Nikon's D200, introduced in 2005 and discontinued in late 2007, is a professional-grade digital SLR. The Canon 5D, introduced in August 2005 and discontinued in 2008, was one of the more sought-after cameras for landscape photographers. The two both offer excellent performance, but there are significant differences.
Canon 5D
Sporting a 12-megapixel full frame sensor and capable of shooting three frames per second, the 5D hit the market with a retail price of $3,999, but eventually, during its heyday, was priced at $2,499. The 5D offers excellent color rendition and shutter speeds of between 1/8000 of a second and 30 seconds. The 5D has ISO speeds of 100-1600, plus boosts of ISO 50 and 3200, and has nine autofocus points.
Nikon D200
The D200 has a 10-megapixel APS-C-sized sensor and ISO speeds of 100-1600, with boosts in one-third steps above 1600 up to 3200. The D200 can shoot five frames per second; it retailed for $1,699,
Sensor Size
One of the prime differences between the 5D and the D200 is sensor size. The 5D has a full frame sensor, meaning the sensor is the same size as 35mm film. The D200 has a cropped APS-C sensor. The 5D sensor is bigger, so not only does it have more megapixels, it also has bigger pixels, resulting in less noise in the image. Noise looks like freckles in the image, instead of true color.
A full frame sensor also doesn't have a telephoto crop with a lens, so a 24-70 lens truly is a 24-70 focal length, whereas on an APS-C sensor, which crops the image, the 24-70 is equivalent to a 36-105. APS-C sensors makes it harder to take wide-angle shots. The focal length is the zoom on the lens; lower numbers equal a wider angle, while higher numbers equal more telephoto.
Frame Speed
The 5D was never intended to be a camera for sports or action, though some photographers used it that way. The D200, however, with its rate of five frames per second, could take all but the most demanding action shots.
Body Size
Both the D200 and 5D have magnesium alloy bodies, but the 5D weighs a fraction less than the D200, at 895 grams (31.6 oz.) vs. 920 grams (32 oz.). The 5D body measures a little bigger at 152 by 113 by 75 mm (6 by 4.5 by 3 inches) than the D200 body,147 by 113 by 74 mm (5.8 by 4.5 by 2.9 inches).
Self-Timer
Both the 5D and D200 have a self-timer; the 5D's maximum is 10 seconds, while the D200's self-timer can go to 20 seconds.
Uses
The 5D, with its full-frame sensor, is an ideal landscape and portrait camera. It has excellent color and resolution, and the full-frame sensor gives you more options for panoramic shots and wide-angle shots indoors. The 5D will also do better than the D200 in low light, due to having more megapixels and bigger pixels on the sensor, although the D200's autofocus is a little faster in low light thanks to its autofocus assist light.
The D200, with its faster frame rate, is a better camera for high-speed action and sports. Though the D200 can only capture 30 consecutive JPEGS (vs. 70 for the 5D) and takes more time to write to the memory card, the faster frame capture is better for sports.
One other advantage to the D200 is it has a built-in flash, good for snapshots. The 5D does not have a flash, and so it requires an external Canon speedlight.
Tags: frame sensor, frames second, full frame, full frame sensor, Nikon D200, than D200
