Sony a550 vs Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography
This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a550 and Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
Sony a550 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.
Sony a550 were released 2009 and Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography was released 2005. That is a 4 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.| Camera | Released |
| Sony a550 | 2009 |
| Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography | 2005 |
Type of camera
Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.
Sensors / crop factor
These cameras have different sensors. Sony a550 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography has a "Canon APS-C"-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 ** |
| Sony a550 | 75 mm Sony APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5 |
| Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography | 80 mm Canon APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.6 |
** 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 a550 has a 14 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography has 8,2 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:
| Camera | Megapixels |
| Sony a550 |
14 MP
14033152 pixels 4592 x 3056 |
| Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
8,2 MP
8185344 pixels 3504 x 2336 |
Sony a550 has a 71 % 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
Sony a550 has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography. Sony a550 has an ISO range that stretches from 200 to 12800 while Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography has 100 to 3200.
| Camera | ISO Range |
| Sony a550 | 200-12800 |
| Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography | 100-3200 |
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 a550
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography
Pictures per second
Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a550 can shoot up to 7 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds.
| Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
| Sony a550 | 7 |
| Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography | 5 |
Ability to record movies
It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.
Though, neither Sony a550 or Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography 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 20D Astrophotography weighs 770 gr (equal to 1.7 lb) which is 22% heavier than Sony a550 and its 632 gr (or 1.39 lb).
| Camera | Weight |
| Sony a550 | 632 gr 1.39 lb |
| Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography | 770 gr 1.7 lb |
Sony a550 vs Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a550 and Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography, 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 a550 |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
| Name | Sony a550 | Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
| Manufacturer | Sony | Canon |
Release Date and Price |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
| Release Year | 2009 | 2005 |
| Release Date | 2009-08-27 | 2005-06-01 |
| MSRP | 949 USD | 1499 USD |
| Buy it today |
|
|
Camera Type |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
| Camera Type | DSLR | DSLR |
Sensor |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
| Sensor Size | APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm) | APS-C (approx 22.3 x 14.9 mm) |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Resolution | 4592 x 3056 pixels | 3504 x 2336 pixels |
| Megapixels | 14 MP | 8,2 MP |
| Image Processor | Bionz | DIGIC 2 |
Image |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
| ISO Range | 200 - 12800 | 100 - 3200 |
| White Balance Presets | 6 | 6 |
| 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 a550 |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
| Autofocus Motor | Yes | Yes |
| Autofocus |
Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous |
| Focus Points | 9 | 9 |
| Lens Mount |
Sony A See Compatible Lenses |
Canon EF Canon EF-S 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-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 |
Screen & Viewfinder |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
| Articulated LCD | Tilting | Fixed |
| Screen size | 3” | 1.8” |
| Screen dots | 921600 | 118000 |
| Touch screen | No | No |
| Screen type | N/A | N/A |
| Live view | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder Type | Optical (pentamirror) | Optical (pentaprism) |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 95% | 95% |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.8× (0.53× 35mm equiv.) | 0.9× (0.56× 35mm equiv.) |
| Viewfinder Resolution | N/A | N/A |
Photography features |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
| Frames per second | 7 fps | 5 fps |
| Minimum Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/4000 seconds | 1/8000 seconds |
| Built-in Flash | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Flash Range | 12 meters | 12 meters |
| External Flash | Yes | Yes |
| Self-Timer | Yes | Yes |
| Time-lapse | No | Yes |
| Metering modes |
Multi Center Weighted Spot |
Multi Center Weighted Partial |
| Exposure Compensation | +/- 2 (at 1/3 EV steps) | +/- 2 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
Videography features |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
| 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 a550 |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
| Memory Card |
Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC |
Compact Flash |
Connectivity |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
| HDMI Output | Yes | No |
| Microphone Port | No | No |
| Headphone Port | No | No |
| Wireless | No | No |
| Remote Control | Yes (Wired or Wireless (Optional)) | Yes (N3 connector) |
| GPS | No | No |
Body & Dimensions |
Sony a550 |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
| Enviromentally sealed | No | No |
| Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
| Battery Details |
Lithium-Ion NP-FM500H rechargeable battery & charger
|
Battery Pack BP-511A
|
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 480 shots | 1000 shots |
| Width | 137 mm | 144 mm |
| Height | 104 mm | 106 mm |
| Depth | 84 mm | 72 mm |
| Weight | 632 gram | 770 gram |