Sony H200 vs Canon 1D Mark II

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200 and the Canon EOS-1D Mark II are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2013 and January 2004. The H200 is a fixed lens compact, while the 1D Mark II is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (H200) and an APS-H (1D Mark II) sensor. The Sony has a resolution of 15.2 megapixels, whereas the Canon provides 8.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Sony H200		Canon 1D Mark II
Fixed lens compact camera		Digital single lens reflex
24-633mm f/3.1-5.9		Canon EF mount lenses
15.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		8.2 MP – APS-H sensor
720/30p Video		no Video
ISO 100-3,200		ISO 100-1,600 (50 - 3,200)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 460k dots		2.0" LCD – 230k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
0.8 shutter flaps per second		8.3 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
240 shots per battery charge		1200 shots per battery charge
123 x 83 x 87 mm, 530 g		156 x 158 x 80 mm, 1535 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200 and the Canon EOS-1D Mark II? 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

The physical size and weight of the Sony H200 and the Canon 1D Mark II are illustrated 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 size dimensions 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 1D Mark II is considerably larger (141 percent) than the Sony H200. It is noteworthy in this context that the 1D Mark II is splash and dust-proof, while the H200 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the H200 has a lens built in, whereas the 1D Mark II is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the 1D Mark II and their specifications in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

As can be seen in the images above, the 1D Mark II has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras 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.		Sony H200	123 mm	83 mm	87 mm	530 g	240	n	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
2.		Canon 1D Mark II	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1535 g	1200	Y	Jan 2004	4,499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1585 g	500	Y	Sep 2001	6,499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1565 g	1200	Y	Aug 2005	3,999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1215 g	1200	Y	Sep 2004	7,999	ebay.com
6.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	150 mm	160 mm	80 mm	1385 g	1800	Y	Aug 2007	7,999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 5D	152 mm	113 mm	75 mm	895 g	400	Y	Aug 2005	3,299	ebay.com
8.		Canon G1 X Mark II	116 mm	74 mm	66 mm	553 g	240	n	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX400	104 mm	69 mm	80 mm	313 g	190	n	Jul 2014	249	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX510	104 mm	70 mm	80 mm	349 g	250	n	Aug 2013	249	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX520	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	441 g	210	n	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX600	104 mm	61 mm	26 mm	188 g	290	n	Jan 2014	249	ebay.com
14.		Nikon B500	114 mm	78 mm	95 mm	541 g	600	n	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
15.		Nikon L840	113 mm	78 mm	96 mm	538 g	590	n	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
16.		Sony H300	128 mm	89 mm	92 mm	590 g	350	n	Feb 2014	219	ebay.com
17.		Sony H400	130 mm	95 mm	122 mm	628 g	300	n	Feb 2014	319	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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The H200 was launched at a lower price than the 1D Mark II, despite having a lens built in. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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 tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony H200 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Canon 1D Mark II an APS-H sensor. The sensor area in the 1D Mark II is 1857 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 1.3. The sensor in the H200 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the 1D Mark II offers a 3:2 aspect.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Sony H200 offers a higher resolution of 15.2 megapixels, compared with 8.2 MP of the Canon 1D Mark II. 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 1.36μm versus 8.17μm for the 1D Mark II). However, it should be noted that the H200 is much more recent (by 8 years and 11 months) than the 1D Mark II, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the H200 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony H200 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the H200 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 14.7 inches or 65.8 x 37.2 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 11.7 inches or 52.7 x 29.8 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 9.8 inches or 43.9 x 24.8 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 1D Mark II are 17.5 x 11.7 inches or 44.5 x 29.7 cm for good quality, 14 x 9.3 inches or 35.6 x 23.7 cm for very good quality, and 11.7 x 7.8 inches or 29.7 x 19.8 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS-1D Mark II are ISO 100 to ISO 1600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-3200.

