 130 mm 200 mm becomes 260 mm
Screen & Viewfinder	Sony a300	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Articulated LCD	Tilting	Fixed
Screen size	2.7”	2”
Screen dots	230000	230000
Touch screen	No	No
Screen type	N/A	N/A
Live view	Yes	No
Viewfinder Type	Optical (pentamirror)	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage	95%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.74× (0.49× 35mm equiv.)	0.72× (0.55× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	N/A
Photography features	Sony a300	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Frames per second	3 fps	8,5 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/4000 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	No	Yes
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Spot	Multi Center Weighted Spot Partial
Exposure Compensation	+/- 2 (at 1/3 EV steps)	+/- 3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features	Sony a300	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Video recording	No	No
Video format	N/A	N/A
Video resolution	N/A	N/A
Built-in Microphone	No	No
Built-in Speakers	No	No
Storage	Sony a300	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Memory Card	Compact Flash	Compact Flash SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Sony a300	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
HDMI Output	No	No
Microphone Port	No	No
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	No	No
Remote Control	Yes (Wired or wirelss (optional))	Yes (N3 connector)
GPS	No	No
Body & Dimensions	Sony a300	Canon EOS 1D Mark II
Enviromentally sealed	No	No
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	NP-FM500H	Ni-MH pack NP-E3
Battery Life (CIPA)	730 shots	N/A
Width	131 mm	156 mm
Height	99 mm	158 mm
Depth	75 mm	80 mm
Weight	632 gram	1565 gram