Sony a350 vs Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a350 and Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a350 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography 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 a350 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.

** 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 a350 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:

Sony a350 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

Both of these cameras offer the exact same ISO range. They both have 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 a350
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 a350 can shoot up to 3 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

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

Though, neither Sony a350 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 14% heavier than Sony a350 and its 674 gr (or 1.49 lb).

Sony a350 vs Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a350 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 a350	Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography
Name	Sony a350	Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography
Manufacturer	Sony	Canon
Release Date and Price	Sony a350	Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography
Release Year	2008	2005
Release Date	2008-01-30	2005-06-01
MSRP	899 USD	1499 USD
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Camera Type	Sony a350	Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography
Camera Type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor	Sony a350	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	CCD	CMOS
Resolution	4592 x 3056 pixels	3504 x 2336 pixels
Megapixels	14 MP	8,2 MP
Image Processor	Bionz	DIGIC 2
Image	Sony a350	Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography
ISO Range	100 - 3200	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 a350	Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography
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	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 a350	Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography
Articulated LCD	Tilting	Fixed
Screen size	2.7”	1.8”
Screen dots	230000	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	0.74× (0.49× 35mm equiv.)	0.9× (0.56× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	N/A
Photography features	Sony a350	Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography
Frames per second	3 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 a350	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 a350	Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography
Memory Card	Compact Flash Memory Stick Pro Duo	Compact Flash
Connectivity	Sony a350	Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography
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 a350	Canon EOS 20D Astrophotography
Enviromentally sealed	No	No
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	NP-FM500H	Battery Pack BP-511A
Battery Life (CIPA)	730 shots	1000 shots
Width	131 mm	144 mm
Height	99 mm	106 mm
Depth	75 mm	72 mm
Weight	674 gram	770 gram