In terms of underlying technology, the H200 is build around a CCD sensor, while the 1D Mark II uses a CMOS imager. 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 is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). 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.		Sony H200	1/2.3	15.2	5184	2930	720/30p	19.9	11.2	529	44
2.		Canon 1D Mark II	APS-H	8.2	3504	2336	none	22.3	11.1	1003	66
3.		Canon 1D	APS-H	4.1	2496	1662	none	..	..	..	..
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	APS-H	8.2	3504	2336	none	22.3	11.2	975	66
5.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	Full Frame	16.6	4992	3328	none	23.3	11.3	1480	74
6.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	none	24.0	12.0	1663	80
7.		Canon 5D	Full Frame	12.7	4368	2912	none	22.9	11.1	1368	71
8.		Canon G1 X Mark II	1.5-inch	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	21.5	10.8	581	58
9.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
10.		Canon SX400	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	720/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
11.		Canon SX510	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/24p	20.0	11.3	586	45
12.		Canon SX520	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
13.		Canon SX600	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.0	11.4	620	45
14.		Nikon B500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.3	11.7	810	48
15.		Nikon L840	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.2	11.6	721	47
16.		Sony H300	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
17.		Sony H400	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The H200 indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the 1D Mark II does not. The highest resolution format that the H200 can use is 720/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the 1D Mark II has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the H200 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sony H200 and Canon 1D Mark II 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.		Sony H200	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon 1D Mark II	optical	Y	2.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	n	n
3.		Canon 1D	optical	Y	2.0 / 120	fixed	n	1/16000s	8.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.5/s	n	n
5.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	optical	Y	2.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
7.		Canon 5D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	n
8.		Canon G1 X Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	5.2/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX400	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/1600s	0.8/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon SX510	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/1600s	3.8/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX520	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
13.		Canon SX600	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	3.9/s	Y	Y
14.		Nikon B500	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
15.		Nikon L840	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony H300	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony H400	210	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	0.7/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The H200 has one, while the 1D Mark II does not. While the built-in flash of the H200 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The H200 writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the 1D Mark II uses Compact Flash or SD cards. The 1D Mark II features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the H200 only has one slot.

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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200 and Canon EOS-1D Mark II 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.		Sony H200	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon 1D Mark II	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
3.		Canon 1D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
5.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 5D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon G1 X Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon SX400	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon SX510	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Canon SX520	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon SX600	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Nikon B500	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Nikon L840	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony H300	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Sony H400	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-

It is notable that the 1D Mark II has a hotshoe, which makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun. The H200 does not feature such an accessory-socket.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 1D Mark II (unlike the H200) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the H200 and the 1D Mark II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 1D Mark II was replaced by the Canon 1D Mark II N, while the H200 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the H200 and 1D Mark II can be found, respectively, in the Sony H200 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 1D Mark II Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Sony H200 or the Canon 1D Mark II – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (15.2 vs 8.2MP) with a 41% higher linear resolution.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Broader imaging potential: Can record not only still images but also 720/30p movies.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (460k vs 230k dots).
• Ready to shoot: Comes with a built-in lens, while the 1D Mark II requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (123x83mm vs 156x158mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the 1D Mark II).
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (2.0 vs 1.1).
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Reflects 8 years and 11 months of technical progress since the 1D Mark II launch.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS-1D Mark II:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/1500s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8.3 vs 0.8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Makes it possible to change lenses and thus to use specialty optics.
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1200 versus 240) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2004).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 1D Mark II is the clear winner of the contest (17 : 13 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 Sony H200 and the Canon 1D Mark II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the H200 or the 1D Mark II perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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.		Sony H200	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
2.		Canon 1D Mark II	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Jan 2004	4,499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2001	6,499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 1D Mark II N	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2005	3,999	ebay.com
5.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2004	7,999	ebay.com
6.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	..	..	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	Aug 2007	7,999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 5D	..	88/100	..	+ +	o	..	Aug 2005	3,299	ebay.com
8.		Canon G1 X Mark II	3/5	+	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX400	..	+	..	..	..	..	Jul 2014	249	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX510	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2013	249	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX520	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX600	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2014	249	ebay.com
14.		Nikon B500	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
15.		Nikon L840	..	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
16.		Sony H300	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2014	219	ebay.com
17.		Sony H400	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2014	319	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, 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? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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