Reasons to choose EOS 20D
Released in 2004, EOS 20D has about 338 mm² of sensor area, 8.2 MP effective resolution, and a 770 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.
Side-by-side comparison
Canon EOS 20D
vs Canon EOS 40D
VS
Sensor area
338 mm²
EOS 20D329 mm²
EOS 40D- Area ratio
- 1.03:1
- Absolute difference
- 9 mm²
- Relative difference
- 2.7%
The EOS 20D has the larger sensor area. More area usually means greater light-gathering potential, though real image quality still depends on sensor architecture and generation.
These cameras were released 3 years apart. Consider sensor generation when comparing pixel metrics.
Key specification differences
EOS 20DMetricEOS 40D
8.2 MPEffective pixels10.1 MP
22.5 × 15Sensor22.2 × 14.8
6.42 µmPixel pitch5.7 µm
41.16 µm²Pixel area32.53 µm²
2.43 MP/cm²Pixel density3.07 MP/cm²
1.6Crop factor1.62
—Maximum video—
770 gWeight822 g
Compact Flash (Type I or II)StorageCompact Flash (Type I or II)
Canon Lithium-Ion Li-ion batteryBatteryCanon Lithium-Ion Li-ion battery
Amber marks the value that is generally preferable in this comparison context. It is not an overall camera score.
How to choose between these cameras
The EOS 20D has the larger sensor area. The EOS 20D has the lighter body. The EOS 40D has the higher effective resolution. The EOS 40D is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose EOS 40D
Released in 2007, EOS 40D has about 329 mm² of sensor area, 10.1 MP effective resolution, and a 822 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.