Canon 20D vs 7D

The Canon EOS 20D and the Canon EOS 7D are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2004 and September 2009. 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 7D provides 17.9 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 7D
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
8.2 MP – APS-C sensor		17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-1,600 (100 - 3,200)		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
1.8" LCD – 118k dots		3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
5 shutter flaps per second		8 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
700 shots per battery charge		800 shots per battery charge
144 x 106 x 72 mm, 770 g		148 x 111 x 74 mm, 860 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 7D? 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 Canon 20D and the Canon 7D 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 width, height and depth 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 7D is notably larger (8 percent) than the Canon 20D. Moreover, the 7D is markedly heavier (12 percent) than the 20D. It is noteworthy in this context that the 7D is splash and dust-proof, while the 20D does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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 7D can take 800 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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	Street Price
1.		Canon 20D	144 mm	106 mm	72 mm	770 g	700	n	Aug 2004	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
2.		Canon 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	152 mm	114 mm	75 mm	850 g	850	Y	Sep 2008	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon 10D	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	850 g	500	n	Feb 2003	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
6.		Canon 30D	144 mm	106 mm	74 mm	785 g	750	n	Feb 2006	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
7.		Canon 40D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	750	n	Aug 2007	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
8.		Canon 50D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	800	Y	Aug 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
9.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
10.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
11.		Canon Rebel	142 mm	99 mm	72 mm	649 g	400	n	Aug 2003	US$ 899	ebay.com
12.		Canon XT	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	US$ 899	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D200	147 mm	113 mm	74 mm	920 g	400	Y	Nov 2005	US$ 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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 20D was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 12 percent) than the 7D, 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. 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.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the 7D is 2 percent smaller. 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.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the 7D offers a higher resolution of 17.9 megapixels, compared with 8.2 MP of the 20D. 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 4.31μm versus 6.42μm for the 20D). However, it should be noted that the 7D is much more recent (by 5 years) than the 20D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 7D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 7D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 20D 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 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 7D are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-12800.

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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 consideration, the 7D has a markedly higher DXO score than the 20D (overall score 4 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 0.1 bits higher color depth, 0.7 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.2 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	1080/30p	23.7	11.9	1815	79
4.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
5.		Canon 10D	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.1	10.9	571	57
6.		Canon 30D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.5	10.8	736	59
7.		Canon 40D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.3	703	64
8.		Canon 50D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	none	21.8	11.4	696	63
9.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
10.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
11.		Canon Rebel	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.0	10.8	544	55
12.		Canon XT	APS-C	8.0	3456	2304	none	21.8	10.8	637	60
13.		Nikon D200	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.3	11.5	583	64

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The 7D indeed provides for movie recording, while the 20D does not. The highest resolution format that the 7D can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 20D and the 7D 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 viewfinder in the 7D offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the 20D (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the 7D has a higher magnification (0.63x vs 0.56x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 20D and Canon 7D along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.9/s	n	n
4.		Canon 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 10D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 30D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 40D	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.5/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 50D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.3/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon Rebel	optical	n	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
12.		Canon XT	optical	n	1.8 / 115	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 7D 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 7D 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 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 10D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
6.		Canon 30D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 40D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 50D	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Canon Rebel	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
12.		Canon XT	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
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 7D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 20D was replaced by the Canon 30D, while the 7D was followed by the Canon 7D Mark II. Further information on the features and operation of the 20D and 7D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 20D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 7D Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Canon 20D better than the Canon 7D or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 20D:

• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 90g or 10 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (12 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2004).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 7D:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (17.9 vs 8.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 48%.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (4 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (0.7 EV of extra DR).
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/30p video.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.63x vs 0.56x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (920k vs 118k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (800 versus 700) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (2.0 vs 1.1).
• More modern: Reflects 5 years of technical progress since the 20D launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 7D is the clear winner of the contest (13 : 3 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision 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 7D 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the 20D and the 7D in practical situations. 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 adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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	Street Price
1.		Canon 20D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2004	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
2.		Canon 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	4/5	91/100	..	79/100	4/5	..	Sep 2008	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon 10D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Feb 2003	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
6.		Canon 30D	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2006	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
7.		Canon 40D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
8.		Canon 50D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
9.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
10.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
11.		Canon Rebel	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2003	US$ 899	ebay.com
12.		Canon XT	..	80/100	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2005	US$ 899	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D200	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Nov 2005	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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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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