Nikon D200 vs. Canon EOS 5D Head-to-Head Review

Megapixels

12.8

10.2

Price

$3,299.00

$1,699.95

Dimensions (inches)

6 x 3 x 4.4

5.8 x 2.9 x 4.4

Lens mount

Canon EF Mount (1:1)

Canon's line of lenses is enormous and includes many superb lenses. The EF-S series lenses won't work with the 5D.

Many EF lenses include an ultrasonic motor, fitted around the optics. The USM increases autofocus speed and pairs it with minimal mechanism noise. Users can also utilize manual and automatic focus simultaneously with USM lenses.

Nikon F-Mount (1.5x crop)
 

Nikon covers practically the same focal range as Canon, but has fewer choices within the range. Nikon's commitment to the DX sensor format means that it has developed some very short-focal-length wide angle lenses specifically for digital DSLRs. Nikon's image quality matches Canon – each brand has outstanding lenses, and each has inexpensive lenses that are disappointing.

Dust/moisture seals

The 5D is sealed as well as the 20D, according to Canon. That's not as good as the seals on Canon's top cameras, the 1Ds Mark II and 1D Mark II n, but considerably better than the Rebel XT. It's also not as good as the Nikon D200.

The D200 features the same level of environmental seals as the Nikon D2X and D2Hs, the top cameras in the line.

Camera controls

Canon tries to pare down the number of buttons on the camera, for a cleaner look and perhaps a less confusing interface. Many controls do double duty.

Nikon gives many key functions dedicated buttons, increasing the number of controls and filling up the surface of the camera more than the Canon. The dedicated buttons may be simpler and quicker to use, at least for some users.

Menus

Canon's menus appear in a long, scrolling list, with a jump feature that speeds up navigation. The entries are color-coded into three major categories: shooting, playback and setup. The Custom item in setup brings up 21 more items for changing the interface.

 

 

Nikon's menus appear in a tabbed interface, which is quick to navigate. Color coding and icons improve the organization. The tabs divide the menu entries into shooting, playback, setup and custom settings.

 

 

Flash

No built-in flash or wireless command without dedicated Speedlite.  E-TTL II autoflash compatible with all EX-series Speedlites. Assuming current equipment, the wireless flash automation capabilities of the 5D and the D200 look similar on paper.

Pop-up flash with wireless commander built-in. i-TTL compatible only with current Nikon flashes, the SB-600, SB-800 and R200.