Canon 20D vs 10D

The Canon EOS 20D and the Canon EOS 10D are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2004 and February 2003. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 20D has a resolution of 8.2 megapixels, whereas the 10D provides 6.3 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 20D		Canon 10D
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
8.2 MP – APS-C sensor		6.3 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 100-1,600 (100 - 3,200)		ISO 100-3,200
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
1.8" LCD – 118k dots		1.8" LCD – 118k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
5 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
700 shots per battery charge		500 shots per battery charge
144 x 106 x 72 mm, 770 g		150 x 107 x 75 mm, 850 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 20D and the Canon EOS 10D? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon 20D and the Canon 10D is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 10D is notably larger (5 percent) than the Canon 20D. Moreover, the 10D is markedly heavier (10 percent) than the 20D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 20D nor the 10D are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 20D gets 700 shots out of its Canon BP-511A battery, while the 10D can take 500 images on a single charge of its Canon BP-511 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 20D	144 mm	106 mm	72 mm	770 g	700	n	Aug 2004	1,499	ebay.com
2.		Canon 10D	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	850 g	500	n	Feb 2003	1,999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
4.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
5.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	1,399	ebay.com
6.		Canon 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
7.		Canon 50D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	800	Y	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
8.		Canon 40D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	750	n	Aug 2007	1,299	ebay.com
9.		Canon 30D	144 mm	106 mm	74 mm	785 g	750	n	Feb 2006	1,399	ebay.com
10.		Canon XT	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
11.		Canon Rebel	142 mm	99 mm	72 mm	649 g	400	n	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
12.		Canon D60	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	855 g	620	n	Feb 2002	2,999	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D200	147 mm	113 mm	74 mm	920 g	400	Y	Nov 2005	1,699	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The 20D was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 25 percent) than the 10D, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the 10D is 1 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of chip-set technology, the 20D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 2) than the 10D (DIGIC), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the Canon 20D offers a higher resolution of 8.2 megapixels, compared with 6.3 MP of the Canon 10D. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 6.42μm versus 7.38μm for the 10D). However, it should be noted that the 20D is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 5 months) than the 10D, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that partly offset its pixel-size disadvantage.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 20D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 20D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 17.5 x 11.7 inches or 44.5 x 29.7 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 14 x 9.3 inches or 35.6 x 23.7 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 11.7 x 7.8 inches or 29.7 x 19.8 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 10D are 15.4 x 10.2 inches or 39 x 26 cm for good quality, 12.3 x 8.2 inches or 31.2 x 20.8 cm for very good quality, and 10.2 x 6.8 inches or 26 x 17.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 20D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 100-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 10D are ISO 100 to ISO 3200 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under review, the 20D has a notably higher overall DXO score than the 10D (overall score 5 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 0.8 bits higher color depth, 0.1 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.3 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 20D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.9	11.0	721	62
2.		Canon 10D	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.1	10.9	571	57
3.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
4.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
5.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
6.		Canon 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
7.		Canon 50D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	none	21.8	11.4	696	63
8.		Canon 40D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.3	703	64
9.		Canon 30D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.5	10.8	736	59
10.		Canon XT	APS-C	8.0	3456	2304	none	21.8	10.8	637	60
11.		Canon Rebel	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.0	10.8	544	55
12.		Canon D60	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	20.3	9.8	301	47
13.		Nikon D200	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.3	11.5	583	64
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 20D and the 10D are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (95%), but the viewfinder of the 20D has a higher magnification than the one of the 10D (0.56x vs 0.55x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 20D and Canon 10D in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

#		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 20D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon 10D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 50D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.3/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 40D	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.5/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 30D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon XT	optical	n	1.8 / 115	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon Rebel	optical	n	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
12.		Canon D60	optical	Y	1.8 / 114	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon D200	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 20D and the 10D write their files to Compact Flash cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 20D and Canon EOS 10D and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

#		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 20D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
2.		Canon 10D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
3.		Canon 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 50D	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 40D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 30D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon XT	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon Rebel	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
12.		Canon D60	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
13.		Nikon D200	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Both the 20D and the 10D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 10D was replaced by the Canon 20D, while the 20D was followed by the Canon 30D. Further information on the features and operation of the 20D and 10D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 20D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 10D Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon 20D better than the Canon 10D or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 20D:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (8.2 vs 6.3MP) with a 14% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (5 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (0.3 stops ISO advantage).
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 2 vs DIGIC).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.56x vs 0.55x).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (700 versus 500) on a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (25 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 5 months after the 10D).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 10D:

• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2003).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 20D is the clear winner of the match-up (10 : 1 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 20D and the Canon 10D place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 20D or the 10D perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 20D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2004	1,499	ebay.com
2.		Canon 10D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Feb 2003	1,999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
4.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
5.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	1,399	ebay.com
6.		Canon 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
7.		Canon 50D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
8.		Canon 40D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	1,299	ebay.com
9.		Canon 30D	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2006	1,399	ebay.com
10.		Canon XT	..	80/100	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
11.		Canon Rebel	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
12.		Canon D60	..	..	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2002	2,999	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D200	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Nov 2005	1,699	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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