Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography vs Sony a33
This is a full comparison between the cameras Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography and Sony a33. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography is manufacturered by Canon but Sony a33 is from Sony. Both Canon and Sony are well known brands though.
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography were released 2005 and Sony a33 was released 2010. That is a 5 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.| Camera | Released |
| Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography | 2005 |
| Sony a33 | 2010 |
Type of camera
Sensors / crop factor
These cameras have different sensors. Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography has a "Canon APS-C"-sensor while Sony a33 has a "Sony 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 ** |
| Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography | 80 mm Canon APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.6 |
| Sony a33 | 75 mm Sony APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5 |
** 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)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)
Resolution
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography has a 8,2 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Sony a33 has 14 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 |
| Sony a33 |
14 MP
14033152 pixels 4592 x 3056 |
Sony a33 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 a33 has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography. Sony a33 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 12800 while Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography has 100 to 3200.
| Camera | ISO Range |
| Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography | 100-3200 |
| Sony a33 | 100-12800 |
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 Sony a33
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 Sony a33 can shoot up to 7 pictures per seconds.
| Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
| Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography | 5 |
| Sony a33 | 7 |
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 Sony a33. 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 20D Astrophotography weighs 770 gr (equal to 1.7 lb) which is 54% heavier than Sony a33 and its 500 gr (or 1.1 lb).
| Camera | Weight |
| Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography | 770 gr 1.7 lb |
| Sony a33 | 500 gr 1.1 lb |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography vs Sony a33 Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography and Sony a33, 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 |
Sony a33 |
| Name | Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography | Sony a33 |
| Manufacturer | Canon | Sony |
Release Date and Price |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Sony a33 |
| Release Year | 2005 | 2010 |
| Release Date | 2005-06-01 | 2010-08-24 |
| MSRP | 1499 USD | 949 USD |
| Buy it today |
|
|
Camera Type |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Sony a33 |
| Camera Type | DSLR | SLT |
Sensor |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Sony a33 |
| Sensor Size | APS-C (approx 22.3 x 14.9 mm) | APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm) |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Resolution | 3504 x 2336 pixels | 4592 x 3056 pixels |
| Megapixels | 8,2 MP | 14 MP |
| Image Processor | DIGIC 2 | Bionz |
Image |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Sony a33 |
| ISO Range | 100 - 3200 | 100 - 12800 |
| White Balance Presets | 6 | 6 |
| Custom White Balance | Yes | Yes |
| Image Stabilization | No |
Yes (Sensor-Shift) |
| Image Stabilization CIPA Rating | 0 stops | 0 stops |
| Uncompressed format | RAW | RAW |
Optics & Focus |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Sony a33 |
| Autofocus Motor | Yes | Yes |
| Autofocus |
Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous |
Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
| Focus Points | 9 | 15 |
| Lens Mount |
Canon EF Canon EF-S See Compatible Lenses |
Sony A 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 |
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 |
Screen & Viewfinder |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Sony a33 |
| Articulated LCD | Fixed | Fully articulated |
| Screen size | 1.8” | 3” |
| Screen dots | 118000 | 921000 |
| Touch screen | No | No |
| Screen type | N/A | N/A |
| Live view | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder Type | Optical (pentaprism) | Electronic |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 95% | 100% |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.9× (0.56× 35mm equiv.) | 1.1× (0.73× 35mm equiv.) |
| Viewfinder Resolution | N/A | N/A |
Photography features |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Sony a33 |
| Frames per second | 5 fps | 7 fps |
| Minimum Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000 seconds | 1/4000 seconds |
| Built-in Flash | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Flash Range | 12 meters | 10 meters |
| External Flash | Yes | Yes |
| Self-Timer | Yes | Yes |
| Time-lapse | Yes | No |
| 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 steps) |
Videography features |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Sony a33 |
| Video recording | No | Yes |
| Video format | N/A |
MPEG4 H.264 AVCHD |
| Video resolution | N/A |
1440 x 1080 1920 x 1080 |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Built-in Speakers | No | No |
Storage |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Sony a33 |
| Memory Card |
Compact Flash |
Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC |
Connectivity |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Sony a33 |
| HDMI Output | No | Yes |
| Microphone Port | No | No |
| Headphone Port | No | No |
| Wireless | No |
Yes Eye-Fi Connected |
| Remote Control | Yes (N3 connector) | Yes (Optional) |
| GPS | No | No |
Body & Dimensions |
Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography |
Sony a33 |
| Enviromentally sealed | No | No |
| Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
| Battery Details |
Battery Pack BP-511A
|
Rechargeable NP-FW50 battery & charger
|
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 1000 shots | 270 shots |
| Width | 144 mm | 124 mm |
| Height | 106 mm | 92 mm |
| Depth | 72 mm | 85 mm |
| Weight | 770 gram | 500 gram |